Catching catfish - fishing in the Lower Volga and Akhtuba. Fishing in Astrakhan.

Yuri 08/18/2020 1013

Autumn fishing for catfish begins with the onset of the first cool mornings, which replace the hot summer days. The “owner” of fresh water bodies begins to actively feed, without moving far from their permanent camp sites. Unlike summer, when the fish bite best at dawn and before sunset, in the fall a stable catfish bite continues throughout the daylight hours.

Catfish, like other large predators, are cautious and timid by nature. With the arrival of autumn, he becomes even more suspicious, so a prerequisite for successful fishing is maintaining silence. Even the most careless and not loud movement can scare away cautious fish, but it will be very difficult to attract it back.

Features of fishing on Akhtuba in September

Fishing in September on Akhtuba can bring a huge amount of positive emotions if you properly prepare for the upcoming vacation. Fishing on Akhtuba in September is aimed at predatory fish, which, after the end of the summer season, enter the stage of intense feeding. For those who want to show off all their fishing skills in the Astrakhan region, professionals have created a special calendar. It helps to navigate the choice of gear and places for the most effective extraction of trophy specimens.

If you didn’t have time for summer fishing, then you still have a chance to try your luck on Akhtuba in September. This territory is rightly called the only territory where even a beginner can catch predatory fish with capricious behavior. In autumn, pike, asp, carp, catfish and pike perch are hunted here.

September on Akhtuba is a period when perch and pike show incredible energy. Peaceful fish are not far behind.

Weather on Akhtuba in September

Akhtuba in September means being in more severe weather conditions compared to summer. The decrease in average daily temperature becomes noticeable already in early September. It will be quite cool to spend the night in a tent; you need to think about a place to stop.

As for the daytime temperature, at the end of September it can be up to +30 degrees or more. In September, Akhtuba becomes less crowded, since most of the vacationers are already leaving the region and returning to their usual rhythm of life. Professionals and amateurs come home with excellent trophies and vivid memories of fishing on the lower Volga.

September is famous for its cold nights and the end of flowering in the ilmen and lakes. A cluster of algae sinks to the bottom. Reservoirs, which in the summer could not even be considered for catching a predator, can no longer be called overgrown. Here you can also get excellent results without applying superhuman efforts.

To make fishing on Akhtuba in September as comfortable as possible, you need to stock up on warm clothes. It is desirable that it has a moisture-proof impregnation. In this case, any weather in September will bring only joyful emotions from receiving another trophy.

Professionals are sure to take a thermos with hot drinks and warm blankets with them in order to spend maximum time by the water and not catch a cold.

Where to fish on warm days

The water in the rivers is also becoming clearer and cleaner. Fish spend all day looking for food to accumulate fat before the winter cold. Some prefer to do this by climbing into dense thickets of reeds. But asps, on the contrary, forget about caution - and fishermen scour, looking for “asp boilers”, where the powerful tails of these strong fish beat above the surface. Pike-perch become more active on the channel edges, and other predators hide in shallow waters and in small snags. In short, there is more than enough prey for the fishermen. You can go fishing every day and return with a good catch.

Since, despite the calendar data, it is almost summer outside, you can use summer gear. A good bite is observed both in depth and in shallow waters. You can successfully catch large fish “on the track.” In quiet backwaters, it happens that you just throw a float - and someone is already pulling it down.

Only towards the end of the month, with the final cooling of the water, the situation changes dramatically. Rudd, asp, roach (and a little later - ide and chub) remember their schooling, gather together and move to the depths, trying to stay close to the holes in which they will spend the winter. Soon their example is followed by ruffs, bershis and some other species of fish. Other predators lie in the favorite pools. But at the same time, for fish these are the last days when they can still eat before the onset of cold weather. So fishing does not lose its relevance even at this time.

Where to fish and what gear to take with you fishing in September?

In September, fishing provides a unique opportunity to hunt for a variety of fish species. Feeding and predatory individuals begin to stick to zones with increased flow speeds, located as close as possible to the Volga. in this place the water is cooler and characterized by an abundance of oxygen.

It is quite easy to catch noble white fish in September. To pull out bream, you should use bottom gear: elastic, standard bottom or fillers. These instruments will work in areas of sandy reaches with a rapid current, where the depth is from 3 to 6 meters.

The floodplain lakes are connected by eriks, where in September you can catch tench or buffalo with good results. To do this, use a crayfish neck or a worm as bait. To significantly increase your chances of getting the best trophies, it is advisable to go fishing at sunrise. This will significantly increase your chances of taking possession of the largest specimens. To be fair, I would like to note that the bite will be excellent throughout the day, until sunset.

In search of carp, you will have to go to shallow reaches. It is in September that experienced fishermen begin to catch trophy specimens. As soon as there is a significant decrease in temperature, individuals will leave shallow water areas and gradually move to holes covered with snags. Similar depressions are found in ravine areas.

Sudak. Fishing in the lower reaches of the Volga for Akhtuba pike perch will become most successful by the end of the first autumn month. Only by this time do representatives of this family of fish begin to actively move, especially quickly and respond well to bait.

