Features of fishing on a feeder in autumn

Differences between autumn feeder fishing and summer

In autumn, river inhabitants begin to prepare for cold weather. During this period, they stock up on protein to survive under the ice throughout the winter. In warm September, the fish remains on its summer diet, but after a while it begins to eat, which should be taken advantage of by fishing enthusiasts.

September

Many fish are very sensitive to sudden changes in weather, so even a slight cold snap causes them to flock together and look for food. But in September they do not go into the deep layers, because there is a lot of food near the surface. Near the shore, potential prey appears in the dark, and in the early morning it can be caught in shallow depressions. In strong winds, you should only fish in calm places.

During this period, it is better to use fine-grained mixtures of the following components for bait:

• cereal;
• White bread;
• dough.

An effective way is to use a special bait. To do this, you need to apply bait to the same place every day, which will lead to an increase in the catch.

In autumn, effective baits include dung worms and maggots.

Feeder in October

After the onset of October, the fish become inactive and migrate to depth. She needs little food because she was full in the previous month. During this period, many fishermen recommend choosing equipment in the form of a paternoster so that the bait is on the bottom.

Small bunches of bloodworms or earthworms are the best baits.

It is necessary to add finely ground live bait to the bait, since without it the fish will not react to the mixture.

In October, prey is better caught at the exit from bottom holes. But you shouldn’t fish in just one place; it’s better to throw the feeder at different distances.

November

Before cold weather, the fish are at depth in pits and rarely leave their shelter. For this reason, it is quite difficult to find it in November. To find out the bottom topography and determine where the school is located, you should use a fishing rod with a marking weight or an echo sounder.

During this period, the fish responds well to bait of animal origin, which you can buy at a fishing store or make yourself.

It is better to put bait on the hook in bunches, this will allow you to catch a large trophy.

Bait and groundbait

The best pre-winter bait will most likely be bloodworms. Sometimes bloodworms work well in combination with Chernobyl or Burdock larva. Moreover, despite the complete external similarity of these larvae, for some reason the fish chooses the larva living in the stems of wormwood. Usually, wormwood-chernobyl is prepared in armfuls and brought home, and there, under the grumbling of the wife, they carefully cut the stems lengthwise and take out the white-yellow larvae. It is clear that such bait requires thin but strong hooks (you can read about fishing hooks here).

Worms are also used because they are an all-season bait, but it is now better to plant them in small pieces-tassels, adding one or two maggots (read about worms, their storage and breeding here).

Winter bait is used, without sweet biscuit smells. It is best to add more bloodworms or finely chopped worms to the ready-made feeder mixture.

Share with your friends!

Feeder equipment

In autumn, the predator moves further from the shore and lives in holes at the bottom, so the fisherman should be able to make long casts. For this reason, it is so important to properly equip the feeder tackle.

For successful autumn fishing, the following feeder configuration is optimal:

1. The fishing rod should be about 3.5-4 m long with a test value of at least 100 g.
2. The reel should be chosen inertia-free, equipped with a properly adjusted clutch.
3. The line is not suitable for successful autumn fishing, so it is better to use a strong braided line. It transmits small bites much better at any distance. Monofilament should be used for making leashes with bait.
4. When choosing hooks, you need to pay attention to the dimensions of the bait. For successful autumn fishing, the most suitable devices are numbers 8-10.

The choice of a suitable feeder is greatly influenced by the speed of water flow in the river. If the current is calm, then you need to use a small cylindrical device. When fishing in rough waters, it is necessary to use a heavy square or polygonal feeder equipped with an anti-twist.

What bait to use in the fall on the feeder

Complementary foods for successful fishing on a feeder throughout the fall have their own characteristics. The prepared mixture should tease the prey, not saturate it. Therefore, during its manufacture it is necessary to reduce the amount of bulk components as much as possible.

Features of bait for cold water

In the fall, the basis of the feed mixture is crackers, and after the onset of cold weather they are replaced by soil from the reservoir where fishing is supposed to be done. To make the bait work much more efficiently, organic components are added to it. Worms and maggots should be finely chopped, after which they will begin to emit a pleasant smell for the fish.

