Chub fishing in winter: mormyshka, balancer and lure, fishing on the river

The chub does not stop feeding in winter, so many anglers successfully catch it with a winter bait, provided that the reservoir is covered with ice. Naturally, the bite is not stable and depends largely on weather conditions, but this does not prevent avid fishermen from “hunting” chub. This article will help you decide on some of the intricacies of winter chub fishing. But most importantly, some fans of winter fishing will be able to find out that the chub is caught not only in summer, but also in winter.

Some sections of the river, under certain conditions, do not freeze, so it is possible to use classic summer gear, such as:

• spinning;
• feeder;
• float rod.

It makes no sense to explain how these gear are used in winter, since there is practically no difference compared to their use in summer. Moreover, the conditions when the river does not freeze are quite rare. This is either the location of the river in the southern regions, or the replenishment of the reservoir with warm water, or an abnormally warm winter. Therefore, it makes sense to dwell on how to catch a chub from ice using the following lures:

• mormyshki;
• spinners;
• balances.

Any of these three baits will catch chub perfectly if done correctly. In order for the dream to turn into a good catch, you need to choose the right place, choose the appropriate bait in size and color, apply the bait and hold it correctly.

Where to catch chub in winter

Winter fishing, especially “hunting” for chub, is a constant search for a place to stay for this fish. It very rarely happens when, after entering the ice and drilling a hole, a fish immediately begins to peck, especially a chub. You need to work very seriously and then luck will not pass by and you will be able to catch the chub. At the same time, you need to be prepared that in addition to the chub, other fish will be caught, especially perch, which is the most numerous inhabitant of our reservoirs.

Chub in winter should be looked for where there are significant irregularities in the bottom of the river, such as edges, pits, dumps, underwater heaps, such as blockages of snags or fallen trees. Before you start punching holes, it is advisable to carefully study the nature of the reservoir, especially if it is not familiar.

At this time, he prefers to stay at a depth of 4 to 8 meters. At the same time, bites can follow on any of the water horizons. Therefore, the task of the fisherman is to find the horizon where the chub is at this time, which is very difficult. Although, as experienced anglers point out, in general (and this is 90%), the chub takes the bait at a distance of 30-40 cm from the bottom. It rises closer to the surface of the water very rarely.

To search for fish, you should immediately drill several holes, in a checkerboard pattern, at a distance of 5-6 meters from one another. You can choose any layout for the holes, depending on the geometry of the reservoir. They begin to catch the first drilled hole, because the fish manages to return to it, frightened by the noise, if it was in the area.

Do not spend more than 10 minutes on each hole. If for several postings (3-4 postings) no bite followed and it was not possible to provoke the fish, then this is a signal to move on to the next hole. If not a single hole turned out to be productive, then you will have to move to another place and start all over again: drill holes and catch them.

If some hole nevertheless pleased the chub with a catch, then it should be left and go to another hole. From one place it is unlikely – it will be possible to catch several individuals. It is better to mark the productive hole and on arrival next time, this hole will again please the angler with a bite of a chub.

At the beginning of winter and at the end of it, the chub can come closer to the coast, where there are thickets of aquatic vegetation. At the same time, the chub prefers places where there is, albeit weak, current. In areas of the reservoir where there is no current, there will also be no chub, therefore, it makes no sense to drill holes in such places in search of this fish.

Best time to catch chub in winter

The chub can be active even in the dead of winter. Despite this, the most productive periods may be the first ice and the last ice. During these stages, the chub tries to stock up on nutrients.

Somewhere from 10 o’clock in the morning, he begins to show his activity. Naturally, by this time it is better to prepare in order to have time to drill holes. At the same time, the chub can be caught all day long. During this period, his bite can be both active and passive. Despite the fact that the chub is considered to be a heat-loving fish, it can be actively caught even in 20-degree frost.

Catching a chub in the winter on a mormyshka

This is one of the most catchy ways to catch chub in winter. If you choose the right mormyshka, then fishing will be very effective. It makes sense to decide which mormyshka may be more interested in a chub in winter.

It is desirable that the fishing line has a minimum thickness. As a rule, this is a fishing line with a diameter of 0,14 to 0,17 mm. If you take a thicker fishing line, then the number of bites can be significantly reduced. This is due to the fact that the chub is a fairly cautious fish.

