The result of fishing on the bulldozer

It’s amazing, but until now, fishing for the bullhead is undeservedly in second place, and is in demand only in the winter. I can only explain this by mentality, a passion for fishing using old proven methods of fishing. Although Balda is an excellent bait for fishing at different times of the year. However, if in summer and spring other artificial and natural baits easily give it a head start, in winter and late autumn on rivers and lakes it will outshine most of them, and also when fishing under ice it will be a worthy competitor.

Balda brief description

The appearance of the bully reminds us of a bug with its legs spread to the sides. Apparently, this is why it attracts not only predatory fish, but also white fish that want to feast on the delicacy.

Artificial bait composition:

• A drop-shaped shape made of lead or other weight, usually truncated at the top and having a through vertical hole in the narrow part - which is the body of the bug.
• And a pair of hooks, freely suspended on a fishing line on two sides of the weight, are copied by the paws. The hooks are equipped with colored pieces or beads of different colors, which enliven the legs of our bug.

Buying or making a do-it-yourself bulldozer

Balda has been available in the fishing supply chain for a long time. However, many fishermen choose to make the bait themselves, taking into account all their requirements for the size and shape of the body, as well as the color of the hooks.

This approach must be recognized as correct. However, in any case, whether this bait was purchased or made independently, it is always important to have a supply of different options in the whole form of this bait, or in individual components. Because the key to success lies not only in the degree of professionalism of the fisherman, but also in the constant search for a universal bait on a certain day and time on a certain body of water.

Video about creating a do-it-yourself bulldozer for catching grayling

Color and weight of the bulldozer

It follows from practice that a bullhead with a red and white body attracts the following fish:

• bream;
• rudd;
• roach.

I think it’s not worth experimenting with the shape of the body (load) of the bulldozer, changing the truncated cylinder into various other geometric shapes.

Different forms of cargo on the bulldozer

Because some anglers have gone so far as to fish on fish-shaped fish, drawing scales and eyes. The desire to improve the bait, achieving an increase in its catchability, is laudable, although it should be prudent.

Balda in the skillful hands of a fisherman

Do not forget that the bullhead has turned into a catchable bait due to the fact that, due to the correct actions of the fisherman, it reminds the fish of a crustacean with claws, which moves along the bottom of the pond, stirring up the water. Or, planning downwards, it works like a vertical spoon.

From a similar opera, putting a worm, bloodworm, or even small pieces of silicone on hooks. Sometimes the number of bites from such tricks increases, although this means that such a bullshit is not perceived by the fish as a bullshit. We can say that the bait turns into a simple sinker with hooks. What attracts fish is not its overall appearance, but the appearance of the bait and the smell. Therefore, increased bites will be more of an alarming symptom than an encouraging one. Thus, the very need for the existence of the bully as an exclusive variety of artificial bait is called into question.

Fishing on the bulldozer. Technique

At first glance, the technique of fishing with balda is not at all complicated, although there are some nuances. Therefore, they need to be sorted out in relation to two approaches to fishing with this bait.

Fishing from under the ice

The first approach is standard fishing from under the ice. The bait sinks to the bottom and, with the help of light taps, begins to make clouds of turbidity, imitating a small underwater inhabitant swarming in the mud

During the game, the body and legs move autonomously, forming the illusion of a living organism. Often, it is at this moment, and sometimes even with smooth stretches, that bites follow. Although, in principle, every fisherman is obliged to find his own variation of “flirting” with fish. As a result, stories about the enormous catchability of some specific, almost top secret color variation of cambrics or special beads cannot be trusted.

A game

The key to success is only in the game, the ability to move the bait in such a way that it causes a grasping reflex in the fish. It doesn’t take when rising or trembling, you need to try shaking the bait. Doesn't work - increase the lifting interval, change the amplitude of the stretches. If it doesn’t bite again, raise it as high as possible, and then wait for the bite as the bully flies to the bottom of the reservoir. And so there is the opportunity to experiment ad infinitum. The main thing is to catch the desired combination of the game in time and repeat it exactly in the future. Therefore, the fishing process is extremely dynamic, and stable improvisation is constantly present in it.

Open water fishing

You can successfully use the canister for fish. In this case, it sometimes outperforms even spinning rods in terms of catchability. After all, there is an opportunity to tap snags, where predators most often make ambushes.

