A vertical spinner is a very catchy winter bait for perch, pike perch and pike, and its performance is comparable to balancers. It is best to use a vertical spoon for catching active perch when bites are frequent.
The spoon has one hook, and the caught perch can be removed very quickly and easily, which will greatly increase the fishing rate. But sometimes it happens that the balancer turns out to be more to the taste of the fish, therefore, it is worth taking with you both spinners and balancers, and even amphipods with jigs.
But let’s move on to the main topic of our article - the rating of spinners for perch, read about this below in the text.
Spinner sizes
As for the size of winter spinners, the following pattern has been revealed: the smaller the spinner, the more often the bites follow, but the size of the perch will be rather small. Accordingly, larger perches will be caught on large lures, since small perch are cut off.
The most versatile winter lures for perch are models 3-4 cm long. The smaller the spinner, the thinner the line you need to use to ensure high-quality play.
The following line diameters are recommended:
- Spinner up to 20 mm - fishing line up to 0.12 mm.
- Spinner 20-40 mm - fishing line up to 0.14 mm.
- Spinner 40-60 mm – fishing line up to 0.15 mm.
How to choose catchable spinners for winter
Winter perch hunting has a number of features. The hole should not be too large (about 60-70 cm in diameter), and this also needs to be taken into account when choosing a spoon. The ideal option would be a small rotating or vertical spoon (30-40 mm). Perch is a predatory fish, so it will willingly rush at a shiny “fish”. But at the same time, he is smart enough, and if the movements of the bait are too sweeping or unnatural, it will not work. You can act in three different ways:
- After the spoon is tied to the fishing line , it must be lowered almost to the very bottom, and then slowly raised. The perch will chase the prey and swallow the hook. In the upper layers, the speed can be gradually increased, but not too much.
- The spoon is immersed to the bottom , and then sharply raised about half a meter. Then they lower it again and jerk sharply. This creates a fluttering, fast movement that makes the lure look like a real fish. If this does not have an effect, you need to immerse the spoon not so deeply. Basically, the diving depth here depends on the season: in the middle of winter, the bait should be lowered to the very bottom, and closer to spring - somewhere around half the maximum depth.
- The spoon is jerked sharply and quickly up and down with a large amplitude, forcing the perch to hunt and pursue prey. This method is good for the beginning and end of winter, when the fish have not yet fallen into deep hibernation and remain active.
When hunting for perch, you should remember that these fish are schooling fish, so if you manage to “stir up” one fish, then there is a chance that the whole school will follow it and get close to the hole itself. Sometimes the fish doesn’t want to grab the spoon at all: the perch can swim nearby, tug at it, but not swallow the hook. In this case, you can put bloodworms on the hook - this will significantly increase the chances of catching.
As for the time of day, something cannot be predicted here: if the weather is good, then you can catch perch all day. Sometimes the morning hours are more successful, sometimes the evening hours. Often in winter, fertilizing is used to attract fish - it is placed in special feeders. For this purpose, it is best to take bran, bloodworms, and cake. In bad weather, the bite almost disappears, so there is little point in fishing in bad weather.
Choosing a spinner for winter fishing for perch requires knowledge, but even with theoretical training, rarely does anyone “get it right” the first time. Therefore, it is better to purchase several different spinners and see which one suits best.
If the perch does not bite even on the best lures and behaves passively, use bait or winter bite activators .
Finnish spinner Captain
A large perch spoon, 50 mm long, shaped to make short, energetic jerks. When falling to the bottom, the spoon makes circular, spiral movements. When rising, the spoon creates chaotic movements, which increases fishing efficiency. The working depth of the spoon reaches 3.5 meters. Similar to Soviet winter demons.
Differences between perch spoons and others
Perch spoons are similar to their counterparts used for catching pike perch and pike perch. At the same time, they have their own characteristics in the structure and nature of the game.
Characteristics of perch winter lures
Perch spoons have the following characteristics:
- Size (length) – perch is caught with baits ranging from 15-20 to 60 mm in length. At the same time, spinners up to 20-30 mm in size are used when fishing at depths of up to 3 meters. 40-50 mm baits are well suited for fishing at medium depths (up to 6 meters). The largest, 60-millimeter spoons are used for deep fishing in 8-10-meter holes and pools.
