Where to catch catfish on the cards. Catching catfish on the bottom from the shore

Hello dear readers ""! Among our fish there is one that cannot be confused with any other fish. She is too unusual, not to say surprising to the extreme. Perhaps you can’t even call it a fish! The head is huge, almost the fourth part of the body, wide and flattened from above, the mouth is huge, like a purse, in addition, it is dotted with teeth as small as a brush. Moreover, mustaches of exorbitant length: two long ones on top and four on the lower jaw.

Neither give nor take, river monster, miracle Yudo! In addition to everything, the body is not covered with scales, but slippery, snake-like, and the tail is special - not forked, like in all fish, but wedge-shaped. The dorsal fin is tiny, almost imperceptible, but the anal fin, fused with the tail, occupies almost half of the body. Have you seen such a creature?

You, of course, understood that we are talking about an unusual fish - a night robber catfish. As it is said about it in Russian fairy tales: a catfish fish with a big mustache! That's what a tailed, big-headed monster is! Grandfather Sabaneev wrote that "the appearance of the catfish is extremely original and ugly." Well, as far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't call this leviathan of the river depths ugly. In my opinion, the catfish is even beautiful - a smooth body like a whale, and a mustache to boot. A real fabulous water! Such is he, the mustachioed master of our river depths.

Why host? Because catfish is a very, very large fish, the most solid among our freshwater fish. Perhaps only the beluga can be compared with it in size, but after all, the beluga is a semi-anadromous fish, having spawned in the river, rolls into the sea, and the catfish is a permanent inhabitant of our whirlpools. In the reference book "Fish of the USSR" it is written that our mustachioed master reaches up to 300 kg of weight and up to four to five meters in length! True, it is possible that such giants met only in the past, but who knows, maybe such a monster lives somewhere now, waiting for a meeting with us.

Most of the relatives of our river catfish live in southern countries - in Indochina, in Africa. Our common catfish inhabits the rivers of Europe, mainly flowing into the southern seas. There is no catfish in the rivers of Siberia (in other geological epochs, when it was warmer, it was also found in Siberian rivers, as evidenced by the fossil remains found). Not in the rivers of the Arctic Ocean. A similar species lives in the Far East and in the Amur - Soldatov's catfish.

The huge, tooth-studded mouth of the catfish betrays a predator in it. Indeed, our river lord leads a predatory lifestyle, does not give way to any aquatic inhabitants, be it fish or frogs. But, of course, with a large clumsy body, you don’t really chase fast fish. The fat-bellied glutton has found his own way of hunting: he hunts at night, devours sleeping fish. But he does not disdain everything that he picks up at the bottom: crayfish, drowned animals, barley shells. And real monsters are able to hunt waterfowl and small animals that are in the water. The eyesight of a night hunter is weak, sensitive mustaches help him to detect prey, with which our merman, as it were, feels the river bottom. Imagine how much food is needed to get enough of a 40-50-kilogram fish. But this is not the limit of catfish sizes!

During the day, the freshwater giant lies down in the pits, in the whirlpools, and chooses the most snarled ones. Even better, if there is a floating grassy island above such a pit.

Well, where can you meet our giant? Our "mustachioed gentleman" is found in the beds of large rivers, in the estuarine sections of reservoirs, less often in lakes. In the southern seas, it has a semi-anadromous form, that is, it enters the brackish water of sea estuaries for fattening, but invariably goes back to the river for spawning.

Catfish spawning is observed in the summer - in May-June, when the water reaches summer temperature. Spawning occurs in the coastal zone among plants, and catfish, as a caring parent, first digs a hole at the bottom and builds a nest - kublo from the remains of plants. The male guards the nest until the fry hatch. Caring dad!

Catfish that have hatched from eggs, at first remain not far from their home, hiding under stones. They feed on tiny invertebrates. But after a couple of months they show their predatory nature, they begin to feed on fish fry. In the first years of its life, catfish grows by leaps and bounds, doubling its weight every year. If a one-year-old catfish can weigh about 800 g with a length of 30 cm, then a four-year-old is gaining up to five kilograms. And the catfish lives for a long time, at the age of 12 its weight is already about 30 kg, but this is far from the limit!

Having matured, catfish disperse throughout the reservoir, choose pits and pools for their residence, from which they emerge only at night. As already mentioned, the catfish is a nocturnal predator, its eyes are underdeveloped, but the organs of smell and touch are well developed. In their nightly hunts, catfish can go far from their lair, but each time they invariably return.

In general, our "whiskered master" is an extremely large homebody, reluctantly makes long-distance migrations from the place where he settled. It happens that he lives in the same pool for decades, and if he goes out at night in search of food, then in a strictly limited hunting zone. Each large catfish has its own hunting area, which our night hunter jealously guards from encroachment. Is it not on this feature of the catfish that the "quaking" of catfish is based, when the "owner" hurries out of the depths to put things in order at the gurgling sound of a quok-stick? Apparently, the gurgling of the “quok” reminds the catfish of the sounds of a stranger feasting on its territory, which the owner cannot tolerate.

Since our hero is secretive, hiding in hard-to-reach barrels, it is difficult for a fisherman to determine if there are catfish in the river. Only in a strong thunderstorm, especially at night (sometimes just before a thunderstorm), the catfish, due to their strange habit, lose their caution, rise to the surface and play - they beat with their tails, turn over from side to side. Noticing such a game, the angler can use his powers of observation to his advantage.

Catching a catfish. Choice of fishing spot. Donkey fishing. Kwok, screaming. Nozzles for catfish fishing. Spinning fishing

So, catfish is the largest of the sedentary freshwater fish in our reservoirs. Well, if so, then the most coveted trophy for anglers.

Catching catfish is one of the oldest occupations of our ancestors. Paleontologists say that they find catfish bones at many Neolithic sites of our ancestors, and even in Siberia, where in those days the climate was much warmer than now.

How to catch catfish? First, let's talk about choosing a fishing spot. A good catfish river is a flat river with a diverse relief - with whirlpools, cliffs, meanders, with a snarled bottom and sharp bottom drops. Moreover, the larger the river, the larger the catfish living in it. And one more regularity: the southerly and warmer the river, the more likely it is to meet a heat-loving giant in it. As a rule, there are no catfish in the northern cold, and even more so fast-flowing rivers.

If the river is found, and the presence of catfish is confirmed in it, then it remains to find specific “catfish” places in it. Small catfish are found anywhere on the river: in any pits, on the channel edges, under cliffs, in large bays. In the mornings they come out even in shallow water. You can catch these catfish on a donk, on a float rod - just on a bunch of worms. But, of course, fishing begins when the sun goes down to the horizon, and continues with short breaks all night until dawn. Catfish, as a rule, are illegible in food, not too picky about baits, they can even be caught on artificial baits, such as oscillating or spinning lures.

Quite another thing is catching large catfish. Our mustachioed river lord is a resident of the river depths, so, of course, you need to look for him in the deepest places of the reservoir - in pits and barrels. At the same time, which is typical, it prefers to be located not in the pit itself, but at the entrance and exit from the pit, under the bottom ledge. In such places, catfish usually lies, especially if there is at least some snag, fallen tree trunks. Here is his residence, which our night hunter leaves at dusk. The catfish moves along its hunting grounds mainly along the bottom, along the edges, although sometimes at half water. Catfish love to go out before dawn to the thickets of grass, where you can lie in wait for a half-asleep frog, a flock of small fish. Moving near the bottom, the catfish constantly feels everything around with its long whiskers, which, obviously, are an important organ of touch.

To catch solid nocturnal predators should be at the exit from the overflowing pits, it is better near traffic jams and blockages with floating islands, in all places where the current is not fast, where the steep coast turns into a shallow or spit. In such places, anglers put donkeys, or reinforced rods with reels. Experienced "catfishers" recommend putting fishing rods on flyers "on a leash", that is, tying the butt to a separately driven strong peg (it's quite clear why!)

Now about the ways of catching catfish. Sabaneev also pointed out that catfish are caught “in a variety of ways: with vents, on the bottom and float rods and, finally, floating with a shred. Since then, these methods have not changed much, except that the word “klok” was replaced by the term “kwok” and such a new-fangled method was added as trolling with spinning lures.

