Catching pike perch on a balancer - choosing bait and fishing technique

Preparing for winter fishing for pike perch

What does preparation for fishing for pike perch in winter include? Correct selection of the location, taking into account the habits of the predator, selection of the appropriate balancer, etc. We will talk about all these aspects in detail right now.

Choosing a fishing spot

Choosing a place is important when fishing for absolutely any fish. The main thing when choosing a place to catch pike perch is to remember that it is a predator, so look for it in the same place where other predators are located. So, to find its parking place you will have to walk on the ice.

However, you shouldn’t be upset; pike perch, unlike pike, is a schooling predator, so if you find one, you’re practically guaranteed a good catch.

The most promising places for catching pike perch are the following:

deep areas
pits
eyebrows
stuck areas
flooded bushes

Pike perch loves depth; in winter it does not change its preferences, so it is mostly found in the depths. In other places, detecting this predator is not so easy, so it will require quite a lot of effort and, accordingly, skills. Pike perch occasionally rises to the middle layers, so take this into account when playing with bait.

What time to fish?

In addition to determining where to fish, find out when fishing will be most effective and when there will be active fishing hours.

Pike perch becomes active when it gets dark. He has truly excellent vision, so he will notice the fry even at night at great depths. It is almost impossible to hide from him. But in winter it is really difficult to determine when the pike perch will eat. It can occur at practically “irrelevant” times for fishing, for example, at noon. This is explained by the fact that in winter the pike perch’s metabolism becomes slower, so after eating, it stops feeding for several days, and when it gets hungry, it won’t care what time it is. But it is still worth noting that the predominant number of bites is observed in the evening, night and morning. At this time, the chance of catching a pike perch will be significantly higher than during the day.

If you are not ready for night fishing or you are unable to go fishing in the evening, then the most suitable time for catching pike perch is morning dawn.

Brief description and advantages of Mebaru balancers

Content

The Lusky John company produces not only balance beams, but also other types of fishing equipment. The most famous are the Lucky John wobblers; they are presented in a wide range, and often occupy leading positions in ratings of the most catchy baits. The Lusky John Mebaru balancer differs from the classic designs of similar baits. Upon a quick inspection, not every fisherman will determine that in front of him is a balancer, because the bait combines the qualities of wobblers and balancers.

Wobblers "Lucky John" are the most famous

On fishing forums, problems with a minimum number of bites are often voiced, to which the “guests” respond, “buy Lucky John and the bite will improve.” The products of the Latvian company have won the respect of fishermen thanks to high-tech production, first-class manufacturing materials and thoughtful design. The unique silicone balancer "Mebaru" shows excellent performance, has an unusual design and is extremely effective in real conditions.

These balancers are specifically designed for catching predatory fish in winter. The bait is successfully adapted to the characteristics of fishing in winter. The Mebaru Pro Series offers 5 standard sizes: from 37 to 77 mm in increments of 10 mm. The company offers you to choose a color from among 17 eye-catching color varieties.

Main features and advantages of the model:

versatility of the game. The bait has 3 holes for attaching a leash, this provides three different types of game;
hooks In the bait, the hooks are located in the area of the caudal fin and in front on the peritoneum. This arrangement is suitable for stable retrieval with different animations of the bait and ensures effective hooking. Due to the absence of a nose hook, the nozzle is less likely to cling to snags. The design uses high-quality hooks from the world leader - Owner;
tail section design. It differs from other fishing lures in its non-standard tail design. Here the tail is narrowed and gradually widens. There is a slight bend at the edges of the caudal fin. The unique shape of the tail ensures a realistic game during wiring, which increases the number of realized wirings;

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The nozzle clings less often to snags due to the absence of a nose hook

design of the bait body. It has a teardrop-shaped, oblong shape. The appearance of the body is more characteristic of wobblers than of balancers. The shape, unusual for balance beams, gives exceptionally positive qualities: naturalness, catchability and stability of the game. In the back area there is a kind of dorsal fin that stabilizes the bait as it falls into the water. Without the fin, the lure's movements would become sluggish and the lure would lose much of its effectiveness;
color. The colors of the balancers are numerous, and, unusually, almost all the colors are extremely catchy. Mainly, the company uses bright, acidic colors of balancing equipment. The originality of the model and coloring features can attract fish from a great distance. In the back area, black is always used, emphasizing the shape of the body, and the sides and abdomen are presented in 17 colors;
balance game. The main and popular advantage of the bait is its natural play while falling in the water; the predator is not able to distinguish a live fish from an artificial analogue. Most of the bites on conventional silicone baits occur during the retrieving process, and Mebaru often leads to bites immediately after casting;
The front blade is designed for stable play in the current, and in combination with the tail design, the balancer always returns to the starting point.

