How to make a floating bait from silicone. Silicone baits are the key to successful fishing in any conditions

Soft artificial baits for spinning rods are in great demand. It is thanks to affordable rubber that novice anglers get their first catches. In order for a predator to grab a silicone fish, you need to know when to use a sinking mount and when it is better to use a floating vibrating tail. Let us consider in this material all the nuances of fishing with a vibrotail.

Every spinning player has soft spinning baits such as vibrotails and twisters in his box. They are most often made from silicone, but fishermen call them rubber. The main advantages of silicone fish are:

• real imitation of fish fry;
• elasticity and softness in warm and cold water;
• possibility of adding taste;
• affordable price.

Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting its fragility, especially when the bait is attacked by toothy predators.

What is the difference between a twister and a vibrotail? The vibrotail is an imitation of a fish with a special tail. If in a twister it has a sickle shape and is located along the body, then in a vibrotail the back part is made perpendicularly in the form of a hoof. During wiring, the tail oscillates from side to side, creating vibration. The predator catches the vibrations along the side line and goes on the attack. For different types of fish, it is necessary to use vibrating tails of a suitable size and use special animation. Silicone baits are mounted on hooks or jig heads.

Photo 1. At the top is a twister, at the bottom is a vibrating tail.

When and where does a vibrating tail work best?

Vibrating tails are sold in a wide range of sizes and a wide range of colors. Therefore, it is important for the fisherman to choose the right model for each body of water. As for the preferred time of year, in the right hands rubber brings success both in summer and winter.

• The game of the vibrating tail depends primarily on the size of the tail. The small hoof is characterized by intense play with frequent vibrations. In large models, the tail wags to the sides slowly, but powerfully and sweepingly. Some baits have a tail that has a sharp end or is made in the form of a simple fin. Such models behave passively and straightforwardly; their catchability will depend on the skills of the fisherman when performing wiring.
• The nature of the vibrating tail's play is also influenced by the thickness of the leg. The narrow connection between the tail and the body ensures high-frequency vibrations of the claw. But such models may be left without a tail after the first pike attack.

Each predator has its own favorite forms of vibrotails.

1. The toothy predator prefers lures with a high body shape, in which the hoof wags widely during the slowest retrieve. Pike loves aggressive colors, and the length of the bait should be in the range from 12 to 25 cm.
2. Pike perch have a preference for narrow-bodied tires, which have minimal play and little vibration. The fanged one reacts best to natural colors, and the size of the vibrotail is limited to 10-15 cm.
3. Perch should be offered the smallest but active models. The length range is 4-8 cm; a red spot at the head of the bait will look attractive to the striped robber.
4. Ide and chub bite well on rubber 3-5 cm in size with a classic body shape. Among the colors, brown and white-blue should be highlighted.

Installation of a vibrating tail on a hook and jig head

Fishing with a vibrating tail is not always successful for novice anglers. Spinners make a lot of mistakes at the preparatory stage, when they need to put rubber on the hook. There are several installation options here.

• It is considered a classic jig to equip a vibrating tail with a special hook with a spherical sinker. The jig head is rigid, and the hook size must correspond to the size of the artificial fish. The easiest way is to attach the hook to the body of the bait. Ideally, the sting should come out of the back closer to the tail, and not to the head. The disadvantage of this installation is the use of only one jig head.

Photo 2. Mounting on a jig head.

Helpful advice! To prevent the tail from being bitten off, a small tee is mounted on the hook of the jig head after attaching the vibrotail. It can also be tied to the eye of a jig head using a tungsten leader.

• More and more spinning players are using a mobile version of equipment. For this, an offset or double hook and an eared “Cheburashka” sinker are used. The hook and sinker are connected through one or two winding rings. This installation allows you to make hook-free baits. In them, the offset tip is pressed against the back of the vibrotail, without clinging to grass and underwater obstacles.

Photo 3. Installation on a double with a Cheburashka.

Photo 4. Mounting on an offset hook.

Fishing technique

To see a predator bite on a vibrotail, the spinning angler should master several simple retrieves.

• The easiest way for novice anglers to start is to wind the line evenly. After casting, you need to wait until the bait sinks to the bottom. Then slow, uniform wiring is done.

• The most popular animation among experienced spinning players is a step. The sensitive rod tip plays the main role here. At the moment the rubber touches the bottom, the tip plays back, after which it rewinds and stops. Pike bite more often when the vibrotail is floating for a long time in the water column, and pike perch attacks the bait after touching the bottom.

These two wiring options can be varied by the speed of rotation of the reel, number of revolutions, duration of pauses, twitching of the rod tip, etc.

• At night on the river, fishermen often use drift fishing. The bait is cast perpendicular to the direction of the current; after lowering the equipment to the bottom, the line-laying bracket is closed. There is no need to reel in the line until the bait is washed ashore by the current. The bite is determined by the tip of the rod with a firefly or by the fishing line that is passed between the fingers.
• Vibrotail can bring good fish in winter. Fishing is done from the ice, so the wiring is done in a vertical plane. The winter fishing technique involves periodically tossing the bait at the bottom. It is better to choose models with large claws. Such rubber creates a lot of noise under water, which provokes a predator to attack.
• Catching predators by trolling has its own technical features. Since the speed of the boat must be uniform, it is necessary to choose baits with intense play.

