Choosing and setting up a winter fishing rod for each subglacier is not just preparation for fishing, but a kind of ritual. At first glance, all these gears are similar. As we dive into the specifics of winter fishing, it becomes clear that the variety of ice fishing gear is no less than for summer fishing. In this article we will look at ice fishing rods, types, and design features. Let's look at the features of functionality and selection criteria, depending on the fishing conditions and fishing method.
How to choose a fishing rod
In market conditions, choosing a fishing rod for winter fishing is no less complicated than choosing a car or refrigerator. Manufacturers offer many options. Each author of a YouTube video claims that the gear they offer is the best. To choose the right winter tackle, you need to ignore the surrounding advertising and marketing, and pay attention to the fishing method and tactics for which the fishing rod is intended.
Any purchased model is just a blank. It can turn into the best fishing rod for a fisherman only in the hands of a person, after equipment and modification. In some fishing methods, the functions of the fishing rod are secondary - storing the fishing line and installing the gear on the ice. In others, they are critical, as in baited or reelless active fishing with jigs, lures.
Now information is available to everyone - the Internet is open. To choose a fishing rod, you need to determine the appropriate model in advance, in your head, as a result of studying the information. You should go to the store for a specific model and buy it.
Otherwise, unscrupulous experienced sellers may sell (“advise”) not what the fisherman needs, but what needs to be sold. Let's consider which fishing rod to choose for winter fishing, depending on the fishing method and conditions.
Types of winter fishing rods
According to their purpose, professional winter fishing rods are divided into several types:
• jig winter bits;
• fishing rods;
• float bits;
• live bait rods;
• fishing rods;
• bit for the current.
Each type of winter fishing rod has design features and is designed for hunting different types of fish.
Mormuscular
Winter rods for fishing with jigs belong to the Light class rods. These are particularly lightweight structures. You can buy jig winter fishing rods of two subtypes:
• Rewindless. These are most often cheap winter fishing rods of the reelless type. The working line is wound either on the top of the handle. Reelless winter fishing rods have a simplified design and low weight.
• For fishing with bait. Such fishing rods are often called balalaikas. The reel is integrated into the handle; fishing is done using a whip with a nod. Bloodworms work well as bait.
The equipment of winter jig rods is approximately the same for both subspecies:
• The jig is attached either to a leash or to the end of the structure.
• The sinker should be suitable for water with little current.
• The fishing line must be selected with a cross-section from 0.06 to 0.14 mm.
Many fishermen have jig fishing rods in their stash. Even for those who rarely go out for winter fishing.
For glitter
Winter fishing rods for trolling are divided into two subspecies:
• Spinner baits for heavy baits. The blanks of such fishing rods have a working length of 70 to 80 cm and are equipped with at least three guide rings. Reels are used both inertial and non-inertial. The handles of spinners for heavy baits are made from heat-resistant materials.
• Spinner baits for light baits. Such fishing rods must have a reel, a handle and a whip with a nod. Spinner baits for light baits are suitable for hunting perch, for example.
When using a flexible whip, you do not need to install an additional nod. This option is called St. Petersburg.
Float
You can buy a winter fishing rod for ice fishing among the float options. Float rods are similar to jig rods, but have special ice stands. Such designs do not include a nod. Because it is functionally not needed here. The fish bite is noticed by the movements of the float.
The equipment of a winter float fishing rod consists of the following components:
• A hook (or two hooks) for bait (bait).
• A float, by the movements of which you can notice the bite of a fish.
• Sinker for correct positioning of equipment.
• Fishing line. The thickness of the fishing line is chosen depending on what kind of fish you plan to hunt.
When fishing with a float rod, the equipment is completely immersed in water. The float must be covered with water. Otherwise, the water in the hole will freeze and freeze the float.
Live bait
Winter live bait rods are very diverse. Based on their design features, they can be divided into two subtypes:
• Live bait. A rod with a reel and a large nod, equipped with legs for installation on ice. Most often used for hunting rotan and small or medium-sized perch.
• Zherlitsy. Such fishing rods are multi-component. They are equipped with a reel, stands, and flags. These winter fishing rods are used for hunting predatory fish species: burbot, pike, pike perch, and humpback perch. Tackles can be under-ice, upside-down, on legs, or on a vertical (horizontal) platform.
Live bait winter fishing rods vary in price quite a lot. It all depends on the design, materials and manufacturing company.
Postavushi
Their name speaks about the peculiarities of the postavush. These are winter fishing rods equipped with special legs for installation on ice. Fishing with such fishing rods can be called passive. The baits include floats, live baits and for currents, for example.
