Catching rotan on the first ice. Tackle for catching rotan in winter

Catching rotan takes place in any season of the year. The omnivorous and greedy nature of this fish makes it attractive to both experienced anglers and beginners.

general information

Rotana (firebrand or tadpole) is considered a secretive inhabitant of the underwater world, preferring deaf grasses and snags to open space. He is a lazy hunter and does not like to persistently pursue his prey, and in case of leaving, he calmly returns to the very place where he was before.

In length, rotans can reach from fourteen to twenty-five centimeters. It depends on habitat conditions, but fish with record sizes are not very common. The life expectancy of rotans is up to seven years.

This representative of the firebrand family feeds all year round, without falling into hibernation. He is picky about food. Rotans are omnivorous, they consume not only vegetable, but also animal food, although for the most part they are still predators. Small specimens of these firebrands swarm at the bottom, looking for bloodworms and worms. And the larger ones go hunting for small fish, including their smaller counterparts.

Catching rotan in winter

On the baubles, he bites best. For fishing to be catchy, you need to conduct a constant and active search for prey. The hunter will need about a dozen rods with hard whips, and be sure to stand. As bait, small baubles, two to three centimeters long, are used. You need to put a worm, a bunch of bloodworms or maggots on the hook, as well as meat products: liver, lung, offal from recently caught fish.

One lure can be attached to one rod, two to the other. Small pellets are used as fixatives and at the same time weighting agents.

With an increase in ice thickness to about ten centimeters, this predatory fish gathers in schools that concentrate on watersheds where there is a lot of underwater vegetation. Only small specimens remain near the coastline. It is in the first ice that catching large rotan is especially successful. In the midst of cold weather, this fish hides in deep places.

Tackle

Suitable for all types of fishing rods. You can also fish with a float or a nod. Prey practically does not show resistance when playing. Therefore, catching rotan on the first ice may well be successful with the cheapest rod.

In general, such a “quiet hunt” has its own subtleties. Firstly, the fisherman has to make a large number of holes. Secondly, the catch of this fish mainly depends on the right gear.

An ideal option is a vertical winter lure. It gives strong vibrations when fishing, which attracts prey well. The firebrand does not react to small mormyshkas in any way.

Some lovers of "silent hunting" believe that catching rotan on the first ice is a simple matter. But to become the owner of a “harvest” of firebrands of several kilograms is no less difficult than, for example, to catch a bucket of perches.

The color and shape of the rig doesn't really matter. The lure for catching this fish is equipped with a soldered single hook, however, it is more suitable for large, trophy specimens. The fact is that the firebrand seizes the bait deeply, almost completely swallowing it. Often, at first, she simply “bites off” it and only then grabs it.

Catching rotan on the first ice involves the use of any fishing line with a diameter of 0.12 to 0.14 mm. When the fishing rods are fully equipped, the fishermen begin to drill holes at some distance from each other. The distance between them should be from three to six meters. Fishing rods are installed in each of the holes. Anglers periodically pass through them, playing in turn for each of them.

Lures

You can catch rattan on any bait. He bites well on both mormyshka and various spinners. The bait should be taken light and bright. It is to this that this predator reacts better.

Today, specialized stores sell mormyshkas that have a phosphoric surface and glow under water. There are no universal spinners with which rotan is caught on the first ice. Their color, shape and size are selected by experienced anglers empirically. In bait, the main thing is their game. The more active the baits play, the more noticeable they are for this predator.

fishing technique

The bait sinks to the bottom, and then slowly rises five centimeters. Then a pause is made for a few seconds, and the same thing is repeated.

A bite can be noticeable by trembling or by swaying a nod. The latter should be used for such fishing almost always, since in some cases it is simply impossible to feel the prey with your hand.

Do not forget about cuttings: you need to do them on time. In some cases, after a bite, they should be lightning fast, in others, a pause is required.

Winter fishing for rotan (on vents, fishing rods, etc.) is a very interesting and exciting pastime. But first, the angler needs to find the prey, then choose the right bait, learn how to strike correctly, etc., in order to return home, one might say, with a delicacy. After all, rotan does not have small bones, it is very easy to clean it, and when fried, it is much “sweeter” than carp.

On the bait

Of course, the firebrand as an object of fishing is not a very desirable prey. But the "quiet hunt" for her is very exciting in its own way. Proof of this is the increase in the number of her fans. Catching rotan with a bait can be carried out on the first ice with a variety of nozzles, but best of all - with an ordinary bloodworm.

A short rod with a nod of medium hardness and a thin line is equipped with an ordinary mormyshka-shot. The main thing is to find the parking spots for the firebrands. Usually the tactics this season are similar to the rest: they drill numerous holes - from shallow to deep, find a flock and start fishing.

When playing, this fish is often frightened and moves away from this hole for a while. Therefore, having caught two or three specimens, if there is no more bite, it is not worth waiting for it. It is better to go to neighboring holes and fish on them.

There are reservoirs where rotans are caught only in first ice, and then a little more until January. And then they seem to die out. But at the same time, in our country there are also such reservoirs that can delight fishermen with solid catches until the very last winter day.

In general, the first ice is a celebration of the beginning of winter fishing and the peak of the activity of this predatory prey.