What is a winter zherlitsa?
So, let's talk about the equipment itself, what a winter girder is. Today there are a huge number of varieties of pike fishing poles, both homemade and purchased in fishing stores, but this is not so important. They all have the same principle of catching pike.
Typically, a winter girder is a circle at the base into which a bite alarm (red flag) and a reel with fishing line are attached to a stand. It is best to use fishing line 0.3 – 0.35.
When fishing for pike with a lure, just like when fishing with a spinning rod, it is best to use a leash so that you don’t have the unfortunate disappointment of missing your trophy. You also select the weight in front of the leash depending on how strong the current is in the pond.
Types of girders
The main difference is related to the use in winter or summer, because one is caught in open water, and the other from ice. The designs are different, but the operating principle will be the same. summer and winter girders exist in various designs.
It all depends on the skill and imagination of the fisherman, as well as on the available means available in each specific case, with the main components:
- summer girders are a small spear with a fishing line, weight, leash and tee;
- The winter one is a reel with a flag on a spring, a fishing line, a sinker and a hook capable of hooking a predator.
Lure for fishing with girders
Live bait is used as bait. This is a small fish, it is best for it to be caught in this body of water (Perch, Roach, ruff, bream, etc.), the fishing will be of the highest quality. Well, if you can’t catch local live bait, you can buy it at the store.
The most common live bait for girder fishing is crucian carp. Of course, it will bite worse, but it has one huge advantage: it is very tenacious and can remain active for hours.
To store live bait, they use a special bucket called a canna, so that it remains in an alert state for as long as possible.
Live bait fishing. How to catch live bait for fishing on girders (Video)
Fishing for pike on girders in summer
When catching pike on girders in the summer, the fisherman does not need to cover the mileage in search of a suitable place to cast a spinning rod or select the right lure. He just needs to place several vents along the shore and wait until this predator falls on them. In addition, fishing with a zherlitsa is possible in places inaccessible to a spinning rod. These are snags, places with abundant coastal vegetation and in reservoirs overgrown with aquatic plants. Also read about preparing fried pike caviar according to an old Russian recipe.
Live bait for catching pike on girders
Even if the pike does not show much activity at this time, live bait that is constantly in one place will lure it out of cover. In addition, the predator always reacts better to live bait than to a spinner. And if live bait is caught in this reservoir and is the natural food for pike, then a rich catch is guaranteed.
It is very important to properly bait the bait on the hook. A leash is inserted under the gill cover, a sliding double is inserted into it and it is pulled back until the hook rests on the lips of the bait. To prevent the hook from being knocked out of its mouth when a pike grabs a live bait, it is advisable to attach another hook to the metal leash. With which the live bait clings to the back or tail, which does not allow it to move along the leash.
The stake for installing the tackle should be as long as possible. This will create a greater slope, which will prevent the baitfish from wrapping the fishing line around it while moving. There is a lot of fishing line for the movement of live bait; it is not worth reeling from the girder, so as not to allow it to hide in the aquatic vegetation.
Techniques and tactics of fishing with girders
After you have arrived on the ice, drilled a hole and taken out your gear, we move on to the most interesting part. We take out a live bait from the eland and attach it with a double or a tee, depending on who is comfortable with it, and hook it to the back.
Be careful when you pierce the back of the baitfish, do not damage the spine, otherwise it will not last long with you. You need to bait it lightly, it won’t go anywhere without the help of a pike, of course.
After baiting, we lower it into the hole and rewind the line until the bait reaches the bottom. As soon as we reach the bottom, wind the line 3 to 5 turns of the reel so that our live bait does not lie on the bottom and does not cling to anything, be it grass or stones.
And he will play less than at a distance raised from the bottom. After this, the vent is placed on top of the hole, thereby limiting the entry of light. If the base of the hole is not round, then the hole is sprinkled with snow.
And here is the last stage : the reel with fishing line is secured with a signaling device (red flag) and all the gear is installed, now all that remains is to wait for our beautiful pike.