Using the bulldozer as bait

The second approach to fishing with a trout also involves using it as bait, fed to the fish with a spinning rod or a very long rod in open water. Balda has established itself well as not only a winter bait. As a result, fishermen learned a lot about it. They fish successfully all year long. From the bridge, the shore, and wade.

I noticed that fishing with balda from the shore in November on non-freezing reservoirs is very successful. By this time, the float rod is already in the pantry, and with the rod, the rod is what we need.

To do this, they use a four-meter long one, and with a cannon they “tap” the coastal holes where the perch gather. When throwing, the bully swings from below. When the bait reaches the bottom, make smooth short pulls of the line towards you with the rod, forcing the artificial crustacean to move around the silt and sand. If the perch is in this place, then it will certainly react to such crawling by grabbing prey.

A catch of 3.7 kg in a couple of hours of fishing is common. Therefore, the bulldozer is awesome bait.

Fishing on the bald. Video lesson

Conclusion

I can draw the following conclusion: “bulda” is a simple bait, not expensive to make and very effective. Fishing with a spinner has a lot in common with fishing, like with a spinner, and also with a jig. And it is possible that this bait has not yet shown all its capabilities, because almost any fish in a reservoir cannot be caught with any bait.

According to the overwhelming majority of anglers, the best one that works without bait is the “balda”. This tackle has been known for a long time and is used in all regions of our country. Many years of experience prove its low cost and ease of manufacture, and large catches demonstrate its effectiveness.

The fishing rod has undergone several changes since its invention. Now it consists of a small cone- or teardrop-shaped sinker with two hooks on the sides. The sinker prevents the current from carrying the bait to the side. Hooks equipped with multi-colored cambrics or beads provoke the perch to attack with their play. In the water column, the bully appears to be an insect that looks like a beetle with legs, and perch rarely ignores such bait. It happens that not only perches, pike perch and pike bite on it, but also more peaceful fish such as bream, rudd and roach.

Varieties

There are two main types of fishing tackle. They differ only in the method of attaching the hooks to the sinker and the sinker itself to the main fishing line.

• For the first option, you need a sinker with two additional ears on opposite sides in the upper part. The hooks are tied directly to them in such a way that they can move freely. The sinker itself is tied to the main fishing line.
• The second, more common method, is mounted on one small loop of fishing line. First one hook is put on it one by one, then the sinker and then the second hook. The loop is tied to the main fishing line. To do this, it is better to use a carabiner so that you can easily and quickly change gear.

Sometimes an additional third hook is tied to the bottom of the sinker, and a sliding fly is placed on top. This increases the effectiveness of the gear somewhat, especially during active biting, but there are also disadvantages to this improvement. A fishing rod for perch only works in direct contact with the bottom and there is a risk of getting caught by the lower additional hook. An incorrectly selected and incorrectly tied fly can significantly disrupt the play of the main hooks.

Advantages

The fishing trumpet wins over other baits in several directions at once:

• The main superiority lies in the very principle of fishing. When tapped on the bottom, the bulldozer raises a cloud of turbidity at the fishing site, which in cold, clear water attracts fish even from a considerable distance.
• The bait is quite heavy to quickly reach even great depths and resist the current.
• Does not require additional bait, although in some cases they will not be superfluous.
• If you have all the necessary components, it is possible to assemble the equipment in a few minutes.
• Easy to make at home.

All this makes the fishing rod one of the most popular winter baits when catching perch and other predators.

Where and when to catch perch on the bald

The striped robber is found in almost all bodies of water. It stands in one place during the dry winter period, which begins at the end of January and lasts until the end of February. However, even at this time he continues to feed and will not miss an attractive bait. The rest of the time, perch actively moves throughout the water area, but there are places where it likes to hunt the most. First of all, they look for perch:

• Near the reed thickets.
• Where there is vegetation at the bottom.
• In snarled places.
• In the dead of winter in pits and pools.

The most active perch bite is observed from 6 to 10 am and from 16 to 20 pm. This does not mean that it is useless to catch it during the day. When choosing a promising point, perch can be tempted to bite at any time of daylight. And if you take into account that he does not walk alone, then you can catch several tails even at noon.

How to make your own bait

Making a fishing rod with your own hands is not just an interesting activity. It allows you to make equipment of different configurations, colors and sizes, adhering to general principles.

Weight

You need to start by making a sinker. This can be done by cutting a sinker from a flat piece of lead or by casting it yourself.

