Not all novice fishermen know what the "English donka" is. That is, they may have heard about her, but what she is and why many are unaware of.
English bottom tackle - what is it?
As the name implies, for the first time this tackle appeared in England, where local fishermen began to use interchangeable feeders and flexible tops for donkeys, which turned out to be very convenient in the process of fishing. It is the replaceable tops of the rod that are the characteristic feature of the English bottom tackle.
In the standard English rod there are usually three interchangeable tops, also called nods. They vary in stiffness and are designed for fishing in different streams (slow, medium and fast). Depending on the weight of the sinker, the feeder and the intended production, they can also be different. The tops are usually painted in a bright (usually orange) color and are removed to the butt of the rod when it is assembled.
Many anglers prefer to make such a snap as an English donka on their own. Its installation is quite simple, and the tackle is very catchy.
Types of English Donkey
These donks are of two types:
- quivertype pickers used for fishing with a paternoster snap;
- quivertype feeders, the rigging of which in its composition has a special feeder.
The fundamental difference between them is the rod. For the second type, it is selected more powerful.
The value of the right fit
The guarantee of a good catch is an excellent tooling that you must not only choose correctly, but also mount it properly. Experienced fishermen come to this through trial and error, achieving good results in the end.
Those who are just thinking about how to make a donka with their own hands should know that every detail is important. This applies to the choice of both the rod itself and fishing line, reel, feeders, hooks and float. As for the latter, it should be firmly fixed on the fishing line by any method of attachment convenient for the angler.
Float installation: basic methods
Depending on in what places it is supposed to fish, choose the type of fastening of the float.
If you want to install an English donkey for fishing in stagnant water, then a deaf fastening of the float is required. In this case, the position is determined by the fisherman himself, choosing the option convenient for fishing. To do this, pull the copper wire into the bottom ring of the float and, twisting its ends, firmly attach it to the fishing line.
The second option for blind mounting is mounting with two cambrices. The wire itself is not curled, but bent in the form of a loop, bending the edges in one plane.
For fishing in deep ponds, where there are places with thickets of reeds and snags, as well as for distant castings, sliding equipment is suitable. In this case, the float itself moves between the two stoppers. But for such a snap there must be a certain skill, since the fishing line can often be torn. Therefore, for beginners, it is undesirable to use it.
Paternoster feeder equipment
This is the easiest and most efficient installation for the feeder. An English donka of this type is considered classic and is used for catching various fish. The essence of installation is to mount the leash over the feeder. For this, the loop method is most often used. It is considered not only the simplest, but also very reliable. It does not require ingenious devices, since you can knit directly on the main fishing line.
With the correct fastening of the load-feeder, an excellent English donka is obtained, the installation of which consists of several steps:
- the line is wound on a reel, and its ends are threaded into the rings of the rod;
- measure 0.5-1 m from the tip of the rod and at this distance bend the fishing line in half, making a knot;
- a feeder is attached to the loop obtained;
- a leash (0.4-0.6 m) with a hook is tied to the remaining line of fishing line.
It is important to note that the leash must be slightly longer than the length of line that leads to the feeder.
Fishing line selection
Those who are interested in how to make donku with their own hands should know that fishing line is also of great importance. Her choice depends on the nature of the rod and its tip. Pikker fishing with easy rigging involves the presence of monofilament fishing line. It is convenient in that it has minimal friction, passing through the rod rings. If heavy feeder gear is used, then a braided cord is preferred, although monofilament is still used for a leash.
Nevertheless, various types of equipment connected by monofilament or braided fishing line do not satisfy many. This is why experienced fishermen often use tackle with anti-twist. It is a small plastic tube bent in such a way that one part is shorter than the other, and there is a metal loop on the bend to which the clasp is attached.
Feeder mounting using anti- scrubber
This option is used for fishing in places where the bottom of the reservoir with stones and shells can cut the fishing line or damage the equipment with the feeder. It makes it possible to avoid the breakage of the fishing line or braided cord, and also to prevent the latter from breaking up.
You can knit it on a separate stretch of monofilament or braided cord, and then connect it with the main fishing line using a clasp. Or mount all the components directly on the work line.
To install the donkey with anti-zakruchivatel, you will need:
- feeder feeder;
- plastic bead;
- hooked leash;
- swivel;
- anti-twist.
Installation is as follows:
- a fishing line is inserted from the short side into the anti-twist;
- after she leaves the long side, a bead is strung on her;
- a swivel is tied directly behind the bead using the clinch knot;
- a feeder feeder is attached to the fastener;
- the free end of the swivel is connected to the leash in a loop-to-loop fashion.
Just a few simple steps - and the English donka is ready. Installing it with an anti-twist may seem cumbersome to someone, but it offers several advantages.
Firstly, this equipment responds well to bite. As soon as the fish starts to peck, the tip of the rod is triggered due to the fact that the line easily moves through the anti-twist. That’s why you can cut it right away.
Secondly, the fish does not feel the severity of the feeder and calmly takes the bait without suspecting anything.
Winter english donka
Fishing in the winter season has a number of features, since it is quite difficult to dissolve and lay bottom tackle from the ice from the ice. Accordingly, the English donka will also have differences. Its installation is somewhat complicated.
The bottom gear includes two sliding sinkers. The first should be light (5–8 g). It is designed to tackle the flow of the stream. The second - heavy (25-30 g) - serves to lay the gear to the bottom. Sinkers freely move along the fishing line to special stops, which are used as carbines or lead shot.
An English donka in winter should have 3 leashes. One of them is located below the light sinker at the end of the donka, and the other two are above the limiter of the light sinker, at a distance of 30 cm and 60 cm.
Throw such a donka also in a special way. First, the bait is mounted on the hooks, and then, holding a heavy sinker and slowly etching the fishing line, the tackle is carefully lowered into the hole. Meanwhile, a light sinker with leashes will be carried by the current from the hole. And only when at least 5 meters of fishing line comes off, a heavy sinker can be lowered into the hole in it.
You can also erase the fishing line to a greater length, and then again lower the sinker and begin to tighten the tackle. This creates the opportunity along the course to catch a significant territory.
Now, knowing what the English donka is from and to, you can successfully use it for fishing all year round, appreciating all its advantages. We hope that the information will be very useful to you. Have a nice fishing trip!