The subtleties of catching roach on the first ice - fishing rods, jigs and tactics

For many anglers, catching roach on the first ice is a long-awaited event, the first opportunity to open a new freeze-up season and again see the trembling of the nod, feel the resistance of the fish on a thin line. With the formation of ice, any promising areas become available for fishing. And fishing for roach is accessible and possible in all regions due to the prevalence of this fish.

However, the roach, also known as sorog in the north, ram on the Don, roach on the Volga or chebak in Siberia, is not so simple. You can almost always catch small specimens at the beginning of freeze-up. But hunting for large roach, from 200 grams, requires a competent tactical approach from the fisherman.

Catching roach from ice at the beginning of winter

Immediately after the ice forms, the roach actively feeds in the coastal zone, among the grass, in the same places as in the fall. Large specimens stand deeper - under the edges, on the ruts after the holes, visiting hollows and colonies of shells.

Search depth – 1.5-3 meters. In 2-3 weeks, when due to lack of light underwater vegetation begins to die en masse and the oxygen balance of these places changes, schools of this fish will leave such water areas and sink deeper, to depths of 3-5 meters. Therefore, fishing for roach on first ice is successful in the same places as in open water in the fall.
Roach are active on the first ice. This fish is a fast raider. Her role is to quickly visit an area where there is something attractive, grab it in conditions of food competition and quickly step aside and calmly swallow it.
If there is heavy fish at the point - crucian carp, bream, then the roach will not feed calmly. This fish scurries higher, trying to snatch what it can among the slow fish. Only large individuals, 300-400 grams or more, behave measuredly, moving slowly near the bottom and selectively calmly eating food items. Large roaches, like bream or carp, are able to grind small shells with their pharyngeal teeth.

Article about catching roach in winter:

On large reservoirs and rivers, roaches already gather in large schools during the first ice, occupying their favorite places - shallow feeding tables among great depths, underwater meanders with shells, watering after holes and pools with a smooth current and algae at the bottom.

In such places you can always find food, including in winter. Fishermen know such points and return to them every winter. Here we know for sure that the roach is here, all that remains is to find it and entice it to bite.
On the first ice, the roach is usually active, and the angler’s goal is to find its feeding place. In the dead of winter, the absence of bites is not an indicator that there are no fish under the hole. Now the silver weasel is taking advantage of the last comfortable days to stock up on useful substances for the winter.
Only the weather or other phenomena can affect the intensity of the bite - changes in the water level, the entry of unusual waste into the reservoir, and the like.

Roach prefers quiet, cloudy weather, without sudden changes in atmospheric pressure. Rainy thaws without wind or quietly falling snow, when the pressure drops slowly and evenly, are the best times for catching sorog. However, many bodies of water show that this is far from the rule. The roach can take in frosty weather, snow, and wind. The only true observation is that with sudden changes in weather, the bite usually stops.

The roach is active all winter, changing the intensity of feeding depending on external conditions. You can always catch it on the first ice by choosing the right tactics, bait and technique for working with tackle. For beginners, this fish may seem capricious, however, experienced anglers catch consistently, despite weather changes.

Preparing gear for roach: about the fishing rod

With the onset of the first winter frosts and subsequent freezing, the roach feeds quite actively and, accordingly, is well caught with winter gear. These include various jig tackle - attached and unattached. On the first ice, roach can be caught well in old summer places. Where she fed in the summer, the approach is now much more convenient, because you can get anywhere on the ice.

A small fish, whose weight usually does not exceed 150 g, bites so actively during the season that this completely compensates for its small size. Roach is found in clean waters. Sometimes the winter bite is superior to summer fishing.

The main thing in winter fishing with jigs is the correct selection of tackle and bait. Most often, roach is caught using a jig, including a reelless one. When choosing a fishing rod for jig fishing, you should give preference to the one that “fits in your hand” - after all, you will have to work with this tackle for a long time.

The vast majority of fishermen choose sports fishing rods - the so-called “balalaikas”. They fit perfectly in the palm of your hand, are almost weightless and allow you to reproduce a game that is attractive to fish.

When choosing a fishing rod for stand-up fishing, the shape and weight do not play such an important role; the main requirement here is a well-functioning reel for winding up the fishing line.