Different molds are used for casting. A soft metal tube, plaster, a hole drilled in wood of the required shape and size. It is better to carry out such work outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, since lead releases toxic substances when heated.

The casting itself is processed with a file in order, firstly, to remove all possible burrs, and secondly, to give it the desired shape.

A hole with a diameter of 2 mm is drilled in the upper part of the sinker. Its edges are also carefully processed so that the line does not fray.

The weight of the sinker can be from 3 to 20 grams, depending on the strength of the current at the fishing site.

It is not forbidden to paint the sinker in a color attractive to perch. But keep in mind that even the most durable paint does not adhere well to lead. Steel weights can be coated with gold or silver paint using a galvanizing process, but this requires sophisticated equipment.

Hooks

The selection of hooks for equipping a fishing rod starts with the size of the sinker. Hooks should have a long shank, but they should not hang below the load.

A long forend is needed to hang beads and cambrics of different colors on it. There can be any sequence. The main thing is that the equipped hooks remind the fish of insect legs moving in the water.

To equip the bulldozer, only hooks with rings are suitable. But here you need to carefully monitor so that there are no burrs or microcracks inside these rings. They lead to premature fraying of the line and loss of the hook.

Installation of all equipment

Assembling a fishing rod is not difficult, but it requires precise sequence. On a small piece of fishing line with a thickness of 0.12−0.16 mm, the following are put on in turn:

• One or two different colored stoppers.
• The first equipped hook.
• Sinker.
• Second equipped hook.
• A couple more stoppers.

The ends of the fishing line are tied together so that the total length of the loop is 15-20 cm. The hooks are attached near the sinker with stoppers so that they can rise and fall freely.

Some anglers do not use stoppers at all, allowing the hooks to move along the entire length of the loop during play. But this can be achieved by simply raising the stoppers upward, so their presence is desirable.

The main line can be taken a little thicker. It is not recommended to use a steel or fluorocarbon leash, even at the risk of an attack by a pike, which can easily bite off the entire tackle. A leash will not only make the tackle less sensitive, but will also break the action of the bait. But the rod must be rigid with a sensitive whip. If you are fishing for perch at great depths, it is better to equip the fishing rod with a reel.

Wiring Features

Posting, or playing with a fishing rod, is a kind of jig, only in one place. After lowering the tackle into the hole, it will rain when the bait touches the bottom. Then you should throw it 30-50 cm with a sharp movement and let it fall again.

Hitting the bottom with a sinker not only produces a sound effect, but also raises a cloud of turbidity above the bottom. Both of these factors attract perch, even standing in the distance, and it will definitely come.

During free fall, the hooks rise up along the fishing line, imitating the movement of the legs of an insect. Together with multi-colored kebriks and beads, they provoke the fish to bite. Perch attacks when the bait falls.

When the bulldozer sank to the bottom, pause for 3-5 seconds. Then throw the bait again. The length of pauses varies depending on the behavior of the fish and is determined experimentally.

It is worth experimenting with the speed of fall. It is impossible to make it faster, but if you slow it down while holding the rod, this means introducing variety, which the fish readily responds to.

There is nothing complicated either in making or using a fishing rod. You can master this tackle in a few minutes, and its catchability depends only on the location and desire of the fisherman himself.

Surely you have at least briefly heard about the gear with such a memorable name “bulda”, even if you are a novice fisherman. This tackle is very popular, effective and also versatile. Don’t forget that it’s easy to make it yourself and there’s no point in buying it, and it’s much more pleasant to catch a large perch using the fruit of your labors.

The tackle, which was made from a lead sinker and two hooks on a fishing line, was nicknamed the balda. Colored beads or colored cambrics are placed on the hook, remember the rewinder.

The principle of fishing on a bulldozer:
• The bait falls to the bottom of the reservoir and is tapped several times on the bottom;
• Afterwards, a cloudy cloud rises and, in conjunction with sounds, the “mothless” attracts fish;
• The first one is basically the perch coming up and grabbing the bait;
• It was invented for winter fishing, but it is also successfully practiced in other seasons and is used not only by perch, but also by roach, bream, chub and other peaceful and predatory fish.

Features of fishing on the bulldozer

Since the “balda” is a winter bait, fishing with it should be done from ice. When playing with bait, do not jerk the bait sharply; play with the bait gently and smoothly.

Maintain an interval between baits when fishing with a balda, since this tackle raises turbidity; 2-3 “baldas” in the immediate vicinity will not give any effect, even though the water is clear in winter.

