If there is no bite - useful tips - a directory of articles - a cool place. all about fishing

How often, with great self-confidence, fishermen think that they have calculated everything to the smallest detail, but in practice everything is not so. The fish flatly refuses to even approach the bait. After that, an unpleasant aftertaste appears on the soul. Lost any interest in trying again. They simply forget about the numerous conditions (such as the weather) that affect the behavior of the fish.

One of the main factors of "bad luck" is the freshness of the bait. Often, if the bait put on the hook is not fresh, then the fish bypasses it. You can only seduce her with delicious and fresh food.

It happens that aquatic inhabitants do not want to take the hook because of the smell on the hands of the fisherman. Fish are very sensitive to smells. In addition, they are very skittish. If they feel even the slightest danger, they immediately run away.

Everything is done correctly, and still does not bite?

Maybe the fishing line at the bottom shines and scares the animals. Maybe the fish sees you, or you and your shadow. This frightens her and she swims away from this place. It may be that the place is located behind the path on which the fish is looking for food. Each body of water has its own paths, along which they swim to the shore, and along which they swim away from it.

It has already been found that many factors affect the appetite of fish. Pagoda is one of them. Old and experienced fishermen know this best of all. They are better than any weather forecast. They are the prediction of the bite. But if there are no such acquaintances, then you can use some of the well-known facts.

With good and sunny weather You need to catch before dawn and after sunset. At this time, the fish begins the so-called zhor. After that, only the rudd and a little goby take the hook.

For catching "white" fish - roach, smut, bream and carp, cloudy weather with a slight westerly breeze is required. So you can fish all day long. Biting can only be affected by a sharp cold snap.

Weather

Usually the fish do not eat well in the wind east direction, and in some places at the southern.

Fishing is good in the spring when the weather is calm and clear.

After a storm, aquatic inhabitants go to the depths. There is no point in catching.

An excellent bite happens with a weak northwest breeze.

Fish start to catch badly when the wind starts to change its direction, or it starts to get colder. She ceases to take with storm gusts of wind.

AT summer time bites well in warm, but not hot weather. This process worsens when it gets hotter. Therefore, it is necessary to catch only in the mornings and evenings. Mass reproduction blue-green algae impair the appetite of fish.

In autumn it bites well in cloudy weather with a slight breeze.

In winter, the fish takes first and last ice, with stable weather without precipitation. The bite worsens before the start of a snowfall. It makes no sense to go fishing during snowstorms and sudden changes.

Do not forget that temperature changes also affect aquatic life. If the degree goes down, then tench, crucian carp, carp become less mobile. They stop taking the bait. But trout and other fish (especially mines) are awake. There are many more reasons why fish don't want to take the bait. To reduce the risk of such bad luck, you should just be a little more careful.

"Which best weather For fishing?" “What weather is best for biting?” Similar questions are often asked by newly minted fishermen who have barely learned to hold the rod and hook in time. But sometimes it also happens that even an experienced fisherman has to think about this topic, especially when the fish does not bite.

And what do seasoned catchers say about this, never returning without a catch? Most likely, you will not receive an unambiguous answer to the above questions from them. They will either tell you that the weather is not a hindrance to a real fisherman - he will “puff” fish in slush and frost, or they will subtly hint that the answer is already contained in the question itself, they say - what will the weather be like - good or bad, such is will be cool. It's funny, but both answers are absolutely correct, and do not contradict each other at all.

Indeed, there is a lot of evidence of how experienced fishermen fished in bad weather, when it was impossible to stick their nose out of the house, not only to fish. On the other hand, it has long been noticed how well fish are caught on those days when the weather "settled down" and for a long time didn't change.

The only conclusion suggests itself: the biting of the fish clearly depends on atmospheric phenomena. But, if you know in detail about what is happening under water in a particular weather, then it is quite possible to neutralize this dependence and provoke the fish to bite, using special means and tactics. In other words: in good weather we are just fishing, and in bad times we have a “cunning plan”. But in order for it to be, you need to have a good understanding of the impressive topic of the influence of weather factors on fish habits. This story is nothing more than an attempt to cover this topic in a single article.

However, before proceeding to the analysis of all the important weather nuances for a fisherman, it would be useful to briefly mention - what are the main processes in the atmosphere, and what do they lead to on either side of the water's edge?