Where to look for roach on the first ice

In large water areas with a uniform bottom topography, a school of roach will stop where features or anomalies are present. These are local pits or tubercles, areas with irregularities and gullies. In such places, food lingers, and the sorog has something to profit from. The roach moves actively on the first ice, but does not go far from the feeding points.

In natural reservoirs there is plenty of shelter for roach.

Hollows near the shore, flooded snags, islands of grass and algae, and vegetation edges are promising places. Small and medium-sized roaches can always be found here.
Large individuals that live in separate small flocks need to be looked for deeper - in irrigation areas adjacent to a riverbed or a large slope, at depths of more than 3 meters.
You need to look for roach on the first ice on the river in the same place where it was caught in the fall, and further, at medium depths.

The mouths of streams and rivers, bends, places with reverse flows, branches of bushes hanging over a deep coastal ravine - during the first ice the roach can be anywhere.
On reservoirs, the coastal strip is usually too shallow. In such reservoirs we look further from the shore, behind the first edge.
Promising areas for large roach on small and medium-sized reservoirs are the meanders of the old channel, ditches from inflowing tributaries and the junction with the main depression of the old stream.
In large reservoirs, areas in front of deep dumps, rocky ridges, as well as long spits that go into the depths, always serve as feeding places for bream, silver bream and crucian carp. Large roach will also circle around with this fish.

Article about fishing on the first ice:

https://podlednik.ru/lovlya_zimoj/rybalka/po-pervomu-ldu

Any anomalies at the average depth along the first ice are interesting:

Old snags in the bays, overlooking the deep dump.
Islands of algae in calm water next to the current.
Dumps into the riverbed at the exits from the bay.
Individual submerged boulders, logs, branches.

In any reservoir, roach tries to avoid places that are too silty, which is often occupied by crucian carp. It is better to look for it on sandy-cartilaginous bottoms or near stone placers. A sure sign of the presence of roach is extensive plantations of zebra mussel shells on a flat current with depths of 3-5 meters.

Catching roach on the first ice in quarries, lakes and artificial ponds follows the same principle - first of all, we examine anomalies at the transition from shallow to medium depths, clean, non-silted areas on sand, clay, and stones. On bodies of water with constant changes in water level, schools of roach are likely to migrate depending on the discharge or refill.

In deep water, roach occupies areas adjacent to the depths. With a decline, the flock slides into the riverbed. This phenomenon can occur both on regulated rivers and canals, and on wide reservoirs with generally shallow depths.

Search and stationary tactics on the first ice

The choice of tactics for catching roach in winter on the first ice depends on the conditions of the area and the reservoir where fishing is to be done. On huge areas of lakes and reservoirs like Ladoga or Tsimla, finding feeding fish at random can be problematic. You need to find out the approximate water areas in which they catch from year to year, and go there. This could be a specific bay or water area near a populated area. Therefore, it is better to make inquiries on fishing forums or with locals.

On medium and small bodies of water, where the other shore is at least visible, it is easier to search. If there is no information, we use search tactics, checking roach depths from shore to bed, from 1.5 to 5 meters. If there is accurate information, for example, that in such and such a bay the roach takes bait in the evening or at night, we feed and fish stationary.
The standard search tactic for roach is to drill and feed 10-15 holes at a distance of at least 10 meters from each other. Then we check one by one with fishing rods for riser or with jigs for play. You can’t drill often and feed them - in this case, the fisherman will not collect fish, but rather will scatter them between nearby holes.
For roach we drill sparsely, 10 meters, or better yet 15-20 between points. If a working place is found, you can carefully drill a couple more holes nearby for several fishing rods. At the same time, do not forget to visit old spots, especially if the bite on the main one disappears. The roach often moves to another place. The first ice is not thick, and drilling many holes at this time is not problematic.
Usually, the search method when catching sorog on the first ice is always ahead of sitting on bait in terms of catchability. The roach is not tied to a specific point. She wanders around a certain water area like a pirate. The fisherman’s task is to find the place where the roach in this area of the reservoir is located right now. Then you need to interest the fish, hold it so that the school does not leave. For this, bait is used.
It is recommended to sit on bait only in cases where it is known for certain that there are roaches at this particular point and it reacts well to this mixture. In other cases, it is better to start with an active search for fish, especially in the first ice. At the same time, you don’t have to feed the reconnaissance holes along the first ice, or throw in a little bloodworm just to provoke the fish.