Of course, no one stops at one girder. According to statistics, there are at least five to seven girders per fisherman. So if you see fishermen running in the distance, don’t be surprised, these are the same girder lovers.
Now we’ll talk to you about how to behave if a bite occurs. When bitten, the signaling device (red flag) shoots, i.e. from a bent state it straightens, thereby letting the fisherman know that a bite has occurred.
Often the fisherman is located at a distance of 50 to 100 meters from the girder, but the flag is clearly visible. That's why I said don't be alarmed if you see fishermen running on the ice.
Live bait mounting options. Fishing secrets (Video)
Gear equipment
Gear equipment Any girder must be equipped with equipment.
The main thing is the fishing line. There is no point in using expensive fishing line options for girders; it is enough to purchase an average-priced one. The diameter of the fishing line ranges from 0.2 to 0.35 mm. It all depends on the size of the expected fish caught. It is necessary to wind the fishing line with a reserve on the reel or reel. I lay about 20-25 meters. The reserve is needed so that the pike has time to swallow the bait while moving. Instead of a steel leash, I use fluorocarbon, it is very convenient to use. In addition, you can make the required length yourself. Fluorocarbon is strong enough for pike to bite through. I choose a fluorocarbon cross-section from 0.25 to 0.35 millimeters (depending on the expected fish caught). The sinker needs to be selected depending on the live bait. If the live bait is small (20-50 grams), then a weight of 10-15 grams is enough. If we use larger live bait when fishing, then we will need a heavier load. This is due to the fact that the live bait is mainly trying to float up under the ice, and is not at the depth we need.
The hook must match the intended bait. So, for example, I never use a single hook on pike; it’s mostly a double or treble hook. For winter fishing, smaller hooks can be used than when catching a predator in the fall. This is due to the fact that fish are less active in winter. The water in the reservoir settles and becomes very clear, and this unmasks the hook.
What to do when a pike bites?
After the flag is fired, in most cases the reel begins to spin slowly, the most important thing here is not to rush. Let the pike move a little to the side, do not spare the fishing line, let it swallow the bait deeper, otherwise you can simply tear it out of its mouth.
After the reel has stopped, wait 10 - 15 seconds, then strike sharply, but not too hard. Fishing for pike should also be done carefully; the line should move freely in your hands; for every strong jerk of the pike, release the line.
This is a kind of manual clutch, I hope you understand what I mean. Before the hole, the pike, seeing daylight, becomes more aggressive, so be prepared for surprises.
You definitely need to have an ice pick with you, in case you come across a specimen that won’t fit into the hole. With it you can widen the hole and get the trophy.
Also, Pike fishing on Zherlitsa is carried out at night, 15 - 20 zherlits are installed in different places, at different depths, in the water floor, and so on. It is advisable to lubricate the fishing line with Vaseline or some other product so that it freezes into the hole.
Now they sell a huge number of different silicone lubricants, this is not a problem. And that’s it, they come in the morning and walk around the girders with raised flags. Using an ice pick, carefully open the hole without damaging the fishing line and take out the catch. I wish you good luck in catching pike with girders.
Features of the girders
Classic girder
This simple tackle is designed for catching predatory fish exclusively with live bait. It may have several design options, but the essence comes down to one thing: the predator is presented with a bait mounted on a hook connected by a fishing line to a fixed base, which, as a rule, is located above the water. Typically, fishermen use several poles. Their number can be any, as long as the area of the reservoir and the capabilities of the fisherman allow.
Despite the fact that today you can buy any tackle in the store, fishermen prefer to make girders with their own hands. This is absolutely not expensive and takes very little time. A good fisherman can have a dozen and a half girders in his arsenal. If you know where to look for a predator, this amount is enough to get a pretty good catch. Making girders with your own hands is gradually developing into a kind of hobby for some fishermen. Making these tackles themselves, craftsmen constantly modernize them, bringing them to perfection.
