Balansas

The first detailed mention of horizontally oriented lures (“horizontal blades”, “coromyslaks”) is connected with the Soviet fishing periodicals. It was “Rybolov” or “Rybovodstvo i fisovstvo” of about thirty years ago… Cast, made of lead, chiseled from solid brass billet. The most understandable version for today’s angler is a “crown” made of sheet copper (brass), cast in lead, with a soldered single tail hook and a loop for the lower treble. Then appeared quite familiar to us lures with the wording “Ice Jig”, “Balansing Bait”, etc.

What is a balancer

The classic “balancer” for plumb baitless fishing of predators (perch, pike, zander, bersh, catfish, some species of salmon, whitefish, sea fish, depending on the region of fishing) from the ice is a lure that resembles the shape of its body, coloring and game on the conductor of a fry (fish). It is based on a body cast from lead (lead alloy) molded from lead (lead alloy) of the form of “shead”, “semi-shed” or spindle-shaped with a flat belly. Inside the body there is a wire frame that connects the nose and tail hook, upper and lower loops for attaching the hanging tee from below and the “balancer” itself to the fishing line (leash) from above. The trajectory of the bait during the pull of the fisherman provides the tail blade, which has a specific configuration “dovetail”, symmetrical, relative to the longitudinal axis, the shape and angle of deviation of the half-blades from the horizontal. On lures of minimal size (25 mm and less) tail blade is replaced by a plumage, and on the maximum size lures (50-60 mm and larger), or specially designed to catch large predators, the blade is made of sheet metal.

Size and color of the balancer

The size range of different manufacturers of balancers includes models from 18-20 mm to 80-110 mm. The weight range is from 2-3 to 35-50 grams. Popular color schemes are: 1) “natural”: reminiscent of perch, gudgeon, seal, trout; 2) “irritating” (“acid”): lemon, lettuce, pink, orange and their combinations; 3) “protective” (camouflage): marsh, black, dark green and dark blue. It happens that “shoots” bait, completely devoid (due to frequent nibbles or storage conditions) of any clear color, just dull lead.

How to choose a balancer correctly

The quality of a balancer is determined by the following features:

1) symmetry of the body relative to the horizontal and vertical axis, quality molding of the “carcass”, without influxes and sinks;

2) quality of execution of upper and lower loops, which should be even, not filled with paint;

3) the quality of the paint coating, which should be uniform, smooth, without bubbles and chips;

4) the quality of the tail blade, which should also be symmetrical in all projections and qualitatively glued (soldered) to the body, with subsequent filling with varnish (resin);

5) quality of hooks and suspension tee, which should be correctly selected by number in proportion to the body of the balancer. “Correct” balancer for fishing, being tied (fastened) to the line for the upper loop, should resemble the arrangement of hands on the clock face, corresponding to “9-20”, where “9” – the nose, and “20” – the tail of the lure.

Modern manufacturers continue to experiment with the shape, color and equipment horizontal baits: to replace the upper loop come “comb” with three or four holes to vary the “angle of attack”, replace the tail hook with a tee on a buckle, which is part of the frame. They come up with new color schemes. Make three-dimensional eyes and scales.

Directions of “balancing fishing”

Domestic fishermen, based on geographical conditions, the presence of fish in reservoirs and its size, divided the “balance fishing” into three main, universal and understandable to all directions, two of which are basic for most freshwater bodies of our country, the third – stands somewhat apart.

