In the fishing environment, thousands of people are involved in making their own baits. One of these craftsmen, Andrey Prokhorov, shares his secrets of making foam rubber fish.

Some classes of lures, such as wobblers or spinners, can also be purchased at the store. However, sometimes, due to the specificity of the fishing conditions, specific requirements are imposed on the bait, which are sometimes lacking in branded models. And some, in particular, foam rubber fish, you have to make yourself due to the complete lack of models of acceptable quality on store shelves. In addition, fishermen from distant parts of the country have almost exclusively homemade baits in their arsenal.

Jig fishing is perhaps the most common and progressive component of modern spinning. In terms of the versatility and variety of fishing conditions, the jig at the moment is unlikely to find a competitor. Jig spinning has left far behind other fishing methods.
A classic jig bait can be called a foam rubber fish - a truly ingenious invention of Russian spinning players. There are a lot of options for equipping this bait. And it is not easy for a beginner to understand among all this diversity. In addition, the vast majority of experienced anglers prefer to make foam fish on their own. The fact is that, despite the high popularity of "foam rubber", it is almost impossible to find decent quality fish in a store. Moreover, finished products are not always satisfied with hooks, shape ...

There are several options for equipping foam fish. The main criterion is the ability to resist holds. There are fish with open hooks (photo 1) and fish with open hooks (photo 2). And within each category, there are a variety of manufacturing methods. Now let's take a closer look at each of them.

Foam fish with double
The most common option for equipping foam fish (photo 3). The easiest to manufacture and the most inexpensive. For its manufacture we need: foam rubber, scissors, glue, paper clip, double number 1–2 according to the international classification (or number 8–10 according to the domestic one).
First, we need to cut a smaller piece from a large piece of foam rubber - 7–8 cm long, which will correspond to the length of our future fish, and a centimeter and a half thick (photo 3.1).

With scissors we give the shape of a fish to the workpiece, but without tails, fins, etc. (photo 3.3).

Then we cut off sharp edges and corners with the same scissors and round off the workpiece (photo 3.4).

At first, a neat shape may not work. But you will cut more than one square meter of foam rubber before you learn how to perfectly carve fish. Therefore, it is worth practicing first.

So, the blanks for future fish are ready (photo 3.5), now you can start equipping them. In the finished fish, the hook should be approximately in the middle, and the length of the hook may not be enough.

Therefore, they use extension cords that can be bent from a regular paper clip in a few seconds, as shown in photo 3.6.

The wire itself rusts over time, but if after each fishing the fish are not left in a wet jacket pocket, but dried at home, then this does not threaten them. A hook with an extension cord is shown in the photo (photo 3.7).

Sometimes on sale you can find hooks with an extended forend, for example, from Eagle Claw, and some others. Such hooks can be used without extension cords (photo 3.8).

Now we need to make a cut in the workpiece in order to glue the hook. With a sharp blade, cut the fish to about half by 2/3 of the depth (photo 3.9).

We insert the hook into the cut (photo 3.10) - for this, we pierce the fish in the middle with one of the double's hooks and remove the hook from the foam rubber.

The final stage is gluing (photo 3.11). Any waterproof adhesive can be used. An important requirement for glue is that after gluing, pressing the foam rubber, it does not wrinkle.

The bait is ready. It remains to equip it with a clockwork ring and a sinker.

Non-hooked foam fish on a double
In places where snags, stones, algae residues or other "troubles" are encountered on the way of the bait, the bait with an open hook will surely catch on. To avoid this, you can equip the fish with the same double, but according to the non-hook principle (photo 4).

Unlike making a fish with an open hook, the double in this case must be bent in a special way (photo 4.1). This is done in order to further tightly clamp the foam blank between the hooks.

We'll need two pliers. With some we clamp the double ring, and with the others we bend the hooks (photo 4.2). After such an operation, the angle between the hooks of the double is much smaller - instead of the factory angle of 120 °, we reduce the hooks to 40–60 °.

Then we cut the foam blank, as in the previous case (photo 4.3)

And we insert a double with an extension cord (photo 4.4).

We glue the cut (photo 4.5), trying not to overdo it with glue.

In the finished fish, the hooks should fit snugly against the foam rubber (photo 4.6). If they lag behind at least half a millimeter, the hook is inevitable.
Fears that there will be a lot of empty bites due to the pressed hooks are in vain. Foam rubber in water becomes very soft, and therefore the fish does not need to squeeze it and reach the tip of the hook.

Foam fish equipped with triple hooks
In places where the bottom is relatively clean and there are no snags, fish with open tees are used.

You can make a bait with one tee (photo 5).

Or two (photo 5.1). A fish with one hook is made in the same way as described at the beginning.

A standard fish has an extension on the tee (photo 5.2).

But there are situations when a predator, especially a pike perch, attacks the bait at the head. In this case, you need to have a fish with a tee without an extension cord (photo 5.3).

But the best in terms of "hook" for the fish, I would call the fish, equipped with two triple hooks (photo 5.1). Even when the fish is passive and takes the bait very sluggishly, then it necessarily stabs at least one of the hooks - all that remains is to hook it.

The process of making a fish with two tees is as follows. First, you need to connect both tees with a wire (photo 5.4). I usually do this with the same paper clip, but guitar string # 2 can also be used. To do this, you must first determine where the hooks will be located in the future bait. The tee located closer to the head of the fish should be placed without an extension - in case the fish grabs the front of the bait. The second tee is located at the back, about a third of the tail.

The foam blank should be cut over the entire length of the body with a depth of about half (photo 5.5). And in the place where the hooks will stand, you need to make two more small cross-sections. Then insert the prepared wire reinforcement with hooks into the cut and glue it (photo 5.6).

Foam fish on an offset hook
Offset hooks are widely used with various soft plastic lures, with their help you can equip a twister or a vibrotail according to the non-hook principle. Foam fish, equipped according to the same principle (photo 6), avoids encounters with snags and stones, but easily catches fish.

We need an offset hook No. 2/0 - 3/0, preferably a semicircular shape (photo 6.1). The size of the foam blank is approximately the same as when making fish with a double or a tee, that is, about 1.5 cm thick and 7–8 cm long.

Make a small incision in the head of the fish (photo 6.2).

So that the offset hook step fits neatly into it (photo 6.3).

