Donka for catfish with your own hands, the best lures and baits, video

Features of catching catfish on a donk

Traditionally, there are several types of donks that are used by fishermen for specific areas. If you plan to fish with a rod, then install it on a special stand and leave the friction brake on the reel. In addition, we recommend installing a bell that will signal when a fish is caught.

If you do not use a fishing rod for fishing, then prepare in advance for your donkey a large stick that will fix it.

Features of catching catfish from the shore

If you want to catch a large catfish, then try to find a place on the shallows, not far from which there is a large hole where the fish may be. In this case, the chances of catching him will increase several times.

Fishing technique

The question of how to catch a donk is very important. When fishing from the shore using this gear, you need to take into account some features:

After casting, the bait must fall into the area where the fish are supposed to be located.
It’s good if you manage to fit with your gear on the shallows not far from the hole. This will not only increase the bite, but also improve the chances of a successful outcome of the fight.
Fishing is usually done at night. Catfish do not like light and, as a rule, are more active at night. During the day, you need to prepare a place, sit comfortably, so that everything is at hand. For the rod you need to make stands, pick up a bell or other signaling device. For throwing, sticks and strong branches should be driven in.
The bites, especially from large catfish, are obvious and good. The fish usually handles the bait unceremoniously: it behaves impudently, if not “impudently”. Although each body of water may have its own peculiarities of bite.
It is advisable to catch large catfish together. This helps not only to act faster and without fuss, but also helps with fishing.
It is extremely important to maintain silence. Catfish are very sensitive to sounds, especially suspicious ones.

Places suitable for catching catfish

In the spring, the catfish only begins to emerge from the pits in which it was located during the winter. Therefore, using an echo sounder, try to find exits from them and throw the donk there.

How to choose the right equipment for fishing in summer? During this period, one of the best baits will be a frog. It is necessary to cast it closer to the shore, namely to places where water lilies and overhanging trees grow.

In the fall, you won't be able to find catfish in shallow water. Therefore, look for it in the pits where it will prepare for winter.

Features of fishing by season

When fishing from the shore with a donk, you should also take into account the time of year. The activity of catfish varies depending on the season, and there are peculiarities in behavior.

Fishing in spring

Spring fishing usually brings good results. It is best to lie in wait for fish at the exit from the pits where they spent the winter. After the water warms up, the catfish likes to actively “walk” around its property.

Fishing with a feeder or quok is effective. The last one is a special decoy-beater. The method is very old and time-tested. Allows you to catch catfish, and almost certainly a large one. The days of May are a great time for such an active holiday.

Summer fishing

Summer is the best time for fishing. During this period, the catfish is both at depth and visits shallow water to eat. Can be found in one of these places. Although the main base for fish remains quiet pools.

Catfish are active not only in the dark, but also bite in the morning. When the heat subsides, towards evening, the “master of the pools” is easily recognized by strong splashes.

When fishing from the shore, it is recommended to use several donks at the same time. You can put your own bait on each one. This will increase your chances of success. Moreover, it is better to throw a donkey with a frog closer to the shore, and with a crawler or live bait - further away.

Donka with a rod

For it, you need to choose a very strong and reliable fishing rod, since the catfish is quite a large fish. Aluminum spinning rods or rods that are designed for catching sea fish or carp are best suited.

The reel also needs to be strong and durable so that it can withstand strong gusts from the catfish.

If you plan to catch small trophies, you can use monofilament, the thickness of which is from 0.5 to 1 mm. If you want to catch a very large catfish, then use a braided cord with a diameter of 0.5 to 1 mm.

You need to select a sinker on the spot, taking the current speed as a basis. If it is small, then its mass can be from 100 g.

It is worth noting that if you plan to catch catfish at the exits of the pits or in the pit itself, then the bait should weigh at least 1 kilogram.

Hooks must be chosen to be very strong. If you are not sure of their reliability, then the bait can be attached to several at once.

Types of donkeys

Donka fishing from the shore for catfish traditionally brings success to trained fishermen. This tackle is simple and reliable. In a specific area it can be modified for certain conditions. Some fishermen even have their own secrets. Although with regard to the main principles of design, all such gear is very similar.

