Tackle for catching catfish from the shore and from a boat

Have you experienced an adrenaline rush when getting a big trophy? When the cord rings from tension, your arms and back become heavy from the resistance of a huge fish, and a single thought settles in your brain - I did it after all! Yes, such unforgettable sensations are possible when catching trophy carp, large pike or humpback perch, but they are most powerful when catching catfish. Surely someone, but the owner of our rivers will be able to provide worthy resistance to the fisherman.

Hunting for catfish is exciting at all stages, because we are dealing not only with a strong, but also a cunning opponent. The fisherman must comprehensively study the methods of catfish fishing, painstakingly prepare gear and bait, choose the optimal time, find the site of the owner of the rivers, attract his attention, be able to overcome and pull His mustachioed Majesty out of his native element... Today we will highlight the most important aspects in theory, and you Decide whether you have such an enviable trophy according to the gear!

Where should you look for catfish?

Let's start with the fact that in our reservoirs there are mainly two varieties of this representative of the freshwater ichthyofauna. This is the same giant river catfish, capable of gaining a hundredweight or more of live weight, and its “younger brother,” the channel catfish. It does not grow particularly large - up to ten kilograms maximum, but even with such “modest” conditions it is a coveted trophy for a fisherman.

This bait provides a rich catch even with a bad bite! More details The habits of catfish of these two subspecies differ little, however, the “younger brother” is more thermophilic and lives mainly in artificially stocked water areas. However, the habits of these fish are similar, and they catch catfish and catfish in similar ways, differentiating only the working power of the gear.

The catfish is a recognized loner of the underwater world: it extremely rarely coexists peacefully with its own kind. For his “apartments” he prefers the deepest parts of a reservoir or river, so it ’s wise to look for him:

• in extended channel depressions and ditches;
• at maximum depth under steep yars;
• in snags and wells;
• near hydraulic structures;
• in whirlpools over which small whirlpools appear.

Catfish do not favor fast currents, so it is futile to look for them on flat areas. But he rarely leaves his own “apartment” at depth, except to go to the nearest shallows: in the spring - to bask in the sun, in the summer - to feast on small fish at night.

Fishing with a worm

It is best to start catching catfish with a donkey with such a simple bait as a worm. To do this, a bunch of any worms or crawlers is strung on a large hook with a long shank.

Of course, it is unlikely that you will be able to catch a trophy fish, but you will be able to get acquainted with the habits of catfish. The donk can be equipped with two hooks, and a feeder can be mounted to attract fish.

The bait will be a mixture of earth and chopped worms. Often the by-catch includes fish such as ide, bream, and perch.

Seasonal fishing features

Catfish have a pronounced seasonal behavior, and this must be taken into account when organizing fishing.

In spring, the owner of the river awakens from hibernation and swims out of his favorite holes to bask in the sun. During this period, catfish are caught mainly using classic donks and tackle with a rod such as powerful feeders, and casting along the boundaries of the shallows is the most productive. You can also use heavy casting spinning rods for these purposes in conjunction with jig baits or deep-sea wobblers.

In May, this fish goes to spawn, and, unlike most of its brethren, it guards the clutch for some time. During this period, catching it in most regions is strictly prohibited. There are no exceptions regarding gear.

After spawning, the catfish rests for some time, but by mid-June it gains some activity - the summer feeding begins. In the summer, the owner of the rivers is hunted using the above “spring” methods, and the period of active fishing is transferred to the dark time of the day, when the catfish goes hunting. Fishing using watercraft is also becoming effective: trolling, setting stationary moored circles are successful, as well as the most authentic way of catching catfish - nodding.

In autumn, the owner of reservoirs becomes especially unpredictable: he is sensitive to changes in temperature and prepares for winter lethargy. Sometimes he goes hunting during the day, sometimes at night, and reacts weakly to food. At this time, spinning in all its forms comes to the fore: jigs with heavy heads, twitching at significant depths using large wobblers, “track” from a rowing boat, and sometimes trolling. The main task is to deliver the treat literally under the nose of the catfish: during this period, even a few meters of distance can be critical.

