How to choose a fishing cage. Which fishing tank is better?

How to choose a fish tank

If you want to purchase a cage for amateur fishing and make rare trips, you need to choose a cage that is easy to transport and store and has an affordable price.

At first glance, a metal cage may be the ideal solution. Since it is relatively cheap, it is practically indestructible and does not need to be dried.

But it has a number of disadvantages.

The fish in it will not be able to remain alive for a long time.
And because of its short length, you will have to constantly get up from your seat in order to place the fish.

Therefore, with constant biting, you will be faced with a large number of squats and bends.

For more comfortable fishing, you should pay attention to the cages used by sports fishermen. The peculiarity of which is their long length.

Almost every fishing product company can offer cages no longer than 3 m at a reasonable price.

If you take part in competitions, you definitely need a sports class cage. As already mentioned, sports cages are longer.

This was done to ensure that the caught fish remained alive throughout the competition. There are often cases when, when choosing a place, you come across a difficult topography of the coast or a steep descent to the water. And it is in such situations that a long cage will be simply necessary.

According to official international rules, the cage must be at least 4 m long. But for local amateur competitions, three-meter cages are quite suitable.

Making a cage with your own hands

Some fishermen are not satisfied with the quality, cost and some parameters of the cages sold.
Therefore, by being smart and using skillful hands, you can create a “masterpiece” for storing fish yourself. Finding a net with suitable length, width, and mesh sizes on the fishing market is not difficult.

A metal cable in a polymer braid is perfect for making flexible rings. It is passed through the mesh cells, forming a ring. You can fasten the ring by tying the ends of the cable with a nylon thread or by rolling them in a piece of metal tube. The number of such rings depends on the length of the cage.

When folding the cage, the rings easily fold into a figure eight, and then turn into double rings of small diameter. Now the fish tank fits into a small case or bag and takes up minimal space in a bag or backpack.

Having at least one fish tank is very important for every angler if he wants to keep the fish he catches for a while. Which cage to use depends on the fishing methods and the purpose of fishing. The main thing is that the fish remains alive and unharmed.

Round or square cage?

Once you have decided on the length of the cage, you need to choose a shape.

Lately, round cages have faded into the background. But still, they are ideal for fishing on a dam. Especially in strong winds that raise high waves.

A square cage will rub against the dam slabs, while a round one will simply roll, thereby avoiding subsequent abrasion.

In all other cases, you should be guided only by personal preferences. According to most anglers, square cages are more practical.

What cage material should I choose?

The best option in almost all respects is a cage made of nylon thread coated with latex or rubber.

Since when catching any fish, the material of the cage will absorb its smell, if the cage is made of ordinary fiber or thread, it will retain an unpleasant odor for a long time.

Latex practically does not absorb odors. And another advantage is its ability to dry quickly. 5–10 minutes are enough for the cage to dry completely. And this will allow you to avoid buying a special bag for the fish tank.

As for the cage structure, the choice is between a large mesh and dense fabric. It all depends on what kind of trophies you are going to put in it.

Fishing cage from a boat

Currently, there are many cages made of metal mesh in the trade with a fairly decent volume. The design of such cages includes not only a closing lid, but also a bottom of the same design. The volume of the cage can reach up to twenty liters, which is quite enough to store approximately 10 kg of live fish in it. This cage is very convenient when fishing from a boat, especially an inflatable one. A fishing cage attached to a rope can be buried in the coldest water layers, which are provided with oxygen in the hot summer.

Tank for carp and large crucian carp

If it is carp or large crucian carp, then you should definitely take thick fabric. Because thanks to its dorsal fin, which fishermen call a “saw,” the fish can catch on a large mesh and thereby tear the cage.

In addition, if the fish tank is made of thick fabric, then you will immediately notice a hole. If it is bream, roach or other “white” fish, then material with a cell size of up to 0.5 cm is quite suitable. And an important factor is, again, that a fish tank with a large cell dries quickly.

Review of fishing cages

Sports fishing cages differ from amateur cages in several ways:

They are made from modern nylon or polyester materials. They have rack mounts and their tilt can be adjusted.
They are long (up to 5 meters).
They have increased strength for a large number of fish.
They are distinguished by a high price of 1000-5000 rubles.
They have a fine-grained net to avoid injury to the fish.

