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Edible rubber is an advanced type of fanged bait used by beginners and experienced anglers alike. Modern silicone has gained the so-called “edibility”, due to the soft structure, the addition of amino acids, attractants and table salt. Today, in addition to well-known brand lines, the market is represented by budget analogues, which are sometimes not inferior to expensive products.
See also: pike perch lures
When and why you need silicone
On soft plastic nozzles they catch almost all year round. Only during the freezing period do anglers prefer balancers and sheer baubles. With the advent of spring, the hunt for the “fanged” begins. Silicone is a soft bait that the fish does not immediately release from its mouth when biting. This is its main advantage, since the angler gets time to strike.
Silicone baits, like mandulas, are especially good when the predator is highly passive. A smooth and natural game attracts him more than the vibrations of metal spinners or wobblers. In addition, not a single type of artificial bait is able to so accurately explore the bottom and bottom layer of the water column, where pike perch most often keeps.
Advantages of silicone nozzles:
- simple animation;
- accurate transmission of movements;
- soft texture;
- similarity with the food base;
- point survey of the bottom.
Previously, the list of advantages could include the cost of silicone, because it was scanty compared to branded wobblers. Now the price of a pack of Japanese rubber is quite high, despite the quick failure. Soft silicone is easily torn by a predator, so after catching one or two fish, you should change the bait.
The composition of rubber includes many elements:
- silicone itself as a base;
- flavorings and flavoring additives;
- salt;
- small glitter and other inclusions;
- dye that sets the color.
Finished products are stored in packs, lubricated with a special oily attractant for zander. In this form, baits do not lose their attractiveness and their characteristics for a long time.
Photo: rustyangler.com
Many novice spinners believe that the edibility of silicone gives salt, but this is not so. The fact is that the saline solution is necessary to give positive buoyancy to artificial nozzles. Pike perch most often attacks prey from the bottom, and vertically standing rubber gives an advantage to the angler. In this position, the bait is easier to pick up, and therefore the effectiveness and quality of bites are higher.
Budget models often do not contain salt, so they come out sinking. A recumbent bait is not always picked up by a predator, and if it does, then the chance of serifs is much less.
Salt also makes the structure of silicone softer and more porous. Thanks to the saline solution in the composition, the torn rubber completely dissolves in water in just a few months, without clogging the reservoir.
Fine glitter gives the baits a feeling of scales on the body, it gleams in the sun, attracting fish from a long distance. An important role is played by the color of the nozzles, because the zander is guided not only by the side line that perceives movements, but also by the eyes. The fish has sharp eyesight and is able to see prey in complete darkness.
Flavors and flavoring essences increase the attractiveness of the bait. Tasty-smelling rubber that has a taste, the fish will not let out of its mouth, even if something alerts it. There are times when a small pike perch is not hooked, and the fisherman lifts it into the boat, holding the silicone in a stranglehold.
How to choose edible gum
Silicone lures for zander are active and passive. The first include twisters, vibrotails and any other models that have their own game.
Under the own animation of an artificial bait, we mean the active play by any part of it during the monotonous winding of the reel without moving the rod: tail, claws, paws, etc. Some crustacean and insect models can also be added to this category despite their shape.
Passive rubber is a lure that does not have its own animation. If the first type of nozzles is advised to beginner anglers, then the second is more suitable for experienced hunters for “fanged”.
Passive forms include:
- worms;
- arrange;
- insect larvae;
- crustaceans;
- leeches.
This type of bait works great at any time of the year, although twisters and vibrotails still prefer active predators.
Lures are chosen for a number of reasons:
- cost;
- product quality;
- packing density;
- color spectrum;
- the presence of glitter;
- size and shape;
- perch preferences.
The fanged inhabitant of the depths has a narrow mouth structure, therefore narrow-bodied fish enter its diet: minnows, roach, rudd, bleak, etc. Also, pike perch feeds on underwater insects and their larvae, leeches, and worms. The selected silicone should have a narrow and elongated body.
Photo: 3.bp.blogspot.com
Some models have a ribbed shape that traps air bubbles. When posting, they are released by bait, provoking the predator even more. Popular models with this structure are Tanta and Vagabond, they are present in almost every line of edible silicone for zander.
Lure selection often borders on the rig used. Most often, anglers use the classic articulated rig on a collapsible “cheburashka”, however, in different fishing conditions, completely different installations can be at the other end of the cord.
Types of spinning rigs for silicone:
- hinge on a collapsible sinker;
- jig rig;
- diversion leash;
- caroline and texas rigging.
It is worth noting that spaced types of rigs work better in tandem with active lures. Such models play with their tail or claws when falling, attracting fish. Passive lures work well on rigs where the lead is close to the hook.
In most cases, the “fanged” is caught in the pits, so the weight of the sinker also plays a big role. In fishing terms, there is the word “overload”, meaning the use of heavier lead than necessary. This technique allows you to catch the place in more detail, in addition, when lead falls to the bottom, it raises a large cloud of turbidity, which attracts a predator. Under the size of the sinker, you also need to select the appropriate nozzle. Too small silicone will look disproportionate, and the fish can bypass it.