Well, of course, the gear itself has undergone great changes. Now oak and juniper rods are no longer used, and instead of fishing line - tarred hemp strings that can withstand a two-pound weight. Now, perhaps with irony, you will read about the tackle that was once used in the upper reaches of the Don. They took a strong bucket barrel, wound several turns of tarred twine with a hook around it. The barrel was tied to a tree on the shore and left to float in the water overnight. They baited a hook with a crow, a jackdaw, scorched on fire. The catfish came up at night, took the bait, pulling the string from the keg and, obviously, cut itself, but could not pull the keg into the abyss. It is funny and sad at the same time!

It is clear that our opponent is a strong man, what to look for, so you need to go out to him with the appropriate tackle. Let's start by choosing a rod. Needless to say, this rod should be super strong, but at the same time - elastic, well damping the jerks of a mustachioed strongman. Until recently, there was nothing better than a duralumin rod equipped with a powerful Nevskaya inertial coil. This rod withstood fair loads, but with shock-absorbing properties it was not very good. Now - other times, the choice of powerful rods of the "heavy" class is through the roof. Choose a super-heavy class rod with a casting of 80-200 (this is probably enough!) The length of the rod should not be too long - up to 180 cm, no more. The reel is of the appropriate class, it is better to have a “mult”, that is, a multiplier, marine series (4000 - 5000), as for tuna fishing. Good cartoons are produced by DAIWA, PENN.

What is better to wind on the spool - cord or fishing line? Definitely - the cord, it is inextensible, well conveys the "delicate" catfish bite, allows you to hook the giant in time. With a diameter, you can not be shy - we are not catching a little thing, but a river monster, you can safely take a 0.6 mm braid with a breaking load of 60 kg. The leash can be set from a 1mm fishing line or from a special leash material, its length is at least a meter. The hook is perhaps the most important part of the tackle, it should not be a "weak link", that is, it should neither bend nor break. Most ordinary hooks, even monstrous sizes No. 50-60 (according to the old classification), are not suitable due to the fact that the river monster easily breaks or unbends them. Power hooks from OWNER or MUSTAD are suitable, a special catfish hook Big Cat 12\0 from CORMORAN is suitable. Often a rather massive sinker (preferably a sliding one) is placed above the leash, it is necessary in order to keep the bulk bait at the desired depth. This is an olive weighing 50-100 g, drilled through.

Catching catfish on a bottom line is perhaps the most popular way of fishing. There are a considerable number of amateurs who know a lot about this matter. Connoisseurs will tell you that before catching catfish, you need to bait, having thrown the bait to the place of future fishing in advance. Since catfish is a predatory fish, it should be privatized with baits of animal origin. You can use all kinds of waste from slaughterhouses, chopped entrails of poultry, crushed mollusks (toothless and barley). Catfish are convinced that catfish are invariably attracted to the smell of scorched feathers and wool. The nocturnal predator reacts well to the smell of blood. The bait is laid three or four days before fishing in places with a weak current, where the shallows turn into a hole. The most promising places are sandy spits near deep pools, overflowing pits, especially if there are snags and blockages of trees nearby. They come to catch in the evening, place donks (2-3 pieces) at a considerable distance from each other (so as not to tangle). As a rule, the entrance and exit from the pit, places with a steep and compliant bottom (that is, places where the “hunting trails” of the night robber are supposed to be) are fished.

Another important question - what to bait on the hook? It is worth reeling in that catfish is a predatory fish, you cannot attract it with vegetable baits. It is curious that although there are a lot of small fish in the diet of catfish, live bait is almost never used for fishing. Another thing is a dead fish, it is advised to gut it first or at least cut it (for smell!) An almost indispensable bait for catfish is the meat of barley shells, slightly dried in the sun. This bait is strung in clusters on a hook so that a lump the size of a small fist is obtained. The green frog (lake) is another important bait, our mustachioed gourmet is very eager for it. Apparently, this is a favorite object of food for catfish, especially in spring and autumn, when frogs seek salvation from the cold in the water. A live frog is not applicable except in muddy places where your "bait" can burrow into the mud.

They also catch catfish on a bunch of large creeping worms, on false horse leeches, on a molting crayfish, on a bear, on a dragonfly larva (Kazara). All these are animal baits familiar to catfish. And what can you say about such an exotic attachment as a sparrow, slightly scorched at the stake? What about unsalted lard? Why, on the Volga they even catch a piece of laundry soap, the size of a matchbox. What attracts our gourmet finds in such a bait - no one knows, but it comes across!

Catfish bites, as a rule, begin with the onset of darkness, and the largest specimens peck at the deadest night time.

Say what you like, but donkey fishing is still a passive way of fishing, so many people prefer more active fishing - from a floating boat (float). For this fishing, they use short and powerful spinning rods with a large number of throughput rings (the fight is going to be serious, so it’s always better to make sure!) They swim out for fishing in the evening or at dusk, although in warm cloudy weather fishing can be successful throughout the day. The bait is led near the bottom, in order to keep contact with the bottom, they put an end sinker, which is pulled along the bottom. Catching is a slow targeted search for a predator, the boat is allowed along the edges, along the borders of pits and whirlpools. A bunch of worms is baited on the hook or a dead fish is placed on the tackle, as when catching zander. The supply of the bait can be varied by stopping it, twitching or lifting it halfway.

A variation of floating fishing is, in fact, the classic way of fishing with a kwok. This method consists in luring catfish to a floating boat by hitting the water with a special curved stick with a handle and a snout - a quok. This method is so ancient that it was supposedly described by the ancient Greek storyteller Homer.

When a stick is struck with a nickel on the water and then removed from the water, a special sound is produced, similar to smacking. It is this sound that lures the catfish, raising them from the depths. There is no consensus on what exactly this sound imitates, although, most likely, the sound is similar to the smacking of a feeding catfish. Hearing the stranger, the catfish comes out of its hiding place and rises to the sound.

The best time for fishing on a kwok is twilight evening and early morning hours, although it happens in cloudy weather that catfish bite during the day. They usually fish together from a boat, one sits on the oars, the other works with a quok and holds the rod. Kvochenie, that is, kvokom strikes are performed with an interval of 5-6 strikes - a pause of 30-60 seconds. The boat, of course, must be inflatable, low noise. The bait is allowed halfway, rowing should be slow and without strong splashes. Having passed the fished area, they often return and repeat the route. An important device is an echo sounder. It will show not only the depth of the bottom and underwater ledges - edges, but also the fish itself, rising to the nozzle. If a fish appears on the screen, they do not stop the quaking, they prepare for biting and hooking.

Catfish bite looks rather strange for such a giant. It feels like a few light, subtle twitches, when the catfish, as it were, “tryes” your bait, then there is a pull. You should not rush with hooking, soma is handed over at least a meter of fishing line and only then hooked. Being a bottom fish, the catfish will tend to sink to the bottom and lie there, it can go into a snag or other shelter. If this happens, they wait for a while, and then with light blows on the butt of the rod they try to move the fish from its place. If the prey is large, you will have to call on all your patience and composure to help. Fighting a real giant before he gets tired and floats can last for hours! A sign of the end of the battle is the air bubbles that the catfish releases when it floats up.

Yes, pulling the "fish out of the pond" is not easy!

When the catfish is tired and brought to the boat, they take it with a hand (with a glove!) By the lower jaw. However, if the size of the fish is commensurate with the size of the boat (!), The prey is towed to the shore, where it is easier to deal with it. A captured monster is advised to stun with a mallet on the head. But we are sport fishing enthusiasts, so let's think about how we can take a picture with the trophy and keep it alive. When deciding to save the life of a captive, think about the fact that a catfish weighing 40-50 kg is about 50 years old, therefore, it can surpass the angler in age. So decide whether it is permissible to catch him one and only time? It is much more humane to give life to your river centenarian, so that you or your children can catch him later. Well, and of course, if you caught a few catfish while fishing, keep one not too big for yourself, release the rest with love and respect. Fishing, unlike spearfishing, allows you to save the life of the trophy. Isn't that the big advantage of fishing?

Just a few words about catching catfish on spinning. For fans of spinning, it is considered a great success to seduce catfish to bite on artificial baits. Our mustachioed predator can peck on wide, sluggishly playing oscillating baubles, sometimes small catfish are taken on a spinning bait, held slowly at the bottom.

