Fishing on lakes: features and secrets

The most interesting things about fishing

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Probably every angler dreams of trying fishing on Lake Ladoga. This is the deepest, freshest European lake, into which about 40 medium and large rivers flow, as well as a countless number of springs and micro-rivers. Thanks to this, water and fish resources are constantly renewed. Only one river, the Neva, flows out of the Ladoga reservoir.

Fishing in Karelia offers not only beautiful scenery, but also a huge variety of freshwater fish. On the lake. Pike perch, perch, pike, trout, smelt and other representatives of ichthyofauna are caught. Most fish are of commercial value, but there are also species for which a complete catch limit has been introduced. Therefore, before going to the lake, you need to study the fishing rules.

Choosing a fishing location on Ladoga and time

In principle, you can fish anywhere from the shore. But to catch a trophy or a certain type of deep-seated inhabitants, it is better to use a boat. During the warm season, it is convenient to troll a predator from a boat and cast a feeder. In winter, the oxygen content in the water does not decrease, so you can safely go to the ice for your catch.

When you find yourself on a body of water for the first time, it is necessary to identify promising fishing spots. Here you can rely on your own experience or use the services of rangers or local guides. After all, local fishermen know the lake’s tricks and secret places best of all.

For example, it is best to look for pike perch, pike perch, ide, bluegill, ripus and bream in the southern part of the lake. Small inhabitants such as roach, vendace, perch, bream, and whitefish can be found in any part of the reservoir. Grayling, smelt, palia, and salmon live mainly in the north of Ladoga.

Do not forget that during spawning fish move along certain routes. Local fishermen study migration routes and fish certain areas every year.

For beginners, it is best to go to Novaya Ladoga. The village is located at the mouth of the Volkhov, so both river and lake inhabitants can be found in this part of the reservoir.

It is difficult to determine the best time for fishing, since fishing on the lake has no seasonality. Experienced fishermen will not be left without a catch in any weather conditions.

Tench

The features of the places where this fish is located are similar to those discussed above. True, tench is almost always caught from the bottom. More often, 200-600 gram fish are hooked.

Tench bite more actively and more consistently during prolonged anticyclones in the heat. Frequent weather changes negatively affect fishing results. In sunny weather, you should not rely on daytime fishing, since tench in this case feeds in the morning and evening hours. Tip: if you find a window among the vegetation, be sure to fish for it.

Tench are fed with porridge, cottage cheese, cakes, and fish feed.

Fishing tricks: As for bait, even inactive tench will not refuse a worm, maggot, which are recognized by experienced fishermen as the most convenient bait.

The presence of tench is indicated by numerous small bubbles.

Together with the tench, large crucian carp peck in pairs.

Influence of weather conditions

Fishing on Ladoga is highly dependent on weather conditions. There is complete calm only in June. The duration of calm weather is very short. When going fishing, you should take into account that most of the time there is rain and waves on the reservoir. Therefore, the equipment must correspond to the fishing conditions. The boat must have lifebuoys and life jackets.

In winter and autumn, the weather conditions on the lake are quite harsh. When going to a pond, you need to have warm, waterproof clothes and tents to protect you from wind, cold and rain. It is worth considering that in winter the water does not freeze to great depths. Therefore, you should follow all safety measures on ice while fishing.

What kind of fish is caught on Lake Ladoga

Lake Ladoga is home to more than 50 species of a wide variety of fish. Every fisherman can count on a rich catch. For successful fishing, it is important to know where and at what time to look for this or that fish.

Cold-loving fish such as trout, whitefish, smelt, salmon, and grayling prefer to stay in the depths. Usually a boat and spinning rods are used to catch them. Heat-loving inhabitants of the depths, such as carp, roach, bream, and ide, can be caught in the coastal zone in warm areas. River fish such as catfish and burbot sometimes enter the lake.

It is important to remember the ban on salmon and trout fishing. Local authorities closely monitor compliance with the law. Violation of the ban will result in a large fine. Therefore, all fish that fall under the ban should be released.

Pike

In addition to herbivorous fish, the beautiful pike is also found in Ladoga. Trophy specimens are quite rare and can grow up to 30 kg. The predator stays in the coastal zone.

You can find pike in thickets of last year's reeds, snags, driftwood and other places that are suitable for ambush hunting.

Zander

Experienced fishermen advise finding a flock of seagulls above the water. Birds hover over schools of fish and are an excellent landmark. When the pike perch rises to the surface, it is caught using wobblers and spinners. Usually such a bite happens several times a season. The best time for fishing is morning and evening in calm weather.