The summer version of fishing on the balda requires the presence of a boat. You need to play with bait in almost the same way, only lift it from the bottom with sharper movements to a distance of about 25 cm. In summer, the fish are more active and will happily attack your bait.

Step-by-step instructions for making a “balda” with your own hands

To make a balda with your own hands we will need:

• Sinker;
• 2 hooks with a straight and long shank (other hooks in the photo);
• Red and black cambrics (these colors showed themselves best) or red and black beads;
• A piece of fishing line or main fishing line;

Starting to prepare our “balda” by putting the cambrics on the hooks. First we insert red, then black, imitating bloodworms; if you are doing it with beads, follow the same order.

Take the cambrics that are not too large so that they do not fly off the hook freely.

It is also advisable to take a hook with a straight shank; there are other hooks in the photo, because I experimented with these, hooks with a straight shank showed better results.

Then we take the hook and insert the fishing line into it, then we insert it through the sinker and the hook. 1 hook must be put through the ring from the tip side, the second one vice versa.

By the way, if you cast the sinker yourself, it is better to sharpen it, remove all the burrs so that they do not cut the fishing line; even though the metal is soft, it is still better to insure yourself. I just sharpened it and glued the cambric inside with epoxy glue.

Choose sinkers that are also not very large, depending on the reservoir. I have a huge 50g sinker, again I was experimenting.

Everything is almost ready, all that remains is to make a knot at a distance from the sinker and hooks, about 4-5 cm. The knot is not visible in the photo, unfortunately it was cut off.

Well, in general, I told you in detail the main algorithm by which the “bullshit” is made. Experiment more with fishing tackle and you will definitely create the perfect “bastard” for yourself.

To catch perch, both in winter and in summer, you can use a very unusual and interesting tackle called a “balda” with a fairly high degree of efficiency. It is not known for certain who invented this means of catching predatory fish, but the fact that this bait can bring a rich “harvest” of fish from the perch family has been proven by many years of numerous tests of this tackle in “combat” conditions.

Bait selection

This tackle consists of an elongated sliding sinker, with 2 hooks attached to one line. Pieces of colored cambric, beads or any other objects that shine attractively in the water or are brightly colored are installed on the shank of the hooks to attract fish. This is a classic type of balda, which in different regions of the country can be slightly modified and have a larger number of hooks, or differ from the classic balda by the presence of additional leashes with hooks.

You can buy a bait for little money, but it is not at all difficult to make such a bait at home. It will take very little time and effort, and the result usually exceeds all the most optimistic expectations.

Do-it-yourself bulldozer

The most popular metal for making bass fishing rods is lead. A sinker made of this metal is easily poured into a special mold. For targeted catching of perch with this bait, its weight and length should not be too large.

Perch does not “like” large baits, and even a trophy-sized perch can bite on a 5 cm long tackle.

Lead making instructions:

1. To pour out the base of the bait, you should melt lead in a small metal container and pour it into a tube of suitable diameter, which is installed vertically in the sand.
2. The tube must be made of soft metal so that after the lead has cooled, there will be no difficulty in removing the sinker from the mold.
3. In the upper part, use a 2 mm drill to drill a hole across the sinker. Be sure to chamfer both sides of the drilled through hole. This must be done to eliminate the resulting sharp edges that can damage the fishing line.

When working with lead, care should be taken due to the high toxicity of the vapors of this metal.

You can make a sinker from a piece of steel reinforcement, which should then be coated with a layer of shiny metal using the electrolysis method. Thus, it is possible to coat a steel surface with gold, silver or copper.

All smelting work should be carried out only in the open air.

You can use wooden molds to pour out the sinker:

1. A blind hole is drilled into a piece of hardwood required diameter and depth.
2. Then freed from sawdust and the recess is filled with molten lead.
3. After the metal has cooled it can be removed from the mold by turning the piece of wood over. If the finished lead part does not separate from the wooden mold, then the wood should be carefully split so as not to touch the lead blank.

But doing this is completely optional; the main purpose of the sinker is to hold the bait strictly in a vertical position, even in the presence of a strong current. In addition, the sinker lifts turbidity from the bottom into the water column.

Hooks are suitable for mounting this tackle only with eyes; tackle with blades is not suitable for mounting this bait.

To attract a predator, brightly colored cambric or beads are placed on the fore-end.