Classification of silicone lures for zander
This topic fully reveals the problem of choosing silicone for fishing, since many anglers do not know when and what nozzle to use. If everything is clear with the shape and type of the game of nozzles, then other elements leave questions.
Size classification:
- Lures up to 3”. The smallest models are used in shallow waters in the morning and at night. The small size imitates the food base, behind which the zander comes out, leaving the depth. Artificial baits retain all the characteristic features of zander models: colors and an elongated body.
- Rubber 3,5-4”. Larger size, which is used everywhere. This type of bait is considered the most popular, it takes up to 70% of the space in fishing boxes.
- Artificial nozzles 5” and above. Large rubber, which is taken on the hunt for a trophy predator. Also, large silicone baits are used to explore the greatest depths, channel edges and strong currents.
An important factor, regardless of the season and time of day, is the color of the nozzles.
There are two types of colors:
- provoking;
- natural.
The first type includes bright shades: lemon, green and yellow, pink. Poisonous colors are good for spring fishing in troubled waters, as well as in summer at great depths, when the water area begins to bloom.
Photo: breedfish.ru
Provocative shades irritate the predator and in most cases he perceives the bait as a threat, and not as prey. In view of this, the caught trophies are often caught not in the mouth, but from the side, behind the gill cover. Also, pike perch can root the bait to the bottom, which is why hooking occurs from the bottom of the mouth.
Natural colors include dark scales with a translucent texture. They fully convey the appearance and movements of underwater organisms.
.Most of the inhabitants of the water area move in sudden movements or jumps, so for pike perch a double explosion as a wiring looks quite natural and familiar.
Dark translucent and matte shades with or without glitter are used in clean water, as well as seasonally. The best time for fishing with natural baits is autumn and winter, provided the rivers are open.
Silicone is also classified by edibility. Classic lures, which started the fashion for jig rigs and fishing in general, were cast from ordinary material with the addition of dye in the wild. One of the founders of such lures was Relax and Manns. To date, silicone without the addition of amino acids, attractants and everything that makes it more attractive is not in great demand.
It was replaced by edible rubber, the benefits of which were mentioned earlier. The only drawback of edibles is their fragility. The soft structure is literally falling apart from the sharp teeth of a predator.
In a separate class, it is necessary to include silicone worms, bloodworms, maggots and larvae. For catching pike perch, worms are used using the “waki” method, when the bait is pierced in the middle and twisted off the hook, imitating a real organism.
Lure color for walleye
The fanged inhabitant of fresh water bodies has sharp eyesight, which helps him search for prey in complete darkness in deep areas of the water area. Fish are susceptible to bright colors, so they are used much more often.
The choice of artificial bait colors depends on several factors:
- seasons of the year;
- water transparency;
- time of day;
- depth and activity of fish;
- characteristics of the reservoir.
This predator is an object of hunting for spinning all year round. Depending on the season, pike perch bite may worsen or intensify. In early spring, when the water is just beginning to warm up, the predator responds well to bright colors, such as: orange with a white belly, lemon, light green with a sparkle.
During this period, as a result of the mixing of melted ice and water running off the coast, the water area becomes muddy. Of course, the predator has a developed lateral line, which allows it to catch the slightest movement near the “fanged” parking lot, but it also relies on vision.
Photo: mnogokleva.ru
When the water becomes warmer and clearer, the activity of the fish remains, but the color scheme should be adjusted. In the middle of spring, before the spawning ban, pike perch are caught on light, but not acidic shades: matte green, red, purple, blue and lime tones with glitter.
After spawning, which takes place from mid-April to mid-June, the fish takes a break of up to 2-3 weeks. In summer, pike perch is active by going out, but catching it is still popular. Water bloom and high temperature of the water area makes the predator move to the depth, where it is caught with bright baits, acid colors. Neon yellows and greens are some of the most popular hues used during hot summers.
In summer, pike perch bites perfectly at night, even if it was not possible to get bites during the day. In pitch darkness, color also plays a role, it is best to use yellow, red and green tones.
Few anglers know that the same color at different depths is perceived differently by fish. This phenomenon depends on the refraction of the sun’s rays, the density of the liquid, the pressure and the amount of light entering a certain horizon of the water column.
Basic color changes underwater:
- White tones, so popular with American anglers, turn out to be bluish or gray underwater, depending on the depth. As the depth increases, the color darkens and the lure becomes less visible.
- Red colors and their shades with increasing depth give more and more to brown or even black.
- Ultraviolet is able to penetrate the deepest, but all statements relate to the purest water. In muddy waters, colors are already lost at several meters of depth.
- Orange and yellow tones begin to darken at the level of 3-4 m.
- Green and blue colors almost reach the level of ultraviolet, also giving off in different shades depending on the light.