After the glue has dried, make a small incision 0.5 cm deep on the back of the fish (photo 6.4).

The fish is pierced with a hook from the side of the abdomen, and the hook is removed from the back, and its sting should lie in the cut groove (photo 6.5).

Fast and easy. The bait goes very well through the thickest jungle of snag. And the large single hook perfectly holds the fish and does not let it come off, even with forced playing.

Foam fish on a single hook
Single hooks allow equipping fish with both an open hook and a non-engaging version (photo 7 a, b).

A non-hook fish (photo 7.1) can be made as follows.

We need a single hook big size... Usually it is number 15-18 according to the national numbering. A workpiece is cut out with a thickness of about one and a half times less than the width of the hook (photo 7.2).

The hook in the finished fish is located obliquely, and the front third of the hook must be wrapped with thread (photo 7.3) so that after gluing the foam rubber it cannot slide down the forend. The winding should be secured with a drop of glue.

Then a small incision is made on the back of the fish, into which the sting of the hook then lies, in the same way as in a fish equipped with an offset hook (photo 7.5).

With the further equipping of the fish, one of the ears of the sinker-head should be turned by 90 ° with the pliers (photo 7.6) so that it does not go sideways when wiring in the water.

The bait is ready (photo 7.7).

The bait with a single open hook (photo 7 b) is even easier to make. This process is shown in (photos 7.8, 7.9, 7.10).

Foam fish on a jig head
When the range of the bait is not particularly critical, you can use foam fish equipped with jig heads. Still, the rigid connection between the hook and the sinker somewhat reduces the throw range compared to the swivel connection, and this sometimes matters.
Jig head mounting also allows for both open hook and non-hook attachments (photo 8).

For this we need jig heads with medium sized hooks (photo 8.1). By the way, the strength of the hooks also matters. A poor quality hook can straighten on a pound pike. Therefore, when buying jig heads in the store, pay attention to the quality of the hooks.

A cut is made in the workpiece for the entire length of the hook and about half the depth of the fish's thickness (photo 8.2).

A jig-head hook is inserted into the incision, close to the sinker (photo 8.3).

Then it is smeared with glue (photo 8.4) and after a second or two it is slightly squeezed with your fingers.

Disconnect (photo 9) is made as follows.

First, you need to make a kind of hook out of a paper clip (photo 9.1) so that you can then fix our foam rubber fish with it.

This hook is attached to the jig head ring as follows (photo 9.2).

Read the continuation of the article in the next issue.

Among the artificial spinning lures, a large group is made up of foam rubber fish. They were invented in 1978 by the Moscow sports fisherman Sergei Pavlov. Rapid growth popularity among spinningists became its high catchability in competitions. Now foam rubber is used by many spinning players when fishing for pike perch, pike, large perch. Less often it catches asp, catfish, ide, chub and peaceful species of fish.

Foam fish has the following advantages:

• large range of colors;
• elasticity - soft material, when wet in water, becomes very elastic and mobile, even with slow passage. This attracts even a very passive or well-fed predator to the foam, provoking him to attack;
• high casting range - lures made of foam rubber and loaded with a collapsible sinker or jig head have a high casting range;
• porous structure - the presence of a large number of pores in the material allows it to be impregnated with attractants that attract predatory fish;
• a variety of objects of fishing - all the predatory fish of our reservoirs are caught on it. It is best to catch medium and large river pike perch with foam rubber;
• simplicity and low manufacturing costs - the manufactured foam rubber is much cheaper than wobblers, spinners, silicone twisters, vibrating tails, slugs.

Fishing technique with foam lures

Fishing with foam rubber is carried out on rivers, lakes, ponds, reservoirs. The following types of spinning wires are most effective for foam rubber:

• jig (step);
• suicidal;
• demolition wiring;
• dragging along the bottom (furrowing).

The technique of each of these postings depends on the size of the foam used, the object, and the fishing conditions. Foam fish for pike perch are carried out in the bottom layer, without sharp and high rises in half water. When fishing river or lake pike with foam rubber, they make more aggressive and faster types of postings. Foam pellet with such a wiring often changes horizons, rising from the bottom in half water and sinking back.

Classic jig wiring

When fishing with foam lures, classic jig wiring is popular in the following design:

• casting;
• falling of the foam to the bottom - after casting, they wait until the foam falls to the bottom. This moment can be recognized by loosening the fishing line or cord, straightening the tip of the spinning blank;
• reeling - after the bait falls to the bottom, first select the slack by reeling, and then make 3-5 turns of the reel handle. When reeling, the foam rubber rises from the bottom, actively playing;
• pause - after rewinding, pause until the foam falls to the bottom. After a pause, a new winding is performed.

Alternating windings with pauses, the fish is gradually brought to the shore. Near the coast, in thickets of aquatic vegetation, the stepped wiring is replaced with a uniform one - this is done so that there is no catch and breakage of the foam. Lifting the fish from the bottom before reeling in can be done by periodically tossing it with the tip of the blank.

Notes to the angler

When fishing with jig wiring, ponds with curbs, dumps, pits and whirlpools are chosen. The depth in the place of fishing should be at least 1.5-2.0 m. The weight of the jig head is selected so that the time the bait falls to the bottom after casting is no more than 3 seconds. Lightweight sinkers and jig heads are not used - a foam rubber with such a load will slowly sink to the bottom, forcing the angler to wait a long time. The grips of a predator during jigging occur at the moment the foam falls to the bottom and are well felt by blows to the hand.

Suicidal wiring

When fishing with foam lures, they often resort to suicidal wiring. It is performed as follows:

• casting;
• falling bait to the bottom;
• smooth slow reeling - after the fish falls to the bottom, they carry out its smooth posting. 2-3 smooth turns of the handle make it slowly stretch along the bottom, raising a train of turbidity;
• fast and sharp winding - after a smooth winding, 3-4 sharp and quick turns of the handle follow, which sharply throw the fish over the bottom;
• a short pause - a few seconds ago, a frisky little fish apathetically falls to the bottom, attracting a predatory fish that is nearby.

This approach works best for pike perch and large deep pike. Trophy-sized predators living in deep places hunt close to them. Because of their large sizes they do not make unreasonable and abrupt dashes for very active prey. In this case, the foam rubber very well imitates the behavior of a sick or weakened fish, which is an easy prey for a large predator.