Lure

As already mentioned, bait for roach on the first ice is only needed to keep the fish near the hole. The sorog is now actively feeding, and the angler’s goal is to arouse the fish’s interest in the area of the reservoir under the hole. This aspect also forms the requirements for complementary feeding:

You cannot feed many holes in a small area (with the exception of two or three holes directly at the point for several fishing rods, under which a single feeding area is formed). You cannot feed holes located 3-5 meters or closer. Then the fish will scatter among them.
The fisherman’s task is to gather the school in one feeding area. Therefore, we drill exploration holes in increments of 10-20 meters, not closer. From such a distance, the roach will notice the boiling water and will visit the area to check whether it is possible to grab something there.
The roach needs to be fed often, but little by little. If you pour out the food right away and create a spot on the bottom, this will more likely attract crucian carp, silver bream or white bream.
Naturally falling particles and turbidity are what roaches like. Therefore, by constantly throwing up a small amount of food, we create a working bait column in which the particles slowly sink throughout the depth in this place.
Hence the requirements for consistency - you need a loose, light mixture, and not a sticky, lumpy porridge.

The bait must contain a food element - something that the roach will directly look for and eat in the cloudy cloud. Usually this is a food bloodworm. In some reservoirs, roaches are well attracted to millet.

For example, the standard mixture in Tsimla for crucian carp and roach from year to year is crumbly washed millet with ground fried seeds (cake).
In the middle zone, cake does not work, here we feed store-bought winter fine or feeder mixtures with natural odors, or homemade ones based on breadcrumbs, ground biscuits, adding live bloodworms, and on rocky reservoirs - mormysh.

What we put on the hook should also be present in the bait in a less attractive version. It can be bloodworms, maggots, chopped worms, steamed pearl barley or wheat. The main bait, naturally, is bloodworms, however, in some reservoirs, roaches normally take maggots, udders, or even plant baits.

You need to experiment with the composition of the bait - in the regions, roach reacts to the components differently. Here are some ingredients that work on roaches in different areas:

Unrefined oils – dill, sunflower, anise.
Ground grains and seeds - the same sunflower, peanuts, pumpkin.
Sweet additives - honey, vanilla, halva.
Vitamins – Revit, Gendevit, Undevit and the like.
Any ground grains - semolina, peas, corn.
Additives for turbidity - sand, clay, milk powder.
Natural additives - live bloodworms, chopped worms, maggots.

There is no single best recipe for feeding roach - you need to select it experimentally, depending on the reservoir. In advance, on an unfamiliar body of water, it is difficult to say what the ice pick will bite better on the first ice. We work carefully with aromatics and non-traditional ingredients. It is better to rely on an active search and small portions of live bloodworms or mormysh into the hole.

Read more in the article about proper winter bait for roaches:

https://podlednik.ru/nazhivki-i-podkormki/prikormka-dlya-plotvy-zimoj

Catching roach in winter with a jig

Catching roach in winter with a jig is effective during the freeze-up period. On the first and last ice, you can attract active fish to the fishing area with the help of bait, but in the dead of winter you have to look for catchable places in all known promising areas. In any case, an active search for roach with jig tackle is more effective compared to stationary fishing with a winter float rod.

Roach is caught using a jig using a nodding winter fishing rod. It consists of a short rod, a simple inertial reel, onto which a sufficient amount (maximum depth of the reservoir + 5 - 10 m reserve) of fishing line with a diameter of about 0.1 mm is wound. A mount is installed for the nod, which will allow you to increase or decrease the working part of the nod. This will allow you to adjust its rigidity when fishing. You will need to change the stiffness when using jigs of different weights, which change during the fishing process. Alternatively, you can use quickly replaceable nods.

When catching roach in winter on the first ice, sometimes it is enough to drill several holes at a distance of 5–6 steps from each other in a promising fishing spot, feed them and fish them one by one, periodically adding complementary food. This way you can keep the roach in the fishing area for a long time, which ultimately will be the key to a good catch.