In winter, the catfish is in blissful peace, so the hunt for it has to be postponed until spring.

Finding a place to catch catfish

It is necessary to catch catfish on a donk in deep holes. You can find them on sharp bends of the river by making several test casts. Having a boat with an echo sounder will make finding a fishing spot much easier. Another way to find a catfish den is to tactfully ask local fishermen.

The area adjacent to the pit is also promising for fishing. Usually catfish hunt at the same points. So, having figured out where the fish are coming out in one night, you can safely go fishing here next time. Some of the donks should be placed under trees, near reeds and water lilies.

Bait selection

When choosing bait, you should take into account the food preferences of the giant - it is exclusively carnivorous. This means that when hunting for it, you should use bait of animal origin or artificial bait that imitates them. Naturally, the season and fishing method are taken into account.

Most often when catching catfish they use:

• Live active baits . In this case, we are talking mainly about all kinds of live fish, and often large ones: a river giant is unlikely to be tempted by crucian carp weighing less than 200 grams. An alternative is frogs and tailed frogs, which catfish consume with appetite in the summer.
• Passive live baits . This category includes cut meat and fish (preferably with a “flavor”), offal, crayfish, shellfish, bunches of crawling worms, large insects such as locusts, mole crickets or chafers.
• Artificial baits . The most effective are large-sized deep wobblers (from 12 cm), solid silicone baits, “spinners” (for trolling and track), “oscillators”, silicone baits in tandem with heavy jig heads. It is clear that all these baits require the use of powerful spinning rods. Casting and trolling forms are preferred.

Baits and lures for catfish

Effective catching of such a predator will only be possible if you use the right bait and attachment.

Catfish are omnivorous fish, but their diet changes with age.

Larger individuals feed on:

• frogs;
• small fish;
• crayfish.

Giant catfish eat:

• mice;
• large fish;
• waterfowl;
• small animals.

In addition, the fisherman should take into account that the catfish performs the function of an orderly for reservoirs and rivers. He does not disdain food with a “flavor”, and, having a good sense of smell, senses such food from a great distance. That’s why experienced bait fishermen deliberately spoil baits so that they have a rotten smell.

Effective gear and methods

Catfish is a difficult predator to catch, so we have to invent new gear and methods for catching it. But doesn't this increase the level of adrenaline in the blood?

At the moment, large catfish are usually caught on:

• Bottom gear . Both rod and classic gear are used, with the exception of the elastic band. Even the most durable “model” will not withstand the pressure of the river giant.
• Float equipment . Not the most common option when applied to a river giant. However, in some cases, the use of a fishing rod is quite justified (for example, if a catfish has settled in a hollow between the roots).
• Spinning . Here we mean spinning in the broad sense of the word: jig with silicone baits, deep twitching with heavy cranks and minnows, atypical use of baits and retrieves, trolling, “track” and so on.
• Zherlitsy . Catfish can also be caught on primitive baits, but more often large circles, anchored and characterized by powerful equipment, are used for these purposes.
• Kwok . This is not a special tackle, but a device that makes catfish hunting as exciting and productive as possible. No other fish is caught this way!

Now let’s talk in more detail about each method of catching a river giant.

Bottom gear

Passive bottom fishing for catfish is most effective during those periods when it itself shows maximum activity, that is, during the spring and summer rush. You can use a classic donka on a cord , fixed on the shore and firmly anchored at depth. At the same time, you should not overuse the number of leashes: if there is a hunt for the owner of the river, there should be no more than two or three of them. It is better to attach the donk to a tree - even the most powerful fish is guaranteed not to tear it out. Clogged pegs can go swimming with the catfish. Primitive bells are good as signaling devices.

You can use the most primitive equipment:

• We wind about 100 m of braided cord or nylon twine with a diameter of 0.6-1 mm onto a wooden reel.
• We attach a sinker weighing from 20 to 200 grams to the base (sometimes more, especially if fishing is carried out with large live bait).
• On the main cord we tie thinner leashes up to 1 meter long (possibly in knots, but better through carabiners and swivels) with a large live bait tee or single hooks no smaller than No. 8-10.

