Technique of catching chub on wobblers

Golavl is a beautiful and strong fish, living mainly in rivers. Its active fishing is associated with the arrival of warmth. Of course, he can get caught at any time of the year, but actively feed begins with the arrival of spring and fall cold and frost. Golavl can be caught by any tackle and method, but I have always been interested in doing it on spinning. Powerful nibbles “red-feathered”, knocking the spinning out of your hands, is incomparable to anything! The first spinning minnows I got on blades, which is not surprising, because at that time I fished exclusively on them. But with the gradual immersion in wobbler fishing became more interesting to catch minnows on wobblers.

Choice of wobblers

You can catch chub on all types of known wobblers, which we will try to consider in relation to specific conditions and time of year. This fish I have been able to catch in all seasons. Yes, sometimes chub show their activity in winter, most often it is thaw times as with plus values, as well as in frosts, but less in comparison with the previous ones. But the bulk of caught on wobblers chub fall, of course, in the spring, summer and fall.

What type of wobblers to choose for catching chub? Crankbaits immediately come to mind – these bubbly wobblers are in most of the top fishing ratings for catching chub. It is difficult to say who exactly the crank reminds the chub: a bug, a fat fish or another representative of flora and fauna … But the chub attacks cranky time after time! Globally, the crankbait is the most effective type of wobblers for chub, without reference to the time of year, conditions and so on.

But here not everything is not as simple as it seems, among this type of wobblers can also be classified, first of all by the degree of depth: DR (deep runner) – deep water, MR (medium runner) – medium sinking, SR (shallow runner) – shallow water, SSR (super shallow runner) – sub-surface. The use of crank of this or that depth depends on the depth in the place of fishing, and on the time of year, according to my observations. For example, in spring the water level on the rivers is usually higher and vegetation is just beginning to appear. In such conditions, chub do not always go out to feed on shallows and often hide in pits, behind the brow, a stone, a bunch of old grass, etc. Therefore, to put SSR-cranky does not make sense. Better catch SR and MR models, and sometimes DR if the place is deep.

As catchable cranks of these depths I can cite Lucky Craft Clutch MR, Strike Pro Cranky X-40, Jackall Chubby 38DR, Tsuribito Baby Crank 35FDR.

The same can be said about the fall period – the chance to catch on deeper water crankbaits will be higher than in the summer. And in summer everything gradually switches to subsurface fishing. Golavl itself likes to feed in the upper layer of water, collecting from the surface of all sorts of insects, and standing on the warmed water fry he does not disdain. To this is added and shallow water bodies and grown grass and lilies.

If you do not take large rivers, where these factors are less significant, in summer the most effective crankbaits are wobblers with a depth of SSR and SR. There are many times more examples, because the most popular shallow-water deepening SR is in the highest demand among chub. From SSR out of competition in my conditions Jackall Chubby, after it can be distinguished successful models Smith Camion SSR, Lucky Craft Gengoal….

And here in the squad SR places are all occupied: among the leaders a whole pleiad of heirs Chubby – actually from Jackall regular version and silent silent, Tsuribito Sweet Crank, Strike Pro Cranky 40, Kosadaka Raven 40, Itumo Chip; then comes no less successful special squad Camion and Co – Smith Camion SR, Tsuribito Baby Crank, Kosadaka Roger; Nories Worming Crank SR, Itumo Booby 45F.

In the warm season I personally most often give the advantage in catching chub it is crankbaits, but if the water has not yet warmed up in the spring or has already cooled in the fall, not to mention winter, to catch a crank is already becoming a problem. In such conditions come to the aid of wobblers class “minnow” and “shad”.

They have not such an aggressive game, which in addition to their “seasonal” advantages also makes these types of wobblers suitable for fishing on a strong current, while cranks there can knock like a jackhammer, and strongly load the rod. There are places where they simply can not spend them, and “minnow”, on the contrary, no problem! In addition, among wobblers of these classes, unlike the often “floating” crankbaits, there are often successful models with neutral and even negative buoyancy. With passive behavior of chub, their use often justifies itself.

As among the crankbaits, it is difficult to choose the best chub catchers among “minnows” and “shads”. Everyone will have their own, but I have the best behavior of Zip Baits Khamsin 70SR and Jr., Zip Baits Rigge 56 S-Line, Zip Baits Rigge Flat, Kosadaka Ion 70DL, Kosadaka Mirage 50XS, Pontoon 21 Cheerful 34SR, Tsuribito Minnow 50, Strike Pro Midge and others.