In the dead of winter, roach becomes passive and has to be looked for in depressions and holes in the bottom relief. In the middle of winter, roach is unlikely to catch up with a nimble bait. During this period, biting is possible when feeding a jig with an appetizing bait right under the fish’s nose.

How to catch roach on the first ice

So, the first thing we do when fishing for roach on the first ice is to drill 10-15 holes and, perhaps, feed each one a little. Next, we take turns fishing using the method in which we most often catch – with a jig, a reelless bait, or stationary fishing rods.

In the case of bait fishing, you need to try to catch both with the game and with a stationary bait on the bottom or 3-7 cm above it. A roach can take a stand today, and tomorrow - with a moving bait.
If there are no bites in the bottom zone, we check the middle and top layers, especially if the fishing is done near the grass.
If at this moment in time there is no active bite, the fish can still be provoked and forced to feed. It is important to find a place and choose an effective fishing technique. A roach may begin to grab the bait not out of a desire to be satisfied, but out of curiosity.
If you managed to catch 1-2 fish, half the job is done, the fish is found. Roach is a schooling fish; if at least one bites, this is a sure sign that fish are present here.
The further task is to identify the most working holes and select a working bait, bait delivery, and features of playing with a jig.

We begin to feed the working hole, throwing in a pinch of bait every 5-7 minutes. In weak currents and depths of more than 3 meters, we deliver bait with a dump truck, pouring it about a meter above the bottom to create a cloud of falling particles. In a strong current, we lower a feeder or a linen bag filled with food higher up in another hole to create a feeding strip.

You need to constantly experiment with rigs, jigs and methods of play - change baits, add hanging hooks to fishing rods on bends, fish by playing or standing until a method that is effective today is found. Therefore, experienced fishermen have several tackles with equipment prepared in their boxes in order to quickly test different options without having to worry about tying them on the pond.

Attachment jig

A jig is perhaps the most common method of ice fishing for silverfish. Catching roach on the first ice with a jig is universal, which is an important factor in the success of fishing for this particular fish. The same tackle can be used to fish with a game, a standing position, or even without a bait. Accordingly, the fishing rod is thought out in advance and configured correctly.

The jigs on the first ice for roach are the same as in other periods of winter. First of all, these are ordinary droplets, ovits, and bugs of three basic colors - black, golden or red (copper).

For roach, you don’t need to look for some super-catchy jig from all the variety, but rely on a long-proven basis, focusing on the selection of tactical and technical actions. In a baited jig, the fish are primarily attracted to the bloodworm on the hook.

However, roach has excellent eyesight, and the color and shape of the jig sometimes makes a difference. On the first ice, the fish are active, and sometimes bright provoking baits work better than the classics - colored jigs or reelless baits with artificial irritants on the hook. For a good bite, we can experiment, but for passive fish we rely on small, inconspicuous baits, attracting the fish primarily with the bait on the hook.

Article about the right jigs for roach:

The standard set of a roach hunter is the usual small and medium-sized balls, bugs, drops, larvae, ants and small toads of basic colors. Experienced fishermen immediately equip several fishing rods with the most effective jigs in their experience, for example, black and white, in order to quickly check at the beginning of fishing which takes better.

There is only one trend - the worse the bite, the smaller, lighter, neater and more inconspicuous the equipment needed. The capricious roach is careful; in a passive state, it will not take on a thick fishing line, and will immediately spit out a heavy jig.

Fishing rod and main line

A fishing rod with a nod and a jig are a single finely tuned system in which the weight of the bait, the elasticity of the nod and the diameter of the fishing line are mutually adjusted. A light jig will not straighten a thick line into an even line. A bait with a soft nod that is too heavy is spat out by the fish during periods of passivity, since the overly flexible guard does not take part of the weight upon itself when rising.

The choice of fishing rod is not so important - as long as it is convenient for the angler. For a beginner winter skier, any balalaika, non-seed or filly will be suitable. For your first fishing trips, a standard store-bought fishing rod with a cork or foam handle will do. Experienced jig fishermen use lightweight foam balalaikas or small sports fishing rods.

