Donka for pike fishing

If you ask even an experienced angler how he prefers to catch pike, the answer will be very predictable. The majority of lovers of catching a predator prefer spinning blanks in open water. From the ice, fishing takes place mainly on vents, of which there are a lot of varieties now. Pike fishing on the bottom is extremely rare, this method of catching is known and not used by everyone. What is the essence and what subtleties are worth knowing when collecting gear, we will find out together.

Advantages and disadvantages of catching pike an donk

Pike fishing on live bait is carried out in several ways, one of which is the donk. Few people know about such gear, of course, and it is rarely used. On the reservoirs you can often meet spinners, a little less often lovers of float fishing for pike, but for some reason the donka is not popular. Tackle has both advantages and disadvantages that every angler needs to know.

With a properly selected sinker, tackle thrown into the right place, regardless of the current and distance from the coastline, will remain in place. Often pike fishing on the bottom is used as an auxiliary method, having installed tackle, the angler goes on a more active fishing with spinning or feeder. You can check the catch every 2-4 hours or leave it overnight, the pike that has swallowed the live bait firmly sits on the hook and does not require additional detection.

Varieties of donation

Equipment of this type is different, its components are distinguished. Bottom tackle for pike on live bait can be:

• traditional, it consists of a fishing line, about 0,4-0,5 mm thick, a steel leash, a hook and the bait itself. It can be stored and transported on various reels, round self-dumps or self-made wooden ones with a holder. It is with a reel that the tackle is attached to the coastline; this variety does not allow fishing from a boat.
• Tackle with rubber is known to many, but it is usually used to catch crucian and carp. For pike, there are some subtleties in the formation of gear: after the rubber, a piece of fishing line is placed, about 5-8 m long, at the end of which a sinker up to 200 g in weight is tied, one or two reins with hooks for live bait are formed in front of it.
• Fishing for pike on a donk from a boat is carried out using a feeder rod, the installation for this is completely wound on a reel with good traction performance. The tackle itself differs from other feeder ones in the absence of a feeder and the use of not only live fry, but also lumpy fish as bait.
• Donka with a feeder is extremely rarely used for a toothy predator, this is explained by the fact that many do not know how to feed the fish. However, you can also catch a trophy specimen with this type of tackle.

Each of them, with the right collection and selection of bait, will be able to attract the attention of a toothy inhabitant of the reservoir.

Collecting gear for bottom fishing

Pike fishing on live bait takes place with the help of several types of donoks, each of the options will help when fishing the water area from the shore or from a boat. It should be understood that the gear will differ in some components, since the capture occurs with certain differences.

For fishing from the shore

Many do not know how to make a donk on a pike on their own, but it is very simple to assemble this tackle. There may be several options, each of which we will study in more detail:

1. A traditional donk on a reel or on a self-dump is the easiest to mount. They pre-select or make a base on which the tackle will be wound during fighting and transportation. One end of the fishing line is attached to the reel, the second is equipped with a sinker, it is taken depending on the place of fishing. A steel leash with a tee or double is mounted a little higher, on which a live bait is planted before starting fishing.
2. Donka with rubber is also used from the coastline; in addition to the above components, they also take 5-6 m of fishing gum to collect it. It is for the rubber that the tackle is attached to the reel, and only then comes the base, the fishing line. Installation can be done on two hooks, for this, the leashes are placed at an interval of about 1-1,5 m.
3. They are collected for fishing and feeder, live bait on the bottom is planted in the usual way on a double or tee. A feature of the tackle will be the use of a sliding load, which is not located at the very end. A float, which is installed near the live bait, will help determine the bite. The tackle is formed as follows: first of all, a sufficient amount of fishing line is wound on the reel, its thickness should be at least 0,45 mm. Next, they put a rubber stopper, followed by a sinker and another stopper. From the stopper, through a swivel or simply using the loop-to-loop method, a monk leash is attached, the thickness of which is slightly less than the base. It is here that a sliding float is installed, which must be selected based on the weight of the live bait. The next step is to install a steel leash with a hook. On which the bait will be planted.
4. The option with a feeder from the coastline also works well, the installation is done by any of the above, however, you need to add a feeder to it. You can use loaded options, then the sinker can be excluded from the tackle. As bait, chopped lumpy fish is used.

Live bait is used as bait for all types of donka from the shore to pike.

For boat fishing

Often, anglers use various watercraft to improve fishing results, this will allow for more accurate casts and fishing for a larger area of ​​the reservoir. To catch pike with bottom tackle from a boat, only tackle on a feeder rod is used. The rest cannot be fixed on the sides or this will cause some inconvenience. Feeder tackle is assembled according to the well-known standard, live bait is hooked, and in late autumn, just before freezing, lumpy fish. Having abandoned the donka, it is better not to waste time, armed with a spinning rod, the fisherman fishes the territory surrounding him with artificial lures.

Fishing with a feeder is also possible, but in this case only live bait should be on the hook.

The subtleties of catching pike on the bottom

As it turned out, do-it-yourself donka on a pike is mounted very simply. But it’s not enough to collect tackle, for successful fishing you need to know where to put the installation, and where it will be useless, this is the main subtlety of fishing.

To successfully catch pike in a pond, you need to know the bottom topography, it is desirable to install tackle near:

• deep holes and brows
• on the border with aquatic vegetation
• along the thickets of reeds and sedges
• behind snags and fallen trees

A properly planted live bait will definitely be the key to success, for this they use single hooks, doubles or tees of good quality.

Useful Tips

Anglers with experience know many secrets of catching trophy pike with this type of tackle, but a beginner needs to get this knowledge on their own. Here are a few tips that will definitely come in handy for every fishing enthusiast:

• live bait on the bottom is desirable to catch in the same reservoir;
• to attract the attention of a large fish, a small live bait is not suitable, it is better to use a fish from 150 g in weight;
• bottom tackle fishing is relevant in early spring, late autumn and from ice, in summer it is unlikely that such bait will attract the attention of a predator;
• it is necessary to check the tackle immediately every 1,5-2 hours after casting, then every 4-6 hours;
• without an active live bait, fishing will be impossible;
• for lumpy fish with bottom gear, pike is caught just before freezing, it can also be an excellent option for feeding when fishing with a feeder;
• it is better to put the live bait on tees, and you need to start the hook so that the leash comes out through the gill slit;
• it is better to make a leash on your own, its length is from 30 cm to 50 cm;
• it is better not to take the cord as the basis of tackle, the monk will perfectly cope with the assigned tasks;
• immediately after the strike, cutting should not be performed, you must wait until the predator completely swallows the live bait.

The remaining subtleties of fishing have to be studied independently, experience for this business is very important.

Catching pike on the bottom is an exciting activity, with the right gear and a promising place, everyone will have a catch.