Tackle with rod

The donka with a fishing rod has the following device features:

The rod, for obvious reasons, must be strong, with a good test: for small catfish - from 50 g, for trophy ones - at least 250. For example, a duralumin spinning rod or an ordinary carp stick will do. Length - about 2.4 meters. You definitely need to think about guide rings, as they can take on a significant part of the load.
The reel must also be reliable. The sizes depend on the rod, but not less than 3,500. You need 200 meters or more of braid, because you will often have to let go of the line.
The fishing line is of increased strength. The monofilament is selected with a thickness of 0.5−1 mm. A reliable and sensitive option is a braided cord. Its diameter for large specimens is 0.8 mm, for others 0.5 mm or even less is suitable.
The leash is made 0.1-0.15 mm thinner than the fishing line. Could be made of wicker.
Rigging from shore to catfish - increased reliability. It is better to use two hooks. Sometimes they put one bait fish on them. In some cases, an underwater float is used.
The sinker can be stationary or sliding. Weight depends on conditions. If the depth is shallow and the current is weak, take sinkers weighing 100-150 g. When fishing at a great distance from the shore, heavier ones are needed in pits - about 1 kg. A simple stone is often used. It is wrapped with rope and secured with fishing line 0.4-0.5 mm thick. After the bite, the stone will sink to the bottom.

Option without a rod

A donka without a rod is called a zakidushka. It is often used during currents, at short distances. When fishing from the shore, it is securely attached:

to trees, bushes,
to stakes driven into the ground.

Features of this gear:

fishing line - made of durable nylon cord,
the leash should be from 0.5 to 0.8 mm thick,
The weight of the sinker and the size of the hook depend on the fishing conditions and the size of the fish.

Catfish bait

Catfish are considered a scavenger, so the bait must be of animal origin. It is worth noting that many experienced fishermen know very well which baits it responds especially well to. So, you can use:

Live frog;
Rakov;
Various shellfish;
Earthworms;
In addition, catfish are excellently caught using shrimp and chicken.

According to the recommendation of anglers, to increase the efficiency of catching catfish, you can use the FISHHUNGRY attractant. One bag should be mixed in water and the future bait should be soaked in it for several hours. This fragrant mixture will provide you with a good bite at any time of the year, except winter.

The best baits and lures for catfish

If you use artificial bait, it must be moving. At night, when the catfish goes out in search of food, it will pay attention to it first. However, many argue that at this time it can be caught with absolutely any bait, so anything can be used as it.

If you have stale food left in the refrigerator, you can use it, as this smell attracts catfish.

What to use to catch catfish in the fall

Bird giblets, worms, liver, and frogs are most often used as bait for catching catfish in the fall, and simple bottom gear is used as bait for catching catfish in the fall.

They try not to use fast-moving artificial bait, since the catfish may simply not react to it.

Artificial baits like deep-sea wobblers and spinners, large vibrating tails with various noise effects will give good results when catching catfish in cold water, at temperatures up to 10 degrees.

Live bait for catching catfish on a bottom rig

If you plan to catch catfish with live bait, then first of all pay attention to its size.

Statistics show that the catfish you catch with live bait will be about 8-9 times larger than it. Thus, if the bait weighs about 500 grams, then the caught trophy will weigh approximately 4-5 kg. Therefore, the greater the mass of the bait, the greater the mass of the caught catfish.

In addition, many experienced fishermen recommend fishing with fish that you caught in the same body of water. Catfish have a very well developed sense of smell and will prefer local prey. Therefore, catfish bite very poorly on purchased live fish.

Catching catfish in the fall with a spinning rod

When catching catfish with a spinning rod in the fall, the most effective will be a large-sized oscillating spoon. The fishing technique for catching catfish in the fall is the same as in the summer, the main thing is caution and leisurely.

Spinning is one of the most universal methods of hunting predatory fish. You can also catch catfish with this tackle. There are not many ways to catch catfish using a spinning rod. One of them is jig fishing. To do this, you will need a strong rod with dough weighing up to 80 g, a power reel, a braided fishing line with a diameter of 0.30 to 0.35 mm and a set of baits equipped with dead small fish, a silicone twister or vibrotail, an oscillating spoon or the foam rubber known to us all.

You need to start catching catfish with a spinning rod by carefully combing holes or edges at depth. In such places, catfish hunt in the morning. It is necessary to introduce the bait with a slow action, sometimes barely touching the bottom. The lifts should be done very smoothly, not like when hunting for pike perch.