Notes to the angler

To make the foam rubber look like a wounded and weakened fish, its sides and tail are painted with bright red paint. This, together with the behavior of the bait created by the wiring, will increase its similarity to a prey object for a predator.

Dragging along the bottom (furrowing)

Such wiring when fishing for zander and large pike is practiced in areas with a sandy and slightly silted bottom. Consists of the following manipulations:

• casting;
• falling bait to the bottom;
• slow reeling - the foam lure drags along the bottom, raising the dregs and causing the predator to have the illusion of small fish swarming at the bottom in search of food;
• pauses with periodic sharp twitches - for every 3-4 smooth turns of the handle, a pause of 3-4 seconds is made. During the pause, short and sharp jerks are performed with the tip of the rod.

With such a posting, so that the fish does not rise from the bottom, keep the tip of the rod as close to the surface of the water as possible. If the blank is held high above the water, then even with slow wiring, the foam rubber will not move above the bottom and not raise turbidity.

Notes to the angler

This is effective where there are few snags. If at the bottom there are a lot of snags, stumps, construction debris, then there is a high probability of hooks and breaks of baits. It is ineffective in places with a very hard pebble or clay bottom - there is no silt or sand layer on them. When dragging the bait over such bottom soil, it does not form a trail of turbidity and does not attract a predator.

Demolition wiring

This line is suitable for fishing on rivers with medium and fast currents. Its essence is as follows:

• casting a foam rubber with a load perpendicular to the direction of the flow - it is advisable to cast the bait at a distance of at least 25-30 m;
• line bleeding - after the flow picks up the foam and begins to carry it downstream, the bow of the line laying mechanism is thrown back or the friction brake is loosened. This allows the line or line to flow freely from the spool. Bleed no more than 20-30 m of fishing line (line);
• twitching with the tip of the rod - when the required length of the fishing line has been tapped off, close the bow of the logger (return the friction brake adjuster to its original position). Then short and sharp jerks of the bait are performed with the tip of the rod. The foam begins to be carried away by the current from the center of the river closer to the bank;
• rewinding - when the line of the line (line) is almost parallel to the shore, they begin to rewind the bait with the help of a fast, uniform, less often jig line.

Notes to the angler

They begin to reel at the moment when the bait is not huddled under the coastal thickets of grass. To do this, the line of the cord (fishing line) stretched by the current should be at a slight acute angle to the bank before winding. To reduce the likelihood of snagging during posting, the form is lifted vertically.

Varieties of fish made of foam rubber

Foam lures used when fishing for predatory fish, depending on the size and type of hooks used, are as follows:

• non-catching foam with double hooks;
• single foam rubber;
• lures equipped with single hooks;
• foam pieces on one-piece jig heads.

All of them can be made from cheap and simple polyurethane foam (foam rubber) with your own hands.

Doppelganger on a double

This foam is a fish-shaped bait, less often a truncated cone. The points of the double's hooks are not located on top of the fish, but on the sides. This makes the foam resistant to snags. When a predator grabs it, the soft material allows the hooks to effectively hook it.

There are also foam cords equipped with triple hooks.

Such foam, depending on the weight of the load and the object of fishing, can be from 6 to 12 cm long.

Offset hook

This foam has the appearance of a wide-bodied fish. The offset hook is mounted so that its tip is hidden in the body of the fish in the tail area. Such an arrangement of the hook in the body of the foam provides, in the event of a predator grabbing it, a reliable and durable hook on the dense tissues of the fish mouth. It is used when fishing in heavily enclosed, littered places, heavily overgrown backwaters and old people of rivers.

Notes to the angler

The mounted offset hook should not wrinkle the bait. Before passing it through the body, you need to attach it to the bait and outline the place where it will come out of it.

Single hook

A single-hook foam lure is a bait with a cylindrical body, like a wobbler. The body of the bait has a slight taper in the tail. A single large hook is passed through the body or glued into it. Such foam pieces are small in size and are used when fishing for small and medium perch, grass pike.

Notes to the angler

When choosing a hook for such a foam, preference is given to models with a long forend. An exception is fish for catching small perch - hooks for them are taken with a short forend and small size (No. 6-8).

When the hook is glued onto the front of its forearm, several turns of a simple nylon thread are wound, and they are glued. This is necessary so that the bait does not slide off the hook glued into its body.

On a jig head

Foam fish is equipped not only with collapsible weights of the "Cheburashka" type, but also with lead jig heads weighing up to 15-18 grams. Like the single-hooked foam, it has a cylindrical body without a pronounced tail.

They are used when fishing for zander and large pike on rivers and large lakes.

Foam lined with twister

Very often, a foam lure is combined with a twister. The resulting "tandem", due to the mobility of both lures, attracts a predator, has a long flight range and low grip. Connect the two baits together using a soft knitting wire.

This bait allows you to catch medium and large size, trophy walleye, pike.

Foam lures - do it yourself

Making a foam rubber is very simple. This requires a simple material and common tools. Such foam pellets are cheaper than store-bought ones, while they are in no way inferior to them in efficiency and reliability.

Understanding how to make a foam rubber fish, you need to decide on the materials and tools necessary for this.

Materials:

• furniture foam rubber 3-5 cm thick;
• waterproof glue ("Crystal Moment");
• waterproof paint;
• matching hooks - single, double, triple, offset;
• collapsible sinker like "Cheburashka" or one-piece jig head;
• steel wire.

Notes to the angler

When choosing glue, make sure that it does not damage or destroy it when interacting with the material.

Of the tools you will need:

• simple scissors or a sharp clerical knife;
• pliers.

On a double

Making simple foam lures equipped with doubles consists of the following operations:

• from the foam rubber with scissors or a stationery knife, first a small piece is cut out. The cut blank is then shaped into a cylinder, truncated cone, or a small fish. In order for the material to cut well, it is impregnated with water;
• with pliers, the double hooks are pressed against each other. The distance between them should be less than the thickness of the cut out workpiece;
• in the workpiece, starting from the head part, an incision is made with a length equal to that of the twin's forearm;
• the double is inserted into the incision;
• a little glue is poured into the notch. The edges of the foam cut are impregnated with glue;
• the incision and the hook in it are fixed for several minutes;
• the bait, if necessary, is painted with waterproof paint.

