An excellent breed of fish of the cod family is burbot, which lives in various bodies of water practically throughout Russia. This is a predator that selects various whirlpools, pits, snags, as well as clay burrows for hunting. When it is dark, the fish goes out to feed in shallow water. The favorite food of burbot is small fish, but large earthworms are also suitable with pleasure . Spawning begins in mid-December and continues until the end of January.
Catching burbot in the winter has a special passion. Unlike many fish, the predator is very active in winter, he zealously searches for prey, which he immediately consumes. Particular activity is manifested before spawning and a week and a half after spawning, and continues until the spring flood.
After the start of freezing, the burbot calms down for 10-15 days, and then, accustomed to new conditions, at night it begins to feed with a vengeance. At the same time, the fish focuses on lakes - mainly at shallow depths, near the exit of bottom keys, at stony ridges and placers, on rivers it moves against the stream along sandy and pebble areas. When spawning ends, it goes to depth.
Burbot is a bottom fish that searches for food at the bottom and around. The greatest efficiency will be distinguished by burbot fishing in winter, at night with the help of bottom fishing rods. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the nozzle lies at the bottom, because burbots take such bait much more readily than hanging even near the bottom. Ruffs, minnows, pieces of fish, animal insides, worm brushes, etc. are perfect for fishing.
The bottom fishing rod must be equipped with a leash that can be easily separated from the forest, because in most cases the fish swallows the nozzle very deeply, and it is very unpleasant and difficult to remove the hook when winter burbot fishing is carried out, and even at night. It’s easier to remove the trophy with the leash, and replace it with a new one, and remove the hook at home.
If there are snags and large stones at the bottom, then live bait fish, especially ruffs and gudgeons, will most likely hide there, and it will be difficult for burbot to get them. And the hunter himself can go under a stone or a snag. Therefore, when fishing for burbot occurs in winter, it is important to know what is under the hole at the bottom.
You can improve the fishing process by carefully setting up a winter bait fishing rod. To do this, it is necessary to adjust the signal device so that it works even with the slightest pull of burbot.
For the convenience of joint observation of abandoned bottom gear and simultaneous fishing with fishing rods, it is recommended to use a flashlight. You can also light a fire next to the holes on the ice: fishing will be more successful and you can warm up.
To catch burbot in winter on mormyshka or spinner was more effective, you should make the bait move at the very bottom. Large and medium mormyshki are best suited. A bloodworm, a worm, pieces of meat or fish cling to a hook. Spoons should be large, light, brightly polished with threes. Having moved 10-15 seconds of the lure, it must be put to the bottom. The best time for fishing is evening and predawn hours.
Good results are obtained by winter fishing for burbot for a catch. This, one might say, is a large elongated mormyshka with hooks on its sides. Use gear before spawning. The technique of fishing is unpretentious. First, the mitt is lowered to the bottom, and then sharply raised by 12-20 cm up and again thrown. Falling to the bottom, the tackle produces a sound that lures the burbot, and fish tails cling to enhance the effect on the hooks. Although perhaps the sound of a strike does not attract, but annoys a predator, and he rushes to an aggressive object. Sometimes, for an additional effect on the tackle, they hang a steel ring, which striking the surface of the mormyshka, makes sounds that attract burbot.