Perch

Good to catch in summer. Small and medium-sized specimens are usually taken on spinning gear, and trophy ones are caught by trolling. Just like pike perch, perch can be identified by the presence of seagulls above the water.

Salmon

The population of the species has declined greatly. The authorities passed a law on a year-round ban on salmon fishing. If such a fish is caught on a hook, it must be released immediately.

Catching illegal fish can result in a hefty fine.

Bream

It is better to look for this freshwater giant in the southern part of the lake. Typically, individuals from 1 to 2 kilograms are caught on the hook. But with a successful bite, you can count on trophy specimens up to 3 kg.

Roach

Herbivorous fish are widespread throughout the lake. During the warm season it lives near the coastline, and with the arrival of winter it goes deeper. It feeds on plants, insects and larvae. It is best to look for roaches in thickets of last year's grass, algae and other places where there is a lot of plant food.

Smelt

It has commercial significance and is a regional treasure. Unlike sea smelt, the Ladoga subspecies does not grow more than 10 cm. On the lake, fish are caught using a float rod or using a seine, a lift or a net.

In winter, smelt go deeper. It bites perfectly on jigs with pieces of fish meat, crustaceans or other bait of animal origin.

Whitefish

In the lake and tributaries you can find 7 subspecies of whitefish. The fish lives at great depths, so it is almost impossible to catch it from the shore. On Ladoga, you most often find pit whitefish.

vendace

A small fish that belongs to the whitefish genus. The maximum size is 15–20 cm. It prefers to live at depths where the bottom is covered with sand or clay. The diet is based on small crustaceans.

Trout

Fishing for trout in Lake Ladoga is prohibited. Therefore, if a trout is hooked, you must carefully remove the fish and release it into the pond.

Other Important Aspects

The behavior of lake fish directly depends on the type of shores, because in almost all open reservoirs they are heavily overgrown with low or tall grass, bushes and trees. Because of this, the angler finds himself in a limited space, which complicates the accurate and long-distance casting of gear, especially when working with a spinning or feeder fishing rod.

Regardless of size, all lakes are overgrown with vegetation. And a significant part of it is used by underwater inhabitants as a home or even a source of food . During the period of water blooms, the gills and stomach of the fish become clogged with small algae, which significantly impairs the functionality of the internal organs and even leads to the death of living organisms. When such a time comes, it is advisable to look for fish in areas with actively flowing underwater springs.

If there is no bloom of water in the reservoir, then it is better to look for fish among the thickets of aquatic vegetation, throwing tackle into clearings and windows. In such areas the following inhabitants of the depths bite well:

1. Tench.
2. Pike.
3. Bream.
4. Rudd.
5. Roach.
6. Ide.

Under the influence of the sun, the glades among the algae heat up very intensely, so the water is abundantly saturated with oxygen. As soon as twilight comes and the process of photosynthesis stops, the inhabitants of the depths leave these areas and go into open space.

At the same time, the type of aquatic thickets varies, which also affects the behavior of the fish. For example, if we are talking about hard underwater vegetation, then it is of interest to underwater inhabitants only in the first month of summer. If the algae is soft, then they swim up to it and feed almost all summer. Plants such as reeds and sedges, which often cover coastal areas, can create a characteristic noise when exposed to the wind, which is why fish are afraid of them and run away. It's useless to fish here.

Another very important factor for fishing on a lake is water temperature. In summer, water warms up very quickly in closed reservoirs, which creates a small layer of warm water at the surface of the water. At the same time, there is a noticeable difference in temperature and oxygen supply between it and the lower layer, so the fish begins to rapidly rise, looking for air and food.

Basic gear for fishing on Ladoga

The choice of gear directly depends on the fishing conditions, the type of fish and the skills of the fisherman. Most fishermen prefer to fish from a boat, but fishing from the shore can also produce excellent results.

For catching crucian carp, roach, bream, carp and carp, fly rods, bottom and feeder gear are best suited. Do not forget about feeding, since most herbivorous fish may simply not notice the bait in the waters of the lake.

Dusting and aromatic compositions work great. Thanks to properly selected complementary foods, you can lure fish from long distances. And also when catching trophies, it is important to remember about the large fraction, which forms the basis of the feeding table.

To catch predatory fish, such as pike, perch, pike perch, and salmon, spinning rods are usually used. Bottom tackle or float rods are used less frequently. It should be remembered that the probability of catching a trophy is very high, so the tackle must be durable and withstand maximum loads.

