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Cheburashka: simple and effective
It's hard to say where this astonishing name comes from. The "cheburashka" assembly derives its sassy name from a character in Russian children's literature, a comical allusion to a small animal with a round head (the ballast) and large ears (the metal eyelets). The term cheburashka is widely used in Russia and the former USSR in a figurative sense, to designate objects resembling this character, especially those that appear to have two large ears (such as the Russian Antonov An-72 aircraft, which has two large engines and appears, from the front, to have two large ears), or to designate cute characters or objects.
It's a far cry from serious Japanese or American names, but it's still original. Getting back to fishing, for the record, this strange and unknown little animal got its name from the fact that it was found in an orange crate from which it had "tumbled" ( tchiebourakhnoulsya, ÑебÑÑeurosÐ°Ñ Ð½ÑÐ "ÑÑ in Russian), which fits in well with our set-up, which is designed for rapid descent to the bottom.
The cheburashka is characterized by the attachment between the ballast and the hook, which gives the soft lure assembly articulation. There is no rigidity between the weight and the hook as with a conventional lead-headed hook.
This gives the lure greater mobility and makes it easier for predators to grab. In addition, the system for attaching the hook to the weight is quite ingenious and offers numerous possibilities for exploitation.
Despite the relative antiquity of this rig (some would say that a split shot pinched onto a trombone or piano wire has been around for a long time, like the one used for the "Drachkovitch" rig), improvements to the cheburashka and the arrival of hooks adapted to this technique are fairly recent. Today, more and more brands (such as Gamakatsu) are creating "special cheburashka" hooks with a large eye to facilitate the articulation movement and the passage of the hook.
Another recent innovation is the use of tungsten for the weights, for greater resonance and more compact, discreet mounting. This material is also less polluting than lead and provides a better feel for the bottom when the ballast contacts the substrate.
This is a real plus, as this rig is particularly effective and relevant when fishing close to the bottom.
Quick, clever assembly
The cheburashka assembly consists of a spherical ballast with a vertical flat slot in the second half of the ballast. This slot houses an open piano wire "staple".
This system locks into the ballast. Simply press the eyelet with your fingers or a pair of pliers to release the clip. Don't panic though, the clasp will never dislodge from the ballast when fishing or fighting a big fish, leaving the clasp free to open.
The more you pull on the line, the more the clamp mechanically locks, the direction of release being opposite to that of the pull on the line. The two ears form two eyelets. One of the eyes (the upward one) on the staple is used to tie the leader, while the other (the straight one) is used to pass the hook eye through.
These rigs are supplied in kit form, complete with weights and hooks. Only the hooks need to be purchased separately.
A highly versatile assembly
The cheburashka rig can be used in many situations. The strong point of this rig is that it is very easy to change hook models: single, Texan or double.
This allows you to make the most of your soft lures and fish in a wide range of conditions.
You can switch from prospecting to methodical obstacle fishing, or from linear to vertical fishing, in the blink of an eye.
Another advantage of this rig is that it can be used for overweight fishing. This means, for example, fishing with a 5 cm lure and a 10-gram weight, which is difficult with a conventional lead head. In fact, the fact that the rig is articulated offers great mobility even with a large ballast and small lures, which remain swimming, mobile and effective.
What's more, a small hook suitable for a 5 cm lure can be mounted on a substantial ballast, whereas with leaded head hooks, generally speaking, the heavier the ballast, the larger the hook. This feature comes in handy when the current is strong, when you need to fish far away or when the depth is great and the fish are focused on small prey. In addition, the cheburashka rig lends itself well to the use of all types of soft lures: from shad to comma to craw, worm, finesse... A feature rare enough to be highlighted. Used with a shad, the cheburashka rig leaves plenty of freedom of movement.
The play at the eye allows a rolling movement of low amplitude, but marked and of fairly rapid frequency, on linear animations. This light rolling movement is also present when using fairly heavy weights and shads with a small paddle. Only the lure "rolls" and not the weight, unlike a conventional lead-head rig where lure and weight roll together. In addition to its use for soft lure fishing, the cheburaska rig's ballast is also used to head-weight spinners.
The qualities of this rig are closely linked to the type of hook used. Let's take a look at how to get the most out of each: single, Texas or double hook.
Single hook
The cheburashka rig with single hook is the basic rig.
