This article will be interesting for those anglers who prefer "quiet", calm fishing - catching fish such as carp, bream, crucian carp, rudd. But often in Three Rivers on the Lower Volga, fans of spinning fishing for river predators are also engaged in this in order to diversify the fishing process. And most importantly: with the bottom tackle, you can catch larger specimens of fish that prefer to stand and feed at deeper depths.

With a sufficiently large number of varieties of bottom gear and devices, in essence and in the principle of operation, they are all very similar. The main components of any bottom tackle are: hooks, leads, sinkers, main line and, in many cases, a special feeder. Various rods, reels, reels and rubber shock absorbers are also used for bottom fishing. Both natural and artificial baits and baits are used as bait, depending on the type of fish on which the tackle is installed.

The main types of bottom gear:
- donka (zakidushka);
- donk with a rod;
- feeder (donka with a feeder);
- donk with rubber shock absorber.

Donka (zakidushka)
An ordinary donk consists of a fishing rod, main line, sinker, leash with a hook and a signaling device. The easiest to manufacture and at the same time reliable bottom allows you to throw the bait at a distance of 30-50 meters and at almost any depth.
As a fishing rod, a rod about a meter long is used, which is stuck into the ground or ready-made factory fishing rods made of aluminum, bamboo, equipped with a reel or reel.
The main line is selected based on the specific conditions and the size of the intended catch. In this version of the donkey, it is better to use a monofile with a thickness of 0.35-0.80 mm and a length of 40-60 meters. A braided line is undesirable, since it does not absorb the jerks of large fish at all. When fishing for perch, bream, crucian carp and roach, it is quite possible to limit yourself to 0.30 mm fishing line. The leash is made thinner, 0.15-0.22 mm and can be made of braid.
Bottom fishing leads are made of lead and can be of various shapes, weights and have two types of attachment: sliding and blind. A donka with a sliding sinker has an advantage over a blind rig because the fish that has taken the bait does not feel the strong resistance of the weight of the sinker and swallows the bait more boldly. In shape, sinkers for donuts are spherical, drop-shaped, conical and in the form of a stick (this shape allows you to avoid snags when fishing in a cluttered place). When fishing on strong current hooks - protrusions are cast on the surface of the flat sinker. In the case when it is necessary to raise the bait above the bottom, you can use a "Tyrolean stick" sinker, which has a float in the form of a tube at the point of attachment to the line.
Hooks for fishing with bottom tackle are used of all types and sizes, except for the "gills" - swallowers prohibited by the fishing rules. The size and type of the hook is determined solely by the type of fish being hunted and the bait.

Bite alarms are a very useful thing. They can be either the simplest of the available material (a twig-guy line or a piece of bark in the form of a weight on the line), or super-modern, electronic, reacting to the slightest movement of the line in the longitudinal direction. The most common signaling device for a simple donkey is a bell or, jokingly, "tsak")). It is simple, easy to use and sensitive, and denotes a bite not only by mechanical movement, but also by sound, which saves the angler from constant close observation of the tackle. The bell can be purchased at the store or made yourself, for example, from a brass cartridge case from a hunting cartridge. It is suspended from the main line so that it forms an obtuse angle in front of the rod. They are fastened with a clothespin or a piece of plastic with a slot, but in any case, it is desirable that such a signaling device be fixed so that it can move along the line for fine adjustment after each casting of the tackle.

How to increase the casting range of a conventional donkey-zakidushki?
Usually, the donkey is thrown by slowly spinning the sinker on the main fishing line, but various slings are also used: a wooden spatula, a sanded stick, and so on. But of course, a much more advanced tackle is a donk with a rod.

Donka with a rod
This is the most common bottom fishing tackle among anglers, which differs from a simple donkey by the presence of a spinning rod with a reel, which is essential. makes it easier to cast and play fish, as a correctly selected rod makes it easy to send the bait with a sinker at a distance of 80 or even 100 meters. When playing a large trophy (especially for a strong and hardy carp), the rod absorbs jerks and blows well. Besides, bottom tackle with such a rod allows you to fish in places with overgrown or clogged banks and in conditions of a wide shallow coastal strip.
When using a spinning rod for bottom fishing, you can safely use a braided line as the main line, which has greater strength with a smaller section and, accordingly, has less resistance to water flow, which is especially important when fishing in a strong current.
The rod is selected according to the test in accordance with the weight of the lead (usually at least 80-100 grams) and a length of 2.4-3.2 meters. It is more convenient to use a two-handed one - it allows you to make the longest casting with a heavy sinker. The coil can be a conventional inertial, but it is much more convenient to use a modern non-inertia or multiplier.

The same bell, which is attached to the sensitive tip of the rod with a clothespin or other devices, can serve as a bite alarm. electronic signaling device bites, "monkey" (a special plumb line, attached one end to the rod, and the other to the main line). You can do without an additional signaling device altogether, registering pulls on the sensitive tip of the rod, painted in a bright color. For fishing with bottom tackle at night, additional signaling devices are used in the form of chemical disposable fireflies, which can now be purchased without any problems in the store. The glow time of such a beacon is up to 10-12 hours.
The rest of the equipment of such a donkey does not differ from the previous version.

Feeder tackle
This type of bottom tackle came to us from England, where it is used mainly for carp fishing. The main difference between feeder tackle and ordinary donkey is the presence of a special feeder, which is always next to the bait, and this is very important when fishing with donkey in the current. In addition to carp, such tackle is great for catching crucian carp, carp, bream and silver bream. And many other fish species are also by-catch: perch, roach, blue bream, buffalo, tench, ide, and so on.
For this method of fishing, the so-called feeder rods with a flexible tip and powerful reels, including those with an additional friction clutch - a baitrunner, are used, which helps to avoid breaking the tackle at the first, as a rule, very strong jerk of a large carp or carp.
Bite alarms are used in this case the same as for a donkey with a spinning rod, and the line is used braided, high-strength.
When fishing with a feeder, the function of a sinker is performed by a feeder made of wire mesh, which can be equipped, in accordance with the fishing conditions, with an additional lead load. The bait mixture, tightly packed into the trough, is gradually washed out by water and creates a cloud or plume that attracts fish to the bait.
The device of the rig itself can be deaf (a simple but ineffective option), with a sliding feeder sinker (in-line) or loop type (a sliding feeder mounted on an asymmetrical loop is the most sensitive option to bite).
You can read more about the installation of rigs for feeder tackle in the article.

Donka with rubber shock absorber
Such a donk is very convenient for long-term fishing (several days) in one place. In addition, it has one important advantage - baited hooks are in the same place every time and allow you to use bait - constant bait, training the fish to a certain point on the bottom. But the most important advantage of the "gum" is the absence of noise when the hooks are fed to the place of fishing, since heavy load is constantly in one place, and the hooks are pulled to the shore and fed back into the water due to the stretching of the rubber insert between the load and the hooks.
The main fishing line for such a donkey can be used quite thick, monofilament (0.8-1.0 mm), so you will have to work with it, as they say, with your bare hands. All connections of the main line with a section for hooks, an elastic band and a sinker are made through carabiners with swivels. The fishing line in the area where the leashes are located is used thinner, 0.20-0.22 mm, and the leashes themselves are made of 0.12-0.15 mm fishing line, so as not to scare off the cautious carp or crucian carp. Leashes can be made from a small section braided cord, but remember that you need to correlate the risk of hooks catching and the strength of additional parts of the rig, so as not to lose the entire bottom at once in the event of a hook. In addition, a donkey with a rubber shock absorber has a "disease" of twisting the leads around the main line when pulling and releasing. The situation can be corrected by mounting the leashes on steel cord bends or by twisting about 1/3 of the leash at their base.
It is better to make a rubber insert from "model aircraft" high-quality rubber of a round cross-section. Unlike "noodles", rubber bands are less prone to tearing and cuts with strong stretching. Before installing the bottom, be sure to carefully check the integrity and elasticity of the rubber. If it darkens, turns yellow, you need to replace it. On average, such rubber stretches 4-5 times, so the ratio of the length of the line and the rubber insert should be 1: 5-1: 4. It makes sense to add about a meter to the estimated length of the rubber, then the shock absorber will not stretch to its ultimate strength and the load will need less weight, which will affect the range of the load from the shore. If it is possible to bring the goods to Right place on a boat, you can even use a sandbag equipped with a buoy to remove it from the bottom after fishing and not clog the pond. In the case when the sinker is thrown from the shore, it is made of lead and equipped with hooks - protrusions to keep it at the bottom. The weight of the lead should allow you to extract it after fishing directly from the shore, using the tackle itself.
Another important nuance when fishing with a rubber band. You should not immediately pull the tackle to the shore after casting the sinker - it should "stick" to the bottom. After 10-15 minutes, you should slowly pull the line to the shore, laying it behind you with a snake until the hooks appear. Now you can install a fishing rod - a rod on which the beginning of the bridle is put on with a loop at the end of the main line. Now the tackle is fixed, you can bait the hooks, and then smoothly release the line into the water until the shock absorber shrinks completely. The correct position of the donkey in the operating mode is the absence of resistance when pulling to the shore, otherwise the fish when biting will be alerted by the excessive tension of the rig.
If you intend to feed the fishing site, then when you first lower the hooks to the first or last one, you can tie a small buoy on a thin line - it will show the location of your bait at the bottom.
The ideal signaling device for a rubber band donkey would be a heavy brass sleeve bell. It is installed so that the angle of the drawn line is almost straight (90 degrees).

