Donka with a rubber shock absorber is very technologically advanced and often simply irreplaceable
tackle for fishing from the shore, especially since recently its use has again been permitted by the Rules of Amateur Fishing with a reservation only on the number of hooks. Now, with the beginning of the water rise in the rivers of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain, fish spawning continues. The spring spawning ban is in effect until June 20. However, you can still fish from the shore, in the Astrakhan region even with a spinning rod with artificial bait. But what to do if the predator is not biting at all at the moment? Gear for white fish will help out: float rods and bottom gear.
So what are the advantages of bottom tackle with a rubber shock absorber?
The most important advantages are: - there is no noise caused by the sinker falling into the water when casting, which is very important when catching cautious fish, such as crucian carp, bream and carp; - the fish that takes the bait does not feel the resistance of the sinker; — there is no need to constantly re-cast the tackle after inspecting the bait or removing the fish from the hook; — the hooks always return to the same place, which makes bait or bait for fish in this patch especially effective, and in addition, bait in the form of dense balls can be delivered to the fishing spot directly using the same gear; — periodic movements of hooks along the bottom in one place create turbidity, which attracts fish to the fishing spot; — tackle with an elastic band has a significant advantage over other donks when catching predatory fish (pike, perch, bersh) with live bait. At the moment of casting a regular donkey, live bait, especially weak bait, often falls off the hook or is severely damaged and quickly dies. On bottoms with a rubber shock absorber, this does not happen when the line is carefully released; — it is possible to revive the bite by attracting fish by lightly moving the line, changing the tension of the rubber, changing and combining bait attachments.
Donkeys with a rubber shock absorber also have disadvantages. They are as follows: - lack of maneuverability - the tackle is installed in one place and is difficult to move. This kind of fishing is more suitable for those who spend a long time in one place, for example at a campsite or with a tent on the shore of a reservoir; — not on every section of the coast it is possible to place gear comfortably enough: bushes, cliffs, strong currents, dense aquatic vegetation near the coastline make the use of a donkey with a rubber shock absorber impossible; — the rubber shock absorber is the “weak link” of the gear, since the rubber is easily damaged by sharp objects at the bottom (shells, stones), quickly ages from ultraviolet radiation and, as a result, can break at the most inopportune moment. You should always have a supply of rubber bands and weights with you; - a tightly stretched rubber shock absorber can pose a danger to the fisherman: if the extended tackle breaks, it can inadvertently injure the hooks, and if the rubber breaks, a strong blow occurs, which damages unprotected areas of the body (therefore, the hand pulling the elastic should be moved to the side). A properly assembled and installed bottom with a rubber shock absorber allows you to catch roach, herring, perch, sabrefish and many other types of Volga fish.
Pike fishing: how significant are the changes in 2020
Among experts and representatives of fishing organizations, it is noted that in general, the changes made to the Law “On Amateur Fishing” No. 475-FZ of December 25, 2018, adopted by the State Duma, are more general in nature. The document comes into force on 01/01/2020. Its norms concern a complete ban on fishing with nets, establishing daily limits on the volume of catch, etc. If we talk about such special cases as the spawning ban on pike, it will not change in 2021 with the entry into force of new norms.
It is necessary to analyze the general norms and prohibitions that were in force in sport fishing in our country in past years, and have not changed this year.