- Shape – perch is well caught on narrow, teardrop-shaped, diamond-shaped spinners;
- Weight – perch baits, depending on length, material, shape, weigh from 3-3.5 to 15-16 grams. The lightest models are used for fishing in the coastal zone with depths of up to 3 meters. The heaviest models are suitable for fishing in current conditions, depths of more than 5-6 meters.
- Hook type and fastening - triple, double and single hooks are used on winter perch lures. Hooks can be rigidly soldered to the petal of the spoon, or have a movable fastening using a winding ring or a thin metal chain. Models with a rigid hook fastening have a more stable game and are used for catching active fish. Quite catchy winter lures for perch, with movable hooks (on a winding ring, chain) are used for capricious, changeable bite, low predator activity in the middle of nowhere.
- Material – homemade and factory-made perch spinners are made from sheet copper, brass, and stainless steel. Some models of such baits are also made from darker and more viscous bronze.
- Coloring - perch is caught on spinners with both single-color (silver, gold, copper, nickel) and two-color petals (gold/silver, gold/nickel). Also, spinners that have a striped, bright (fluorescent) color are often used. To increase attractiveness, I often string red beads, woolen thread, and cambrics onto the hooks of spinners.
Recommended reading: How to catch pike perch with mugs
Types of winter lures for perch
Lures may differ in the location of the center of gravity, as well as in their behavior when retrieved. Lures for perch for winter fishing come in 4 main types:
- Vertical (bottom) - have a lower center of gravity, due to which they have a strictly vertical game without significant deviations. During landing, they raise turbidity, which additionally attracts a predator.
- Gliding - have a strongly concave petal shape, due to which, when playing, they deviate strongly to the side from the center of the hole, making oscillatory movements. Such baits are more suitable for vertical trolling.
- Loose – spinners with a center of gravity located in the middle of the bait’s body. This ensures that when lowered, the bait takes a horizontal position and makes high-frequency oscillatory movements (“crumbles”).
- “Step” are crescent-shaped baits with a single, hard-soldered hook. When playing, the bait does not sink to the bottom vertically, but by making stepwise leaps.
Important. You can check which of these species the purchased spoon belongs to in an aquarium or a bathtub filled to the brim. This will help you choose the appropriate animation for the bait.
Nils Master Hanski (Finland)
One of the best spinners in many ratings for perch and pike perch, many fishermen praise it very much. The hook on the spoon can be easily changed thanks to the lock. Wiring should be done with light jerks. Fishermen from the Volga note that the best colors for winter fishing are silver and brass.
If you are interested in the topic of homemade products and winter fishing, we recommend our article about making a winter fishing rod.
Winter fishing rod equipment
For trolling perch in winter, a lightweight, durable fishing rod with a reel and a hard pole about 30 centimeters long is suitable. To signal a bite, a nod (guard) made of a spring or other elastic material is used. Some anglers prefer to catch perch with winter fishing rods without a nod, determining the grip of the fish by the blow to the hand. However, this method of trolling perch is only good in warm weather, when the tackle can be held with your bare hand.
An additional advantage would be if the fishing rod handle is covered with a layer of balsa wood. Such coatings are pleasant to the touch and do not freeze your fingers.
Fishing rods for trolling perch in winter are equipped with monofilament fishing line with a diameter of 0.17 - 0.25 millimeters. The use of thicker fishing line is not advisable, as it worsens the performance of the bait. A metal leash is usually not placed on a perch lure, since the perch’s teeth are more like a small brush, and it is not able to bite through the fishing line with them. And besides, rarely does a perch swallow a spoon completely. At the end of the line there is a swivel and a small carabiner for quickly changing the spinners.
Nils Master Snub-Head
The Finnish winter vertical spinner Snub-Head has a cone shape and resembles a whitebait in appearance, and is equipped with a chain. During development, special attention was paid to tees with a special luminous influx, which creates an additional point of attack for the perch, that is, the fish attacks precisely at the tee and is spotted more often. When jerked, the spoon resembles a wounded fish and effectively catches perch, pike and pike perch. The spoon can also be used without a chain, leaving the tee on a regular ring.
Alaskan EcoPro (Russia)
This vertical spinner has a cone shape and is equipped with a tee. It was designed for catching pike perch in the current, but it also catches perch and bass in still water perfectly. The game of this bait is very similar to the game of the “Trekhgranka” spinner.