Based on the data obtained in the course of experiments with immersing flowers in depth, it can be concluded that the brightest tones should be used in pits or riverbeds, which will at least somehow convey the shade of the bait to the predator. Also, in each fishing box it is worth having a supply of nozzles in ultraviolet light, which many spinningists consider universal when catching a predator at different times and times of the day.
Unusual colors of baits work in some water areas, which can only be revealed through experiments.
List of the best lures for zander: TOP-12 models
The rating of the most effective artificial baits includes both active and passive rubber. It should be borne in mind that the choice of model is carried out according to several factors: season, water transparency, fishing depth, illumination. Unfortunately, universal products do not exist, which is what makes fishing interesting.
Sawamura One’up Shad 4
Classic vibrotail, consisting of two parts. The membrane between the body and the heel of the tail is so thin that the silicone fish is characterized by high mobility of the active element. In the upper part there is a narrowing from the sides for the hook. Thus, more space appears between the sting and the body of the vibrotail, which has a positive effect on the effectiveness of hooking.
Lures are made in a wide range of colors. The line contains both bright and dark tones with glitter of different fractions. The translucency of the silicone gives it a more natural look underwater, similar to natural fish.
Keitech Swing Impact
Japanese rubber became the founder of this form. The vibrotail is distinguished by a narrow body, a mobile tail and ribs located along the calf. The ribbed model has a high flight range, and also retains air bubbles, gradually releasing them under water. Silicone is positively buoyant and comes in a wide variety of colors from natural to provocative. In addition to translucent solid models, you can choose matte products that combine several colors.
Large silicone of this line perfectly catches not only “fanged”, but also pike, trophy perch and even catfish. There are frequent cases of bites of white fish.
Lucky John Minnow
Catching pike perch on large-sized silicone is not complete without the Lucky John Minnow model. The product has a truly impressive size, but at the same time a rather flexible body, which behaves perfectly on a classic stepped retrieve or slow animation at the bottom.
The vibrotail is flattened laterally, has a massive heel that creates vibration during pull-ups and falls. In this top, this is perhaps the most voluminous artificial lure.
Keitech Easy Shiner
The soft texture of the vibrotail, combined with a pleasant aroma for a predator, work wonders even in the worst biting. An elongated body with a flexible heel is able to transmit any movement with the tip of the rod. Easy Shiner is recommended for spaced rigs, as the lure has an excellent game.
The color scale of the made artificial nozzles is wide. It includes translucent and matte products in natural and bright colors. The combination of several shades of color and glitter in one lure is so good that it works on most of the waters in the country.
FishUp Tanta 3.5
This type of bait migrated to zander fishing from microjig. The model turned out to be so successful in perch that the manufacturer decided to increase it and try to hunt for the fanged inhabitant of the depths. Tanta is a lure that can be used in shallow water as it mimics a leech. A live game with light wiggles and undermining is the hallmark of the product.
Keitech Sexy Impact 3.8
The world-famous leech from a Japanese manufacturer of soft plastic baits has been scaled up for a fanged test. Interestingly, not only pike perch are interested in leeches, pike and even white fish are willing to pick it up.
The thick body has a flat part in the middle, thanks to which the “sexy” is very mobile. At the end is a tail in the form of a needle.
Silicone Fishing ROI Wide Craw
This cancer is referred to as active rubber, since its claws are flat twister tails. The bait works best in dark colors, but a special place is occupied by a blue tint, which acquires cancer during molting. Due to the thickness of the tails relative to the body. Thus, even a dark color comes out translucent on the claws.
Bait Breath Curly Grub
The active twister has a pimply body, including the tail. The rear part has an increased length, due to which the twister’s tail opens up completely even on a slow game. The best time to use is in the spring, when the water is cloudy and it is possible to apply acid colors.
Imakatsu java stick 4
A membranous body leech from a well-known manufacturer of silicone predator baits performed best in cold water. The needle tail bends slightly with smooth animation. In total, the model has three membranes, passing into the tail section.
Bait Breath Bugsy 5
A centipede with a twister tail is an ideal artificial bait for autumn hunting for a fanged giant. At the same time, a completely different fish comes across the Bugsy. The centipede is perfectly picked up by both a small predator and really trophy specimens.
The movable tail ensures active play when working with spaced montages. Very often “fanged” leaves the bait without a tail, but this does not affect its catchability.
Fanatik X-Larva
The popular lure was developed on the basis of the Larva model of the same name. This product has a narrower tail, covered with ribs in a circle and the head of a dragonfly larva. X-Larva gives excellent results in summer when the water temperature reaches its maximum.
The color range used on zander is not limited to bright or natural shades. Each bait has glitter in its composition.
Fanatic Hypnosis 3.3
A relatively new model of a well-known brand, which quickly climbed to the top of the tops of zander lures. This product imitates a leech. Structurally, “hypnosis” has a dense body in the form of a larva with a movable wide tail, on which a large number of ribs are located. The composition ends with a thin needle tail.
The bait is used when catching passive fish, since it can provoke even a well-fed predator, as evidenced by the presence of fresh prey in the stomachs of the “fanged one”.