This method of manufacturing allows you to get very high quality foam fish for catching zander in places with a large number of hooks.

On the tee

The process of making foam with a tee consists of the following steps:

• from a piece of foam rubber with sharp scissors or a clerical knife, the body of the bait is cut out in the form of a fish or a truncated cone;
• an incision is made along the body of the cut blank. The depth of the cut should be equal to half the thickness of the bait;
• in those places where the points of the hooks of the tee will come out of the body, transverse cuts are made;
• when using two tees, they are connected together with a thin, rigid steel wire and, laid in an incision, are poured with glue;
• when using one triple hook, it is placed in the incision at the head of the bait and glue is poured inside. Fix the edges of the incision for a few minutes until the glue sets;
• after the glue hardens, the bait is painted;
• in order for the foam to better provoke the predator to grip, the hooks of the tee are wound from a red woolen thread.

The manufacture and use of such a foam rubber fish is justified for unclogged and uncluttered reservoirs. Such lures are well suited for catching pike, pike perch, less often they are used for perch.

Notes to the angler

Since the pike swallows its prey from the head, then when catching it with such lures, one large tee located in the head part is used. When fishing for pike perch, on the contrary, foam rubber with two tees is used.

With offset hook

When fishing with foam rubber bait for pike perch in heavily crimped and cluttered places, use an installation with an offset hook. The process of making and equipping such a foam is as follows:

• a wide-bodied fish is cut from a piece of foam rubber;
• in the head part of the foam, a cut is made for the stepped bend of the offset hook;
• cutouts are made on the abdomen and back of the fish for underwear and the sting of the hook;
• the hook inserted into the slots is fixed in the body of the bait with glue.

Such fish are used for catching perch, large and medium pike, pike perch.

Types of foam lures

Depending on the size and object of fishing, the foam lure can be one of the following types:

• perch - small in the form of a "carrot" foam up to 5 cm in size. Equipped with a single, less often - a double hook. It is used when fishing for small and medium perch in reservoirs with a small current and a depth of no more than 3 m;
• pike - baits 8-10 cm long, in the form of a small fish. They are equipped with double and triple hooks. Such foam rubber is used when fishing for pike along aquatic vegetation, in relatively clean pits and pools;
• pike perch - 9-10 cm long, foam rubber, equipped with a double and painted yellow or green. It is used for catching pike perch in pits and whirlpools;
• universal - foam rubber 7-9 cm long in the form of a small narrow-bodied fish, equipped with twins. Well suited for fishing pike, zander, large perch in rivers, stagnant bodies of water.

When loading the foam, the fishing conditions are taken into account. For rivers with medium and fast currents and depths of more than 3-4 m, it is better to use jig heads or collapsible sinkers weighing at least 12 grams. When fishing on rivers with a slow current, ponds and lakes with a maximum depth of no more than 3 m, use a load weighing no more than 10 grams.

When choosing the type of load - a solid jig head or a collapsible lead of the "Cheburashka" type - the latter is preferred. It increases the mobility of the bait, allows you to quickly, without removing the hook from the body of the foam, change the weight of the load. Non-separable eared sinkers are not used - it takes a lot of time to connect them to the hook of the foam rubber.

Advantages of foam rubber as bait material

All the advantages of foam rubber are explained by the characteristics of the material from which it is made. These advantages include the following:

• ease of processing - the material is easily cut with simple scissors or a sharp knife, blade;
• light weight - foam rubber is lightweight. Lures made from it work well in shallow places. The box with them will weigh much less than with wobblers or spinners;
• porous structure - the bait made of porous foam rubber, getting into the water and being saturated with it, becomes mobile and more attractive to the predator. The pores are well filled with attractants and other substances that attract predators with a sensitive sense of smell;
• resistance to wear and tear - lures made of this material do not rot in water and can last for more than one season;
• color variety - furniture and construction foam rubber (insulation) is very diverse in its color range;
• easy paintability - if, nevertheless, the bait needs to be colored, you can use any waterproof paint. Foam rubber absorbs paint well, ensures its even distribution over the pores and dries very quickly.

Notes to the angler

They choose a new foam rubber for baits. Material from old sofas and armchairs is poorly suited for these purposes. It crumbles easily, is very fragile and quickly collapses. In water, such a material loses its strength and other properties completely.

Foam rubber is very simple, cheap stuff For fishing. From it you can make any bait in shape, color and size for catching perch, pike perch, pike.

Conclusion

Simple and cheap to make foam rubber - an alternative to traditional spoon baits, wobblers, twisters and vibro-tails. In addition to the low price, they differ from other lures in their high catchability when fishing for the entire species composition of predators of freshwater reservoirs of our climatic zone.

Making tackle with your own hands is gaining momentum, since buying them in a store is quite expensive. And even more so the manufacture of catchy gear. A self-made foam fish is capable of attracting a predator no worse than live bait, and sometimes even better. Sergey Pavlov is the founder of the manufacture of such gear, and his inventions are extremely popular among modern fishermen.

It is very simple to make a foam rubber fish yourself. Even a beginner can cope with such a task without any problems. Not only is the process quite simple, it also does not require the purchase of expensive materials and waste of time.

With uniform wiring, the foam fish do not provide an active game, but with a stepped or any other, they are not inferior in their game to any analogs from the store. In addition to a beautiful game, they still have a huge stock of advantages:

• Foam rubber is great for making non-hooks.
• Foam fish can simply be soaked.
• The casting range of ball-and-socket foam can be the envy of many lures.
• The cost of such a bait is very low.
• Multi-colored foam sponges allow you to make a lot of good and varied lures.

You will get an excellent foam fish with your own hands if you take ordinary household sponges as a basis (as shown in photo 1). If you purchase a set of colored sponges, it will be much better. Before starting work, you need to soak the foam rubber well in water and squeeze it out. All this is done to prevent the pieces of foam from sticking to the scissors.

Armed with a blade, you need to cut a rectangular blank (photo 2). The resulting workpiece must be cut along the diagonal (photo 3). Now you need to use scissors to form a kind of fish from the blank (photo 4).

As you can see, everything is quite simple. You just need a little patience, a sponge, scissors and a blade.