The final stage of installation of this tackle is to thread the line through the sinkers and hooks in the following sequence:

1. First hook.
2. Sinker.
3. Second hook.

Then a loop is formed from the fishing line and a knot is securely tied, which prevents the diameter of this loop from changing and eliminates the possibility of this bait being untied.

This gear can be made not only from lead, but also other metals, the mass of which allows you to reliably hold the bait even in the presence of a strong current in one place.

In the case when it is necessary to make a balda, and the fisherman does not have a suitable lead sinker at his disposal, then a large nut can be used as a weight. Of course, fishing for too long with such gear is impossible due to the presence of threads in the inner diameter of the nut.

The thread will act on the fishing line like a rasp when using this method of catching perch, but in cases where there is no alternative, it will be quite suitable for this purpose. If you use a chrome-plated nut that will shine under water, then the genuine interest of such gear among predatory fish is almost guaranteed.

Fishing for perch on a bulldozer

The process of catching perch on a bulldozer is as follows:

1. The bait sinks to the bottom of the reservoir and rises sharply by 10 - 20 cm. Then the process should be repeated again.
2. Elevated the bulldozer is located no more than 10 seconds. Thus, the bait raises a cloud of turbidity from the bottom, which can be seen by predatory fish from several tens of meters away, and the shiny and bright “decorations” on the hook will force the fish to bite.
3. During winter fishing for perch the bulldozer is used with very great success. In the clear water of a winter reservoir, this method of fishing attracts fish from a considerable distance.

When choosing a place for fishing, you should choose a secluded place away from other fishermen who are engaged in a similar method of fishing. If several fishermen fish at the same time in one place, then the soil rising from the bottom will form a large “cloud” of turbidity, which will no longer attract perch to the bait.

But not only the visual effect arouses the interest of this fish; the noise that is generated when tapping on the bottom of a reservoir can attract a predator for a significant amount of time.
distance.

Not only perch, but also other predatory fish can approach gear that muddies the water and creates sound vibrations. Balda can attract pike, which also reacts to the formation of turbid areas under water.

Pike perch are much less likely to be interested in pike perch, but if this happens, then very decent specimens are caught on the bait.

If in winter perch fishing is carried out in an ice hole or hole, then in summer long rods are used for this purpose if fishing is carried out from the shore, and short rods are used when fishing from a boat.

The rod is chosen to be rigid, but with a fairly soft tip so as not to miss the moment of biting. This type of tackle is also used to hit the bottom of the reservoir, while maintaining the boom in a raised state after each blow. It is at that moment when the bait rises from the bottom that perch bites occur.

If fishing is carried out from a boat, then it is necessary to anchor securely in a section of the reservoir, in which the current is minimal and perform the manipulations with the bait described above.

It is almost impossible to use several baits at the same time. In the summer, some fishermen use a passive method of catching perch on a bulldozer. This method consists in the fact that in a strong current the bulldozer is tied to the branches of trees that hang low over the water. The length of the fishing line with this position of the bait should be slightly shorter than the distance from the branch to which the bait was tied and the bottom of the reservoir.

At the same time, with every breeze the bait sinks to the bottom and rises. Thus, it swings and produces monotonous blows on the bottom. Despite the fact that this method cannot claim to be sporty, the catchability of this option for using gear when catching predatory fish can be very high, due to the numerous placement of the bait and the absence of a bait as such.

After all, even if an unsuccessful bite occurs, there is no need to change the bait in such gear.

1. When fishing for perch on a bulldozer Metal leashes should not be used, even if there is such a “nylon chewer” as a pike in the reservoir. A metal leash significantly impedes the correct play of this bait, and when a larger and more experienced fish approaches, it can scare off a predator if the fish accidentally touches the metal with its fin. When going fishing, you should stock up on several baits, so that if the gear breaks, you can put a new one in the place of the bait torn off by the fish.
2. If you plan to catch perch only with this tackle, then you should stock up on several baits, because when a large pike bites, breaks of this gear happen quite often.
3. It is better to use shiny hooks for catching perch on the bulldozer, golden color, which additionally attracts predatory fish to the bait.
4. In the warm season Perch really likes bright shades of red and yellow, so when equipping hooks with beads or other shiny objects, you should choose exactly these colors for successful catching of perch on the bulldozer.
5. Catching perch with this tackle at night, a completely futile activity, even if artificial lighting is organized at the fishing site.
6. In summer time When the air and water temperatures are very high, fishing for perch with this bait brings maximum catches only in the evening and morning hours.
7. It is very easy to make a balda from tin-lead solder, which should be selected with the required diameter and a piece cut to the required length. Further installation of the tackle is no different from the design with a lead sinker poured independently.
8. When fishing for perch on a bulldozer the use of bait is completely optional. The turbidity that rises from the bottom attracts fish better than any commercial lures.
9. When fishing with this tackle from a boat, you should use only short rods with a soft tip. Using too bulky fishing rods when fishing from a boat can be very inconvenient.
10. Perch is a schooling fish, therefore, when catching one representative of this type of fish, you should immediately continue to use the bulldozer. In such cases, the probability of a repeated bite increases significantly, because several perch fish come to the rising turbidity from this gear at once.
11. If fishing is carried out on a section of a reservoir with a rocky bottom, then the basic principle of fishing with this tackle is lost and the bulldozer will only hit the stones without raising the turbidity that attracts fish.