Features of the donkey device for fishing with live bait
This is one of the varieties of bottom tackle used when catching predatory fish in Three Rivers from the shore. At the same time, the main difference between the live bait is an additional small float, fixed on a leash in such a way that the live bait (small fish: roach, crucian carp, bleak, ruff) is constantly on a given water horizon and cannot get into the grass or snag.
If you want the bait to be located above the bottom or in half the water, you can use an underwater float. This is a small cigar-shaped foam cylinder (you can use cork, tree bark and other floating materials), along the axis of which a wire with loops is passed. The main line is attached to one loop through a swivel with a carabiner or a winding ring, and a leash with live bait is attached to the opposite loop. Carabiners make it possible to quickly install or remove such a float. You can make it sliding. Then it will be possible to regulate the position of the live bait on the current, which increases the chances of catching success.

How to fish with bottom tackle on the stream
To cast the donkey without a rod, the line must be removed from the reel and spread out like a snake on a flat, smooth part of the shore (you can use a piece of film). After making sure that there is a safe zone for the tackle (bushes, tree branches) and there are no people behind, the sinker is spun with the right hand and sent forward and up towards the point where fishing is supposed to. You can slow down the main line a little before dropping to reduce splash noise. Now you need to choose the slack in the line, fix it on the fishing rod and attach the signaling device. The line should not be too tight - this will scare off cautious fish.
The bite of even a fairly large crucian carp or bream may be barely noticeable and a bell, for example, will not necessarily ring like “on fire”. The first pull may be preceded by a weak movement of the tackle and there is no need to rush - let the fish calmly swallow the bait, since effective hooking occurs only during a confident pull. It often happens that instead of a confident jerk, only the horizontal movement of the plumb line is noticeable. If the bite pulls towards the shore, the line weakens and the signaling device, accordingly, falls into a plumb line. If the pull comes from the shore, and if the bottom length is large, the jerks may not be felt at all, the bite is determined by the tension of the line “into the string”. At the beginning of a confident pull, you need to make a sweeping sweep. Choosing the right moment for hooking a particular type of fish will come with experience, but it is the main guarantee of success when fishing with bottom tackle on the Lower Volga.
If, nevertheless, it happened, and after cutting on the main line, a noticeable heaviness or twitching is felt, then the desired prey "sat down" on the hook. It should be without fuss, but without wasting time, to gently extinguish the first, strongest jerks of the future trophy with a friction rod, rod or hands, and a carp of a kilogram by 3-4 can jerk even as, immediately turning to the vector of resistance across. If the fish is large, try to move it from its place, tear it off the bottom in order to wear it down with resistance in the clean, overlying layers of water. Do not loosen the line, but do not try to drag with all your might - you can break tackle, straighten the hook or tear the tissues in the fish's mouth. If the resistance rises sharply, the prey beats - loosen the friction clutch, hand over the cord. It is easy to lead a fish tired from the struggle into the landing net and pull it ashore. Sometimes it is useful to let the fish “gulp air” when playing - this puts it into a stupor, especially when fishing for large bream from a depth. Do not let a large carp or crucian carp go into reeds, driftwood or under the edge - entanglement behind obstacles or rubbing against shell rock will deprive you of your tackle along with the trophy.

So dare and gain experience, as the great Magellan said: our fish will not leave us!))

By getting involved in fishing, beginners learn a lot and learn how to behave correctly on the pond, how to choose a place, bait and baits, and also correctly knit rigs.

In order for the first impressions to be positive, and the craving for fishing will remain for many years, you need to learn how to make simple but catchy tackles that are used on all types of reservoirs and for different fish.

This primarily concerns bottom rigs, which catch both small fish such as crucian carp or perch, and large fish - carp, carp, catfish.

The purpose of this article is to help a beginner figure out how to make a donk and what you need to pay attention to in order to get a catchy tackle.

Are there any advantages to homemade donuts

As you know, a lot of bottom rigs have been invented, and each of them helps to solve a specific problem and catch trophy fish in specific conditions. Donks are also sold in specialized fishing stores and the easiest way is to just buy them, especially since there is a large selection.

But not everyone has the necessary budget, and the main thing is that homemade tackles are often more catchy than purchased ones, and this has been proven by concrete results.

In addition, it is much more pleasant to pull a pike perch or carp onto a do-it-yourself donk and modified for certain conditions.

No matter how strange it may sound, the grandfather's donkeys catch ultra-modern tackle, and the price of the materials required for their manufacture is extremely low.

The advantages of homemade donuts:

• low cost of materials;
• design variability;
• compactness;
• quick preparation for use;
• the ability to use several homemade gear at the same time;
• the use of all kinds of baits, baits and attachments.

It is also important that a novice fisherman can try to fish with homemade donks and decide whether fishing will become a real hobby for him.

What a simple donka consists of

Already from the name it is clear that the bottom tackle is used to catch fish that live in the lower layers of the water. To immerse the leash with a hook, you need a sinker, and to fix the tackle on the shore of the reservoir - a rack or stag.

In general terms, an ordinary donk-zakidushka consists of:

• reel or spools on which the main line is wound;
• racks for fixing tackle on the shore;
• mechanical signaling device;
• main line;
• installation with a sinker.

Of all the accessories in the store, you will have to buy fishing line for the base and leashes, as well as hooks. For the base of the zakidushka, you do not need an expensive fishing line, so buy a simple fishing line in a reel of 100 meters in a store, with a diameter of 0-35-0.40 mm.

One hundred meters will be enough because it is difficult, if not impossible, to throw from a hand over a long distance. Usually it is 50–70 meters and there is still a reserve for playing large fish.

Such a fish should not be taken out "impudently", otherwise it will fall off the hook, so sometimes you have to play off 5-10 meters of fishing line from the reel in order to tire the trophy and bring it to the shore. Fishing line for leashes with a diameter of 0.18-0.22 is also bought in the store, and there is a special leash line in unwinding 25-50 meters.

Hooks will need 3-4 pieces of 4-6 numbers according to the European classification. The reel, sinker, stand and signaling device are made by hand, and their quality will be by no means worse than that of store products.

How to make a reel

The reel is made of a plank or a piece of plastic 30 cm long and 6 cm wide. Its main feature is that V-shaped notches are made from the end sides, for the convenience of winding the fishing line. It is not difficult to cut such cuts with a jigsaw or on a machine, as well as to clean them with sandpaper.

On one side, one leg on the reel should be 8-10 cm longer than the other, it is inserted into the sand or soil, when installing the reel before fishing. After the reel is completely processed, all the line from the 100-meter reel is wound onto it.

How and from what to pour the sinker

Most of the lead weights used in commercial fishing are cast from lead. It is the heaviest metal available, so it is used to make tool weights. Finding a piece of lead for casting a load is also easy, in particular, it is found in old car batteries.

Lead melts at 327º, so lead weights can be handcrafted at home. First you need to make a casting mold. To do this, wet sand is poured into an empty tin can, in which a deepening is made with the fingers in the shape of the future sinker.

In order for the sinker to hold the bottom well, it is made flat, oval in shape. That is, the depression in the sand is also made in the form of an oval.

There must be a hole in the lead for attaching to the fishing line, therefore, on one side of the future lead (at the top of the oval), a nail is inserted into the sand. After that, the pieces of lead are put into another can and it is heated on a regular gas stove, or over a fire.

After the lead has melted, it is poured into a sand mold and left to cool completely. A nail is removed from the cooled sinker with pliers, and the surface is processed with a file or sandpaper.

Lead is a soft metal and can be easily processed, so making the load absolutely smooth is also easy. Usually, anglers prepare a supply of lead weights so that in the event of a break in fishing gear, they can quickly change and continue fishing.

Stand and signaling device

The zakidushka stand is made of a metal rod 80-100 cm long. On one side of the rod 20 cm, its length is bent in the shape of the letter V for ease of laying and stretching the fishing line. It is advisable to treat the surface to a smooth state so as not to damage the fishing line.

The signaling device is made from a piece of rubber 3 cm long and 6 cm wide, in one end of which a slot is made to fix the fishing line, and on the other side (also into the slot) a small school bell is inserted. So that after sharp jerks the bell does not fly out of the elastic, the junction is glued.

How to assemble the bottom tackle with your own hands

After all the preparations are completed, we proceed to the assembly of the donkey zakidushki, for this you need:

1. wind the main line on the reel;
2. tie a sinker to the end of the line;
3. tie 3-4 leashes 8-10 cm long;
4. starting 10 cm higher than the weights, tie the leashes in 10 cm increments.