Next, I would note surface baits, which are also good when catching chub in the summertime, when you can see its external activity. The best for these purposes are “walkers” and “poppers”. Also these lures are indispensable when fishing in shallow and overgrown areas of rivers.

With “walkers” is clear, they probably imitate the floating on the surface of the critter, the nature of poppers to explain is more difficult, except by comparing them with frogs … but the fact remains that they also catch chub and not bad! Most of them are small baits like Smith Towadi, Tsuribito Pencil 47/60, Jackall Chubby Popper 42F, Jackall Chubby Pencil and so on. The main advantage of such baits is a distant throw and unusual game on the surface, which sometimes shoots out and outplay other types of wobblers.

The most effective catching chub on surface baits at times when he begins to feed and “spit” on the surface. For deep-water fishing, as well as on a strong current can be effective catching chub on rattlins and vibes, but purposefully I have not yet unraveled it.

Choice of tackle

There have always been, are and will be disputes and discussions on chub tackle, because the tackle for catching chub in the Moscow region and the same Volgograd region will be significantly different. If you try to average and do not take into account large rivers, then for chub you need a tackle, suitable in the first place for your wobblers in relation to the strength of the current in the place of catching. And the second most important factor, in my opinion, is the throwing distance. From it, respectively, depends on the choice of rod length and fishing line thickness. Other moments are more optional and individual.

If we talk about some average variant, it is a rod with length 2-2,2 m, upper test 7-10 grams. Everybody likes different stroi, somebody likes regular rods, which work well on fish, somebody likes trout rods, which are intended for river fishing, somebody likes rockfish rods for catching sea mackerel, microjigging rods with rigid inlay, etc. To me the most universal seems to be a medium-fast or fast line.

Why exactly it? In practice, I have repeatedly faced the fact that rods with a soft tip simply did not cut through the fish, it happened that a powerful bite golawl, the rod wheeled and then the failure … And the second point – excessive “noodle” blank will not allow you to properly animate wobblers with an active game or, for example, on the current from the middle.

It is also important to take into account the conditions of fishing and the time of year. I mean that in summer there are places where everything is densely overgrown and when a good fish bites, the chance to pull it out with an overly light and delicate tackle is small. Therefore, most often in spring while grass is not much and when fishing from a boat on rafts I use more delicate tackle, but from the shore and in the grass is already more powerful, sometimes even to the detriment of sensation.

The reel, in my opinion, has minimum requirements. It should be light and well balanced with the spinning rod. I try to fish with reels weighing up to 200 grams. With fishing line is a little more complicated, its use depends largely on the conditions of fishing. I like braided cords. Because of the lack of stretchability, high informativeness, strength in comparison with mono-filament and fluorocarbon of the same diameters.

In terms of thickness, most often I catch cords of size #0.6 according to the Japanese classification of PE-cords. In spring and on open areas I sometimes put #0.4, when fishing in summer in the grass I can also put “one”.

Whether to use leashes or not when fishing for chub is everyone’s business. I do not catch without them and because the pike at any moment can cut off the wobbler, and change baits easier, and the strength of the design of the leash with a swivel, in my opinion, higher. The use of the latter on the current I also consider appropriate to stabilize the game of the wobbler and not to twist the cord (although this is more to “twirlers”). The leash itself fluorocarbon, depending on the conditions of fishing and used wobblers thickness of 0.3-0.5 mm. Accordingly, where the chance to meet pike is higher, I put 0.45-0.5 mm. Someone will say that they are thick, but on the effectiveness and the number of nibbles their thickness does not affect the visibility of such a leash does not depend on its diameter, rather on the size of the hardware. It can affect the game of small baits, so you need to choose … In practice, wobblers up to 3.5 cm with thick leashes is better not to use, some “minnow” and larger size can be knocked down. Crankbaits are less picky to the leash and most of them can be successfully used with the described “thick” diameters.

Choice of tactics

Golavl – fish unpredictable and hidden, its catch very often resembles not the usual fishing, and hunting. Here is important accuracy and the right choice of place not only throwing, but also parking.

I would first of all like to note the correct approach to the place of catching chub. When fishing in waders or from a boat, the perception of the fisherman in the chub is somewhat different than from the shore, the chub is less fearful, so it can see off the wobbler almost not to the fisherman and peck at close range.