Where there are a lot of catfish, in the pre-estuary sections of large rivers, it is quite prey to catch catfish by trolling, that is, dragging special lures behind a motor boat running at low speeds - deep diving wobblers. Here it is hardly worth dwelling on the description of gear and trolling techniques, I can only say that the main problem is the selection of wobblers according to the depth of immersion. The bait should go above the bottom, sometimes poking into it. Usually these are large “long-beaked”, that is, deep-diving wobblers of the “fat” and “shad” classes (TEAM DAIWA Crank and Super Crank, EXCALIBUR, HALCO, RAPALA Shad Rap Deep Runner). In search of fish, of course, an echo sounder and knowledge of the topography of the bottom of the reservoir will help. But when the place, time, and bait are right, fishing can be very effective. It is probably not superfluous to warn: do not get too carried away filling the boat with fish carcasses! Here it is important not to cross the line that separates sport fishing from fishing.

After all, you see, in sports fishing, the most important thing for us in sports fishing is excitement and competition with fish, and not mountains of fish meat!

Legends and incredible stories associated with the river lord.

How many all sorts of fishing tales you listen to sometimes by the fire! Fishermen are a special, entertaining people, they like to embellish their stories, but why hide it, simply lie. They will tell you such things that your ears will just turn around. And separating truth from fiction can be difficult.

Many stories, true and not very true, are told about the mustachioed owner - catfish. And even then, the fish is unusual, just a prototype of the water. How many legends are associated with him, do not count, but he still disturbs the imagination. In legends, the most incredible abilities are attributed to the water monster: either he milks cows during a watering hole, or he turns girls into mermaids, dragging them into a whirlpool. Well, the fact that it drags geese into the water is something else! What about geese - dogs are swallowed alive and will not choke! What about dogs, they even said that once a bear swam across the river, and a catfish grabbed his leg, and it was as if somewhere in the Amur region. They also write a lot about catfish attacks on people.

It seems that many tabloids are competing to tell the most horror stories about cannibal catfish. After all, the reader must be attracted to something! So there are articles with incredible, stunning headlines like "Catfish - killers", "Catfish ate a man." These articles are filled with stories about how monster catfish turn over boats and even boats at night with tail blows in order to grab unfortunate tourist fishermen and swallow them alive. It is hardly worth taking such tales seriously. It is better to read such stories with a fair amount of humor. Not everything written can be trusted, just like not everything heard!

But the fact that the heroes of incredible stories are the hero of our story - the mustachioed river lord, of course, is not without reason. This fish is fabulous and fantastic, and it has really incredible powers.

To all the numerous "catfish stories" I will add my own. Of course, truthful, because I saw everything with my own eyes, therefore I vouch for the authenticity. Once I fished on the Kolomak River, which flows into our Vorskla. In that place, the river consists of whirlpools, connected by reaches, and even flows into the river from a small but deep lake. Just near the channel I was sitting, fishing for a small scavenger, a rudd.

It was at the beginning of summer, in the morning, the weather was fine, there was not a cloud in the sky, river gulls flew over the lake and the river, from time to time sitting down on the water. Suddenly, one of the seagulls, sitting on the water near the other bank near the reeds, screamed heart-rendingly, beat its wings on the water, trying to fly up. It was evident that someone grabbed her by the paws, an unknown force pulled the poor bird into the depths. The seagull plunged into the water several times, then emerged, beating its wings on the water. Her agony did not last long, the unfortunate bird soon completely disappeared into the waves.

- Did you see it? shouted a fisherman passing by on a boat. - It's the owner who is joking!

There was no need to specify what it was about. I remembered that this place has long been famous for catfish. This is what fishing turned out to be, there is something to remember! Of course the bird is sorry. Still, it is gratifying that there are still such monsters in our reservoirs that can drag a large bird to the bottom. It’s good that not everyone has been caught by poachers with nets, not everyone has been shot in the wintering pits by pinnipeds “Neptunes” - divers.

Let the mustachioed "waters", the owners of reservoirs, continue to not be translated in our whirlpools. Isn't it true, life would become very boring if this fish, which has become a living legend, did not live in our rivers.

In the summer, every self-respecting angler faces the challenge of how to catch a catfish. The freshwater giant is a welcome prey! If you are going fishing for catfish in the summer, be aware that the most active bite of catfish occurs in July-August. However, even in June, fishermen have every chance to catch catfish. To do this, you need to understand a few fishing secrets of catching catfish, understand the technique and tactics of catching this coveted fish.

How to catch a catfish: Catching a catfish on mugs

To catch catfish in mugs, most often stationary mugs or large-sized supplies are installed on the pond. They are the most effective when catching a predator, which is a catfish.

Technique and tactics of catching catfish on mugs

• To catch a catfish in a strong current, having bled the required amount of fishing line, it is fixed in the side slot of the circle, from which it can only be released during the predator's grip. The size of the stand or mug depends on the strength of the current.
• It is not recommended to catch catfish on the fairway, since the size of the circle in this case will approach the size of the buoy.
• For catching catfish on mugs a fishing line or nylon cord with a diameter of 1.5-2 mm is used, a leash of a fishing line 1.2-1.5 mm and a hook for catching large fish (No. 36-50 according to domestic classification). After turning over, pausing and hooking, a large catfish, as a rule, pulls the tackle into the depth, but not into the blockages of logs and snags. So you can catch catfish in mugs.

How to catch a catfish: Catching a catfish with a spinning rod

To catch a catfish for spinning, you need to remember some subtleties. When catching catfish with a spinning rod, its dimensions and equipment should correspond to the possible loads, and the boat should always have a hook and a heavy mallet, which you cannot do without if you caught a large catfish.

Technique and tactics of catching catfish with spinning

• For catching catfish with a spinning rod in a strong current (Volga, Akhtuba, Oka) special spinning rods with tests of 50-150 or even 75-250 are used, but many in the old fashioned way get by with rigid duralumin spinning rods with an indefinite test and inertial coils of large diameter.
• For catching catfish on spinning in closed reservoirs or in rivers with a weak current they are caught with ordinary heavy-class spinning rods with tests of 20-60; 25-80.
• For catching catfish it is better to use multiplier reels size 5500-6500 and braided line with a breaking load of at least 15-20 kg. The use of inertialess reels with a spur gear is justified only for catching catfish weighing up to 15-20 kg. So you can catch catfish on spinning.

As bait for catfish it is better to use polymer-rubber or foam rubber fish of all kinds, equipped with a sinker weighing from 15 to 50 grams in the bow of the fish.

The principle of wiring when catching catfish with spinning is the same, as in catching pike or zander (the fish jumps across the bottom section). The only difference is that the pause after several turns of the coil should be not 3-5, but 5-15 seconds. A large catfish is clumsy and does not have time to react to the bait quickly slipping past its nose.

Big inconvenience when catching catfish from the bottom is the inevitable loss of a large number of bottom baits for catfish, since the habitats of the catfish are snarled and cluttered areas of the reservoir. In such areas of fishing, the anti-trap system in the form of steel antennae, which most baits are equipped with, is completely useless.

Catfish bite practically does not differ from the “dead” hook, the only difference is that after a few seconds (sometimes more than 10) the hook “comes to life”. Therefore, you do not immediately understand - did you hook a log or hooked a predator?

Using for catching catfish with spoon-type spinners the game should be as sluggish as the design of the spinner allows. In some cases, it is advisable to interrupt the wiring for a few seconds: sometimes the predator is attracted by the free-planning bait. On the spinners catfish can be caught in small rivers, with many catfish professionals successfully fishing where most anglers are 100 percent sure that there are no catfish there.

When catching catfish, you can also use wobblers different designs. In large rivers, wobblers with a diving depth of more than 4.5 m are the most catchy (especially in the morning and evening hours), at night the catfish reacts to baits moving almost on the surface. At dawn, the color of the bait can be any, and at sunset, the catfish prefers light colors.

In the coastal strip and in narrow rivers and channels baits for catfish like "mouse" are effective, to catch which is better with the onset of twilight.

How to catch a catfish: Catching a catfish plumb

To catch a catfish in a plumb line, you need to know that a sheer lure at a depth is effective in the morning and afternoon, and at half water - in the dark.

Tactics and technique of catching catfish with sheer lure

• Tactics for catching catfish in a plumb line consists in the following: having firmly anchored the boat, the fisherman surrenders the rope, moves with the flow and sequentially catches the territory of the catfish pit. The stock of anchor cord for such fishing can reach 150-200 m. The anchor must be of such a shape and weight that, if necessary, keep the boat in the fairway of the river for a long time.
• Technique for catching catfish with a sheer lure: among catfish hunters, sheer lure and fishing with homemade mormus tackle with a tail or a whole fish are popular. Despite the fact that large catfish mormyshkas, in their shape and size, are very reminiscent of a large pear or small eggplant, and a fish put on a hook could well decorate any pan, all this is irresistible works when catching catfish at great depths.
• At the same time, the arsenal of heavy spinners (up to 150-200 g) or jig is very large. The weight of the baubles and jigs per catfish depends on the speed of the current - a freely launched lure (mormyshka) should reach the bottom without deviating under the influence of the current force (the permissible deviation angle is 25-30 °).

