The Volga is one of the ten greatest rivers on the planet and the largest in Europe. Therefore, fishing lovers have a place to cast a fishing rod here, and not just cast, but return home with a wonderful catch. Fishing on the Volga in the Tver region is always popular.

Upper Volga

The Tver region is located in a region that has long been called the Upper Volga region. It is here, not far from the old Russian city of Tver, that the great Volga begins. The length of the river in the region is about 700 km, and along this route it receives 150 rivers and streams, and there are more than one and a half thousand lakes in the region.

But the most interesting, of course, is fishing on the banks of the Volga. The Tver region is generally famous for its fishing spots; there are only four reservoirs: Uglichskoye, Ivankovskoye, Rybinsk and Vyshnevolotskoye.

The Upper Volga region is rich not only in rivers and lakes, but also in forests. Pine forests, light birch groves and dense spruce forests stretch along the banks of the Mother Volga. They are famous for mushroom and berry places, magnificent air rich in pine aroma and beautiful landscapes. Therefore, recreation and fishing on the Volga in the Tver region attract many lovers of real Russian nature. And what will the catch be? Judging by the reviews, fishermen will not have to be offended...

The Volga and reservoirs are rich in fish. Here you can also find quite “democratic”, ubiquitous species, such as carp, ide, silver bream, gudgeon, perch, bream, roach, rudd, bleak and the ubiquitous ruff, and predators include pike, burbot, pike perch and catfish. Whitefish, asp, bersh, river eel, sabrefish, roach are found less frequently, but are also considered quite common prey. Judging by the stories of experienced fishermen, the “royal fish” also enters the Upper Volga region: sturgeon, sterlet and even beluga. But, of course, it is not easy to catch it, especially with ordinary fishing gear.

Reservoirs have changed the topography of the river, many estuaries and backwaters have appeared, which are considered the best places for fishing. In addition, in ancient times a glacier moved through this area, and the river bottom is very uneven, there are many holes and shoals, and depth differences range from 3 to 20 meters. Large predators such as burbot and catfish often ambush in the pits. And on the line of difference in depth you can catch more than a dozen decent perches and pike perch.

What to use to catch “white fish” on the Volga

The variety of fish species and large expanses of water oblige the angler to take care of suitable gear and bait.

For catching the so-called white fish - bream, carp, silver bream, white bream - the best choice is a regular float rod, donka or feeder. The most varied baits and baits are used - from ordinary worms and maggots to porridges and mixtures cooked according to an intricate recipe. Corn (both steamed and canned), pearl barley, and boilies are also popular.

But fishing from the shore with a telescopic fishing rod is good on lakes or small rivers, and if it is the Volga River in the Tver region, fishing with a feeder will be more successful. Firstly, the casting is further, and secondly, the presence of a feeder allows you to attract finicky Volga fish.

The best tackle and bait for predators

As for catching predatory fish with a spinning rod, we must remember that, for example, pike is easier to catch on a lake than on a river, since it hunts from ambush and prefers dense thickets and backwaters. But pike perch loves fast currents, and on the Volga it has freedom.

Therefore, spinning anglers who are interested in fishing on the Volga in the Tver region, first of all, talk about catching pike perch or the less common bersh. These predators are caught on spinning rods 2.5-3 meters long with a spinning reel. Lures can be very different: spinning spoons, wobblers, vibrating tails.

It should only be remembered that pike perch has a small mouth, so large "pike" spinners will not work, smaller nozzles are needed.

Along with zander, perch are considered enviable prey, especially about a kilogram in weight - humpbacks. Of course, you can catch much larger pike perch, but you can catch more perch.

Winter fishing

Due to the difficult topography of the bottom and the large area, especially in reservoirs, fishing with a bait from a boat is ineffective, and from the shore the bite is unstable, and the fish are fastidious.

But no less interesting, and often more successful, is winter fishing on the Volga in the Tver region, especially since its season here lasts from late November to April. According to those who like to sit on the ice, there are many advantages of winter fishing:

Fishing on the Volga (Tver region): places

If we talk about the Volga itself, the most popular among fishermen are the places where tributaries flow into it, such as Shosha (on which, by the way, there is a famous nature reserve and the Zavidovo complex), Soz, Nerl and others.

Fishing is also interesting on numerous lakes in the Tver region - Veliky, Verestov, Belsky, Volgo and, of course, Seliger. On lakes, especially small ones, the situation is often more comfortable, and the fish are no less than on the river. And pike, for example, completely prefer lake thickets to open water.

On the banks of the Volga and its tributaries, there are many campsites, tourist centers and large complexes, such as Aleksandrovskiy Prichal, Dream Coast, Biosphere, Upper Volga, Green Forest and many others. There are all conditions not only for comfortable fishing, but also for recreation with family and friends.

Those who are attracted by fishing on the Volga in the Tver region most often choose reservoirs.

Reservoirs of the Upper Volga

The Rybinsk Reservoir is famous for the largest variety of fish, and its area is rather big - more than 4.5 thousand km², and in some places the width reaches 70 km. Therefore, for full-fledged summer fishing, it is better to have a boat with a motor. In addition, it is not for nothing that the locals often call this reservoir the sea - with the wind, a serious wave can break out here.

The Uglich reservoir is much smaller, and its width does not exceed 5 km. The most common fish is bream, but to catch, for example, zander or asp, you need to know the places well. The fish here are fearful and wary due to the gravel work and busy shipping.

The Vyshnevolotsk Reservoir is located near the town of Vyshny Volochek and plays an important role both in seasonal runoff and in maintaining the water level in the Volga. There are a lot of fish in this reservoir, especially roach, perch, pike, crucian carp, pike perch.

Ivankovskoye Reservoir

This reservoir is located on the territory of two regions at once - Tver and Moscow. Its area exceeds 300 km², however, it is shallower than Rybinsk - up to 5 m on average, although there are sections whose depth exceeds 15 m.

The winding coastline, a large number of bays and rivers flowing into the reservoir make it an ideal place for fishing. The underwater world here is surprisingly diverse - at least 30 species of fish. There are also bream, pike, pike perch, rudd, and less common asp, burbot, tench, bluegill, and catfish.

At the reservoir they not only take care of the safety of fish resources, but also breed new species of fish, for example, silver carp, grass carp and carp were introduced into the reservoir. There is even a sterlet.

On the banks of the reservoir there are tourist complexes aimed specifically at fishermen, and in the area of ​​​​the city of Konakovo there are even fishing clubs. For those who are interested in fishing on the Volga in the Tver region, Konakovo River Club will undoubtedly be of interest. It is located on the very shore, and tourists who have been there joke that you can cast a fishing rod right from the window of your hotel room. There is a fisherman's shop and boat and equipment rentals.

You can also note the fishing club "Sudimir", the bases "Prichal", "Dynamo", "Lazurnoye" and others.

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Description of the Volga River

Length, source and mouth

The length is just over 3530 km, the longest in Europe. Its main tributaries are the Kama and Oka. In total, more than 200 tributaries are known, among them there are large deep reservoirs.

The source is located near the village of Volgoverkhovye in the Tver region. It flows through the cities of Kostroma, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov, Yaroslavl, Kazan, Togliatti, Ulyanovsk, Samara. In the upper reaches it encounters a whole complex of large and small lakes along the way. As more and more tributaries flow into it, it gains strength and becomes full-flowing. The mouth lies at 28 m below sea level. It flows into the Caspian Sea, feeding it with its waters. At the point where it flows into the sea, a nature reserve has been created, which has been nominated by Russia for inclusion in the World Heritage List.

Tributaries and nutrition

The tributaries in the upper reaches are small, but among them there are several rivers that can be called large. These are Mologa, Kotorosl, Unzha and Selizharovka. It becomes more full below the confluence of the Oka. The Oka is the largest right tributary. Its length is 1499 km. The merger takes place near the city of Nizhny Novgorod. It can also be noted that in addition to the Oka, such large rivers as the Sura, Sviyaga and Vetluga flow into the middle reaches.

It becomes powerful in the lower reaches. Where its waters unite with the Kama. Currently, there is a lot of debate: the Volga flows into the Kama or vice versa, as it is written in school textbooks. According to the official version, the Kama is the largest tributary. As for the remaining tributaries, there are not many of them and they are not large. Among them we can highlight Samara, Eruslan, Bolshoy Irgiz.

Above Volgograd, another large tributary flows in - the Akhtuba. The Volga-Akhtuba floodplain is very rich in various tributaries and oxbow lakes. The Volzhskaya Hydroelectric Power Station was erected in Volgograd, and behind its dam is the Volgograd Reservoir. The delta is considered to be the place where it connects with Akhtuba. Further, slightly less than 500 branches branch off from it, these are both small rivers and large tributaries. Main branches: Buzan, Staraya Volga, Bakhtemir, Kamyzyak. Only Bakhtemir is in navigable condition, it is thanks to him that the Volga-Caspian Canal is formed. One of the branches (Kigach) flows through western Kazakhstan.

The main food is groundwater, rain and snow water. There are more than 19 areas in the basin.

Flora and fauna

The floodplain is complex and varied. The greatest diversity of flora and fauna is presented at the mouth. A unique nature reserve has been created in the delta. It preserves rare species of birds, animals and fish. In the Astrakhan State Nature Reserve, endangered animals are protected with special care. Here you can see Dalmatian pelican, great white heron, mute swan, pheasant, and white-tailed eagle. There are seals preserved on the seashore, and wild boars in the thickets along the shores. The saiga lives on the steppe plains.

The delta is rich in plants. More than 500 species grow on the territory of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain. Most often you can find representatives of the pondweed, wormwood, sedge, astragalus, saltwort and euphorbia families. In the meadows, sour sorrel, pontica wormwood, ground reed grass, and Russian bedstraw grow wildly.

It ranks among the first in terms of the variety of fish species. Since it flows into the sea, species such as beluga, stellate sturgeon, sturgeon, Volga herring and thorn enter it. These are not all marine representatives that can be found in the delta.

The permanent inhabitants are bream, ide, chub, roach, bluegill, silver bream, white-eye, dace, bleak, podust, pike perch, pike, perch, ruffe, burbot, catfish, asp, carp, sterlet, sabrefish and the upper reaches - grayling.

Fishing on the Volga River

Sturgeon fishing

Sturgeon hunting is interesting for fishermen. They enter the Volga quite high and are found both on the river itself and in its tributaries (Kama, Vishera). For successful fishing, you must remember that this fish is never found in shallow water. Therefore, it is worth looking for it at maximum depth. Sturgeon prefers pits and ramps. It actively bites at sunrise and sunset. Caught on a donk. He prefers mixed bait, but with a bright aroma. Therefore, when feeding, it is necessary to add garlic flavor to the dry mixture. Tackle must be strong and reliable, as this fish is famous for its size and violent temper.

Catching catfish

The cherished dream of every fisherman is catfish. The river basin is home to this giant predator. The species belongs to the south and the catfish lives in the lower reaches of the Astrakhan region; it is also found higher up, but less frequently. The best time for fishing is mid-July. Catfish feeding is usually observed in the pre-dawn hours. Catfish can be caught using donkey and spinning rods. The gear should be of medium power, fishing line 0.6 mm, large hooks, very sharp, with the ability to self-hook, metal leashes. The bait for catfish, when fishing with a bottom fishing rod, must be animal. Catfish loves live bait. The idea that this species is an exceptional scavenger is a myth. When fishing with a spinning rod, it is better to give preference to jig baits with a length of at least 10 cm. Color is important; be sure to choose bright vibrotails, even poisonous ones. You need to look for catfish where the flow speed slows down, where there are holes, riffles, snags and fallen trees. The place should have good depth and steep banks. The catfish bite stops at the beginning of September. This species is one of the first to roll into wintering pits and fall asleep.