As it falls, the bait begins to rotate around its own axis, thereby twisting the line, and when paused, the spoon spins in the opposite direction. Frequent glare from the bait can stir up even a passive predator. The main thing is to choose the right weight of the spinner.
The best winter lures for pike perch
HALCO OUTCAST
Rating: 4.9
It is not by chance that the Halco Outcast winter spinning spoon got into the leading positions in the rating, because both the issue of cost and all the accompanying technical characteristics play in its favor. Visually, the metal model is a full-fledged fish fry, with a characteristic relief imprint on the side surfaces, realistic 3D eyes and coloring (both neutral and provocative). One type of spinner is enough to seriously interest a predator, which most often becomes pike perch and other deep-sea inhabitants.
In the overall dimensions of the Outcast series representatives, the main emphasis was on a clear ranking of spinners by weight. The 20-gram model continues to be the most popular for catching pike perch - the smallest in the line and the most flexible for vertical trolling. From the point of view of users, it is the flagship of Outcast and only in it can one find the ideal combination of price and quality.
Advantages
- low price;
- wide range of models;
- high catchability in river (pike perch, asp) and sea waters (mackerel, cod);
- magnificent external design;
Flaws
- not detected.
Favorit EcoPro
Russian winter spinner, which was developed for catching perch and pike. The spinner has a teardrop shape and is equipped with a tee. Designed for fishing in stagnant and low-flow waters.
It glides quite strongly and creates sweeping oscillations that work well on pike. The play of the spinner imitates a wounded fry well. Some fishermen note that the game of this spoon is unstable, and that it does not play on every fall.
The best winter lures for perch
Nils Master Hanski
Rating: 4.9
The ranking leader in the number of consumer votes, the Hanski winter lure was developed in close cooperation between Nils Master and a group of professional fishermen competing at prestigious world championships. Having secured such powerful support, manufacturers quickly determined the most optimal model dimensions, colors and contour design features for productive play in the water column. The presented spinners have lengths of 35, 50, 60 and 75 millimeters, each of which has its own limits of applicability. However, they all have one thing in common - they are too tempting for the nimble perch. Without a correlation between its own size and the size of the artificial “prey”, the small impudent predator rushes to attack with lightning speed, barely seeing the primary luring elements. These include the glare created by a smooth surface and the bright drop on the tee from Owner.
Anglers recommend animating the Nils Master Hanski winter lure with short, low-amplitude twitches of the fishing rod with a gradual rise and release. Such a game can attract not only an active predator, but also stir up sedentary individuals. The price parameter of the spinner places it in the segment of expensive baits, but the money spent on the purchase will definitely pay off.
Advantages
- wide range of colors (glare and classic);
- possibility of animation at various amplitudes of movement;
- high-quality body kit from Owner with a bright front sight in the center;
- four modifications in the line;
Flaws
- not detected.
Kuusamo Kilpa-Loiste
Rating: 4.8
The extremely beautiful winter spinner Kilpa-Loiste from the Finns from Kuusamo was not included in the rating by chance, having become the most productive element of equipment for winter hunting for nimble perch. With a length of 3.5 centimeters, its weight is only 3 grams, which ensures that the bait slowly sinks to a depth with a large amplitude of drift. Such movements are rarely noticed by fish, however, with an advantageous combination with color design, the situation changes radically. The symbiosis of gold finishing (pink or natural) and reflective film creates an amazing play of light on the spoon, even when lighting is limited due to the thickness of the ice. The Kilpa-Loiste tee has two rubber rings attached to it, designed to add a provocative look to the model and orient the predator to the attack site.
It is noteworthy that with such a design, the spinner barely crosses the threshold of the middle price segment. Its purchase is unlikely to have a significant impact on your financial condition, but there are more than enough useful dividends.
Advantages
- a successful combination of reflective film and bright color base;
- average price;
- strong deviation from the plumb line position when making a jerk, reminiscent of throwing a fry;
- soft immersion in water with vertical lure;
- compactness, suitable for perch fishing;
Flaws
- not found.
Nirvana Eco-Pro
Russian spoon bait for perch, pike perch, pike and whitefish. In terms of weight, length and tee ratio, it is the most universal. The surface of the spoon is corrugated, which gives it greater resistance and longer play of the spoon.
The high relief of this spoon creates a strong hydroacoustic effect, which additionally attracts predatory fish. It is recommended to use this lure on active predators, especially on the first and last ice.