The distance between the leads should be at least their length, this will help prevent tangling of the tackle when casting.

Donkey zakidushki improvement

To increase the efficiency of fishing and lure the fish to hooks with a nozzle, fishermen use spring feeders, into which a deliciously smelling bait is hammered.

Dummy springs are also made by hand from copper wire wound on a solid base. Installing such a sliding spring between the lead and the first leash will increase the attractiveness of the zakidushka, and therefore its effectiveness.

By the way, the well-known carp killer donk rig is an improved donk with 2-3 springs and 3-4 leashes on a soft leash material. This means that if an angler knows how to make a classic zakidushka, then learning to knit other bottom rigs will be much easier for him.

Spinning donka

The next stage is making a bottom from a spinning rod, which will help to fish in distant parts of the reservoir and increase the fishing efficiency. Most experienced anglers, when they mention spinning, for some reason immediately imagine an expensive spinning rod with a test of 10–20 grams.

In fact, spinning rods are different and the well-known "crocodile" is, in fact, also spinning, only rough, but powerful. Such a spinning rod is thrown far away and when playing large fish they do not experience any problems, because it is not afraid of the most serious loads.

Another type of spinning rods used as donuts are inexpensive telescopic rods that are easy to carry and reliable in operation. The length of such rods varies from 2.40 to 3.00 meters, so there is a choice and it depends on the conditions in which the bottom fishing will be carried out.

Powerful spinning rods are the best rods for amateur bottom fishing in terms of price-quality ratio.

Important! The greater the growth of the fisherman, the longer the spinning rod he needs to choose, it is more convenient for them to cast and it is easier to fish out.

Coil

If the bottom tackle is thrown by the fisherman "from the hand" when fishing with a zakidushka, then a reel is needed to donkey from a spinning rod. Without a reel, you simply will not be able to throw the rig far away, and playing fish will be difficult.

A donk reel will not work, so you need a reel with a front or rear drag. In such coils, a reliable mechanism, covered with a waterproof case, and with regular maintenance (lubrication, cleaning), they will last more than one season.

For donkey spinning, you don't need an expensive spinning reel, and there are a lot of budget models and there are plenty to choose from.

The main characteristics of the inertialess:

• spool size;
• number of bearings;
• location of the clutch;
• the presence of a baitrunner;
• landing foot size;
• material;
• price.

On most spinning reels, the handle is swapped to the right or left, so the angler can choose the option that suits him best. The size of the spool determines the amount of line that can be wound, as well as the convenience when casting, especially at a long distance. The larger the spool, the more convenient it is to throw far, but to perform power long casts you need skills and technique.

Novice anglers believe that the more bearings a reel has, the more reliable and convenient it is to use. This is not entirely true, since the material from which the bearings are made is also important and it is better that they are metal. Unscrupulous manufacturers hide the fact that instead of metal bearings in their products there are plastic bushings and before buying you need to make sure of the quality of the goods.

Almost all modern spinning reels equipped with a friction clutch, front or rear. Some products have both a front and a rear drag, with which the baitrunner system is adjusted. But for a budget spinning donkey, a reel with a front drag without a baitrunner is suitable, it will be cheaper, but it will cope with the assigned functions.

Main line

In spinning donks, two types of lines are used:

• braided cord;
• monofilament line.

The braid is more expensive, but with the same diameter it is much stronger with the monofilament. That is, for the donkey, you can take a braid of a smaller diameter, which will be less noticeable and fly better.

Disadvantages of braids:

• high cost compared to monofilament;
• low elongation.

In addition, many braided cords in the budget segment are poorly colored, and after several fishing trips, all of their disguise is washed off.

Therefore, for a spinning rod, it is better to take a monofilament line with a diameter of 0.3-0.4 mm, a transparent color, and it will be invisible in any water.

Important! After fishing, dry the line, but not in the sun, and its life will significantly increase.

Donkey installation

A spinning donk is a sensitive and reliable tackle, but to provide this sensitivity you need to use a sliding sinker. The advantages of such an installation are that when the fish takes the bait, it does not feel the weight of the load and is not frightened, as is the case with a donkey-zakidushka. This is especially true for trophy fish, which are very careful and attentive to unfamiliar objects.

On the one hand, she is attracted by the smell, color and taste of the nozzle, but, on the other hand, she needs to be careful and attentive. The sliding sinker allows the fish to swallow the nozzle without fear and pull it to the side, and at this moment the movement of the sinker along the line stops and a notch occurs. In this case, the load itself must be flat so as not to move along the bottom under the pressure of the current and pulls of the fish.

To mount a donkey from a spinning rod, you will need:

• a piece of fishing line 40 cm long, 0.25 mm in diameter;
• sliding sinker;
• triple swivel;
• float stops;
• two leashes 15 cm long, with hooks made of monofilament fishing line with a diameter of 0.2 mm.

Installation procedure:

1. make a loop from one end of the fishing line for tying to the base;
2. pull the float stop on the line and hold it up to the loop;
3. stretch the sinker along the line;
4. put on another float stop;
5. tie a triple swivel to the free end of the fishing line by the upper ring;
6. lower the lower stopper to the swivel;
7. tie the leashes to the free rings of the swivel.

Installation is simple, but catchy, and for different fish. When fishing for crucian carp or bream, leashes are made from monofilament fishing line. If the catch is supposed to be a carp or catfish, the leashes are knitted from a soft braid and their length is shortened to 5–7 cm. Short leashes are less confused and do not create problems for the fisherman when playing and casting.

The stopper limits the movement of the weight along the line, and the lower stopper prevents the load from hitting the swivel assembly during power casts. With a possible hook on a snag or grass, only the leash tied on a thin line comes off, and the rest of the rig remains intact. To restore the tackle, you only need to tie a new leash or leashes.

Donkey improvement

In order to spread the leashes as far as possible to the sides, instead of a triple swivel, a rocker is knitted, but the reliability of the rig is reduced from this, especially when playing heavy fish. When fishing for small fish, which often confuses the rig, the use of a rocker arm is justified and even useful.

There is another trick to help prevent hooks from tangling and improve the tackle - to shorten one of the leashes to 5-7 cm, this installation works well for bottom white fish such as bream or crucian carp.

To increase the overall attractiveness of the tackle, instead of a sinker, a loaded spring is used, into which the bait is hammered. From this, the tackle becomes somewhat coarser, but the additional factor attracting fish in the form of a bait mixture is still more important. On the current, a more sticky mixture is used, in a stagnant reservoir it is "dusty" and this has a positive effect on catches.

The disadvantage of a spring is that in a strong current it rolls along the bottom and this creates inconvenience. In addition, when fishing with a donkey "under the clip", the fisherman throws the tackle all the time in the same place and a kind of bait spot is created.

If the spring rolls along the bottom after casting, this effect is unlikely to be achieved. But there is an opportunity to solve this problem and make a donkey with a spring that will not roll on the bottom and, moreover, even more effective than a standard donkey, and this bottom tackle is called a "harvester".

How and from what to make a donka "combine"

Donka "harvester" is a multi-hook tackle consisting of a feeder with loading and three leashes made of soft leash material. The bait is hammered into the feeder, and a floating nozzle is put on the hooks and this installation shows an excellent result on lakes and rivers.

The main feature of the "combine" is in the design of the feeder, which is a spring with a flat lead bottom. After casting, such a feeder splashes down in a certain position and hooks with a nozzle are always on top.

We can say that the donka "harvester" is the progenitor of the now fashionable flat-method feeders that help to catch trophy fish.

How to assemble a catchy donkey "combine"

To make a donkey "harvester" you will need:

• spring feeder with flat weight;
• three leashes made of soft leash material 5–7 cm long;
• a piece of braided cord 30–40 cm with a diameter of 0.25–0.3 mm;
• lock bead;
• float stop.

The installation is knitted on a braided line in order to ensure strength and reliability during power casting and playing fish.

We collect the donk "harvester":

1. at the end of the braid, we firmly fix the mounting bead;
2. we pass the braid into the feeder and lower it down to the bead;
3. put on a float stopper and lower it to the very feeder, rigidly fixing it;
4. we twist all the leashes together in one knot;
5. 1–2 cm above the float stop, we tie the leashes to the braid;
6. at the free end of the braid we make a loop to connect to the main line.

How donk works

After the complete assembly of the “harvester” donkey and its attachment to the main line, the bait is hammered into the feeder, and technotesto or foam balls cling to the hooks. Hooks stick into the groundbait in rings, and the tackle is thrown into the water.

In the process of washing the bait, the hooks are released and float in the immediate vicinity of the trough. The fish comes up to the flavor of the bait and out of curiosity tastes the foam ball, catching the hook.

Donka "harvester" is used for catching any bottom fish, and even a wild carp bites on it. The strength of the tackle is enough for sniffing and playing trophy fish, and even crucian carp or bream can be pulled out on it without problems.