Asp fishing

On the flat part, on the current, asp are excellently caught. The species is distinguished by its caution and vigilance. Catching this fish with a spinning rod is a very exciting process and requires a certain skill. The asp stays near the surface of the water, so you need a long rod that will ensure clear long casts. Monofilament fishing line, diameter 0.12-0.14 mm. The asp goes well on wobblers with a small depth and on poppers. Spinner baits are also attractive.

Fishing for pike and zander

These species are active all year round. They are caught both using spinning rods from the shore and by trolling from a boat. There are no special requirements for equipment. The only important thing is the presence of long metal leads. Especially if there is a hunt for a toothy predator. Pike prefer rotating and oscillating spoons as bait. It is no less responsive to silicone baits. Pike is not a fastidious predator. Zander is another matter. It is better caught with jig baits, in particular vibrating tails. In addition, its bite completely depends on the time of year and day. Many experienced fishermen prefer to catch this predator at night using donkeys.

Catching white fish

Bream and large roach are perfectly caught using a float rod and feeder. These species can be found along the entire length of the pool. It is preferable to choose worms and maggots as bait. To improve bites, complementary foods are used. Bream and other types of white peaceful fish respond very well to flavorings.

Grayling is found in the upper reaches. He prefers the widest places on the riverbed, where there is an opportunity to hide. This species, unlike trout, rarely pursues prey, preferring to wait for it. Grayling is caught very well using artificial flies. Therefore, fly fishing seems to be the most interesting.

Fishing on the upper Volga

There are many good places in this part, full of fish and good fishing. Among the areas most visited by anglers:

• between Tver and Staritsa: one of the best places; very beautiful, easy access; the water is clean, there are many springs with wonderful water along the banks; there is a lot of different fish here (pike perch, gudgeon, pike, bleak, asp, chub, burbot, perch, bream, roach, podust, ide), you can pick mushrooms and berries nearby; convenient banks for fishing; on the site there are deep reaches with a calm, quiet current and shallow waters, within which the water moves rapidly;
• between the villages of Seltso, Besedy and Putilova: deep section, calm current, sandy bottom; from Tver you can get there by river bus; the place is popular with pike and bream, there is a lot of other fish;
• between the villages of Novokurtsovo and Starokurtsovo: you can drive up to the site in any weather; the banks are steep, the current is of medium strength, the bottom is rocky with a large number of large boulders; a variety of fish are caught, a lot of pike, perch, pike perch and asp are located near the fairway;
• between the villages of Podvyazye and Chukavino: in good weather you can drive straight to the water; the banks on the site are high; it starts from a cape, in the area of ​​which there is a fast current - a good place for catching asp and chub; further areas with calm water - here you can catch bream, roach, pike perch, pike, perch, asp.

Fishing with a feeder

Fishing is productive and is becoming increasingly popular with local fishermen. Among the differences are the use of predominantly light and medium-sized rods according to tests, the absence of the need for long-distance casting of baits - fish are caught at distances of 10...30 m from the shore.

When going fishing, you need to take feeders of different weights with you - there are many areas with calm and fast water, so you may need different types. Worms, peas, corn, maggots, and “sandwiches” made from them are used as bait.

In some places there are a lot of ruff, which can instantly eat a worm or maggot on a feeder hook. Here they recommend preparing a special bait - pieces of pancake, which is “popular” with the local fish, but the ruff is not interested in it. In addition, such bait stays firmly on the hook.

The pancake is prepared like this:

• take the egg white, a tablespoon of flour and knead the dough to medium consistency;
• grease a cold frying pan with unrefined vegetable oil, place on very low heat and immediately pour the dough into it; It is advisable to take a small frying pan so that the pancake is approximately 5 mm thick;
• bake the pancake until hardened, making sure that it does not become crusty; the procedure usually takes a long time;
• cool the finished pancake, cut into small cubes;
• The resulting cubes are sprinkled with flour and placed in a jar.

Fishing with a float rod

This type of gear is the most common, especially among local fishing enthusiasts. More often these are match gear, less often, fly gear. The plug and Bolognese rods are used mainly by visiting vacationers.

Match gear 4...6 meters long. For the most part, these fishing rods are made from modern materials, they are lightweight and highly durable. With their help, you can easily catch prey weighing 2...4 kg.

Match fishing rods are equipped with spinning reels of sizes 1000…2500. 50...100 m of main line 0.18....0.25 mm is wound on them. Leashes are made from thinner lines - 0.10....0.15 mm. Floats are used either blind or sliding. Their most common load capacity is 4...5 g. Loading is often done using a single sliding type load. This rod is used to cast bait up to 20 m.

They fish with float gear in quiet creeks and in rapids. In the latter version, this is a wiring method in which the load is placed almost along the bottom, and the bait is either located near it or dragged along the bottom.

When fishing with wires, fishermen use worms, maggots, and a sandwich of them as bait. This bait catches white fish, perch, and pike perch. When specifically fishing for roach, steamed pearl barley, dough, and semolina are used.

Spinning fishing

There are plenty of places for spinning fishing. You can hunt small and medium-sized predators in numerous creeks and creeks with calm water. Those who want to catch trophy specimens go to the riverbed, to the fairway edges.

Perch that is caught weighing up to a kilogram is caught using spinner spoons weighing up to 6...8 g. Lures are used in different colors and designs. Schools of minke whales are found by the characteristic splashes present in sections of the river where they hunt for small fish.

Small pike weighing 1-2 kg are easy to find in relatively shallow waters, near grass thickets, and near numerous islands. Toothfish bite well on spinners with elongated petals weighing 6...12 g. They are caught on spinners of a wide variety of shapes and colors. Good luck fishing with surface wobblers.

At the depths, near the underwater edges, decent pikes are caught with a spinning rod; trophy pike perch and asps are often caught. The most common fishing method in such areas is jig. Due to the strong current, heads weighing 25...40 g and even more are used.

Fly fishermen also come to fish. They are caught mainly in areas with quiet and medium currents. They fish places behind capes and rifts, of which there are plenty in this part. Good results are obtained by fishing with surface flies over thickets of underwater grass - in these cases, perches and small grass pikes often become prey.

Fishing on the middle Volga

The river becomes noticeably fuller in its middle course, approximately after the Oka flows into it. The Bolshoi Irgiz, Kama, Samara, Vetluga, Sviyaga, and Sura also flow into it. Downstream are the Cheboksary, Kuibyshev, Saratov, and Volgograd reservoirs, and upstream is the Gorky reservoir. The shores are indented by numerous inlets and backwaters.

There are many places for fishing. Among the popular and visited by fishermen:

• the mouth of the Sura and the adjacent part of the water area; here you can hope to catch trophy fish; This is facilitated by the large number of islands in this place, backwaters, bays;
• Gorky Reservoir: in its upper reaches there is excellent chub and podust biting, in the lower reaches - bream; along with them there are pike and perch;
• the surroundings of the village of Vasilsursk, which is considered by fishermen to be a truly legendary fishing spot;
• the right bank near the settlement of the Great Enemy: in the summer, silver bream, bream, pike perch, and perch are well caught here; the depths are very deep in this place;
• a plot in the area of ​​the village of Bersut near Kazan; They fish here on the fairway - large bream, pike perch, carp, catfish are caught;
• right bank near the village of Morkashi (Bashkortostan); fishing here is carried out both from the shore and from a boat; there are decent specimens of pike, pike perch, perch, carp, and bream;
• Usinsky Bay near the settlement of Usinsk near Samara; here you can have a blast fishing for silver bream, pike, roach, ide, and white bream - you can often come across decent carp;
• on the left bank, near the settlement of Yastrebovka (120 km from Saratov): there is freedom here for both spinners and floaters;
• Krasnoyarsk floodplain near the villages of Krasny Yar and Podstepnoye: the place is distinguished by many bays and channels in which trophy pike are caught; The usual catch includes bleak, pike, perch, bream, roach, and pike-perch.

Fishing with a feeder

The variety of fishing conditions determines the possibility of using feeder rods of different power and test. In creeks, channels, and bays, mainly light forms are used, the test of which rarely exceeds 70 g; in the Volga expanses with great depths and powerful currents, feeders weighing 100 grams or more are more often used.

Considering the possibility of biting large fish, monofilament lines are used more in equipment, which dampen prey jerks better than braided ones. In calm places, feeders of different designs are used; when fishing in the riverbed, they are resistant to currents.

Be sure to use bait. Different formulations are used depending on the type of fish being fished for. In some places they use rye bread, the crumb of which (sometimes with the addition of processed cheese and animal baits) is used to fill feeders.

Different baits are used. Large bream and carp are well caught on large worms. The roach prefers maggots, dough, and semolina mash. Corn, peas, insect larvae and the insects themselves are also used. In the spring, to hunt chub, a cockchafer is placed on a hook. From exotic, for many fishermen, baits, one can distinguish the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle, which is sometimes very actively bitten by white fish.

Fishing with a float rod

The tackle is common in quiet creeks and channels with slowly flowing water. More often these are match fishing rods, which can be used when fishing near the shore, and for casting to remote places, and while in a boat.

For example, match gear looks like this:

• rod 4...6 m long; often telescopic, which is compact when assembled, easier to transport, and assembled in a matter of minutes; it must have high-quality pass rings;
• reel: most often today these are spinning reels, some fishermen still prefer inertial reels; of the inertia-free ones, reels of size 1000...2500 are suitable (you can use smaller ones, but then there may be problems when biting large fish; a larger size is inconvenient to handle and heavy for such gear);
• the main line is often monofilament, with a diameter of 0.18...0.25 mm;
• float of 4...5 g: such a float allows you to use the tackle for catching small fish and large specimens;
• It is better to use a single sinker and a sliding type; it allows long-distance casting of bait even with a blind float;
• It is advisable to use high-quality, sharp and preferably thin hooks; the latter will allow you to equip them with any bait, even the most delicate; The size of hooks is sufficient: No. 10….No. 16.

They are caught using a float rod using different methods. Most often in places with current - wiring. At the same time, they try to move the bait closer to the bottom, holding it in place for several seconds.

Spinning fishing

Catching predatory fish is not much different from fishing in other bodies of water in the middle zone. They fish from the shore, from a boat. Large areas and depths are fished by trolling using boats and “batteries” of spinning rods.

In overgrown creeks, surface baits are used: light spinners and spoons, surface wobblers, poppers. Where the bottom allows, jigs are widely used. At the same time, silicone twisters and vibrating tails give good results, and foam fish are not inferior to them in terms of effectiveness.

Fishermen use all known methods of moving baits: uniform, stepped, with stops, with twitching, etc. They use different installations, among which the “helicopter” and Gardner loop are considered popular.

Fishing on the lower Volga

This area is considered a fishing paradise among anglers. Especially the delta, located in the Astrakhan region. Such an abundance of fish of various sizes and weights cannot be found anywhere else. Due to the specific conditions of the region, it grows faster than its relatives in other areas.

There are many places for fishing in the delta. You can stop at numerous fishing bases, the rangers from which will explain to you the best places nearby or take you to those located further away. You can go wild and stop at the place you like. Even in this case, you are guaranteed good fishing both near the parking lot and a little further from it.

In the delta they fish on the very bed of the river; Akhtuba is also famous. You can stop at any river, channel, bay, or river.