It is better to place donks at night, along the shallows, where the owner of the river sometimes comes out to fatten. To cover a vast area of ​​water, it is better to install 3-4 gear fanning out from the shore, equipping them with live bait, pieces of meat, frogs, pearl barley, and so on. The distance between the attachment points is at least 5 meters to avoid entanglement.

As an alternative, a tackle with a rod , which greatly facilitates casting, hooking and landing large fish. When purposefully catching large catfish, it is wise to use carp feeders, powerful crocodile-type spinning rods and trolling blanks - a cheap fiberglass rod simply will not withstand the pressure of a giant. A mandatory requirement is to have a very strong reel with a baitrunner.

The equipment includes monofilament with a diameter of up to 1 mm (it dampens the jerks of powerful fish) or braided line up to 0.8 mm. The leader is usually 0.1-0.2 mm thinner than the main line. On the main cord there is a sinker weighing up to 150 grams (you can use a traditional olive), and a leash with a hook (double, tee or single No. 6-10) is attached to it using a carbine through a swivel. The length of the leash varies depending on the fishing conditions, but the most universal option is about half a meter. Sometimes the equipment is supplemented with a special float, which in this case does not play the role of a signaling device, but raises the bait above the bottom, making it more tempting.

Casting is carried out precisely, near the place where the catfish is supposed to be located. When fishing at night, sound bite alarms are especially important.

Float rod

Float rigging is not a typical option for catching catfish of more or less decent size, but young individuals sometimes fall for it. Moreover, the fishing rod can be equipped for completely different purposes. The main thing in such “unexpected fish” is to be able to bring the catfish ashore with weak equipment. As a rule, the mustachioed one leaves with a leash and part of the equipment, but particularly skilled fishermen sometimes win this fight.

But sometimes a float bait fishing rod is purposefully equipped to catch a river giant. This is quite a worthy option for fishing in a vertical yar, directly above the hole where the catfish has settled. However, it must be taken into account that in this case problems with fishing are inevitable. On a small river, casting is carried out from the opposite bank, which reduces the load on the equipment when fishing.

In this case, it is strongly recommended to use powerful carp sticks and spinning rods with the highest possible test, equipped with high-strength fishing lines. You can use high-quality monofilament with a large cross-section, about 0.5 mm: it absorbs the jerks of large fish, reducing the load on the blank. It can be supplemented with a soft piece of braiding. If catfish fishing is carried out with live bait, high-strength “tees” are used; for other baits, for example, bunches of worms and spindles, you can also use singles of the largest numbers.

The float is selected depending on the weight of the bait and fishing conditions. At depths of up to 2.5 m, blind equipment is quite effective, but if hunting is carried out at lower horizons, it is rational to change it to sliding equipment.

The most productive fishing is from a boat. To begin with, you can anchor, make a few casts, and then slowly raft down the river. It is extremely rare to “hatch” a catfish from the shore: it is more effective to move the fisherman along the shore following a float floating with the current.

Spinning

It is better to purposefully catch catfish using casting equipment rather than spinning equipment. In principle, they are very similar, but there are nuances. The heavy casting form is designed specifically for trophy fishing and catching large specimens. The rod handle is equipped with a special protrusion that improves grip - anglers call it a trigger. The passage rings are maximally reinforced and in working condition are directed downwards. In the classic version, the casting form is equipped with a multiplier reel.

In the absence of a casting rod, a high-quality heavy spinning rod with a reel equipped with a friction brake and a baitrunner will do. The optimal length of the blank is 2.7 m. Monofilament is used as the main line, which dampens the activity of fish, but its elongation plays a negative role when jigging - in such cases it is better to replace it with braid.

For fishing in snags, it is best to use all kinds of large silicone baits in dark shades with heavy jig heads and non-snagging rigs. With a relatively clear bottom, deep-sea wobblers such as extremely large minnows and jerk baits are good for classic twitching. An alternative could be a heavy “oscillator” that can maintain a stable depth during wiring. When fishing, maximum attention should be paid to dumps along the deepening of the channel, areas near whirlpools and holes.

