How to grow live bait at home?

Most of my friends are sick in the head from fishing and hunting. Some of them (husband and wife) opened a shop for hunters and fishermen. Then the second, the third. And somehow in conversation, they complained to us that they spend a lot of money on the purchase of a worm and maggot, as well as on its transportation from a neighboring region.

- With the worm, that's half the trouble, in the summer the villagers will dig up, in the winter the men will pick up in the silo pits, so that even if it is not stable, but there is, but with the maggots it is generally a disaster. It is produced only in Moscow and Yekaterinburg, entrepreneurs complained.

The annual amount for the purchase of maggot and worm from wholesalers is 117 thousand rubles per store !!! Here it dawned on me! In our city with a population of 100 thousand, there are 9 shops that sell goods for fishing, and 6 of them sell bait. This means that the annual demand for maggots and worms averages 650-700 thousand rubles per year.

The demand for artificially grown maggots and worms in Russia (and in the world) is very high. And it is constantly increasing.

Agree, taking a factory maggot with your bare hands to plant it on a hook is much more pleasant than its counterpart caught from a dead dog or from a cesspool. Most anglers, even in small towns, prefer not to take risks and buy bait not on the road (especially in winter), but in a trusted store. And the cost of a jar of maggots or worms is ridiculously small compared to the total costs of fishermen (gasoline for cars and boats, food, "warming", etc.). Yes, and simply, ask friends of store owners (or sellers) or go to the Internet, and you will be surprised to find that information on the industrial cultivation of maggots has not increased over the past 5 years. That "horror stories" about problems with the maintenance of the number of flies and the super-cost of this business are spread, most likely by the producers themselves, in order to preserve the monopoly and their super-profits!

And in conclusion, a few figures: now the wholesale price of a jar of maggot (1 tablespoon) in my city is 12 rubles. 100 cans of maggot (2.5-3 liters), which is 34 thousand rubles per month. Plus 400 cans of worms (per month) for 16 rubles - that's 6 thousand rubles per month. Plus 200 packages of bait (per month) at 35 rubles - that's 7 thousand rubles per month. Plus 1 ton of vermicompost (per month) obtained from worms is 7 thousand rubles per month. In total, on average, 54 thousand rubles were obtained per month.

Who will say what about this topic?

No matter how ingenious artificial baits are created, it is unlikely that it will ever be possible to make a bait that will bypass the attractiveness and naturalness of a real live bait. Therefore, live bait remains one of the most effective lures for catching a predator and is always in demand by anglers.But the question of catching live bait remains acute, and in this article we will deal with this issue and show you the easiest and most effective ways to catch live bait for fishing.

In this article, we will find out how to effectively catch live bait in summer and winter, how to store it for a long time. All this information will be accompanied by a useful and very interesting video. After reading this article to the end, you will know everything about catching fry and storing them.

Catching live bait: the most effective ways

So, let's start with the main one and decide on the methods of catching live bait. Each angler who uses live bait for fishing uses his own method of fishing, depending on some nuances, for example: the required amount of fry, size, available time, availability of certain tackles, etc. Well, for those who are too lazy to engage in independent fishing - you can always buy live bait in fishing shops.

Only you should understand that a purchased live bait often works worse for a predator. It is ideal to use live bait from the same reservoir where you will catch the predator. It is not clear how a predator determines the local live bait, but the fact remains if in some reservoirs you do not notice the difference between purchased and caught live bait, that is, such reservoirs where the predator completely refuses to peck at the purchased one. Therefore, live bait caught independently is much more valuable, even if caught in another body of water.

If you are not going to buy live bait and want to catch it yourself, then further information will be just for you. We will analyze in detail what methods of catching live bait for fishing are and watch a video in which these methods are clearly shown.

Catching live bait with traps

One of the most interesting and effective ways to catch live bait is trap fishing. Traps are fairly easy to make from scrap materials. The simplest designs of fry traps are ordinary plastic eggplants with holes for the fry to enter. Slightly more complex trap designs will be more effective. It is enough to put a piece of bread inside the trap and lower the trap into the water a meter from the shore. The fry will literally immediately begin to fill your trap, and in half an hour you can collect the live bait catch.