Rating of the top 5 balancers for pike perch

Let's look at the top 5 most popular zander balancers in our ranking:

Kuusamo Tasapaino 75 – the most catchy balancer. It has a length of 75 mm, weight 18 g. Perfectly suitable for vertical trolling of a predator. Both perch and pike are also readily caught with it. There are variations of this balancer with lengths of 50 and 60 mm, respectively. Price: 350 rub.

Kuusamo Tasapaino 75
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Rapala Jigging Rap. This model is produced in 6 sizes. Optimal for catching this predator are 3 (50, 70 and 90 mm). These balancers are more suitable for passive pike perch. Characterized by an attractive and interesting game. Price up to 300 rub.

Rapala Jigging Rap
Jigger Nils Master. Balance bar with long belly tee. The shape provides an interesting game for pike perch. First, the bait moves to the side, and then makes a quick turn and rushes back. This movement is in many ways similar to that of a fry, which provokes a predator. The balancer is available in several sizes. Cost – 350 rub.

Jigger Nils Master
Lucky John. It is distinguished by a surprisingly similar game to the fry. In addition, the size and color scheme are identical to the fry. Suitable for greater depths. Thanks to the presence of a plastic tail, the balancer actively maneuvers in different horizons. Models from 50 mm are suitable for catching pike perch. Price – up to 150 rub.

Lucky John
Scorana Ice Crystal Mark 2. This balancer is characterized by bright colors and large eyes. Which, of course, attracts the predator. The game is smooth but powerful. It quickly cuts through the water, which makes the fish bite, especially in the current. The size range is quite wide up to a length of 80 mm, which is suitable for depths. Cost up to 200 rub.

Scorana Ice Crystal Mark 2

We have selected 5 balancers, however, there are significantly more variations of good models and balancers from almost every manufacturer have their own advantages.

Review of the Lucky John Mebaru balancer. Reviews from fishermen about balance beams Lucky John Mebaru

The Pro Series Mebaru series of winter balancers from the famous brand Lucky John is designed for fishing from ice, as well as for fishing from a boat. The balancers are made of lead alloy and have a durable paint coating. The tail of the bait is made of durable, frost-resistant plastic. Due to its large weight, the bait successfully catches fish in deep water bodies with current.

The balancer has an active, attractive action that remains stable and stable at any depth. The long plastic tail provides the bait with clear turns at the extreme points of its movement trajectory. The dorsal fin, made of brass, has three holes. Thanks to the presence of three sequential holes in the dorsal brass fin, you can change the attachment of the bait, which radically changes its game. Attaching the fishing line to the front hole gives the balancer a more sweeping action.

The bait moves away from the center to the maximum distance, thereby increasing the fishing area around the hole. When mounted in this way, Mebaru creates powerful vibrations and waves, which are very effective in attracting a predator located at a distance from it. This method of attachment is recommended for fishing at great depths, in places without snags and vegetation. By attaching it to the front hole, the game of the bait becomes more aggressive with large vertical rises.

Suitable for fishing at various depths. When attaching the bait to the middle hole, its play is calmest, and the fishing zone is somewhat reduced. This will be very effective when fishing in places with a steep bottom or near underwater vegetation. The Pro Series Mebaru balancer is equipped with two reliable and sharp Owner hooks. The series is available in sizes 3.7, 4.7, 5.7 and 6.7 centimeters.

With the arrival of cold weather, fishermen begin to purchase winter baits in advance for fishing in open water and from ice. In winter, balancers are very popular - a bait that imitates a live fish in the water. Balancers not only visually resemble a fry, but also imitate the movements of a fish. The Mebaru balancer from Lucky John is a legend, a classic in the field of balancers. Many anglers call the Mebaru balancer a must-have equipment for any professional angler.

Main features and advantages of the model:

The bait has 3 holes for attaching a leash, this provides three different types of game;

In the bait, the hooks are located in the area of the caudal fin and in front on the peritoneum. This arrangement is suitable for stable retrieval with different animations of the bait and ensures effective hooking. Due to the absence of a nose hook, the nozzle is less likely to cling to snags. The design uses high-quality hooks from the world leader - Owner;

It differs from other fishing lures in its non-standard tail design. Here the tail is narrowed and gradually widens.

There is a slight bend at the edges of the caudal fin. The unique shape of the tail ensures a realistic game during wiring, which increases the number of realized wirings;

It has a teardrop-shaped, oblong shape. The appearance of the body is more characteristic of wobblers than of balancers. The shape, unusual for balance beams, gives exceptionally positive qualities: naturalness, catchability and stability of the game. In the back area there is a kind of dorsal fin that stabilizes the bait as it falls into the water. Without the fin, the lure's movements would become sluggish and the lure would lose much of its effectiveness;

The colors of the balancers are numerous, and, unusually, almost all the colors are extremely catchy. Mainly, the company uses bright, acidic colors of balancing equipment. The originality of the model and coloring features can attract fish from a great distance. In the back area, black is always used, emphasizing the shape of the body, and the sides and abdomen are presented in 17 colors;

The main and popular advantage of the bait is its natural play while falling in the water; the predator is not able to distinguish a live fish from an artificial analogue. Most of the bites on conventional silicone baits occur during the retrieving process, and Mebaru often leads to bites immediately after casting;

The front blade is designed for stable play in the current, and in combination with the tail design, the balancer always returns to the starting point.

