Fishing on ice. Fishing on the first ice. Tackle with jig and nod

First ice - for every winter road fisherman, this phrase evokes trepidation and an unquenchable desire to definitely get out onto the pond. Winter fishing on first ice is perhaps the most fertile time during the entire winter season. Only on certain spring days is the bite so active, but only at the beginning of winter is it relatively stable, almost regardless of weather and other conditions. However, not every fish starts to catch, not everywhere and not immediately.

In central Russia, perch adapts to the under-ice environment the fastest; This is where, as a rule, winter jig fishing begins. Considering that the first ice is extremely unreliable, first they fish small shallow reservoirs, ponds and quarries, where the ice rises and gets stronger at the very beginning, then they move to the coastal zones of reservoirs, large lakes and rivers, and only then, with increasing cover, when the ice reaches a thickness of 8 - 10 cm, they begin widespread fishing.

The influence of noise when fishing for perch in winter

Perch is less timid than other fish, it allows you to get close even in shallow water that is covered with thin transparent ice, it is almost not afraid of noise, and in some cases it is even attracted by the blows of an ice pick or the rather unpleasant sound of an ice drill, especially a titanium one. But everything, of course, in moderation: if you make a sieve out of an initially catchy area, the perch will soon leave it anyway and not return until the end of the day, no matter how comfortable it is there.

If you drill too much into a perch fishing area, it will probably leave this place for a calmer one!!!

Perch, like any other predator, gravitates to places where the bottom topography changes, changes in depth, the presence of hummocks, snag cliffs, washouts, and at the beginning of winter - also to the remains of vegetation (later, as it rots, it leaves the thickets until spring) .

Choosing a bait for perch: reelless or jig with a nozzle?

It is fishing for perch on the first ice that best helps to hone your fishing technique, check the suitability of gear, select the optimal jig in shape, size and color, and find catchable jigs that are most suitable for a given reservoir. In principle, if we consider a jig as a means of delivering bait to the fishing point, its shape does not matter much; the classic drop and ball are quite sufficient. You just need to remember that the “drop”, like the “ovinka”, adds additional attractiveness to the bait complete with a nozzle, but the “ball” is the only one of all forms that has an undeniable advantage in hookiness due to the maximum reach of the hook, all other things being equal.

If at some period of fishing the bite becomes so intense that the fish instantly grabs the jig that has just been delivered to the fishing zone (and this often happens when fishing when going out on the first ice, hence the expression “Bite on every retrieve”), then the use of a “ball” “In this situation, I consider it the most effective: the number of escapes and empty bites will be reduced to a minimum. Also, the use of a small, 1.5-2.5 mm in diameter, “ball” paired with a minimum-sized attachment, for example, a feed bloodworm, can be very useful in case of a sudden complete cessation of biting and in the dead of winter.

The use of a ball-shaped jig is especially effective during a “mad” perch bite: the number of trips is minimal

Size of jigs for catching perch on the first ice

But when the perch is active, reducing the bait and the size of the jig can produce a completely different effect than the angler is counting on: the fish will be more likely to be interested in something substantial. Natural instinct tells the striped predator that it will better prepare for a hard, long winter by swallowing a larger piece and, preferably, more often. Therefore, during the first ice, a fisherman should not bother using ultra-small nozzle-less jigs complete with ultra-thin fishing line and, as a result, a particularly sensitive guard; all this, of course, will be needed, but much later.

When fishing for perch on the first ice, the angler is warned: do not use tiny jigs on thin fishing line, as perch at the beginning of winter is more likely to grab a larger bait!!!

And to start the winter fishing season at depths of up to three meters, it is enough to limit yourself to tungsten jigs, including reelless jigs, with a diameter of 3-3.5 mm and a fishing line of 0.10-0.12 mm - of course, with the exception of those reservoirs where the thread is such thickness does not correspond to the size of the fish being caught, and it is necessary to increase its thickness to reasonable limits. But even in this case, a tungsten jig of the sizes indicated above will sink any equipment in a minimum time, that is, it will deliver the bait to the fishing point faster than others (lead, tin, etc.), and this is its undeniable (but not the only) advantage. When I mention jigs in the future, I will only mean those made of pure tungsten, the worldwide experience of using which over the past decades allows us to award them unconditional primacy in terms of price-quality ratio. Such a coherent game, transmitted from nod to jig from any other available material, is almost impossible to achieve; This is basically why catches with tungsten are always higher.

