Burbot is considered an incredibly tasty fish, so there are a lot of people who want to catch it. Mostly it is caught in winter, in December. After all, this month is notable for the fact that spawning begins at the end of December, and before it, the fish begins to eat.

It is in December that it is best to hunt burbot, because there is a good chance to come home with the desired prey. In order to catch him, you need to know where to look for him and what is better to catch. After all, burbot is a very interesting fish with peculiar habits and atypical behavior.

Where to catch burbot in December?

In order for fishing to be successful, it is necessary to carefully prepare for it. After all, if you know exactly where to look for it, then the chances of success will increase significantly, and you won’t have to sit and freeze for a long time to no avail.

You should look for it in a reservoir, the bottom of which is rocky, and not covered with silt. After all, he needs a lot of oxygen. Also, you should look for places where there is a current and springs. In December, it is worth catching at shallow depths near coastal dumps, or near riverbeds. At this time, he prefers to live at a depth of no more than three meters.

What weather is good for burbot fishing in winter?

by the most better days frosty and windless nights are considered for catching this predator. During the day it is very difficult to lure him out, because he is active only in dark time days. Such fishing is difficult, because it is very difficult to sit out in the cold at night, but if you want to show off your prey, you will have to be patient.

During the day, it can also be caught, but very rarely, along with pike perch or ruff. If you catch on vents, then the process itself is a little simpler, because you don’t have to constantly sit and wait for a bite.

Burbot fishing technique

There are several good ways to catch burbot - these are baubles and spinners. It is with their help that you can for the most a short time get loot. But for success, you need to choose the right gear, bait and know the technique of fishing.

On the lure

Many fishermen prefer to catch burbot with a lure, because it is much more effective than other fishing methods. Before fishing with a lure, it is necessary to choose the right equipment so that no unpleasant unforeseen situations arise.

Tackle for fishing

Since burbot is a fairly large predator, then the gear must be strong and durable so as not to let you down at the most crucial moment:

How to catch more fish?

For 13 years of active fishing, I have found many ways to improve the bite. And here are the most effective ones:

1. Cool activator. Attracts fish in cold and warm water with the help of pheromones included in the composition and stimulates their appetite. It's a pity that Rosprirodnadzor wants to ban its sale.
2. More sensitive gear. Read the relevant manuals for the particular type of tackle on the pages of my website.
3. Lures based pheromones.

You can get the rest of the secrets of successful fishing for free by reading my other materials on the site.

• Take a fishing rod strong and reliable, so that it can withstand resisting prey, the handle should fit comfortably in your hand;
• The diameter of the fishing line is not less than 0.4 mm;
• The length of the leash is approximately 10-20 cm;
• Hooks must be taken strong, with a long forearm and big size, approximately No. 12-14;
• Since spinners are used, additional sinkers are not needed;
• The lure should be taken in medium size, any color can be taken, but the fishermen say that it is better to catch silver ones;
• To increase the chance of catching a predator, you can put a piece of fish on the lure.

Lure game

Very important point- this is playing a lure game. After you have decided on the place of fishing and drilled a hole, the lure can be lowered to the very bottom.

The game of bait should go smoothly, from top to bottom, or slightly sideways. You should not raise the lure high, it can only scare the fish. Also, making sudden movements or making the game too difficult is also not recommended.

You need to raise the bait at a distance of 10-30 cm from the bottom - this is the most catchy option. If there are stones at the bottom, then you can lightly tap them with a lure. This will attract burbot much more effectively.

Bites and hauling

When the fish begins to peck, this is expressed in very characteristic and sharp twitches of the fishing line. You need to cut with sweeping movements and very strongly. After the fish comes across, it practically does not resist, but the closer to the surface of the water, the stronger the burbot will resist, realizing that something has gone wrong.

At this point, it is very important to hold the line and not let the prey swim away. And this is difficult, because the individual is large and has a lot of strength. When the head appears in the hole, you need to grab onto the gills and pull it out onto the ice.