How to catch a catfish: Catching a catfish with a line

To catch a catfish on a line, you need to know about the daily migration of predators within a limited section of the river (pit, exit from the pit, chalk spit, rift).

Fishermen who are aware of such migration of catfish permanently install tackle - crossings allowed in certain places. Without going into the description of this heavy-duty design (the main load is at least 35 kg; the main buoy - a foam sheet measuring 1200 x 650 x 750 mm, when jerking a catfish weighing 50 kg, rises vertically; the control buoy, located closer to the angler, completely goes under water). When pulling out the gear, a large load remains in place. Despite the apparent bulkiness of the design, some successful anglers are exhausted by transporting the caught fish from the depths of the reach to the shore to the kukans. This is how catfish are caught on a line.

How to catch a catfish: Bait, baits and lures for catfish

To catch a catfish, you need to know the main catfish favorite baits, which catfish always bite with great pleasure. So, catfish are successfully caught on:

• live bait,
• dead or foam "fish",
• frog,
• locusts or large grasshoppers,
• minnow backs,
• cancer neck,
• fish pieces,
• chicken innards,
• a bunch of creeps
• burnt felt,
• pearl meat,
• artificial or live mouse,
• cabbage butterflies,
• leeches,
• may beetle larvae,
• caterpillars,
• maggots.

To catch a catfish, the angler also needs to know that at different times and in different parts of the river, catfish prefer a certain type of bait. There is only one conclusion: if you are fishing in the current (for example, with a running bottom), then you should use a nozzle that sits firmly on the hook, and when fishing in a relatively quiet place, it is chosen according to the circumstances.

How to catch catfish on pearl barley

The usual food of the catfish that lives in our rivers is barley shells. Where catfish are not spoiled by readily available food or edible garbage, the best bait for them will be the meat of barley shells, peeled from shells. They are found in almost all our rivers and are known to all anglers. For a nozzle on catfish, it is better to take the meat of large barley, the extraction of which is connected, however, with the need to wander through rather deep places. To bait a hook, you need exactly twenty barley. Such a number of shells on the banks of the Don, Volga, Oka can be collected within 10 minutes.

Pearl barley shells, collected in reserve, are stored in wet sand in a cool place for more than a week. It is convenient to open shells with a penknife. The pearl barley, extracted from the water, tightens its valves so strongly that it necessarily grabs the body of the mollusk with its edges, thereby facilitating the opening. Putting the shell on the palm of the left hand with a thick end towards you, with the right hand they cut the muscles of the suction cups, first from one side, then from the other side. The body of the mollusk is flat and convex. You need to string on the hook with the flat side, tightly one to the other, covering the entire hook if possible. It turns out a compact lump, well kept on the hook. It is more reasonable to close the tip of the hook with a small shell. If it is not possible to use shells, then you can take fish weighing up to 2 kg as a nozzle. The hook is threaded along the back, the tip of which should always be directed towards the tail of the fish. Live fish at the same time, of course, falls asleep, but the catfish willingly takes on sleeping fish. In a reservoir where catfish are found in abundance, any meat can serve as a nozzle.

How to catch catfish for cancer

One of the best baits for catfish is medium-sized, freshly molted crayfish with a still soft shell, their meat and claws. Crayfish are stored in wicker baskets, shifting with moss or hard algae, protected from the sun. A whole crayfish is baited on a hook through the eye into the neck, hiding the sting. You can also, by separating the neck and claws, free them from the shell and plant clean meat. Before casting, the hook with the nozzle must be held in water for 1-2 minutes - this will harden the meat and keep it on the hook better. Sometimes the cancer neck is tied to a hook with white thread. It is better to fish for crayfish near steep banks.

How to catch a catfish on a bear

A very good nozzle for catching medium-sized catfish is a bear. Medvedka is a large brown insect, up to 70 mm long, with short elytra, distributed mainly in areas with a temperate and warm climate. Medvedka leads a nocturnal lifestyle. During the day, she hides in burrows in damp areas of vegetable gardens, orchards, and very often settles in greenhouses. If you hang a lantern near the place where bears are found, then you can collect enough of them. Medvedok should be stored in a tightly closed jar with small holes for ventilation. It is necessary to pour the soil from which they were taken into the jar. Medvedka is best caught in late spring - early summer.

Two bears are usually put on the hook. One is planted by passing the hook through the entire body, and after tying one foot with a thread, they are attached to the fishing line so that the forearm of the hook is masked by this foot. This is necessary so that the catfish does not pull the nozzle off the hook during the bite. The second bear is pierced in the reverse order, i.e. so that the sting of the hook comes out between the legs.

How to catch a catfish on a frog

Some catfish owners consider the frog to be the best bait for catfish. The fitting seems to be attractive. But from my own experience I can say that catfish bite on her extremely rarely. Therefore, if you already use a frog, then a small one and put it on a tackle from two single hooks. The upper hook is threaded through the lower lip of the frog, and the lower hook is stuck into the thigh of the hind leg.

Other walking attachment for catfish- a brown caterpillar up to 10 cm long and up to 1.5 cm thick. It lives mainly in the roots of a young willow.

How to catch a catfish on a locust

Another type of nozzle for catfish - locust. They catch it in tall grass with a net or collect it at night by the light of a lantern. In the evening, the locust climbs on the willow bushes and chirps on them all night. In the light of the lantern, she sits calmly and does not try to run away. If there are no locusts, then large red-finned grasshoppers can be used. Locusts or grasshoppers are planted from the head, removing the sting of the hook from the abdomen. Before planting, they need to cut off the paws.

Catfish are also caught on the larva of the May beetle, which can be found in the old compacted manure. Leeches are also involved.

Of course, we must not forget about live bait - as one of the excellent baits for catfish, for this purpose it is best to take:

• herring,
• sabre,
• walleye or perch.

When there is no way to get a bear, locust, crayfish, you can use a bunch of ordinary earthworms or dung worms as a nozzle for a catfish.

How to tie and combine catfish baits

Medvedka, locust, grasshopper, worms are rarely used as independent nozzles to catch catfish, they are supplemented with caterpillars, which are tied with a thread at the head to a fishing line above the hook so that their tail hangs below the forearm. Similarly, they tie the larva of the May beetle, or a leech. In summer, when the sunflower blooms, you can put yellow leaves of the inflorescence on a hook between bears or locusts. It is noticed that yellow color is clearly visible in the water and attracts catfish to the bait.

When and what to catch catfish

• The end of May - the beginning of June is the best time for catching catfish on a bear.
• From mid to late autumn, catfish's favorite dish is crayfish and live bait.
• Catfish takes on locusts and bark beetles until mid-autumn.
• Well, catfish is caught for shell meat all this period. At this time, he takes more confidently and boldly.

Some anglers talk about the extraordinary voracity of catfish. I think they are greatly exaggerating. Medium-sized catfish, of course, eat everything - fish, worms, mollusks, omentums (carrot larvae), etc. But solid specimens become picky in food.

For example, in the section of the river between the Melikhovskaya station and the city of Rostov-on-Don, the catfish is distinguished by its fastidiousness and at the same time a persistent addiction to very specific baits. If you do not find out what the local predator likes, you will be left without fish. The best baits for catching catfish in these places are herring, sabrefish, molting crayfish and ... laundry soap. The Don herring is not much inferior to the Astrakhan herring in size and fat content.

How to catch catfish: A little bit about bait for catfish

To catch a catfish, you can pre-feed it. In the places of the proposed fishing for catfish, at certain hours of the day (for example, in the evening) bait from the meat of shells strung on twine should be lowered. IN warm water bait should be changed no later than every other day. Bait significantly changes the results of fishing. When using bait, catching catfish is much easier. In addition to the fact that more catfish are suitable for bait (other fish almost do not touch the meat of shells), they, as a rule, take a better bait during fishing. Where there are few catfish and they are distributed throughout the reservoir, bait is simply necessary.