Fish tank with or without rings

Particular attention should be paid to the cage rings. As a rule, they are located at a distance of 20–40 cm from each other and have the largest coefficient of contact with the bottom.

Therefore, it is necessary to choose rings that are located outside the cage and are made of metal. Typically aluminum. They will withstand aggressive bottoms for a long time and will withstand a huge number of fishing sessions on various dams.

Another important advantage is the ability to remove the cage from the water. Intercepting it precisely by the hard rings. This will be especially true if the catch is a couple of tens of kilograms.

Caring for cages

It is best to take the fish tank out of the water, spread it out to its full length and rinse it with clean water from a hose under pressure. Of course, in real fishing this is not often possible. Bring it home and wash it immediately upon arrival. Don't be lazy. The sooner you do this, the better. After this procedure, hang your fish tank to dry on a clothesline. Do not use cleaning agents to remove odor as this will damage the cage material and may cause fish poisoning during future fishing trips. So only clean water and sun.

Fastening and adjusting the tilt of the cage

Each fishing company mounts and adjusts the tilt level at its own discretion.

There are mainly two types.

The first is the button adjustment, which is very convenient and practical.
The second method is a clamping washer.

Most often it is used by English manufacturers. According to many fishermen, this method is extremely impractical. Because you have to set a certain angle, and then screw the cage to the mount. And during the fishing process you will not be able to change the angle.

Fishing cage from the shore

For fishing from the shore, or if you have a fairly spacious and stable boat or boat, it is better to use cages that have a significant length and diameter.

Because, the more overgrown with bushes and grass the shore, and the shallower the coastal zone, and the higher the water temperature, the longer the cage must be. This is the only option to save your catch until the end of the fishing trip.

Fishing cage from the shore

Cage length

The length of a modern cage reaches up to five meters, although as practice shows, cages 2.75 meters long are becoming very common and universal.

Mesh for making cages

A large mesh net is not bad when you are fishing in the current.
A mesh with a medium mesh is not bad if you fish for fish such as rudd, bream, perch, tench, and roach.
Although if you are fishing for bleak, carp or crucian carp, then I advise you to prefer a cage with the smallest mesh size.

How to save a fish tank

In order to save the cage, it is necessary to make sure that the mesh is so small that the dorsal fin cannot simply fall into the mesh.

Such cages are 3-4 times more expensive than regular ones, although they pay for themselves. Fine-mesh cages will last several times longer than conventional cages.

Dimensions of the cage

In practice, three fishing cages are used.

The first one is 15 by 30 cm when unfolded. This cage is designed for catching crucian carp and minnows in the morning before work. It is made of a net cloth, which is stretched over three rims of metal wire. Metal hoops are better than plastic or wooden ones. The price of a fishing cage does not exceed one hundred rubles. And made with plastic rims, it simply does not sink.
The second cage has dimensions of 50 by 25 cm. It is made from a metal net and is designed for use when fishing from a watercraft
The third cage, with a diameter of 65 cm and a length of 6.37 meters, made from a mesh with an extremely fine mesh, is designed for fishing from the shore of large quantities of large fish. A good long fishing cage can be bought relatively expensively, although, I assure you, it is worth spending the money once, because such cages last for many years.

Mounting the cage

An important question will be how to secure the fish tank so that it is convenient to throw the fish you catch into it. To ensure that the cage does not float away or fall off, care must be taken to ensure that the cage is very securely reinforced.

To do this (if fishing is done from the shore), you need to use a special stand. Modern cages have a boss on the upper rim, with the help of which they are attached to a stand, which, in turn, is stuck into the ground or secured to the platform. Well secured fishing cage

Cage storage

Particular attention should be paid to storing the cage. Before storing it in the garage or utility room, you need to let it dry completely. And make sure that the family of rodents does not have access to the storage area.

Before each casting of the cage into the water, it is worth checking to see if there are any fittings or other objects at the bottom. Which can appear thanks to modern civilization even in places remote from urban settlements.

With careful use, even the most budget cage will last a long time.