Reel overview
11th of March
Review of ice fishing reels
Reels for winter fishing are primarily needed for storing fishing line. If fishing is done with a spinner or a balancer, a high-quality reel helps with raising the catch and frequently changing the fishing location.
Winter coils are made of reliable frost-resistant material; polycarbonate plastic is often used. Fishing in winter is carried out at great depths using spools with a wide diameter; the advantage is that they allow you to quickly adjust the amount of fishing line.
Summer equipment is not suitable for winter fishing, the drum with fishing line is placed inside, the axial screw regulates the rotation. In frost and snowfalls there may be problems with use. Snow falls on the reel and melts, water gets into the mechanism, and the drum freezes.
A winter reel for fishing in cold weather should have the following characteristics:
• designed for weather conditions;
• reliable design;
• quality of braking;
• ability to move smoothly in given weather conditions.
Winter fishing does not always mean only deep ice, but also in areas with open water.
Winter reels for pike perch - TOP best gear
Ideal winter reels for pike perch are spacious, spinning-type products with a spool size of 3 thousand. Every fisherman dreams of having such a device. It’s just great if the design of this fishing attribute includes a drag and a “baitrunner”. Although, novice fishermen are not recommended to purchase overly functional reels. First, you should practice on standard options.
The best models of gear of this kind among professionals are:
Salmo Elite BAITFEEDER 7 4000BR
A budget meat grinder with a bayrunner, equipped with a system for quickly turning off and turning on the brakes. With the help of such a reel, you can quite successfully hunt nimble fish such as carp and grass carp, or you can engage in measured winter fishing for pike perch. The product has two spools, reliable bearings, and a reasonable combination of plastic and metal. The advantages of the gear are reliability, functionality, durability.
DAIWA Crossfire 4000 Reel
Excellent winter reels for pike perch and river fishing. The basis of such models is a reliable drive gear of the main gear. It provides power of movement and smoothness. The operation of the reel mechanisms involves three bearings, a spool, metal and plastic elements. This tandem gives the model excellent technical characteristics.
SHIMANO CATANA FC 3000S
All-season with a lot of advantages. Bright red spinning reel with three stainless steel bearings. It is these elements that are responsible for the smooth ride. A special feature of the product is the unique Varispeed system, which guarantees high-quality fishing line reeling. The design is complemented by a spool made of AR-C - an aluminum alloy. Experienced anglers use this model to equip a medium feeder.
Kosadaka Stalker H65L 65mm
High-torque winter reels with gearing and high-quality clutch. Ideal for catching pike perch. Lightweight and durable model with a minimum of parts: 4 ball and roller bearings, a metal spool and a special lever for unlocking. To protect against snow and moisture, the model has a special rubber sealing ring. The product is ideal for anglers who prefer to spin the reel with their left hand and hold the rod with their right.
Fishing rod for winter trolling
Today there are a large number of diverse fishing rods for winter trolling. Many fishing manufacturers produce good models, but the best fishing rods are always made independently. All winter fishermen come to this, gradually gaining experience and skills in this area of fishing.
Modifying a winter fishing rod yourself Almost any winter fishing rod purchased in a store requires modification, taking into account the characteristics of the reservoir, the species of fish, and bait.
The main characteristics of a fishing rod suitable for winter fishing with spoons are:
- Minimum possible weight. The gear should not tire you out during the fishing process, since as fatigue accumulates, the angler loses concentration, which leads to unclear movements, poor-quality hooks and errors when landing fish.
- The length of the fishing rod must correspond to the chosen fishing technique, type of fish and fishing conditions. For striped robber, it is customary to use rods up to 50 cm, and for pike perch and pike, rods from 50 to 120 cm are used.
- A comfortable handle allows you to perform high-quality bait movements and feel the slightest contact between a predator and the bait.
- A fishing rod for winter trolling should be tough. Whips that are too soft will sag when swung under the weight of the bait, which will not allow it to animate correctly.
The strength and reliability of the fishing rod is not even discussed, since during the fishing process it experiences significant loads.
Winter lure of perch Perch is the main object of winter fishing. They fish it, including with a vertical lure. There are several ways to lure a perch...
Much when choosing a fishing rod depends on the fishing technique of a particular angler. Some people prefer to fish sitting by the hole. It is advisable for them to use short fishing rods with a hard whip and a short handle. Longer fishing rods are suitable for those who like to shine while standing, and its action can be described as medium-fast.
Particular attention should be paid to the reel seat. It must be highly reliable; spontaneous unwinding is unacceptable under any circumstances. For winter fishing, it is better to use a plastic mount, since the metal freezes in the cold when moisture gets in, and unscrewing it, if necessary, is very problematic.
The rod handle can be made of different materials. Fishing rods with neoprene handles are successful and practical. They are pleasant to the touch, durable and allow you to fish even without gloves, as they retain heat well. You can also note wooden, cork or foam handles.
