Catching asp with a spinning rod: choosing promising baits and places

For many avid fishermen, whose goal of fishing is not to catch as many fish as possible in order to take it away later, but to get maximum pleasure from the process, asp has always been one of the most important dreams. This silvery beauty lives mainly on rivers; it loves currents and various turbulences in it. Due to this, the asp has quite high strength indicators. If we compare, for example, pike, pike perch, perch and asp, the latter will be the undisputed leader in resistance with the same weight.

That is why many professionals often go to the asp’s favorite places. One of the richest places is the Astrakhan region, where many people go in the summer to catch asp using spinning rods. A huge number of eriks with snags clearly attract the silver handsome man.

First we need to understand where our promising catch is at different times. We will consider time periods. And let's start in spring.

Features of fishing with long-range spinning rod

A suitable spinning rod for long-distance casting of bait represents a whole arsenal of products. These include gear that helps anglers catch large and resourceful asp right from the shore.

Even an inexperienced beginner can easily learn how to catch worthy trophy specimens when it comes to dense thickets of reeds and grass.

Examples of spinning rods

Let's look at several models of fishing rods from different manufacturers that have quality parameters that are quite suitable for asp fishing:

SHIMANO JOY XT SPINN 210 M (SJXT21M)

This is a plug-in spinning rod from a well-known manufacturer with a fairly affordable price.
Its characteristics: length 210 cm, test 10 - 30 grams, weight 148 grams.

A very good option for asp hunting from a boat.

AIKO Espada ESP240ML

A slightly more expensive plug rod made of composite material has excellent castability and sensitivity.
Its parameters: length 240 cm, test 5 - 25 grams, weight 138 grams.

Suitable for asp fishing from a boat and from the shore.

Jackson Bristol Power Plus

Jackson Bristol is an excellent plug-type fishing rod made of carbon fiber, designed in a strict classic style.
Nothing extra. It has the following parameters: length 305 cm, test 5 - 28 grams, weight 152 grams.

Designed for catching asp from the shore on large and medium-sized rivers.

Choice:

Rod length. The longer you choose, the better your bait casts will be;
For experienced fishermen, the length should be from 3 meters;
Choose spinning rods with a long handle;
If you are a beginner, then choose models up to 2.7 meters. It will be convenient for you to start with them, but as you gain skill and experience, you will move on to more effective options. Do not neglect the practical advice of experienced fishermen, this will allow you to become professionals.
For boat fishing, spinning rods up to 2.5 meters are suitable.

Coil

Choose a reliable product, since you cannot predict which specimen you will have to fish out. We recommend inertia-free options. These mechanisms have a lot of advantages when fishing:

Smooth ride;
Ideal lightness;
Built-in ABC system;
a spool with hard sides, which will prevent the line from twisting and tangling during casting;
maximum long casts;
reliability for the survival of large fish.

Let’s say right away, buy models from expensive manufacturers. Cheap options will definitely fail you at the most inopportune moment when catching a large specimen.

Why wait for disappointment when you can spend money once and buy a reel that you will be confident in.

Do not forget that the miser pays twice. These words are appropriate when choosing and purchasing cheap options.

Line selection

When fishing, every detail that equips a spinning rod is important, especially when casting long distances.

This equipment is constantly subjected to heavy loads, so if you don’t want an incident to occur regarding the line breaking, then approach the issue more seriously.

A caught asp will try to jump off the hook; its weight and force of movement increases the load in the water.

He wants to become free, and at this moment, most of the incorrectly selected or old fishing lines fail the fishermen.

Can you imagine what a commotion is happening in the water space? And it’s not a fact that the next cast will be effective.

A frightened fish will definitely go to a safe distance and will remain indifferent to the bait for a long time.

For maximum distance, thick fishing lines are not suitable. A rough option can scare the fish, which should not be allowed.

Otherwise, you will have to waste two hours to make a long cast. In this state of affairs, you should move 50 meters further.

The ideal option would be a specially braided cord, which is of high quality as declared by the manufacturer. Select products ranging from 0.14 mm to 0.18 mm in diameter.

Pay attention to the leash

A properly selected leash increases the chances of casting. Pay attention to the mono profile fishing line.

The remaining options have practically no desired effect. It is worth considering transparent options, since colored ones are a waste of money.

Metal options are not advisable, because the asp does not have teeth to bite through the leash.

Most professionals tie a leash up to 25 centimeters long, choosing one that is much smaller in diameter than the main line.

Such a warning helps, in case of empty hooks, to break off the end of the tackle, and not its middle.

Spoons

Choose the option you choose carefully. Capturing an asp sets specific requirements:

The main bait should look natural . She should resemble a river corsair to attract the attention of easy prey. We recommend using copper tones, they look like small fish swimming.
When casting long-range , it is worth considering a small fact: Asp ignores spinners that quickly sink. Experienced fishermen balance the weight of the spoon with long distances. This is important to know.
When an asp chases small prey in a not strong current, the spinner must change the game in its movements. The ideal option is rotating spoons. They imitate the natural behavior of fry in water spaces.