Recipes

In order for the autumn bite to be active, all proportions of the prepared composition must be observed. All components are calculated using measuring cups. To make the mixture, you can use special food sold in stores. In total, no more than 2 dimensional units will be needed.

The following ingredients can be added to complementary foods:

• 3 parts crackers and toasted hemp seeds;
• 1 part egg powder and dry clay;
• 3 parts chopped maggots;
• 1 part dry dill.

First, the dry ingredients are steamed, and the crushed maggots must be added to the mixture at the last moment when filling the feeder. Rusks are placed in the bait to hold it together, and clay makes the device heavier and helps it quickly sink to the bottom.

In case of weak currents, clay can be replaced with sand. Many anglers add some crushed potato chips to the mix. They contain a lot of calories and also add an unusual flavor to complementary foods.

In another recipe for a nutrient mixture, the main place is occupied by bloodworms (5 parts) and maggot (3 parts). Sunflower cake (3 parts), bran (2 parts) and corn sticks (1 part) are added to the mixture. During the preparation process, all components of the bait must be finely chopped, moistened and mixed thoroughly.

Flavors for feeders in autumn

You can attract fish to the feeder with the help of flavorings, but their smell should not be cloying or too sweet.

The smells of earthworm, cloves, anise and bloodworms will be attractive to prey.

But you should not add too much odorous liquid to the bait, because this will only scare away the fish.

Nozzle selection

In September, lakes cool quickly, so their inhabitants expend a lot of effort to move through the water column. To replenish energy, they look for the most high-calorie animal foods. For this reason, for successful feeder fishing in the fall, it is necessary to use the appropriate bait.

The best baits during this period are:

• earthworms;
• bloodworm;
• maggots;
• caddis flies.

The selection of plant baits should be targeted and guided by the type of fish.

When feeding crucian carp in the fall, you can use semolina with garlic, and carp respond well to several grains of corn suspended on a hook. Roach will like boiled peas or pearl barley.

Selection of baits

, baits of animal origin work better . For autumn fishing for crucian carp they most often use:

• bloodworm;
• maggot;
• worm.

Many anglers consider the best bait for catching crucian carp in October to be a bunch of bloodworms. Good results can also be achieved by fishing with a bunch of worms. If there are no bites, you should try using a sandwich of bloodworms and maggots as bait.

Whenever you go fishing, you should have as many different baits with you as possible so that you can try them and choose the one that will bring the best catch on a particular body of water on a particular day.

What is the best time to fish?

In September, the best bite occurs from sunrise to 9 am. At night, bites occur in short periods.

In October, you can fish until noon, and in November, fish are most likely to be hooked between midnight and 3 a.m.

This biting regime persists until late autumn, until the reservoirs are covered with ice. In order for night fishing on the feeder to bring trophies, you should equip the fishing rod with an audible or luminous alarm. This device can also be installed on a rod stand, which will increase the chances of not missing a bite.

Match fishing

One method of float fishing for bream still takes place even in the cold October season - this is match float fishing. This kind of fishing uses a float rod 3.9-4.2 meters long, equipped with a good reel and guide rings and involves long-distance casting of a float with a reel. This fishing is practiced in places without a current or with a weak current. In places where there is a strong current, usually an inertial reel is installed on such a fishing rod and they begin to fish as with a regular wire fishing rod, but there are other gears for this.

Match fishing for bream is popular in reservoirs in good weather without fog, waves and strong wind, when the float on the water is visible far away. The waggler float, which is rigidly attached to a fishing line, is considered traditional, but you can only fish with it at a depth of three meters, no more. In deep areas, a sliding float is used - a glider, which has most of the weight inside the float, or a slider, the tackle with which has the main weight outside the float. According to the author, the use of sliders in autumn bream fishing is not justified, since they are intended for depths of more than 8 meters, where the feeder shows greater efficiency.