The most interesting way to catch a river giant can be trolling with a spinner or a wobbler with a frame - this way you can quickly explore vast water areas, including “rolling” the bait along the river bed in the hope that the mustachioed one will decide to attack. If you only have a non-motorized watercraft at your disposal, you can use it to catch catfish using traditional methods (jigging, twitching). As an alternative, we can use the trolling prototype – “track”.

Zherlitsy

Zherlitsy in all forms is one of the centuries-tested methods of catching catfish. In this case, supplies were historically used - the simplest live bait gear attached to poles. The pole is installed near the catfish pit, and a flyer with equipment is hung on it. It is best to use a braided cord as the main fishing line; a metal leash equipped with the largest possible hook would also be useful. If possible, it is better to attach the tackle to a coastal tree - it is problematic to secure the pole firmly, especially in soft bottom soil.

An improved version of classic supplies are girders equipped with inertial coils and signaling devices in the form of flags. The main thing is to install them in a place where catfish actually exist and watch the alarms. However, the catfish sometimes successfully hooks itself and waits for the fisherman.

Catfish are also successfully caught on floating girders, colloquially referred to as “circles.” Moreover, rafting with sinks is practiced extremely rarely: more often, anchored circles are installed near the hypothetical places of catfish stay at night.

Grits of all types need powerful equipment, and the hook is usually baited with live bait or a frog through the back. With passive bait (a garland of pearl barley, a piece of meat, offal, squid), you can arouse the predator’s interest in a cunning way - tie a bunch of red threads to the hook, attractively fluttering in the water.

Nodding

So we have come to the apogee of fishing invention - quoting. This fishing method is used exclusively for catfish - predators of other species are not caught this way. Why the owner of the river is attracted to the strange sounds of the quok is still not clear, but this does not interfere with the productivity of fishing.

Kwok is an auxiliary device for creating special acoustic effects. Usually this is a flat wooden tool of a curved shape, equipped with a handle and a characteristic flat spot on the opposite end (hoove). Craftsmen also make quokkas with their own hands, often using ordinary utility knives. When the “hoof” hits the water, a characteristic sound, “kwok,” is heard, which is where this fishing method gets its name.

Summer is considered the most productive time for quoting - it is then that the mustachioed owner of the river becomes especially susceptible to characteristic sounds. They usually go fishing in the morning or evening dawn, and sometimes at night. Nodding is done from a boat at certain time intervals. The main gear used is a primitive hook, which is hung from the side of the craft. It consists of a wooden reel on which a braided cord is wound with a sliding olive weight and a powerful hook with a sting curved inside. The weight of the cargo depends on the strength of the current and can approach three hundred grams.

For the convenience of catching and landing large catfish, you can improve the equipment. To do this, it is good to use a powerful rod up to two meters long with reinforced guides - spinning, casting, feeder, and so on. An ideal multiplier, but easy to digest and inertia-free with a reliable clutch.

Bait of animal origin can be either active (live bait, frog, lamprey) or inert (barley pearls, toothless bait, bunches of worms and leeches, offal and meat trimmings).

Video report about catching catfish on a donk

The authorship of the design diagram for bottom gear with a float is www.euro-som.de.
Donka for catfish can be either with or without a rod.

Choose a strong rod with a powerful blank, since sometimes you have to resort to forced fishing. For catching catfish on a donk, special carp or sea rods are suitable. The same goes for coils.

Powerful inertia-free models of size 4000 with a large spool are best suited for equipping a donkey.

The thickness of the fishing line depends on the intended trophy. It can be braided or monofilament, the main thing is that the breaking force is greater than the weight of the catfish. Many anglers use 1 mm fishing line for bottom fishing without a rod.

The weight of the sinker depends on the strength of the current and the depth of fishing. If on a reservoir with standing water 20-50 g is enough, then for a large river - 100-200 g.

Hooks are selected to match the bait; they must be large and strong.