How to catch an asp with a long-range spinning rod

By equipping a spinning rod with complete sets, you can use different tactics. For each season it is different and special. You shouldn’t turn a blind eye to it.

Many of you cannot achieve an effective catch due to a lack of certain knowledge. It is worth telling in detail:

What spinning rods are used for asp fishing?

Having figured out when and where the fishing will take place, it’s time to choose a spinning rod for catching asp and equip it. Features that a spinning rod for catching asp should have.

1. Build a spinning rod. The action of a spinning rod refers to the bend that the form acquires under the influence of weight (load). In other words, when a spinning bait is equipped, the “stick” can bend in a separate part - the tip, the middle part or the entire form. This means the line - that part of the whip where the bend occurs. There are several types of spinning action: very fast, fast, medium and slow. Each type of rod has a bend in a certain part of the “stick”. To catch asp, it is better to use a spinning rod with a fast action. This formation will make it possible to catch this predator using the twitching technique. When using the jig technique, a spinning rod with such an action will be sensitive to every touch of the bottom with the bait.

2. Rod test. There are several options for spinning rods with different tests. Ultralight (UL) - up to 7 grams, Light (L) - up to 14 grams, Medium - light (ML) - from 7 grams to 20 grams. Medium (M) - 12 grams to 30 grams, Medium-high (MH) - up to 40 grams, High (H) - up to 55 grams, Extra-high (EH) - from 60 grams and above. Spinning rods with different doughs are used for asp. Some anglers prefer to fish with heavy baits (MH). Such baits allow you to make long casts. The disadvantage of such spinning rods is the accuracy of casting. Other asp hunting enthusiasts prefer ultralight series lures. This type of bait allows you to accurately throw a spinning rod at the place where the asp splashes. Another important advantage of ultralights is that when casting, the bait of such a spinning rod will not get stuck in snags.

3. The raw materials from which the spinning rod is made. There are several options: carbon fiber reinforced plastic, carbon fiber (carbon fiber reinforced plastic), fiberglass. Carbon is considered the most valuable and durable material. It has sensitivity and durability. Carbon fiber spinning rods are lightweight and therefore do not create inconvenience. The angler can cast it for a long time without experiencing fatigue.

4. Accessories for spinning rods. You should use a good, powerful reel on a spinning rod for asp fishing. The fishing line should be selected in accordance with the size of the possible catch. For example, using a spinning medium with a possible test of up to 30 grams, the actual diameter is 0.22 mm.

Fishing in spring

After the ice melts, the asp shows rapid activity. This is due to the large availability of oxygen, the fish has been starving for three months, and now needs balance.

At this time, the silver corsair is easier to catch at close range. The individual adheres to high banks and protruding snags under water.

Let's reveal a secret, a good place in the spring, this is not a strong reverse current. Such places are full of small fish, which are guarded by a predatory asp.

He is ready to chase the young for hours in order to get enough of live food after winter.

Don't forget to visit the changing deep places with wide and narrow coastal spits. This individual is waiting for the moment when the young animals are expelled from the coastal zones by river currents.

Therefore, the asp does not need to swim to shallow areas of reservoirs. Fishermen begin fishing from early spring morning until late afternoon.

With the advent of warm days, fishing can be done all day long.

Characteristics and distinctive features of asp

Asp (sheresper) belongs to the genus of the same name and is part of the carp family. This large fish is often a beginner's dream.

Appearance of fish

Asp has an interesting, easily recognizable appearance:

the lower part of the body is longer than the upper,
wide tail,
the mouth is impressive in size, but there are no teeth,
record holders grow to approximately 120 cm and 12 kg, although the usual size is about half a meter, weight is 1.5-2 kg.

Behavior and diet

The fish is very cunning and careful, even compared to other species. Moreover, the speed at which an asp is capable of swimming is about 60-70 km/h. Add to this its good size, and the joy of fishermen from catching it becomes understandable. Such production often evokes pride and speaks of professionalism.

Pisces loves speed and the company of their own kind. Often chooses places with fast currents. The group of asps sometimes includes up to fifty specimens. Sometimes during hunting they are very noticeable due to strong splashes. In addition, they are betrayed by seagulls that stay nearby in the hope of taking some of the prey.

Although more often the hunt resembles a secret special operation. A small group of several specimens finds a current, selects a specific stream and enters it unnoticed. Along the way, the large mouths catch a lot of prey. Then everything is repeated, and the fish again descends the stream. This creates a minimum of noise: only rare small bursts.