Fishing with a feeder in the delta

People go fishing in the delta with spinning and bottom gear. There are feeders that have become popular among domestic fishermen. They are used for catching various fish, but mostly for local carp.

Wild carp in the delta grow to impressive sizes, so hunting for them requires appropriate gear. Usually these are feeder rods with a length of 3.6...4.0 m, powerful, with a test of 70 g. With this form you can easily throw the bait into the places where the carp is most likely to bite; and if fishing is carried out on the riverbed, then heavy feeders that can withstand strong currents.

A fishing line or braid is selected for potential prey. At short distances and prey up to 3...5 kg, it is better to use the latter, as it ensures high sensitivity of the gear. If hunting involves catching trophy fish, then preference is given to monofilament, which, due to its elasticity, helps to dampen sudden jerks of prey when fishing.

It is better not to place a spinning reel below number 3000, otherwise you may end up without a catch and with damaged gear. Hooks, taking into account the possible sizes of prey, are suitable No. 8.... No. 12. Worms are good bait (they are very difficult to get locally, so fishermen take them with them), and maggots. Boiled potatoes, canned corn, and crawling worms are suitable for carp.

Some of the vacationers use feeders to catch predatory fish, placing small fish on a hook.

Fishing with a float rod

By taking a float rod with you, you will always provide yourself with fish, although not trophy size. This can be a fly tackle, a match tackle, or any other. Most often, fishermen take the first one as part of a set of gear.

You can fish in open places, using bait fishing near the bottom or in the water column. This is done from the shore, from a boat, using maggots, worms, bread crumbs, mash, steamed grains, insect larvae, and the insects themselves as bait.

A good result is obtained by fishing with a fly rod (this can also be done with a match rod) in the windows between water lilies, in thickets of underwater vegetation. It is convenient to do this from a boat, moving it with oars along the overgrown surface of the reservoir. Having stopped near an existing window, they make a targeted cast of bait into it. In this case, the fishing depth can be minimal.

Having caught in one window, after the bite stops, you can move to the next window and try again. This tactic is successful; True, the assortment in the catch can be very different in terms of types of fish and their sizes. However, under any conditions, good ears and good mood are ensured.

To catch larger fish, you need to choose a place, feed it and wait for success. Although the waiting time will be guaranteed to be less than in more northern reservoirs of Russia.

Spinning fishing

Spinning in the delta is one of the most common gear used by fishermen when they come to this region to fish. This tackle produces the most trophy specimens, which you can then show off to your acquaintances and friends for many months.

You need to take different baits. In the delta there is room for any spinning fishing: you can use ultra-light tackle to pull small perches on mini-baits; but it is better, of course, to immediately focus on larger prey and carry with you forms of the middle or heavy classes, for which there will be plenty of work.

The region is distinguished by the fact that you can fish here with a spinning rod using any bait: spinners (spinners, spoons), wobblers, artificial fish and worms made of silicone, foam rubber, etc. Predators in the delta, especially in spring and autumn, are not very picky about what they They serve and grab everything.

Winter fishing

In different parts of the river, winter fishing begins at different times. This occurs due to differences in climate and temperatures. In the upper reaches, freeze-up begins at the end of October. In its middle part, ice appears in November. The lower part of the basin is covered with ice only in December.

The main trophies are pike, perch, pike perch and roach. Fishing methods are a traditional winter fishing rod with a jig and a spinning rod with a spoon and balancers.

Pike can be caught at a depth of more than 1.5 meters. She is caught using several methods. Of particular interest is the glitter. To do this, several holes are drilled in a checkerboard pattern on the site (from 6 to 12). It is better to make the first holes at a distance of 5 meters from the shore, the subsequent ones at a distance of one and a half meters from each other. Then each hole is methodically fished. Catching predators with a winter spinning rod, both with spoons and with a balance beam, is active fishing and involves a constant search for predators. A more traditional fishing method is using girders. There is nothing more intriguing than the sight of a red flag against a backdrop of white snow. You can also catch pike perch with this tackle, but encounters with it are much rarer.

Pike-perch and perch are caught mainly with a jig and a balancer. But if it’s not difficult to find a school of minke whale, then you’ll have to chase the pike perch. Schools of this fish do not stay in place for long, so the fisherman has to constantly move from place to place and drill new holes. Pike-perch prefers dark-colored balancers that imitate its favorite prey - bleak, verkhovka or roach. The length of the balancer is 5-7 cm. It makes no sense to use a smaller bait, since it will be eagerly attacked by small perch, which will not give a single chance to the small pike perch.

Recreation centers on the Volga

My wife and I devote most of the open water season to fishing on a feeder. The Volga River below Volgograd to the borders with the Astrakhan region becomes the testing ground for our fishing trips. We open the fishing season as soon as the Volzhskaya HPP begins to reduce the volume of flood waters passing through (usually in mid-late May), and our feeder fishing lasts until the onset of autumn cold weather (photo 1).

Despite the low levels of spring floods in past years and other environmental problems, the fishermen of our region can’t complain, and there is still enough fish in the Volga to more than satisfy the fishing passion. But those fishermen who have at least once fished on the Volga below the Volzhskaya hydroelectric station know how difficult the fishing conditions are here, and how difficult it can be to adapt to them.

The width of the river in the Volgograd area is about a kilometer, and in other places even more. The current is very strong (about 1 meter per second), and in areas with complex bottom topography it is uneven. The river bottom is sandy or clayey, and there are heavily snarled places. Therefore, for feeder lovers, the choice of fishing location is one of the main factors on which the success of fishing depends.

Onshore Feeder Challenges

Despite the fact that there is still a lot of fish in the Volga (at least in our area), this does not mean at all that it is enough to throw a tackle in any place of the river that you like, and you will be guaranteed a catch. In practice, promising and popular places among fishermen border on sections of the river where bites can only be expected by chance. By the way, promising and popular fishing spots are not always the same thing.

For those who fish from a boat using onboard rods or hunt for predators, in terms of choosing a place on the river it is much easier than for a shore angler. A faithful assistant to a fisherman on a boat is an echo sounder, which allows you to determine the depth of the fishing spot, the topography and nature of the bottom, and its snags. But, even without having this useful device for fishing on board, it is much easier to get an idea of ​​the fishing location when you are directly above it, and not several tens of meters away, as in a coastal feeder. As a last resort, if you don’t like the place or the hooks are worn out, you can always move the boat a hundred or two meters up or down the river.

Alas, when fishing from the shore on a feeder, the angler is deprived of such maneuverability. However, I am convinced that with the right approach to choosing a location, a coastal feeder, if not superior to fishing from a boat in terms of efficiency, is certainly not inferior to it (photo 2).

Obviously, on a small or medium river it is much easier for an angler to navigate the area, and promising fishing spots are quite easy to read. All the pools and reaches, riffles and pits, areas with reverse currents are clearly visible, and several test casts with a marker float or a regular sinker help to significantly complement the initial picture.

Unlike small and medium-sized rivers, on a large river, promising places are not so obvious and often do not have any obvious signs at all. And a strong and uneven current negates all efforts to probe the bottom with a marker float and sinker. In such conditions, the most effective way to assess the prospects of a fishing spot is reconnaissance in force. We did this more than once: we simply arrived at a previously unexplored section of the river, determined the casting point, fed it generously and waited for the fish to approach. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

However, this method of reconnaissance in force is not without one big drawback. On other days, fish may be inactive on a given section of the river for some reason. And when you find yourself here for the first time, you may decide that there is simply no fish worthy of attention here. Such a conclusion would be fundamentally erroneous, but you don’t always want to check this place again because of a failure once experienced.

Therefore, in order to avoid such disastrous fishing trips, we have identified several main signs for ourselves, which we first of all pay attention to when choosing a fishing spot for the upcoming feeder battles with fish.

Seasonal fishing areas

Let's start with the fact that all potential places for feeder fishing on the Volga can be divided into two large groups. The first group will include those sections of the river where successful fishing is possible only during a certain period, most often from late May to early July, when the Volga gradually returns to normal levels after the spring flood. Sections from the second group, accordingly, operate stably throughout the open water season.

When the flood ends, the river does not retreat suddenly, and in the first month of summer the level of the Volga is still quite high. In particular, such a picture was observed in the spring and early summer of this year, when the Volzhskaya HPP for a very long time maintained a high level of discharge of flood waters, which had accumulated in large quantities due to heavy spring rains.

When the river begins to recede and gradually leaves the flooded meadows, the fish reacts sensitively to these changes and also slides into the river. At the same time, it does not go to deep-sea holes and edges, but continues to stay near the flooded Volga shores. Particularly attractive for fish, and, consequently, for fishermen, are those areas where water returns to the river from flooded meadows in streams, there are trees and bushes fallen by floods, or simply there is a rugged bottom relief (photo 3). In the first half of summer, the river is very clean, and standing on a high bank on a sunny day, you can clearly see all the bumps and depressions, as well as tree trunks and protruding snags that have fallen into the river. A good clue for fishermen will be the current, which in calm weather seems to “break”, passing over an underwater obstacle, or twists into whirlpools (photo 4).

As a rule, the more anomalies (underwater mounds, pits, submerged logs and snags) there are in the chosen fishing location, the more promising it is. Here, near the washed-out shores and in the formed underwater wilds, not only the ubiquitous Volga crucian carp graze, but also bream, chub and ide, carp, podust and other fish. However, fishing with a feeder can be difficult due to numerous hooks.

Fishing points where the coastal shallows drop rather sharply into the depths will also be promising. It is easy to identify such places by attaching a sinker to the tackle and dragging it along the bottom. At some point, the sinker will rest against the edge, which can be quite difficult to overcome. As a rule, the strong Volga current always tends to press the feeder to this edge, and when casting, the feeder finds the bottom in this very place.

It happens that the edge is quite sharp and clayey, and then a heavy feeder cuts through it with a cord, and when you try to pull out the tackle, it gets stuck tightly. In this case, tired of the constant loss of equipment, we clip the line so that the feeder splashes down closer than the edge is located. With precise casting and regular feeding, you can easily pull the fish up, and further fishing takes place without loss.

The boundary between shallows and depth is very easy to determine visually in windy weather, especially if the wind blows with or against the current. The resulting waves very quickly lift yellowish bottom turbidity from the bottom, and the boundary between muddy and clear water will precisely be the boundary between a drop in depth and a coastal shallow (photo 5).

By mid-summer, when the Volga level drops to normal summer levels, many fishing spots that worked well at the beginning of the season completely lose their prospects. The fact is that all the trees and bushes that have fallen into the river, the edges attractive to fish, simply end up on the shore or in close proximity to the water’s edge (photo 6).

Every year, for several years in a row, one place that we accidentally discovered has been working this way. In high water, immediately from the shore, an impressively deep hole begins. The bottom of the pit is quite flat, without relief anomalies, but the whole attractiveness of the place lies in the fact that downstream there is an extended sandbank. When the water is high, the rapid Volga current, resting against this shallow, forms a rather powerful return, and therefore the feeders and sinkers are pulled not with the current, but against it. Apparently, this property of the water flow led to the fact that the bait we threw was not carried away by the current, but settled on the bottom. Therefore, abundant feeding at the beginning of fishing ensured a good fish bite for several hours of fishing.

By mid-summer, when the water dropped, the river section became very shallow, the deep hole turned into an ordinary pit with a straight flow, and fish worthy of attention simply left this section (photo 7).

Permanent fishing areas

After the flood has receded and the Volga has entered summer low water, there are significantly fewer promising places for a feeder. But these are the points that work stably throughout the rest of the open water season, and some of them are generously rewarded with catches from year to year.