The weather as it is

Photo 2. What will be the weather while fishing - directly depends on the processes occurring in the atmosphere.

Whatever the weather is - clear, and rainy, and snowy, and with a hurricane, and with hail, and with a thunderstorm, and with hoarfrost, and with fog, and with other "special effects". But the fact that this diversity is a consequence of the interaction of only two objects - heat and cold, or rather, warm and cold air, is very funny.

It is at the border of two air masses that have a significant difference in temperature that atmospheric fronts and all of the above phenomena occur. Moreover, “long-playing” whirlwinds are born there - cyclones and anticyclones, which also carry completely different weather.

A warm atmospheric front appears where a mass of warm air creeps into a cold area. It brings warming, but at the border of the two masses there will definitely be extended clouds and heavy rainfall.

A cold front is the opposite - when the cold air mass pushes out the warm. Depending on how quickly this happens, there will be corresponding “pictures”. Leisurely cold front will cause regular rains, but a fast-moving one will definitely provoke heavy downpours - with a squall and a thunderstorm, or even with hail. In winter - of course - there will be heavy snowfall with a blizzard. But the sooner the front passes, the sooner the bad weather will end.

Cyclones, being areas of low pressure, carry the wind, cloudy weather and precipitation. In the warm season, this is a cold snap with rains; in winter, some warming with snowfall and a blizzard. With an anticyclone, the opposite is true - with its arrival, clear weather sets in, and if it lingers for a while, there will be heat in summer or a terrible frost in winter.

Under water, of course, such “stormy impressionism” is not observed - the situation is always quieter there than on the shore. However, whatever one may say, but changes in the atmosphere reach even underwater inhabitants.

Weather factors affecting fish

By the way, fish - like humans - has its own "comfort zone", that is, a certain range of conditions in which it can exist and feed. If the conditions in the reservoir fit into it, the fish will peck as usual, but any change in the weather can change everything. And the underwater inhabitants will have two ways - either to adapt to new conditions (which always takes time), or - if this failed - to fall into a stupor in order to wait out an unfavorable period.

There are only four weather factors that affect fish.

Temperature

Fish are poikilothermic creatures that are not able to generate heat in sufficient quantities. Therefore, their body temperature is not constant and depends on the temperature of the water in the reservoir.

The fish has a certain range of temperatures within which it feels comfortable. At temperatures below this range, it slows down all processes in the body up to suspended animation, but if the water does not turn into ice and the oxygen concentration in it is sufficient, the fish will calmly endure the cold.

But the heat has a completely different effect on her. An increase in body temperature above a certain point for fish is already detrimental, as it leads to disruption of all processes in the body, up to cell destruction. At some stage, she can still save herself from this through artificial suspended animation, therefore, in warm water also goes into a daze.

Each fish has its own range of comfortable temperatures. The following table eloquently shows which fish “likes” which temperature.

Fish are also very sensitive to temperature changes, strong jumps or drops can even cause them to go into shock. However, no matter how sharply the air temperature changes when the weather changes, water has a kind of “damper”, due to its high heat capacity. Therefore, its temperature changes after the air temperature with a noticeable lag and very smoothly (and sometimes does not have time to change at all). Usually this is enough for the fish to “not notice anything”, however, during sharp cold snaps, it also happens that the water cools faster, from which the fish need some time to adapt. At this point, she reduces activity.

By the way, temperature changes affect fish not only directly, but also indirectly. AT winter time, for example, due to cooling of water to the freezing point, an ice cover is formed. Light is reduced underwater. Again, the fish need some time to get used to it. Without sunlight algae gradually die off, and their decomposition products dissolve in the water, which negatively affects the oxygen regime. In addition, gas exchange with the atmosphere is noticeably reduced, which only exacerbates the situation. In order to reduce the need for life-giving gas, the fish falls into a stupor, after which such a notorious phenomenon as “deafness” is observed.

In summer it is even more interesting: with an increase in water temperature, the ability of oxygen to dissolve decreases, which again reduces its concentration, and in fish in the body all processes accelerate - in connection with which it needs oxygen twice as much as in winter. Add to this the rapid development of phytoplankton (which intensively absorbs oxygen) - and you will understand what it is like for fish in the heat.

Atmosphere pressure

Changes in air temperature - as mentioned above - "reach" the fish with a noticeable delay, which cannot be said about the pressure, the drops of which are instantly felt in the reservoir - due to the incompressible properties of water. However, with this weather factor, not everything is so simple.