Prefers to eat during the day . The exception is hot days, when the fish are active at night. It is voracious, so individuals weighing 8-10 kg are not uncommon. Everything comes into play:

bleak and other small fish, as well as fry,
frogs,
insects, such as butterflies, dragonflies and their larvae.

Summer tactics

As summer approaches, the asp changes behavior. He will become lazy because an abundance of food comes his way. The choice for him is huge.

Its specific habitats are located offshore. Flocking into small flocks, with a maximum number of up to 10 pieces.

In summer, the predator is identified by characteristic splashes of water. The tail strikes are hard for experienced fishermen not to hear.

The asp jumps out of the water and kills small fish. In such an event, fishermen can carefully throw the bait to the designated place.

Then make a long-range cast with a spinning rod and catch your long-awaited trophy.

In some water areas, there is mass slaughter. What does it mean? A flock of hundreds of asps begin to jump out of the water at the same time and carry out shock manipulations.

The water simply boils from the actions of the mass drive of fry. At such moments, the spinning rod is cast over long distances up to 50-60 meters from the shore.

Asp baits

Asp on a spinning rod bite on almost all types of bait. Fish is a lover of silver shades, which is why castmasters have proven themselves so quickly. Most experienced fishermen use them when fishing for asp in the summer using a spinning rod. Castmasters come in different shapes and weights. Their distinctive feature is their long casting distance and low drag, due to which they sink to the bottom very quickly and can be fished with in fairly fast currents.

In second place in popularity will be turntables. Due to their rotation, they create strong vibrations in the water and will not leave the fisherman without a catch even in very muddy water (read more about choosing spinners for asp).

Jigs and wobblers have also found their application when catching asp using a spinning rod. Anglers use jigs mainly for fishing in holes and snags. If fishing in pits with a jig is quite simple, then in snags equipment with a closed hook is mainly used to avoid harmful hooks.

Wobblers find their application at moments when the fish is in the middle layers of water and cannot be reached with jigs or surface baits (read more about choosing a wobbler for a sheresper).

Some craftsmen use tackle with several small spoons, thereby simulating a school of food fry. Making such a tackle is quite difficult, but it brings good catches.

Autumn tactics

Large individuals begin to flock to the main flock. After which, they go to a decent depth. To find the right spot, you should stick to the fairway and deep river channels.

In autumn, the activity of predatory fish slowly subsides. The asp does not move away from convenient feeding places.

When making your fall catch, you should use a boat and wear inconspicuous clothing. Special attention is also paid to baits.

They should be larger in size and weight than in the summer. The use of deep species ultimately leads to complete success in catching fish.

Ability to hook

The fish constantly carries out an aggressive attack on its prey. Hooking will be effective if you prepare a sharp hook.

After any blows from the asp, do a gentle pull-up. The upper part of the rod should be raised up. What should not be done in the event of obvious blows to a caught trophy:

Do not allow the spinning rod to bend too much.
There is no need to rush when fishing the asp onto land or into a boat. The predator must first be exhausted so that it becomes weak for a couple of minutes.
When fishing with a spinning rod, the prey should be taken away from adjacent snags and grassy areas of the water area.

When you feel heavy, you need to move the spinning rod to the side and hook. Show complete composure in this process, only this can guarantee success in catching fish.

Let’s apply the knowledge we have gained and when buying a spinning rod, you can count on a successful hunt for a predatory asp.

From all of the above, you should pay attention to your area, vegetation, features, then your chances are amazingly increased.

Imagine a beginner who was advised by an ordinary salesperson in a store to buy a spinning rod and a complete set of gear.

The seller cannot give you practical advice, his goal is to quickly shove standard equipment into you and make revenue for the store.

If you start asking questions about what is better and why, you will get the most common standard answers, almost like a template.

When choosing specialized stores, make sure that the seller is competent, then they will really select gear that will give you the long-awaited result.

When choosing gear, we recommend taking experienced fishermen with you. Here they are, they definitely won’t deceive you.

Even if you spend a decent amount of money, buy something that will please you for more than one season. Practice shows that a good spinning rod lasts up to 5-6 years.

You just need to keep an eye on all the gear, check it on time, wipe it and ventilate it. In addition, do not store it dirty until next time. Then there will be much less spending and more catch.

Summer and autumn fishing

Summer is the most beloved time of year among fishermen. Warm water promotes active biting, and the fish offers pleasant resistance. When catching asp with a spinning rod in the summer, you should pay attention to the surface of the water and watch the splashes on the water. As a rule, in the asp’s parking areas, he actively strikes. Spit and shallow riffles are also covered with asp.

Fish do not leave snags in warm times. It only rises from the bottom into the surface layers of the water, which makes fishing much easier. Any fallen branches, fallen trees, unevenness in the topography of the coast - everything requires attention.

Autumn has always been famous for its trophies. The asp has an active glutton at this time of year. The most important thing is to get there, because after that the fish goes to their winter camps and it will be much more difficult to catch them.