Despite the fact that the bait received such a not entirely euphonious name, in terms of catchability, especially in winter, this gear can be given first place among artificial baits for catching perch.

Winter bait like “Balda” has long gained popularity among us. It is good for catching both predatory and peaceful fish. At the same time, “Balda” is the most controversial and ambiguously perceived bait, so the process of its individualization continues to this day.

I remember that the most heated discussions on the topic of “Baldy” (from now on I will mention its name without quotes) took place about 15 years ago. Then a miniature modification of a metal spoon created back in the Soviet years (it was produced with hooks tightly soldered to the sides, in photo 1 is its modern replica), intended for vertical fishing, received moving hooks (photo 2).

And suddenly it created a real stir in the fishing community. And since for the mass winter fishing of that time, fishing with this resurrected bait in a slightly different form was something new, manufacturers were unable to quickly supply a wide range of Balda species for sale. And it was impossible to do this due to lack of knowledge of the market. Therefore, everyone began making Baldas independently at home and then testing them on ice. And many points of view have emerged regarding the design of catchable models of this winter bait, as well as their subsequent animation, and often completely opposite ones. Practicing fishermen discussed, argued and even swore, proving the correctness of their own ideas.

It would seem that in a situation of such increased attention, creating a kind of textbook on the anatomy of this artificial bait and assigning it to a separate universally recognized class would be a matter of little time. However, this happened only nominally. Even according to the admission of many seasoned Balda lovers, they simply stopped thinking about the secret of its catchability.

In addition, they are calm about all its modifications, while continuing to improvise. And they believe that if fish are caught on them, that means it’s good, and the rest is unimportant. As a result, they began to call baits that are similar in appearance, but work on completely different principles - for example, winter spinners with two additionally suspended hooks (photo 3) or an end weight with twisters located above it.

This approach seems wrong to me. If the bait has really proven its high efficiency, it is worth coming to a common denominator regarding the inviolability of its generic characteristics and operating principle. One must be able to separate the important from the secondary, the general from the particular. This is exactly what I will do, justifying my own vision of Balda and the features of catching fish with it.

Catchy winter bait

By giving something a name, we put into it a certain meaning that conveys the essence of the thing. So, the word “stupid” has a large number of synonyms, among which there are such as “fool” and “stupid”. With regard to Balda as a bait, I do not share the opinion that it allows you to stupidly catch fish, as they say, for a fool. On the contrary, fishing with it is dynamic and exciting, requiring observation and endurance.

You have to constantly move around the reservoir and make many holes in search of active fish. It is rarely possible to sit in one place, and only if there is a bite. But a number of other vocabulary analogues are quite suitable for Balda as a bait - “lanky” (body shape), “clumsy” (given the unpredictability of the bait’s landings), “troublemaker” (to stir up trouble, cause chaos). And also, if anyone doesn’t know, a type of blacksmith’s hammer is called a “buldoy” - but when placing our bait, we seem to hammer it along the bottom. Well, the most important semantic characteristic of the bait is best described by an adjective derived from the word “bulda” - awesome (excellent, first-class).

But these are all linguistic things, and in principle the secret of Balda’s catchability, in my deep conviction, lies in its external resemblance to aquatic inhabitants - beetles, larvae, crustaceans. Both predatory and peaceful fish, especially large individuals, feed on them.

An artificial bait consists of a lead, brass, copper or other metal body of an elongated, usually drop-shaped shape truncated at the top. In its narrow part there is a through vertical hole. This is the body of the “bug”. And its legs imitate two hooks suspended on the sides of a weight, usually in a fishing line loop (photo 4).