The use of polystyrene as a nozzle rather than a technotest is preferable, because the synthetic material does not soak or wash off with water, maintaining its buoyancy for a long time. Anglers use flavored foam balls with the "harvester" bottom and this increases the attractiveness of the entire tackle.

Donka "harvester" is used for fishing at any time of the year in open water and this simple and catchy tackle is very popular with anglers.

We make a spring for the "combine"

How to make a flat lead weight has already been described in the first part of the article, and the process is very similar when making a spring. Only after lead is poured into the sand mold, a spring is inserted into it, and the structures are allowed to cool down to normal temperature.

This is followed by the processing of the lead load with a file or emery and the result is a spring feeder with a flat bottom, streamlined in shape. Such a feeder has both flight characteristics at the highest level, and the location of the load ensures that it falls to the bottom of the reservoir in the only possible way.

The size of the “harvester” donkey feeder depends on the size of the spring and, accordingly, the preferences of the angler who makes the choice.

Important! Don't oversize the springs, they are more difficult to throw, and too large a volume of groundbait does not give any advantage.

Fishing with the help of a donkey is very diverse, novice fishermen mistakenly believe that it is possible to fish with bottom tackle only from the bottom habitat.

The donk-fishing rod has undergone a variety of modifications, the number of designs is very large, by the way, the bottom tackle without a rod is also called a bottom fishing rod. And the use of the notorious gum is also considered a bottom tackle.

With rod

The undisputed leadership is held by the most traditional bottom tackle - this and all its modifications. Not many people know that "zakidushka" is the progenitor of the feeder and all spinning fishing.

Initially, the "zakidushka" consisted of any rod, at the end of which was attached up to 100 meters of fishing line in a reel, several leads and a heavy lead. If we add a sensitive tip to this simplest design, then we get one that reacts to the bites of the most careful and inconspicuous fish.

In addition, the feeder can be configured for fishing according to the required weight, by swapping places - quivertips with different stiffness. Such devices are very useful when moving from a fishing spot in a small current to a quiet backwater.

The modernization of the bottom tackle with a rod does not stand still. Take, for example, anti-twisting devices, feeders, stoppers, hinges and other well-known types of equipment. The modern angler, using all these techniques, can adapt his bottom tackle for successful fishing.

At the same time, the rod can be adjusted not only by the presence of a current in the reservoir, the soil and even weather conditions fall under the modern setting. In general, bottom tackle with a rod is the most versatile tool and best weapon fisherman.

Without rod

For fishing without a rod, in my opinion, the most popular method is the "rubber band". Is a very simple and therefore very convenient mechanism for fishing.

The tackle consists of a long fishing line and a rubber string, at the end of which a very heavy load or just a brick is attached. The fishing line is supplied with hook leads on which the bait is hooked.

The elastic is very interesting and easy to use, and in terms of the amount of catch it will not yield to any position or any other tackle.

In the second place, you can put the bottom tackle "ring".

With this tackle, you can only fish from a boat.

The principle of operation is as follows: first of all, you need to lower a large feeder on a thick fishing line, equipped with a large sinker, to the bottom, the feeder will remain there throughout the entire fishing period.

Then, we lower the second thinner line with leashes through a special ring on the first line, deliver the hooks with bait to the location of the feeder and wait for the bite.

This method is attractive in that you can constantly check the hooks and not waste time on bait.

But, the minus is that we will not be able to move from one place to another in search of a more "fishy" one.

To use this method of fishing, you need to thoroughly know the reservoir in order to place a feeder in the pit.

Equipment "zakidushki"

For the manufacture of "zakidushki" we need;

• Strong line;
• Sinker (lead);
• Leashes with hooks at the end;
• Bell or bite alarm.

In the role of a rod, large wooden stakes can act, which are firmly driven into the shore. The fishing line for the "zakidushka" is chosen according to the principle of strength, the stronger the better. The recommended thickness for the line is 0.4 - 0.5, the length mainly depends on the fishing conditions, but not less than 50 meters for long casting.

The sinker for the "zakidushki" can have a deaf and sliding mount, everything is calculated on the spot, depending on the size of the current. Fishermen often use various metal parts weighing 200 grams or more as sinkers.

Leashes are made of the same strong line, but not single, but braided, it is more pliable at depth and behaves naturally.

The number of leads, of course, depends on your desire, but it is recommended to attach no more than 4 pieces to make the line less tangled. Hooks are also selectable large sizes, it depends on what kind of fish you go for.

Donkey-rubber equipment

The tackle consists of the following components;

• Monofilament fishing line with a thickness of 0.30 mm and a length of at least 100 meters;
• Round elastic band (Hungarian) 10 meters;
• Braided line 0.20 mm thick and 20 meters long;
• Bell or other suitable signaling device.

The fishing attachment will be attached directly to the reel, which is handcrafted from a wooden board.

In order to save money, an ordinary brick can serve as a sinker for an elastic band.

On the manufactured Motvil, we rewind the large diameter fishing line, when 2 meters remain until the end, we make loops along the entire distance.

They are necessary for attaching the leashes; 6 loops will be enough for this distance.

We make the leashes from a thinner fishing line and immediately tie the hook.

There can be up to three leashes on one loop; they can be attached either with a simple knot or with a carabiner.

A metal washer is tied to the end of the fishing line, it is to it that we will attach our elastic band. The length of the elastic is taken in reserve and the size is selected directly on the spot, the excess is wound on a sinker.

The elastic band freely increases in size by 3 - 5 times. Hence it follows that a piece of elastic of 5 meters can ensure the movement of the fishing line 20 - 25 meters towards the shore.

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that restrictions are imposed on fishing with a zakidushka - you can use only one rubber shock absorber equipped with 5 hooks per angler

How to make a donkey with a feeder?

Truly the most popular and versatile bottom tackle.

Now we will consider the device of the classic version of the donkey with a rod:

1. The key when casting a feeder can be given not to the fisherman, but to the rod. It all depends on the right spinning rod. When choosing a spinning rod, it is necessary to take into account not only its weight, but also the weight of the load at the end of the line. Namely, add together the mass of the equipped feeder, hook with bait and the approximate weight of the caught fish. Usually the weight is 800-1200 grams, the load on the end of the rod.
2. The used line has a thickness of 0.3 - 0.4 mm. The line is wound on a large reel, at least 150 meters long.
3. The coil, in turn, is not taken any, it is advisable not to be stingy when buying a coil, but to take the development from the latest innovations. It is on the reel that the convenience of playing and holding the fish depends.
4. Any feeder on the donk can be used as you wish... Below will be more detailed about the feeders.

Popular types of feeders

The spring is the most popular feeder when catching non-predatory fish.

This feeder has a double function, it serves as a bait container and a sinker at the same time.

Holds the bait well even in strong currents.

The main advantages of the spring - feeder:

• Inexpensive for the price;
• High efficiency;
• Possibility to make it yourself;
• Suitable for almost any river and lake fish;
• Suitable for any body of water.

"Makushatnik"

- one of the oldest traditional rigs of pre-feeder times. It was used mainly for catching large Carp, Carp and Carp. This tackle got its name because of its filling.

Fishing for Carp is considered to be the greatest advantage of the "makushatnik"; many still consider this tackle to be the best for catching this fish.

"Makushatnik" is not for sale in the store. This tackle is made exclusively by hand. Most likely, this explains the fishermen's love for this product. What could be more pleasant than catching fish with self-made tackle, from such a catch and laurels will be sweeter.

For such a rig, we need a sinker of a flattened shape in the form of any geometric object. The sinker should be attached to the main line thoroughly.

At the end of the line, a loop is attached to which our leashes with hooks for Karp will cling. A piece of top is attached directly to the sinker, with a nylon rope on the sides, you can also drill a hole in the sinker for attachment.

The leashes are hidden under a piece of top, and the hooks are stuck right into it. And in this form, the tackle is sent to the bottom.

"Pacifier"

This rig got its name from the manner in which the Carp eats the bait. The teat is a feeder weighing no more than 50 grams, into which the bait is tightly rammed.

Nipples come in many different shapes and types. Nipples are also made independently from corks and wire, various plates.

The principle of its operation is simple, we fill the groundbait tightly into the mold. We hide the hooks in the middle and send them to the bottom. All the mass at the bottom dissolves and makes a little aromatic haze.

The crucian carp swims up and slowly begins to suck on this tackle until it swallows the hook.

Homemade bottom tackle "Banjo"

This tackle has recently become popular for fishing in stagnant water. The banjo is a cross between a feeder and a nipple.

The cost of the rig is much more expensive than other feeders and therefore it makes sense to make it yourself:

1. We take the lid from a five liter plastic keg;
2. We make holes on the sides and insert a hollow tube;
3. We attach the sinker to the bottom of the cover using long bolts.