The whip on such a fishing rod is made of vinyl, polycarbonate or other plastic material that is flexible and does not break when bent in severe frost. Each angler eventually comes to his own vision of the most convenient winter fishing rod. More information about fishing rods for winter jigs:

https://podlednik.ru/snasti/mormyshki/zimnyaya-udochka-dlya-mormyshki

Some anglers prefer to fish constantly with an active jig, others prefer to fish with fishing rods. The third group are generalists who fish by any means - depending on what they catch better. For roaches, universalism is very useful. At one time this fish reacts better to standing position, at another time to active play, including on the first ice. Therefore, on every fishing trip you need to check both options.

A fishing rod for roach in winter should be adapted both for installation on ice and for active play. Therefore, a nodding rig with a game guard finely tuned to the weight of the jig is more appropriate here. However, if the fish takes a stand, nothing prevents you from putting the legs on the whip and placing the tackle on the bottom motionless. At the same time, nothing prevents float lovers from having a couple of tuned float rods in reserve in the box.

I usually have a universal set in my drawer - sporting balalaika fishing rods of various calibers, from 0.08 mm fishing line and 0.1 gram jigs to 0.2 mm base with gram or more baits (for carp, bream or large crucian carp). There are also tackles with thin line and heavy jigs - for fishing in currents or great depths.

Each nod is carefully tuned to a specific bait. Jigs are mostly standard droplets, balls, larvae of basic shapes, colors and configurations (more than half are black). For roach, the lightest of these tackles are used - fishing lines 0.08, 0.1 and 0.12 mm, with jigs up to 0.5 grams, but more often - 0.1-0.3 grams.

A short lead (3-4 cm) 5-7 cm above the main jig with a small hook on which 1-2 bloodworms are attached often works well for roach. The silver weasel often grabs such a pendant both when playing and when standing from the bottom. Such a bait sinks slowly and naturally after the jig stops, which attracts roaches.
More often it is the nod that is used, not the float. Firstly, this allows you to fish by passively setting on the bottom and playing with the same gear.
Secondly, it is convenient when searching combined with standing fishing, when you need several fishing rods to be simultaneously installed at a distance of 1-3 meters from each other, followed by moving one to a new place every 15-30 minutes. In this case, the nods are visible on all fishing rods from one observation point, but the floats would not be visible, because they are recessed into the water of the hole by 2-3 cm.
For passive roach we use the thinnest gear - with fishing lines up to 0.08 mm and light jigs. This requires a good quality thin winter monofilament fishing line. Then you can safely catch fish under a kilogram.

Article about the right winter fishing rods for roach:

https://podlednik.ru/lovlya_zimoj/na-udochku/osnastka-zimnej-udochki-na-plotvu

Setting the nod

Previously, nods were made independently from boar bristles. Nowadays synthetic materials are in use. The most common option is lavsan and x-ray film. Cheap lavsan gatehouses can be found in any store or made with your own hands. The nod is selected according to the weight of the jig, so you need to buy them according to the test. Normal manufacturers indicate the test on their products.

Some enthusiasts use nods made from clock springs, carbon fiber and other materials, but such alarms are more difficult to manufacture. I never reinvented the wheel and used ordinary mylar guards - that’s quite enough. The main thing is to choose the right one for the jig.

If the test is not specified, we take a nod of such elasticity that under the weight of the jig in the water it bends a quarter of a circle. The nod can also be sharpened with a blade to a cone in thickness and width, selecting the desired amount of bending.

Detailed article about setting the nod on a winter fishing rod for jigs:

https://podlednik.ru/snasti/mormyshki/kak-podobrat-kivok-pod-mormyshku

Working with tackle

The presence of properly equipped fishing rods and the location of the roach found even on the first ice does not guarantee a catch. This fish requires creativity and experimentation. As already mentioned, at a minimum, you need to check whether the fish is now taking a fixed bait or a suspension above the main jig. Often bites occur only after a certain combination, some special movements during a pause after the game, or other immediately unobvious provocations. You always need to pick up keys for roaches.

On the first ice, we are still more focused on the game - the roach are now active and feeding relatively steadily. However, even active roach often take better positions when standing. Even on stationary fishing rods there can be several positions from the bottom - and this sometimes significantly affects the bite.

