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Winter fishing is a special kind of leisure that can hardly be compared with summer holidays. As a rule, only avid and seasoned anglers do not part with this type of fishing.
Winter fishing allows you to enjoy the fishing process from start to finish. After all, the angler takes part, both in the process of drilling holes, and in the process of fishing, which is characterized by quite active actions of the angler.
Any winter fishing brings a lot of pleasure, including catching rudd. The fact is that preparing for catching a particular type of fish is always more difficult, so the result is always desirable. Naturally, it’s easier to go fishing, drill a hole, run tackle into the hole and wait for some fish to bite.
Catching rudd requires knowledge of where to fish, when to fish, and what to fish with. Without knowledge of the behavior of this fish, effective fishing will not work.
Where to look for rudd in winter
Rudd will be caught in winter when there are enough conditions in the reservoir for this. If it is a large body of water, with significant depths, without shallow areas where there are thickets of reeds and sedges, the rudd is unlikely to show its activity. In such conditions, she simply hibernates, and one should not count on her biting.
Therefore, shoals, with the presence of last year’s vegetation, are considered favorite places for this fish. For many other species of fish, such places are not promising, but for the rudd, this is what you need. If in such places you have to see a cluster of fishermen, then this means that they are hunting for rudd.
Therefore, a promising place for catching rudd is in areas of a reservoir no more than one meter deep, where reeds peek out above the ice surface. Fishing in such places is quite difficult, because the bulk of the vegetation is under water. This leads to frequent hooks and breaks in gear, but this factor does not stop lovers of winter fishing for rudd.
Since the depth is not great, the rudd hears everything that happens on the surface of the ice, especially after the hole has been drilled. It is possible that she will leave the hole for a certain time and will be able to return to her original place if silence is observed.
Some anglers drill several holes and start catching them in turn. At the same time, you should move very carefully. You need to be prepared for the fact that after lowering the tackle into the water, bites can follow in 10-15 minutes.
What do rudd catch in winter
You can catch rudd in winter both on natural baits and on mormyshka. The most common baits are:
- burdock fly larva;
- larva
- brook beetle larva;
- bloodworm;
- maggot;
- small brown leech.
Most anglers use the most affordable and catchy baits, such as bloodworms or maggots. Other baits are used less often, due to the difficulty of acquiring them. In addition, bloodworms and maggots have a very acceptable catchability, which satisfies many anglers.
In addition to this method, you can use the traditional winter method – this is fishing for mormyshki. Mormyshkas are suitable for catching rudd, no larger than 3-4 mm in size. In clear weather, it bites well on flesh-colored baits, and in cloudy weather it prefers brighter colors. Oddly enough, but shiny mormyshki worsen the bite of the rudd. Therefore, you can count on the result when using matte baits.
Depending on weather conditions, the rudd may be interested in a certain shape of lure. Therefore, when going on winter fishing, it is better to have a whole set of mormyshkas that differ in shape and color.
The best time to fish
Unlike other types of fish that can be caught throughout the day, with a short lunch break, the rudd only bites in the first half of the day. Counting on her bite after dinner is a waste of time. If frosty days have set in the street, then going fishing, with the hope of catching a rudd, does not make sense. For this period, she will lose her activity or go to a depth where she will be warmer.
When the temperature outside begins to approach zero or with a slight minus, the rudd returns to its favorite places. Most likely, this is due to the fact that through the vegetation that breaks through the ice, oxygen enters the water. Therefore, in such places there is more oxygen in the water and the fish behave as actively as in summer.
Although the rudd resists, just like in summer, its strength is not enough to prevent the angler from pulling it out of the hole or damaging the tackle.
Despite this, there is a possibility of catching a large specimen weighing up to 1 kg. You need to be prepared for this and do not rush and do not make sudden movements when fighting.
Winter tackle for rudd
Some anglers use winter rods with a nod, while others use a float so as not to sit over the hole. Therefore, how to catch rudd in winter depends on the choice of the fisherman.
And although the rudd loses little in terms of activity in winter, it does not have such strength to break the tackle. At the same time, it should be remembered that the thinner the fishing line, the more active the bite can be. If you have some experience, then on a fishing line with a thickness of 0,05 mm you can pull out a fish weighing about 1 kg. At the same time, it should be remembered that fishing in such places can bring a lot of hooks, and these are certainly cliffs. To minimize cliffs, anglers use a fishing line with a diameter of 0,18 mm. This approach will not only reduce the likelihood of breakages, but also help, in case of a bite from another, more powerful fish.
Lead-colored or brown-colored mormyshkas have proven themselves well. Experimental casts will help you pick up a catchy bait. At the same time, it should be remembered that in clear weather, the rudd takes dark baits better, and in cloudy weather – brighter ones.
When choosing the method of guiding the mormyshka, you should make your choice on smooth, slow movements. As experience shows, sudden movements are contraindicated.
Lure
The use of bait, when catching rudd, is absolutely justified, as it increases the number of bites. Rudd can be attracted by a cloud of turbidity that appears at the bottom of a reservoir. Considering the fact that the depth is not great, you can take a stick and take out the bottom with it, organize this dregs.
Any porridge or ordinary cake will go as bait. Bait is poured into the hole in small portions so as not to alert the fish.
Winter fishing brings not only a lot of pleasure, but also fraught with danger. In no case should you ignore the rules of behavior on ice, especially when it has not yet grown stronger. You will never catch all the fish, but swimming in cold winter water is easy. Therefore, you should always listen to the recommendations of those services that have information about the state of the ice cover. If they warn of danger, then they should not be ignored.