Tackle installation

Cut off 60 cm of fishing line, attach a swivel to one edge, and put a bead stopper on the other. We stretch the line into the tube and fasten, on the other hand, the swivel. Further, leashes with hooks can be placed on both sides.

Now you can hide the hooks in the middle of the lid, and stuff the bait tightly inside.

DIY summer bottom tackle

Now we will consider the option of a homemade bottom tackle with a built-in indicator light.

Manufacturing:

1. Plastic yogurt bottle;
2. We drill a 6 mm hole in the lid;
3. We insert the bolt, on which with outside we attach a stationery clip for paper;
4. We wind 50 meters of the required fishing line on the body of the bottle, and at the end we tie a carabiner with a swivel;
5. Next, we deal with the indicator light for night fishing, for this we need;

You will need:

• Tablet batteries - 2 pieces,
• Switch,
• Tilt sensor,
• Any one LED,
• Microcircuit 50x15 mm.

Tilt sensor:

1. We need a metal tube 8 mm in diameter and 15 mm long;
2. Then we cut out the side part from sheet aluminum;
3. The second side panel must be made of thin plastic or textolite;
4. We screw a small self-tapping screw into the center of the second sidewall and solder it to the foil;
5. We assemble our sensor, glue the textolite half to the tube;
6. We fill the cavity of the tube with small balls or pieces of cut wire;
7. Now we carefully solder our first sidewall to the tube;
8. Next, we cut out a holder for two batteries from brass, isolate the legs with a cambric;
9. We collect the board and attach it to the cover.

Installation

On the shore, we drive a sawn peg into the ground, and we fasten our donka onto it with a clerical clothespin. After casting, the line is passed into the crevice on the peg, and when the fish pecks, the sensor will be triggered by the tilt of the peg.

Do-it-yourself bottom tackle with self-landing gear

The principle of operation of the self-undercutting device is based on the free movement of the fishing line and the return of movement from the stretching of the elastic band. An elastic band attached to the loop of the fishing line, stretches at the moment when a large predatory fish took the bait and began to move back into the depths of the reservoir.

The elastic is stretched until the tension in it creates a reverse motion, and then the hook fits snugly into the mouth of the fish. Thus, we get the self-trimming effect.

Pulling the fish when self-tapping should be done carefully without sudden movements. Since you can get a reverse stroke with a sharp release of tension.

DIY universal bottom tackle

To make a universal tackle, you can use the most reliable and popular donkey design with a feeder. With the help of such a donkey, you can fish out carp, bream, crucian carp, pike perch, grass carp.

You should also pay attention to the rod: you can only successfully fish with a good spinning rod, especially predatory species such as catfish, perch, pike, carp, silver carp.

To increase versatility, it is necessary to use several types of feeders. Always use feeders in the exact location for which they are intended.

Fishermen are mostly experimenters, but there are certain well-established rules of fishing, based not on someone's whim, but on the behavior of the fish, its nature and habitat.

Novice anglers assume that with the help of bottom tackle you can catch only those fish that lead a bottom lifestyle. In fact, this is not the case.

Bottom fishing rods can have a variety of design solutions. Some of the structures are generally used without a rod, and the well-known "rubber band" is also a bottom tackle.

The most common tackle, called "zakidushka", is the progenitor of the well-known feeder and other tackle, such as spinning.

A regular zakidka can consist of any kind of rod, as well as a reel, on which up to 100 meters of line can be wound. At the end of the line, a sinker and several leashes with hooks are attached. If a piece of rod is equipped with a thin, sensitive tip, the result is a feeder rod that can respond to the slightest touch of fish.

Modern feeder rods are equipped with several tips of different stiffness, which allows the use of leads of different weights. The presence of such peaks allows you to fish both in the current and in calm water.

There are several designs that do not have rods. Instead of a rod, a reel of such a design is used, which allows you to store and transport the tackle, and also allows you to fix it on the shore of the reservoir. Such tackle as "rubber band" is widely used by anglers for bottom fishing. It got its name due to the fact that a rubber shock absorber is provided in its design. It allows you to retrieve the caught fish without pulling the tackle out of the water.

Despite the simplicity of the design, the catchability of the "gum" is at the highest level. In second place in terms of catchability, you can put the bottom tackle "ring". Unfortunately, it can only be used with a boat. Quite an interesting tackle, with the following principle of action. At the bottom of the reservoir, in a promising place, a feeder with food on a thick fishing line is lowered. She will stay at the bottom until the end of the catch. After that, a thinner fishing line with leads and attachments is lowered to the bottom. In this case, a ring of a certain weight is used. It draws the line with the hooks closer to the feeder and keeps them in place. This is especially true in the presence of a current, when the baited hooks under the influence of the current can move from the feeder to an indefinite distance.

This fishing method has one drawback. The tackle does not allow you to quickly change the fishing point. You either need to know well the nature of the reservoir and the bottom topography, or you can just get lucky.

To have a zakidushka, you need to stock up on the following details:

• fishing line of the required thickness;
• lead sinker;
• leashes and hooks;
• bite signaling device (bell).

Instead of a rod, wooden sticks, sharpened at one end, will do. This will allow them to be driven on the shore, thereby ensuring a reliable attachment of the tackle. Reliable fastening is necessary in conditions when it is supposed to catch a trophy specimen of pike or catfish. Therefore, the line is chosen according to the principle “the thicker the better”. Usually a line diameter of 0.4-0.5 mm is sufficient, as well as its length of 50 meters. Further, it is hardly possible to throw a “zakidushku” with your hands.

The shape and weight of the sinker are selected depending on the nature of the reservoir. If there is a current, then the sinker is chosen heavier, if there is no current, then it is lighter. But the weight of the sinker should be enough so that the “zakidushka” can be thrown as far as possible. If the bottom is solid, then a sinker of any shape will go, and if it is muddy, then it is better to use a flat-shaped sinker.

As a rule, no more than 4 leashes with hooks are installed on the "zakidushka" so that there are no unnecessary hooks. The ideal option is no more than 2 leads. The size of the hooks depends on the type of fish and its size. If the “zakidushka” is installed on a catfish, then the hooks are of the appropriate size.

Installation of the "rubber band"

This tackle includes the following components:

• monofilament fishing line with a diameter of 0.3-0.5 mm and a length of up to 100 m;
• elastic band "Hungarian" (round), up to 10 m long;
• braided line, 0.2 mm thick and up to 20 m long;
• bite signaling device (of any design).

As a rule, the tackle is fixed on a reel of a certain shape, which is cut from plywood, 6 mm thick. The shape of the reel should provide for the fastening of the tackle on the shore.

As a sinker, you can use a regular brick or part of it. This will save money. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that a load weighing 1 kg is quite enough. The load with a rubber shock absorber is connected using a piece of rope, 1-1.5 meters long. The rope is needed for casting gear from the shore. If there is a watercraft, then the load can be brought to any distance. In this case, the load can be attached directly to the elastic band.

Next, the main fishing line is attached to the elastic. Having retreated from the rubber shock absorber from 1 to 2 meters, 5-6 loops are formed, at a distance of 30-50 cm from one another. These loops will subsequently need to attach leashes with hooks. Usually, the fastening is carried out on a loop-to-loop principle, although there are other options. For example, you can use clasps (carabiners). As practice shows, the presence of unnecessary elements can scare off fish.

The length of the shock absorber may vary depending on the physical ability of the angler. The farther from the coast you can throw the tackle, the longer length a piece of elastic must be installed on the tackle. It is necessary to take into account the factor that the elastic increases in size from 3 to 5 times.

How to make a donkey with a feeder?

To increase the chances of catching fish, a feeder is added to the bottom rig. Moreover, the feeder at this time acts as a sinker, which is very convenient. The classic installation with a feeder is as follows:

1. When using a feeder, you should carefully and prudently treat the process of choosing a rod. In the process of fishing, several loads act on the rod: the weight of the bait, the weight of the feeder with food and the fish caught.
2. A fishing line with a thickness of 0.3-0.4 mm is used, which is located on a powerful reel that can accommodate up to 150 m of fishing line.
3. As a rule, preference is given to reels from well-known and reliable manufacturers.
4. The feeder is selected depending on the nature of the bottom of the reservoir.

Popular types of feeders

The "spring" type feeder is very popular. It is used for catching peaceful fish and shows good efficiency. The advantages of this design include:

• this feeder is relatively cheap;
• it has acceptable efficacy;
• it can be easily made at home;
• it is suitable for fishing both on the river and on the lake;
• with the help of it you can catch any peaceful fish.

Makushatnik

This is a very simple and affordable bottom tackle, the effectiveness of which has been proven over the years. It was named so because it uses sunflower cake (makuha) as feed. Very often, such equipment is used for fishing carp.

It will be possible to buy a top rack in a specialized store, but you can buy ready-made briquettes for a top rack. However, this is the main component of the rig, and how to adapt the briquette depends on the imagination of the angler himself. Sometimes anglers do not fantasize much and resort to the elementary fastening of the briquette from the top by means of an elastic band.