This river giant is the dream of all avid anglers, although this is not an easy task. More often catfish weighing several kilograms come across, but there are cases of incredible luck when lucky fishermen caught fish weighing more than a dozen kilos. Some individuals reached up to a hundred kilograms! Catching catfish does not tolerate haste, it will take some dexterity and knowledge. Let's figure out how to catch a catfish from the shore, what to catch it with, where to find it and what gear to arm yourself with?

It's no secret that experienced anglers know where the river giant lives, but it's better for beginners to find out what place can give such a valuable one in July-August.

It is better not to expect catfish in shallow and cold reservoirs, he likes warmer water. An indispensable condition for the habitat of a catfish is the presence of a deep hole in a silent place in the river. It is better if this place is littered with snags, and the bottom is covered with vegetation. Fish hunters know that these are the best conditions for him. Look for grasslands bordering a riverbed or pit. Fish are afraid of bright sunlight, preferring more intimate conditions.

It is better to catch catfish from the shore at dusk or at night. During the day, the giant likes to hide in pits or blockages of trees and bushes. Sunset is the time when catfish go to hunt and get their own food. Most often they can be encountered in shallow water. No self-respecting catfish will miss the shoal in the bay during the hunt, where the depth reaches one meter at most. It is better to look for it closer to the shore, where the giant has the opportunity to taste the French delicacy - frogs. This phenomenon can usually be observed on a clear, warm night. These conditions are ideal for catching catfish. In cool or, God forbid, inclement weather, catfish do not approach the shore, preferring to hunt in the depths, not far from their “registration place”.

The main requirement for the choice of gear for catching catfish from the shore is their ability to withstand heavy loads. A fishing rod for catching a river giant must be durable. It is better not to use telescopic rods, but to give preference to plug-in ones, which will perfectly withstand the load. And it, as usual, arises (and not small!) When playing catfish. The length of the rod, which is considered optimal when catching catfish, is up to three meters. According to experienced catfishers, to catch catfish from the shore, you need to take a rod 2.7 meters long. A longer rod makes it difficult to play the catfish.

Special attention should be paid to the test strength of the rod. It should have test characteristics of 100-600 grams. If you catch catfish from the shore on live bait, then you should have a larger test. If you use an artificial bait when fishing, then in this case it is advisable to use a spinning rod with a test of 100-150 grams.

The reel for catching catfish will need the strongest, having a metal base. You can use both multiplier and inertialess. The spool must hold at least 200 meters of line (0.5 millimeters). A fishing line should be preferred with a strong braided cord with a diameter of 0.35 mm to 0.6 mm, the breaking load should be 35-60 kg. If it is difficult to purchase such a cord, well, you can use a fishing line with a diameter of 0.5-0.7 millimeters.

The choice of hooks for hunting catfish should also be treated with special attention. The size of the hooks depends on the selected nozzle, respectively, there can be a lot of options. If you plan to fish with live bait weighing 30-100 grams, then it is better to take single hooks 8/0-10/0 (according to the international scale). If you are going to please the catfish in the end with bird offal, shell meat, mussels or worms, then you should take a 6/0 hook. When fishing for large live bait, you will need a single ten or a pair of 6/0 tees.

Hooks, as usual, are fixed on special Kevlar leashes. Their breaking load should be 40-150 kilograms. Or use other options - a thick fishing line from 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm in diameter. The catfish is not too picky in the grip, so the leashes and their diameter are not of fundamental importance. But you should not use a braided cord as a leash, because it will not be difficult for any fish to grind it with the help of small teeth.

With what bait and nozzles to "go" for catfish

When choosing a nozzle, it is worth considering the myopia of the catfish. Due to poor eyesight, the river giant has an exceptional sense of smell, excellent hearing and very sensitive sides, with which it is able to catch even the slightest fluctuations in water. Therefore, it is better to prefer a nozzle that smells or moves.

Experienced catfish owners advise catching live bait: herring, sabrefish, zander or pike. And some recommend , considering it . Crayfish with soft shells, their claws or meat have proven themselves well as bait. Some anglers use a bear or locust. An excellent nozzle for catching a river giant is the meat of large barley. Do not exclude worms strung in a bunch, large caterpillars, shells, mussels, pieces of meat or mice as a fishing "menu" for catfish.

The topic of bait for catching catfish is inexhaustible! It is worth getting to the river and experimenting with different bait, and at the same time listening to experienced catfishers. But, do not forget that the size of the bait for fish should correspond to the intended carcass of the catfish, usually it is 1/4 or 1/8 of the part. The more bait you sacrifice, the higher the chances of "catching" a large individual.

How to play catfish

The most difficult task in catching a large individual is his hauling. This process requires angelic patience and special care. After the capture, you should not immediately try to drag the catfish ashore, it is better to tire him out before that. Tired catfish is our catfish! If the caught fish decided to go under the water and lie at the bottom, it doesn’t matter - you can scare it by tapping on the rod with the first object that comes across. Any knock causes panic in the catfish, so it will quickly appear on the surface.

To avoid injury, it is better to wear canvas gloves, as would-be anglers often cut with fishing line. Such cuts heal very slowly, and even incredibly painful.

Catfish should be tired to such a state when he begins to demonstrate his fatigue and turns his belly up. We need this moment! Right now it is worth starting to lead the catfish closer to the shore to a shallower place. There, the fish have practically no chance for resistance. Then you can grab it by the gills with a hook and pull it ashore.

What can be cooked from somyatina

Well, you can be congratulated, you caught a mustachioed giant! Now you can enjoy the meat of your prey. What can be prepared from it? The simplest recipe, anyone can do it, is catfish cutlets. They are easy and fun to make, so any novice to cooking will be able to handle the preparation.

Rinse catfish meat well and scroll twice through a meat grinder. A good addition to the meat would be a bun previously soaked in milk and one or two medium onions. Add two chicken eggs to the minced meat, sprinkle with salt, pepper and your favorite seasonings. Mix everything thoroughly, form cutlets or meatballs and fry in vegetable oil.

Video "Catching catfish"

Every fisherman dreams of meeting this large mustachioed predator, and dragging crucian carp from a small pond and an avid pike and an experienced zander. This is understandable, because the size and power of the catfish inspire sincere respect, and besides, the lifestyle gives it an aura of alluring mystery, but catching a large mustachioed is not so easy.

When the number of my night fishing exceeded a thousand, based on considerable experience and bitter disappointments, and good luck, I came to some conclusions that I will share with you.

I have been catching this fish on the river for more than one year, and my unequivocal choice is a spinning donk. Somolov’s somolovs () cannot even be compared with this tackle - thick cords that are tied to stakes or bushes in the evening, and checked in the morning, or even after a couple of days. Is this fishing for a giant catfish? It's more like hunting with traps! Definitely donka is better.

The device of my donkey is the simplest, but very effective. A rod with a reel, a working line with a sinker and a hook - that's all the tackle. For a good catfish donk, any rod will do, as long as it is reliable: from the old familiar duralumin “Leningradsky” rod to the most powerful carp fiberglass 2-2.5 m long. The main thing is that the rod should allow you to throw a rig weighing 150-200g and cope with playing a strong predator.

The mass of the sinker depends on the strength of the current on a particular river. The coil is preferably indestructible "Neva" or similar. "Nevskaya" with minimal care and minor repairs is able to serve for more than a decade. The positive side of this reel is that it has a capacious drum and provides full contact with the fish during the playing process. I do not advise you to use cheap Chinese imitations - the catfish is guaranteed to destroy them in the heat of the fight.

I wind at least 150m of fishing line with a diameter of 0.6mm onto the reel drum. The strength of such a modern fishing line is quite enough for a successful fight even with a 40-kilogram giant, and on a relatively clean bottom, and large specimens.

I put a sliding sinker on the fishing line and knit a limiter - a large swivel, it is designed to prevent twisting of a meter-long leash from a 0.7mm piece of fishing line. This thickness is justified by the fact that the time period for playing a 20-kilogram mustachioed is about 20 minutes, or even more.

When fishing for a donk, a catfish of a decent weight in 80% of cases clings to the edge of a huge mouth - grabbing the bait and not really swallowing it, it starts moving to the side. The hook has nothing to bite into in a large mouth, it slides inside, and at the exit it enters the corner of the mouth.

Such a development of events is not at all the worst scenario for a fisherman. But there are also especially hungry specimens that swallow the bait immediately. That's when nervous moments happen if the fishing line is not very thick. In the process of fighting, the catfish begins to make peculiar movements either to the left or to the right, while its small teeth, like a brush, grind the fishing line. The breaking load in this case is significantly reduced, and when it already seems that the trophy on the bank of the catfish sharply tears the line and comes off. Therefore, after each capture, you need to carefully examine the leash and, even with minor defects, replace it with a fresh one.

