Catching a ruff on a float rod, an overview of snattas and baits

When ruffs are hooked by an angler, only negative comments can be heard as a result. The fact is that he swallows the baited hook so greedily, as if he had not eaten anything for a month. As a rule, the ruff cannot be released after this, since vital organs are damaged as a result of removing the hook. At the same time, few people know that ruff fish soup is so unique that its taste can only be surpassed by red fish soup.

About ruff

This is not a big fish, up to 18 cm long and weighing no more than 200 g. Ruff has a very spiny dorsal fin. If you get hurt, then long-healing wounds and painful wounds will remain. In this regard, the ruff should be taken very carefully. This small fish grows slowly. The main increase occurs in the first year of life, when it grows up to 10 cm in length. Then its growth practically stops. Ruff lives up to 10 years.

Where to catch ruff

Ruff is a freshwater fish, therefore, it inhabits rivers, lakes, ponds, reservoirs and desalinated bays of the seas. Ruff prefers to stay in flocks, while his favorite places are pits and depressions, shady water areas with a weak current, various underwater obstacles in the form of bridges, snags or bank cliffs, where there is a suitable depth. He leads a benthic lifestyle and moves, literally touching the bottom with his belly. He does not like to be in the action of direct sunlight and moves under the canopies created by nature, in the form of vegetation or trees hanging over the water. Ruff rarely leaves his favorite places, and if he leaves them, then only for the purpose of food.

If you managed to catch one ruff, then there is a flock of ruffs in this place and you can safely count on the next bites. This way you can catch a good dozen ruffs. If the bites have stopped, then you will have to move to another, more catchy place.

When to catch ruff

Ruff can be caught all year round. The only exception is a break for spawning. Before spawning, he begins to eat, and he pecks especially recklessly.

No matter how, but you need to stock up on energy in order to prolong your family. After the water warms up to + 10 ° C, and this is the month of April-May, the ruff leaves for spawning. Therefore, the most successful periods for catching ruff are the pre-spawning and post-spawning periods, as well as autumn, when the water begins to cool after the summer period. Ruff is also caught in summer, but it does not show such activity as in spring and autumn. In warm water, he behaves passively, and you can get him only from a depth where the water is colder. Ruff goes hunting when dusk falls. During this period, bites can follow very often, but during the day its activity is reduced significantly. He prefers cool water, and therefore prefers to be in those places where such water is available. In summer, this is depth, various shelters from the sun, as well as areas where fresh spring water arrives.

Catching a ruff on a float rod

Since the fish is not big, there are no special requirements for tackle. For catching it, a small fishing rod with a fishing line with a diameter of up to 0,2 mm and a small hook is suitable. The float is also selected small and thin in order to fix the bites of the ruff in time. The ruff, although small, is a predator, so it is preferable to use baits of animal origin, such as dung worm or bloodworm. Ruff is a fish that you will have to look for carefully, having decided on the nature of the bottom of the reservoir. Where there is depth, at least some depression, a hole, a ruff is sure to lurk there, and maybe more than one. If there are no bites for a long time, then you need to move to another place and try to catch the ruff there.

Experienced anglers say that it is better than ruff, when catching pike on live bait, bait cannot be found. Therefore, many fishermen catch ruffs to use them as live bait. Despite this, the task is not easy, since live, lively fish are required for bait. Well, if you can catch the ruff by the lip. Basically, the ruff greedily swallows the baited hook and after removing it, the ruff is no longer suitable for bait. No problem! Having caught a good dozen ruffs, you can cook excellent fish soup, despite the nondescript nature of this fish. Ruff meat has excellent taste characteristics.

How the ruff pecks

Ruff bites are always aggressive, so its bite can be confused with the bite of some other, more weighty fish. Even a small brush is able to grapple with a heavy float. Therefore, when biting a ruff, the float abruptly goes under water. It is at this moment that the cutting should be carried out. It is very important to be on the alert and catch the moment the float goes under the water, otherwise the baited hook will take a long time to get out of the mouth of this small fish.

Sometimes the ruff interferes with the fishing process and clings to the hook when it is not necessary, when the fisherman is waiting for a bite from a serious specimen, for example, a bream. Of course, I would not want this fish to suffer for anything. Naturally, if possible, the ruff is released, especially since in some reservoirs its population has fallen sharply. Most likely, this is due to the pollution of water bodies, as he loves clean water.