In fishing circles, it is generally accepted that sharp fluctuations in atmospheric pressure adversely affect fish. Say - for her it is so tangible that she gets sick after every decline or rise. Even experienced fishermen claim this, citing their personal observations as evidence.

I will say this: complete nonsense, because the water itself puts pressure on the fish quite well. Moreover, even with a small difference in depths, this pressure will be very different.

Every diver knows that at a depth of 5 meters to the air pressure of 1 standard atmosphere "adds" approximately half an atmosphere of water. At 10 meters, there is still half the atmosphere, that is, there is twice as much pressure as on the surface. And so on - to the very bottom: for every ten meters, the water pressure increases by about 1 atmosphere.

Fish, as you know, like to move near the bottom - therefore, it must be resistant to high pressure. She often has to change the depth, therefore, she must be resistant to its differences, moreover, quite impressive. Otherwise, she simply could not live in the aquatic environment.

It turns out that changes in atmospheric pressure should not affect the fish at all - due to their complete insignificance.

As an example, I will give the following, no less interesting calculations made by pundits from physics: if the mercury column drops by 10 mm, then for you and me this is equivalent to climbing a mountain 100 m high. As for the fish, then for it a similar pressure drop occurs when it floats only 10 cm above its current depth.

It also dispels another myth. Some fishermen seriously claim that surges or drops in pressure "compress" or "expand" the fish's swim bladder, provoking it to involuntarily rise or sink. She has to change the depth to the one where she would continue to be in a state of neutral buoyancy - with the least expenditure of energy.

So, even with the largest differences (which happens by no means often), this depth will be no more than half a meter. Also, do not forget that any fish (including those in which the swim bladder does not connect to the esophagus) is able to "bleed" gases from it, dissolving them in the blood, or vice versa - to "pump up" this organ with the help of a special gas gland located on its wall. This means that it can, albeit for some time, compensate for the pressure on the bubble and change the depth of neutral buoyancy.

But where did this statistic of the dependence of the bite on the barometer come from? Not from the ceiling? The author of these lines at one time also led it, and came to the conclusion that noticeable fluctuations in atmospheric pressure did not always precede an empty cage, therefore, we are rather dealing not with dependence, but with coincidences. Or…

According to the barometer, as you know, you can predict some weather conditions. This is due to the fact that for a certain time before the approach atmospheric fronts and a cyclone, the pressure drops, and when an anticyclone sets in, on the contrary, it rises. In general, it turns out that low pressure is bad weather, and high pressure is a bucket.

Fish also have their own "barometer", and we just talked about it. Swim bladder she subtly feels all the changes in atmospheric pressure and ... if bad weather approaches, she begins to prepare for it: she changes the place or depth to those where she will be more comfortable and where it will be easier to wait out the bad weather. At this time, she can "distract" from feeding, which looks like a lack of pecking on the shore, or simply moves further away from those places where gear is abandoned.

Wind

Photo 4. It has long been believed that the worst weather for fishing occurs with a north or east wind.

An old nautical omen says: if north or east blows, the fish declares a post.

I guess this folk wisdom It certainly didn't grow out of nowhere. Although it is directly related to marine fishing, it is also relevant to some extent for fishing in reservoirs and rivers. Moreover, most of the winds from the above directions bring bad weather or cooling, because they blow from the coldest regions of our continent.

But, some of the "land" fishermen disagree with this saying. And indeed, there were moments when, under northern or east winds the fish pecked quite well, and the final result of fishing sometimes did not disappoint, but caused undisguised delight.

As it turned out, it was not the direction of the wind, but specific location where the fisherman was sitting at that moment. And this is explained very simply.

Any wind drives a wave, resulting in a current on the surface of the reservoir. It moves water masses from the windward to the leeward shore. It even causes some difference in the water level. But the most interesting thing is that water cannot accumulate in one place for a long time, therefore, in the surf zone, a current arises that is opposite to the surface one, and it already goes along the bottom of the reservoir.

It turns out that near the windward shore, the wind carries food in the form of insects blown onto the water, and near the leeward, the lower current carries food in the form of invertebrates washed out of the soil by the surf. In addition, the wind aerates the water, and the maximum oxygen concentration is observed precisely in the surf zone. It is clear that the fish will not fail to take advantage of the situation.