It’s impossible to pull it out in another way, because the skin of the fish is very slippery. When it was not possible to capture, and the prey went under water, then you should not rush to pull it up, wait until it swims almost to the bottom, and only after that you can start playing again. When the fish is pulled onto the ice, it is worth stunning it.

On the girders

Bait fishing in December is the fastest and most effective way to catch this predator. You can catch in several ways: put such tackle on all night and check only in the morning, or periodically check all night. Some fishermen make a fire, because it is believed that the light attracts burbot very well.

How to put up girders?

Having found a deep hole, you need to move away from it a little, and drill a hole at the exit from it. Zakidushki are placed from the shore, in a place where there is a slight current. Holes need to be made several pieces, at a distance of several meters from one another.

The following steps must be followed in order to install the gutter:

• Make a hole measuring 30 by 30 cm;
• A little further upstream, make another one, where you should lower the pole, the length of which is slightly more than a meter.
• A thick fishing line with a load of 100 g is tied to the end of the pole;
• After that, you need to take a wire with a slightly bent end, two meters long, and pull the fishing line into the main hole.
• When a little time passes, such a pole will freeze into the ice, and the fishing line will remain in the water, and when it is necessary to check the vent, then during the breaking of the ice, the fishing line will remain intact. In addition, it will be much easier to pull out prey through such a hole;
• It is necessary to tie two leashes to the cape: one for the weight, and the other a little higher;
• The leash can be made from a strong fishing line with a diameter of 0.5 mm. The length of the leashes is 60 cm and 40 cm. After the live bait is put on, the tackle is lowered into the water;
• After that, the hole must be covered and covered with snow. Use a piece of foam or plywood to cover.

Bait

As a bait it is better to take live bait, for example:

• goby
• Gudgeon
• Smelt

If there are no such fish, you can take any other. The main thing is that it should be fresh, because burbot is not tempted by stale bait.

Also, as a nozzle for vents, you can use:

• minced meat
• Fish fillet
• It is not worth using summer nozzles for fishing in December, it will not bring any result.

Secrets of winter burbot fishing

Burbot is predatory fish which prefers to hunt at night. Therefore, hunting for him during the day will not bring results. You can read after sunset and hunt until the morning. It is worth looking for it in places where it is good to catch ruff.

This statement can often be heard from fishermen. There is some truth in this, because ruff loves burbot caviar very much, and burbot, in turn, respects ruff meat very much. Therefore, where there are flocks of ruff, the night predator will definitely be caught.

When choosing a place, it is necessary to choose areas at a shallow depth, approximately 3-6 meters. When girders are used, there are no problems, because they can be installed in the evening, and come to check only in the morning.

If fishing fell on cloudy weather, then you can make a fire on the shore to attract prey, bright light attracts aquatic inhabitants very much.

Reviews of fishermen about catching burbot in December

Reviews can be found very different, some fishermen boast of a huge catch, while others complain that they have sat all night to no avail. There are many reasons for failures, maybe the place is chosen incorrectly, or the tackle with the bait is not the right ones.

User Rybakov Andrey writes that he was fishing at night with a lure, sat for several hours, and there was no bite. But after midnight I was lucky enough to catch a rather large specimen, it helped to catch that a small piece of fish was attached to the lure.

User Dmitry writes that he caught live bait, made a fire to attract, it helped. I caught a few pieces, however, not large, but of medium size. It was very difficult to pull out, they got very strong, I thought that I would not pull it out, but I managed. Very satisfied with the experience, I will definitely try to go again.

With the onset of December, the thermometer drops noticeably lower and lower. Inclement weather is becoming more and more common. In such conditions, many freshwater fish species become passive and reluctant to respond to various baits and lures. In harsh winter conditions does not leave anglers without their favorite pastime - burbot fish. And the more inclement the weather, the higher the chance of catching this unique fish. It is promising to catch burbot in December, since this month this fish begins its pre-spawning zhor.