First of all, we pay attention to those sections of the river where the drop in depth begins directly from the shore or within the casting range. It is easy to identify such areas by observing the progress of ships. In some places, steamships and barges pass so close to the shore that when casting, it even seems as if you can hit the metal side with a heavy feeder. In fact, the distance to the ships in this case is 150 meters or more. But the very fact that the Volga fairway, along which ships sail, is located in close proximity, speaks of the undoubted prospects of this fishing spot (photo 8).

However, there is one significant disadvantage here. Usually the depth from the shore does not decrease smoothly, but goes as if in ledges. Accordingly, when reeling out the tackle, there may be an edge or even several in its path. It’s good if the edge is sandy: then, with a certain strength of the tackle, you can still tear through the feeder. But an obstacle made of clay is fraught with numerous snags.

There is one such place in our asset. It is quite inaccessible: this section of the Volga coast cannot be reached by car, it can only be reached on foot and by boat. But those who fish from a boat are free to choose any place they like, and there are no competitors on foot here at all. A sandbank stretches about fifteen meters from the water's edge, which abruptly breaks into the depths of a literally sheer clay wall. Behind this very wall crucian carp, bream, chub and ide are constantly cruising, sometimes carp inspect their possessions, and in the evening twilight pike perch rise from the depths.

In general, fishing here is very productive, if not for one thing. While the water is still high, a sharp drop into the depths is far from the shore, and it is possible to drag the equipment through it only by raising the rod high above your head, and even then not always. When the water is low, you can walk along the sandbank almost close to the dump, and then the feeder that has crashed into the clay edge can be freed without any difficulty. Therefore, in order to avoid unnecessary hassle, we go to this “secret place” at the lowest water, not earlier than the end of July - beginning of August.

Another attractive factor for fish is the presence of thick snags in the immediate vicinity of the chosen fishing spot - both downstream and upstream (photo 9). It is in the underwater wilds that large crucian carp, carp and chub like to settle, which in the morning and evening dawns visit more open areas in search of food. If you generously feed such an area next to a snag, you can almost guarantee success. (photo 10).

Feed factor

Sharp drops into depth, holes with slow return, rugged bottom relief and edges, the presence of snags - these are the main, but not all, signs that characterize a potentially promising place for feeder fishing. There is another factor that you should definitely pay attention to - the presence of potential food sources for fish.

A couple of years ago, we went on another feeder fishing trip, deciding to fish on a large sand spit, which is located in the middle of the Volga right opposite our village. But that July morning the weather was cloudy and very windy, so my wife and I decided to cancel our long rowing swim along the Volga. Instead, we went in the opposite direction and, having sailed along the island a couple of kilometers against the current, landed on a gently sloping sandy beach. We had never fished here before, so we decided to conduct reconnaissance in force.

The first casts showed that the bottom in the fishing area is sandy, without edges, and drops quite smoothly, reaching a depth of 3-4 meters at the maximum distance of our casts. The ships set their course quite close to this place, but we didn’t go very far into the depths. In addition, the rapid current dragged the feeders, and their weight had to be increased from 120 to 150 grams.

In general, a bare sand pipe with medium depth and a flat bottom. No grass, no snags, no edges. The place immediately seemed unpromising to us, and therefore we, without much enthusiasm, purely automatically bombed the chosen fishing point, setting the food table for someone unknown. We decided for ourselves that if there were no bites before lunch, we would go home.

In addition, a fisherman who came up on a motorboat spoiled our mood even more by asking in surprise: who are we going to catch in this bare place?..

But around ten in the morning the weather began to change: the wind died down, the clouds scattered, and the sun came out. As if on cue, the fish began to bite with an intensity that we had not seen in other places. Large bream and ide were found in the feeding area, and several chub flew in. The frantic bite began at twelve o'clock in the afternoon and continued without interruption until noon.

As further fishing in this place showed, active biting in the middle of a summer day was only a rare exception: most likely, that time the outbreak of feeding activity of the fish was influenced by a change in weather. However, this section of the Volga turned out to be very suitable for night bream fishing (photo 11).

Usually we started feeding the point an hour before sunset, and even at dusk the first bream bites occurred. The deeper into the night, the larger the fish we came across, and a school of bream came quite close to the shore, to a depth of only 2-2.5 meters.

An accident helped to unravel the secret of the attractiveness of this place for bream. Usually, after a night of fishing, we break up camp and go home at about ten in the morning, when the onset of the heat is already making itself felt. Therefore, before setting off, we prefer to cool off in the river, fortunately the coastal shallows warm up very quickly.

While swimming, we noticed that the strength of the current near the shore was much weaker than at the distance of our casts. And on the sandy bottom itself, which is well warmed by the sun, there are small dark spots of organic deposits, very similar to particles of silt. In such “silty” areas of the bottom, if you rake the sand, you could find numerous crustaceans and other benthic organisms.

Most likely, this is what attracted the bream to the coastal shallows. Here, on a weaker current, in an area well warmed by the sun, various bottom organisms felt comfortable. During the day, the bream was afraid to approach here, standing in the tight and cold currents near the fairway. But under the cover of darkness he went out to the very shallows in order to thoroughly rummage in the bottom and feast on various insects and crustaceans, while not neglecting the feeding table generously laid out for him and our baits on the hooks.

Although many areas of the Volga that are convenient for feeder fishing are actively visited by anglers from year to year, this does not mean that, once you find a good place, you can use it for as long as you like. The fact is that the river changes all the time, especially after long and heavy spring floods. The current fills the holes with sand and forms new depressions, smoothes the edges, and collapses large sections of the bank into the river along with the trees and bushes growing on them. All this constantly changes the appearance of the river, sometimes beyond recognition. And places rich in fish completely lose their attractiveness for underwater inhabitants.

Therefore, each time you have to rediscover the river. Some areas that worked last year still produce good catches, while others turn out to be completely fishless, and we have to look for new ones. But it is precisely this constant search and new discoveries that feeder fishing in the Lower Volga is interesting (photo 12)!

Vitaly Volkov,
r.p. Svetly Yar, Volgograd Region

Recreational and sport fishing is a favorite pastime of millions of people, both in our country and abroad. There are many good fishing places on the planet in the seas, rivers, lakes, ponds and even swamps, but not all places and reservoirs can be considered a fishing “Mecca”. One such, and perhaps the most significant place in our country, is the Lower Volga and Akhtuba River. Speaking about the Lower Volga, we mean fishing on the rivers, eriks and lakes of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain, which is located between Volgograd and Astrakhan. The Lower Volga also includes the Volga delta, located below Astrakhan and extending to the Caspian Sea.
Fishing on Akhtuba It is not the same everywhere and different sections of the river have their own characteristics associated with the conditions and state of the water area. The water area of ​​the river and adjacent reservoirs is conventionally divided as follows:
— Upper Akhtuba– a section of the river from the source located at the Volgograd State District Power Plant to the city of Akhtubinsk;
— average Akhtuba– a section of the river from the city of Akhtubinsk to the village of Volnoye, which is 50 km away. south of the city of Kharabali;
— lower Akhtuba– section of the river from the village. Volnoe to its confluence with the Buzan River north of Astrakhan.

In this article we will try to reveal to you all the interesting and secret information about fishing on Akhtuba and the Lower Volga, give useful tips and answer your questions:

Where to go?

Choosing a place for fishing in the Lower Volga can puzzle anyone, even a professional fisherman. In principle, you can fish in almost any puddle where there is water, especially after the spring flood. But “what kind of fish is this?”, “where are there more fish?” and “where does it bite better?”, these questions can only be answered based on experience and repeated trips to the lower reaches of the Volga. Some fishermen, after one or several trips to the Lower Volga, choose a certain place for themselves and in subsequent times go only there. Other fishermen prefer to change places and go to a new place each time, sometimes radically changing the fishing conditions, which are different in the Volga delta and, for example, in Srednyaya Akhtuba. Well, those fishermen who have free money and time can travel on their boats throughout the entire water area of ​​the Lower Volga, and even go out into the Caspian Sea.

Before going to Akhtuba or another river in lower reaches of the Volga, first you need to decide where you will live - at a fishing base or in a tent on the river bank. If you are in a tent and you are eating for the first time, then you cannot do without the advice of “experienced fishermen” on choosing a parking place, otherwise you risk ruining your entire fishing and recreation by choosing a parking place incorrectly. In the summer, a huge number of so-called “savages” fish and relax on the banks of rivers, setting up tent camps and living in them for weeks. Therefore, finding an available campsite can be a difficult task. Yes and roads to such places pass, as a rule, through the floodplain, are very confused and navigator This is unlikely to help you here. It’s better to go with someone in the company, then you can avoid such troubles as getting lost, getting stuck in the mud in an unknown place, not catching anything and not having any rest.

It’s another matter if you are traveling to the lower reaches and are going to stop at fishing base. Now in the Lower Volga and in the delta there are many fishing bases with different pricing policies, living conditions and related services. Basically, fishing bases are located near populated areas, for example, near the city of Kharabali on the middle Akhtuba, or near the village of Enotaevka on the right bank of the Volga River. There are more or less normal roads to such bases and you can get to them by car. Some bases are located directly in the floodplain, and getting to them can be very problematic, but all bases have a shuttle service and car escort, so they will help you get to the base. In the Volga delta, due to the lack of dry places to build a base, ships and barges are sometimes used instead of a fishing base, the living conditions on which are quite normal, however, after an evening feast there is nowhere to walk - there is water all around. Fishing base "Sudachye Place" located almost in the center of Srednyaya Akhtuba, near the city of Kharabali. The location of the base is called “Mad Breakthrough” or “ Black market“, is well known to local and visiting fishermen.

Living at a fishing base has its significant advantages over fishing as a savage, except perhaps for quite large financial costs. Firstly, you have more time for the fishing itself, since at the fishing base you do not need to deal with camp management and everyday problems. Secondly, good and trophy fishing on Akhtuba without a boat is simply unthinkable, and at fishing bases you can always rent a boat and do not need to take it with you, as fishermen from campsites do. Thirdly, if you are going to the chosen place for the first time, then at the base you can hire a huntsman who will show you where to fish, thereby making it easier to find it. However, at fishing bases, instead of a huntsman, they may give you a “collective farmer” who can only operate a boat and has little knowledge of fishing, so treat this issue with all seriousness.

Promising place for fishing on the Akhtuba, Volga and other lower rivers, you need to choose based on simple fishing rules: - the farther from populated areas and good roads, the more fish in the intended location; - a wide river bed with deep holes and rapids with rapid currents - promising places for catching trophy fish; — the presence of islands, channels, backwaters, eriks and lakes in the fishing area accompanies good fishing and increases the potential number of cool places.

“Sudachye Place” also falls under these rules - the surrounding water area has all the signs of promising fishing spots: deep holes, extensive riffles, backwaters, eriks and lakes. Many of the fishing spots, such as: “Black Market”, “Mad Prorva”, Pershinskaya Yama, have long attracted fishermen and are very popular. It will be easier to choose a place for your upcoming fishing if you first study fishing card, on which the entire water area of ​​the Lower Volga is visible. Having looked at a promising area of ​​water, you can begin to search for a suitable fishing base or campsite in the immediate vicinity of this place. The presence of the Internet simplifies the task and you can easily find the necessary information about the database on fishing forums and specialized sites.

When to go?