Color of jig for perch

When choosing the color of a jig, I adhere to the rule of opposition:

cloudy day - bright colors (polished copper, silver)
sunny weather - matte, gray or blackened

Fish distinguish individual colors, but not always and not everywhere. There is an opinion that at a depth of more than 5-7 m, especially when the reservoir is covered with ice, even in the clearest water, all foreign objects are perceived by the eyes of fish in the same way. I cannot agree with this, based on my experience of spinning fishing at great depths with jig tackle. Why does a predator react more often to vibrating tails of certain colors and completely or partially ignore others? Why is it that when replacing a twister with one that is absolutely identical in size and quality (of the same series, of the same brand), but of a different color, the number of bites (and quality) can change, sometimes dramatically? This is worth thinking about.

Moreover, it is necessary to pay great attention to the selection of the colors of your jigs (especially for reelless jigs) when fishing in the shallows on first ice, when the water is already as clear as possible and at the same time is not yet heavily darkened by the ice and snow layer. It has long been noticed that perch (and not only perch) are attracted to red jigs. It is unclear who they resemble; in the underwater world, such colors are extremely rare, except on the fins and eyes of some species of fish. Of course, you can in no way ignore other colors - attractive silver, inconspicuous gray, matte black, etc., but copper-colored jigs are the most “flyless” when catching perch. In other words, having only copper-plated tungsten jigs in your arsenal, you can always count on luck (which cannot be said about other colors): they are the most versatile when catching perch, this is my firm belief.

To catch perch on the first ice in shallow water, try to choose red or copper-plated jigs - increase the number of bites

Small tricks

A good effect is achieved by replanting burdock moth (Chernobyl) larvae, as well as replanting a certain set of cambrics (beads), usually contrasting with the body color of the jig, on the reelless jig, for example: white with yellow, yellow with black, green with orange, and so on. But all this “illumination” is purely individual for each body of water, time and fishing conditions, style and skills of the fisherman. I repeat, no matter how much we experiment with shapes, colors, baits and other things, the majority still traditionally fish with medium-sized jigs using bloodworms or without bait - and this is correct, since it has been proven by a fairly long history of ice fishing. And at the same time, everything flows, everything changes...

Mikhail RAZORENOV.

Winter fishing for perch on the first ice in the video:

A huge number of winter fishing enthusiasts are looking forward to the first ice. On the one hand, during the open water season they manage to miss ice fishing, and on the other hand, the first ice is a fertile time for interesting and productive fishing. Catches on the first ice can be very good, because the fish feeds very actively at this time.

But in order to achieve these excellent catches, you need to understand the peculiarities of fishing at this time. Let's look at what, where and how to fish on first ice, and let's start with the most important thing - safety precautions.

Safety precautions on the first ice

If falling through the ice in shallow water, when a fisherman goes into the water up to his waist or even his chest, is an unpleasant incident that, in the worst case, threatens with a serious cold and inflammation of the internal organs, then the same situation that happened at great depths, can be deadly. As you know, the first and last ice are especially fragile.

Minimum safe ice thickness is:

7 cm – for one person;
14 cm – for several fishermen walking on the ice in a group;
25 cm – for going onto the ice by transport.

To be safe on the first ice, you must follow a few simple rules:

If possible, do not go fishing alone - always It's better to have a friend nearby who can help you get out of the water or provide other necessary assistance;
do not go out on the ice without “rescue bags” - special devices that will allow get out of the hole on one's own;
walk on the first ice slowly and smoothly, almost without lifting your feet from it;
if the ice cover is still fragile, constantly check it: the ice that withstood the blow of its tip will also withstand your weight;
if you hear the cracking of ice, lie down on your stomach and crawl to a safe area - back where you came from;
do not drink alcohol while fishing: If you drink, you will significantly increase the risk that you will not be able to correctly assess the situation and your coordination will deteriorate.

Features of ice fishing on the river and pond

On ponds, as a rule, fishing period on first ice very fleeting and does not exceed two to three days. After this, the bite subsides. And it's quite easy to miss these few days.

If the period of active biting on the first ice on a small enclosed reservoir was still missed, you should not be upset - it is better to go to a reservoir or river. On these reservoirs zhor lasts much longer, and it’s easier to get there.