With the onset of spawning, large sexually mature individuals stop actively feeding, and until the end of spawning, only “young” burbots that have not reached puberty come across on the hook. This factor encourages to go fishing as soon as the first ice becomes safe to stay on it.

If unknown burbot trails, it is advisable to use a fishing echo sounder to search for fishing areas. No need to waste time looking for burbot in places where the bottom surface is abundantly covered with silt. Fish are usually found on rocky bottoms, in slow currents, or on the edge of currents. If there are additional bottom springs in such areas, then you can start drilling holes.

Another feature of burbot is that it is most active at night. In December, it is also caught in the daytime, cloudy and frosty days are especially good for hunting for burbot. On clear sunny December days, burbot is found in bottom pits or hides under boulders, in burrows and under snags in pools.

If it is not possible to be fishing at night, then it is better to use stationary fishing. Winter zherlitsa is the most suitable tackle. To catch burbot at night, you can convert a classic winter chute into a simple snack. In this option, the flag is not used. The zherlits are "charged" during the daytime and left overnight. As bait, fry or pieces of fish are used. Normally, if the live bait loses mobility, the main thing is to equip the bait in such a way that the bait is at the very bottom. The burbot is well self-cutting and stays in the daytime to check the vents for the presence of a catch.

For active anglers who go for long-term fishing for burbot, a winter fishing rod is perfect. It can be used as an additional fishing rod when fishing on vents or as a main tackle for fishing. equip winter fishing rod on burbot is very simple. Short winter rod no longer than 40 cm, inertial reel, quality line 0.3 mm and bait.

Winter spinners are suitable as bait, which are used to play in the bottom layer of water, but it is noted that burbot reacts more actively to the stalker.

Stukalki have different shape and a different number of soldered hooks. By appearance they can resemble a balance beam and be located in the water horizontally in relation to the bottom surface or a large mormyshka and be located vertically. The body of the bait plays the role of a sinker. Bait is placed on the hook(s) - pieces of fish, a bunch of worms, etc.

Catching burbot with a stalker is most effective at dusk. It is successfully applied from the moment of freezing up to ice melting.

Technique for catching burbot on a stalker

In December and at the end of winter, it is possible to catch large burbot, so it is important to choose an ice screw for fishing of the appropriate diameter so that large fish can freely pass into the diameter of the hole.

The technique of fishing with a stalker is to create additional noise at the bottom of the tackle, which often attracts the attention of burbot.

The bait sinks to the bottom and knocks on the bottom surface are performed with short strokes with pauses. The height of the strokes is not more than 20 cm. The pauses between the strokes should be changed periodically.

The burbot is well attracted by a series of short sharp twitchings of the bait at the very bottom, which are interrupted by pauses.

The cutting is performed at the moment of a clear withdrawal of the fishing line. When fighting, it is important to keep the line taut, quickly removing the slack.

We must not forget that burbot is very active in winter. At the very surface, he sometimes makes an attempt to get off. If you are lucky enough to catch a large burbot, then it is better to use a gaff to pull the fish out of the hole, since it is inconvenient to take the burbot body covered with mucus with your hands. When proven durable tackle is used, then you can get burbot out of the hole on a fishing line.

Winter fishing for burbot begins with the arrival of frost, when the rivers are sealed with the first ice. There are a great many fishermen who want to fish this particular fish, but not all of them are lucky in this matter.

You should know that with the beginning of the thaw, burbot goes deeper, so it can be especially difficult to fish it out.

Many fishermen are pinning their hopes on February, but winter fishing for burbot during this period of time can be spoiled by spawning of the presented species. Given that this process occurs at different times in different reservoirs and lasts about two weeks, it is simply unrealistic to predict exactly when spawning will begin and end.

Therefore, if you want to try your luck, no one forbids doing this, but it’s still not worth waiting for the catch in advance.

Burbot hides in deep water in crevices and depressions. Experienced fishermen advise choosing places near the beaches, but it is imperative that there are sharp rapids where shallow water abruptly turns into depth.