In winter, predators are caught using bait baits, cast baits, or jigs.

Rudd in the “thickets”

And on the lakes overgrown with reeds, floaters and spinners are interested in the beautiful rudd. In general, the interests of these two fishing methods overlap greatly on overgrown lakes when fishing from a boat. There are floaters who like to search widely for their fish, and not just near the shores, and they go deep into the reservoir, looking for their fish in the windows, along the edges of the grass that rises to the very surface. Large whitefish are also found above thick bottom grass, which literally does not reach the surface of the water 50-60 cm, placing the hook with bait just above the shoots of algae. Usually they catch fish this way without bait, often changing places in the absence of bites. And someone feeds using light complementary food that disintegrates when it hits the water and slowly settles in the water column - not a lot is thrown in, but often. As a rule, the small fish are the first to approach, but soon the large fish also catch up. Mostly they catch it with a worm, although plant baits also shoot well.

Seasonal fishing features

Before going to the lake, it is advisable to know the seasonal fishing conditions. To do this, you can read all the available information on the Internet or chat with local fishermen.

This will help you more accurately determine the time, place, gear, bait and other nuances before you start fishing.

Spring

The spring period is characterized by active biting. Most fish are preparing for spawning and will attack any bait. For example, roach and silver bream can be caught even before the ice completely disappears using float or bottom gear. It should be noted that roach is not considered a trash fish on Ladoga, as it grows to a decent size. For peaceful fish, bait of animal origin such as a worm, maggot, and bark beetle is used as bait.

As soon as the water warms up and becomes more transparent, bream begin to approach the shore. But local fishermen consider the pike spawning period to be the most productive. Hungry predators stay near the coastline and greedily swallow any bait.

Summer

Fishing on Ladoga in summer is characterized by excellent results. During this period, only a lazy fisherman can be left without a catch. The most desirable trophy is large bream. Local fishermen catch giants using side rods from a boat. Although some professionals prefer to hunt with feeder gear.

It is best to look for parking near holes and pools. The depth in such areas can exceed 5–6 meters. It bites best in the dark or in the morning. The favorite delicacy of the Ladoga bream are dung worms.

Whitefish also bite well in the summer. It prefers sandy or rocky bottom areas. It lives at a depth of 3 to 7 meters. Local fishermen prefer to fish from a boat. From the shore you can lure fish using bottom or feeder gear. Responds well to maggots, dung worms and larvae. Active early in the morning.

In the coastal zone the perch bites well, but the sizes are average. It is better to hunt trophy specimens from a boat. Light, sensitive spinning rods are used for catching. Silicone and spinners No. 0,1,2,3 are suitable as bait. The equipment of the float rod is the same as when catching peaceful fish. The best baits are live bait or worms. Sometimes perch will happily bite on canned corn.

Autumn

Already starting in October, the water cools down a little, and anglers flock to the reservoir in the hope of catching a trophy fish. In autumn, fishing spots become located at a distance from the shore. Trophy, predatory inhabitants of the lake gather there. Pike, perch and pike perch are actively feeding, stocking up for the winter.

During this period, it is best to fish by slow trolling. The boat should pass slowly over promising points. Autumn gear must be strong, taking into account the size of large predators. Silicone, spinners, and wobblers are used as bait.

Locals recommend using boats with high sides and protective vests. In autumn, serious waves rise on Ladoga. While on a body of water, you should not forget about personal safety.

Winter fishing on Ladoga

Fishing on Lake Ladoga does not stop even in winter. This is a period of strong storm winds and frosts. But even in harsh conditions, fishing continues. Fishing enthusiasts gather on the ice when the temperature reaches constant sub-zero temperatures. The lake does not freeze completely. There is almost always open water in the center.

But many people prefer to fish close to the coastline, since the thickness of the ice there makes it safe to drill holes. Some activists travel 3–5 km from the shore on snowmobiles. But as the locals say, this is not only dangerous, but also pointless. Although, in search of smelt, some fishermen are able to go to the very edge of the ice. For the safety of people, local authorities break off the ice using icebreakers. This prevents passionate fishermen from leaving the safe zone.

In winter they catch roach, pike perch, pike, perch, bream, and crucian carp. To catch peaceful fish, it is better to use bait, and for predators the best bait is live bait and maggots.

Fishing rules

Everyone knows that over the past few decades, the ecological situation on Earth has only worsened, and some animal species have simply become extinct. The same goes for fish. Due to pollution of water bodies and indiscriminate fishing, beluga and sturgeon have practically disappeared from rivers, and the number of catfish, pike perch, pike and many others has decreased significantly.