But it is worth considering that fishing on the river is more dangerous, since the ice cover here is very heterogeneous. In certain areas (where the current is faster, as well as at points where eddies form in the surface layer of water), the ice is thinner. Visually identifying such a place can be difficult. Moreover, in case of failure the current can pull the fisherman under the ice, and in such a situation there are not so many chances to escape.

What gear is best for fishing on the first ice?

On the first ice you can fish with, microjig, as well as with float gear and.

If you hit the first ice during the good bite period, then everything is simple, and there are no special requirements for gear. They just need to allow you to fish comfortably with the baits you use. The line should be as thin as possible, but at the same time strong enough to allow you to confidently handle the trophies that come your way.

It’s another matter if the fish are inactive and the bite is bad. In this case, it makes sense to “minimize” the equipment as much as possible, using the so-called sports equipment: Place a microscopic jig on the thinnest fishing line. The same principle will work when fishing with a float.

If you hunt for predators with spoons and balancers, it’s worth having in your arsenal baits of various sizes: It is the size, and not the color of the balancer or spoon, that is decisive when fishing on the first ice.

How to choose a place for fishing in the first ice?

If ice has formed only along the banks, the highest concentration of fish is usually observed in open areas where the water is warmer, and at the boundary of ice and open water. Since it is dangerous to approach such edges - the ice cover may not withstand - you still have to fish near the shore. There is usually a lot of food there, so there should be fish there too.

For a situation where a body of water is already completely covered with ice and you can reach any point, it is quite difficult to give general recommendations. As usual, more large fish usually stay at depth, while near the shore it is mainly small fish that feed, and promising points are areas with uneven bottoms, snags and thickets of aquatic vegetation.

In order to find fish on a specific day on a specific body of water, you need to look at other anglers and look for flocks of potential trophies, actively moving along the ice and drilling hole after hole. Will provide invaluable help here good echo sounder, which will save a lot of time and significantly increase catches.

When choosing a place for fishing on the first ice, you should avoid dangerous areas, where the ice is usually thinnest. First of all, these include:

riparian areas near stream mouths;
areas with protruding vegetation;
places on rivers where the current is faster, as well as those areas where eddies form on its surface during the open water season.

It is also worth considering that It’s safer to fish in shallow water at the very beginning of winter: as noted above, going into waist-deep or even chest-deep water is unpleasant, but not fatal. Although the most promising points, of course, are usually located at more substantial depths.

By being careful on the ice, you will protect yourself from troubles, and a day spent on the pond will leave extremely pleasant emotions, remembered only by the many trophies caught.

As a visual reinforcement of the presented material, we invite you to watch a video that describes in detail the important aspects of fishing on the first ice and gives useful tips to anglers:

Do you like fishing on the first ice? Share your interesting stories and tips in the comments. What kind of fish and what baits do you catch on the first ice?

First ice(Also: first ice, first ice) becomes a long-awaited and joyful event for many fishermen. The start of ice fishing is preceded by a long and painstaking preparation of gear, equipment and additional accessories.

Winter fishing has its own interesting and exciting moments. All the gear is close in front of your eyes, every touch of the fish is transmitted to the bite alarm. But for fishing to be successful, a special approach to preparing clothes, gear, and special accessories is required.

Preparation and Safety

The first ice, along with joy and good mood, also brings hidden danger to life and health to fishermen. No fish is worth the risk of falling through the ice. And if this happens at a depth of 1-1.5 m, then the person may get away with a cold. But if the ice does not hold up at a depth of more than 2 m or on a river with a current, then the fisherman’s life will be in the balance. And here a lot will depend on the efficiency of the person who failed, the availability of special devices, as well as on quick help from fellow hobbyists.

The main point when winter fishing on first ice is compliance with basic safety rules.

You can plan fishing when the ice thickness is at least 7-10 cm. Even an ice shell of less thickness can withstand the weight of an adult, but on a reservoir, and especially on a river, the ice is not uniform.
Fisherman's clothing should be light and comfortable. Then you will be able to group and avoid falling into the water.
Every ice fishing enthusiast needs to have special devices in order to cling to the edge of the ice cover. These are ordinary awl-like tools with handles that are tied to a long rope. The device is passed through the sleeves of outerwear.
To reach the first ice, it is preferable to take an ice pick rather than an ice screw. An ice pick is a large chisel attached to a long handle. With this tool you can test the strength of ice while moving through dangerous areas of the reservoir.
It’s better to go to the first ice with a friend to protect each other.