The fishing season on the Lower Volga lasts throughout the entire calendar year and has certain periods associated with the change of seasons and spring floods. Each fishing period has its own characteristics in terms of fishing objects, fishing methods, places and conditions for fishing:

— Fishing in spring in open water begins around March 20, it all depends on the opening of the rivers from ice, and lasts until April 20 - the beginning of the fishing ban and the spring rise in water levels. Spring fishing on Akhtuba is interesting for catching predatory fish - pike perch, bersh, pike, asp, and catfish. The main methods of fishing in spring are trolling and jig-spinning. Towards the end of the spring period, the water in the rivers warms up, its level increases and you can catch “white”, including on eriks and lakes where fish come to spawn.

— After the period of spring fishing, a period of high water begins, which lasts from approximately April 20 to June 20, everything depends on the discharge of water at the Volzhskaya State District Power Plant. This is perhaps the most promising time for fishing, when you can catch fish even with a net, however, during this period there is a ban on fishing, and the conditions do not allow the use of fishing methods such as trolling and jig-spinning. Fish can only be caught from the shore and subject to other restrictions that are written in Fishing rules. Another obstacle to fishing during the flood period is the midge, which appears in the Astrakhan region from approximately May 20 until the end of June.

— After a period of high water in the Lower Volga, a hot, literally and figuratively, time of summer fishing begins. This period lasts from June 20 to approximately mid-September. Summer fishing on Akhtuba good for everyone - you can catch almost any fish, use any fishing methods and tools, and also, together with fishing, swim, sunbathe and relax. The main objects of trophy fishing in the summer are catfish and carp, and the main gear is bottom gear. In addition, only in the summer you can catch catfish in such an interesting way as fishing with quok.

— Around mid-September, the period of autumn fishing in the Lower Volga begins. This period lasts until the middle or end of November, it all depends on weather and water temperature. Fishing on Akhtuba in autumn, just like in the spring, is interesting, first of all, for catching predators: pike perch, bersh, pike, asp and catfish. In autumn, you can successfully catch peaceful fish, especially trophy specimens of bream and carp. In autumn, you can use almost all known methods and fishing gear used by fishermen in the Lower Volga.

— At the end of the autumn fishing period, the so-called “no ice, no water” period begins, when the rivers begin to be covered with ice, but not everywhere and not strong enough for fishing from the ice. This period begins with the arrival of frost in the Astrakhan region and can last throughout December and even until mid-January. At such times, fishing in open water is difficult and has little prospects, and fishermen are better off fishing from ice on frozen eriks, lakes and backwaters, especially since fishing on Akhtuba on the first ice can be very productive. The main trophies during this period can be pike perch and pike.

— After strong ice sets in on the rivers, the period of winter fishing begins. It will last until the ice melts on the rivers, approximately until mid-March. Winter fishing It is interesting for fishing for pike perch, perch, pike, perch, bream and whitefish. In terms of fishing gear for winter fishing on the rivers of the Lower Volga, there is no need to invent anything and you can use ordinary winter fishing rods and girders, adapted for fishing at great depths and currents. For fishing on eriks and lakes, less heavy baits, adapted for fishing in still water and at shallow depths, are suitable.

— When the ice on the rivers begins to melt and crack, closer to mid-March, the period of winter fishing on the rivers ends, although on eriks and lakes you can fish from ice in some years until the end of March. Ice floes float along the opened rivers for 1-2 weeks, making navigation difficult and dangerous. By March 20-25, the river is completely cleared of ice, you can launch boats and start spring fishing in open water.

For most fishermen, going on long-term fishing trips is directly related to the vacation schedule at their main job, so there is no choice. But if you still have the opportunity to choose the time of your trip, approach the choice of the period for fishing from the point of view of your preferences regarding the objects of fishing. For example, if you want to catch carp, then it is better to come to the Lower Volga and Akhtuba in July - September, if you want to chase pike perch, then the best time is spring and autumn. To understand in more detail when is the best time to go fishing, our fish bite calendar .

What to catch?

Akhtuba is home to more than 60 species of fish that are of interest to fishermen, and its quantity, despite environmental problems and pressure from fishermen and poachers, remains quite large. Therefore, to the question “ What kind of fish can you catch?"There is a short answer - any! The bulk of fish present in rivers is the so-called “ belle" - white bream, silver bream, blue bream, sabrefish, roach, roach and other small "peaceful" fish. Large representatives of “peaceful” fish include bream, grass carp, silver carp and, of course, carp, whose weight in the Lower Volga reaches 25 kg. True, such specimens are rare, but carp weighing 10-15 kg are often caught by fishermen. There are a lot of small carp in rivers, eriks and lakes, however, carp weighing up to 2 kilograms is considered unqualified by conscientious fishermen and such specimens are usually released, although it is better to release large specimens too.

Few fishing spots in Russia can compete with the Lower Volga and Akhtuba in the number and size of predatory fish such as catfish, pike perch, asp and pike. Catfish here reach a length of 2.5 meters and a weight of more than 100 kg. In the old days, catfish weighing 150 and even 200 kg were caught in the Volga, but now you are unlikely to see such monsters. On Akhtuba, due to the many deep holes in the water area, there are a large number of catfish, including quite large specimens, catching which is more like hunting for a large animal. Basically, test specimens of caught catfish weigh from 10 to 30 kg, and catfish weigh up to 5 kg. In general, it is customary to let go. Catfish grow quite quickly, and within three to four years its weight will exceed 10 kg.

Asp is found in abundance in the Lower Volga, the main thing for it is space and the presence of extensive rifts. The weight of a caught asp can reach 10 kg, but the bulk of the qualifying fish varies between 1.5 – 5 kg. The asp lives and feeds in flocks, and only large specimens hunt alone from time to time. The asp is a very cautious fish, and not every fisherman can catch it. Even if you discover an asp fight, it is not a fact that you will be able to catch this fish. Along with the asp, there are a lot of chub in the Lower Volga, which prefers to live in the same places where the asp lives. The taste qualities of asp and chub leave much to be desired, and what can really be done with a caught large asp is balyk, so asp and chub, especially smaller ones, are caught mainly for sporting interest on a catch-and-release basis.

The most widespread and numerous predator in the Volga and Akhtuba can be considered pike perch. There is even a certain category of fishermen who specialize only in catching pike perch, for which they come to the Lower Volga and Akhtuba in early spring and late autumn, when the fish bite reaches its maximum. The weight of specimens of pike perch caught in the lower rivers reaches 12 kg, but in modern times this is rare. Mostly, the catch includes pike perch weighing from 1 to 6 kg, and specimens up to 500-700 grams are usually released. Small pike perch lives and feeds in small schools, medium pike perch moves along rivers in groups of up to several individuals, and large specimens prefer solitude. However, in spring and autumn, pike perch gather in large mixed schools and concentrate in certain places in the rivers. Having found such a place, a fisherman can count with full confidence on good and trophy fishing.

In the Lower Volga you can successfully catch bersh - the “younger brother” of pike perch, so called because of its similarity with pike perch, but much smaller in size. However, according to some, quite plausible data, the bersh appeared first, from which the river pike perch emerged, from which the sea pike perch, which lives in the Caspian Sea, in turn emerged. Bersh is valued because of its taste - its meat is fattier than pike perch meat, as a result of which it is much tastier.

In the rivers and lakes of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain, you can find almost all types of fish that live in rivers, but only during the period of high water and prohibition from the end of April to the end of June. This is due to the rise in water levels in rivers, flooding of the floodplain and the influx of fresh water into eriki, ilmen and lakes, where all the fish rush to spawn. In this “fish kingdom” you can find sedentary fish species, such as catfish and carp, anadromous fish species, such as Caspian herring and sturgeon, and semi-anadromous species - pike perch, roach, saber fish and others. After the summer heat, many eriks, lakes and ilmens dry up, and the remaining fish in them die. In those places where the water remains and there are deep enough places, the fish survive and can be successfully caught. These fish include pike, perch, crucian carp, buffalo, tench, small carp, roach, rudd and other representatives of small “peaceful” fish.

Now in the Volga there are still quite a large number of types of fish However, the trend in recent years shows that the number of fish, especially valuable for recreational and sport fishing, is rapidly declining, and the size of the fish itself is becoming smaller. According to old-timers, back in the 90s of the last century, a large number of sturgeon species of fish, including beluga, and black caviar in the same Kharabalakh because of the surplus, they simply buried it in the ground. Now in Akhtuba, catching even a sterlet is very rare. This trend, of course, is directly related to the large number of fishermen and poachers on the rivers, as well as to poor work and lack of proper control on the part of the Fishing Supervision Authority and the state as a whole. But even greater damage to the ichthyofauna of the Lower Volga is caused by man-made causes, such as poor water discharge from the Volgograd State District Power Plant during spring floods and the laying of various oil, gas and other pipelines along the river bottom.

Where to fish?

The main fishing spots are concentrated around deep holes. In “Sudachy Place” such pits are the “Black Market” pit (depths up to 25 m), the Ferry pit (depths up to 15 m), Pershinskaya pit(depth up to 20 m). In and around the pits you can catch almost any fish that lives in rivers, but especially carp, catfish and bream. Some of the pits, which have a reverse flow, are wintering pits; fish spend the winter in them. In such pits, fishing is possible, but with some restrictions. You can fish in the pits using jig-spinning, deep-sea trolling, plumb line, or bottom tackle. Catching catfish using kwok In general, it is only possible in pits, and even then not in all of them.

Between the holes in rivers there are usually extensive riffles with shallow depths and stronger currents. In such places, fishing for asp, saberfish and chub is interesting and successful. At average depths of 4 to 8 meters, a fisherman can find any fish, but its presence in such places depends mostly on the season and water level in the rivers. It is convenient to use trolling here, primarily for catching pike perch. Good places for catching pike perch and other predatory fish are places with moderate depths and the presence sastrugi at the bottom of the river. In backwaters where there is practically no current, it is convenient to use a classic spinning rod and float tackle for catching pike, pike perch, perch and such peaceful fish as ide, roach, roach. Fishing on the eriks, lakes and ilmens of the floodplain depends mainly on the presence of water in them and the spring flood, as a result of which fish enter them, and it is better to look for places for catching crucian carp, buffalo and tench with a float rod in such reservoirs than in rivers.

The habitats of individual fish species strongly depend on the season and water level in the Volga and Akhtuba. So in the summer, with intense heat, most fish species concentrate in the pits. In early spring, schooling pike perch often goes out onto vast sandy reaches with a depth of only 1-2 meters, where the water warms up faster. In winter, serious floods occur in the Lower Volga, as a result of which the water level in the rivers rises greatly, the water floods the coastal zone and pours into rivers and lakes. At such times, you need to look for fish not in holes, but at shallow depths, in a quiet current, next to flooded bushes and grass. The same can be said about the spring flood season, when the bulk of fish accumulates near leaks, in eriks, lakes and flooded Volga-Akhtuba floodplain for spawning.

Other good fishing spots include places where driftwood and underwater fish accumulate. karchey. Various fish are constantly hanging around them, but fishing in such places is difficult due to possible snags on the gear and difficulties that arise when landing large fish. The behavior of fish is influenced not only by annual seasons, but also by daily periods. Thus, a large predator in the evening, morning and night prefers to hunt in shallower sections of the river and closer to the shore, and during the day it goes deeper. As you can see, it is impossible to answer the question “ where to fish?"at a certain point in time. But if you analyze all the available information, such as water level and temperature, weather, bottom topography, current, etc., you can calculate where a certain fish should be located, whether it is active, and how you can catch it. Perhaps they will help you fishing reports, in which you will find the necessary and secret information about places for successful fishing.

How to catch?