The best time to catch catfish with a jig is in spring and autumn. At this time of year, catfish accumulate in hunting holes. Many people find this method more fun and interesting. Having noticed a catfish on the water by the distinctive slaps of its spotted tail, catching the “mustached one” remains a matter of technique. When hunting even close to the surface of the water, the catfish responds well to a slow-moving bait that sluggishly plays with it. Many fishermen achieve the greatest success using a huge heavy curtain, approximately the size of a palm, or a red and white wobbler.

In the summer, it is better to hunt catfish with a spinning rod at night. For bait, you can use a floating wobbler. Having successfully cast to the far edge of a deep hole, they begin retrieving at short intervals. Somewhere in the middle of the hole you can slow down the bait. It will gradually float to the top. If the catfish reacts to the bait, you have a chance to successfully hook the catfish.

After catching a few catfish, you can start experimenting. For example, equip a spinning rod with a frog made of soft silicone with legs that rotate around the body. Previously, such a frog seemed like a simple souvenir. And for catfish it will serve as another bait.

It must be remembered that catfish are very unpredictable. Sometimes he can completely overturn your expectations. In general, autumn catfish fishing can present fishermen with a lot of surprises, both positive and not so positive, but every fisherman expects only positive surprises from fishing, and for a real fisherman there is no other way, for him the fishing itself for catfish, carp or crucian carp, pike in the fresh air with a fishing rod in hand near a pond - this is already a huge positive surprise from fate. Good luck catching catfish in the fall.

Subtleties of seasonal catfishing

It is best to catch catfish on a donkey in spring, summer or autumn. Therefore, below we will talk in detail about the features of fishing in each of them.

If you go catching catfish on a donk in the spring, then it is most effective to go in the middle or end of May, when the water has already warmed up quite well.

According to experienced fishermen, in the summer you can catch very large trophies. You are guaranteed a good bite both in the morning and in the evening. In this case, the most productive period is the night, when the catfish goes out in search of food. Therefore, at such times, the best bait would be a piece of small river fish or a frog caught in the same reservoir.

In autumn, despite the fact that the water temperature gradually decreases, the catfish does not leave its habitat. If you can find areas where a variety of fish hang out, you will most likely be able to find catfish there.

It’s best to go fishing during the day and throw the donkey into places with small holes. We also recommend that you ensure absolute silence, since catfish, unlike other river fish, always sense extraneous noise and avoid its source.

Other types of gear for catfish

In addition to classic gear, homemade structures are used to catch catfish from a boat and shore. Some homemade products are superior to store-bought ones due to their ability to handle any kind of prey.

Equipment with underwater float

For many years, to catch the predator, fishermen used a clever tackle - a donk with an underwater float. Its distinctive feature is the location of the float.

Unlike classic bottom fishing, here this part of the equipment is under water, providing additional play for artificial bait or live bait.

The design is a small cylinder or an elongated ellipse, which can be used both in still water and under strong currents. The underwater float is made of materials with good buoyancy, including:

Cork.
Styrofoam.
Other polymer raw materials.

It is not difficult to install a catfish tackle with an underwater float. All materials and available tools are available in the home workshop, and you do not need to use additional equipment to assemble them.

Changeover

Catching catfish in spring or autumn is carried out using a net. This design is made from a durable cord equipped with one and a half meter leashes with hooks. The tackle is pulled from one bank to the other across the river. There are bottom and top models.

The first option is equipped with an additional weight that ensures fixation of the nozzle at the very bottom. The harnesses are stretched over the water or along the surface of the reservoir so that the hooks and bait are at a distance of 30-40 cm from the water.

Spear fishing

Today, such a direction as underwater hunting is actively developing. The use of a harpoon allows you to catch a trophy barbel that is large in size and weight.

Catfish activity increases in mid-May, when the water temperature rises to +17...+18°C. During this period, predators begin to spawn, but there is an official ban on fishing in the country. You can start hunting only after spawning has completed, somewhere in early summer.

With the arrival of summer heat, the river water becomes cloudy, so finding prey in it is problematic. Experienced spearfishers consider autumn to be the best time to dive. Autumn cold improves visibility underwater, providing better conditions for your next dive.

In the fall, hunting river catfish is much easier and more effective. In addition, at this time the largest representatives of the species emerge from the pits, which makes the hunt especially exciting.