Therefore, everyone, before taking a fishing rod and walking with it off the river bank, should learn how to fish correctly without breaking the law. In this regard, there are necessary criteria.

The main points of the fishing rules look like this:

• Free fishing for private purposes is allowed to everyone, on all bodies of water. In addition to nature reserves, corresponding nurseries and private reservoirs.
• Fishing is prohibited within 500 meters of dams, bridges or water locks. It is also not allowed to fish directly from such structures themselves.
• The catch during recreational fishing should not exceed 5 kg per person. This rule must be followed. Also, amateurs are not allowed to catch fish with nets or use sharp objects. The use of explosives or toxic substances is also prohibited.
• Fishing is permitted throughout the year. Restrictions and bans on fishing are introduced only during the spawning period. This is done in order to provide the fish with favorable conditions for reproduction. This ensures the maintenance of its numbers.

A fisherman who violates existing rules pays an appropriate fine.

Active recreation on Ladoga and the best places for fishing

For productive fishing, it is necessary to study promising areas. A large concentration of inhabitants of the depths is observed in places with complex terrain, vegetation, sandy or rocky bottom.

Fishing enthusiasts highlight several places on Novaya and Staraya Ladoga. There you can not only enjoy fishing, but also have a great time with family and friends.

Zagubskaya Bay

It is considered the warmest place on the lake. In warm weather, not only fishermen come here, but also vacationers. Summer water temperatures range from +20 to +25 °C. In this area, the reservoir begins to become covered with ice only in December. Ice thickness along the coastline can be more than 60 cm.

In winter, pike, perch, pike perch and roach bite well here. Predators are hunted with the help of baitfish and live bait. The fry are found in small quantities in this part of the reservoir, so it is better to stock up on bait in advance.

Skerries of Lake Ladoga

This area is characterized by a rocky landscape and sharp changes in depth. Skerries has many convenient coves, shallow creeks and other areas with interesting topography. You can get to the islands in summer only by boat, and in winter directly on the ice.

In shallow water areas they catch bream, perch, roach, and ide. Large pike and pike perch live in grassy thickets and snags. The pits usually contain burbot, perch, and vendace.

Sometimes there is a bite of smelt, salmon and trout. In autumn and winter, large burbot bite well.

Novoladozhsky Canal

The place is popular not only because of the abundance of fish and good bite at any time of the year. But also because of the convenient road and access. Hundreds of fishermen flock to the canal in search of abundance of fish. The canal is connected to the main lake by several channels, so you can find a wide variety of fish in it.

Mostly caught are pike, crucian carp, perch, pike perch, bream and roach. Large fish are rare, but sometimes fishermen catch decent specimens.

Winter fishing is very popular on the canal. During any period of cold weather, fishermen do not leave without a catch. Usually perch, pike and bream bite. In summer, you can use a jig to lure pike perch, pike perch, and pike perch.

Staraya Ladoga Canal

On the abandoned canal, comfortable fishing is only possible from a boat. Fishing from the shore is quite problematic due to the destroyed fortifications and thickets. But anglers who are not afraid of difficulties enjoy fishing in this area. Pike perch, pike, ide, perch, crucian carp, roach, and ruff bite well here. They are caught using float, bottom, spinning and feeder tackle.

Fishing on Lake Ladoga has its own characteristics and is very different from fishing on other bodies of water. Each fisherman chooses his own fishing method and methods of catching fish.

It is simply impossible to leave the lake without a catch. When going to a pond, you should not forget about your own safety. Experienced fishermen recommend fishing in the company of like-minded people, especially in winter.

Source

Correct technique and subtleties of the process

And although the fishing technique on lakes is largely the same as river fishing, some differences are still present. Among them is the desirable presence of a boat, which will allow you to more effectively fish areas inaccessible from the shore.

For example, if you are fishing from a boat, then you need to carefully feed several promising places and only change them periodically, throwing the tackle at different points. From the shore there is no such opportunity.

The first feeding is carried out with large balls of bait mixture, adding animal or vegetable bait, which will soon be used as bait. After 20-30 minutes, when the bait begins to interest the fish, you can make the first casts of the tackle.

Then all that remains is to periodically throw in a small amount of bait to keep the fish in one place after the initial feeding.

Predators are caught in a similar way as on rivers. The fisherman finds a promising area in advance, and then fishes it using a spinning rod.