Capes and curvatures are another points where burbot can live.
In order to fish out fish, you should install several gears (vents) in those places where burbot can be exactly located. Everything should be done carefully. The ideal depth to which the gear should be lowered is 7-15 meters. In order to determine the correct depth, many fishermen use an echo sounder.

How to catch burbot in winter

In order to know how to catch burbot in winter, you should pay attention to common mistakes. Their repetition will lead to the fact that the fish can only be seen in the picture.

Some believe that a good catch always occurs at night, because during this period of the day the burbot is activated. This is true, but it still depends on the time of year. In the summer, for example, you can sit for days and not catch anything. Another thing is autumn. You can start going out on the river from mid-October. If you're lucky, you'll have a good time.

It is useless to sit on the pond during the spawning season. In the case when the fish is not visible for several days, but there is confidence that there is burbot in the river, you can reel in the fishing rods, since the fish are not up to the bait at this moment.

A good bite is observed about a week after the end of the spawning, it lasts until April. After that, you can either switch to catching other fish, or wait for autumn.

In the case of many species of fish, good weather is the key to excellent fishing. With burbot, everything is exactly the opposite. Under good weather conditions, you can sit for days waiting for a bite.

In winter, the fishing process is best at night - between midnight and two in the morning, and also between 4 am and until dawn.

Important! It is better not to go fishing on the full moon, at this time the burbot does not bite.

Experienced fishermen note that successful catching of burbot in winter also lies in the ability to calculate the path of the fish that it makes when moving to feed. If this can be done, then it will be possible to put several gear in different places, which will significantly increase the chances of a good catch.

How to choose gear

Choosing tackle, you should carefully think about what it will be. Several types of fishing rods can be used for fishing. One of the most common are donks, which are suitable for catching burbot on open water.

With the advent of winter, all reservoirs are covered with an ice crust, in this case, going fishing, it is better to buy everything bottom tackle, which consists of a fishing line diameter of about 0.5 mm, as well as a sinker, a hook (number 10,11 or 12 is suitable) or a double.

Bait for burbot

As for the bait, it can be worms, sandworms or river lamprey larvae.

In case of ice fishing girders are also used. By the way, during the day they can be used to hunt zander or pike.

Fishermen are advised to adjust the allowed number of bets at night in order to check them all in the morning. Thanks to the flag, it will be possible to understand in which places there was a bite. Given that burbot often swallows the bait very deeply, it is better to replace the leash, and then get the tackle out of the catch.

You can also catch burbot with the help of a mormyshka or a spinner. In order to achieve good results, the bait is lowered to the very bottom, and then they carefully begin to drive it, luring the fish.

Important! Equipment must be large.

Burbot reacts to sparkles, so baubles should have a light surface. After moving the bait on the surface for about 15 seconds, you can lower the fishing rod to the bottom and wait for a bite.

What you need to know about pecking

From under the ice, fish are caught on live bait or on a lure. While the burbot begins to peck, the fisherman feels a sharp blow. In the case when the bait rises from the bottom, then the nod is slightly bent. The hooking is done quickly and sharply, otherwise the fish will leave.

Many fishermen in a hurry make a dash ahead of time. This is a common mistake. The twitching of the nod does not yet mean that the “night hunter” has begun to peck at the bait, it can simply circle around it, creating movement that is reflected on the subject.

You need to wait for the cutting, and then prepare for the fact that there will be resistance.

The fish is pulled out onto the ice quickly. Otherwise, the burbot will twist into a ring and without the use of a gaff, it will be difficult for one fisherman to cope with the "predator".

Important! It happens that the flag of the zherlitsa does not show a bite, but at the same time the burbot is already on the hook. You can occasionally check for failed vents.

Burbot is a fish that does not like to change habitats. Therefore, having noted for yourself some kind of lucky island in the reservoir, you can return to it, but already in the next season. There is a high probability that there will still be a lot of fish and fishing will be outstanding.