Gear for fishing on the first ice and expected catch

Ice fishing requires completely different gear than open water fishing. Typically, fishermen use several types of fishing rods, which are selected depending on the type of intended catch.

Float fishing rod

Winter float tackle most often consists of an ordinary filly fishing rod and float equipment

This classic ice fishing tackle is used to catch fish species such as:

roach;
gudgeon;
silver bream;
perch.

The tackle is compact and convenient; it fits in a drawer or pocket. The float rod includes:

rod;
fishing line;
jig or hook.

Fishing is carried out using natural baits. The most popular of them in winter fishing is the bloodworm. One or more larvae are attached to the jig hook. The bait sinks to the bottom, and the bite is determined by the float floating in the hole. The hook is performed by moving the hand. This is important, since the fishing line used on such a fishing rod is thin, 0.08-0.12 mm. The supply of fishing line is stored on a simple inertial reel with a small drum or on the handle of a fishing rod, which is made in the form of a reel.

Tackle with jig and nod

Fishing rods for jig fishing have a miniature size and a sensitive nod

This fishing rod is in many ways similar to float tackle. The main difference is the use of a nod instead of a float. However, the nod is needed not only to determine the bite, but also to give the jig an attractive game.

With such a fishing rod, anglers hunt for:

perch;
roach;
white bream;
bleak;
silver bream.

For fishing, you can use either a jig with a nozzle or a reelless one. When using a baitless jig, the intensity of the bite will depend on the performance of the artificial bait. To perform a retrieve that is attractive to fish, it is necessary to develop uniform movements with the same amplitude. This monotonous rhythm is most often liked by fish. A bite is determined by a failure in the movement of the nod.

Sheer trolling rod

Winter fishing rod (tackle) for vertical trolling and fishing on a balance beam

A trolling rod is used to catch predatory fish from the ice. It differs from jig tackle in a more powerful and longer rod, thick fishing line and the presence of a spinner. In winter they catch with this kind of tackle:

perch;
pike;
pike perch;
lenka;
trout.

Vertical spoons and balancers are used as artificial bait. The larger the bait, the greater the likelihood of catching a large predator.

When trolling vertically, the angler makes sharp swings of his hand, throwing the lure up. After this there is a pause, and then the cycle repeats. When working monotonously with tackle, you should not relax. A blow from a predator often rips the fishing rod out of your hand.

You can determine the moment of a bite by nodding or a piece of nipple rubber placed on the tip of the rod. It is advisable to have a reel in such a fishing rod so that when hooking a large predator you can quickly give up part of the fishing line.

Winter girders

You can catch a predator in winter using girders. In winter, this type of gear is most often used to catch:

pike;
pike perch;
perch;
burbot;
trout.

There are many varieties of girders, the principle of operation is similar for all.

A 0.2-0.4 mm fishing line is wound onto a reel or reel, a sinker and a hook are attached.
The tackle is placed motionless on the ice, the live bait is placed on a hook and lowered into the water.
A bite alarm in the form of a spring and a flag holds the bait in the charged position.
When a predator bites, the spring straightens, signaling the angler to “work.”
The fisherman only needs to successfully land the fish on the ice.

The number of girders that can be installed at the same time is limited by the rules of amateur fishing. Depending on the region, this can be 5-10 zherlits.

Read also about fishing with mugs - this is another type of girder, but which is used more often on water, however, even in the winter season, the idea of gear itself is very effective for pike.
A guide to choosing a fish finder for ice fishing - how many beams are needed, depth of action, screen type and many other aspects of choice.

On the first ice should you go to the pond or to the river?

First of all, the ponds are covered with ice of 5-10 cm, which confidently holds a person, and only then the rivers

Ice fishing can be successful both on still bodies of water and on rivers. The difference lies in the methods of fishing and equipment of fishing rods.

In the pond fish are evenly distributed throughout the water area. It can be caught under the shore, in the reeds, and in the depths. Since there is no current (or it is weak), the weight of jigs, sinkers and hooks is selected to a minimum. The tackle turns out to be elegant and sensitive. Fishing is possible at any time of winter, but the largest catches are on the first ice.

Fishing on the river contains several difficult aspects.