Bottom tackle device with rubber shock absorber
A special feature of the design of such a donkey is that between the very heavy end sinker and the line (a fragment of the tackle on which the leashes with hooks are located) there is a thin, long elastic band of great extensibility - a rubber shock absorber. The heavy sinker is designed to always hold the end of this elastic band at the bottom in one place
. The elastic band, when stretched, allows you to manipulate the line without removing the sinker from the water. In this way, the hooks can be pulled ashore, secured to a peg, inspected and calmly returned back to the fishing point without unnecessary noise. The most stringent requirements are imposed on the rubber shock absorber - the reliability of the gear and, accordingly, the fishing itself depends on this. It’s a shame when, in the midst of a bite, the elastic suddenly breaks. The best material for a rubber shock absorber is aircraft model rubber with round section. This gray elastic band, popularly called “Hungarian,” is especially reliable. Tape and square rubber ages and breaks faster, causing scoring on sharp edges. The thickness of the elastic for such a donkey depends on the thickness of the main fishing line and the distance from the shore to the fishing point. The thicker the line and the greater the distance, the more powerful the shock absorber must be to effectively return the hooks to their place. If there is no thick elastic band, it is permissible to use a “braid” of 2-3 threads. When purchasing rubber for a donkey, you should carefully check its properties and quality. At maximum stretch, hairline transverse cracks should not appear on the rubber band. In such a situation, tape and square rubber should not show scoring on the edges or other damage. The color of the elastic should be the same along the entire length, since yellowish and brown shades indicate a loss of strength of the material or poor-quality raw materials. Rubber that has lost its elasticity is generally not suitable for making donkeys. When fishing, the rubber shock absorber should be protected from direct sunlight if possible and stored in a cool, dry place. The length of the rubber shock absorber depends on the distance from the angler to the fishing point and the extensibility of the material. The approximate length of the shock absorber (L) can be calculated using the following formula L = S/(n-1) S - distance from the fishing point to the shore; n is the elastic stretch coefficient. Thus, if you need to design fishing gear at a distance of 50 meters from the shore with rubber, the elongation of which is 5 (extends 5 times), then the approximate length of the shock absorber will be: 50: (5-1) = 12.5 m. It should increase this result by 1 meter so as not to stretch the rubber to its limit and be able to use a sinker of minimal weight. (!) By the way, the sinker is either cast from the shore or brought in by boat. In the second case, it does not need to be removed after fishing using the gear itself - you can pull it out of the boat by the buoy and, accordingly, it can be much heavier and more reliable (anchor, bag of sand, large stone). When arranging a tackle with such a heavy sinker, you can select the length of the shock absorber on the spot by placing the free end of the elastic band on the shore, pulling it to the desired state and locally mounting a swivel at the end for attaching to the crossbar. One of the options for equipping a donkey with a rubber shock absorber looks like this.
The main line with a diameter of 0.40-0.80 mm is wound on the reel along one side (in a figure of eight). The reel is made of plastic or waterproof plywood. On the other side of the reel, when installing the equipment, a rubber shock absorber, a crossbar with leads and other parts are also placed. The first leash from the sinker is secured approximately one meter from the rubber. The distance between the leashes is approximately 1-1.5 meters - this significantly increases the fishing area and the chance of a bite. The leashes are made short, approximately 8-12 cm, and attached to the line with a twist or special spirals to move the hooks away from the axis of the line while the gear is moving. All connections of the gear elements are made through swivels with carabiners; the ends of the rubber shock absorber are attached to the swivel or steel ring through rings made of durable rubber or soft plastic (to avoid damage to the rubber). (!) The end of the rubber shock absorber is passed into the ring, and the free end of about 6 cm is laid in thirds along the elastic band, slightly stretching it at this moment and each time wrapping it with cotton thread - such a connection will hold well in water when the shock absorber is stretched.
How to communicate with the inspector
In most regions, the float rod and donka are not subject to the ban. The feeder is classified as bottom gear, so fishing with it is allowed. Just don’t forget that one fisherman can fish with only one fishing rod, and the number of hooks cannot be more than two.
However, there are regions where, during the ban, fishing is allowed only with tackle with a float. Here is how it is stated in the regional document of the Tula region: “Forbidden period for the extraction of aquatic biological resources: with all fishing gear, with the exception of float rods from the shore with a total number of hooks of no more than 2 pieces.”
It is important to remember that at this time fishing is allowed only from the coastal zone; the movement of small vessels using engines is strictly prohibited. Who has the right to supervise the implementation of the Rules is only employees of state fisheries protection authorities.
Specialists from various public organizations and even other government agencies, public inspectors do not have any authority to do this. Therefore, if a fisherman has been subjected to some illegal actions on their part, you can safely go to court and appeal.
By the way, the fisherman must have identification documents with him, otherwise he can easily be escorted to the nearest police station to find out his identity, and the path from the shore to him can be quite long.
It is important to remember that all cases are considered administratively, that is, no one has the right to resolve a case on the shore of a reservoir, much less to fine you with a receipt - you are not traveling on a tram. If this happens, file a complaint with the relevant authorities, including the courts.
Donkey sinkers with rubber shock absorber
The weights for the “rubber bands” are selected to be heavy, from 250-400 g, flat and with a rough surface. Installation and removal of the sinker can be done both from the shore and from the boat. When casting a sinker from the shore, there are ways to increase the adhesion of the sinker to the ground without increasing the mass. You can install short nails without heads into the convex part of a spoon-shaped lead sinker so that the ends protrude by 5-10 mm. Such a sinker holds the elastic band well, and the protruding ends of the nails almost do not catch on the grass when pulling the sinker out after fishing. Another option: during casting, pieces of thick soft wire are placed in a cone-shaped sinker so that they resemble the legs of an anchor. Such a sinker also adheres well to the ground, and when caught on an obstacle, the legs easily unbend.