Every fisherman should know that the key to a good hunt is the right gear for catching burbot in winter, the choice of location, as well as weather conditions. It is worth making only one mistake and you can forget about the fish.

Burbot meat is a delicacy for everyone. However, burbot fishing has its fans in all regions where this unusual fish found. Fishermen especially praise burbot cutlets. However, before talking about culinary masterpieces, burbot must be caught. Let's figure out why burbot fishing in December is so popular, how to catch burbot in the first winter month, what gear and bait you will need for fishing.

Burbot is interesting not only as a trophy - large burbots reach a weight of ten kilograms, but also because they lead a very unusual lifestyle. This predatory fish of the cod family is caught exclusively in the cold season and, curiously, also spawns in winter. Spawning of burbot, depending on the region, takes place from mid-December to mid-January, respectively, from the beginning of December, pre-spawning zhor begins in burbot. The fish are active and this makes December a great month for burbot fishing. However, with the onset of spawning, the bites subside and the biting of the burbot stops.

Where to catch burbot in December

Fishing for burbot in December requires preparation, it's great if you know where burbot places are located, and if you don't know, let's try to figure it out together where to look for and catch burbot in December.

It is believed that burbot prefers a rocky bottom, respects the current and does not mind if there are springs nearby. But the bottom, covered with a dense layer of silt, burbot tries to avoid, because it is difficult for him to endure an oxygen-poor environment. Burbot in December mainly prefers shallow areas near the bank slopes, pre-channel slopes, the depth of which is not more than three meters.

When to catch burbot in December

Fishing for burbot in December is especially good on frosty windless days, or rather nights. Yes, fishing for burbot at night is good, but not every angler can do it. However, winter burbot is active at night. During the day it is caught very rarely, usually together with ruff and pike perch. Fishing for burbot in December, as a rule, occurs at medium depths and shallows of the reservoir. When using girders, the process is simplified: they are put in the evening and checked in the morning.

How to catch burbot in December - catching burbot on a lure

There are several ways to catch burbot. As we wrote earlier, these are vents. However, you can also catch burbot with a lure. The choice is yours, many believe that flashing is one of the better ways burbot fishing in December.

• Tackle for catching burbot

For fishing for burbot in December, strong tackle is used - suddenly you are lucky and the trophy will pull ten kilograms. So, you need a strong and reliable fishing rod, a fishing line is useful with a diameter of 0.4 mm, use a leash of 10-15 centimeters, with hooks you should also not waste time on trifles - feel free to take a hook of size 12-14, you should not put additional sinkers - the spinner itself will be quite enough . By the way, spinners should be used in medium size silver. To the spinners, you definitely need to plant pieces of fish, it can be a ruff or bleak. Burbots are very accurate at all smells, so this will give you a much better chance of attracting burbots in December.

• Burbot fishing technique
  

The technique of playing with a lure while catching burbot in December is as follows. After choosing a place and drilling a hole, it is necessary to lower the lure, preferably to the very bottom, and start lure. This process lies in the smooth play of the bait. Smooth movements from top to bottom and obliquely can bring no less success. There is no need to complicate this game too much, because. this always negatively affects the reaction of burbot. You should also not raise the lure above 50 cm from the bottom. It has been noted that most successful burbot bites occur at a distance of 10-30 cm from the bottom.

During the lure in places with a number of large stones, good results at the beginning of winter bring the usual tapping of the lure on the stones. It is not known exactly what attracts the burbot, but throwing the spinner off the stone, or hitting it on a large stone, most often ends in a successful bite.

• Biting and fighting burbot

When fishing with a lure for burbot in December, its bites are expressed in strong and sharp jerks of the fishing line. Undercuts need to be made strong and sweeping. After a successful hooking, the burbot practically does not resist at first. Nevertheless, you can’t relax, because approaching the hole, the fish will definitely begin to fight for salvation. At this time, the main thing is to be able to keep the fishing line, not allowing the burbot to go into the depths. It is the last meters that are especially difficult when playing, because the burbot, endowed with great strength, begins to dodge, not allowing itself to be brought to the hole.