For catching it, the following models of mormyshkas will fit:

• a particle;
• howler;
• cone;
• ant;
• disk;
• drop;
• oatmeal.

Among this variety of mormyshkas, there is a classic mormyshka – a “shot”, which attracts the chub the most. This mormyshka accounts for the main number of bites. In addition, there are some subtleties.

As a rule, the chub is caught on baitless jigs, and various animal components are imitated with the help of multi-colored elements that are located on the hook. When using live components, it is better to use:

• bark beetle larva;
• fly larva;
• bloodworm.

With the addition of natural ingredients, you can get good results when catching chub. Since the chub is a cautious fish, it is not necessary to clear the hole of ice residues so that light does not penetrate into the water column. The best option is to take a stick and make a small hole just for the mormyshka to pass through.

The best mormyshka for catching chub

As mentioned above, the best mormyshka for catching chub is a “shot”, with a diameter of about 6 mm. If the current is strong, then it is better to take a pellet with a diameter of about 8 mm. The pellet is equipped with a hook No. 5-6, according to domestic numerology. For greater attractiveness, mormyshka should be decorated with white or yellow cambrics. They work well both individually and together.

When dressing a cambric of the same color on a hook, its length can be within 5 mm. If there is a desire to wear multi-colored cambric, then you should take a 2 mm piece of yellow color and place it between two segments of white cambric, of the same length. As a rule, the combination of white and yellow shades is most attractive to chub during this period.

As for the color of the mormyshka, the chub perceives the color of lead normally and it makes no sense to paint it. Although, experienced anglers say that on clear sunny days it is desirable to give preference to matte colors that do not give glare. Additional glare under the ice can alert the chub.

Mormyshka game

The game of the mormyshka is to organize frequent fluctuations during its rise. Moreover, it is desirable to start the rise from the very bottom and to a height of about 30 cm. The rise should be slow. In the absence of bites, at the very top of the rise, sharp movements of the jig up / down are carried out to attract fish from afar. Thus, it is necessary to do several postings. If there were no bites, then it is better to move on to the next hole and try to repeat everything from the very beginning.

At the same time, one should not forget that the chub can be in the water column, at some distance from the bottom (more than 30 cm). In this case, it is better to try to catch higher horizons.

Catching a chub in winter on a lure

This method of catching chub is preferable for conditions when the first ice has appeared or the last ice is observed on the reservoir. During these periods, he is still interested in fry or is already beginning to be interested in them. At the height of winter, the chub stops chasing “little things”, as this requires the expenditure of strength and energy. Therefore, he switches to non-moving food.

Spinners are selected in silver or white, 3-4 cm long. At the same time, it must be borne in mind that fishing is carried out in the current, which predetermines the use of planning-type baubles. It is also possible to use diving lures, especially in areas with weak and moderate currents. Using such a lure, you can count on success, although perch may be the main prey. The technique of using the spinner is very simple. With the help of a fishing rod, a jerk is carried out to a height of about 30 cm, after which it returns to its original position. After the jerk, a pause of about 1-2 seconds should follow. As additional information, it should be noted that pauses must be present, otherwise the results of fishing may not be seen.

Catching a chub on a balancer in winter

Catching a chub on a balancer, as well as on other spinners, is preferable at the beginning and at the end of winter. As for fishing in the dead of winter, it will be possible to fish with a balancer during periods of thaw. The rest of the time it is better to use different mormyshki. The balancer for the chub should be chosen within 4-6 cm in length, with a weight of 6 to 12 grams. Much depends on the speed of the current. The larger it is, the more weight the bait should have.

Balance game

It is selected experimentally, based on trial and error. It can be both light movements of the bait, and sweeping, with the obligatory tapping on the bottom. Tapping on the bottom additionally attracts fish by raising a small cloud of turbidity. At the same time, one should not forget about pauses so that the fish can attack the bait. Be sure to take into account the fact that the fish in winter are not as active as in summer.

In the case of the correct selection of the bait and its correct presentation, there is a high probability of chub bites. Most anglers who go fishing in the winter are very surprised when they get a chub on their hook. Most of them are set up to catch fish such as perch or pike perch on a balancer. They do not even think about the fact that other fish can be caught in winter, especially such as chub. In this regard, most fans of winter fishing do not pay much attention to the selection of baits, if only to catch perch.

To make sure that catching a chub in winter is real and possible, you can watch several videos. This will help you better understand the information in this article.