As soon as sludge begins to actively float along the river, the fisherman should visit oxbow lakes and bays. This is where almost all types of fish flock. Active fishing continues until the river bed is completely covered in ice.
After this the situation changes. Some representatives of the ichthyofauna return to the river, where they can be caught with different gear. Unlike lake fishing rods, river fishing gear looks more powerful and rougher.
To resist the current, anglers have to use heavy jigs, sinkers, use stronger fishing line, etc. On some fast rivers, fishing can be short-lived, especially during warm winters.

Finding a fishing spot by first ice

Very often fish can be found exactly in those places where they were caught on a float or spinning rod from the shore in the water

An important point when fishing on the first ice is the correct choice of place. The fact is that after the ice cover is established, the fish get sick for some time. This is another compelling argument in favor of the later appearance of fishermen on the ice. Schools of fish occupy areas of the reservoir with favorable temperature and oxygen parameters of the water. The movements of fish in winter are quite slow and short. She saves the supply of nutrients accumulated in the fall and tries to feed near the chosen site.

Having found places where winter fish accumulate, you can hope for an excellent catch.

A week after freeze-up, acclimatization of underwater inhabitants occurs. At this time, there is an active bite of hungry perches, pikes and roaches.

The best places for fishing in early winter are:

thickets of reeds and reeds;
holes near the coastline;
depth changes;
shoal islands surrounded by deep areas;
ditches and creeks;
stuck areas.

When searching for a promising fishing spot, anglers usually make up to 10 holes in one direction. Moving with a fishing rod from hole to hole, not only the presence of fish is determined, but also the bottom topography.

— a hit parade of the most catchy lures and a guide to fishing techniques.
Perch with a jig - fishing technique, correct tackle and finding a fishing spot.
Winter pike with spoons - which spoons are catchy at the beginning of winter, and which ones in the dead of winter, we correctly find and catch the predator.

The first ice becomes an interesting and productive time when you can get an excellent fish bite. You just need to remember about safety precautions on thin ice, and also remember to release small and excess fish back into the reservoir. Then you will be able to enjoy excellent fishing at the beginning of winter more than once.

With the onset of winter, all anglers are in a hurry to open the winter fishing season. And, of course, the main object of winter fishing is perch. Catching perch on the first ice is interesting because this fish practically does not lose activity, despite the sharp drop in temperature, which allows an angler who misses winter fishing to “have a blast” 100%.

In this article we will analyze the most important points regarding catching perch at the beginning of winter: we will find out where to look for it, what gear and bait is best to catch, what time to go fishing and other subtleties.

I want to warn novice fishermen that going out on the first ice is quite dangerous and you should always be very careful and use an ice pick when moving on the ice surface. At the beginning of winter, the ice can be deceptive and in places where springs flow or other sources of warmer temperatures exist, the ice there can be much thinner than throughout the entire body of water. I recommend that you read the article “” and remember some useful points.

Where to catch perch on the first ice

A very important point when catching perch on the first ice is determining its location. And on the first ice you should look for perch throughout the day, move around the reservoir in search of schools of striped predator. After all, perch, when the first ice covers the reservoirs, begins to actively move in search of food, without staying long in one place.

Most often, you should look for perch bites where there are presumably a lot of small fish. As you know, small fish roll into pits for the winter and spend the whole winter there, but during the first ice and during periods of thaw, they can be in shallow waters, and perch also goes there.

It often happens that on frosty days, with stable weather and no thaws, perch begins to be caught in the coastal zone in shallow water. It is difficult to explain this, guided by the fact that its food, small fish, must now be somewhere in the pits. But perhaps another factor plays a role here - in reservoirs with an abundance of perch, peaceful fish may not hibernate at all and remain awake throughout the winter so as not to become easy prey for this striped predator.

On the first ice, perch breaks up into small schools, usually around 10 individuals each, and moves around the reservoir in search of food. Therefore, fishing for perch on the first ice consists of finding such a school of perch and catching the maximum fish from it.

To quickly find perch on the first ice, you need to drill holes in a checkerboard pattern, at a distance of 5-10 meters from each other. It is better to start from the shore and gradually move deeper into the river or reservoir. If the reservoir is large, then start looking nearby for other anglers, because they have probably already roughly identified the areas where perch is currently taking better.