If the catch is from the shore, it is important not to show the fish before the time. For example, if the bank is high, then do not go to the very edge and do not look at where the golavl stands. Almost always he will notice you at close range and will be cautious, you can not count on a bite of good fish in such conditions. I try to find a place upstream, where you can go down to the water and walk along the bank or water to the desired point and cast it first from the maximum distance. In the most promising places it makes sense to sneak up, sit down, hide behind a bush or grass and make the first wiring from cover.

If there is no opportunity to go down to the water far from the catching place, then do not stand and stare down or do it from behind cover and quickly teleport down.

What places to pay attention to? Golavl likes streams and in the active phase he goes out to feed more often on them, but he prefers to stand in shelters, so the active golavl should be sought on the rolls, runny sections of rivers, and less active on the boundaries of calm water and current, in snags, behind rocks, islands, grass. The characteristic places where the chub stay are not only underwater shelters, but also above-water – he likes to hide under overhanging tree branches and bushes, as well as in depressions in the banks.

Active chub can be calculated by splashes on the water and already oriented by them. Here it is important to pick up a favorite bait, most often it is a crank with an active game, in summer it also responds well to surface wobblers.

Golavl, standing in the shelter, waiting for accurate throwing. And here it is important to feed the bait and have time to hold it until the current will not blow it away, especially when throwing under the opposite bank. Someone laughs, but this red-fin “personality” sometimes wobbler is required to serve with accuracy to the centimeter. Throw in 20 centimeters from the conditional snag – he does not take, you need to get close to it. As soon as it turns out – follows a blow. I have so many times caught chub after other anglers who were afraid to hang a wobbler in otherworldly snags. Therefore, the accuracy of throwing a wobbler, in my opinion, one of the main conditions for successful fishing for chub.

It is also important not to be in a hurry to hook a chub on bites. This fish often first tries the bait, beats it without the purpose of eating, and in the case of premature hooking can scare it away. Therefore, no matter how difficult it is, when the bite is better to continue wiring without sudden movements until the golavl himself will not bend the rod.

At such moments it is important that the friction of the coil was weakened, so that the fish could roll on the first jerks of the fishing line, these jerks are the most powerful and strong in the golavl, if he comes down, it is often at the beginning. Restrain the power of chub at first can only weakened friction. Otherwise, you can lose not only the fish, but also the wobbler …

Wobbler wiring

Sometimes I read comments that they say that there is nothing to catch chub – threw and spin the reel. But in fact, even catching even wiring can be varied and give different results. The main wiring when fishing for chub can be divided into three categories: against the current, downstream and on the drift.

Even if you take a uniform wiring, the difference in the behavior of the conditional crank will be considerable.

The simplest variant of wiring – against the current. It consists in throwing the wobbler downstream as a right angle towards the opposite bank, and under more acute. In this case, you can also float the wobbler lower, thereby increasing the duration of the wiring. And then slowly lead the wobbler even wiring, sometimes you can make small pauses and change the speed. This method is great for any type of wobblers.

The second method is fishing downstream, when we throw the wobbler above and conduct it often evenly. This method involves high speed winding and is not applicable everywhere, mainly where the current is small, otherwise only the most active fish will be able to grab the bait. Although it also gives the result when catching at the top of the rolls to the beginning of the rapids and fast stream. For this wiring need wobblers with active own game.

And the third popular variant – wiring on the drift, involving throwing under the opposite bank and holding the cord without winding or with a minimum speed so that the wobbler was carried away by the current. With this version of wiring accurate throwing is most important. Use it can also be used with any wobblers, but the priority of baits with their own game, it is easiest to realize it with cranks.

The main wiring, no matter how you spin it, even, although sometimes the chub reacts well to jerks. But the main thing when wiring is not to hurry and do not lead the wobbler quickly. Active fish, maybe, and have time to catch up, but more often you will seem that the fish is not here, although it can actually even see off the bait, but not have time to grab it. Therefore, slow wiring – the key to success when fishing for chub!

In cold weather, the above rule works without fail. Slow wiring on the verge of disrupting the game of the wobbler more than once brought me chub even in winter. This fishing is very interesting and never know what is on the mind of the chub, so sometimes it is worth experimenting and good luck will not keep you waiting!

Author: Bob Nudd is an expert fisherman with over 20 years experience and winner of many competitions.