When the body of the bait falls to the bottom, it raises turbidity, the hooks begin to move under the action of the throwing hand - and it seems to come to life. The “bug” seems to be stirring in the ground, then breaking away from it, then falling again. As a result, it seems to me, the fish mistake Balda for a living organism included in their food ration - and attack. This is especially evident from the grip of the perch: even medium-sized “sailors” are capable of greedily swallowing not only small, but also large Balda (5 - 10 g), together with a large amount of silt.

It has been proven by practice that any float “olive” (photo 5), bottom “pear” or spinning drop shot can be easily adapted to a fully working Balda. And without any modification. You just need to make a transverse hole to let the fishing line pass through. And ordinary “bare” hooks successfully imitate the legs of a beetle. The main thing is to be able to animate such a bait.

It would seem that everything is obvious, but not everyone has this perception of bait. Some fishermen are sure that hooks for effective fishing cannot be empty. Some bait them with bloodworms, maggots, worms, and burdock larvae, relying on their smell and taste. Others, using beads, cambrics, twister trims and other things - by analogy with reelless baits - turn hooks into imitations of different larvae and believe that they are fishing simultaneously with two “reelless baits”. The weight that raises the turbidity is seen only as a means of additional attraction to the fishing point.

I heard another extraordinary point of view. Like, dregs are dregs, but an equally important property of Balda is the acoustic background created by the hooks hitting the load. In this regard, attempts are even being made to cut the loads and use bronze, which creates a greater noise effect. Along the way, the Balds are also given shine, which supposedly increases the intensity of the bites.

There are fishermen who install an additional hanging hook on the line above the Balda, the movement of which is limited by stoppers. The innovators sincerely believe that the resulting design is a cascade of three falling bloodworm larvae. In this case, it is the single upper “bloodworm”, as if lagging, that should arouse the main interest of the fish and turn into the main point of attack.

Attempts are being made to pass off as a modern Balda a design with the above-mentioned spinner, balancer, twister, etc. But they have nothing in common with the real Balda, because their operating principles differ. And it’s easy to refute the above theories. For example, I use such Baldas, the loads of which are covered with heat-shrinkable cambrics. Such baits do not ring, but attract fish very well. I also experimented with a hanging hook, but its efficiency is much lower than that of Balda itself.

To summarize what has been said, I note that it is unreasonable to “cut” Balda into parts, giving them separate functions. This is a single structure that resembles an aquatic insect/crustacean, and its distinctive features are a weight that imitates the body and raises the turbidity with hooks moving freely nearby, creating the illusion of moving legs.

Features of “Baldy” designs

Balda is a truly universal winter bait. It attracts almost all fish in almost any body of water - from small roach to large pike, from perch to bream. It is only important to choose the required size of the Balda, its weight and the appropriate type. I will dwell on this in more detail.

The bulldozer is not a static structure. It is not only possible, but also necessary to make it attractive to fish. Everything is similar to spinning fishing, when the weight, size and color of the artificial bait are selected. Admittedly, the most versatile are Baldas with steel or black bodies (photo 6). However, as practice shows, Balda with a body of copper and golden colors is also liked by perch, and in red and white colors - by peaceful fish (bream, silver bream, roach).

But the hook feet are installed in different colors. This allows you to give them not only external expressiveness. Thanks to the cambrics, beads, washers and silicone threads strung on the hooks, the amplitude and frequency of their movement in the water can change. This is another feature of Balda. Therefore, even the tightness of the placement of “decorations” on hooks is important: those on which they are pulled with force will behave differently than those on which beads or beads “run” along the back of the head or forearm. Accordingly, their level of attractiveness on a particular day may vary.

The effectiveness of fishing even depends on the diameter of the fishing line and the size of the loop connected from it, in which the entire bait is tied together. For example, on an overly thick fishing line and a large loop, the hooks may either not go up or not go back down when wiring. And they should always move freely, but not cling to each other. The best option is hooks with a classic eye, a round bend and a relatively long shank, or with a minimal bend in the butt. Dark color is preferable - black, brown, red. But perches are also caught well on silver ones.