Drill not one hole at a time, but a dozen at once, and then fish each of them for no more than 5 minutes, trying different lures and baits. If there are no bites during this time, move on to the next hole. And so you continue the search until the bites begin. If a perch begins to bite in one of the holes, you need to make several more holes in a circle around it at a distance of about 3 meters, this way you can fish the successful place more extensively.

If you find a school of perch, it is very important, after biting and catching the fish, to return the bait to the hole as quickly as possible. A perch is able to stay in one place only if something attracts its attention. If you hesitate and do not return the bait to the hole where there was a school of perch for a long time, then this school will quickly dissolve and you will have to look for it again.

As soon as the bite ends, don’t waste time, the perch has left and is unlikely to return here, and perhaps you have caught the entire school. Start immediately drilling new holes and looking for schools of perch again. This is the only way you can achieve a good catch and catch the maximum number of stripers.

It is still worth noting that even in winter, perch prefers to hide in snags, flooded trees, reeds, near sharp depressions, and in the entrances to bays.

During this period, palm-sized perch remains near the coastline, not far from the reed thickets. There are still a lot of fry here, which the perch feed on. In such places, perch can even form cauldrons, just like. Small perch usually leave shallow water when the ice thickness exceeds 20 cm.

Large perch stay in deep holes and exits from them in the first ice. But since many fry remain closer to the shore, and everyone wants to eat, including large perch, they also go out to hunt in shallow water areas. This almost always happens in the morning, before sunrise, or in the evening twilight. After the sun has risen, it rushes to its safe places - closer to the pits.

Large bass are often caught after sunset or even when it is already completely dark outside. Contrary to the established belief that perch stops biting at sunset, catching large perch in the dark is not uncommon.

When to catch perch on the first ice

Perch is less susceptible to changes in weather and temperature, but, nevertheless, it still needs some time to adapt to new conditions. Therefore, the first week after freeze-up, the perch may not bite. Over the next 3 weeks, its bite becomes active and most often it is during this period that you can most successfully catch perch on the first ice. Gradually, the bite of the striper will be pacified until it reaches a certain stability, but this bite will already be noticeably weaker than in the first 2-3 weeks of fishing.

The bite of perch on the first ice has a great influence, and more specifically, lighting. Small and medium-sized perch use their vision when hunting. And since he uses precisely this sense, it is logical to assume that he needs to see the prey clearly. Therefore, the perch bite noticeably improves on clear winter days and worsens in cloudy weather.

The behavior of large perch is also similar, except that humpbacks prefer to spend most of their time in holes. Nevertheless, one way or another, large perch have to get to the coastline, because that’s where they can find the most prey, including their smaller counterparts.

Large perch usually come out into shallow water before sunrise, and even more often at sunset. It is also worth noting that large perch rely on the lateral line when hunting, which means that lighting is not as important for them as for small and medium-sized perch. That is why large perch can be successfully caught at dusk, and even late at night, although many are sure that perch stops being caught after sunset.

However, in the dark, the first ice is a frequent occurrence. It is also worth considering that it is very profitable for perch to hunt at this time, because all its prey, small fish, is in a sleepy state and is not at all ready to chase.

So we found out that you can catch perch on the first ice from morning to evening, and it’s best in clear weather. The only exception is large perch, which can be active even at night and in cloudy weather.

Lures and lures for catching perch on the first ice

You can catch perch on the first ice on, or. In any case, with the correct selection of the color and size of the bait, fishing will be successful, but larger individuals will still be caught with a spoon or balancer.

It is worth remembering that the activity of perch on the first ice is still quite good, which means that the resistance of the fish when playing will not be weak. Therefore, you should not use too thin tackle, use a line with a diameter of about 0.15 mm, this will allow you to feel more comfortable when fishing and not worry about the fish breaking the line and getting away. Also, when landing a perch, try not to let the fish rub the line on the edge of the hole; keep it in the center so that it does not touch the edge of the ice.

Balancers and spinners for perch on the first ice, and in any other period of winter, are used small ones - 30-40 mm. Each balancer or spoon has its own unique game and this can be the decisive factor in catching striper whales. As for color, spinners in red, yellow or silver work well.

As soon as the air temperature drops below minus 10-15 degrees, this will become a key signal for anglers and a reason to get together for their favorite pastime - catching perch on the first ice. It is during this period that the activity of the striped predator becomes phenomenal, because it greedily rushes at any prey, trying to replenish its fat reserves before a long and hungry winter.