There are many ways of fishing in the Lower Volga and Akhtuba, and for a beginner in fishing it may seem that it is not possible to understand all the methods and their intricacies. This is partly correct reasoning and the ability to fish in a certain way only comes after repeated practice. However, if you analyze the situation, it becomes clear that in fact there are not so many main methods of fishing, and often one seemingly special method turns out to be a widely known, but modified method of fishing or complements it. Here are the main ways how to fish in the lower reaches of the Volga:

— Trolling. This method of fishing has recently become widespread in our country, although in fact it is a variety called “ track"has been around for a long time. Trolling is intended for catching predatory fish such as catfish, pike perch, pike and involves fishing from a boat. The essence of the method is as follows: the fisherman floats along the river in a boat at low speed, loosens the tackle, and leads the bait in the lower and middle layers of the water. This method of fishing is effective in any fishing season, with the exception of winter and high water.

— Jig fishing. Fishing on Akhtuba using jig heads is very popular and involves fishing from the shore or from a boat, both in deep holes and at medium depths. This method is, in fact, a modified fishing with a classic spinning rod, only the bait and methods of placing it radically change the entire fishing process. Jig fishing is effective in spring and autumn; in summer, this method works poorly and trolling is much more effective. They catch with jig spinning in the Volga and Akhtuba, primarily pike perch, bersh, perch, pike and catfish.

— Spinning fishing. This method is widespread in our country and has many followers. The use of different types of baits and fishing methods makes fishing with a classic spinning rod very diverse. Due to strong currents and great depths, the use of classic spinning rods on the Lower Volga rivers is difficult, and this method is more often used for catching predatory fish in the coastal zone, in backwaters, in eriks and floodplain lakes. The only exception is when catching asp and chub using a classic spinning rod. They are caught using spinning rods throughout the open water season. In the rivers you can catch asp, chub, ide and pike perch using a spinning rod, but to catch pike and perch it is better to move to eriki and lakes.

— Plumb fishing. This method is intended for catching predatory fish, primarily pike perch. It is reminiscent of catching a predator with a winter fishing rod, only in this case not from ice, but from a boat drifting along the river. In this way you can fish on Akhtuba and Volga throughout the open water season, but the best time is autumn. Fishing on Akhtuba in a vertical line is effective in catching pike perch, perch, pike and catfish, and sometimes it happens that this method works much better than fishing with trolling or jig-spinning.

— Fishing with bottom tackle and feeder. This method of fishing in the Lower Volga can be used in different ways to catch both peaceful fish and predators. They fish with bottom and feeder gear from the shore and boat in an active way, when the fisherman is near the gear, and in a passive way, when bottom gear is placed unattended and occasionally checked. Among peaceful fish, you can catch whitefish, bream, and carp on donkeys, and among predators, catfish, pike perch, bersh, and perch. Fishing with bottom gear also includes carp fishing– fishing for carp and carp using special gear, equipment and a large amount of bait. They are caught on donkeys in the lower reaches from June to November.

— Fishing with a float rod. In fact, fishing with a float is ineffective on the rivers of the Lower Volga due to strong currents and depths, and here it is better to use bottom gear. An exception may be fishing for leucorrhoea in the wire and fishing on Akhtuba with a float rod during high water. Another thing is in eriks, lakes and backwaters with a silted bottom; here it is almost impossible to fish with bottom tackle, but with a float rod it is effective and interesting. In Erika you can successfully catch crucian carp, buffalo, tench, roach, rudd and perch using a float. The period of fishing with a float rod begins at the end of April and lasts until November.

— Fly fishing. This is a fairly new method of fishing for Russian fishermen, but similar methods of fly fishing for fish such as grayling in mountain rivers have long been practiced by our fishermen. The best period for fly fishing in the Lower Volga is May and June - the peak activity of aerial insects. By fly fishing you can successfully catch fish such as asp, chub, sabrefish, ide, and rudd.

— Winter fishing. In winter, the rivers, eriki and lakes of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain are covered with strong ice, and winter fishing on Akhtuba involves fishing from ice. Methods of winter fishing in the Lower Volga are not much different from fishing methods in other regions, and are limited to fishing with winter fishing rods and zherlitsy. In winter, you can catch whitefish, bream, pike perch, bersh, pike, and perch from the ice. The winter fishing period is short-lived and, depending on the weather, lasts 2-3 months from December to February.

— Catching fish with nets and lines on the Lower Volga are prohibited, and the use of these and similar methods is poaching.

As you can see, there are actually not so many ways of fishing in the Lower Volga, and various “specific” fishing methods are modified basic fishing methods. For example, ring fishing is an improved, albeit old, way of catching a donk, and fishing with a plug- This is fishing with an improved float rod. True, there are exceptions, for example, catching catfish on a kwok. When you fish in the lower reaches of the Volga, especially predators during a bad bite, it is advisable to use different fishing methods, for example, alternating trolling against the current and jig-spinning with rafting downstream.

What to catch?

Now in fishing stores you can buy many different fishing tackle for catching certain types of fish and fishing methods. But for a trip to Akhtuba and the Lower Volga, it is not necessary to take with you the entire existing arsenal, and if you approach the question " what to fish with?"In terms of the versatility of fishing tackle, you can get by with a small amount of them. For example, a spinning rod for fishing with jig baits can be used both as a classic spinning rod and as a spinning rod for trolling. However, in sport fishing, such substitutions of highly specialized gear can be fatal for winning competitions, and in sport fishing, individual gear for a specific fishing method and quite expensive gear are used. Here is a list of the main fishing tackle used by fishermen on the Lower Volga:

— Spinning rods. For trolling, spinning rods 240–270 cm long with a test weight of 20–50 g are used, but when “deep-sea” trolling and catfishing using large wobblers, it is necessary to use a spinning rod with a test weight of 100–200 g. The spinning rod for jig fishing on Akhtuba has a length of 270 - 350 cm and a weight of 20 to 50 g. A classic spinning rod for catching asp, can be from 300 to 400 cm long and have a dough weight from 10 to 30 g. It is better to use spinning rods for bottom tackle with a test weight of 50 to 150 g, otherwise it will be difficult to catch large fish, such as carp or catfish.

— Reels. When fishing in the Lower Volga, inertial, inertial-free and multiplier reels are used. Inertial reels are used for vertical fishing, bottom tackle, fly fishing, and sometimes as a reel for classic spinning. Inertia-free reels are much more convenient, with some exceptions, than inertial reels and are used by fishermen in almost all methods of fishing using spinning rods: trolling, jig and classic spinning rods, bottom tackle, float rods, vertical fishing, etc. Depending on the purpose, spinning reels used in the Lower Volga have a size of 2500 - 5000. Multiplier reels are used for catching large catfish by trolling and for sneak peeks. A line counter is not necessary, but it will come in handy for trolling.

— Line and braid. For trolling, classic and jig spinning, you must use braid. Its diameter for trolling is 0.2-0.25 mm, for deep-sea trolling 0.3-0.4 mm, for jig and classic spinning, depending on the depth and current, 0.15 - 0.25 mm. For trolling, it is convenient to use braided line marked in different colors; this helps to more accurately regulate the unwinding length. For fishing in winter, using bottom gear and plumb, it is better to use high-quality monofilament fishing line with a diameter of 0.20 to 1 mm, depending on the conditions and the object being fished. For the convenience of attaching various baits to the fishing line, the angler must have a supply of carabiners and swivels corresponding to the fishing method and the size of the bait.

— Bottom gear and feeder. As bottom gear, a spinning rod with a spinning reel is most often used, a monofilament line corresponding to the fish, with a diameter of 0.25 - 0.5 mm, and the equipment itself. The equipment consists of a sinker weighing 30 - 200 gr. or feeders, and leashes with appropriate hooks. In the Lower Volga, feeder equipment with and without an anti-twist tube can be successfully used. For carp fishing, special tackle is used, adapted for fishing on boilies, cake and similar attachments, using the “ per hair" Catfish are caught using bottom tackle, the so-called “bottle”, which is a long thick fishing line, at one end of which a heavy weight and a hook on a leash are tied, and at the other end an ordinary plastic bottle is tied, which acts as a float to indicate the location of the donkey.

— Artificial baits. Now there are a huge number of artificial baits on the market, and it is not possible to try everything. The main baits for catching predatory fish are wobblers depth from 2 to 12 m, heavy spoon for current and vertical fishing, jig heads weighing 15-55 g. with silicone and foam rubber. Other lures such as popper or Devonian can also be successfully used for fishing in the Lower Volga. The size, color, and shape of artificial baits significantly affect the bite of fish, whose preferences change in different fishing seasons. For example, in the spring, pike perch prefers small wobblers with a depth of 2 to 4 meters, and in the fall, larger wobblers with a depth of 5 to 7 m. Therefore, when fishing you need to take different artificial baits and do not be afraid to experiment.

— Bait and groundbait. To catch peaceful fish, it is necessary to use bait and groundbait. Universal baits on the Lower Volga are worms and canned corn. To catch large fish, such as carp or bream, you can successfully use a shell - pearl barley or cake. Widely used as bait for catching predators whitebait, and for catching catfish - medium-sized live bait of perch or crucian carp, frog, crayfish, pearl barley. When fishing for carp, you can effectively use artificial bait such as boilies, but when using artificial bait you must also use groundbait. You need to add the same ingredients that you use as bait to your bait.

— Winter gear. Tackle for winter fishing on the Lower Volga is nothing special - a winter fishing rod for catching leucorrhea and bream, a fishing rod and vents for catching a predator. A winter rod for catching zander can also be effectively used when fishing from a boat in open water. The main obstacles when fishing in winter are great depths and strong currents, therefore, in winter gear, you need to use monofilament fishing line of the smallest possible diameter and heavier baits - winter lures, balancers and jigs.

If you are going to the lower reaches of the Volga for less than a week, you should not take a lot of gear with you and try to catch different fish in different ways, for example, alternating between trolling zander and carp using bottom gear. It is better to start by deciding what you will be catching - predatory or non-predatory fish, and take a limited amount of gear, otherwise, you can spend all the time relocating and looking for acceptable fishing conditions, as a result of which you may be left without a catch. If you are traveling for 10 days or more, then you can grab additional gear. The main criteria for choosing fishing gear is their quality and reliability, but now this does not depend much on their cost, modern materials and technologies make simple and inexpensive gear quite acceptable for fishing on the Lower Volga. Only the correct use, maintenance and storage of fishing tackle can give the fisherman a guarantee of their durability and reliability. You can learn more about fishing tackle in the section tackle .

What to take?

An important factor in successful fishing is the availability of the necessary equipment and equipment for the fisherman. Good fishing on Akhtuba is unlikely to be possible without the use of a motor boat, which helps you quickly move along the river in search of fish. The boat must be equipped with an echo sounder; without it, you will not be able to accurately determine the depth and topography of the bottom in a fishing spot, which is very important in the lower reaches of the Volga. At the same time, it is not necessary to have a "fancy" echo sounder and a simple 2-beam device is sufficient. The main data from the echo sounder that the fisherman needs to receive is depth, bottom topography, presence of fish and water temperature; all other data is secondary. In addition to the echo sounder from electronic devices, you can use a navigator in the boat, which helps you navigate the terrain and water area, as well as remember promising fishing spots and points. If you intend to engage in trolling, especially using deep-sea wobblers for catching catfish, you need to install reliable holders for spinning rods, this will greatly facilitate fishing, while one fisherman will be able to use two tackles at once. For greater depth of wobblers when trolling, you can install on the boat downrigger, and to rescue wobblers from hooks you can use a special release.