At the same time, surface fish move under the windward shore, while bottom fish go to the leeward one. But, both of them are not just anywhere, but in places where the effect of the wind is the strongest.

On the windward shore, fish are concentrated where there is a forest or small clusters of trees, near reed thickets. Simply put, in places where insects are blown into the water most intensively.

As for the leeward side, there the fish prefers places where they carry food most well, and where the streams of the bottom current are the strongest. And this, again, is observed where the coastline has a concave shape. The surface current here is reflected at an angle and concentrated at one point (the so-called collecting mirror effect), which forms a very tangible stream, in which there is noticeably more food than in the surrounding water layers. That's where the fish are going.

If the fisherman takes all this into account, he is guaranteed to be with a catch in windy weather.

However, the above is true for the wind that does not portend severe bad weather. It is quite obvious that there is still nothing to do in a storm on the reservoir, because this is the worst weather for fishing. The fish will go to the depths and certainly will not feed.

But this is for water bodies. On the rivers, the wind, if it forms the opposite bottom current- then only on large and large. On medium and small ones (especially those where their current is very noticeable), the fish react to it somewhat differently - everyone, as if on cue, begins to feed from the surface.

Precipitation

Details about the effect of rain on fish are described in the article "". In short, the following can be said here: precipitation improves the oxygen regime and cools the water, therefore it is very favorable for biting fish, especially if there was a long heat the day before. Also, rains carry food from the air and the surface of the earth into the reservoir. But this is only at the very beginning. Then the water becomes cloudy, its level rises, and as a result we have an “unscheduled flood”, which seriously complicates fishing.

Snow, also being precipitation, the bite affects only once a year, namely in the spring, at the time of its intense melting. And again - here we observe an analogy with rains. At first, melt flows carry life-giving oxygen and even some food, washed up by streams and small rivers, into the reservoirs. Everyone knows what a crazy bite happens in the spring - on the last ice. But then the water turns cloudy. And to catch a fish, you have to use.

What weather is best for biting?

So after all, what is it - the best weather for fishing? Let's sum up all of the above.

Summer

Photo 6. summer heat- not the best weather for fishing, because at this time the water "blooms", and the oxygen content in it decreases.

• The best fishing in the summer will be at steady state for two to three days dry, cool weather without strong wind . The maximum biting is usually observed in the morning and evening hours- in sunny days, or throughout the day - if cloudy. If the heat sets in, then the duration of the bite is noticeably reduced, then it completely disappears. But when it gets cold, the fish suddenly stops biting.
• short term, but heavy rain, thunderstorm - have a positive effect on biting, especially after a long heat. If the element drags on, then fishing will be only at the very beginning, then there will be no bite.

Autumn

• The best weather for fishing this season, again - quiet days without precipitation and strong winds. But before freezing, the fish gradually move away from the coast - to the deepest places.
• In the fall, fishing in bad weather is nothing to do. However, at this time, fishermen specializing in "", have the largest catches. According to them - the worse and slushier the weather, the better the burbot pecks.

Winter

Photo 8. In winter, the best weather for fishing is clear, with a slight frost.

• The most preferred weather for fishing in winter is clear days with light to moderate frost(usually this happens at the beginning of freezing). At this time, zander and are especially well caught. If within a few days the thermometer mark does not rise above -30 ° C - a noticeable weakening of the biting of white fish is possible - up to its termination. Complete lack of pecking can be observed if suddenly the sky becomes cloudy and starts heavy snowstorm. Nevertheless, bursts of fish activity are possible at the very beginning of bad weather, it is also noticed that bad weather is very pleasant (do not forget that this fish spawns in February).
• Among the Ural fishermen there is an expression "chebak weather". It means thaw after frost, at which the snow on the roads becomes viscous, necessarily with an overcast sky, a quiet breeze and heavy snowfall. Indeed, in such weather in our area pecks like a demon. Although, and other white fish(for example - ) is also activated.
• At the very end of the freeze-up, the south wind can bring real heat - then the intense snow melt, which will immediately “start” the bite, even if complete deafness was observed.

Spring

Photo 9. In spring, the weather for fishing is just right, but everything is complicated by high water.

• In the spring, fishing becomes more difficult. Nevertheless, between the ice melting and the actual flood, good fishing is often observed along open water in warm sunny days.
• Let's not forget about burbot. Until the water temperature rises above 12°C- it can be done at night.