I put hooks no larger than No. 2/0. If you apply larger, then hooking will naturally increase, but the number of bites decreases. With a high-quality hook, even of such a small size, you can defeat a very large catfish.

Mostly on the river, these predators feed on fish, but during periods of zhora they attack everything that they are able to swallow - mice, crayfish, birds, leeches, frogs ... Last summer, in the stomach of forty kilogram catfish, I found an almost completely digested animal, most likely it was a young beaver . Near the high steep river banks, where shore swallows usually settle, catfish are frequent guests, they love to hunt swallows. Early in the morning, with the first rays of the sun, the birds begin to fly out of the nests, striking their beaks and wings on the surface of the water, and the catfish, hiding in the upper layers, are waiting for a not very quick and inexperienced flyer.

Falls are also not uncommon, when the chicks fall into the water from the nests - a real feast comes for the catfish. I witnessed a case when a medium-sized mustachioed about 5-6 kg jumped out of the water, hoping to grab a bird sitting on a bush - this is a clear indicator of how well this predator sees with its tiny eyes. But, of course, you should not use birds as bait.

Contrary to the widespread opinion of catfish, who consider the loach to be the best bait, I do not agree with them. Of course, the loach has an undeniable advantage - fantastic survivability, which allows you to prepare and transport this bait over long distances in advance.

But the loach baited on the donkey hook immediately at the bottom tries to find a shelter for itself and hide there without moving, thereby making it difficult for the catfish to search. Even running at half water, this small fish after a while freezes without moving like a string. And you have to move it once an hour - smoothly pulling up and releasing the line a couple of times (as when fishing with a rubber band bottom). But if there are snags at the bottom, then the loach will definitely get entangled in them, and it will be necessary to cut off the tackle. I bait this fish on a hook with a puncture below the dorsal fin closer to the tail.

As for anyone, but I think perch is the best live bait for river fishing. And not a “small sailor”, but a well-established hunchback weighing under 300 g. It is unlikely that it will be possible to stock up on such live bait at a water temperature of 20 degrees, but it is quite likely to catch 3-4 tails in the evening. What attracts the striped catfish so special - I can’t say, but it grabs it greedily and swallows it. Also, a carp of the same mass can be a good live bait. There should be no problems with carps - they are sold live all year round. Roach and rudd catfish are not very to their liking, in any case, no matter how much I tried to catch them, but there were few bites, besides, these fish often tangle the leash.

About frogs. If using larger live bait, bite can occur faster, then with frogs the opposite is true. The use of the largest tree frogs that we managed to catch (it’s even scary to take it in our hands) did not bring a single bite. But small frogs 5-6 cm in size are what you need.

Brown meadow frogs and ground toads are not suitable, because in deep river holes they immediately fall asleep. The best frogs live near water, they are greenish-brown in color. Catching them with your hands is quite tiring, so I use a net. I keep them in a cage with a small cell, from where it is convenient to get them. A friend somehow with great difficulty caught a frog and kept them in a bucket with a lid. While fishing, he opened it a little - one frog jumped to the side, he followed it, hooked a bucket with his foot, it fell and that's it, goodbye bait!

I try to bait the frog carefully, I insert the hook under the skin of the thigh. In this case, she will remain alive throughout the night, and in the morning, I let her go. The tree frog usually hides perky in the coastal grass, of course, if it has not become a victim of catfish.

About worms. For donkeys, large creeps are best suited. On warm summer nights with high dew, and even better with a little rain, they crawl out of their burrows in considerable quantities to the surface. At this time, you can easily collect a decent amount of them with a flashlight. Any park and square is a real eldorado for a non-lazy angler. In an hour, with a certain skill, you can collect several hundred crawls. You can store them for a long time in a container where the soil alternates with a layer of turf.

I bait a bunch of 7-8 worms on the hook. When bottom fishing for catfish, the river bream becomes the main enemy of the fisherman, she most often ruthlessly cracks down on worms. Therefore, you often have to check the condition of the bait and recast the equipment. There is not much sense in the use of dung beetles, they are very attractive to small catfish. This leads to unnecessary injury to future giants and simply interferes with all fishing. And taking somovyu trifle is unworthy, and besides, the Rules are prohibited.

Black leeches are quite effective baits. You can find them under various rubbish, often lying on the shore near the water. Some fishermen arrange comfortable places for leeches with their own hands, spreading bunches of grass and various algae. True, "freeloaders" may appear who collect leeches from other people's "lands" and often scatter grass without observing elementary fishing ethics. Collected leeches can be stored in a tightly closed container, which has small ventilation holes. We pour sand and turf into this container, it is better not to add water - leeches are poorly stored.

Before baiting the hook, be sure to remove the suction cups. We put a leech on a suitable plank, which immediately tries to crawl away and stretches. At this moment, with a quick movement of the knife, we cut off a large (rear) sucker, then a smaller one. If you first cut off the smaller sucker, then the leech instantly twists, which makes the whole process of the “operation” difficult. I saw how other fishermen used scissors for this, wearing gloves, and some not very squeamish bit off suckers with their teeth ... Why cut off these suckers? Contrary to popular belief, the mustachioed predator is not afraid of whole leeches.

And all these operations are needed so that the leeches cannot stick to various bottom shelters. And so, after casting, the leech constantly straightens into the tape and tries to swim away, thereby creating vibrations and thus facilitating its search for catfish. If you cut off only the suckers, without capturing parts of the body, then the leech can be used several trips in a row. Usually I bait them on a hook in one puncture in the amount of 5-7 pieces. I bait the last leech in 3-4 punctures in order to completely eliminate the slipping of the rest. Thus, I create a fairly large bait that any catfish will not miss.

The use of different shells, pieces of stale meat brought only single bites. With crayfish, there were continuous misunderstandings! Often they were found in the stomachs of catfish, but all attempts to catch cancer ended in nothing. I don't want to fish for fried poultry. Yes, the catfish perfectly hears the smells of a burnt cornea or wool, but if you take a simple goose feather and burn it a little on an open fire, then pick up a piece of about 1-2 cm to a bunch of worms - the effect will be no less, that's for sure! Instead of feathers, you can use a small piece of scorched felt.

When can catfish be caught on the river? In the spring, after a long winter fast, the mustachioed begins to actively stuff his stomach. This happens 2 weeks after the ice has melted. On many rivers in the middle lane, this is the end of March. In the stomachs of spring predators there are water toads and various small fish, usually gobies. During this period, there were no captures of immature specimens weighing less than 5 kg. Apparently, the catfish is in a hurry to replenish its strength and prepare for a nearby spawning.

Such fishing is short-lived, because the spring ban is coming. Still, trying to catch catfish with the help of a single donkey in April-May, and even in the daytime, is a hopeless task. Therefore, I turn all my attention to spinning fishing for pike, asp, pike perch and perch. After the end of the ban, in July, the mustache takes very unpredictably, small catfish interfere very much, so I switch to larger baits. But still, this does not always help out - a catfish weighing 2-3 kg boldly attacks a perch weighing under 300 g.

The most favorable time for fishing is August. Approximately 70% of the large catfish I caught from 15 kg and above fell in August. With the onset of autumn cold snaps, the water temperature drops and the bite dries up, it becomes very unpredictable - sometimes empty, sometimes thick, while “empty” happens more often. By mid-November, the baleen completely stop responding to any bait. Here I would like to note such a thing: the stories of spinningists about winter catfish attacks on their baits with their tails or simply pressing them to the ground are a banal justification for the usual fouling. And if in the summer the fishing line or cord gets on the body of the fish, then it will start abruptly from danger, but in winter the catfish almost do not pay any attention to this, for which they pay.

Usually I use about a dozen donoks on the river. First I install the rod holders. The holder is a steel rod 70 cm long and 8 mm in diameter, two rings 6 cm in diameter were welded to it, the distance between the rings was 15 cm. I drive the holders into the ground to a depth of about 40 cm, this saves the tackle not only from a catfish jerk, but also from a belated boat fisherman in the dark hurrying to return home. If it catches the line, it will definitely break off, but the rod with the reel will remain intact.

I install the holders 5-6 meters from the water, which gives not only room for maneuvers in the process of fighting, but also secures on a dark night. Otherwise, you can “get hot” in the dark during a fight with a catfish so cool that you cool down only when you are in the water, plunging into the river from a cliff, we have already gone through this, which I don’t wish others ...