Many fishermen use the Mebaru balancer to catch pike perch, because it is one of the most common catches, but it is also a good bait for catching other common predators. Additionally, you can catch medium or large perch and pike with this balancer.

To catch pike perch and pike, many fishermen use the Mebaru balancer. How to choose the right Mebaru balancer. The principle of choosing a balancer differs little from the features of selecting other baits.

The assortment includes a variety of colors of Mebaru balancers, all of which have the right to exist.

We will describe only the general selection rules, taking into account the characteristics of fishing:

after the water clears, it is better to use soft colors on a cautious predator: silver, blue and various dark colors; In muddy or dark water, it is better to use bright colors to improve the visibility of the bait in the water column. The range includes pink, yellow and red colors; Often, catchy colors are colors that resemble natural prey in a body of water.

Regarding the size of the bait, everything is individual, depending on the fishing method, the type of fish and the size of the expected prey.

37 mm. The bait effectively catches medium-sized perch and small pike-perch; 47 and 57 mm. Used for catching large and trophy perch, medium-sized pike perch and pike; 67 mm. It is advisable to install a balancer if there are large predators in the reservoir; 77 mm is a tool for catching trophy pike and pike perch.

Best models:

The LJ Pro Series MEBARU 37 balancer is effective thanks to the successful imitation of a ruff, which often ends up as a food source for predators in all reservoirs. With a length of 37 mm, it weighs 5 g; the “Mebaru 47” balancer is a slightly larger attachment used on bets and rivers with medium-sized predators; The Mebaru 67 balancer is deservedly the most popular model, it has an abundance of colors, and the bait provides the ability to fish at great depths. Due to its weight of 18 g and length of 67 mm, the nozzle is capable of diving to a depth of up to 18 m.

Fishing with Mebaru balancers differs depending on where the leash is attached to the bait. There are only 3 holes on the dorsal fin, providing different types of animation.

Three ways of fishing with the Mebaru balancer:

By attaching the leash to the first hole, aggressive wiring is established in the vertical amplitude; it is better to perform high movements of the rod ends. It is used in the process of fishing at great depths; The central mount creates the most sweeping game, attracting a predator from a distance. The game is effective in the surface layer of water; When attached, the last hole slightly restricts the movement of the bait, limiting the radius of the game. Helps to pinpoint the hiding places of predators.

One of the advantages of the company's products is their affordable price. The price of Lucky John Mebaru balancers ranges from 400-600 rubles. The cost depends on the place of purchase of the bait, the price is indicated when purchasing on the official website, in fishing stores you will have to pay an additional markup - up to 50%.

The design of the Mebaru balancers is a monolithic casting made of frost-resistant plastic, inside which there is a wire fitting for attaching two tees, and a brass plate with three holes for attaching the balancer, simulating a dorsal fin.

The play of the LJ Mebaru balancers depends on which of the 3 holes the balancer is attached to. The widest amplitude of play is achieved by attaching to the middle hole, the most aggressive - to the front, and the calmest - to the tail hole.

Mebaru balancers are famous for their ability to catch any predatory fish well. Perch, pike and zander like them. The fisherman just needs to choose the right weight and size of the bait, as well as find the game. The most versatile is a balancer weighing 12 g, 57 mm in length.

This balancer, unlike the classics, is calmer and more methodical. And due to the large size of the bait, the speed of its dive into the water decreases, and turns also occur more slowly. But this does not affect the performance in any way; most fishermen know that in the cold season the predator becomes less active, and it is precisely the methodical play of the bait that will make it move.

The balancers of the 2014 Mebaru model range have several differences from the already familiar balancers of other series. Firstly, the body of the balancer has become wider and less flexible. Secondly, the bait is completely (including the tail) cast from frost-resistant plastic. A colored film is tightly glued to the casting, which forms the main color. This design is initially more durable compared to models with a glued tail. This means that there will be much less tail loss.

The third characteristic feature of Lucky John Mebaru is the absence of the usual single hooks. And if the single bow hook is simply missing, then instead of the tail hook there is a fastener for the second tee. According to the developers, this design will protect the balancer from being caught by the single hook on the edge of the hole. Another difference was the appearance of three fishing line attachment points on the back of the balancer.