In addition to these types, winter rods also include winter rods for hunting predators using animal-type bait. With the help of such fishing rods they catch rotan, using a piece of meat as bait. Or, for example, pike perch. In the second case, dead sprat works well as bait.
The hooks are also electronic and with a self-cutting device.
For the current
Buying a fishing rod for winter fishing in water with current is easy. You just need to pay attention to the design. For winter hunting for river fish to be successful, the rod should be as follows:
• The design should be equipped with a reel and a comfortable handle.
• Stable legs must be firmly connected to the main part of the structure.
• The rod must have a whip.
• The rod should also have a nod.
• Additional load on the handle. This will save the fishing rod from flipping over.
• Equipment for fish.
For fishing from ice in water with a current, you need to use a fishing line with a cross-section from 0.18 to 0.25 mm. You can mount the line using a Gardner loop, inline or helicopter.
Varieties
There are a lot of varieties and designs of fishing rods. Beginners often do not know what is intended for what. Experienced fishermen only need one glance at the display window to understand what lies in front of them. The main factor in the classification of all types of winter fishing rods is the fishing method, and, accordingly, the resulting “caliber” of gear. But further, within one type of fishing rod for winter fishing there are many similar models.
Here reliability, simplicity of design and functionality of the gear play an important role. It would seem that it could be simpler than a filly or a balalaika. For stationary fishing, in principle, any type is suitable. But for a balalaika jig you need a special one - light, with an elastic whip and a smooth reel motion. Our review of winter fishing rods is not a rating of expensive manufacturers, but a real classification of gear depending on the needs of the fisherman.
Fishing rods for trolling
Fishing rods for winter predator fishing with artificial baits (spinners, balancers, rattlins) are distinguished by a relatively large reel and a tulip or ring with a poke at the end of the whip. Such gear is somewhat coarser in caliber. Specialized lures are similar to spinning rods - they are equipped with a carbon whip with rings, a cork or neoprene handle and mounts for the reel.
Another variety is light fishing rods with foam reels, for trolling with small baits. Varieties of fishing rods for trolling in winter are a separate large class of gear. Read more in the article about winter fishing rods for trolling.
With handle and reel
A common and popular class is universal winter fishing rods with a reel and handle, and a whip without rings. This fishing rod can also be used for light trolling, but its main purpose is stationary fishing with a nod or float, as well as winter bottoms and weights for the current. The tackle is usually equipped with legs for stable installation on the ice near the hole.
Whips - fiberglass, vinyl or polycarbonate. The coil is built into the body and is adjusted with a tightening screw or key. For deep fishing, reels with a key are preferable - the required amount of fishing line is released faster. There are many manufacturers of such gear. In general, these winter fishing rods consist of the same components, but the details are different.
During practice on a pond, it turns out that some are more convenient, while others are worse. The personal preference of anglers is also of great importance here. On sale you can find various fishing rods of similar designs - large, small, with a solid handle or with a whip that slides into it. More on specific models below.
Balalaikas
Another popular type of fishing rod is the balalaika. These fishing rods do not have a handle - this significantly reduces the overall length of the tackle. The reel is built into the housing, which has a hole for the line to exit. However, balalaikas are less stable for stand-up installation. A hooked fish can drag the abandoned tackle into the hole.
Balalaikas are divided into fishing rods with a closed reel (the majority of these) and open ones, for example, US-3 Three Kita. In general, such tackle is smaller and lighter than a universal fishing rod. They are used both in stationary fishing (on legs) and for active play with a jig. There are no keys or special devices for adjusting the coil - this is done using a tightening screw.
Condor
Salmo Icerod
Herman-CR-IS5
US-1
US-2
Open balalaika US-3
Axleless balalaikas
Axleless winter fishing rods are even lighter due to the smaller volume of material used. The principle of operation is the same as in the balalaika - the design of the coil is somewhat different. Due to the void in the middle, the overall weight of the gear is reduced. These lightweight fishing rods are designed for bait fishing with a jig or without a reel. The most well-thought-out designs are equipped with “warm” cork sides for comfortable holding in the cold with bare fingers.
Axleless
Axleless with cork sides
Sports
It’s not for nothing that experienced fishermen consider special lightweight sports balalaikas to be the best fishing rods for winter active fishing. Such minimalist fishing rods are made of plastic or foam and have minimal size and weight, which is very important for creating the correct vibrations with the jig.
Such professional winter fishing rods are now available to all anglers. If earlier sports fishing rods were made individually or by hand, now they are also produced in series. For example, a sports winter fishing rod US 4 (Three Whales) costs about 50 rubles, and the original Yaroslavl balalaika Master Chabutkin costs 300 rubles. But essentially these products are the same.