Catching bass on balancers

1. Sąlygos. Catching perch during the first and last ice, in moments of active nibbling (thaw, inflow of fresh melt water from the banks, etc.).
2. Žvejybos reikmenys: light rod-“blisnilka”, fishing line 0,12-0,16 mm, keeper from a silicone tube, “fly fishing”/”lock” clasp.
3. A set of baits: 3-4 balancers with dimensions from 2-2.5 cm to 4-5 cm. Color range: from bright (“acid”, orange, pink) to natural color: “under perch, gudgeon, trout, tulka”; also dark tones (“under rotan”, dark bronze, dull lead). Suspended tee is necessarily equipped with a bright element – luminous “droplet”, bright cambrick, a piece of “edible silicone”.
4. Žvejybos taktika: the coastal zone, the boundary of bushes, reeds, the zone of the confluence of streams, adjoining floods, channels, the zone of depth difference from the shoal to the depth and vice versa. Several holes in promising points are fished according to the scheme “from the first to the last”, “old” holes are checked. The balancer is put on the bottom, then raised by 3-5 cm, a smooth swing of the rod is made, after which a pause from 2-3 to 10-12 seconds is kept. You can “tap” the bait on the bottom, check the water column, try a smooth lowering, etc., the game of the bait should be varied!

Catching pike

1. Sąlygos. Catching pike in places where it stands (shelters): the relief of the bottom (hillocks, pits, channels), coastal snags, the edge of the reeds, places where there are stumps / tree trunks. It is possible to “punch” the relief by echo sounder; the help in orientation will be provided by the set in the visibility zone of the fishing poles, of course, if there are nibbles on them.
2. Tackle: not long powerful rod, for example, the so-called “board”, single-part or telescopic, length 0, 4-0,7 m. Storozhok is not necessary, because the nibble even pike occurs “in the hand”.
3. Ritė – a simple inertial of plastic, the diameter of the bobbin 60-70 mm.; its axis is treated with silicone grease, cleaned burrs – and you can catch. From the “mults” and “inertia-free” beginner fisherman is recommended to refrain until the accumulation of experience: frost, moisture and throws on the ice can ruin the expensive reel.
4. Line. For the same reason, braided cord is replaced by a mono-filament 0,28-0,32 mm of dark color, more noticeable in the snow. Obligatory leash: tungsten, 15-20 cm, with high-quality fittings. More rigid (string) or soft (flure, Kevlar) violate the work of the bait, overlap.
5. Lures for pike: from 5 to 10 cm, both classic (narrow body), and the form of “shead” (high body). Colors from bright, aggressive to calm – “perch”, “trout”, “gudgeon”. During a steady nibble pike do not care about the color/size of baits, but at moderate nibble prefer balancers of natural color schemes (black/blue back, on the sides of the stripes “for perch” or spots “for minnow”, white/orange belly).
6. It is recommended to change thelower tee to a larger, sharper and stronger, proven brand; it is not necessary to install a “point of attack” (camcorder/beads) on it. 7-cm. Balancer even for fish weighing 0.3 kg. – is itself a “point of attack”.

7. Žvejybos taktika: in a promising place drilled a “track” of holes, or a certain area in a staggered order drilled holes at a distance of 8-10 steps one from the other. Covering the holes: from the first to the last, 8-10 strokes per hole, with lifts of the bait; pauses of up to 10-12 seconds are mandatory. Nibble – a clear “strike” or jerk. After an unsuccessful “contact”, if there was no “escape”, the fish is often “caught” in 15-20 minutes.

Catching pikeperch and bersh

1. Conditions. Catching pikeperch and bersh on water areas where they certainly are. Such fishing is not ubiquitous, as perch or pike.
2. Rigs and baits. Catching is similar to pike, described above, on the set of baits and on the design of the tackle (safety margin, sufficient rigidity). But now it is necessary to use a keeper, because pikeperch nibble is not always a “strike”. It is often a “pushing”, “shaking” of the keeper, a feeling of heaviness on the line.
3. Differences in tactics: pikeperch/bersh is mainly a bottom fish, which leads an active lifestyle. Mainly at a distance from the shore, significant depth and current. Unlike pike, gravitating to shelters in the form of snags, vegetation, etc., pikeperch finds shelter on the relief of the bottom: pits, ditches, hillocks, piles of stones, coquina, etc. In such fishing the search capability of echo sounders and other electronics is most fully revealed.