After the fish's head appears above the surface of the water, you need to grab it under the gills. In another way, because of the slippery body, it simply cannot be held. When the burbot leaves back into the hole, you should not rush: you should let it go all the way to the bottom, calm down and then do the fighting again. Sometimes a burbot goes into the hole tail first. In this case, it can only be removed with a hook. The caught burbot is slapped on the ice or beaten with a skimmer in the stomach. At the same time, the fish increases slightly in volume. It is believed that burbot liver is a special universally recognized delicacy.

Winter time is a great time for burbot fishing, especially during this period burbot fishing in December stands out. December is notable for the fact that at the end of this month spawning begins at the burbot, and before it comes, the fish feeds especially actively, which plays into the hands of the angler. It is this period of winter time that is the time when burbot fats. Burbot is a very interesting and peculiar fish, very different in its behavior from other representatives of the underwater world.

Where is burbot kept

Burbot prefers a solid rocky bottom, and even better if there is a spring nearby or two currents collide. The bottom, covered with a thick layer of silt, the fish avoids, because it is difficult to tolerate an environment poor in oxygen. Fishing for burbot in December, namely during the zhora, will be successful if you fish in shallow areas where there are coastal dumps, pre-channel platforms and the depth does not exceed 3 meters. As soon as the burbot starts spawning, the biting practically stops, only small burbots that have not reached puberty remain active.

When to catch burbot

Burbot flashing mainly occurs at night, so catching burbot in December is associated with certain inconveniences. In addition, the fish oh how loves rainy and especially frosty nights. But, what the angler will not endure, for the sake of the cherished bite.

To catch burbot you will need a reliable and durable fishing rod that will allow you to special work deal with big fish. The fishing line should be thick enough from 0.4 mm. In addition to everything, there must be a leash. After all, if you delay with hooking, the burbot can so swallow the bait offered during the flashing that it will be problematic to pull it out. Hooks are also used large, 12-14 number. Additional sinkers, you should not put, the spinner itself will be enough.

When luring, as soon as the first ice is established, many anglers prefer medium-sized silver-colored lures, which are usually used for zander fishing. The only addition that is made is to put pieces of fish on the tees, you can use bleak or a brush for this.

fishing technique

The technique of playing lure when catching burbot in December is as follows. After you arrived at the place, taking into account, of course, the preferences of burbot, we drilled a hole. Lower the lure to the very bottom and start lure, i.e. smoothly play with bait. Often success is brought by smooth movements up, down or obliquely. There is no need to complicate the game, this can negatively affect the reaction of the burbot itself. Also, do not lift the lure above half a meter from the bottom.

Most successful burbot bites generally occur at a distance of 0.1 to 0.3m from the bottom.

When spinning in a place where there is a ridge of large stones, a good result in winter brings the usual tapping of the spinner on the stones. I don’t know what attracts this burbot, but hitting a large stone or throwing a lure from a stone often ends in a bite.

Catching burbot (video)

Catching burbot in December is a very exciting activity, especially if lure is used to catch it. A bite when fishing with a lure is expressed in sharp and strong jerks of the fishing line. The undercut should be strong and sweeping. Do not think that you can pull the bait out of your mouth, this will not happen. After a successful hooking, at first the burbot practically does not resist, but you should not relax, approaching the hole, the fish will definitely put all its strength into its salvation. At this moment, the main thing is to hold the line and not let the burbot go to the bottom. The last meters are especially difficult when playing, having great strength, the burbot begins to dodge in every possible way, preventing the angler from leading himself to the hole. In this case, a hook will not be superfluous on fishing, with which, if the burbot is successfully hooked, you can pull the burbot out of the hole without much difficulty.

No matter how difficult it is for the angler to catch burbot in December, this time remains the most catchy in the winter, giving a lot of pleasure to fans of this difficult, but very interesting fishing.