Winter fishing in Karelia is a special pleasure. The unique and majestic nature, severe frosts and snow mounds, the abundance of lakes and rivers teeming with a variety of fish - all this creates optimal conditions for fishing in the cold season. Local places are especially appreciated among seasoned fishermen who regularly visit Karelia, at their favorite ponds, for captured fish with the advent of frost. Beginners and amateurs keep up with them.
December fishing
Inexperienced fishermen often ask a lot of questions about what winter fishing in Karelia is and at what specific time it is still better to go with a fishing rod to a pond. Lakes and rivers are covered with ice in the middle or at the beginning of autumn, however, it acquires a real fortress only in December. According to reviews, at the beginning of the season they are quite successfully caught:
Pike perch, pike (fishing method - baubles, zerlitsa).
Roach, bream, perch (fishing method - float fishing rod in combination with bait).
- Perch (fishing method - baubles or mormyshki).
January fishing
As for the middle of winter, at this time of the year there is a significant decline in fishing. This trend is due to the considerable thickness of the settled ice, which does not transmit light and reduces the amount of oxygen in the water, thereby creating unfavorable conditions for feeding and active life of the fish. Many individuals lie at the bottom.
To increase the chances of a good catch in January, it is recommended to choose large reservoirs with a large water area. So, at depth pikes are still actively hunting, catching which is possible for winter lanterns and large baubles. When hunting for bream or roach, bait should be used. In addition, you must remember that each fish needs its own bait. So, the chub prefers fatty lard, and the roach prefers bloodworms.
February fishing
Winter fishing in Karelia in February it also belongs to the category of pleasure of increased complexity. The mild winter in the north is characterized by severe frosts, a lot of snow, and generally very difficult weather conditions, while the ice has the same thickness as in January. It is generally accepted that at this time of the year there is almost no bite, the fish behaves extremely sluggishly and catching it on a hook is a great success. Who can you try to catch in big water in February? There is still the opportunity to extend the pike, perch, ruff, and by the end of the month - and roach.
Reviews of local virtues
So, let’s summarize the intermediate result of how good winter fishing is in Karelia. Reviews of fishermen who have been visiting these places for more than a year indicate the following advantages of local fishing:
Possibility of winter fishing from November to early April.
High chance of catching trophy individuals (especially large specimens).
The presence of a large network of tourist centers suitable for the comfortable accommodation of fishermen.
Reviews note that pike and burbot are best caught in the cold season. In the first case, it is recommended to use a winter fishing rod equipped with a vertical lure; in the second case, use a bottom fishing rod or a winter lantern equipped with small live fish. By the way, burbot activates in the evening hours and prefers weather with a strong wind.
Fishing on Lake Onega
What specific places are recommended to go to frost and cold? Of course, winter fishing in Karelia on Lake Onega can be a win-win option. One of the largest and cleanest reservoirs for the most part is located precisely on the territory of this subject of our country. Lake Onega has not only an impressive size, but also considerable depth (in some places it is more than 30 meters), it feeds a reservoir of more than 1000 various rivers and tributaries. It is covered with ice rather slowly, along the edges in December, closer to the center in January. In these conditions, fishermen can try their luck and catch one of the 47 representatives of the underwater kingdom. Salmon, trout, whitefish, crucian carp, perch, pike, and ruff are found on Lake Onega.
Winter fishing in Karelia, taking place on Lake Onega, is most often carried out on burbot. A lover of great depth, from January to the month he actively pecks on almost any bait. With a certain amount of luck, you can get hold of a perch here, who prefers original baits (vibro tails of red or green colors). However, if you are not a supporter of modern fishing gear, an ordinary worm or bloodworm will also do just fine.
River fishing
A popular question among beginners is the question: is winter fishing possible in Karelia on the river? Of course, yes. The advice in this case is also universal: choose larger rivers with a moderate flow, for example, Sumu, which crosses three lakes along the way to the White Sea. The methods of fishing during the development of rivers primarily depend on the fish for which hunting is open.