The catfish, whose photo is sometimes simply surprising due to the impressive size of the fish, has always been considered one of the most coveted prey for the fisherman. It is unlikely that there is at least one lover of "silent hunting" who would not be familiar with this ruler of the river element. Pulling out this giant is a pleasure. However, this requires knowledge about the features of his fishing.
How to choose a tool for catfish
All fishers dream of catching this powerful predator, but not everyone is at risk of targeted fishing for it. Someone does not believe in luck, someone does not have patience, and some simply do not know how to properly prepare for such fishing. Although if you approach fishing deliberately, systematize knowledge about its habitats and habits, choose the right equipment for catfish, then luck will be ensured. Mining is not long in coming. The main criterion in the question of how to choose equipment for catfish, regardless of type, should be its quality. Cheap and “profitable” option will not last even the season. And already in the next year will have to buy it again.
Catching catfish, the equipment for which is very different, is best done in the post-spawning period: from the end of May to the October cold snap. The nibble of this giant is largely dependent on the temperature of the water.
It is possible to transfer snap-on equipment for catfish for a very long time: it is girders, circles, and paths that are most effective in places where there is no navigation, for example, in small straits between the islands, in secondary river branches and floodplain lakes. They catch him on a zergizka with live bait, and on spinning, and on trolling with baubles. Donka, zakidka and, of course, kwok are great.
Features when choosing gear
Since among the catfish there are truly huge specimens, the choice of gear should be approached very carefully. Since we are talking about catching serious sizes, then the gear should be as strong and simple as possible. In fact, two options are used: with and without a rod.
Catfish
This type of gear is great for catching even twenty kilogram prey. At the same time, catching catfish for a snack provides excellent knowledge of its habitat. The catfish, in general, is self-pruning and during fishing, it floats quite calmly to the net, of course, if there are no bottom shelters in its path. For frogs on this predator, small frogs, as well as biting or fresh-frozen fish, are considered tried-and-tested baits, and pieces of devious birds that smell of burnt meat are also well-caught. They are placed in a feeder made of wire mesh, then tied to heavy stones, lowered to the bottom in the proposed habitat for prey. Small windows are made in the feeder, through which the components of live bait constantly float out or crawl out, and everything else is washed away by the current.
In general, a catfish thrower, being a multifunctional gear, is used most often. There are plenty of reasons for this. And the main thing is the simplicity of its manufacture. In fact, every more or less experienced fisherman can make this serious tackle with his own hands in a very short time.
The subtleties of fishing for a throw
Those who are going to catch catfish on a stormy river, where there is always a strong current, should know some features. Here a zakidok is best suited with a relatively short fishing line - from 2 to 5 meters with a diameter of up to 1.5 millimeters. Throwing this tackle during the flow is better directly under the steep coast. It is desirable that a leaning tree grows in the place of casting, which would give a shadow. Since insects constantly fall from it into the water, it can become a good source of food not only for catfish, but also for barbel, black-bellied chub, and other river inhabitants.
If the place for fishing is a calm pond, then in this case, an appetizer equipped with fishing line with a diameter of up to 0.4 millimeters and a length of up to 50 meters is perfect. Since when fishing in calm and clear water it is important that this equipment is imperceptible, such parameters will be most successful.
The size of the hook is selected depending on the size of the catfish inhabited in this pond, while it must be large enough to bite crawls or bears on it. The zakidushka needs to be thrown from the hand, while it is necessary to pre-wind about thirty meters of fishing line and lay it in rings on a flat stretch of shore. When all the equipment for the catfish is prepared and thrown, it remains only to wait for a bite. It is determined by the gatehouse installed near the reel. Catfish bite is very strong, sometimes the gatekeepers even fly away and then you have to look for it for a long time.
To the donkey
This equipment for the catfish must be chosen with a serious margin of safety of the rod and a powerful blank. The river inhabitant of deep holes, in which snags are often found, after biting, likes to go into them to calmly finish the meal. This factor seriously complicates the survival process. This is why the strength of the rod is very important. After all, you often have to catch a catfish very quickly, without allowing it to come to its senses.
Some people prefer to use casting sea rods. Such a donka for catfish is quite expensive, but it is guaranteed high quality.
Everything on the fishing line is quite simple: a sinker, and any one — end or sliding, the main thing is that when fishing the hook does not touch the bottom, and the leash. At the same time, the latter should not be made too short: the ideal length for catching catfish is 50 centimeters. This is explained by the fact that such a large predator swallows the bait for a very long time. Therefore, for reliable hooking, it is necessary to wait until the catfish takes the bait to the end, while it should not be able to eat a fishing line. If you hook too soon, there will certainly be numerous gatherings.
Kwok is a classic
This equipment for catfish is called the most fascinating. It is based on the lure of prey by sound, which creates such a special device as a kvok. In this case, the hunter must be in the boat all the time while fishing is in progress. Catfish are caught on quakes as follows: a fish attracted by sound pops up, meets a nozzle on the way and grabs it. This method is considered native Russian, ancient, however, today it is preserved only in some regions.
Kvoka design
Previously, quakes were made entirely from wood, moreover from an apple tree. However, other materials are also suitable for this, the main thing is that the quack makes the right sound, as the anglers say, “knocked”. When fishing for such equipment for catfish, a fairly powerful fishing line with a diameter of 0.6 to three millimeters is used. Its length, depending on the depth parameter, should be about 10 or 20 meters.
Outwardly, the quack is a solid wooden handle on which a duralumin knife is fixed with a "patch" on the end. A hole is provided in the upper part through which a nylon cord having a two-millimeter thickness is passed. Its length is taken with a margin of 30 or 40 meters. Below the quake, a sinker is attached to the cord. Usually it is made of sheet lead, rolled into a tube and slightly pressed. So that it does not slip, a knot is built a little further. The segment from the sinker to the hook itself is a leash. Its length, as a rule, is one and a half meters.
Features
Some people prefer to put leashes made of monofilament fishing line. But this material is too hard and often twisted, so the wicker version is still better.
When catching catfish in short sections, hooks are a fairly common occurrence. In this case, you need to unwind the cord, go ashore and already try to free the tackle from land. You need to be as careful as possible, since in such cases even braided fishing line can break.