At one time, Master winter fishing rods were popular with anglers due to their design, specially designed for jig fishing. Now, on its basis, industrial sports balalaikas are produced:
- US-4 Three whales;
- Chinese winter fishing rod HFB 22;
- The same sports balalaika from Rosy Dawn;
- Ivanovo balalaika MastIv, fishing rod Lisovka and a number of other products with a foam body.
If you search, you can find other good fishing rods for baited jigs or reelless ones. For example, the killer whale winter fishing rod from Crazy Brothers. All of these models are perfect for active jig play, immediately or after some modification.
Success Sports
Yaroslavl rewinder Chabutkina
Karismax Maxtreme 3
Grant Sports
US-4 Sports
With reels
Until now, some fishermen prefer to use gear of simple designs - with reels, without a reel. The winter fishing rod consists of a whip and a foam base, machined for storing fishing line. This is the simplest and most popular design. It is used both for passive fishing with a nod or float, and for active play with a jig. You don’t have to buy such a device – you can make it yourself, literally on your knees.
filly
Copyright and special
Among the winter fishing rods there are also real works of art of homemade fishermen. These are personalized designer gear, often intended for reelless fishing. Accordingly, prices for such products bite. Artuda fishing rods - price about 2000 rubles. Probably, such gear is suitable specifically for connoisseurs of the ethical side of winter fishing.
In terms of functionality, cheap sports balalaikas, after some modification, are in no way inferior, and in some cases even superior to elite designer works. The main thing in ice fishing, however, is not the “golden” tackle, but the tactics, equipment and skills of the fisherman. Such products will be useful as gift fishing rods or for fierce professional athletes (most of whom are more inclined to use a set of lightweight sports balalaikas or washers).
- Artuda fishing rods;
- Fishing rod Kovalevka;
- Equipped Bykovka;
- Kuznetsov's fishing rod;
- Ice fishing rod made of wood by A. Slynko.
Of course, this list is not complete - if you scour the Internet, you will find plenty of similar options. We have provided only the most famous ones today.
Artuda Classic
Kuznetsovka
Kovalevka
Bezmotylka Bykova-3 (equipped)
Ultralight washers and plugs
The lightest fishing rods for hookless, reelless fishing are homemade plugs or Shcherbakov’s winter fishing rods. The reel is made from a champagne or wine cork, as well as washers (shcherbakovka) machined from the inside from hard foam. The ancestor of this class of fishing rods was the famous Shcherbakov washer.
The weight of such gear is only a few grams. The relatively long carbon whip allows you to feel bites in your hand. However, those who like to use nods are also not limited in their actions - you can also put a guard on such tackle.
Fishing rod of the Shcherbakov brothers.
Traffic jams
Cork for hookless fishing.
Homemade
Homemade fishing rods for ice fishing are difficult to classify as a separate class. Fishermen both repeat well-known designs and make their own, which are unlike anything else. The main thing in this is not the repetition of factory brands, but real functions and ease of use on the pond.
Most often, winter fishing rods are made from foam or cork. Rigid foam and cork are long-lasting and easy-to-work materials, and whips are sold everywhere. There is no specific manufacturing template - everything is in the fisherman’s head. Learn more about making ice fishing rods with your own hands.
Electronic
An interesting and rarely used invention is electronic fishing rods for winter fishing. Using a special mechanism, the whip makes oscillatory movements, twitches and jumps, respectively, moving the jig. The catchability of such gear is debatable - nothing can replace an experienced fisherman’s hand trained for the game. Although, in general, the idea is interesting.
Winter fishing rod design
Winter fishing rods have been in use among fishermen for a long time. And the design of such fishing rods can be both simple and very complex.
• Simple winter fishing rods (popularly “fillies”) do not have a reel; the fishing line is wound onto the handle. The fish bite is based on the nod.
• Fishing rods with integrated reels can be called all-rounders for ice fishing. Depending on the equipment, you can catch both small and large predatory fish.
• Sports winter fishing rods are spinning rods for ice fishing. These fishing rods are made of carbon alloy and equipped with multiplier reels.
If you think about “How much does a winter fishing rod cost?”, you won’t find a definite answer. You can buy a winter fishing rod at a price of 350-400 rubles in the category of simple fishing rods. But for more complex designs you will have to pay from 1,500 rubles. The price of sports fishing rods or fishing rods from top manufacturers starts from 3,500 thousand rubles.
Equipment Features
The design of the fishing rod itself is of an auxiliary nature. Winter fishing equipment catches directly. It is the correct equipment that determines the catchability of the gear. Accordingly, each fishing method has its own rigs and features.
Stationary fishing
In the stationary version, the jig or hooks with a nozzle are positioned motionless (usually on the bottom), and the angler waits for a bite using a nod or float. A nod or float does not just act as a bite indicator - these are the most important components of the correct loading of gear.