The second component of the rig is the sinker. It can also be fixed in the simplest way. The weight and shape of the sinker is selected for a specific body of water. And the third component is leashes with hooks that simply hide in the top without any bait. Sometimes they just use foam balls to keep the hooks in suspension.

Pacifier

The teat is one of the types of bottom rigs. The principle of its action is based on the fact that crucian carp or carp, as it were, sucks in the alleged food objects. Structurally, the nipple is made in the form of a feeder, into which the bait is tightly rammed, and hooks with or without bait are masked in the bait. Crucian carp, having found a food object, begin to slowly suck in the contents of the feeder. As a result, it sucks hooks along with food. When he discovers foreign bodies, he tries to get rid of them, but it's too late.

The simplest design of the nipple consists of a cap from under a plastic (5 liter) bottle and a wire threaded parallel to the surface of the cap, to which the main line and leash with hooks are attached. By the way, there can be several leashes (up to 6 pieces). Leashes should be very short so that they cannot twist together.

Tackle "Banjo" with your own hands

It is often used by anglers when fishing in stagnant water. This tackle is nothing more than an average derivative of the feeder and nipple.

Such equipment is easy to make on your own:

1. You need to take a lid from a 5 liter plastic container.
2. Holes are made on the sides of the cover, after which a hollow tube is inserted.
3. The load is attached to the bottom of the lid in any way possible.

Tackle installation

The main line is passed through a small tube, at the end of which a leash with hooks is attached. If the classic nipple does not belong to a sports type of equipment, then a nipple made using this technology turns into sports equipment.

Making a bottom tackle with a bite indicator light is another step in improving fishing comfort. To do this, you need to have:

1. Plastic container for yogurt.
2. Two coin-cell batteries.
3. Switch.
4. Tilt sensor.
5. One LED and one IC.

Manufacturing technology

• A hole with a diameter of 6 cm is drilled in the lid of the container. A screw is inserted into the hole and a paper clip is attached from the outside.
• Up to 50 meters of fishing line of the corresponding diameter is wound on the body of the container. A carabiner with a swivel is attached to its end.
• After that, a bite indicator is made and attached to the LED.

Tilt sensor manufacturing

The main element of the bite alarm is the tilt sensor, which is manufactured as follows?

1. A metal tube with a diameter of 8 mm and a length of 15 mm is taken.
2. A side piece is cut from sheet aluminum.
3. The second sidewall is made of insulating material (plastic or textolite).
4. A small screw is screwed into the center of the second sidewall, to which the foil is soldered.
5. After that, the assembly of the sensor is started. A sidewall made of insulating material is attached to the tube using glue.
6. The tube cavity is filled with small metal balls or pieces of copper wire.
7. In the next step, the first sidewall is attached to the tube.
8. The holder for two batteries must be cut out of brass. All elements are insulated with cambric.
9. Finally, the board with the microcircuit and the LED is glued, after which it is installed on the cover.

Onshore installation

After arriving at the pond, you should cut off a small peg and drive it into the ground. The indicator is attached to the peg with a paper clip. At the top of the peg, a crevice is formed through which the fishing line is passed. When biting, the peg will bend and the sensor will be triggered.

Donka with do-it-yourself self-securing device

When constructing such devices, you should always remember that such devices do not belong to sports types of fishing. However, they can increase the chances of catching fish. In order for the tackle to turn out to be self-cutting, it is enough to install a piece of elastic instead of a leash, which will serve as the mechanism that can ensure self-cutting of the fish. At the same time, the gum must be strong enough, otherwise, when a large specimen is biting, it may not be able to withstand.

The normal teat mentioned in this article also causes fish to self-feed. This is facilitated by the weight of the feeder. The more its weight, the greater the self-trimming effect.

Bottom tackle, such as a feeder, is practically a universal tackle. Experienced fishermen use such tackle to catch crucian carp, carp, bream, pike perch, roach, silver bream, perch, etc.

Fishing such a fish can only be done with a powerful, reliable spinning rod. And it is better to use a feeder rod, since it is designed for such fishing conditions.

As a rule, in the arsenal of an experienced angler there are several types of feeders, designed for certain fishing conditions.

The use of certain gear is dictated by the behavior of a particular type of fish. Therefore, it is very important to choose a tackle for catching a specific fish, for example, carp, crucian carp, bream, etc.

Fishing / Fishing tackle / Simple donka (classic)

If you double the length of the fishing line on a float rod, move the float to the very tip of the rod and make the load heavier, this tackle will become the prototype of the simplest bottom line. This, by the way, is what many floaters do when, after a flood or rain, they have to fish in muddy water, or in a very strong current. However, the simplest donkey does not require such a long rod: it does not participate in casting, or in hooking, or in playing the prey. All these operations are performed exclusively by the hands of the angler. And the float hanging above the water is not the best "watchman" of bites.

The simplest bottom line consists of a short (up to 1 m) fishing rod equipped with a reel or reel, a 35-50 m supply of fishing line, sinkers and leashes with hooks.

Rice. 45. General form the simplest donoks

The fishing rod is usually made from a not thick woody (usually juniper) whip. The butt end is sharpened so that it is easier to stick it into the ground, and a loop is arranged at the top for fastening the fishing line in working order. This loop is made in exactly the same way as on a float rod: a piece of fishing line bent in half with a diameter of 0.35-0.5 mm is attached with threads to a fishing rod 1.5-2 cm below the tip cut and the winding is impregnated with waterproof glue. If the rod is equipped with a coil, then it is more expedient to install a tulip pass ring on its tip. Many lovers of unpretentious tackle keep the line of the donkey on a reel made of plywood or foam (they go fishing "light", with a briefcase), and a fishing rod is made on the shore from a branch of a willow bush growing here. To fix the fishing line in working order, it is inserted into a small gap; done with a knife at the top of the bar. It is hardly worth encouraging such amateur performance: after all, the bush will be crippled in vain - after fishing, the cut twig, as a rule, turns out to be thrown away as unnecessary.

Decent are those who make fishing rods for donoks from various auxiliary materials - from metal tubes, steel bars and plates, from vinyl plastic, etc. Equipped with various signaling devices, they reliably carry their service.

Many anglers more and more often use short (up to 2 m) factory-made rods made of bamboo, fiberglass and carbon fiber for bottom hunting, equipped with reels and guides.

But if fishing rods amaze the imagination with their diversity, then the same cannot be said about fishing lines. Since you have to hunt with a bottom fishing rod in a wide variety of conditions, the main requirement for a fishing line is its versatility. Firstly, so that it can withstand the struggle with large prey, and, secondly, it would not rough up the tackle much. Silon lines with a diameter of 0.35-0.50 mm are considered the most suitable for donuts.

The next most important part of the donkey is the sinker. Here, too, there are plenty of fantasies. But when choosing the shape, weight of the cargo and the method of its fastening on the forest, it is necessary to be guided by considerations of expediency. For example, if the coastal area of ​​the bottom is shallow, then it will hardly be convenient to use a light load here: you cannot throw it far, but there is no fish nearby. On the contrary, a very heavy load is not needed on a lake, pond or river with a weak current. If the bottom of the reservoir is muddy or stony, it is more practical to use a "pellet" - a round-shaped load. On a strong current with a sandy bottom, it will be better to "lie" a flat load.

The main material for the manufacture of bottom sinkers is lead or its compounds. The main one, but not the only one. Some craftsmen manage to use as sinkers, clay, cake, steel coil springs, and even canned cans. Moreover, they are used with great success. We will dwell on the search for innovators a little later, but for now we will answer the question: how are donok sinkers attached to the fishing line?

Three methods of fastening are widely used. The first and most practical - when the lead is tied to the end of the working part of the line, and 1-2 leashes 15-25 cm long are placed above it. The second - when the load has a longitudinal through hole and slides above the leashes along the line passed through this hole. The carabiner, with the help of which the leashes are connected to the main line, simultaneously serves as a limiter for the downward movement of the sliding weight. This method of fastening also has many adherents. There is an opinion that the fish that has captured the nozzle, in this case, does not need to overcome the resistance of the lead, and the bite is immediately transferred to the line. However, practice shows that this is not always the case. For example, during the current the line makes an arc and almost completely extinguishes the jerks of the fish that grabbed the nozzle. Finally, the third method is when the load on a separate undergrowth 40-50 cm long is placed between the leashes tied to the main line both above the load attachment point and below it. In this case, the leashes are located at such a distance from each other to exclude the hooks of the hooks.

Rice. 46. ​​Sinkers-baits:
a - from a steel coil spring,
b - from tin

The question ABOUT TOM, which of the three listed methods of attachment was more "catchy", does not have an unambiguous answer. Apparently, the way the angler is used to is good. However, sinkers made in an “unconventional way” have a really significant effect on the "catching power". What kind of sinkers are they?

