Vitebsk region is so rich in regions that local residents joke: each of them has one small body of water. Indeed, there are more than seventy lakes here, among which there are both small and large enough, and on the banks of many of them there were built rest houses and camp sites. Some bodies of water give the impression of being wild, but this is not so. It is on such lakes and rivers, according to professionals, the best fishing takes place in the Vitebsk region. Lovers of underwater fishing come here, while they strive to climb into the treasured places. Spartan conditions do not frighten them at all: inveterate fishermen set up tents and spend hours sitting with a fishing rod in their hands in anticipation of a good catch, which, I must say, is famous for fishing in the Vitebsk region.
Bite forecast
Those who are going on spearfishing should get a map of the region's lakes. Indeed, sometimes even very shallow backwaters turn out to be quite interesting for anglers. Each of the fishermen has their own preferences: someone likes to fish from a boat, and someone likes to catch on the shore. And prey can be different: some throw tackles in the hope of catching a pike, while others rejoice in a perch or bream. Many are sure to study the daily forecast of fish biting for Vitebsk and its environs. It is designed specifically for anglers based on data from weather forecasters, seasonal spawning calendars and periods of activity of individual species.
Catchy places
Fishing in the Vitebsk region is possible all year round. The only seasonal difference is that tench, carp or crucian carp are poorly caught from ice, since they become numb in winter, so it is difficult to catch them.
The most popular in the region are the Inovo and Obsterno lakes, in which there is a heterogeneous bottom and crucian carp and bream, pike, perch and tench, but fishing from the shore is quite problematic on them. There is only one conclusion - you need a boat.
In deep Drisvyaty, the depth in places reaches nineteen meters. Here you can catch not only predators - pike, catfish, pike perch and burbot, but also other fish: eel, crucian carp, vendace, ide.
Fishing in the Vitebsk region on Lake Dolgoe is famous for its trophy booties. You can fish here both on the shore and from a boat. The difficulty of fishing lies in large deep differences, so many anglers must use an echo sounder. Another body of water - Losvido - is rich in fairly large fish. Even the one who holds the fishing rod in his hands for the first time will be able to catch it. According to reviews, quite often comes across a large roach and even a kilogram bream. No less catchy are other lakes - Plis, Shaw, Yuzhny, Volos Serebryany, Snudy, Strusno ... In addition, there are many rivers in the region, for example, Dvina.
Fishing in the Vitebsk region (photos taken in nature and showing an excellent catch, often become the subject of pride and boast of a gambling fisherman in front of friends) annually collects not only fans of "quiet" hunting from neighboring regions, but even professionals from all over Russia. Many of them have long chosen one of the many lakes for themselves. Judging by the reviews, professionals really like fishing in Vitebsk and the region.
Winter fishing
In summer, those who prefer fishing from a boat or from the shore at a sufficient depth come to the region. Nevertheless, winter fishing in the Vitebsk region is no less popular. However, not all water bodies are suitable for it. In many of them, the fish becomes numb, and no, even the best bait is able to stir it up. We are talking about those lakes, which are mainly inhabited by crucian carp and carp, which, as a rule, are not caught here in the cold season. However, those water bodies where winter fishing is possible are literally filled with lovers of fishing from the ice. There you can catch pike and roach, perch and bream. Fishing in the Vitebsk region in the winter is catchable only in those reservoirs where the species composition of the representatives of the underwater kingdom is diverse. In terms of excitement, it is practically inferior to the summer one, apparently, which is why all large and deep and large lakes are flooded with ice-fishing enthusiasts, “armed” with ice drills.
To the pike
Winter fishing in the Vitebsk region is very diverse. Everyone chooses for himself exactly the fishing method and the tackle that is most interesting to him, and goes for the fish that he likes best. Especially there are a lot of “pikers” in the region - people for whom toothy pike is the most significant trophy in ice fishing. It is for her that they hunt in all possible ways, one of which is the traditional zherlitsa. The results on the lakes are sometimes impressive.
In the winter catch, most often there is not only a pike, but also asp with burbot, scavenger, as well as perch and silver bream. Less often than the rest in the winter they peck an ide with a chub.
What to catch
On the first ice a hungry catfish can grab everything, but it will be only a few bites. Many are interested in which
lures on the pike are the most catchy. Even experienced fishermen do not have a definite answer. The gear and lures necessary for an event such as fishing in the Vitebsk region on ice are selected only by the selection method. In this case, one rule must be observed: if your goal is a pike, the size of the winter nozzle should be from five centimeters, and its weight is selected depending on the type of reservoir and the presence of a current.
The color of the winter bait for fishing on many lakes and on the Western Dvina is preferable to choose a natural one, but sometimes the fish bite on acid tones on ice. This means that the fisherman must have a variety of baits in his box. For winter fishing, even some summer swinging baubles are suitable .
In the city
Judging by the stories of experienced winter roads, in December, especially on Sundays, in the port of Vitebsk it is so crowded that sometimes people sit "elbow to elbow". The reason is that it was at this time that extremely reliable smooth ice on the water was on the water. At the backwater in Vitebsk in January, too, is not deserted. Local fishermen do not advise catching on a lap-frog here. Manually, from a depth of four to five meters, perch or other large prey may fall on the tackle, but it is not a fact that it can be pulled out onto the ice. Luck depends on the strength of the fishing line, and from mormyshki with a hook. That is, as the locals say, for whom fishing in the Vitebsk region in the winter has long turned into a "lifestyle", you first need to decide whether to be content with perches or rely on larger prey.
On the Dvina
The river is covered with “calm”, non-alluvial ice somewhere in November, and it holds until April. However, fishing in Vitebsk on the Dvina is interesting both in winter and in summer. Salmon , lamprey, Baltic salmon come from migratory fish , and whitefish, river flounder, and smelt enter the lower reaches. Permanent species are pike with grayling, roach, bream, ruff, perch and burbot, ruff. Compared to other rivers, the water in the Western Dvina is surprisingly clean. Due to passing through numerous local lakes, a rather diverse fauna has formed in it.
Winter at the backwaters
In January, the Shevensky Zaton is a very fishing place. This is a site where from a lake of the same name a small rivulet flows into the Western Dvina. The ice here is early and stable. Many people catch in the backwater at depths, in the very middle. The main science in this case for the fisherman is to feel for the bottom and the correct wiring of the nozzle - very slowly, shaking it barely. Many winter roads focus on a nod, since it is believed that those who have mastered this method catch are richer at times.
Cliffs closer to spring are no longer suitable for closing the winter fishing season. Raised water begins to quickly flush the ice, so fishing from it becomes dangerous. However, do not regret it, because this season only small perches with roach are found in the backwaters.
Some tips
Of course, in many water bodies in the Vitebsk region in winter there are not so many fishing sites. In addition, many locals have the opportunity to go fishing only on weekends. But if at least once the place was presented with a rich catch, then it becomes clear that there is no problem with sitting on ice. As a rule, in many areas of the Western Dvina, from the very first hole, you can catch as many small bleeks as you like . Fish in many places usually stands at a depth of three meters. Basically, many local residents here are advised to catch at the girders. Sometimes you can get a chub on such tackle. Contrary to popular belief, this fish is also caught on a lapdog with a main monophilic fishing line with a diameter of 0.27 and a leash of size 0.5.