True, it takes a little practice to get a good fish, after which you can easily make a fish without or with a tail. Among fishermen, a foam fish without a tail is called a "carrot". Most often, fishermen use baits 8 centimeters long, but fish of any size can be cut.

When using colorless foam rubber, the fish can be painted with an ordinary marker (naturally waterproof), and if the fish is already colored, then you can simply draw eyes and a few stripes on the belly. A little later we will talk about how and with what to paint a foam rubber fish.

The foam can be mounted on different hooks, it can be doubles, tees or single offset hooks. But, as for jig heads, it is better to use a hinge joint to ensure maximum mobility of the bait.

Mounting foam fish on doubles is considered the most versatile and is used by the overwhelming majority of fishermen. To ensure a good and reliable installation, you only need to follow a few simple steps:

1. Cut the bait of the desired size and shape from the workpiece (use scissors for this).
2. In the belly of the resulting bait, it is necessary to make an incision lengthwise. The forend of the hook will then be located in this notch.
3. Now you need to add some wire to the eye of the hook (if your bait is longer than the hook itself) and twist a loop at the other end (the sinker will then be attached to it).
4. Insert the shank of the hook into the cut and glue it with waterproof glue.
5. Now just connect the lead to it.

If necessary, a do-it-yourself foam rubber fish mounted on a double can easily become a non-hook. Simply press, with your hands or pliers, the stingers together to reduce the distance between them. This can be easily done right on the pond and are not afraid of losing the bait.

Mounting a foam fish on a tee is more reliable, but it is only suitable for use in places with a clean bottom and a minimum amount of debris. Naturally, such a bait will better hook the fish. In general, the installation method is somewhat similar to the previous one, but there are several differences:

1. First you need to cut a fish out of the workpiece required size and shapes.
2. Now you need to make a longitudinal cut in the belly of the fish.
3. Then it is necessary to put the forend of the hook into the cut in such a way that one prying of the hook comes out exactly in the center of the back of the fish.
   

   Advice! Most often, you have to fix a piece of wire to the ear of the tee. But, if you fish for pike perch at great depths, then he will attack the fish in the head, so it is best to put the hook without wire.

4. Now it's just a little thing - to attach the Cheburashka to the swivel joint.
5. Ready. Do-it-yourself foam fish is mounted on a tee.

Foam fish on an offset hook is often used in those places where it is very difficult or not at all realistic to carry out the bait on another installation. And the cost of such a bait is scanty, so the advantages are obvious - low cost and increased cross-country ability. In addition, the efficiency of work is not inferior to other baits.

To make a foam rubber fish on an offset hook, you need to follow a few simple steps:

1. First, you need to cut out a fish with the necessary parameters from the blank. For snagged places, it is preferable to cut a fish without a tail - a carrot.
2. Then the fishermen make a small cut in order to put the step there on the offset hook, and some simply pierce the fish in the right place.
3. Now you just need to pierce the body of the bait with the sting of the hook so that the tip of the hook comes out in the middle of the back.
   

   Advice! To ensure the minimum number of hooks, sink the tip of the hook into the body of the foam.

4. Almost done - all that remains is to mount the load. Bullet-shaped sinkers work best for these fish. Cheburashka often clings to branches, which cannot be said about a bullet with a prominent weight that easily passes through any obstacles.

Softness... The predator takes such a bait for its usual prey and very rarely spits out the bait, unlike a spoon or silicone, so that almost every bite is realized. Good fish detection is also ensured by the softness of the foam.

Buoyancy... The predator is attracted by the vertical position occupied by the bait in the water, which is obtained as a result of the positive buoyancy of the foam rubber. Such an effect is not provided by other baits, and a foam rubber fish with its own hands will additionally attract a predator by its placement in the water.

Elasticity... By itself, in dry form, foam rubber is quite elastic, but when soaked in water, it becomes more mobile. With certain skills, such an indicator of the material is able to provide an excellent and active game of the bait.

Porosity... Due to the porosity of the foam rubber, the bait is able to perfectly absorb bite activators, various attractants and flavors, while they last for a long time, so that you can wipe your nose with any edible silicones.

Minimum price... The main element of the bait is foam rubber, which costs a meager amount of money; sinkers and hooks are also required, they also cost very little. Making foam rubber at home is much cheaper than buying it in a store.

Well, there were some drawbacks. True, they are quite insignificant, the main of which is the frequent biting off of part of the bait during the bite. Sometimes the fish manages to break the bait into two parts already from the first bite. So, when going to the pond, take a lot of bait.

It may seem to many fishermen that painting a foam rubber fish is very simple. But it is not so. Correct painting is far from an easy task that requires certain skills and tools from the fisherman.

Everything would be fine, but active paints containing a solvent will simply spoil your bait, since foam rubber is a very delicate material. If you do not show vigilance, then you can easily spoil the workpiece, but there is always a way out.

• Permanent markers... This type of marker is water-resistant and is perfect for coloring your fish. True, such a marker is very expensive, but it is convenient for them to work and you can apply a clear drawing.
• Spray cans with acrylic paints... It is necessary to paint dry foam rubber from a spray can very carefully and carefully, otherwise you can simply ruin the workpiece if you apply a lot of paint. There is a drawback in this method of staining - you cannot paint a fish indoors, you will have to go outside.
• Acrylic paints in liquid form... The main thing is to moisten the fish well, otherwise you will simply burn the dry foam rubber with such paints. It is more convenient to paint with a brush and you can do it even in an apartment.

Advice: paint looks best on white foam.

And in general, the variety of colors is simply stunning, but on personal experience never checked other types. So, of course, I will not advise you what I do not know about. If you have any opinions on this, then you are welcome in the comments.

A bit of history about the emergence of foam rubber bait for fishing and fishing. In the late 70s, during the times of the former Soviet Union with its underdeveloped fishing industry and a situation when the demand for spinning lures significantly exceeded supply, inevitably there should have been some kind of special bait that would allow our fishermen, in spite of everything, to effectively to fish. The Iron Curtain continued to strengthen, and there could be no talk of any leak of even harmless fishing information. Russian fishermen then had no idea that at the same time the West was literally overwhelmed by a silicone epidemic, and their specialized journals devoted the lion's share of articles to enthusiastic descriptions of ultra-efficient newfangled and vibro-tails. With the advent of rubber, Western anglers received super-cheap yet extremely effective lures that have stood the test of time with flying colors and continue to march victoriously around the world today. At the same time, the independent development of our counter-bait was carried out on a parallel course in the Soviet Union under the veil of the deepest secrecy, and it successfully appeared with the light hand of the famous Moscow fisherman Sergei Pavlov. From that moment on, our anglers finally found a truly effective, simple, cheap and very reliable bait for fishing for every day - foam fish.