Groundbait is known to greatly increase the chances of good luck. This circumstance was adopted by the innovators. There are several designs of bait sinkers (see fig. 46). For example, a two-cone steel spring (the diameter of its middle widest ring is no more than 3 cm) is put on a thin metal tube (such as a ballpoint pen rod) 5-7 cm long and is soldered to the ends of the tube with its small end rings. The fishing line is passed through a tube. A leash with a hook is tied to the end of the fishing line on a swivel. The swivel (carabiner) limits the slipping of the bait to the hook. Before the start of fishing, a thick mass of food (porridge) is rubbed into the springs, which, by the way, lasts there for a long time. From such a sinker thrown into the water, the current washes away crumbs that form a "path" and attract fish.

A cylindrical bait box of the same principle is made of tin, or, more simply, from suitable cans. It consists of two halves that fit tightly into one another. Holes are drilled in them through which feed enters the water. When laying the food, the halves are separated (like a student pencil case).

Even more original bait sinkers made of "unconventional" materials. This is how the Kolomna fishermen make the so-called "bomb". Two identical leashes 40-50 cm long are tied to the main fishing line of the bottom fishing rod on one carabiner. On the shore, a ball the size of a tennis ball is molded from viscous clay. "Hercules" is scattered on a plastic wrap and a ball is rolled over them until it is completely covered with these flakes. Then, two shallow cuts are made on the sides of the ball, and they are covered with a leash. Moreover, they close them up so that only very short pieces of leashes with hooks stick out from the ball (see Fig. 47). The sinker is ready! Now it, like an ordinary stone, is thrown into the right place. The fish attracted by the food comes to the tackle, plucks the petals of the "Hercules", and together with them grabs the bait.

Rice. 47. "Bomboshka"

Tambov fishermen, when fishing on carp and carp ponds, use sunflower cake to make feeder sinkers. 2-3 hooks are stuck into a piece of soft cake measuring 4x4x2 cm and this piece is thrown into the water. The soaking oil cake attracts fish. She comes up and begins to suck on the soggy surface of the piece. Here, along with the food, the hook drops into her mouth.

Now - about leashes and hooks. On bottom fishing rods, as a rule, leashes are placed one and a half to two times thinner than the main line. Their length ranges from 10 to 50 cm. The tendency is that the shorter the leash, the better, it is less confused. Disputes are only about the number of leads on one rod. Some people think: more leads - more chances for the fish to meet the bait. Others reasonably note that fish are more likely to encounter a bait that lies in the water, rather than on the shore. And with a lot of leashes, the tackle is just more on the shore: you fill one hook - the rest are waiting for their turn. In addition, the Rules of amateur fishing prohibit one angler from having more than 10 hooks. Practice has shown: the fewer hooks, the more active the donk. Therefore, it is better to have two donks with two or three hooks than one for 7-10 hooks. In addition, "shaggy" tackle means inevitable hooks on the grass on the shore, these are "beards" from the leashes when casting, it is a danger of getting injured when playing fish. The conclusion suggests itself - we must strive to make the tackle more athletic.

Among the primary concerns of the donor is the garter of the leashes to the main line. This operation is carried out in several ways. Some anglers, especially beginners, without further ado, make a knot on the line, and before tightening it, insert the upper end of the leash with a hook into it, in turn make a knot on the inserted tip of the leash, and then tighten both knots. Simple, fast, but, firstly, unreliable: knots are enemies of strength, and a small knot on a leash may not hold a large fish, it will slip out, and, secondly, if the leash breaks, you need to knit a new knot on the line (old not to dissolve), and this is not so easy on the outstretched tackle, you will have to reel it at least partially.

Less hassle - with "sliding" leads. On the main line, they make several double (according to the number of the expected number of leads), or even triple large knots. Above each of them, a leash is attached with a self-tightening loop or a simple knot and slide it down to the line knot. With this option, the loss of the leash can be easily replenished by tying a new one in its place. But the angler will not have the opportunity to resist the throw of the pecked fish forward: dragging the leash sliding up the line along the line, it will not feel the proper resistance and, for sure, will spit out the nozzle. There will be simply nothing to hook the fish with during this maneuver: the leash will go freely to the nearest upper knot.

Rice. 48. Methods for attaching leashes to a bottom fishing rod:
a - two nodes; b - sliding knot; in - with a loop; d - using
carbine; d - by the "necklace" method

The method should be recognized as more reliable when not knots are made on the main line, but loops and leashes are already attached to them (loop to loop). This attachment allows, depending on the fishing conditions, to quickly change any leash. But from these loops the tackle “shaggy” and more alarms the fish.

True, it is necessary to reckon with this only insofar as. There are no gear completely invisible to fish. And low reliability is often more upsetting (especially when a large prey leaves) than a bite. Therefore, when equipping tackle, you should adhere to the golden mean: make it as less noticeable as possible, but not at the expense of reliability.

These requirements are adequately met by the methods of attaching the leashes using swivel carabiners. There are two of them. The first is when the carbine is connected to the fishing line with a blind knot (it sticks out from the side of the fishing line perpendicularly), and a short leash is tied to its free ring with a loop loop. And the second - when small beads are put on the main line, and swivel carabiners are placed between them. It turns out a kind of "necklace". It is done like this.

Take a small bead and slide on the line to the point where the leash should be attached. Then the free end of the line is passed through the bead two more times (so as not to crawl). After this procedure, a swivel is put on the fishing line (with one ring), followed by a second bead. The line is also passed through it twice. The distance from one bead to another should not exceed 1 cm. In this space, a swivel with a leash attached to it will "run". Such an attachment also has the advantage that the leash can freely walk around the line without twisting on it.

There are no special requirements for hooks for donuts. Use the same as for a float rod. Although their size should be somewhat large. The most popular are hooks number 6-8.5. It is desirable, of course, that they have a more authentic forend, especially if dung or earthworms are to be planted. But if they are not there, it doesn’t matter. But the state of the sting must be extremely attentive. It is known that a good hook cannot be done with a long fishing line - it absorbs, and therefore a blunt hook will not stick into the mouth of a fish. Hence the conclusion - the sting of the hook should be extremely sharp. Experienced anglers check the sharpness of the sting before each bait attachment: it should not slip perpendicularly placed on the thumbnail. Otherwise, it should be sharpened immediately. Good hooks for donoks are made in the village of Bezvodnoye, Kstovsky district. They are called “bezvodninskie”.

Leashes with hooks deliver serious trouble to the angler (especially if there are a lot of them), when it is necessary to bring the tackle from the traveling state to the working state and vice versa: the hooks of the donoks have the ability on the reel to catch on the line or for each other so that it takes quite a lot of time (and shore it is "precious") to their separation. And if the fishing rod is equipped with a reel and guides, then with hooks it is generally a hassle.

However, inquisitive people and here found a way out. On the main line next to each leash, a ring cut from nipple bicycle rubber is put on. A leash with a hook is pulled under this ring. Then the ring is moved to the right place and a hook is hooked on it. Now the line of the donkey is wound on the reel or reel without hindrance and unwound from them.

The hooks are even more securely held in the "neutral" position when the locking rings are made from pieces of soft but dense rubber. Holes for the passage of the fishing line and leashes are pierced in them with an awl. Such rings are dragged along the line with some effort.

Rice. 49. "Neutralizing hooks withrubber rings

They are used to "neutralize" PVC hooks and tubes (lengths of wire insulation), but their "efficiency" is lower than rubber ones.

The last (not least!) Detail of the donkey is the gatehouse. It is he who notifies the angler that the fish is interested in the bait. The constructive variety of the gatehouses is as great as that of the fishing rod. Sometimes they are a direct continuation of each other (see Fig. 50).

Rice. 50. Convenient gatehouse

The tackle shown in this figure was invented by the Voronezh fisherman I. Sergeev. I'll tell you more about it especially for those who carve fishing rods from the shoots of young trees growing on the shore. Don't do this! It is much more practical and without prejudice to nature to make a donk at home. It is necessary to take a piece of a thin board, cut a reel on the side, sharpen the lower end, and make a deep (5-7 cm) hole in the upper end with a thin drill or a hot nail - a nest for the gatehouse. The gate itself is made of elastic steel wire (bicycle spoke). A bell is attached to its upper end. And in the middle, a bend is made to clamp the fishing line. Such a tackle is light and convenient (you can carry it in a briefcase!): The stand is securely held in the ground, and the bell is sensitive to the slightest touch of fish to the nozzle.

Rice. Groundbait on sinkers

I must say that the bell is used more often than other devices as a gatehouse on the donkeys. This is understandable - double notification: visual and sound. It is especially necessary when fishing at night. And although the craftsmen have invented a lot of watchmen who give light signals in the dark, they still cannot withstand the competition with the bell.

On the donk, the length of which does not need to be constantly changed during the fishing process, the bell is suspended in a "blind": 20-30 cm from the tip of the fishing line, a loop is made on the fishing line, threaded through the bell eye and loosely tightened (see Fig. 51).