Tips for choosing bait for bream

Spring baits

Depending on weather conditions in the spring, bream can actively react to different baits: March: bloodworm, worm, semolina, dough. April worm, maggot, bloodworm. May peas, corn, dough, pasta, semolina, bread, boiled wheat, pearl barley. The higher the air and water temperatures, the faster the bream switches from animal baits to plant baits.

Summer baits

In the summer heat, many complain about a complete lack of bite, but this is not always true. Properly selected bait can attract the attention of bream even in the heat. June: worm, maggot, corn, peas, pasta. July: steamed barley, maggot worms in the form of sandwiches. August: bread, pasta, corn, maggot worm. Temporary decreases in temperature indicators will entail a return of bream to animal types of bait ; vegetable bait should be offered in hot weather.

Autumn lures

In the autumn, bream continue to be actively caught on the feeder; groundbait and bait, as before, should work in tandem in such gear. As the temperature drops, bream will again want “meat” baits. September: earthworm and dung worm, maggot, hominy, bread, steamed cereals. October: bloodworms, worms, less often maggots. November: maggots and bloodworms, plant-based baits will not work. It is important to understand that the bait used in crushed form must be added to the bait .

Winter lures

In winter, bait for bream is very important; it is more difficult for passive fish to attract attention. Therefore, the selection of bait should be approached very carefully. December : sandwiches made from pieces of worms, bloodworms and maggots, less often boiled peas are used. January : bloodworm, worm. February : worm, bloodworm, semolina, peas. You can experiment and try using the dough as bait; at the end of February, bream can respond well to this species.

But fishing with a waggler and glider is possible and necessary, especially if the weather permits. Usually this is warm money in mid-October. It is worth noting the peculiarity of the bream weight of the match rod. A weight with two pods is used, which allows you to determine the desired depth at the casting point and keep the float in place even in light winds. The first one is placed about half a meter from the hook, including the leash. The second is placed above the first at a distance of approximately 60-70 cm.

When the depth at the fishing spot is determined, the tackle is adjusted so that the first sub-fishing is at the bottom, and the second hangs in the water column. This can be determined this way: when casting, the float first sinks a little deeper, and then rises when the first subsink falls to the bottom. If the depth is determined incorrectly, then the first sub will either hang and the float will remain in the same position, or both will fall to the bottom and the float will come out of the water more than necessary.

Victoria Leshchenko

I've been working hard in the fishing tackle department for the past six years. I can help you assemble almost any gear.

Ask a Question

When biting, the bream takes the bait, then usually lifts the first bait from the bottom. This is registered by the movement of the float, it makes a “nod”. Then the float leads, at this time you need to hook. The number of bites on a match fishing rod is higher than with bottom fishing or feeder fishing. It gives those indescribable sensations of a fish on a hook when there is no heavy sinker, and also allows you to get more emotions from fishing that only float fishing gives.

When match fishing in the fall, it is important to use a float without feathers. It is claimed that with feathers the float flies more accurately, but one can argue with this. The casting accuracy can be adjusted later when pulling the float onto the line marker, when jerking the rod to the side if it did not fly very well. But a strong autumn wind will carry the plumage. This will lead to an increase in the weight of the lower pad. It must be larger to keep the tackle on the bottom. And as a result, there will be more failures, idle bites, the tackle will get tangled a little more often and become rougher.

Bait in autumn match fishing is used in smaller quantities than when fishing in summer for the reasons stated above. Here it is more important to cast into the place of the “fish path”. Usually they try to fish areas near a large deep hole, where the fish spend the night and come out to feed at a shallower depth with the arrival of daylight. As a result, you can simply and quickly find places where bites will occur at regular intervals.

Where to look for fish sites on rivers and lakes

Autumn searches for prey depend on the type of body of water. On enclosed lakes it prefers to be in deep holes and sharp edges. Many fish have a negative attitude towards a smooth decrease in the bottom. On large reservoirs, it is better to fish with a feeder from a boat, because it is easier to fish all suitable areas.

