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Donka is a fishing tackle used for angling large bottom fish. One of the old methods of fishing, characterized by high efficiency. The only negative is the casting after each change of bait or removal of prey from the hook. But this tackle is actively used to this day and quite successfully. In this article, we will look at donkey rigging, installation, lure attachment methods and other important points.
What does bottom equipment for catching zander from the shore consist of?
Bottom gear for pike perch from the shore is simple and cheap to manufacture. You can collect it yourself even for a novice angler.
In fact, donkey means several options:
- With spinning;
- Elastic;
- Feeder;
- Zakidushka;
- Running bottom gear.
Each has certain pros and cons, but the most common is the classic donk. Consists of a short rod, reel and line. The equipment includes a leash, a sinker and a hook with a bait (live bait).
The classic bottom tackle is easy to use. Easily thrown into the right place. You can mount anywhere along the coast. In addition, there is no need to spend a lot of money on its collection.
Making a donkey yourself
Making tackle with your own hands is easy. The peculiarity of bottom gear for pike perch from the shore is to deliver the bait to the very bottom. This is a favorite place for zander. Mostly large individuals are found at great depths.
Mounting gear
Installation of a donkey consists of several stages: preparing the rod, making a leash, knitting tackle. A telescopic rod is suitable as a rod. We attach a reliable coil to it. We wind a fishing line on it. We pass the edge of the fishing line through all the rings and fasten it to the spool.
Lead preparation:
- We are preparing a fishing line 40-70 cm.
- Hooks with a long shank.
- We make a loop at one end of the scaffold, and we attach a hook at the other.
- We tighten the knot (for reliability, the fishing line can be moistened).
Tackle knitting:
- We measure 45-50 cm of fishing line.
- We fold the fishing line in half so that one end remains 10 cm longer.
- We fix the swivel.
- Knit a double knot below.
- We make small loops at the end of the woods.
- We cut off 1 m of fishing line.
- At one end we knit a hook, and at the other end we make a loop and fasten the feeder.
This completes the production of gear. It remains to choose a suitable fishing spot, bait and enjoy fishing.
Another popular tackle is the “elastic band”. Includes:
- Fishing line with a diameter of 0,3 mm and a length of 50-100 m;
- Elastic band 5-10 m;
- Fishing line 0,2 mm and 20 m long;
- Hooks (N8-10) with long shank;
- Bells as a bite signal.
For installation, you will need a reel. You can make it from plywood or buy it ready-made in the store. It will need to be fixed on the shore, so you should take care of this in advance.
As a load, you can use improvised means (hammer, stone or make a lead weight).
Mounting the donkey – gum:
- We wind on the reel the cutting that goes first in the above list.
- At the end of the fishing line (usually the last two meters) we knit 4-6 loops (leashes will be attached to them).
- We make a leash from 0,2 mm fishing line up to 30 cm long.
- A hook is attached to one end of the leash, and a loop is made from the other.
- We attach a washer to its end, on which an elastic band will be tied in the future.
It is worth considering that the elastic band has a 5-fold stretch. Minimum 3 times.
- The opposite end of the elastic is attached to a 100 cm rope. A sinker is attached to the other end of the rope.
“Rubber” is ready for use. It can be used both for fishing from the shore and from a boat. The leash is also distinguished by good catchability.
Live bait methods
Pike perch is an avid predator that feeds on small fish, worms, leeches, and larvae. The most successful live bait will be caught in the same river where fishing is planned.
Among fish, the predator prefers to eat:
- Sandbox;
- Bull;
- perch;
- Ruff;
- Roach;
- Scoundrel and others.
You can put a live bait on a hook in different ways. The main thing is that it keeps securely, and at the same time remains active for a long time. In addition, a prerequisite is the preservation of the natural game. Nothing should hinder the movement of the fish.
You can use single, double and triple hooks. The latter are less effective in terms of camouflage, but reliably cling to prey.
The main methods of attaching the bait:
- For two lips.
- Behind the back in the region of the upper fin.
- By the side.
- Through the mouth by the gills or eye opening.
You can combine mounting methods. For this, several hooks are used. This method securely holds the bait and increases the chances of a predator hooking.
Particular attention should be paid to the quality of the hooks. It is advisable to purchase strong and sharp. Pike perch is distinguished by a bony mouth, which will not be easy to break through. Especially if a trophy predator bites.
Live fishing options
Above were listed gear for catching zander on live bait. Mostly these are bottom gear. One of the best is the classic donka. The advantage is that it can be used on any body of water, with different depths and currents. The second advantage is cheapness, ease of assembly and use.
The running donka works well near steep banks, ravines, and snarled areas. But the main advantage is the ability to constantly move gear around the pond.
On live bait, you can effectively catch predatory fish with the help of “circles”. True, it is more convenient to use them from a boat and on spacious reservoirs. On the river it will be more difficult to arrange and control tackle.
Biting calendar by fishing seasons
The biting of pike perch directly depends on the time of year. This is due to the behavior of the predator.
Biting in winter
Winter affects zander in different ways. In the midst of cold weather, a predator can be in a state of suspended animation, i.e. in passive mode. It is almost impossible to provoke him to attack.
But at the time of ice formation, pike perch is highly active. During this period, he furiously grabs balancers, baubles. Especially if you stick a reflective on them. You can find fanged at depths of 6-12 m.
Biting in the spring
The best time to fish is in the spring when the ice melts. True, fishing at such moments becomes dangerous (gullies appear). In this case, a luminous tape is no longer required. The most effective natural bait will be sprat, and artificial rattlin.
The pre-spawning period is characterized by a good biting. The main thing is not to miss this short period of time. It lasts no more than a week. This period falls from April to May. Each region is different.
Fishing during the spawning season is restricted by law. In order not to receive a fine or a criminal article, it is worth familiarizing yourself in detail with the prohibition during the spawning period, as well as the rules for catching a particular subject.
May is the worst time for fishing in spring. Predator activity is greatly reduced. Occasionally, only small individuals can come across.
Biting in summer
The first half of summer (June) is significant for the end of spawning. A hungry fish begins to actively feed (during the spawning period, the predator practically does not hunt). Increase your chances of catching big fish. They haven’t had time to gather in packs yet.
The best artificial baits are wobblers and jig baits. Spinners show themselves well in combination with stepped wiring. Another effective way to catch zander is trolling. Especially on large bodies of water.
Biting pike perch has a cycle. If in the first half of summer fish are caught well, then in the middle of the hot period the situation changes dramatically. Especially during the daytime. You can fish out a fanged one only after dark and until the very early morning. The advantage of donok at this time is that you can leave the tackle for the night.
Biting in autumn
In autumn, the activity of the predator resumes and continues until the first ice. Autumn is the longest season for open water fishing. Again, you can please yourself with large prey.
Fishing is carried out mainly at great depths. As baits, you can use artificial and natural baits. Each has its own advantages. Wobblers and spinners can be equipped with a noise chamber and reflective tape to further attract attention. Live bait gives out a natural game and a smell that is difficult for a predator to resist.