To make the equipment stronger, it is more rational to assemble the Balda design together on the main fishing line. However, in cold weather, to quickly replace baits, you can use a kind of tackle - similar to spare leashes. On a piece of fishing line with a diameter of 0.18 mm and a length of 20 - 25 cm, on one side I knit a loop 4 - 5 cm long (for baits of 5 - 10 g). I place Balda inside this loop. On the other hand, I knit a small loop to connect to the main line - either using the loop-to-loop principle, or using a microcarabiner.

When a body of water is unfamiliar or little known, it is worth taking with you a wide range of accessories: weights of different shapes, weights and sizes and hooks already equipped with “suspensions”. And having already understood on the spot what the fish prefers, collect suitable bait options from them. An interesting observation: Balds with chipped or peeling paint in places should not be rushed to touch up. Sometimes there are more bites on them than on perfectly painted ones (photo 7).

I use three types of “pendants” on hooks: hard (cambrics, beads, sequins), soft (foam rubber, silicone, threads) and combined (combining the first and second). I usually choose them in white, yellow, orange, red, black or green in different combinations. There are no secret catchy color combinations and there cannot be. The key to success lies in the combination of Balda’s appearance and the ability to animate it in such a way that it arouses the interest of fish. Therefore, different presentation methods can be used.

As for the hooks, they must be identical and converge in all their characteristics, because they imitate the legs of a living prototype. I consider their optimal length to be three quarters of the length of Balda’s body (photo 8). Two thirds are acceptable, as well as equal to the length of the body, but not more than that. And the bait on my hooks takes up either the entire fore-end or most of it. If beads are used, they should move freely along the hem.

The undeniable advantage of Baldas is the possibility of using them when fishing in snags where fish invariably stand. Due to the mobility of the structure, the chances of hooking Balda are several times lower than when fishing with balance beams and spoons. And if the hook does get caught, you can release it by simply moving the bait. In the case of a dead hook, the bait should be released using a special release, which must be at hand (photo 9).

Balda's atypical model deserves attention. The structure is assembled not on a fishing line loop, but on a large-diameter winding ring made of thin wire (photo 10). Double hooks are used instead of single hooks. In their large ears, the ring fits freely and does not interfere with the swinging of the hooks. This Balda has an even greater resemblance to a large insect.

Its “legs” swing up and down more interestingly and allow you to diversify the game. In addition to standard hits on the bottom, pauses and small tosses, uniform retrieving with pauses also brings results. This Baldy model greatly attracts large peaceful fish of rivers and reservoirs (bream, roach, ide, etc.). In addition, it increases the chances when fishing in heavily silted waters, when knocking on the bottom is ineffective.

Microbalda

In recent winter seasons, I have never ceased to be amazed by the so-called microbalds. This is a special variety of the usual Balda, their body is similar to the now popular reelless jigs and is supplemented with two hooks. The fishing line for fishing with a microbald is quite thin - 0.1 - 0.13 mm, suitable hooks - Nos. 18 - 14. “Pendants” in the form of cambrics, beads, etc. in this case I don’t use (photo 11) - the bait works fine anyway. To convey the most accurate bite, I select a nod from lavsan, depending on the weight of the bait.

Microbalds seduce all fish without exception. Especially during the period of their greatest activity, observed along the first and last ice. They manifest themselves most effectively at shallow and medium depths in coastal waters. After all, it is there, in the grass, that the vast majority of aquatic invertebrates live, to which the miniature bait resembles even more than the large one. Especially with its active wiring.

The principle of operation of such miniature Baldas corresponds to the principles of working with jigs. You can start wiring from the hole itself. Lower to the bottom with periodic pauses and stops, during which the hooks and legs are in motion. If there are no bites, and the microbald has reached the bottom, tap it several times on the ground. After this, you can begin a slow ascent (up to the edge of the ice), alternating with stops. The hook is done immediately with any movement of the nod (photo 12). If it turns out to be single, you should lower the microbald to the cool horizon and try to repeat the vibrations.

I noticed that it is useful to use a microbalda to check holes that have not previously been biting with jigs and other baits, including large Baldas. I believe the answer here lies in the appearance of a non-standard bait in front of the fish, most similar to representatives of the benthos. In general, small forms of Balda are interesting for experiments.

Well, I would like to complete the topic by mentioning that Balda is not only a winter bait for vertical fishing. You can successfully fish with it even from the shore, bridges and piers in open water, wading, and also from a boat. Moreover, fishing the water area both vertically (plumb) and horizontally (from the splashdown site to the shore). But these, as they say, are completely different stories, simply proving how diverse Balda is.