If you use a feeder on a wide river in early October, then you should pay attention to the following places:

• deep pools;
• fallen trees;
• channels with edges;
• pits with clay bottom.

Very often, schools wander in search of food near the bridge supports, and they can also be found in the middle of the riverbed, where the bottom is strewn with shell rock and pebbles. After the arrival of cold weather, the emergence of fish on beach areas occurs very rarely. It feeds at medium depths in the dark, and during the day it hides in places with abundant aquatic vegetation.

Before starting fishing, it is necessary to inspect the expected parking areas of the flocks. To do this, you need to make several long casts along the bed of the reservoir, where there are pebbles at the bottom.

Steep slopes should not be ignored because they are constantly eroding, releasing food for many fish.

Feeder fishing technique in autumn

Autumn feeder fishing involves the use of gear with a sensitive tip. In cool water, the fish are not as active as in summer, so they resist much less. During this period, you can use a thinner monofilament and a leash. But you shouldn’t greatly reduce the thickness of the fishing line either, since you have to make long casts with heavy feeders. Experienced fishermen advise choosing forms about 4 m long.

In November, the fish go to spend the winter in deep holes, so the fishing line must be replaced with a braided cord in order to feel small bites well at a long distance. When casting long distances, it is worth using rounded feeders that have good aerodynamic properties.

Features of catching different types of fish on an autumn feeder

With the onset of cold weather, the behavior of different species of fish changes dramatically. They gather in schools and look for suitable places for wintering. These can be not only areas with reverse flow, but also deep holes.

Bream

In early September, bream can be found not only at depth, but also in muddy areas with dense vegetation. Plant components should be used as bait. After the onset of October, the fish begin to move into deep holes, where it is very difficult to catch them, so anglers throw bait at several points at once. You need to remember that the mixtures must be different in composition.

In November, a lot of bait is no longer needed, but it is necessary to add dark-colored components to it so as not to scare away the fish.

At this moment, bream accumulate in deep wintering holes and practically never leave them. Experienced fishermen advise looking for fish at a depth of at least 14 m.

Read more about the tactics of catching bream on a feeder in the fall.

Roach

At the beginning of autumn, roach behavior is similar to summer. It bites well on plant and animal baits, and you can feed it with sweet baits with flavors. But at the end of October, fish gather in schools and hide in the depths, so during this period you should pay attention to holes located in areas with reverse currents or in calm water. At such times, catching roach with a feeder is already more difficult.

A sure sign of the presence of large roaches are places where there are snags or fallen trees. Areas where tributaries flow into the main river can be called good, because there is always quite a lot of depth there.

Carp

Carp even in summer tries to stay in pits, but in autumn it chooses deeper muddy areas, where it gets small mollusks and various larvae from the soil. On warm days it can appear in shallow water and quickly respond to nutritious bait.

In November, carp swim near wintering pits, so earthworms and maggots should be added to complementary food.

To increase the weight of the feeder and create a large food spot, animal components must be mixed with soil. Of the plant ingredients, bran and breadcrumbs are the most suitable for catching carp on a feeder.

crucian carp

At the beginning of autumn, the activity of crucian carp increases sharply, because the summer heat subsides. At this time, it feeds near the shore in thickets of aquatic vegetation. A good bite is also observed in places with a gentle decrease in depth and on uneven areas of the bottom. Fish can be caught almost around the clock, but it is worth paying attention to fishing in the early morning and a few hours before sunset.

After a cold snap, the fish go to a depth of up to 5 m, so feeder fishing for crucian carp is considered the most effective in the fall in calm and sunny weather. At this time, it is necessary to use bait of animal origin and look for prey in rivers or reservoirs.

In mid-November, the fish move closer to the wintering holes, and it becomes quite difficult to catch them.

Feeder rig for bream in October

What to use to catch bream in October - on a feeder

The feeder rig for October bream is generally no different from the September bream. The weak bite and caution of bream dictate the rules for reducing the diameter of the leashes, reducing the size of hooks and baits.