The weight of the equipment is selected according to the load-carrying capacity of the float or the elasticity of the nod. A customized winter float rig allows the fish not to feel the weight of the bait and take the bait into its mouth without fear. The nodding equipment is also adjusted according to the principle of weight compensation.
Attachment jig
When actively fishing for the game, all components of the tackle are carefully selected - fishing rod, nod, fishing line, jig. The greater the depth and lighter the jig, the thinner the fishing line used. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get the bait to play correctly. The nod is selected according to the weight of the jig - it is not just a bite alarm, but a component directly involved in creating play with the bait. Read more about setting up tackle with a jig.
Mothless
In the reelless version, the requirements for playing with a jig are even higher. There is no edible bait on the hook, so the game itself is the main guarantee of the catchability of the tackle. If in bait fishing the angler has the right to make mistakes, then the reelless fish does not tolerate failures in the game or incorrect equipment. Assembling a baitless fishing rod is done even more carefully. An article about baitless gear.
For the current
On strong traction, standard installations, both passive and active, do not work. For currents, special gear, trucks or winter donks, are used. The angler's goal is to make a rig that can withstand the flow and be sensitive at the same time. All installations are made according to the principle of inline or retractable leash with a heavy sinker. The structure and design of fishing rods for currents are somewhat heavier than the usual fishing gear for still water. More details - fishing rods for the current.
Fishing with a jig
Winter rods used for jig fishing are small, comfortable and lightweight. Many people prefer rods with similar bait, because the fish are caught quite well, even if they are small. Returning to the rod, it should be noted that it should be comfortable and fit well in the hand. It should be understood that a jig involves playing, so if the tackle is bulky or heavy, nothing will work.
Important! Particular attention must be paid to the handle. If it is made of plastic, your hands will instantly freeze. Therefore, it is better to give preference to cork or foam.
Many fishermen focus their attention on the “balalaika”, a product that has proven itself in the best possible way. The role of the handle in this rod is performed by a closed small reel, which is very convenient to hold the tackle. Considering that when playing with a jig, a person stands directly in front of the hole, the whip should not be long.
Some fishermen, however, have gotten used to using fishing rods with long handles, although this is still not very convenient. While waiting for a big catch, you can stock up on specimens with a friction clutch, thanks to which the reel will rotate, thereby helping to avoid line breakage.
Rework and repair
No special skills are required in modifying or repairing fishing rods. Manipulations often relate to bringing the fishing rod to the required characteristics. After purchase, you should disassemble the reel, sand off all the burrs and burrs of the plastic, and achieve smooth rotation. More advanced gear is equipped with magnets on the axis, which initially allows the reel to rotate smoothly.
Refinement is usually done for jig fishing. On sports balalaikas, the soft polycarbonate whip can be replaced with an elastic, ground fiberglass whip from the summer tip. More details about this can be found in the relevant articles on fishing methods.
Design features of winter fishing rods
All fishing rods for winter trolling are basically the same type in design. But float and nod models can differ significantly in appearance from each other.
Structurally, they are of three types:
- “fillies” are rods without reels, with a line receiver in the form of a reel mounted on the handle itself. The simplest gear, which only includes a whip;
- “balalaika” is an improved type of winter fishing rod. It differs from others in the presence of a stationary closed-type reel and the absence of a handle to hold the rod. The kit includes a whip. Additionally, it can be equipped with stationary or removable legs for stable placement on the ice;
- rod with handle and reel. This is still an extreme version of the evolution of the ice fishing rod. The most modern option. Equipped with a whip and (or) stationary or removable legs. The handles are made of cork, wood and other “warm” materials. Reels are most often stationary, they are of closed and open type with a locking brake.
Winter is a great time to continue honing your fishing skills. But this exciting activity requires the availability of suitable gear and serious preparation, including physical one. In winter, almost all fishing equipment has to be carried on oneself, sometimes during the entire daylight hours. I would like to note that all the necessary equipment for summer and winter fishing can be rented at the Sazanya Bukhta Fishing Base.
A true romantic, devoted to his fishing business, will not be frightened by long distances, the weight of equipment, or even more so by the raging elements. After all, only in such a situation one’s character and ability to overcome any difficulties in life are polished.
TAGS:
Storage and transportation
Experienced fishermen do not use just one fishing rod, but pre-set a set of gear for different fishing conditions. This allows you to save time on the pond and not waste it on bandaging. We simply take the required caliber out of the fishing box and use it. Storing fishing rods and transporting them are not a problem due to the small size of the gear. Usually everything is placed in special winter fishing boxes.
