The animation that we will give to our lure will be essentially conditioned by the activity of the fish, which is largely slowed down at the transition between late autumn and winter due to a significant cooling of the water temperature. As I have already said in previous articles, fish being cold-blooded animals, their level of activity is largely conditioned by the water temperature. This is explained by a significant slowing down of the metabolism. Digestion time is lengthened and feeding windows are less frequent. This being said, the fish continue to feed and there is still a possibility to stimulate their predatory instinct.
Animation pattern
The lure should work as much as possible on the vertical plane. In the spirit, its presentation will be close to that of a drop shot. The animation will thus be carried out high canne and will be characterized by a succession of twitches more or less ample while not recovering its line too quickly.
Indeed, while it is widely accepted that from spring to fall, you should animate your lure briskly, and especially without pausing to avoid the risk of seeing the perch turn away, in winter things are quite different. The fish are more indecisive, give the impression of asking themselves questions before eventually seizing the lure. It is very common to see fish get on the lure when pulling and then get off when releasing.
You'll have to give your lure time to travel through the water column, from the surface to the bottom, and finally land on the substrate. Regularly the poles will pick up the lure totally inert.
This is all very well but why not use the Drop shot in this case, you may ask?
The Drop shot
According to the conception I have of this light itinerant fishing of the perch in small rivers, this one has for me as main interest its sobriety, taking into account the little material necessary to its implementation. A rod, some lures and a landing net, nothing more.
I consider the Drop shot (and I am far from being the only one!) as a formidable rig for fishing percids, especially in the cold waters typical of winter. Because it will allow in this context to fish very slowly or even on the spot, by stretching and relaxing its banner without taking off the lead from the bottom.
However, a Drop shot rig will not be the solution to all the constraints linked to this type of environment (skippering a Drop shot rig under the foliage is not ideal for example) which would require that I take at least two rods with me. A rod in Drop shot, and another with a soft lure mounted on a lead head.
I prefer to do without and find solutions for the presentation of my lures (see article "Small river perch: bank on a natural presentation in early winter!" ) but this is a personal choice because a drop shot rig with a small Texas hook and a 3g weight is formidable in many situations. The choice is yours!