Sometimes an additional fishing line is attached to the sinker for subsequent removal without the use of a rubber shock absorber. In this case, they throw a sinker with two fishing lines at once, but without the saddle part with hooks, which is installed after moving the auxiliary fishing line to the side (so it will not interfere during fishing). This method is the safest and most reliable if there is no boat to remove the load, and, in addition, it eliminates the tangling of lines and hooks during casting. When importing sinkers from a boat Having a boat greatly simplifies the process of installing a bottom with an elastic band, especially if you are fishing together. One fisherman places a sinker on the chosen place in such a way that it lies on the bottom at a distance equal to the free (not stretched) length of the elastic band from the location of the future hooks, and the other gradually, as the boat moves away from the shore, releases the prepared equipment. The sinker can be quite heavy, and so that it can be found and lifted after fishing, a small buoy is tied to it on the line. If there is only one fisherman, then it is better to bring with the sinker only an elastic band, the end of which is fixed to the shore. Selecting the tension of the shock absorber, the fisherman lowers the load to the bottom, and on the shore he mounts the remaining parts of the equipment to the end of the elastic.
Techniques and features of fishing with a donkey with an elastic band
The main difference between fishing with a donk with an elastic band and conventional gear is the process of its installation. The load is thrown or brought from the boat at the beginning of fishing and removed at the end. The main line is prepared as when installing a regular donkey. A rubber shock absorber is attached to the running end of the main fishing line (without a strap with hooks) using a carabiner fastener, the second end of which is attached through a swivel to a piece of durable cord about 1 meter long. The cord is tied directly to the ring on the sinker. Next, the rubber is laid in a dense snake on a clean, flat surface at the water’s edge, separate from the fishing line. When casting a sinker with the right hand, the angler stands to the right of the elastic band, takes the sinker by the cord and throws it, accelerating it with a pendulum or circular rotation in a vertical plane. The cord is needed to protect the elastic from breaking when thrown.
After casting and eliminating the slack in the fishing line, do not tighten the elastic band for several minutes to allow the sinker to “suck” and stick to the ground. After this, the main fishing line is smoothly taken to the shore, folded in rings behind and away from you, until the end of the shock absorber arrives, which is fixed to the peg with a loop previously made on the main fishing line. Now install the insert-strap with leashes and hooks between the elastic band and the main fishing line (all through carabiners with swivels - the tackle is ready. To make it convenient to work with the hooks alone, follow behind the place where the fishing rod is installed and slightly to the right, pre-install a stake with a hook at a distance from the edge water equal to the length of the line. Thus, you can service the bottom alone, hooking the near end of the line to this stake. Now let go of the line again and adjust the length: the elastic band should completely select the main line, but not pull it. The slight slack of the line from the fishing rod is compensated by the bell ( A bell made from a brass casing from a hunting cartridge is best suited. A correctly configured alarm will respond sensitively to bites, both to jerks from the shore and to pulls to the side and to the shore. Having prepared the tackle in this way, we proceed directly to the fishing process. (!) It is important to remember: - do not hold the tackle taut when working with hooks, always fix the line on the stake behind you; - when releasing the fishing line into the water, always try to keep it as high as possible - this way the hooks are less likely to catch on the algae and the bait will not be torn off by the protrusions of the bottom; - if there is bottom vegetation or reeds in the place where the fishing line is lowered near the shore, take the time to clear the gap for unhindered release of the fishing line with hooks and landing the caught fish; - never lay the fishing line in front of you at the edge of the water - it will definitely get tangled when the hooks move, especially if a fish is caught on the tackle.
Useful tips for fishing with elastic bands
It is advisable to fish with no more than two donks with five hooks on each, unless, of course, such a number of hooks is allowed in a given place by the Fishing Rules. Catch with
one bottom equipped with ten hooks is less effective: the likelihood of bites is less, it takes a long time to maintain and adjust the bait on such a line, and sitting and watching one bell will probably seem like a dreary task to many, especially if the bite is not like “... on the Black Stones ... " (With). When biting, the hook is made sharp and sweeping - this is necessary due to the long length of the fishing line and its extensibility. With your right hand raised up, describe a semicircle from top to bottom, pick up the main line in front of the fishing rod and continue to jerk back behind you. After this, under no circumstances should you give the line slack; the line must be pulled quickly, but without jerking, to the shore. The prey should be brought to the shore in the water, without lifting it above the surface, and immediately brought into the landing net. A landing net when fishing with an elastic band is necessary, since the stretchable elastic band will not allow the fish to be thrown ashore, and it will not be possible to manipulate the prey due to the low maneuverability of the gear.
Active and passive fishing methods
We selectively quote explanations given by representatives of the Moscow Department of the Federal Fisheries Agency.