Now an ordinary sponge for washing dishes of an overseas housewife in the hands of a Russian fisherman in a matter of seconds turned into formidable weapon and foam rubber bait against pikes, pike-perch, perches and many other predatory and often peaceful fish. In the blink of an eye, foam rubber became so scarce that practically all items, in the composition or design of which this material was provided, were subjected to the barbaric attacks of Russian fishermen. Gymnastics mats stuffed with high-quality foam rubber were vandalized; plush toys were escaping from the hands of the children, and literally from them. before our eyes, the foam filling was impatiently removed and replaced with cotton wool or rags with dubious explanations that it would be better this way; before major fishing competitions, almost on a tip from foreign cars, the seat could disappear, while the Japanese radio tape recorder remained untouched, and after a couple of days it was in the next doorway and looked as if it had been in the paws of a bear. Foam fever quietly and triumphantly marched through the country, Bendery and Vorobyaninovs became more and more, and there were fewer and fewer untouched chairs.

But let's move on from a humorous narration to a more serious analysis and description of this now legendary foam lure. Why is she good, and what are her distinctive features?

The advantages of bait

First, let's pay attention to the properties of foam rubber as a material. Due to its porosity and the fact that all the pores are interconnected, this material has completely different properties in air and in water. In the air, the foam is very light and quite elastic, and when it gets into the water, it becomes softer as it fills its pores with water. Now it becomes clear that the foam rubber fish, quite tough in the air, due to the elasticity that appears in the water, becomes an excellent bait and can play well both on stepped and even on uniform wiring. In addition, the water-impregnated foam is several times more soft than the highest quality ones.

The bait imitates natural food so closely that the fish at the moment of biting holds the foam rubber in its mouth for a long time, being unable to recognize the catch. On this occasion, I would like to recall our old experiment, which we conducted at home at the time of cutting out the next batch of foam rubber fish before the upcoming long-distance fishing trip. Communicating vividly, we started a serious dispute. It was about what is more effective: rubber or foam. The dispute reached an impasse, and in order to somehow defuse the situation, it was decided to conduct combat tests of the baits on a well-fed rotan, peacefully floating in a spacious aquarium. By the way, in our opinion, rotan is one of the most interesting and convenient fish for keeping at home. He is omnivorous, easily tolerates high temperatures, damn tenacious, undemanding to the oxygen content in water, terribly voracious and always ready to boldly attack a finger dipped in water, which sometimes turns into a real show for our guests. In addition, by the behavior of the Amur sleeper, as well as by the loach, one can easily predict the weather: if it lies motionless on the bottom and does not react to food, wait for bad weather and barklessness and, accordingly, vice versa. All this makes it simply irreplaceable for testing new lures (naturally, not equipped with hooks).

At the time of the experiment, the rotan was full, which was indicated by its swollen belly, and the playful nature of the movements indicated a rather high activity. We took the smallest twister and cut out a foam rubber fish that is comparable in size. Then, having tied both lures to thin fishing lines, we lowered them into the aquarium. Rotan immediately attacked the closest twister, and at that moment one of us, naturally, smiled broadly, anticipating a quick victory. But literally after 1-2 seconds, the fish recognized the catch and, spitting out the twister, p. with the same greed she pounced on the lure of the foam rubber. This time everything turned out to be completely different: the Amur sleeper, seizing a new bait, was not going to spit it out at all, moreover, characteristic movements of the gills became noticeable, which indicated that the fish was trying to swallow the foam rubber fry.

We were surprised to see how the fish did not release the foam for about 40 seconds. After that, she spat it out and immediately attacked the false girl again from the other side. After 15-20 seconds, the rotan spat it out again and for some time, having swum to the side, stopped attacks for a while. After that, the fish, every 1.5-2 minutes, again and again returned to the foam rubber blende, grabbing and holding it in the mouth for 3-4 seconds. By the way, the twister, which we even sometimes tried to play with, was completely ignored by the little predator. Then we decided to go a little further in our experiment and decided to test the effectiveness. As an attractant, the blood of perches caught in the morning was used, with which both baits were lubricated. Rotan pounced on the foam rubber with renewed vigor, but this time he held it for more than 1.5 minutes until the blood of the perch was completely sucked out of it. The foam fish squeezed out by rotan aroused less interest, but each subsequent impregnation with a natural attractant caused attacks with renewed vigor, while our flavored twister made the fish just sniff. The victory of the foam fish over rubber in this case was simply devastating. Of course, such an experiment cannot be fully considered absolute, but it pushed us to some thoughts that we had not given due attention to before. First of all, this concerned the increase in the length of the pause at the bottom when fishing with foam rubber and the effectiveness of the use of flavors.

Fishing with foam rubber

A very important point when fishing for pike or zander with a foam rubber fish is the correctness of its equipment. The hinge joint of the foam rubber fish with the eared sinker did not appear out of nowhere. This extremely successful combination was borrowed from sports fishermen, who then successfully caught pike perch and pike with a tackle with a dead fish, even in complete barklessness. Unfortunately, the latter method, despite its highest efficiency, has not become widespread among the majority of our amateur anglers due to the difficulties arising in connection with the need to catch and preserve live bait as the main element of the bait. It was when fishing with a dead fish that it became necessary to perform step wiring, as a result of which the technique was developed and the tactics of fishing were developed, and experienced Russian jig spinners appeared. Naturally, she and the methods of fishing with her have absorbed all the best that was known and tested by time on a tackle with a dead one.

Over time appearance, the shapes and proportions of the foam fish bait changed. Only always remained unchanged, and still remains, the indispensable use of the hinge joint of the foam rubber itself and the sinker.