What should a fisherman do in bad weather?

I am sure that many will answer this question like this: “stay at home and drink vodka!” However, this is not the only option, because the fisherman - if he acts correctly - is still able to some extent influence the result of fishing, even if the weather is unfavorable to him.

• Bottom anglers in windy weather are best to choose places on the lee shore, paying special attention to those where the water area protrudes into the land in a small "bay". It is also worth considering the slope of the coast and the soil with which it is difficult. The steeper the slope of the land that goes into the water, and the softer it is (better washed out) - the better.
• Floaters in the wind can try their luck from the windward side- there the fish will peck well in the upper layers of the water.
• Just because a fish doesn't bite doesn't mean it doesn't actually bite. Most often it happens that it's just not in the place of catching(in this case, in the coastal zone, because under any adverse weather conditions, the fish goes to the depths). Then it makes sense to look for it using a boat or more "long-range" gear.
• An inactive fish can refuse any, even the most delicious bait, put under its nose. But most often this is due precisely to the “unwillingness” of a numb fish to strain its muscles and digestive system. In this case, we use the smallest bait- it is easier for fish to cope with them, and they do not have to spend a lot of energy on digesting them.
• On the other hand, inactive fish can be “stirred up” by inducing some actions. For this purpose, it is necessary to use gear that allows you to tease the fish, playing bait(, in the summer - a nodding fishing rod).
• Large or predatory fish are less affected by the weather than small. And it often happens that predators during bad weather arrange raids on accumulations of sluggish little things. And the more peaceful "krupnyak" begins to intensively fatten. But, again, this is usually observed at the beginning of bad weather.
• It is very useful for a fisherman on a pond to know the places where they are bottom keys. Near them, both in the heat and in the dead of winter, fishing will be noticeably more successful than in other areas. The same can be said about the mouths of small tributaries, especially those with clean spring water.

Very often you can find a situation where some fishermen catch fish, while others do not, and they are not able to change the situation in reverse side. Simple Tips can help avoid a number of mistakes that affect the entire fishing process. What is this advice?

Understand how active the fish are in this moment, simple enough. You just need to go to the fisherman and find out if the fish are biting today. Fishermen are happy to share various information with other fishermen, including on the activity of biting. If this is not possible, then you need to pay attention to:

• The presence of fishermen near the reservoir. If there are none or very few, then there is either no bite at all, or it is not very significant. At the time of spawning, the fish stops eating, so you should not count on biting. If there is a spawning period on the calendar, then it is better to stay at home and wait until the fish spawn.
• If the weather deteriorates outside and it's raining, and the wind is also raging, then it is better not to go fishing.

The use of various nozzles and baits

The fish can be wormed (especially when warm or hot), so you need to resort to another option and try plant bait on the hook. From baits of animal origin, you can bait:

• Worm.
• Maggot.
• Motyl.
• Fly pupae.
• Various insects.
• When catching predatory fish you can plant live bait.

As herbal baits you can use:

• Grains of various crops, such as wheat, peas, corn, barley, etc.
• Dough (mamalyga, etc.).

AT summer period fish feed more on plant foods, and in spring and autumn - animals. But these rules can be violated by the fish itself, and you need to try to bait both baits.

If there is no bite, then such a technique as changing the place of fishing can help, especially if something is caught by other fishermen. This may be due to the type of bottom topography: after all, fish can be either at a depth or on a shallow, depending on weather conditions.

Lure diving depth adjustment

The depth is chosen depending on the type of fish that is supposed to be caught. Many fish are bottom-dwelling, which means that the bait should be closer to the surface, but these are usually small fish species and fishermen do not hunt them much. There are times when bottom fish come out to the shallows to bask.

Groundbait use

For fishing to be successful, the fish must be fed or baited to the place of fishing. You can bait the fish if you feed it every day, for several days before fishing. The effect is more pronounced in stagnant water, but on the current, the effect decreases, since the bait is carried by the current over a large area. But this does not mean that the fish will not come to the place of fishing. In this case, you should not get carried away and throw a lot of food into the water. If the fish is overfed, then it will cease to be interested in various nozzles.

• Traper;
• Dunaev;
• Pelican;
• sensas.

Fish are more effectively lured if the bait is introduced into the bait, which are mounted on the hook. After adding the mixture must be thoroughly mixed.