Read also: Installation of the September feeder

In September, a variety of gear and rigs are used depending on the body of water, the distance to the fishing point, and others.

Feeder form

Typically, for river fishing, a rod with a length of 3 to 3.5 meters is chosen. In some cases, longer rods are used, but then for casting you should choose a shore free from vegetation. However, sometimes a long rod also helps when fishing on a heavily overgrown bank if you use a pendulum cast.

So, let’s summarize which blank rod to use when fishing for bream on a feeder in October:

• Length - 3.3 meters;
• The action of the rod is fast;
• Rod test - Heavy Feeder “Heavy” up to 150 grams;
• Replacement tip test - (for fishing conditions: current strength, casting distance - feeder weight) - from 60 to 120 grams.

Reel on feeder

The feeder reel is usually used inertia-free. If fishing is carried out in a fast current and the bottom is strewn with large stones, then you need to use a reel with high-speed reeling (with a gear ratio of at least 6:1). The diameter of the spool is selected depending on the diameter of the fishing line.

Reel for fishing on a feeder for bream in September:

• Inertialess;
• Coil size from 3000 to 4000;
• The mass of such a coil will be approximately 400 grams;
• The rear clutch is more convenient;
• Gear ratio 4.5:1 or 5:1. The gear ratio of the feeder reel number 5 indicates that the line layer will make 5 revolutions (skeins per spool) with one revolution of the handle. Such reels have proven themselves on the positive side in terms of quality and suitability for feeder fishing.

Main line and leader

Characteristics of fishing line and leash:

• To use thin lines, it is necessary to use a shock leader;
• We choose the braided type for the main line. Section diameter up to 0.16 mm;
• Leash for the feeder - fluorocarbon from 0.12 mm, (sports equipment) 0.16-0.18 mm. (optimal).

Hook for bream when fishing with a feeder

Now about the hook. It is attached depending on the attachment used.

• Bloodworm - size No. 16-14.
• Maggot - No. 14-10
• For corn, barley, mastyrka, hominy, you can take medium sizes: No. 14-8.
• For the worm, you can choose a medium or long forend with No. 10-6

Read also: Tie the hook correctly

Feeder

When fishing with a feeder, to select a feeder in accordance with the strength of the current. For example, large bream that live in the rivers of central Russia often come out to feed on fast currents. In order for the feeder to stay in such a current, it must weigh from 50 to 250 grams. Since food is instantly washed out in a fast current, the mesh of the feeder should not have a too wide mesh.

On lakes or reservoirs, we choose an easier feeder, but look at the range of the fishing point and the type of equipment.

What equipment to use and installation of the feeder when fishing for bream in October

Each type of feeder equipment is based on the criteria of the fishing conditions and, of course, the fish itself.

On muddy soil it is necessary to use:

• Gardner's paternoster is the simplest and most convenient rig that can be tied directly while fishing. Allows you to maintain the sensitivity of bites, even when the feeder has sunk in the mud. (Knitted with a surgical loop)
• Helicopter - for long casts.
• Combine.

If you need to fish at a remote distance from the shore, use equipment for long casting:

• The helicopter and two units are No. 1 in terms of aerodynamic performance.
• Inline.

In strong currents:

• asymmetrical (asymmetrical loop);
• helicopter (for fishing with falling bait);

In still water:

• The “method” is used in still water or not in strong currents, since the feeder in the equipment has a semi-open appearance. Symmetrical loop and any other accessories.
• Symmetrical loop and any other accessories.

Bait for bream in October
It is worth noting that autumn bait for cold water differs not only in its composition, but also in the correct feeding of it to the fish.

Very easy to prepare, enriched with protein and effectively attracting fish, bait is made from bran and crackers, simply mixed in a ratio of 1 to 1. For every 5 kg of such bait, you need to add a glass of chopped worms, bloodworms or maggots - what is supposed to be used for fishing.

A good option is purchased mixtures with the addition of animal bait. The main thing is to experiment with color, smell, composition. The main thing is not to scare the fish away from the fishing point, so we use discreet, natural aromas.