Question: Is it possible during the spring ban (from April 1 to June 10) to fish with a spinning rod, feeder, fly fishing, and also use a bombarda (sbirulino) or a summer jig with one hook?
Float rod and feeder
The Fishing Rules do not define a float or bottom fishing rod.
It should be noted that fishing with bottom or float gear using natural baits implies a “passive” method of fishing. In this case, the nozzle is in a calm state or drifts downstream.
The feeder is a bottom fishing rod and fishing with it is not prohibited. The use of a spinning rod for fishing with bottom or float tackle using natural bait (“passive” method) is also not prohibited.
Spinning and others
Spinning, based on encyclopedic definitions (gear for fishing with artificial and natural baits), is an “active” method of fishing, which consists of throwing bait and attracting fish by its play as a result of wiring, pulling and other methods.
Fly fishing without a float, with artificial and natural baits, as well as with a spinning rod, is an “active” method of fishing.
Fishing with a summer jig, as well as with a bombarda (sbirulino), involves attracting fish to play with bait and also refers to “active” fishing methods.
Based on this, fishing with spinning rods, fly fishing, bombards and summer jigs in water bodies of the Moscow region is completely prohibited during the spawning period of fish from April 1 to June 10.
In addition to all this, it is prohibited to have any gear on board a ship or other watercraft, fishing for which is currently prohibited (clause 16.3 of the Fishing Rules).
Thus, any “active” methods of fishing with any bait are prohibited during the spawning ban. Fishing with natural baits can only be done in a “passive” way.
By “active” fishing method we mean attracting fish by playing with bait as a result of any manipulations with tackle and bait.
Bait for rubber band fishing
Considering that fishing with bottom tackle with a rubber shock absorber is a fairly passive process, that is, the angler is not actively looking for fish, but is waiting for it or luring it to the bait, complementary food is required for such fishing. The great advantage of this tackle is that the hooks with the bait return to exactly the same place after each pull. This allows you to feed and
attach fish precisely and very effectively. Bait can be delivered to the fishing point in several ways, using the most convenient for a specific situation and conditions: 1. In the absence of a boat, lumps of bait mixed with soil from the same reservoir are crushed into balls the size of a small apple and hooked onto hooks, then carefully and slowly release the line - the bait at the bottom will get wet in a few minutes and be distributed in the area where the hooks are located. 2. When fishing in the current, bait can be placed in paper bags. The paper will allow the bait to stay on the hook longer and reach the fishing spot safely. 3. You can bring bait from the boat and lower it to the bottom, guided by buoys tied in advance at the beginning and end of the line with hooks - this way the fishing area will be clearly visible. After feeding, the donkey is pulled out and the buoys are removed.
How to fish with a classic donkey
Separately, it is necessary to say about the prohibitions and how many hooks are allowed to have on a donk, because this information will help fishermen save the environment and at the same time do what they love without fear of being fined.
In each region, fish spawn at a certain time, depending on the weather, air and water temperatures. During the spawning period, fishing with multi-hook gear is prohibited and the classic donk and hook cannot be used. But fishing rods with one hook in most regions are allowed for fishing during spawning, however, there are standards for catching fish by one fisherman per day (most often 3–5 kg of fish).
Therefore, when going fishing, you need to find out what the rules are for fishing in the reservoirs you plan to visit and tie the equipment in accordance with the recommendations of the regulatory authorities.
The classic donka and zakidushka, of course, have advantages due to the use of several hooks, but even with one hook in April or May, during the ban, they catch a lot of excellent fish. So if you don't want to take a break from doing what you love, tie donks with one hook and catch as many fish as the law allows.
Variants of donks with elastic for various fishing conditions
In addition to the classic version of the donkey rig with an elastic band, there are many varieties for specific fishing conditions and specific types of fish: catching predators with live bait, catching roach, catching surface fish, for example, chub, sabrefish and asp. So, for catching asp and saber fish, a donkey design is used, the bar with hooks is located at the surface of the water. To do this, a large-capacity float is attached between the elastic band and the hooks, raising the line to the surface, and the fishing depth is adjusted by the length of the leashes. With such a bottom you can successfully catch sabrefish, perch and even asp for fry.
Another version of the donkey device with an elastic band is used in the current. In this case, the bar is pulled down the riverbed by the flow of water and this must be taken into account when installing the gear. Despite all the apparent complexity of a donkey with a rubber shock absorber, properly installed tackle allows you to fish comfortably for a long time and is very easy to use. Try, experiment, introduce your own innovations and improvements and you will have fishing happiness. Welcome to Three Rivers!
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