It can be used for vertical or linear fishing. It allows you to fish heavy with small lures and, conversely, to fish light with big lures, always with the right hook size and shape for the lure. A real plus compared to leaded heads. This makes it possible to match and fine-tune the lure, hook and sinker for a perfect match! Beneath its simplistic appearance, the cheburashka turns out to be highly technical, allowing numerous combinations for perfect control.
The cheburashka provides little stress and is ultra adaptable. The joint gives the lure more movement and more "life", making it ideal for slow fishing close to the bottom, where the lure needs to move with little amplitude but generate movement and swim. This very natural presentation is one of the reasons why this rig is so popular with pike-perch in winter, when they move very little and stay in very marked positions. When the lure makes contact with the bottom, it moves a lot.
After contact with the bottom, the lure is still in motion and falls gently. The cheburashka gives more freedom and mobility to the soft lure and outperforms lead heads for bottom fishing, which is why it's so effective on perch and pike-perch. You'll be amazed!
Texas hook
In addition to the single hook, there's a natural temptation to use a Texas hook when the bottom is crowded. Here again, the soft lure remains very mobile, but this time it goes everywhere.
As with a classic Texan rig (with a ball sinker), the lure is very mobile. However, the cheburashka rig offers better control with its spherical ballast than with a bullet. It will, however, "slide" a little less well in weedbeds than a classic Texan rig. The hook is easily released and the use of a Texan hook with this rig generates very little waste on the bite.
Some anglers only use Texas hooks to rig their soft lures. However, they make the tip stand out. The lure stays perfectly on the hook, but with the tip free of the lure material, it's no longer a question of prospecting overcrowded areas.
Whether with a single, Texas or double hook, the cheburashka rig allows you to adjust the angle of the lure's bite, which is difficult with a conventional jighead. Many anglers are still reluctant to use Texas hooks for pike-perch fishing.
This is undoubtedly due to the fact that pike-perch often strike short and hard, generating a lot of waste when striking. The classic Texan rig, with a bullet, doesn't always present itself well and the lure tends to turn on itself. With the cheburashka rig, the lure is always well positioned and presented, the pike-perch takes better hold of the soft lure, which is freer thanks to the articulation, and the strike is optimal.
Compared with a classic Texan rig (sliding ball plus Texan hook), the cheburashka is more directional and more precise .
Moreover, in my opinion it's one of the best rigs for fishing pike-perch from the shore, at an angle and fishing far away, with the best touch/ferrage ratio and very little snagging on the bottom.
The choice of this set-up with a Texan hook has become my favorite for Texan pike-perch fishing in crowded conditions or on rough mineral bottoms.
Double hook
For vertical fishing and when the bottom is more open, Eastern European fishermen often use double hooks.
This type of hook is rarely used in France for soft lure fishing (they are often only used on our blades). It has the advantage of always offering a point to be lodged in the fish's mouth, whereas a simple hook can topple over and lie "flat" in the predator's mouth.
This is particularly true for pike-perch and pike. Moreover, the double hook does not have a point directly exposed to the various snags on the bottom, as is the case with a treble hook.
The use of the double hook with cheburashka rig is particularly relevant and effective on percids and is very complementary to the use of the single hook.
Choice of lure and equipment
As mentioned above, it's the hook and weight that adapt to the lure, not the other way round. You can therefore use shads, which remain the classics, but also worms, craws and finesse lures. All you have to do is change the hook in the blink of an eye, replacing it with one of a more suitable size or shape.
Fine, supple shads are ideal for Texan fishing. High shads with flat sides are particularly effective with a double hook.
This technique can be used with a spinning combo as well as a casting combo. In fact, on light weights, the use of a baitfinesse combo (light casting) is very relevant for perch. You can get the most out of this set-up with a sensitive and responsive rod.
A full tip rod is ideal for light, meticulous fishing, especially in winter when bites are shy. The length of the rod will depend on how you want to tackle the target.
From shore, prefer a 2.10m to 2.50m rod that's responsive and directional. I recommend the Illex The Artist series of rods as one of the best choices for technical percid fishing.
In a boat, float-tube or kayak, a short, easy-to-handle rod is just what you need. The use of a braid is essential to get the most out of this set-up, which is ideal for scraping the bottom. Braid will give you more information than nylon or fluorocarbon.