A special feature of the Lucky John Mebaru balancers is the color range of the baits. The developers deliberately tried to avoid natural color options for the body of the balancer. Many coloring pages have become fantasy. How successful this approach will be can only be judged after a season or two of active fishing. A game

Game of Lucky John Mebaru balancers depending on the mount

1. Attaching the balancer to the front hole. In this case, the position of the balancer is close to the classic one. The nose is slightly raised; when thrown, the balance bar sharply moves to the side and up, then turns around and returns to its original position.

2. Attaching the bait to the central hole. The nose of the balancer is slightly lowered, the radius of movement is reduced. After reaching the top point, the balancer first plunges, then turns around and returns to its original position.

3. When attaching the balancer to the rear hole, the center of gravity shifts forward, the nose of the bait in a stationary position is directed downward, and when thrown, the balancer practically does not leave the central axis, but sharply dives down with a turn at the end of the movement. Thus, the radius of the game is sharply reduced, and the wiring takes on the purely individual features of a “dive bomber”. How well such a game attracts a predator was to be determined in a reservoir.

Read other articles, reviews and testimonials:

Types of winter spinner retrieves. Tactics for catching perch in winter using lures
What hooks are best to put on the girders? Features of fishing with doubles and trebles
Review of winter fishing rods Salmo Ice Sudak. Reviews from fishermen about winter fishing rods Salmo Ice Sudak
Catching perch with a reelless bait. How to catch perch without bloodworms in winter fishing?
Review of the Grifon ant jig. Real review about the jig

Tackle

To catch this predator, you need to select the appropriate not only bait, but also a rod, reel, fishing line, etc.

The rod must be elastic so that you can make a quick and powerful hook when the fish bites. It is important to remember that the pike perch's jaw is quite rough, so the hook must be appropriate.

A soft nod on the rod will not work. Firstly, you won't be able to hook a predator. Secondly, it will negatively affect the performance of the bait.

The fishing line should not be too thin; the optimal diameter is 0.25 mm. A leash, like for a pike, is not needed here, because the pike perch will not be able to bite the fishing line, but the leash itself can scare away the fish. Of course, there must be a supply of fishing line, because fishing for this predator is mainly carried out at depths.

Pay attention to the hook, it must be sharp , if it suddenly becomes dull, replace it as soon as possible. This is explained by the fact that the effectiveness of hooking and the number of fish landings depend on the sharpness of the hook.

Technique for catching pike perch on a balance beam

You can choose the perfect balancer and find a good place for fishing. But to be successful, it is important to be able to fish correctly with a balance beam. The technique of fishing with it is not much different from perch:

First lower the balancer to the bottom.
Then we raise it by 10-15 cm.
Briefly twitch the rod.
If the bottom is silted, then you can raise turbidity fountains by slightly tapping the bottom with a balancer.

Important: when fishing from the bottom, try not to be too sharp and fast; fish don’t particularly like sharp eights, because This will scare away the fish rather than attract them. If the pike perch does not bite at the bottom, then you can raise the balancer higher, because It can also be caught in the middle layers of water.

It is worth noting that on the last ice the pike perch rises closer to the surface, so do not lower the balancer too deeply at this time.

How to choose the right Mebaru balancer

The principle of choosing a balancer differs little from the features of selecting other baits.

Color

The assortment includes a variety of colors of Mebaru balancers, all of which have the right to exist.

We will describe only the general selection rules, taking into account the characteristics of fishing:

after the water clears, it is better to use soft colors on a cautious predator: silver, blue and various dark colors;
In muddy or dark water, it is better to use bright colors to improve the visibility of the bait in the water column. The range includes pink, yellow and red colors;
Often, catchy colors are colors that resemble natural prey in a body of water.

Dimensions

Regarding the size of the bait, everything is individual, depending on the fishing method, the type of fish and the size of the expected prey.

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How to choose:

37 mm. The bait effectively catches medium-sized perch and small pike-perch;
47 and 57 mm. Used for catching large and trophy perch, medium-sized pike perch and pike;
67 mm. It is advisable to install a balancer if there are large predators in the reservoir;
77 mm is a tool for catching trophy pike and pike perch.

The size of the bait depends on the fishing method.

Fishing

It is worth noting that in winter, when fishing, pike perch behave more calmly and less active than in the warm season. Therefore, fishing it out through the hole is not so difficult. It is important to hook it in time and not miss the bite, but for this, choose a sensitive rod.

To summarize, I would like to note some recommendations that will make catching pike perch easier:

Think in advance about fishing spots where pike perch are likely to be found.
Take several types of balancers with you. Determining exactly which balancer will attract pike perch is quite difficult, almost impossible. Everything is determined in practice.
Pike perch are more active at night, during the day and in the evening.
Follow all safety rules.
If you are fishing with a balancer for the first time, it is better to practice with it at home in the bathroom. This way you can understand his game, determine exactly when to pause, etc.