There are a lot of varieties of such traps - these are ordinary glass jars, and plastic eggplants, and even old fans ... Anything can be used to make a trap. Traps for fry are also sold in stores, one of the most effective such traps is called "muzzle". But homemade traps are also inherently muzzles. Let's take a look at the most interesting pitfalls in the video below.

Catching live bait on a homemade muzzle

A large metal homemade muzzle can bring a large amount of live bait at one time. The main thing is to throw in the right place and put in an attractive bait for the fry, usually bread. The effectiveness of the trap is obvious, see the video.

Catching live bait on a trap from a plastic eggplant and making it

With the help of an ordinary 5-10 liter eggplant, you can also successfully catch live bait. The video below shows how to quickly make such a trap and how it works directly in practice. So you can make sure with your own eyes that the trap is working.

5 ways to make live bait traps

And the next video shows as many as 5 different methods of making a bait bait trap. Some of them are simple, some are more difficult. But in any case, they will push you to your own thoughts of what and how you can make a trap for the fry. And if you are a creative person, you can simplify or improve the proposed methods.

With such simple homemade traps or muzzles, you can catch live bait for yourself literally on every fishing trip. The more small fish you have in your pond, the more effective these traps will be. Well, now let's move on to the next methods.

Catching live bait on a hoist or spider

But catching live bait on a lift is generally easier than ever.The hoist is a fine mesh net that is tied up with a rope. The net sags a little so that the fry stays in it when it rises. In one ascent with this tackle, you can catch live bait for the whole day. It is enough just to tie the bait to the center of the lift - bread and lower it under the water. If you lower the lift from the bridge, then you only need a rope, the length of which will be enough to lower the net under the water.

If you are going to catch live bait from the shore, then you will need another long pole, which can be made from a tree branch. A couple of meters long stick will be enough, then you can lower such a lift even from the shore. But nevertheless, it will be more convenient to fish for fry from some ledges into the water, be it a whitefish, a fallen tree or anything else suitable to go further from the shore. In extreme cases, you can try to fish from a steep coast, where the decline in depth is sharper. The process of fishing is clearly shown in the video below.

Catching live bait on a hoist

Catching live bait with a float rod

Fishing for live bait with a float rod is very popular. Its beauty is that you just go to catch a predator, take with you a light float rod with fine rigging and catch live bait directly on the pond. Having caught one live bait, you can already throw the tackle at the predator and while you are waiting for the bite of the predatory fish, you continue to catch the bait.

If you are going to fish on mugs, you will have to spend more time, but usually catching live bait with a float rod, even for catching on mugs, will take half an hour of your time. And the most wonderful thing is that you can always top up live bait, if suddenly it is not enough, or you can deal with it in reserve directly while catching a predator.

A small hook, a light float and a worm or bread as bait and live bait is provided for you. In this way, you can catch any live bait - gudgeon, ruff, perch, rudd, etc. Below you can watch a video showing the process of catching live bait with a float.

Catching live bait on a float: video

Catching live bait with a landing net

A very interesting and quick way to catch live bait is to catch it with a landing net. If you have a landing net, then you can try to catch live bait this way. The landing net allows you to quickly catch live bait for fishing, and if suddenly you don't have enough fry, you can always repeat the procedure and renew the supply of live bait.

Fishing takes place under the coast itself, preferably near vegetation, where little things are spinning. The fishing process is simple - with dexterous movements the fry rakes into the landing net. In general, to understand the whole procedure, you need to watch the video.

Catching live bait with a landing net: video

Catching live bait on a jar

A very interesting way is to catch live bait with a jar. In order to catch live bait in this way, you only need a three-liter jar and a piece of bread. The bank is installed at the bottom of the reservoir near the shore with the neck towards the land. Bread is laid inside and after a while you can check the trap for catch.

If you are skeptical about this method, then you are doing it in vain, believe me. Yes, in reservoirs with a small amount of fry or other unfavorable factors, this method may be ineffective, but if there are enough fry, he will gladly visit your trap. When you start checking the trap, the fry will want to run away, but it will not run away in your direction, but on the contrary, it will throw itself in the opposite direction, where the path is blocked by the glass walls of the jar. So the fry can't go anywhere. Below is a video showing the effectiveness of this method.