As a result of evolution, today in the foam movement, two main trends can be distinguished: one part of anglers strives to create the most elegant semblance of a living fish with an exact repetition of the shape and color of a living specimen, and the other, on the contrary, promotes the idea of ​​a simplified approach, where unique properties of the foam rubber itself, and no attention is paid to the shape and coloring. Hot disputes between representatives of these two warring schools continue to this day, and, in our opinion, none of them has a real chance of a complete victory. For years, we have been polishing the shapes, sizes, colors of foam rubber for fishing on reservoirs, where it is extremely important to use such a technique during execution in which the bait, after touching the bottom, remains motionless for a while. At this time, the foam can also be given micromovements by means of light jerks with a spinning rod, in which it is extremely reminiscent of a fish swarming on the bottom in search of food. With such a posting, the predator has the opportunity to slowly swim up and take a good look at its prey. This is where the graceful shape and natural coloring of the foam rubber really work.

Other fishermen devoted most of their time to fishing on rivers, and their foam rubber can be conventionally called river. In these models, the external resemblance to a living fry can only be noticed by a person with a violent imagination, and this is understandable, because the bait has no tail, no eyes, no coloring and, moreover, has a strongly narrowed body. And this is just a cold calculation: the absence of a tail and a narrow body adds a dozen meters of casting, and coloring is not so important on fast flow where the fish primarily reacts to movement and silhouette. In addition, when the bait is at the bottom, the current shakes it so that whether there is a tail or not, the fish will hardly have time to recognize it.

In fact, the topic of a tail in foam rubber fish has always worried and worries foam rubber fishermen. On the one hand, a fish with a tail looks more natural for us, anglers, but if you look at fish in the water, then it is mainly the contour of the fish body and tail constriction that is visible, and the real tail of the fish and fins are not very visible. And in conditions of poor visibility, they are not visible at all. Therefore, from the point of view of visual appeal, the foam tail is not needed, since it looks unnatural. In addition, on the wiring, oddly enough, it is the tailless foam-rubber fish that plays better, and not the tailed one! This is especially noticeable when the foam fish is 5-6 cm long. So not everything is so simple and unambiguous. On the other hand, there is more faith in a fish with a tail, although you understand that, logically, it should be the other way around. The same goes for coloring. On the one hand, it is clear that coloring is not at all primary, but still catching with beautiful fish is more pleasant and aesthetically pleasing. After all, you always want not just to catch a fish, but to catch it beautifully and with a beautiful bait.

Foam lures are a primordially domestic product, invented and introduced into practical fishing by our spinning anglers in the seventies of the last century. It was not comfortable conditions that contributed to this innovation, but a banal shortage of high-quality fishing accessories. By analogy, sometimes falling into the hands of spinningists silicone baits from abroad, a Moscow lover of fishing Sergey Pavlov was the first to make an artificial fish from foam rubber and tested it in catching a predator in our reservoirs, having received positive result, after which the foam rubber began to be massively used in spinning fishing.

An extraordinary, but ingenious solution gave a whole branch in the development of a new direction of artificial spinning lures, which continue to be improved and successfully applied in practice today.

Foam lures represent a copy of a small fish, which is equipped with a hook and supplemented with a sinker necessary for the fishing conditions. Most imitators are painted in a variety of colors that arouse the interest of a predator. The porosity of the material contributes to the positive buoyancy of the fishing tool, and also makes it possible to saturate the body of an artificial fish with all kinds of flavors.

Foam fish do not have their own game, and fishing with this kind of tool will require the spinning player to master a certain technique of bait animation, which will differ from the type of predator caught. The natural mass of the simulator is very small and requires an obligatory load, but you can experiment with the dimensions in the widest range. Therefore, among the foam, you can choose an option for both ultralight fishing for small perch, and a sample for a heavy jig for hunting trophy pike.

Advantages and disadvantages

Analyzing the advantages of foam rubber, we can confidently note their cheapness. The cost of a factory bait is small and its loss during fishing is incomparable in budget with the loss of a wobbler and even silicone. Undoubtedly, the simplicity of the manufacture of the simulator is also considered an advantage. The material for the harvesting is easy to find in any hardware or hardware store and, using ordinary scissors, in a couple of minutes, give an attractive shape to the predator.

Thanks to the rigging of the foam rubber with sinkers, the assembled specimens of assemblies have high flight characteristics, which ensures fishing and accurate feeding of baits at various distances. These spinning lures are versatile in several ways. After all, they can catch a predator of various types under various fishing conditions, manipulating only the weight of the shipment. Foam rubber absorbs odors quickly and for a long time and is easily stained. Among the shortcomings, it is worth noting the fragility of trapping tools and the inertia of their own game.

Buy a foam rubber fish or do it yourself

As we have already noted, the foam lure can be factory-made, which can be purchased at a fishing store, or made on your own, by the efforts of an angler. Typically a choice dilemma self-made or the purchase of a ready-made imitator is only for novice spinning players who do not yet possess sufficient posting technique and do not have the practice of fishing with foam rubber. Experienced spinning anglers try to cut out baits suitable for the fishing conditions on their own, taking into account the preferences of the predator being caught in a certain reservoir.

It is more convenient for beginner spinning players to work out fishing skills on a factory product, and already taking into account certain nuances of their own wiring technique, in conjunction with the preferences of the fish, to start independently producing an effective bait. For example, an inveterate zander takes a piece of foam rubber and scissors right on the pond, in the conditions of real fishing, preparing a suitable version of the simulator on the spot, and almost never remains without a catch.

DIY making

Foam fish for pike perch, pike and perch is not distinguished by the complexity of production and, most likely, is the simplest and quick option making a spinning bait. As a material for performing work, we will use dense foam rubber, which is used both as insulation in construction, and an ordinary household sponge, which is cheap at a price, sold in any department store.

Of the tools, it is enough to have scissors that can replace a sharp penknife or even an ordinary razor blade. It will not be superfluous to have superglue and felt-tip pens for coloring the workpiece. From fishing accessories, you will need articulated sinkers and hooks, a tee, doubles or their offset options. With the availability of material and a simple set of tools for the manufacture of the most extravagant artificial fish, even taking into account the lack of production experience, the angler will need no more than 10-15 minutes of free time.

Create a blank

The creation of a blank begins with determining the size of the future bait. After measuring, a bar is cut out from a common piece of material, on which kennels are applied with a felt-tip pen to cut out a final specimen. There are two main types of foam rubber: the conical version, the so-called carrot, where the back of the simulator is cut at an acute angle, and the version resembling a fry, when the tail is cut out, resembling a real fish body part.