If the rod is equipped with a reel and during fishing it is necessary to frequently change the casting distance, the "blind" fastening of the gate is not suitable. So that the bell is not an obstacle when winding the fishing line, it is not tied to it, but to a separate leash 40-50 cm long, as shown in fig. 52. The second end of this leash is threaded into a hole made by an awl in one of the halves of a wooden clothespin and tied with a knot. The clothespin is fixed on the tip of the fishing rod, and the bell on the leash is thrown over the working part of the main line. Such a device allows you to throw off the bell from the main line during the hookup, and it can move freely through the guide ring.

Noteworthy are the designs of the donuts, in which the bell-gate does not have direct contact with the main line, which provides the angler with greater freedom of action. For example, on "French" tackle (see Fig. 45 "g") the bell hangs on a leaf spring attached to the rod-rod. It is activated as follows: when the fish pulls the line, the reel on which it is wound begins to rotate, and the pin attached to the reel hits the spring with a bell.

Rice. 51. Guardian of the simplest donkey

Astrakhan amateurs fish from rocky shores with donks, fishing rods for which are made of metal rods with a diameter of 4-6 mm. The lower end of such a fishing rod is sharpened to make it easier to stick it between the stones, and a piece of hard rubber measuring 7x3x2 cm is put on the upper end. A piece of thin wire is inserted into the rubber on the side, to which a bell is attached. On top of a piece of rubber a slot is made to pinch the fishing line (see Fig. 45 "e"). As soon as the fish pulls on the line, the rubber vibrates and activates the bell.

Rice. 52. Device for resetting the gatehouseduring the sweep

Stearic candles, lead plates, picked up on the shore ... pebbles are also used as "watchmen".

Stearin attracts attention because it is clearly visible at dusk: the candle is usually tied to the main fishing line.

A lead plate bent in half is hung on the line 40-50 cm from the tip of the rod. With its weight, it makes a small angle on the line and, when biting, rises or falls down. Such lead lodges (they are called "plumb" are in high esteem among those who fish on the lakes in the floodplain of the Upper Volga.

And pebbles ... pebbles are used by those who go fishing light and do not carry rods with them. Having thrown down the donk, such a fisherman places a cobblestone on the top of the fishing rod cut off here and waits for it to fall off, which means there was a bite. It seems that sportiness in such fishing is not an iota.

Of course, even the most perfect donk cannot be called a highly active tackle. This is not a float rod, and even more so, not a wiring rod or fly fishing, with which the angler is in constant motion. Donka does not require such "nimbleness". But if the angler knows the fishing technique and the peculiarities of his tackle well, he will certainly enjoy fishing with a donkey.

Rice. 53. Suspended signaling device

Already at that moment, when on the shore he begins to lay out the fishing line for casting, all worldly concerns leave his head. Attention is focused only on the work with the tackle. The line and hooks must be laid on the ground so that they do not get tangled during the cast and do not catch on the grass. What will happen otherwise is not difficult to imagine. A tangled line will not allow the nozzle to lie in the intended place, and a hooked hook will not allow you to cast at all.

If the shore is clear (sandbank) and there is enough free space, preparing the tackle does not present any particular difficulties: stretch the line to the length of the cast, put it along the shore and bait the hooks with bait. But, unfortunately, such shores, especially on lakes, are an infrequent phenomenon. Usually rivers, lakes and ponds are surrounded by abundant vegetation. And in it you have to look for a "window" in order to settle down with a fishing rod. What should the donor not do in this case?

Some quickeners do not bother to sort out the line again after winding it from the reel. And they make a mistake: after all, at first, the fishing line rings lie at the angler's feet in the reverse sequence to how they should leave the ground, that is, the ring, which is intended to fly first into the air, turns out to be at the very bottom. And it rarely happens that it follows the load without hindrance.

So, so that the fishing line can freely stretch over the entire length of the cast, it is folded in rings on the cleared place, or better - on the cloak (being careful of buttons), in such a sequence that the first ring from the reel lies at the very bottom, and the one closest to the sinker - on very top. Then all the rings, one by one, will freely fly away to their destination.

They will fly away ... But first we must send the sinker on this flight. There are several ways to cast a donkey. Consider the simplest. So, the fishing rod with the reel is firmly stuck in the ground, the line is laid, the hooks are baited. With three fingers of the right hand (thumb, index and middle), take the line just above the leash, lift the load and swing it back and forth. If there are several leashes, they are lifted into the air with the left hand. When, after several swings, the load takes the extreme rear position, it is sent forward and upward with a strong jerk.

Rice. 54. Casting a donkey

With this option of casting, it is necessary to reel so much fishing line from the reel so that part of it remains on the shore after the load touches the surface of the water. If the fishing line is less than the estimated length, the load can either pull the rod out of the ground and carry the poorly fixed tackle into the water, or, by stretching the entire line, change the direction of flight to the opposite (like a ball hitting a wall), and then it is possible that the angler himself will be hit ...

After the load lies on the bottom - this will be immediately visible by the sag of the line - the excess line is selected to a weak tension and the load is hung on it. Then it remains to wait for the "bell ringing".

Some anglers throw a load of slings. They take a meter-long wooden lath, make a recess at one end of it, put a load in this recess and, swinging widely, send it to the intended place. The sling, of course, makes it easier to cast, but, I think, not so much that it would be worth carrying an extra "log" in a case because of this.

Beginners should be warned against such an option when the load is rotated in a vertical plane before casting. Even an experienced angler can not always catch that brief moment when it is necessary to release the line from his hand. Most often, after rotation, the load is not in the water, but in the bushes on the shore.

Also, do not cast by placing the sinker and leash with a hook in the palm of your hand. In the best case, the sinker will fly away not far. At worst, the hook will sink into your hand.

Rice. 55. Shovel for casting a donkey

Recently, many amateurs are equipping donks with rods with reels and guides. This allows you to further, and more accurately cast the bait, to be less dependent on the fishing conditions. On the reel, you can quickly and accurately wind up the line when biting. Longer rod makes it easier to fish out big booty... As you can see, the new tackle has a lot of advantages. However, the ranks of the adherents of the old donkey are not diminishing from this. Although the process of its improvement is rather intensive. For example, in order to completely eliminate the contact of the fishing line with the coastal grass when casting the donkey, the craftsmen invented a device, calling it a "shovel" (the diagram is shown in Fig. 55). They make a "shovel" of wood, vinyl plastic or ebonite. The fishing line is wound on it from the shoulders to about the middle of the body, where the bevel of the bow begins. Then they take the scapula in the left hand, aim it at the place they like, and with their right hand, as usual, lift the load, swing it and make a cast. At the same time, the fishing line comes off the device without hindrance and comes off exactly as much as the load can pull.

Devices constructed from cans, metal cylinders, frames bent from steel wire, etc., operate according to the same principle.

But then the long-awaited bell rang! This means that the fish has made a sharp jerk, and the angler should not yawn with a sweep. The nature of the sweep with a bottom fishing rod can be different. If the cast is made far away and the line has formed an arc under the influence of the current, then it is necessary to strike with a wide sweep, taking hold of the line below the gatehouse. If the cast was close and the line remained taut, a short hand movement is sufficient.

However, such sharp jerks, when the bell is poured with might and main, is not always done by a pecked fish, and never by a small one. Usually observed at first short tremors, the bell shakes slightly at this time. Then, when the fish takes the bait, either pull (the gate goes up), or weaken the forest (the gate goes down). It is necessary to hook during the pull. Sometimes you have to hook and when small jolts follow quickly one after another: this means that a small fish took the bait.

Fishing for prey is especially enjoyable. Fishing with a bottom fishing rod requires a fisherman to be resourceful, to be able to navigate well in the situation and to make decisions instantly: after all, the fish has to be pulled to the shore, fingering the line with his hands. It is enough to hold the line in your hand for a moment with a sharp jerk of the fish - and the descent is inevitable. That is why, when playing, you need to hold the line only slightly so that at the slightest increase in the resistance of the fish, the line will slip between the fingers. The main task of the angler is to tire the fish. Even using a strong fishing line, you should strive to ensure that it stretches as little as possible: after all, the hook often hooks the fish to the edge of the lip or the film in the mouth. With excessive pulling effort, this often leads to the descent of prey. In a word, you need to have a clear idea of ​​the forces that arise when playing.

A tired large fish should be pulled out of the water with a net, in no case should it be lifted into the air on a fishing line, since the weight of the fish in the air increases sharply, therefore, either the leash or the lip of the fish may not withstand and break.

If they catch with a donkey with a reel, then they fish out the prey in the same way as they do it. float rod: The line is reeled up until its length is approximately equal to the length of the rod. Then the tip of the rod is raised up, and a net is brought under the prey. It happens that at this very moment an insufficiently tired fish makes a sharp jerk and rushes into the depths. The angler should be prepared to play off a few meters of line, and then continue the process of fishing.

It is possible to pull large prey out of the water by hand only in exceptional cases. In this case, the fish should be taken from above the head, pressing down its gill covers with the thumb and forefinger.