Equipment options

The jig can simply be placed on the bottom; the nod does not bend completely into the load state, which means that the bait lies completely.
A suspended state, when the hook with the bloodworm touches the bottom, but the body of the jig hangs in the water. To position the fishing rod this way, when installing the tackle, slowly lower the fishing rod until the nod just begins to rise slightly. We fix the fishing rod in this position with a reel. Every millimeter is important - you can’t position the tackle like that on a rough, untuned nod.
Position above the bottom, 5-7 millimeters. We also adjust by nod.

An example of the second position is partially on the bottom.
If it doesn’t bite in any way, we provoke the roach with a game.

The main effective movement for the silver beauty is the natural fall of the bait from a height of 0.7-1 meters. Moreover, it is advisable to do such a fall during the first lowering - a bite can happen immediately. We slowly accompany the sinking jig with our hand, slowing down the planning. At the same time we set the depth on the reel.
Another working provocation is simply moving the bottom or tapping it, and then pausing. The jig returns to one of the described stationary states. The rise from the ground is no more than 3-5 cm. Classic crucian carp provocation.
The usual stepwise guiding along the first ice also works. Moreover, testing this method should begin with a downward movement - planning at 30-50 cm, pause.
We try the usual step up - we make small oscillatory movements, slowly raising the fishing rod. We pause at certain intervals.
We experiment with the oscillation frequency, amplitude, length of segments before pauses and the delays themselves. A roach on the first ice can simply grab the jig, with many types of movements. However, sometimes she is capricious and reacts only strictly to a certain combination, which needs to be selected.

Article about jig fishing on the first ice: link coming soon

Catching roach on the first ice - gear, technique and fishing tactics

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First ice is a long-awaited time for fishermen, since at this time the period of active biting for almost all fish begins. However, many people dedicate their first trip to the ice to catching roach and perch. These two species of fish live in almost all bodies of water and fishing for them on the first ice is extremely interesting and rewarding.

If we talk about catching roach on the first ice, then by finding this fish and feeding it correctly, you can catch quite a lot of it. Although, the point is not even in the number of fish caught, but in the fact that the roach bites sharply, with passion and very smartly resists when hooked, and this gives fishing for roach on the first ice a special charm.

Where to look for roach in a winter pond when there is first ice? As a rule, small reservoirs and bays of reservoirs are the first to become covered with ice, and roach fishing begins here. If we talk about fishing in small and shallow bodies of water, then probably the most correct answer to the question is everywhere. Usually in such reservoirs the roach is distributed more or less evenly throughout the water area and the number of fish caught will be directly proportional to the number of holes drilled.

In the bays of large reservoirs, roaches often choose places with depths from 2 to 4-5 m on the first ice. Usually these are the irrigated part or slopes, but not sharp, but gentle. The roach has an interesting habit: at any changes in the bottom, it is located in the middle part of the slope. Large individuals of roach concentrate where there is a pothole or snag at the bottom, which serves as shelter from predators and provides food.

At the very beginning of freeze-up, schools of roach can often be found near the edge of the algae. However, very often this zone is occupied by perch on the first ice, and roach stays a little further. She also likes to stay in windows among bottom vegetation. Often the habitats of this fish are not in the depths of the bay, but at the exit from it. Regarding the type of bottom, roach is quite unpredictable. Of course, it loves shell rock and a hard bottom, but in some reservoirs it can be found, and in quite large numbers, above muddy areas.

Tactics for finding roach on the first ice. If the fishing place is unfamiliar, then the search for roach begins traditionally by drilling a chain of holes from the shore to the depths, trying to find a promising place. But if the bottom topography is more or less known, then you can drill using the “square-cluster” method, placing holes in several rows and trying to cover the middle of the underwater slope. After this, you need to feed a dozen holes and start freely searching for fish without bait. As a rule, the largest specimens are caught using this method of fishing.

Baiting roach on the first ice. As bait for roaches, you can use ready-made proprietary mixtures or crackers with the addition of a small amount of flavoring. Groundbait made from ground vanilla or chocolate cookies works very well. It is important that the bait has a fine fraction, since the main task of roach bait is to create a lot of turbidity, which attracts but does not saturate the fish.