Asp. This fish is concentrated in the so-called asp boilers. They are located in areas with the most powerful currents. At the end of September, large representatives of the family begin to rapidly exterminate the young. Avid fishermen note that not only gently sloping pits, but also numerous riffles can be confidently called asp fattening sites.

Som. In early September, you can successfully catch catfish on Akhtuba. Fishing will be most successful when using trolling techniques. Experienced and novice fishermen are located on the rifts or in shallow reaches. Gradually, the catfish begins to behave more actively in the areas of channel holes. Powerful autumn winds and rough water surfaces prevent the effective production of trophies by quok. It is more convenient to practice jig fishing techniques with a spinning rod in recesses and bottom tackle on the lower Volga. Excellent results can be obtained when trolling is used in conjunction with a deep-sea wobbler.

The bite of perch and pike becomes most noticeable in the ilmen and lakes of the region with the arrival of autumn. Fishing experts recommend using wobblers and spoons to catch fish. In the deep zones of the Volga channel, trolling demonstrates high productivity. To get an abundant catch, professional fishermen use one cunning secret. At 15-20 cm they install a twister on the side leash. Small perches begin to respond to it, which become bait for the main target - large pike.

Som

Catfish description:

Catfish is a predatory fish from the catfish family. In freshwater reservoirs of many regions not only of Russia, but also of the World, catfish is the largest fish. A long catfish can reach 5 meters and weigh more than 300 kilograms, but these are the maximum figures; on Akhtuba and the Lower Volga, catfish up to 150 kilograms with a length of up to 3 meters are caught in catches. Minimum allowed size of caught catfish in the Astrakhan region

is 40 centimeters. The acceptable size of the fish is determined fresh by measuring the length from the top of the snout (with the mouth closed) to the base of the middle rays of the caudal fin.

Catfish habitats:

After spawning in June

catfish leave the water-filled hollows in
the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain
for summer stops - pits and pools, deep places near ravines, deep-water sections of the river with the presence of snags at the bottom.
From these shelters, as if from an ambush, he makes throws at the victim floating by. Sometimes catfish can be found in a shallower place, for example on a spit located at the exit from a hole, where the catfish feeds mainly at night. Catfish is a typical bottom fish, but sometimes, and especially during the period after the spawning feast in June, catfish can hunt both in the water column and at the very surface. One of the habitats of large catfish on Akhtuba is the “Black Market” pit
, near which
the fishing base “Sudachye Mesto”
. Catfish is a heat-loving fish; in winter it does not feed, lies in holes and falls into torpor.

Catching catfish:

The period for active catfish fishing on Akhtuba is June – October

.
You can also catch sleepy catfish in April
, before the spring flood begins.
Catfish are caught on Akhtuba
and Volga by trolling using deep-sea wobblers, as well as by jigging at the entrances and exits of pits and in the pits themselves.
Often catfish bite when trolling or jigging other predators, such as pike perch, then the fisherman will have to experience many emotions while trying to lift a large catfish on light tackle
.
You can catch catfish using bottom tackle using live bait as bait. crucian carp
are well suited for the role of live bait , since they live on a hook for quite a long time.
The most interesting and exciting is catching catfish using kwok
.

Fishermen who dream of catching a large catfish should not forget that this giant of the river depths has enormous power and catching it is reminiscent of hunting a large animal. In the Lower Volga and Akhtuba, it is best to catch catfish from a boat and with two people. Firstly, if you are bitten by a catfish, then the fight against it can take a long time, especially if it is a large catfish, and on the Akhtuba River the boat must be constantly controlled based on the behavior of the bitten catfish. Secondly, most often, a large catfish cannot be pulled out of the water alone. When biting a catfish, the main thing is not to let it go into the snags, otherwise you can simply forget about your trophy. If the catfish is really big, then it is better to fight it in the shallows and try to tow it there. When the catfish is pulled out onto the shallows, you should grab it with your hands under the pectoral fins and drag it away from the water. Small catfish (10-20 kilograms) can be safely dragged into the boat; it does not pose as much danger as its older brother weighing fifty kilograms. But for this procedure it is better to have a reliable hook or special gloves.

Taste qualities of catfish:

Catfish is a valuable commercial fish and has unique taste qualities. Some people are disdainful of eating catfish, believing that it feeds only on all sorts of garbage and carrion, although this is absolutely not true and in fact many species of fish

They can feed on garbage and carrion. Catfish weighing up to about 20 kilograms are of gastronomic value; larger catfish have very fatty meat. Catfish meat is white in color and has virtually no bones. Catfish can be fried, boiled and smoked; small specimens are suitable for this. And from the meat of larger catfish it is better to make excellent balyk. Cold smoked catfish is very tasty and somewhat reminiscent of sturgeon. The heads of small catfish, like the heads of carp, are added to the fish soup. On an industrial scale, canned food is made from catfish.