In addition to fishing tackle, the fisherman must have in his arsenal related equipment and devices for successfully playing fish and its further "neutralization". The main such devices are landing net, a hook or special gloves, a hook or a fish tank, a multi-tool with pliers, a fishing knife with a float handle, you may need a baton to put a large fish to sleep. Fishing accessories such as line cutters and extractors can make fishing easier, but you don't need to have them. But what you must take is a good one fishing box, where you can place all these little things and spare fishing gear. To capture interesting moments and captured trophies, you can take with you video or a camera, as well as scales for weighing caught fish.

When fishing from the shore to bottom gear, you will need a lot of additional equipment: rod holders, bite alarms, containers for bait and bait, feeders and similar little things. If you are going to catch predatory fish for fry, you will need a net with a long handle and a small cell for catching fry, as well as a special container where the fry will remain alive throughout the fishing.

Fisherman's outfit should include: a headlamp, sunglasses, a waterproof bag for carrying things, a thermos. Clothing for a fisherman you need to choose based on the fishing season, but it is better to take at least one warm item and a raincoat with you in any season. Shoes for fisherman you need to select based on how you will fish - from a boat or the shore. If from a boat, then waders are not at all necessary; it will be enough to wear waterproof boots or low boots, the main thing is that they do not slip on the boat. If you are going to fish from the river bank or on eriks and lakes, then it is better to have waders or waders in stock. In the summer, because of the heat, you can go through all the fishing in the boat and along the shore in just sandals. The headdress should have a visor, like a baseball cap, this helps to protect your eyes from the bright Astrakhan sun. To fish from a boat you will need a life jacket, however, if you rent a boat at a fishing base, you must be given one free of charge. To fish during the midge season, May-June, you simply need to have mosquito net and preferably protecting the fisherman’s entire body.

For winter fishing, equipment and gear are also provided that greatly facilitate the fishing process and make it generally possible. First of all, this ice screw with a drilled hole diameter of 130-150 mm. You definitely need to have a set of spare knives for the drill, the ice on Akhtuba is hard for drilling, there are a lot of hummocks and sand deposits in the layers of ice, which quickly dull the knives. Fishing box for winter fishing - a necessary thing not only for carrying gear, but also for storing catch and as a place to sit at the hole. Special sleds for transporting things will speed up your movement on ice, but Astrakhan region There is rarely snow, and dragging the sled on bare ground will be difficult. As life-saving equipment in case of falling through the ice, during winter fishing it is necessary to have life preservers and it is better to wear a life vest, which also protects well from the wind.

Fishing on Akhtuba or in the Volga delta?

North of Astrakhan, at the divergence of the Volga channel and the Buzan branch, the Volga delta begins, which can also be considered the Lower Volga. The delta, also known as the mouth of the Volga, consists of many channels, branches, eriks and small rivers flowing like a fan through a vast swampy area to the southeast, in Caspian Sea. The main rivers, or more precisely the branches of the Volga, in the delta are Buzan, Bolda, Kamyzyak, Bakhtemir, Staraya Volga, Kigach. At the junction of the Volga and the Caspian Sea there are the so-called peals– shallow sections of the river with almost stagnant brackish water.

Fishing in the Volga Delta and on the rolls it is somewhat different from fishing in the Lower Volga above Astrakhan. This is primarily due to shallower depths, weak currents, clearer water and an abundance of aquatic vegetation in the delta. Such living conditions affect the behavior of fish, their number and the size of individual individuals. The same species of fish live in the delta and on the ridges as in the Volga itself, but the number of fish here is greater, but there are much fewer trophy specimens. This applies primarily to predators such as catfish and pike perch. Things are better with asp and pike, but the abundance of small specimens of these fish may simply not allow a trophy specimen to attack your bait. There is also a lot of perch in the delta, which often only spoils fishing by preventing other fish from swallowing the bait. There are also a lot of carp and whitefish in the Volga delta, but these are mostly small specimens, with the exception of fish that prefer shallow water and quiet currents: rudd, roach, roach, tench, crucian carp and buffalo.

In the Volga delta and on peals They use the same fishing methods and equipment as when fishing on Akhtuba, but they also have their own characteristics. Due to shallow depths and the abundance of algae, fishing with jig spinning is not very effective and for catching predatory fish it is better to use a classic spinning rod using spinners and surface baits. The same can be said about bottom gear, instead of which it is advisable to use a float rod. In the delta and on the ridges you can successfully fly fish, especially asp and rudd, throughout the open water season. Due to the virtual absence of dry banks covered with tall reeds, fishing in the Volga delta must be done from a boat. Fishing in the delta is also interesting in winter, and the chances of getting caught are much greater than in Akhtuba. And also, in the Volga delta, unlike sections of the river above Astrakhan, there are all the conditions for successful training spearfishing

The times are over when on the Volga between Volgograd and Astrakhan it was possible to catch fish with a piece of red cloth. The lively saber fish no longer attacks a cigarette filter thrown into the water, and the fry of carp fish no longer try to peel the legs of an angler standing in the river. This is caused not so much by a reduction in local fish stocks, but by significantly increased fishing pressure. At the height of the season, a lot of people gather on the Volga and everyone is trying to catch something. Underwater inhabitants, for their part, also adapt to the behavior of fishermen and become more careful; catching fish in the Volga is no longer as easy as it was 10 years ago. But even today, anglers who find themselves in the right place at the right time have a chance to catch a trophy catfish or large pike perch. Fans of carp fishing can still successfully catch carp in snags and on carp trails along the edges. Those who like to catch asp on the rifts and sand bars near the islands will not be left idle either.
In this article we will give a number of key tips for fishing on the Volga in nearby waters, and also consider the features of fishing on the Volga in open water depending on the season (spring, summer, autumn). As for fishing on the Volga and Akhtuba in winter, read about it at the link above. Another key feature in this article will be a detailed map of secret cool places on the Volga from Enotaevka (Promyslovy settlement) to Mashkina Yama near Gusiny Island (Baranovka).
But first, let’s look at the features of fishing on the Volga depending on the time of year.

Fishing on the Volga in spring

Spring fishing on the Volga in open water brings catches to anglers throughout the daylight hours. The bite of underwater inhabitants at this time occurs quite smoothly - without noticeable fluctuations. Well, for those who are interested in fishing on the Volga in the spring primarily for their trophies, we recommend going to the river in the evening twilight. It is at dusk that the largest pike perch are caught. Trolling works effectively on it. You can also catch a lot of fanged predators using a jig from a catchy point.
In the spring, the pike perch bite on the Volga largely depends on the water temperature and its level. Usually the flood begins at the end of April and lasts until mid-June. During the period of maximum warming of the water even before it rises (this time falls in the second half of April), you can observe the best bite for pike perch. If the water temperature in the Volga at the time of arrival is in the range from 5 to 8 degrees, then you can count on a good bite. But the weather in the Astrakhan region during this period is very unpredictable; warming can quickly give way to dank cold, which will force you to put on winter clothes again.
At the end of April and beginning of May, the flood begins; read about the peculiarities of fishing on the Volga during this period at the link above. And at the end of May, a huge number of Astrakhan midges emerge, which seriously complicates the life of fishermen and local residents. Few people decide to travel to the Astrakhan region at this time, but in vain...

Fishing on the Volga in summer

In fact, summer fishing on the Volga in the Astrakhan region is the period from the end of June to September. Almost the entire June is of no interest to most fishermen due to the dominance of midges, and we add September to the summer season due to local climatic conditions. At this time it is still warm, one might even say hot. Air temperature affects the behavior of fish, which is not much different from August.
At the end of June, a significant part of the fish population moves away from the spawning grounds to where there is a more noticeable current and the water is a little cooler. Such places are rifts and sand spits on the Volga and Akhtuba. The saber fish gather on them en masse, which the asp and catfish begin to exterminate. At the end of June, the bite begins for the spawned carp, which is caught under steep yars and on the edges of snags.
While the period of stable and prolonged heat has not yet arrived, fish on the Volga bite in the interval from 9 to 15 hours, after which time until 19 hours can be devoted to lunch at the fishing base, swimming and relaxation. An evening surge in the activity of underwater inhabitants is usually observed from 19:00 and lasts until 21:00. In the evening, pike perch should be caught in shallower places.
We do not recommend that anglers be on the water for fishing between 3 pm and 7 pm. It’s very hot at this time, and the fish don’t take well. The only exception is trolling for catfish, its bites are possible throughout the day.
When the Astrakhan summer heat begins (July-August, and in recent years September), then at this time the temperature in the shade often reaches 40 degrees. During the heat, the water warms up to 22-24 degrees, which affects the behavior of underwater inhabitants. Spinning fishing on the Volga at this time comes down mainly to night fishing for pike perch. Pike perch is active in the morning (before 6:00) and evening dawns, but mainly at night. During the heat of the day, finding an active predator even in proven places is very difficult - most of the “spots” are silent.
In August, it is already possible to catch crayfish on the Volga and in the flood lakes, watermelons and melons are ripening in local fields, but in August, wild people resting along the banks of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain become visible and invisible. Most promising places are tightly occupied by other fishermen.
During the heat, it makes sense to focus on spinning only when it gets colder. During the day, during the maximum heat, it is much better to devote your time to a beach holiday or sleep in a room with air conditioning. Fishing is better to indulge in the dawn and at night. Your gear should always be ready, if one fine day the wind starts to blow or there is cloudiness, then you should expect a surge in the activity of predatory fish - then you can grab a spinning rod and go to the “points” right during the day.
The heat of the day is not a hindrance for catfish, which can be caught with kwok throughout the day, as well as for carp, which continues to feed day and night. Catfish in the heat comes across not only over the pits, but even on the shallows and reaches. Carp can be successfully caught with the modern method of carp fishing, as well as with simpler bottom fishing rods baited with pearl barley shells, boilies, cake, etc. But carp does not take it everywhere; its typical habitats are snags under steep yars, as well as certain holes near shores. For fishing, you can still feed an area near the edge with a depth of 6-8 meters for one or two days, but it must certainly be located near the permanent habitat of carp (usually in such places carp splash and thereby give away their presence).
Fans of white fish fishing can relax in overgrown eriks, Volga bays and floodplain lakes by fishing for roach, rudd, crucian carp and tench. Linen is caught on a worm and maggot. But is it worth going to Astrakhan for such trophies when you can catch them right next to your home?
When cold weather sets in, the pike becomes more active at the spots, and its bite will be stronger the longer the heat lasted until that moment. Asp in July and August is no longer as active as in June and is very shy.
Let's summarize. If you happen to fish on the Volga in the summer, and your shelter is not a tent, but a fishing base, then remember - in the heat, pike perch bite only until 6 o’clock in the morning! What we mean is that you need to discuss in advance with the huntsman about going fishing at 3:00-4:00 in order to catch the morning bite. Not all rangers live at fishing bases; some come to work from neighboring villages.

Fishing on the Volga in autumn

The autumn fishing season on the Volga is much more transient than the summer one. Fishing on the Volga in autumn is most productive in October and November. The nature of the bite of underwater inhabitants at this time resembles that of spring - predator bites occur throughout the day. For trophies, you should go during the evening twilight. Walleye activity increases as water temperatures drop and peaks in late October. Pike perch is caught in classic places with a depth of 4 to 7 meters using jig spinning and trolling with a deep-sea wobbler. At this time, adherents of vertical fishing for fanged fish also produce good catches. A lot of pike perch are caught on the Volga in the fall in the Enotaevsky region.

What gear might you need?