Catching live bait on a jar

Catching live bait in winter

All the methods that we have analyzed refer to the summer season, although live bait is also caught on the lift (scum) in winter. But still, I would like to dwell in more detail on purposeful fishing for live bait in winter, since the differences are significant here.In winter, the reservoirs are covered with ice and the methods, and the very process of catching live bait, will differ from the summer ones.

In winter, live bait is mainly caught for girders, which are then used to catch pike, pike perch, and burbot. Since the girders are usually placed in the region of a dozen per fisherman, the corresponding amount of live bait is needed. And if fishing takes place during the day, then you need more reserve to replace live bait on the triggered zerlitsa. Below we will analyze how to effectively catch live bait in winter for subsequent catching of a predator with it.

The correct strategy for catching live bait in winter with a jig

In order not to waste precious time catching live bait, you need to do everything with a well thought-out strategy. It is necessary to clearly distribute a plan of action - drilling holes, placing girders, catching live bait, etc. So that you know where to start and in what sequence it is optimal to act on winter fishing, watch the following video.

Catching live bait in winter on a ski lift

Not everyone knows, but in fishing shops you can buy a lift for catching fry, which crawls into a standard hole, opens up inside, and when pulled out of the hole, folds again and you get live bait in packs just from the hole. The beauty of this method is that in one ascent of a spider (a scribbler, a lift) you will provide yourself with live bait for the whole day.

The principle is the same as in the summer - lower the lift, feed the fish with bread and after a while raise the lift with live bait catch. The only differences are in the design of the lift, but everything is identical. Further, as usual, a video of fishing on such a lift for catching live bait.

Now you know a lot of ways to catch live bait both in summer and in winter, and you will be able to fully catch a predator with the caught live bait. But if you have a need or desire to store live bait for several days or a month, then he needs to create special conditions. Let's take a closer look at this.

How to keep live bait

Suppose you caught a live bait, but did not use it completely, or you obviously caught a lot of live bait and would like to save it until the next fishing trip. It can be saved in several ways, and which one is more convenient for you - choose yourself.

Method number 1: storing live bait at home

But keeping live bait at home is not suitable for everyone due to a banal lack of space or reproaches from his wife, the reasons may be different. And there is a way to store live bait directly on the reservoir. Of course, this method is relevant if you fish in the same body of water regularly. You can store live bait there all year round and it will not cause you any discomfort - we arrived at the reservoir, took our live bait and you can start catching a predator.

Method number 2: storage of live bait in a reservoir

Finally

And to the fishermen who, having read our article, have the opportunity to add something else and share their experience - a special thanks. If everyone shares their experience, then in the end everyone will be with a catch and a good mood! After all, experienced fishermen have become just like that thanks to the fact that their predecessors shared their experience with them. Help each other and neither your tail nor the scales!

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Live bait is a small fish that is attached to a fishing hook when fishing for predatory fish and serves as a live bait.

Any small fish can serve as live bait, but nevertheless, the best species are:

• minnows
• pinches
• bleak
• verkhovki
• bulls
• perch
• roach
• crucian carp
• at worst - ruff (favorite of burbot) or silver bream

Actually, the choice of live bait largely depends on the predatory fish that live in the fishing area. It is known that adult pikes and perches eat their small congeners (fry) with pleasure.

It is forbidden to use juveniles of bream and other valuable fish as live bait.

How to increase your fish catch?

Today there are many ways to increase your catch. One interesting option is Dry Blood.Dry blood is used to bait peaceful fish such as carp, crucian carp, roach, tench. The predator also responds well to it - catfish, pike perch, pike, perch, ruff, burbot, chub.

Does it really all work? How not to buy a pig in a poke?

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Live bait fishing technique in winter

Fishing for live bait is extremely reminiscent of the so-called sports fishing: lightweight tackle, a nod sensitively reacting to a bite, a thin line, a jig with a low weight and size. All this desire for relief and minimization is a direct consequence of the fact that this tackle is designed specifically for catching small fish.

Like any winter fishing, bait fishing is preceded by drilling a hole. The place for it is chosen where the small fish is most likely to be found, i.e. this is a deliberately shallow place, up to three meters, with a very weak current or in stagnant water.