Fisherman's calendar: what kind of fish bites in September, where and what to catch on Akhtuba?

crucian carp

Where to fish - ponds, grassy pools What to fish for - float rod, feeder Bait - worm, dough, maggot Bait - porridge, bran, cake, flavorings Biting time - early morning and evening

Carp

Where to fish - steep rivers, reservoirs with a muddy or clayey bottom and a weak current What to fish for - bait, feeder, float rod with reel Bait - porridge, worm, dough, boilies, potatoes, corn Bait - cake, chopped worm, porridge, corn Biting time - dawn, evening dawns, warm nights

Bream

Where to fish - grassy lakes, deep bays with a muddy bottom What to fish for - float rod, donka, feeder Bait - worm, peas, steamed grains, dough Bait - bran, porridge, bread, chopped worm Biting time - dawn, before sunset, sometimes during the day and on warm nights

Roach

Where to fish - clearings in algae, quiet currents What to fish for - float rod, feeder Bait - dough, bread, worm, maggot Bait - steamed oats, porridge, bread Biting time - almost all day

Som

Where to fish - whirlpools, pits What to fish for - zakidushka, bottom tackle, girder Baits - frog, fried poultry, fish, crayfish Bait - using the quok method Biting time - warm nights, evening dawns

Zander

Where to fish - riffles, hard bottom, rock ridges, clean water, lack of algae What to fish for - spinning rod, bait, mugs, zherlitsa Attachments - live bait, frog, spinners, wobblers Bait - not needed Biting time - at dawn, evening dawns, warm nights

Pike

Where to fish - cliffs, riffles, snags, sedge thickets What to fish for - spinning rod, circles, girders, path Attachments - live bait, frog, spinners, wobblers, twisters Bait - not needed Biting time - morning, evening, in cloudy weather

Perch

Where to fish - pits, lakes with reeds, quiet currents What to fish for - floating fishing rod, spinner bait Baits - worm, small fish, spinners, May beetle larvae Bait - bloodworms, worms, bull's blood Biting time - morning, evening, in cloudy weather

Asp

Where to fish - upper layers of water, rapids, sandy fords What to fish - spinning, fly fishing, wiring, at night - casting Baits - cockchafer, spinners, twisters Bait - worm, beetles, cockroaches, fish Biting time - dawn and evening dawns

Chub

Where to fish - cliffs, overhanging banks, bridges What to fish for - floating rod, fly fishing, spinning bait Bait - dragonfly, live bait, worm, butterflies, grasshoppers Bait - steamed oats, bran, bloodworms Biting time - in clear, calm weather

White amur

Where to fish - deep places in reservoirs and ponds What to fish for - donka Bait - worm, dough, peas Bait - oat flakes, semolina, crushed biscuits, corn Biting time - morning and evening

How and what to use to catch catfish on Akhtuba?

On Akhtuba, fishermen most often use donks to catch predatory catfish. They are equipped with:

A durable rod with a powerful blank. The best option is the marine type, designed for catching large specimens.
Multiplier reel for power fishing.
Braided main line with a thickness of at least 0.8 mm.
A sliding sinker weighing 100-150 grams, which is selected depending on the strength of the current and the characteristics of the fishing spot.
A power swivel installed between the load and the leash.
A thick braided leash made from thin metal threads. Length - at least 50 cm.
A sharp, heavy-duty hook - single or double. It is recommended to use hooks No. 12 and No. 14 (according to the Russian classification) for fishing.

You can catch catfish with a donk in the waters of Akhtuba from the shore. And also from a boat (plumb to quok). In the second case, a beater is used, which, when it hits the water, creates croaking sounds that attract a predator. They call it “kwok”. Most often made from wood. Using such a fishing device gives good results.

Catfish fishing can be done by trolling with wobblers. This method is used quite rarely, as it requires the use of expensive equipment and complex construction of the boat’s route. It is used only by experienced fishermen.

Fans of spinning fishing can also hunt large predators. The most commonly used method of fishing is the jig fishing method, which consists of a special step-by-step wiring of the tackle. For it, special jig heads, silicone and foam baits, and oscillating spoons are used.

On Akhtuba, catfish can be caught using bait such as:

worms that are caught on a hook in a cluster;
small fish;
frogs;
crayfish;
shells (barley, shrew);
pieces of meat.

The fishing base "Fisherman's Pier" will delight its visitors:

PROFESSIONAL JAGERS

Over the ten years of the base’s existence, a close-knit and responsive team has developed

30 METERS FROM THE WATER

The recreation center is located directly on the shore of Akhtuba

CONVENIENT ACCESS

There is access to the base all year round - both during high water and during spring thaw.

EXCELLENT KITCHEN

The local cafe serves delicious home-cooked food.
The fishing base “Fisherman's Pier” invites you to Akhtuba in September. Our experienced huntsmen will help you find places to catch trophy specimens and take you to any place on comfortable boats.

Cafe-bar

In our cozy refectory you can have an inexpensive and, most importantly, tasty and nutritious meal.
Our base on Akhtuba will delight visitors with comfortable houses, and we will also provide camping lovers with tents or a place to set up their own.

Eye-house

Entire house, two single beds + extra bed.
More details

Cottages

Two bedrooms, four single beds
Read more

Camping tents

Four sleeping places
Read more