For initial feeding when catching roach, one hundred gram feeder per hole is enough. If there is no current at the fishing site, then the feeder should be opened a meter from the bottom. A small amount of bait should be mixed with sludge and lowered into the hole, while the particles of bait will gradually fall down. Such minor but constant supplementary feeding will allow you to keep a school of roach under the hole. As a rule, in promising places, the roach bite begins within 15-20 minutes after feeding.

Adding bloodworms to the bait has a good effect on the roach’s bite, but it is better to add it in small quantities when supplementing feeding already during the fishing process. Although this is more relevant when fishing for roach in the later period of winter, when roach gives more preference to bloodworms than to dry mixtures. In addition, the bream may also be suitable for such supplementary feeding. Then from one hole you can successfully catch both bream and roach.

In the first ice season, for supplementary feeding, bait without bloodworms is most often sufficient. You should be much more careful when adding all kinds of flavorings. The effect of their use in cold water is often unpredictable: you can attract fish, but you can also disperse them. Therefore, it is worth using attractants in winter in very small quantities.

Tackle and technique for catching roach on the first ice. As for the choice of gear for catching roach on the first ice, three options are most applicable here: a float rod, a jig with a nozzle, and a reelless one.

A float rod for catching roach on the first ice is a lightweight, convenient winter fishing rod, equipped with a 0.06-0.8 mm fishing line, a 0.25-0.3 g float and hooks No. 20-24. It is better to divide the float load into two parts - a tiny pellet weighing 0.04 g and a larger pellet. The distance from the small sinker to the hook is chosen from 3 to 10 cm, depending on the bite, and between the small sinker and the large one - about 30 cm.

The bait is a bloodworm or maggot, which is slowly lowered to the bottom in a place where there is a very small amount of bait. For more information about winter float gear, see the material “Winter float fishing rod - design and equipment.”

Jig tackle with an attachment for catching roach on the first ice. Probably the most common equipment for catching roach is a balalaika fishing rod with a nod equipped with a jig with an attachment. The nod can be anything, some successfully fish with a metal nod, others like lavsan nods, as they give the jig a smoother play, whichever one is used to.

The fishing line for such gear is used in the range of 0.06-0.12 mm. However, the active roach of the first ice pays little attention to the delicacy of the tackle, and with a thicker fishing line it is more convenient to work when fishing. Therefore, the most applicable fishing line is 0.08-0.1 mm.

Float rods

With a float fishing rod, it is difficult to perform the manipulations described above - position the jig in different positions on the bottom and above it, as well as play a delicate game. However, for a good bite, such equipment is enough. There are fewer experiments here - we install the equipment on the bottom and periodically tap. You can also hold the fishing rod while lowering the bait, performing a natural fall game.

We equip the float fishing rod with an additional short leash so that the second hook is 5-10 cm above the bottom. A roach bite on a float does not always result in a rise. Often the float dances, moves to the side or walks along the hole. Fishing rods with a float work well in places where roach are not particularly capricious and like to take from the bottom.

Mothless

Recently, catching roach on the first ice using a reelless bait has become popular. At this time, active fish forgive the mistakes of beginners in the game and setting up the tackle. Therefore, the first ice is the best time to practice for beginners without bait. However, if you dig deeper, the reelless jig is a jewelry and catching type of jig. In this kind of fishing, there are more stringent requirements for the nod and the choice of jig. In experienced hands, a baitless bait copes with roach no worse than a classic, and sometimes the trophies are even larger. Read more about rewinding on the first ice.

The main thing in baitless fishing, including for roach, is to get your hand on the jig’s retrieve. And what is important here is not the high frequency of vibrations, as some beginners think, but stability, the same amplitude of movements. All changes are made thoughtfully, specifically, as provocations. When using a nozzle, you also need to think about the correct grip so that your hand does not get tired.

Changing the position of the hand and grip also changes the characteristics of the game of the bait. In such gear, in addition to the nod and equipment, the characteristics and convenience of the fishing rod itself are important. All experiments come down to selecting bait and finding a working game.