Carrots are much easier to make. A product with a ponytail will take a little more time. When cutting, they try to give the workpiece smooth rounded lines that outline convex surfaces on the sides, avoiding angularities. These lures have a more realistic move. For a large batch of prepared artificial fish, it is advisable to make a mold, which will contribute not only to the convenience of work, but also to increase productivity.

Hook mounting

The shape of the final product does not affect the type and size of the hook used to equip. An important factor is the length of the workpiece, comparable to the size of the hook. Tees, double hooks, and single hooks with a long shank are suitable for rigging foam rubber. Single hooks with a long fore-end are used for fishing in clean waters, where the probability of snagging is very small. The fish is pierced with a sting and strung on the fore-end, or by cutting the foam rubber, the hook is glued directly into the body of the imitator, leaving the point sticking out from the back free.

An offset hook is used to create a non-hook. The foam rubber is mounted on a hook by analogy with a vibrotail or, as in the case of a conventional hook, is glued into the cut body.

Doubles and tees are glued into the body of the fish, making a longitudinal cut on the back or tummy of the simulator. The only difference in the installation is that initially one of the hooks of the tee makes a through puncture a little further than the end of the cut.

When installing the bait on a hook, I would like to focus on a number of important nuances that improve the reliability of attaching foam rubber in installations. Long, oversized nozzles, which is more inherent in foam lures on a pike, mounted on the variants of hooks with an elongated forend. Such design features of the accessory are in sales not only for single hooks, but also for tees and doubles.

If there is a need to equip the foam rubber with two triple hooks, then the installation includes a wire frame glued with a loop, connecting the hooks to each other through their fastening rings. Thus, by connecting the bait with the main line through the front hook and the sinker, the reliability of the installation of all equipment is ensured.

Painting

Predator lures look spectacular and attractive after being painted, although some anglers do not see much benefit from painted imitators, using them in natural colors of the blanks. But it is worth noting that if you fish on currents where the fish quickly responds to installation, not really understanding the nuances of its shape and color, the color design does not matter in principle, then when fishing in stagnant reservoirs, a promising color can give additional advantages.

The easiest way to give a fish war paint is to use permanent markers for these purposes. Such paint is not washed off with water, but on light tones of the workpiece it looks distinct and bright, allowing you to draw points of attack, which is especially important when making fish for pike perch or perch. The final choice in terms of color or lack thereof is purely for the fisherman.

Sinker

Due to the inertness of the foam, it is not effective for this type of installation.

Important! The best attractiveness to the baits is given by the combination of foam rubber with an articulated weight.

Cheburashka gives more degrees of freedom to the imitator, which increases the number of bites. In addition, this type of shipment favors the quick change of nozzles, and the use of various forms of cargo increases the aerodynamics of installation and its permeability in overgrown and encircled water areas. The weight of the cargo is taken on the basis of the fishing horizon. Heavy weights deliver the installation to the desired water level faster, thereby saving the time the bait reaches the operating parameters of the stroke.

Application of attractants

The number of bites on foam rubber noticeably increases their impregnation with attractants. The porous structure of the material retains odors and aromatized liquid for a long time, releasing small portions of an odorous substance during each run. For the aromatization of the bait, both purchased concentrated aromas and natural products are used that are attractive for predatory fish by their smells.

Of natural substances, the most effective method of impregnating foam rubber with fish oil or the blood of any type of fish. For example, before catching zander with foam rubber, the simulator is impregnated with a composition of mixed fish blood and liquid silicone with a small addition of glitter and edible salt. For pike and perch, it is enough to soak the bait in fish oil for a couple of minutes. Among concentrated attractants, attractiveness for predatory fish all variants of aromas with animal smells stand out, as well as anise and garlic. When using a concentrate, it is enough to sprinkle the material with a couple of drops of an odorous liquid before feeding the bait and continue fishing.

Often, concentrated attractants with an animal-oriented aroma have an unpleasant smell for the angler, but this should not be embarrassed, for a predator such a composition only whets the appetite. During periods of high fish activity, impregnation for the bait does not play a decisive role in the success of the hunt, but in moments of depressive biting it can significantly increase the result of a seemingly completely unsuccessful fishing.

Foam lures for zander

Spinning players have a reasoned opinion that fishing for pike perch with foam rubber is considered the main purpose of this kind of bait. Pike perch willingly takes a fish that is inert in play with aggressive and sharp jigging. For pike perch hunting, run-through simulators, similar in shape to the bleak body, are selected, the length of which does not exceed 70 mm. Due to fishing at significant depths and water bodies with the current, the color design is not of fundamental importance. To a greater extent, the spinning player should pay attention to the style of the wiring and, if possible, saturate the foam rubber with a scent that lures the predator.

Features of foam rubber for pike

Compared to pike perch fishing, pike fishing with foam rubber is not so popular among our anglers. But in some bodies of water, it is precisely such coarse-playing baits that justify the expectations of the fisherman. For pike fishing, foam rubber with a length of 90 to 150 mm is purchased or made, with a body volume of 25 to 40 mm. Since pike is also caught in shallow waters in stagnant waters, it is best to paint the foam rubber in natural tones, imitating the inhabitants of the fished waters. Monochromatic silvers and dull white or perch colors are always of interest to the pike. For low bites, it is recommended to add flavorings with an animal flavor.

Fishing technique

The technique of fishing with foam rubber is based on the implementation of classic jigging. The animation of the bait, which does not have its own game, occurs due to the jerk and natural vibrations of the installation caused by the oscillation of the articulated joint with a load in the form of a Cheburashka. Dotted movement of the simulator is performed by rotating the reel, usually in two or three turns, or pulling with a spinning rod while picking up a free cord, performing the so-called American style of jigging. Picking up optimal time pauses on stepped jig wiring determine the style of animation that is promising at the time of the hunt.

Important! After several postings, the foam rubber is squeezed out, removing the water absorbed into it, which negatively affects the further effective operation of the bait.

Most often, the attack of a predator takes place on a pause. The sensation of a failure in the course of the bait should be accompanied by an immediate reaction of the angler in the form of a sharp sweep, and after feeling resistance, one should proceed to forced fishing of the caught trophy.