It can be:

• Chopped worms.
• Bloodworm.
• White or red maggot.
• Grains of corn or peas.
• Pearl barley.

This approach gives good results in the spring, when the water begins to gradually cool and the fish begin to feed more efficiently, giving preference to baits that include animal components.

Learn from fishermen

If fishermen were found upon arrival at the reservoir, then it is better, without wasting time, to come up and ask what the fish is interested in today. There will be no problems if the reservoir is familiar, and if the reservoir is not familiar, then you will have to lose some time to find a promising place, and then feed the fish and, finally, catch something. If the anglers do not make contact, then you can stand near them for a while and see what bait they are fishing for. An experienced fisherman will immediately understand everything, but a beginner will suffer a little more in search of the best option.

Summing up

Upon arrival at the reservoir, you can immediately determine whether there will be a catch today. In the presence of a bite, especially an active one, the shore will be simply “strewn” with fishermen and all that remains is to squeeze between them, which is not so easy. But the absence of them on the shore suggests that fishing can be very difficult and success will depend only on personal skills and personal experience angler. If you make the right approach and prepare well for fishing, then you can always catch fish. The main thing is to hook on the hook that nozzle, which it will be difficult for her to refuse. Going fishing, you need to calculate all the options and stock up on all the accessories, as well as bait and various baits.

Why fish bite badly - Video

Surely all anglers got into a situation when you come to catch some particular fish, but it is not caught. This happens especially often when catching fish such as catfish, pike or crucian carp - their behavior is so dependent on water temperature, weather conditions and fishing time that it is very difficult to predict the result of fishing.

Why doesn't the fish bite?

If, say, you catch bream, then your possible trophies can be the bream itself, and the guster, and roach, other, smaller inhabitants of the fish kingdom, and in some cases even pike perch. catch perch too. But imagine that you came to catch catfish and all your gear is aimed at solving this problem, and everything seems to be fine, and the weather, and the bait and the place have been checked (a week ago you pulled out a decent (mustachioed) here, but there is no bite.

It is in such a situation that eternal question: "What to do? How to return home without lowering your eyes before the gaze of your wife? We had to solve such problems, being on a May night on one of the river islands. A sharp rocky cape, a depth starting three meters from the shore, rapid current, and a complete lack of bite. After waiting for about two hours, we decide to act. Bleak plays on the surface, and at times you can hear throws big fish hunting her.

It seems impossible to catch a live bait in complete darkness along the course, but a way out was found. The water overflowed over the rocky cape, from which our gear was thrown, and where it was dry in the evening, now, after a night rise, there was a 20-cm layer of water. We managed to notice that single fish in a motionless state stood at the bottom at this shallow depth. Since we did not have any devices for catching live bait, it was logical to try to catch them with our hands. It turned out that this is possible. The fish were in a dormant state and, with some care, they could be caught in folded "boat" hands.

At first we fished together: one grabbed, the other shined a lantern and with the other hand pushed the fish into the trap, and then, when it began to dawn, then one by one. Moreover, we became so insolent that we “chased” even the fish standing directly in the river (naturally at an accessible depth), We only came across “white”, fish, gobies heh were in an active state and did not allow us to bring our hands closer to a dangerous distance for them . Livestock was used up quickly. We “launched” them with a float rod, along the coast, and if there was no bite during the swim, then it followed at the moment of braking. when the live bait broke away from the bottom. The bites were felt by hand.

The thing went. At night he took zander and chub. Closer to dawn, the perch became active. Fishing has been saved. As a child, my friend and I invented a method of catching live bait, which we call "raking", it consisted of the following: the palms of two hands folded thumbs together with such a kind of rake, thick algae were raked ashore along with silt and small fish, more often gobies.

In this way, sometimes it was possible to catch crayfish, And it was not difficult to catch the "duty" perch on a small live bait, I thought that I would no longer have to use our children's invention, but everything turned out differently. Last November, after spinning for four hours to no avail, I decided to remember my youth. As it turned out, not in vain, after several "raking" I had 5 bulls and one "white" fish.

Having put the bull on the jig head, I tried to catch it by dragging it along the bottom, and already on the second cast I felt a blow and caught a decent pike perch. Of course, the mentioned options for catching live bait are forced, and going fishing, hoping to get live bait by "raking" is not serious. However, I hope that, as a last resort, they will help you get out of the impasse of no bite.