Recently, rattlins (vibo) are often used for ice fishing for pike perch, pike and perch. I, too, was convinced from personal experience that this bait can compete with balancers and spinners.
Tips for beginners
On that day, the predator pecked exceptionally poorly, the surrounding people caught mainly on balance beams. A few bites, a couple of perches caught – that’s the whole result for noon. After a short break for lunch, having taken out the most tested “fighter” from the box, I decided to experiment. New hole, first sinking.
Rattlin sinks to the bottom, the depth is about 8 m. I touch the bottom, I do a few taps and a smooth rise to 20-30 cm. When I climb, I can clearly feel in my hand how the rattlin starts to “wind up”. A few strokes, again tapping on the bottom and small flinches – nothing. So I go around 5-6 holes.
I move closer to the edge, here the depth is about 7 m. A few strokes – and suddenly a clear bite! From surprise, he just froze, forgetting to hook. Again three or four strokes with periodic tapping – and this time already a pleasant heaviness in the hand from the spotted fish.
A small toothy robber was seduced by a miracle bait. The excitement intensified. New holes, color and size change of bait. And again the novelty is at its best, this time the goose was caught on an acid-colored rattlin. This was the final trophy of that day.
Rathlin Upgrade
Since the curious fishing mind likes something new, on returning home he decided to improve the bait. Immediately I went down the beaten path, putting on multi-colored cambricas on the tee fore-end. However, it turned out to be cumbersome. Then he pulled multicolored beads on the hooks, but the lures began to look very sham.
Oddly enough, the summer bait came to the rescue again. I took out boxes of twitch wobblers and “turntables”, removed the tees with new flies of a suitable size and replaced the tail tees of the two rattlins with them.
The next day, we went fishing to the same places, and I put rattlins on the move. Bites went almost immediately, the first pike was not long in coming. “Toothy” preferred tuned rattlins. But it should be borne in mind that the baits also differed in color and play.
More on this later. I’ll tell you one thing for sure: a tail tee decorated with a fly or a goatee will not harm fishing. That day it was better caught on the sidelines and dumps, where the depth is about 7 m. Small pikes willingly pounced on a new bait, although they were not always spotted. And in the evening, a good goose delighted the heart of the fisherman.
Fishing tactics and tackle
I choose a rod that is quite stiff, 60–70 cm long, with this it is convenient to catch while standing, it can also be cut through with a hard mouth. I put the line with a diameter of 0.25 mm. The nod is needed not so much for registering bites (they are always clearly audible in the hand), but for better control over the bait.
The sweeps are then more sensitive, and the falls of the bait are softer. If we talk about the depth of fishing, then it starts from 3-4 m. I don’t presume to name the limit value (I haven’t tried it deeper than 12 m), but I think – as long as the game of the bait is heard in the hand and it can be animated.
If there is a current, then it is necessary to become several meters higher than the fished area: the rattlin is quite voluminous, it will definitely be demolished. Here it is necessary to take into account the strength of the current, the mass of the bait and the diameter of the line used.
Rathlin’s choice
It all depends on the weather conditions, the place of fishing and the presence of snow cover on the ice. Of course, in the early morning and evening, preference should be given to brighter baits. But do not forget about the noise effect and the vibration generated by the rattlin.
These factors sometimes play a key role in choosing the right bait. It was noticed that the pike preferred rattlins with a higher amplitude play, and the pike perch preferred a smaller one. The size of the bait was different, but mostly average: 50–60 mm in length and 9–12 g in weight.
Bait wiring
Here the manufacturer plays the main role. If the vibration frequency of the rattlin is small, then the swings should be done faster so that the bait has time to “start”. If more amplitude, then smoother. The height of the toss is about 20-30 cm.
Waving should be alternated with periodic tapping and swaying at the bottom. It is not worth staying in the same place for a long time: 12-15 strokes, and you can change the hole.
It’s better to use it all the same. Experience has shown that the “toothy” often cuts baits (including rattlins). But if the goal is pike perch, then you can refuse. Everything is purely individual.
Happy fishing! No tail, no scales!
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