Often an underwater gun is used to catch catfish in winter. This is possible under favorable weather conditions, when reservoirs remain open from ice.

Pulse fishing rod

There are less common fishing methods that are prohibited by law, but are still used by unscrupulous fishermen. Among them is the use of an impulse fishing rod. The tackle generates an electrical impulse that affects defenseless fish, killing it instantly.

In addition to large individuals, fry and young fish float to the surface. Many of them die, but the rest are damaged and can no longer reproduce.

What homemade tackle is easiest to assemble with your own hands?

It’s not difficult to assemble homemade gear for fishing for catfish. But some options have an intricate design and require installation skills. The rest are quite simple to make, so even a beginner can make them.

Among them is the classic donka. To create the tackle you will need a strong cord, a large hook and a heavy sinker. The latter equipment is cast independently from lead or purchased at a fishing store.

Particular emphasis is placed on the quality of the fishing line. For a homemade product, use a twisted or braided cord that can withstand loads of up to 50-60 kg. The optimal fishing line length is 50−100 m.

Single but large models made of 5-6 mm strong wire are used as hooks.

It’s not difficult to set up catfish supplies with your own hands. It is enough to prepare the necessary equipment elements and connect them one by one. A good homemade product allows you to catch catfish in winter and summer with equal efficiency.

Night catching catfish on a donk

At night, catfish go out hunting. As many fishermen note, during this period it is especially active and notices any moving object that has a stale or specific smell.

You can fish anywhere except deep holes. It could be:

The bend of the reservoir;
Breakwaters;
Quiet pools;
Cluster of vegetation.

At night, you try to cast your fishing rod far away.

It is worth noting that in the autumn season sleep is not good at night.

How to make a donk for catfish with your own hands

To make a classic donk for catching catfish with your own hands, you need to prepare the materials in advance:

Strong fishing line. This can be either monofilament or braided cord. Their diameter should be from 0.5 to 1 mm;
Hooks. Their size should be from No. 10 to No. 40;
Cargo. Its weight depends primarily on the body of water in which you plan to catch catfish. If you plan to fish on a river, then its weight can be from 60 to 100 g, and in lakes or reservoirs - from 30 to 60 g.

Once you have prepared all the necessary equipment, you can start collecting the donka:

First of all, prepare a fishing line, the length of which is 3.5 meters;
Attach a leash to it, which should be located approximately 1.5 meters from the end;
Attach the weight approximately 40 - 90 cm from the end of the fishing line;
Install hooks at the end of the fishing line.

According to many anglers, it is a homemade donka that is in most cases effective when catching large catfish. Also in this case, it is necessary to choose a fishing line whose load can range from 25 to 40 kg.

It is worth noting that the length of the cord should be taken with a margin of 1.5 meters.

If you are a fan of experiments, then you can find other donk schemes on the Internet.

Preparing equipment for a donkey with your own hands

Donka for catfish is not easy to make with your own hands and is a complex and rough assembly of various components. To get strong bottom tackle, carefully select all the parts. Also, your bottom jig may or may not include a rod and reel. So, the components of bottom gear for catfish:

1. Reliable and powerful spinning rod.

2. High-quality and strong reel.

3. Fishing line 0.5 mm.

4. Line for the leash with a thickness less than that of the main one.

5. Sinker depending on the body of water and the strength of the current.

6. Forged hook of a fairly large size with maximum hooking.

You may also need a reel. This is necessary if you are not going to use a rod with a reel for bottom tackle.

Safety precautions when catching catfish from a boat

Catching catfish from the shore is very simple, since it does not pose any particular danger to the fisherman himself. However, fishing from a boat can lead to unexpected consequences. Therefore, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the safety measures in advance:

To protect yourself as much as possible in the event of a strong jerk of a catfish, prepare a knife or high-quality scissors in advance so that in case of danger to your life you can cut the fishing line.

This must be done because there is a possibility that the supply of fishing line that is under the fisherman’s feet, when the catfish jerks, can wrap it around his leg and drag the person into the water;

You should not wrap the fishing line around your hand, as when catching a large catfish you can say goodbye to your limb forever;
If you realize that you have caught a very large catfish, then you should not immediately lift it onto the boat. When airborne, it becomes very active and can easily capsize a boat. Therefore, keep the catfish in the water and as soon as you go ashore, start fishing for it.