Let's say a few words about the gear that will be required for fishing on the Volga.
To catch catfish using a quok, you need a short, powerful rod with a test weight of up to 200-300 g and a length of 2.1 m. A multiplier reel with a solid margin of safety is highly desirable. A braided line with a breaking load of 25 kg (0.28-0.36 mm) is suitable. For such fishing, sinkers weighing 150-200 g are used; a reliable hook and Kevlar gloves are also highly desirable when dragging catfish into the boat. With the same gear you can catch catfish by trolling with a deep-sea wobbler capable of diving to 8-12 meters. Just keep in mind that the depth of immersion is largely influenced by the diameter of the braided cord - the thinner it is, the deeper your wobbler will go in the strong Volga current.
For trolling and jig fishing, one universal “stick” with a dough of 15-50 g, equipped with a 3000-4000 series spinning reel with braid with a diameter of 0.16-0.22 mm, is suitable. It can be used when fishing for pike perch, pike, asp and small catfish. The weight of jig heads used on the Volga and its tributaries ranges from 20 to 60 g. Wobblers for trolling should be taken with a depth of 4 to 7-8 meters.
To catch perch, ide and small pike, you can take with you another light-class stick with a test weight of up to 20 g. It can be equipped with a 2500 series spinning reel and wind 0.08-0.11 mm braid on the spool. With this stick you can fish with oscillating and rotating spoons, light jigs and small wobblers.
Fans of fishing for bream, silver bream and medium-sized carp can also take with them a float rod with rings and a light spinning reel, as well as a feeder. You definitely won’t be bored, especially if you feed the fishing spot.

Cool places on the Volga: from Enotaevka to Gusiny Island

The first place I would like to tell you about is the spit of Enotaevka and the Volga, which is located approximately 16 km west of the village of Zavolzhskoye, which stands on the banks of the Mitinka River not far from the confluence with the Volga. This place is very promising - there are decent depths adjacent to underwater spits. In addition to pike perch, there is a high probability of catching catfish in this place, and quite a big one at that. It is more convenient to fish on the spit with a jig, and above it on the Volga itself there is an impressively sized sand spit, the northern shore of which can be fished by trolling, going upstream.

A little above the island there is a sand spit with depths from 1 to 3 meters (see point 1). This spit holds asp throughout the season, and on the spurs of the spit you can find hordes of hungry perches. To find the spit without an echo sounder, you can focus on the white buoy, which is located upstream near the left branch of the Volga. Promising places for fishing begin just from here to the island itself. If you head from the buoy perpendicular to the left bank, you will arrive at the carp pit (see point 2). If you fish here from the shore, then at a distance of 70-80 meters the depth is from 10 to 14 meters. The river current in this place is moderate and presses the equipment directly to the coveted edge. After a couple of days of feeding, you can arrange excellent carp fishing here.
In addition to the carp pit mentioned above, you can catch good carp from a sandy island. If you cast from the island into the left branch of the Volga, then at a distance of 80-100 meters the depths reach 6-9 meters (see point 3). Since the current is not very strong, it is not necessary to use massive sinkers. Somewhere in the middle of the sandy island on the left bank of the Volga, a chain of holes and snags begins (see point 4). There are a lot of carp along the snaggy left bank, where they are caught throughout the summer right from the boat. Shells, boilies, cake work from nozzles. In addition to carp, there is a high probability of catching catfish, and far from small.
As for the right branch of the Volga opposite the island, the current here intensifies, after which the sand spit falls into a hole. In calm weather, the depth difference is visible right on the surface, where water turbulence is formed. Pike perches, pikes and catfish gather here on the edges. Over many years, near the left bank, the current washed a hole with a depth of up to 25 meters (point 5). This hole in its shape is somewhat reminiscent of a trough. From the right bank of the river there is a sharp drop of 8-10 meters, at the next stage the depth increases to 20-25 meters. The ascent from the pit to the island takes more than 500 meters and ends at a depth of 2-3 meters at the island itself. The bulk of predator bites here occur on the edges. You can also try trolling the underwater steps.
Downstream behind the island there are 2 areas with underwater spits, the bottom of them is wavy, which creates a lot of shelter for predators (point 6). Here you can often find asp with perch, and sometimes pike perch also come out on the spits. Pike perch bites can be observed here even at a depth of no more than 1.5 m.
If you move along the left branch of the Volga in the channel that connects it with Mitinka, then its left bank is a low steep ravine (point 7). In some places there are snags at a depth of 4-6 meters. You can always find carp in this snag, and it begins to be caught here unusually early - back in April! You can fish here directly with a worm. In addition to carp, the catch will most likely include bream, silver bream and small catfish.

Below on the right bank of the Volga, opposite the Shambaysky Island, there are many coastal holes with a reverse current (suvodi) (see point 10). There are many excellent jigging spots along its nearly 3km stretch. In the same places you can catch catfish with a quok. The only thing that makes fishing difficult is the abundance of hooks. At the very bottom of this strip, opposite the mouth of Mitinka, a network of completely deaf snags begins. Anglers with tents often stop here on the shore and fish directly in the snags using bottom gear. Their catches include carp, catfish, and various types of fish.
The left bank of Shambaysky Island along the Volga, opposite zone 10, has several sand spits, but it is difficult to fish on them, because There are a lot of poaching networks here.
Another interesting place is the spit of Mitinka and the Volga itself, which is located at the lowest point of Shambaysky Island (point 9). Here in June you can successfully catch catfish, and pike perch often graze.
Upstream of the Mitinka there is a large hole (point 11), the landmark of its location will be the ship’s skeleton on the right side of the Mitinka (it is shown with an arrow on the map). Pike, catfish, pike perch and bersh are caught along the edges of this hole.

Now let’s move even further downstream of the Volga, here, opposite the village of Rechnoye, a gas pipeline-sink is laid at the bottom (point 12). The top of the pipes is strewn with large cobblestones, which creates a rather interesting underwater terrain. Your guide will be the “Do not drop anchor” signs installed on the shore. From the right bank of the Volga there is a steep drop to a depth of 10 meters, then a vast ridge with a depth of 5 to 6 meters begins, which breaks off in steps into the riverbed. The last step is located at a depth of 8 to 10 meters, followed by a gentle drop to the 18 meter mark. It is convenient to fish here both by trolling and jigging. The catches are dominated by pike perch and bass, but pike and perch are also caught. Sometimes asp is also found here.

Along the left bank of the Volga below the village of Rechnoye, a series of whirlpool holes stretches for 3 km (point 13). Catfish are often caught here with a quok, as well as with a donka. Often, mustachioed giants weighing 100 kg are caught in the local pits. On the edges between the pits here you can catch pike perch and bass using a jig spinning rod.
As for the right bank of the Volga down from the siphon, it is also very interesting. Here, right next to the shore, a drop of 10-12 meters begins; there are many hard edges that are snagged in places. In zone 14 you can find many places for catching carp, catfish and pike perch. An interesting place is point 15, there is a carp pit opposite a group of poplars. It is more convenient to fish in a hole directly from an anchored boat.
Downstream the Volga, the depths begin to decrease. In the place under the number 16 there is a snagged stretch where pike perch and bersh are caught.
Even lower, near Zamyansky Island, the sand spit in front of the island borders on a depth of 20 meters (at point 17). Here it is convenient to stand at a depth of 5 meters and cast along the edge or immediately into the depths. The length of the edge reaches about 200 meters, so you can also catch it by trolling.
At point 18 along the right bank of the Volga there is a drop from 2.5 to 30 meters. For successful fishing, you need to anchor right on the edge of the edge and fish along the cliff downstream.
Another interesting place is located behind Zamyansky Island. Here, an underwater spit stretches from the cape to a depth of 6 meters, followed by a drop to a depth of 20 meters. In fact, the cape is the entrance to a hole, the depth of which reaches 40 meters. You need to stand on the very edge of the spit or even deeper, and make casts in the direction of the left bank.
At point 20 there is a fairly smooth decrease to 8 meters, after which the bottom goes to a step with a depth of up to 18 meters. It’s better to stand here not on the edge, but higher to the shore - about 20 meters.
From the ferry crossing beyond the village of Zamiany, a chain of pits begins along the left and right banks. On the right bank they stretch all the way to Gusiny Island (zone 21), and on the left bank almost to the Shchuchy Erik (zone 22). The depth here in some places reaches 20-30 meters. There are places for catching trophy catfish everywhere here. They are caught here in sleepy with the help of quok.

At point 23, behind the branch of the Gusinaya channel (Old Volga), there is another interesting place. Here the depth from 4 meters drops down to 12 m, the current here is strong, and the fish do not stay long. But it’s worth checking the point anyway.
The next secret place on the Volga is located behind Krugly Island, where Erik Shchuchy goes around it (usually marked on the map as Volozhka Petropavlovka or Petropavlovskaya).
In this erik, in the fall, a lot of pike always gather (and trophy ones - up to 12-15 kg), and the rest of the time many other predators hang out in the pits. The most convenient way to fish is with a jig. The first pit is located right at the entrance to Erik, about 100 meters away (point 24). The second pit on the Shchuchy river is located at point 25, under the power line.
The third hole downstream will help you find the remains of an old concrete structure on the left bank; there are several piles sticking out there (point 25). The fourth pit is located even lower - immediately after the sheepfold (point 27); this pit on the Shchuchye erik is the deepest of the four. It is not so easy to notice it without an echo sounder; the banks around are swampy and overgrown with aquatic vegetation. But literally 7 meters from the shore the depth is 18-20 meters. Fishing on the Shchuchye River always brings catches; it is almost impossible to remain here without fish. And the small width of the erik and its elevated bank allow you to hide from the wind in any weather.
Another very promising place for fishing on the Volga is the outlet of the Erik Shchuchy into the main riverbed. Here, from 2 meters the depth in clay steps goes down to 6-10 meters, after which there is a drop into the riverbed of 20 meters. The steps are a haven for fans of jig-spinning: pike perch, bersh and pike are caught. At the dump you can count on a bite from a large catfish. It is better to catch it here with a donk or using a quok.
It is convenient to fish at the exit from the erik right at the white buoy (point 29), here you can anchor next to it or tie the boat directly to the buoy. Next, you throw the bottom gear onto the dump and wait for the mustachioed giant to bite. Catfish here range from medium to real giants, so you won’t be bored.
Just above the mouth on Krugly Island there is a chain of coastal pits with a dump into the riverbed (zone 28), here you can catch not only catfish, but also carp.
On the right bank of the Volga, opposite the mouth of the Shchuchiy erik, there is an extensive shallow reach with a sandy-loamy bottom. The depth on it ranges from 4 to 12 meters. Here you can find schools of bream, followed by pike perch. It’s not easy to find fish on the stretch; it’s more convenient to fish using trolling and an echo sounder.
As for the left bank of the Volga below the mouth of the Shchuchiy erik, here promising places are located over a distance of 2 km (zone 31). Here, near the shore, there are many pits with a dump into the riverbed. The depths between the pits range from 4 to 6 meters, and in the pits they reach up to 25 meters. The bottom on the left bank is hard, and the strength of the current forces the use of jig heads weighing from 60 to 80 g.
Below Gusiny Island in zone 32 there is the legendary Mashkina Pit, in which sturgeon were caught back in Soviet times. Today, catfish and carp also live here, but fishing in the pit itself is prohibited.

With this I would like to complete the story about fishing on the Volga in the waters of the World-Fish fishing base.

• Fishing in Selitrennoye: Mitinka, Banny, Brick, Akhtuba

And to make fishing on the Lower Volga easier, you will need a boat with a motor and an echo sounder. Then the expanses of Mother Volga are completely at your disposal.