Live bait is caught on the bait from bloodworms, burdock larvae, worms, jiggers attached to the hook (their color affects the biting activity). It is best to take jigs, in which one side is black and the other is light. This color combination attracts both small roach and perch well. The bait rod is balanced under the angler's arm.

You can read the article about jigs.

How to keep live bait on the reservoir and during transportation? For this, there are special containers - kans. But in order to avoid freezing and death of live bait, it is advisable to sheathe the factory canoe with a heat insulator or acquire a sheathed container immediately.

Features of storing live bait

It is well known that any predator attacks primarily a sick and noticeably weak prey. Live bait on the hook of the jig very much resembles a sick fish, but if it is too lethargic, then the predatory fish will ignore it. But it often happens when, after arriving on a fishing trip and the opening of Cannes, we see that the bait fell asleep from a lack of oxygen.

Without going deep into physiology, one can state one thing - the fish's oxygen demand increases with increasing water temperature. Thus, if the water in the cana is too warm and there is a lot of fish, then the live bait will feel oxygen hunger, and the intensity of starvation in different species of fish is different. The most persistent are crucian carp and tench, followed by roach, then white bream, then silver bream and perch, and, finally, bleak needs oxygen most of all.

Making an aerator with your own hands

If you intend to keep live bait (roach) for no more than two or three days, then the weight ratio between fish and water should be 1:50, and the water in the canoe should not be warmer than 4-6 ° С. So a storage with a volume of 12 liters can contain 20-25 fish with a weight of 10-15 g. If the preservation period exceeds a week, then the above proportion should be 1: 100. The perch and bleak will require even more water.

By aerating the water, the mass of fish in the canoe can be increased. The aerator is easy to make by yourself:

1. It is based on a rubber tube from a soccer ball, it can be from a bicycle or a tire.
2. A rubber tube is attached to the chamber, at the free end of which a spray from the aquarium aerator is attached.
3. After inflating the chamber, the sprayer is placed on the bottom of the kana or bucket with live bait.
4. The air flow through the tube is controlled by a clamp with a variable clearance.

The ball chamber can be used to enrich the water with oxygen when transporting live bait to the place of fishing.

Compliance with the above rules allows you to extend the shelf life of some of the fish species (for example, crucian carp and roach) up to one or two months at home. The fish should always be stored in a spacious container with a radius greater than its height to increase the water surface in contact with the air. In the first seven days of conservation, the water is changed twice, and then every 10 days.

You can also learn about the secrets of spinning fishing.

Winter zherlitsa. How to properly plant live bait (video)

How to plant live bait

To prolong the life and activity of the live bait on the hook, it must be inserted carefully, without damaging the spine, if the hook is hooked on the back. Some species that are susceptible to hook damage, such as minnow or bleak, are planted in the water. A fish on a hook in clear water can remain active for up to a week.

Live bait is mounted on single and double hooks with metal leads, as well as on tackle from several hooks. One hook can severely injure an active live bait, and two will keep it in a state of low mobility. However, predatory fish are reluctant to take live bait, seated with several hooks. It is better not to take hooks that are too large for live bait.

Live bait is inserted into one of the three parts of its body. Either behind the back, passing the hook under the upper fin, without touching the spine, or behind the head area, placing the fish behind one or both lips, or behind the nostril, while pulling the hook through the cheek. Live bait is also strung on a hook by the tail above the ridge.

Hooks are also tied to the fish's body with threads or soft wire so that they do not touch its body.

Although this method of baiting a live bait is somewhat troublesome, if the hooks are tied neatly, then the bait remains alive for a long time.

How large a supply of live bait is needed for winter fishing? The answer depends on the frequency of your fishing trips and how effectively you keep the bait.

Experienced fishermen do not stock more than fifty live baits - verkhovki or minnows. And perch and roach are stocked up literally for a couple of fishing trips.

After fishing, unused live bait should be saved, taken home and used later.

How to increase your fish catch?

Today there are many ways to increase your catch. One of the interesting options is a bite activator. It attracts fish from long distances and stimulates its appetite with the help of pheromones, which are part of and affect the behavior of individuals. Pheromones are natural biologically active substances that are secreted by living organisms, including fish.

Does it really all work? How not to buy a pig in a poke? Read the details in our review.

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