Professionals talk about how to catch catfish on a donk, what the equipment looks like and why it has a float in the following video.

Features of fishing

A catfish bite is usually transmitted by a powerful push followed by a pause. During this pause, the predator stops to taste the bait and may well spit it out, sensing something is wrong. Hooking should follow after the trophy resumes activity, when the barbel decides to move towards the favored hole.

You need to hook the catfish strongly, but not too sharply: this puts a colossal load on the equipment. We must not forget that a trophy specimen can not only tear the equipment, break the fishing rod or damage the watercraft, but also seriously injure the unlucky fisherman. This means that catching large catfish without all sorts of auxiliary means is not only futile, but also dangerous. An ordinary landing net will not work here - a large specimen simply will not fit into it. A hook, a tow cord with a powerful hook (when fishing from a boat) and a protective glove are very useful.

The first rule is that you should never wrap the cord around your hand: it is better to just hold it in your palm. If you have a chance, wear a protective glove. The cord must be periodically released at maximum load, allowed to move away a little, and then resume winding again when the clutch stops working. It’s good if you can periodically raise the barbel’s head above the water so that it swallows air. These manipulations can be done manually, sensitively reacting to the activity of the fish. This technique is called "pumping".

Exhausted by the persistent struggle, the catfish begins to blow bubbles. This signals the possibility of forcing the tightening. The tired owner of the river is pulled to the shore or side of the boat and lifted with a hook under the gills. If there is no hook, you can grab the caught catfish by the lower jaw with your hand, which is certainly protected by a glove.

Advice from experienced campers

At the end of this publication, we suggest you listen to the recommendations of fellow workers with experience:

• The main thing is to find the barbel. The main thing in catfish fishing is to correctly determine the location of the barbel, and this is impossible without studying the bottom topography. In this regard, do not skimp on purchasing an echo sounder. You can detect anomaly points using a GPS navigator, and then begin systematically catching them.
• Don't skimp on accessories. Buy the best quality hooks. You can take models designed for sea fishing: they are expensive, but extremely durable and not subject to corrosion. The highest quality and most reliable should be swivels, carabiners, leashes - in short, all elements of equipment.
• Be fully prepared for fishing. In this case, you are going on a serious fishing session that requires thorough preparation. Check your gear and watercraft, prepare several types of bait, study the behavior and food preferences of catfish in a given body of water, take care of your own equipment and be patient.
• Know how to switch. The owner of the rivers has a capricious and unpredictable character. Therefore, if catching catfish for some reason doesn’t work out, you can switch to a simpler predator, so it’s worth having more delicate equipment in your arsenal.
• Take care of the future. There are fewer and fewer catfish in our reservoirs - this fish is extremely suffering from environmental degradation and predatory poaching. Use permitted gear and observe the conditions of the spawning ban, because, despite the formidable appearance, the owner of the rivers is very vulnerable.

Have we already managed to infect you with the catfish fishing virus? We hope that this “disease” will benefit you and bring you solid trophies and an abyss of adrenaline!

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How to make it yourself

The main conditions for kwak are ease of use and required performance. It is best to make the handle from wood, and the knife and heel from metal. Steel is more reliable, you can achieve a minimum thickness while maintaining strength. It is recommended to choose stainless steel grades, as the quoks will be frequently exposed to water.

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Making kwok can be divided into the following stages:

1. Preparatory. Blanks for all components are selected, their dimensions are adjusted according to the drawing.
2. Pen. Shape with indentations for fingers, width – about 30 mm. A cutout is made in the lower part for attaching a knife, and in the upper part there is a hole for a loop. It is necessary so that the firecracker does not fall into the water while fishing.
3. A knife with a bend, tapering to the point where the patch is attached. Recommended length – up to 22 cm.
4. Heel width – up to 25 mm.

When attaching all components, you need to monitor the angle between the cutwater and the handle. The appearance and smoothness of the transition from one component to another does not matter. To improve the fixation of the handle and palm, it is recommended not to grind the former, but to make small notches on its surface. The best option is to cover it with leather.