Features of fishing on first ice

With the arrival of winter, most summer fishermen leave the reservoirs with sadness in their hearts and go on so-called vacations, which will end only in the spring. But the bravest and bravest adventurers cannot give up what they love, knowing that in the beginning of the winter season there are good chances to get a real trophy from the depths of the water.

Winter fishing is a great way to have a great free time, recharged with new emotions and excitement. With the right approach and taking into account the key subtleties of fish behavior in winter, you can arrange an unforgettable pastime with trophy results.

But if you are new to this field and have never fished from ice before, do not forget about your own safety measures. At the beginning of December there may be ice very thin, so you need to go out on it with extreme caution. Particular attention is paid to places where underwater springs flow or any other sources of increased temperature are present - the ice there is much thinner than in the rest of the zone.

To avoid trouble, you should adhere to the following precautions:

Suitable gear for a predator

Winter perch is a hungry and active predator that greedily pounces on any suggested baits, either it is a whitebait, or invertebrates living in the water column. Accordingly, they catch it in various ways and gear:

Some people prefer fishing with a balance beam.
Some people are attracted to fishing with a reelless bait.
Others use catchable jigs.

Besides this, the predator manages to catch and on a zherlitsa, but in most cases, pike and pike perch are caught with this gear.

Given the compact size of a winter fishing rod, experienced anglers load their backpacks with a variety of different gear to open up the opportunity to experiment with baits in real conditions.

It’s no secret that the best lures for catching perch on the first ice are balancers and spoons. First option demonstrates good results when luring “minke whale” to the fishing site, especially if fishing is carried out at great depths, up to several meters. In the process of examining the water column, the fish is carefully pulled to the hole, and then a suitable spoon is thrown there.

Regardless of the type of bait, it should not be too large. The optimal length is no more than 4-5 centimeters. As for leashes, they are not needed for winter perch fishing. Even if there is a chance of catching a small pike, it is unlikely that it will bite through fluorocarbon fishing line with a cross-section of 0.16-0.25 millimeters.

Braid is not suitable for this method of fishing. This is due to their large windage and constant hooking on the edges of the hole, which negatively affects the mobility of the bait.

Whether to use a nod for winter fishing or not is up to you to decide, based on personal experience or advice from anglers. Experienced experts say that a nod is necessary, but it must be made of a material that does not give additional vibrations after the bait is immersed in water.

Such an element will play the role of a bite alarm, and will also soften the predator’s strikes, which will prevent tearing of its delicate lips.

When fishing on the first ice, you have to hold the tackle in your hands for a long time. To avoid frostbite on your hands, it is better to choose a good fishing rod with a heat-resistant cork or foam handle in advance.

Technique for using a rewinder

Despite the particular effectiveness of spinners and balancers, in certain circumstances they become useless and do not attract a predator at all. You can solve the situation with the help of a special jig - a reelless jig.

This name is given to any small bait that can work without a bait. Among them:

Goat.
Devil.
Ghanduras.
An ordinary jig.
Balda.

In order for fishing with a reelless fish to be as successful as possible, it is necessary to properly bait, choose appropriate colors, as well as additional decorating accessories, such as beads or threads of different shades.

When using this method, it is necessary to use smaller tackle than for a spinner. It also needs to be equipped with a sensitive nod that can bend under the influence of artificial bait by 30-45 degrees. As for the optimal diameter of the fishing line, it is determined by the strength and weight of the reel. It is best to use models with a cross section of 0.1-0.16 mm.

The game of the mothless can be very diverse. The main thing is that it creates a high-quality imitation of the natural movements of living prey.

It is important to pay attention to an interesting fact: in winter, not only perch, but also roach, bream, ruffe and dace are caught with a reelless bait.

As for the current wiring methods, among them are the following:

You can try to slowly raise the rewinder to a height of 50 centimeters from the bottom, and then plunge it back at the same speed.
To improve the attractiveness of the game, you should rock it slightly when raising and lowering it.
To effectively examine all layers of water, it is necessary to apply a lift with a slight rocking of the product 15 centimeters from the bottom and a slow lowering of 10 cm.

If you combine different wiring, and also conduct experiments on choosing the appropriate wiring and bait, then you will be able to choose an excellent game that can arouse unusual interest in the predator and provoke it to bite. The main thing is to know at what depth it is better to look for striped fish, because there is a high probability that after catching one individual, other representatives of the flock will be on the hook.