When fishing with a reelless bait, bait is often not used (sometimes as a matter of principle). But in general terms, the search tactics described in the article work. In the first ice, a wide range of baitless baits work for roach on various reservoirs - nymphs, standard jigs with pendants, bananas, devils, goats and others. The fisherman’s task is to find a working one and match it with a game. Read more about equipment, baits and methods of placing them in a detailed article about reeling for roach:

https://podlednik.ru/lovlya_zimoj/na-mormyshku/bezmotylka-na-plotvu

Lure

When fishing for roach on the first ice, the use of bait is not always justified. But in order to keep a flock of found roach under the hole, a pinch of a mixture of Unikorm with bloodworms will not be superfluous.

In fishing areas with a depth of up to 2 meters and without a current, the bait is simply thrown from above into the hole in pinches. If fishing is carried out at depth or in the current, a cone feeder is used for bait, opening it half a meter from the bottom. If there is a strong current on the river, you should drill a separate hole for the feeder a meter or two above the fishing spot.

Read! Secrets of catching roach in the harsh wilderness

A simple bait for roach that works great on the first ice can be made at home from a mixture of breadcrumbs and ground toasted sunflower seeds. Pre-dry bait is moistened with water.

Fishing in strong currents

On large rivers with strong currents, it is impossible to fish comfortably with ordinary light fishing rods with a nod or a float. Other gear is used here - sub-ice donks with a heavy sinker that can hold the equipment in the flow. The basis of search tactics is the same. We lower the bait upstream so that fishing takes place in the washed-out feed trail. Some ice bottoms are equipped with feeders - for example, descenders.

Typically, such methods are used for bream and silver bream. However, along with this fish, roach is often caught, and a large one at that. For targeted roach fishing, you can use weight fishing rods with a nod of the simplest design. The sinker in such a rig is attached to the end of the fishing line, and the hook or jig is attached to the outlet leash. The weight is selected depending on the strength of the current in order to hold the equipment at the desired point.

In the first ice, roach in the current can also be caught with a fishing rod according to the rolling principle, lowering the equipment by a step further in the stream along the bottom. A large area is fished in this way. An article about catching roach from ice in a strong current.

Subtleties and secrets

Jigs on the first ice for roach can be checked not by traditional ones, but by various unusual and bright ones. Active fish often take such provocateurs on the first ice.
When fishing for roach on the first ice on lakes, quarries and rivers with clear water at depths of less than 3 meters, you should wear camouflage, especially in sunny weather. The fish perfectly sees the shadow of a moving fisherman in clear water through thin transparent ice. You can throw a raincoat over the clean ice in the stationary fishing area or throw crumbs at it. In cold weather, you can pour water - it will freeze and make the surface less transparent. It is also better to darken the hole with snow or ice chips, making a hole with the handle of a slotted spoon to lower the jig.
In some reservoirs, roach is better caught at night, including in the first ice. In this case, small jigs with a small phosphorus luminous droplet often work well, which must be periodically recharged from the light of a candle or flashlight.
In case of a good bite, the working holes need to rest, especially if the roach begins to bite gradually worse. The holes need to be fed and left for at least half an hour. During this time, you can check and feed reserve positions.
If small crucian carp, bream or crucian carp come up for bait, the roach will most likely rise higher and will try to intercept the sinking food as it approaches the bottom.
When the weather changes, you need to check all layers of water, middle and even top. Roach can rise higher following the migration of zooplankton.

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Roach fishing gear

On the first ice, the best results are achieved by those anglers who are actively looking for roach. A fishing rod with a nod and a jig is better suited for this.

Read! Fishing for perch in winter

Nod

Good nods are made from polycarbonate, metallized dacron or metal plate, including a clock spring. The length of the working plate can be 10–12 cm, and should go to the cone. With a large deflection of the nod, its length is adjusted in accordance with the weight of the jig.

Rod

The choice of the shape of the fishing rod is a matter of taste for the fisherman, but most sports fishermen use fishing rods of the “balalaika” type. To play properly with a jig, it is necessary that the handle fits well in your hand. Correct handles are made of foam or cork. The whip is made of plastic material. It must have a certain elasticity and not break in the cold. The length of the whip usually ranges from 15 to 20 cm.

Equipment

To catch roach on the first ice, the thinnest equipment is used. A fishing line with a diameter of 0.08-0.10 mm and a small tungsten jig: “ant”, “pellet”, “droplet”, “uralka”. Mormyshki are used in gray, yellow, red or black.