I put on the bait and cast the equipment at 20-25m, depending on the place and conditions of fishing. Large specimens like to hunt near the coast, where you can find more food. It happened that it was enough to throw literally 6-7 meters. After casting, I put the rod in the holder, and the reel on the brake-ratchet, with the help of a special clothespin I hang a bell between the tulip and the ring following it. If, with a sharp bite, he flies off, he will fall nearby to the ground near the fishing rod, and will not slip away along the main fishing line into the river.

I usually start fishing at 7-8 pm. I never settle down for the night directly on the pit. It is more profitable to stop at the exit with depths of 2.5-4m, where the mustachioed predator will hunt throughout the night. He can take in such a place at any time, but most often he pecks between 21-23 hours. After 24 hours, large catfish, as a rule, stop taking.

It is explained like this. Until midnight, the catfish moves in search of food at the very bottom. Then it comes closer to the shore and rises higher to the surface - on a quiet windless night, the characteristic gurgling and sloshing is clearly audible - this mustachioed came to the surface. In order to test these conclusions, I planted a piece of cork next to the hook and bait, the equipment floated to almost the very surface and the catfish grabbed it, although medium-sized specimens up to 10 kg came across.

Here it is necessary to clearly distinguish the splashes of fish from the splashes of the beaver, which also likes to be active at night, and if you sit down at the point where the beaver comes ashore, then this animal will “throw stones” all night, i.e. beat the tail on the water, trying to drive away the unlucky fisherman. Closer to dawn, the mustachioed rushes to the bottom, and bites can go again.

If it is possible to get over to the pit, then after sunrise I do so. By this time, the catfish is returning from a walk along the shallows to its lair, and if its hunt was not very successful, then it is likely that it will bite on the bait served to it. For fishing in the pit itself, I use only large live bait fish, because other fish eat everything smaller. The pit usually shoots at 9-10 in the morning, but it happened that at 12 noon the catfish pecked. It is very difficult to “fight” with a large fish in its pit, the bottom is usually tightly bark there, the predator knows its lair very well and tries in every possible way to go into writhing.

Looking at the huge catfish mouth, you might think that this predator grabs everything that comes in its way. But in reality this is far from the case. He is very cautious (and otherwise it is impossible to grow to a huge size) and at the slightest suspicion will pass by any bait. I remember how on one river hole, where a large mustachioed fisherman often showed up, a camp was set up by fishermen, and they constantly replacing one by one tried to catch fish. What and whom only not by prepositions soma. But for the whole season, the cunning predator was not given to anyone. So do not set yourself up for a catfish blitzkrieg.

It is likely that you will have to spend the night on the shore more than once, until it happens - the bite of the mustachioed Owner of the river! And at this moment, calm heartbeats will be replaced by a swift golop from the release of adrenaline. Run to the rod, hook, and the real fight begins.

The mustachioed giant is trying to hide in the snags at high speed, so only on the verge of a break can the coil be released. The pull can reach 80 meters, then the fish falls to the bottom. The download process starts. It feels like there is a huge log at the other end of the fishing line. But meter by meter, the line slowly returns to the reel drum. If short jolts began to be transmitted to the hand, then this means that the predator has gathered with all its strength and is going to act.

His jerk is always sharp and impetuous, how many times he knocked his fingers into the blood, until he learned to control the furiously rotating Nevka. With great effort, the reclaimed meters of fishing line again go to the depth, and you have to start all over again. Minute after minute runs, and the catfish is not going to capitulate. It can lie so firmly on the bottom that it is impossible to move it from its place. In this case, avoiding slack, I attach a small plank to the fishing line and knock on it with a stick. The mustachioed usually begins to move.

Nevertheless, no matter how strong the freshwater whale, but his strength is not unlimited, and the fishing line again went to reel on the drum, and finally he comes to the surface, makes a U-turn and goes into the depths, but not for long. It comes out again to the surface and already on top goes to the shore, but at the same time, with the help of a powerful tail, trying to turn around. As a rule, near the coast, this predator does not make sharp jerks, unless, of course, it is frightened by the light of a bright flashlight. Therefore, I use a flashlight that diffuses light. I bring the catfish into a homemade landing net, its diameter is 1m and the depth is 2m.

This fish is quite aggressive, so it must be handled with care. Somehow, a five-kilogram catfish, launched into a home bath, when trying to pull it out, made a sharp jerk and grabbed my finger, and this attack was clearly accentuated. Our domestic catfish does not watch TV shows, where they show how Spanish and Portuguese catfish obediently open their huge mouth when they are picked up by the jaw. I made sure of it myself. Somehow he grabbed a twenty-kilogram barbel and he slammed his mouth with lightning speed and began to rotate. Thanks to God, his brush teeth are not very large, but still the skin on his arm did not heal for a long time. Of course, the predator will not be able to eat, but caution should be exercised with him once again.

I will express my personal opinion about some of the factors that anglers often refer to in the absence of a bite. During zhora, soma "on the drum" what kind of wind, pressure, etc. Under completely similar natural conditions, it may take, or it may not respond at all. As for the lunar phases: the mustachioed person prefers the full moon, and it’s more comfortable to fish at such a time, you don’t even need to get a flashlight. It’s just that night thunderstorms completely kill all chances for luck, then a large catfish then doesn’t leave its lair at all and doesn’t go out to hunt, apparently it’s afraid. But an increase in the water level (even a small one) after a protracted heat usually has a good effect on the biting of the catfish.

Catching a mustachioed giant on the river requires a lot of time and effort, and of course you need a strong rear, meaning a family. It's great if the beautiful half is sympathetic to the passion for fishing. And the reward will be a delicious homemade aspic from the "river whale"!

Almost every angler sooner or later comes to the goal of catching a trophy specimen. And sometimes the catfish becomes the most desirable prey in this case.

As practice shows, bottom tackle provides the best results when hunting for catfish.

Tackle selection

Depending on the terrain and fishing conditions, apply:

• bottom tackle with a rod;
• donka without a rod;

To equip bottom gear with a rod you will need:

1. Spinning - with high quality and reliability. For hunting catfish, both dural spinning and an ordinary carp stick are perfect. The length of the rod is 2.4 m with a fast action, which has a direct impact on increased strength. When choosing spinning according to test criteria, it is necessary to proceed from the place of fishing. Since catfish is a predatory fish that stands in pits, large weights are used for fishing. In order to cast successfully with a heavy lead, you need a very strong rod with a lot of batter. For medium-sized individuals, a test limit of 50 grams is perfect, but when going for a trophy, it is better to purchase tackle with a test of at least 250 grams. Also, the presence of high quality throughput rings is mandatory. This is very important, since when fishing a large catfish and when casting, a powerful load will fall on them.
2. The coil is an equally important part of the equipment. The dimensions of the mechanism are selected according to the type of rod, however, given that a large inhabitant of the water area is to be fished, acquiring a size of less than 3500 is completely impractical. Also, it should be borne in mind that the mechanism should place about 200 m of braid (preferably more), since in the process of fishing you often have to let go of the line.
3. Fishing line - an excellent option would be a braided cord, which has increased strength. In addition, using a braid, you can get the maximum level of sensitivity of the tackle due to the almost absent cord stretch. The diameter of the braided cord directly depends on the size of the predatory fish. For small representatives of freshwater fish, 0.25 mm is suitable, but for trophies, it is worth choosing a diameter of 0.8 mm.
4. Leash - constructed from the same braid, only the diameter of the cord should be 0.1 mm thinner.
5. Sinker - necessarily sliding or stationary. For fishing in pits at long distances from the coastline, specimens of equipment weighing about 1 kg will be required, for shallow depths and with a minimum current, 150-gram products are suitable.
6. Hooks - it is quite expected that they should also have a high level of strength. Basically, live bait must be planted simultaneously on 2 hooks. One stinger should pierce part of the back behind the fin, and the other stinger should pass through part of the front fins (ventral). Such a nozzle will minimize the risk of catfish coming off.

Also, it is widely used when catching catfish at short distances from the shore line, the type of donka without a rod. This tackle was called - zakidka. The final outcome of the fight depends solely on the level of professionalism of the angler.

When fishing for catfish from the coastline, the fishing line must be attached to trees or pegs previously hammered into the ground. When boat fishing, tackle is held exclusively by hand. A nylon cord is used as the main fishing line, to which leashes (0.6-0.8 mm) are attached. The end of the cord is equipped with a sinker.