We make the coil ourselves
To make a coil for a winter girder with your own hands, you need to proceed as follows:
- the tools you will need are a knife, emery, file, glue and an awl;
- materials - a piece of foam plastic of the required thickness and a nail;
- a circle of foam plastic of the required diameter is cut out;
- use an awl to make a hole in the center;
- the head is cut off from the nail, the nail is sharpened on both sides and threaded into the hole; the ends are bent;
- a groove is made on the outside of the circle for the fishing line and thoroughly sanded;
- The product is coated with glue for strength and moisture resistance.
Criteria for choosing a winter reel
For fishing at this time of year, fishermen prefer small rods with traditional reel seats, which allow the use of the most suitable view for this type of fishing.
Characteristics on which the choice of reel is based:
- Reliability and strength of all elements
- Minimum possible weight and good strength
- High-quality braking
- Possibility of excellent, smooth rotation
- Sufficient line capacity
Long casting reels
Winter methods of catching fish are not limited to ice fishing. Fans of spinning rods continue to hunt for predators in areas where there is open water. It turns out that in such waters the predator leads a fairly active lifestyle. But in order to catch promising edges and pools, long-range tackle is required. And if the maximum length of the rod has to be limited for various reasons, then there is a need for a reel for long-distance casting.
Some spinning anglers continue to fish in winter conditions, using summer versions of “meat grinders”. This approach has a right to life, but first you need to check the performance of the summer reel in the harsh conditions of the freezer. It is enough to keep the product being tested at a negative temperature for 1-2 hours to identify all the shortcomings.
- First, you should pay attention to the smooth rotation of the frozen handle.
- If its operation is satisfactory, then the friction brake is tested.
- Another part in a spinning reel can cause trouble in cold weather. This is the line guide roller. It should rotate easily in any weather. Drops of water that fall on the reel along with wet fishing line can interfere with this.
As for lubricating the mechanism itself with special means, the opinions of fishermen are divided. Some are inclined to believe that no changes should be made to the current mechanism. Other fishermen completely disassemble the “meat grinder” before winter, remove the factory grease and apply a non-freezing analogue.
Winter baitcasting reels for fishing
Many fishermen, having once used “mults”, forever abandon traditional outdated gear. Inexperienced fishermen quickly become accustomed to the peculiarities of their operation. Winter baitcasting reels for fishing are very different from the usual “meat grinders”, having a strong impact on the fishing process. Thanks to their versatility and power, it becomes possible to use thick cords, large lures and heavy-duty fishing rods. When biting a large species of fish, the fisherman will show himself quite confidently.
The use of variable weights and a small radius axis significantly reduce inertia. At the last stage of throwing, thanks to the use of a magnetic brake, it is possible to control the braking process. Sometimes, in order to prevent unwanted “beard”, the fisherman has to independently adjust the torsion of the spool when the bait moves. But, if you get comfortable with the features of this type of coil, such cases will not arise. All models are powerful, fast and reliable. One turn of a baitcasting reel is comparable to 3-4 turns of standard gear.
Reel for winter girders
One of the simplest reels for winter fishing is the model for complete set of girders. Catching predatory fish with live bait remains very popular among ice fishing enthusiasts. A dozen fishing rods armed with bright flags are installed in promising places. And while waiting for a bite, you can enjoy the surrounding nature, cook lunch in the fresh air, or master other types of fishing. A winter girder is considered to be quite primitive gear; therefore, each of its elements should be simple but reliable. After a pike or pike perch bites, the line unwinds from the reel, so its rotation must be perfect. Fishermen purchase plastic drum-type models for girders. The diameter of such a reel is 50-70 mm, which allows it to accommodate the required volume of fishing line (20-30 m) with a diameter of 0.3-0.4 mm. The only option on a jig reel is a line winding handle. To ensure that the drum rotates smoothly, but not too easily, fishermen install fluoroplastic washers on the metal axis. Thanks to them, you can tighten the drum so that at the moment of a sharp bite, a loop of thread does not form. Otherwise, it can stop the line coming off, leading to breakage of the equipment. When fishing, you must ensure that the reel does not fall into water or snow. Otherwise, you will have to disassemble the tackle and clean the hole in the drum.
Design and principle of operation
Operating winter reels does not involve studying its design, but still, when faced with various breakdowns of the equipment, many fishermen are not against trying to get it working on their own.
The operation of the coil is based on performing three most necessary actions:
- Ease of catching large fish through the use of a friction mechanism.
- A way to ideally lay the fishing line, which affects the speed of fishing and the absence of tangling.
- Ability to hold fish of any weight as it tries to free itself.
A reel is a mechanism that consists of: a spool, an arch, and a rotor.
When the reel is open, the line moves freely, which can be unwound as much as needed for casting. When the bow is closed, the course of the fishing line is stopped, and the fishing line itself is with a slope of 900. When winding the fishing line with the handle, the rotor begins to work, which, twisting, pushes the spool first forward and then back, which allows you to synchronously wind the fishing line with the best quality. The principle of operation of the mechanism is in many ways reminiscent of the operation of a sewing machine, where thread is wound onto a bobbin, where the synchronization of movements also plays an extremely important role.