Under certain circumstances, fishing on the first ice becomes so effective that the fish reacts to almost every dive of the reelless fish into the water.

Using a jig with an attachment

If you compare catching perch with a jig, it differs little from fishing with a reelless reel. In this case, the fishing rod is equipped in a similar way, but the hook is not left empty, but good bait is attached to it. Sometimes fishermen hang a small hook with a leash at a height of 10 centimeters from the jig. Then bait is put on it, and when playing in the water column this will increase the frequency of bites.

Various baits are used for ice fishing, but the most effective are mosquito larvae (raspberries, bloodworms), amphipod crustaceans (mormysh), worms, leeches, and live bait.

After water bodies are covered with thick ice, schools of perch do not go long distances from the shore, trying to find easily accessible prey among the thickets of reeds and vegetation that has not yet had time to lie to the bottom and rot. The activity of the predator remains at a high level until the end of December, until the strongest water bodies begin to flow. However, its duration is determined by the size of the reservoir, the intensity of the current and access to air. If all conditions are favorable, it means that the fish will bite very well and for a long time.

Promising places to find fish

After choosing the appropriate gear and bait, you need to figure out where to look for perch on the first ice. It is important to understand that if you had to catch stripers in this reservoir in the summer, and you know where the more or less catchable places are, then you can try to catch them from the ice. And although the underwater hunter prefers to constantly move, looking for good food, he often returns to his previous places.

Successful catching of perch in winter is possible only with a constant change of places. It is important to constantly drill new holes and move along the surface of the water in search of a predator. And if you take into account a few signs and recommendations from experienced fishermen, then perhaps you will be able to find a perch the first time. So, it is advisable to look for fish:

Near reed thickets at a depth of 1-2 meters.
Under the overhanging and frozen branches of thala and willow.
In places where there is snags, trees fallen into the water and other obstacles.
On dumps from shallow to deep.

When searching for promising areas for drilling holes, you need to start drilling from the shallows to depth, and then repeat everything in the opposite direction. It is known that at depths of 2.5-3 meters the fish are no longer afraid of noise, but in shallow water they return to the hole only 10-15 minutes after drilling.

To understand where the dump or bed of a flooded river is located, just look at the structure of the ice. It is known that it begins to freeze from shallow areas, gradually moving to deep ones. If a light wind blew at the beginning of the ice formation, the ice will be especially transparent, especially at depth.

Interesting fact: if shallow areas are covered with a layer of snow, then the probability of catching a perch there will be much higher, because the fish prefers shaded areas.

To increase the chances of successfully catching a striped fish, you can arrange natural shelters or spots for it from branches, trees with leaves and other similar objects. You can pour several buckets of sand, grass or other vegetation into the hole.

Feeding and landing a predator

We must not forget about bait compositions, on which the success of catching perch in winter may depend. If you feed the hole with good bait, the likelihood of a successful bite will increase significantly. Bloodworms or jigs are used as bait.

After catching a large trophy, do not rush to pull it onto the ice with all your might. It is important to take into account the strength of the fishing line, the sharpness and reliability of the hook, and the tackle in general. If the predator offers decent resistance, you need to let it go a little, holding the line with your fingers. After bringing a large specimen to the hole, it is lightly sprinkled with a layer of snow or covered with a hat or mitten. In this case, the predator will calmly swim up to the hole, without fear of danger. Large individuals are very aggressive, so it is better to get them out of the water using a hook. As for small representatives of the species, catching them is not at all difficult.

Experienced fishermen note a curious fact: large specimens are especially active after sunset, and sometimes in pitch darkness. And although it is generally accepted that the bite stops in the evening, this is not entirely true, because there have been many cases of catching real trophies in the late season. The main thing is to know how to attract a lazy minke whale in such conditions.

It is known that perch is less exposed to temperature changes than pike, pike perch and other inhabitants of the depths, but after sudden temperature changes, it is better to wait a few days and only then go to the reservoir. Based on this feature, it is not recommended to start fishing in the first seven days after freeze-up. After some time, the fish will begin to become active and will definitely respond to the bait.

Fishing for perch in winter can be a very interesting and productive activity. An active winter predator gives the angler unforgettable pleasure when fishing, but in order to interest him and provoke him to bite, it is important to know how to approach the fishing process in such an unfavorable time.