And finally, a large hook is attached to the tackle. It can be either a single type of hook or a double (occasionally a tee). The size is selected solely from the estimated mass of prey.

Each component of bottom tackle for hunting catfish must be strong and reliable. Only with such careful preliminary preparation can the chances of successfully hauling such a large prey be increased.

Do it yourself

It is quite possible to make bottom tackle for catching catfish with your own hands. For this you will need:

• braided cord for the main line (0.5-1 mm), with a length of at least 200 meters;
• spinning - high strength;
• coil - good quality;
• a nylon cord for the construction of a leash (0.4-0.9 mm) - a length of 70-75 cm is suitable;
• sinker - the owner of a mass of 150 grams;
• hook number 10 (copies No. 40 are purchased for trophies);
• carabiner and swivels;

In order to assemble tackle, no special knowledge is required. Following the proposed assembly scheme, it is impossible to make a mistake:

1. First thing it is recommended to bring the rod into working condition.
2. We proceed to the installation of the coil.
3. Passing the braid through the spinning rings, we wind the cord on the spool of the reel seat.
4. Nylon cord acts as a leash and is attached with one side with a “fisherman's” knot to the hook, and with the other side to the swivel. Part of the nylon cord, which subsequently remained unclaimed, is subject to cauterization. The coils of the kapron leash should in no case overlap.
5. The other side of the swivel equipped with a nylon thread (50 cm), a sinker is attached.
6. Constructed equipment is tied to a carabiner, which with the help of a swivel will be connected to the main fishing line, in this case with a braid.

Tackle improvement

Bottom tackle does its job well, but it is quite difficult to fish in difficult conditions (for example, the presence of a muddy bottom or shallow depth). But even these difficulties are quite surmountable if the fishing device is slightly improved.

In the case of an inconvenient bottom surface for fishing, you can build and use a very interesting sinker, called the Roly-Vstanka.

It is quite possible to make it with your own hands even for a beginner. fishing:

1. For Assembly you will need a piece of metal twig, lead and a bar of wooden material.
2. Instructions for assembling such a sinker available at any specialized fishing shop. After immersing the weight in the aquatic environment, it occupies a vertical position. The leash together with the hook is kept above the bottom surface.

When hunting in shallow areas, you can use any object of good buoyancy, which will keep the bait on the surface. This will minimize the level of lifting gear up.

In the case when the bottom of the reservoir is covered with silt, you can use 2-3 medium-sized floats, which will provoke the bait to stay above the silt.

The best lures

Smaller predators prefer:

1. Vypolzkov- it is with this simple bait that it is recommended to start hunting for catfish for beginners in fishing. Crawls are strung on a large hook in several pieces. It is advisable to use 2 hooks on tackle for this kind of fishing, as well as to mount the feeder. With its help, you can attract freshwater fish to the fished place. For the feeder, complementary foods are used, consisting of earth (dig up near the reservoir) and finely chopped worms.
2. Shells.
3. Leech.

More well-fed specimens of freshwater fish love to eat:

1. Small size fish.
2. Frog - this bait is very popular. On the hook, the frog is attached to the paws (hind). It is possible to minimize the activity of the bait only with the use of 2 hooks. To do this, each foot is attached to its own hook. Thus, the bait will not be able to jump and it will only be possible for it to crawl along the bottom surface.
3. doggy style- if desired, you can purchase it at any specialized store or catch it yourself using an ordinary crayfish. Also, there is an option to use an ordinary lift for catching small fish for catching cancer. You can tie up a delicacy in the central part of the net, which no cancer will be able to refuse. For this purpose, an ordinary frog, lightly fried at the stake, is perfect.

But they love trophies:

• rodents;
• representatives of the animal world of small size;
• bird (waterfowl);
• a fish that is large in size is a fairly successful type of bait;

How to increase the catch of fish?

For 7 years of active passion for fishing, I have found dozens of ways to improve the bite. Here are the most effective ones:

1. Biting activator. This pheromone additive lures fish the most in cold and warm water. .
2. Raise gear sensitivity. Read the appropriate manuals for the particular type of tackle.
3. Lures based pheromones.

Catching Tactics

Initially, you should start looking for a place to fish. Catfish chooses places with fairly clean (and also warm) water. Freshwater fish cannot be found in places with abundant cold currents.

The main places where such a large fish is found:

• underwater pits;
• places of transitions;
• dump sites;
• rather quiet places of the reservoir with the presence of sunken branches and trees;
• a section of a reservoir with an abundance of snags and aquatic vegetation;

The predator prefers the deepest parts of the water area, rather rarely leaves its shelter (mainly during spawning periods or going out in search of food). The catfish feeds not far from the shore line, for the most part in the summer at night.

It is this period that provides the fish with the largest selection of various delicacies in the form of frogs, worms, insects that fall into the rivers after heavy rains and other various small animals.

When choosing a place for catfish parking, it is recommended to observe the reservoir in silence for some time. It is worth betting on sections of the reservoir with the presence of peculiar funnels and periodic splashes of water. It is these features of behavior that give themselves out to be a giant predator.

Given the fact that fishing takes place at night, it is necessary to prepare equipment and bait in advance. As bait, it is recommended to use a large part of the composition of animal origin and a smaller proportion of plant origin (about 20-25%).

Before catching, it is better to make a couple of casts to feed a section of the selected water area. After that, you can make a cast and wait for a bite. Recast gear should be every 35-45 minutes.

You should not count on the fact that at the very first cast an active bite will begin. The predator needs 30-50 minutes to feel the pleasant aroma coming from the bait and bait.

Freshwater fish bite differently depending on the size. For example, from the bites of small specimens, the tip of the fishing rod can carry out slight wiggles, but large inhabitants of the water area pull sharply, and therefore the tip of the tackle sharply slopes down. At the first bite, it is recommended to cut. When starting to fight, it should be remembered that even small predators put up a decent fight for trying to break free.

What can we say about the powerful jerks of large catfish. It is extremely difficult to make a successful haul here. To begin with, you should be patient and in no case make sudden movements. This will lead not only to the gathering of such a desired prey, but also to the breakdown of gear. Therefore, we try very carefully when playing to tire the fish as much as possible on the way.

Very often, when hooking, you can feel that the cunning giant lies on the bottom surface, thus it does not make it possible to raise it and start fishing. The solution to this problem will be a light tap on the tip of the rod. The catfish is incredibly afraid of any noise effects, so it will immediately rise from the bottom and try to escape to a safe place.

When playing, the line must not be loosened. It is necessary to drive the fish from side to side so that it is as tired as possible and weakens the powerful resistance. As soon as the fish lies with its back to the bottom, you can make sure that the predator is tired enough. Only after that you can drag him to the coastline.

The less the depth of the reservoir remains on the way, the less resistance is exerted by the inhabitant of the water area. Having brought the catfish to a safe distance, you should grab it under the gills and calmly pull it to land.

Features of fishing on the donk

Catching catfish, as well as catching any other fish, implies the presence of certain features that you must know:

1. The best time to fish is summer. During this period, the fish becomes the most active and especially hungry. In the evenings, you can observe a predator near the pools, where it actively splashes. For fishing, various types of baits are used to see the preferences of fish in a particular reservoir.
2. Freshwater fish feed very intensively during periods of autumn cooling. The catfish is trying to stock up on nutrients for a long winter hibernation. An excellent bite in the autumn months was noted on cloudy days and with a significant cooling after the summer heat. In the autumn months, it is best to go fishing for a giant inhabitant of the water area during the day. Throw gear is recommended to the deepest areas. The most active bite is observed in the interval from 6 am to 12 noon.
3. Making fish hunts from the shoreline gear should be placed as securely as possible, using strong stands for this purpose. After installation, it is better to slightly loosen the friction mechanism of the reel. The tip of the tackle will be a kind of bite signaling device. When fishing at night, the use of a firefly or a bell is recommended.
4. Fishing in strong currents, it is recommended to use a thicker braid, as well as a heavy sinker (ribbed shape). This will help resist demolition.

1. Going to catch large fish, you must be extremely collected and attentive. Be sure to prepare strong gear in advance. It is good preparation and careful, unhurried fighting that will make it possible to enjoy the victory won in the fight against the giant and boast of the coveted catch.
2. Anglers with extensive experience are advised to try sparrows as bait. It is believed that large catfish will never refuse such a delicacy. It should be fried a little on the fire before the nozzle.
3. Placement of bottom gear is best done at the exit from the deep hole.