Vibration tail tuning

Many fishermen, wanting to improve the catchability of a vibrotail, resort to tuning the bait. Refinement can be carried out in several directions.

1. Sometimes it is possible to increase the number of bites by painting. For this purpose, it is useful to carry waterproof markers with you. For example, if you make the back of the rubber black and draw a red dot on each side in the head area, then the predator will attack the bait more often.
2. There are several ways to improve tail play. The easiest way is to make longitudinal or transverse cuts at the tail constriction. A similar effect is achieved by drilling through holes in the narrowing. You can thin the narrow part of the tail by stretching it. It is enough to immerse the vibrating tail in boiling water for a couple of seconds to stretch the rubber. After this, you should immediately cool the silicone fish in cold water.
3. You can make a symbiosis of the moving body of a twister with the tail part and hoof of a vibrotail. Installation is easy with matches or instant glue.
4. Experienced fishermen have noticed that the predator responds better to vibrating tails that have positive or neutral buoyancy. This can be done by introducing polystyrene foam or construction foam into the body. In the case of foam plastic, the volume of the foreign body can be precisely selected. The body is cut, a foam plate is inserted into it, and then the damaged rubber is glued or soldered. Injecting polyurethane foam looks simpler. First, a hole is drilled in the body, and then the gun is inserted and the extruder is inserted at a minimum feed. After a couple of hours it will harden, the excess can be cut off with a knife and the vibrating tail can be tested. Ideally, it is desirable to ensure that the bait hangs in the water column.

Vibrotail is one of the simplest and most affordable artificial baits. If you choose the right tires for the conditions of the reservoir and perform the appropriate wiring, you will have a real chance of catching fish. And if the predator doesn’t like the bait in some way, then it can be modified right while fishing.

Silicone bait, used in fishing, is an excellent catcher of predatory wayward fish. Fishing will always be successful if you choose the right silicone companion, but how to understand the variety of soft baits presented? Colors, shapes, material options, functional features can confuse a novice spinner...

A series of articles devoted to the types of silicone baits, their features and structure, methods of application and fishing tactics, installation options and other important points will dispel all doubts and help you accurately select the desired bait option and properly equip the spinning rod.

1. Varieties of silicone baits

The variety of silicone baits presented on the fishing market can satisfy even the most meticulous fisherman:

• various hybrids of baits.

Purpose of silicone baits– imitation of living organisms of various types (worms, frogs, larvae, etc.), which are favorite dishes on the menu of any predator.

1.1 What is edible silicone

Edible baits— are made from a special material that contains amino acids and a flavoring attractant, salt and fish oil.

Attractant or in Latin attraho means to attract to itself - these are natural or artificially derived synthetic substances that are a source of odor and attract fish to themselves. For example, insects, spiders, crayfish, mammals and fish that live in algae possess this substance. For the first time such a substance was bred in 1961 in the USSR from a silkworm (butterfly). That is why edibles have an external resemblance to the carriers of this miraculous attractor.

When to use edibles? When the predator is not active and does not please you with bites.

Note to beginning spinners! This type of artificial bait is not eaten by fish. The point is that, having grabbed the bait, the fish does not swallow it, but begins to suck it, so to speak, savor it, and when it realizes that something is wrong, it spits out the bait. It is during the period of savoring that you need to hook.

There are several widows of edible baits:

1. Silicone bait, which is impregnated with the above-mentioned substance.
2. Bait that is saturated with smell even at the stage of its production.

1. Washing the bait.
2. Drying it out.
3. Place in a sealed bag with a few drops of the desired attractant scent.
4. Shake the bag and put it in a dark place for 3 days.
5. Rinse hands thoroughly.

Positive quality Such bait is stored for a long time, without loss of primary properties, but in a closed container, for example, the manufacturer’s own packaging or a tightly closed jar is suitable.

The basis for determining the types of edible rubber are fishing conditions:

• quiet and calm water suggests the use of passive edible bait;
• absence of current or, conversely, when it is strong, use active edible baits;
• in the cold season, edible rubber is indispensable;
• during the period of absence of bites.

Half-hour video from the Shcherbakov brothers about edible rubber

1.1.1 Advantages and disadvantages of edible baits

Advantages:

1. The predator, having swallowed the intended prey, does not immediately recognize the catch.
2. Realistic bait game.
3. Well expressed aroma properties.
4. Reliability of fixation, unlike its live counterpart.

Flaw- ability to dry quickly when storage rules are ignored.

1.1.2 What flavors should I use and for what fish?

• perch – shrimp, bloodworm, fish blood;
• pike - will react to the smell of blood;
• pike perch in fresh water - the smell of fish or fish blood;
• pike perch in sea water - the aroma of squid and shrimp.

1.1.3 What equipment to use for edible baits

1. Drop shot, you can read about the features of this installation.
2. Texas rig, read how to do it.

1.2 Floating silicone

Floating silicone baits, can be both regular and edible bait. Buoyancy can be determined by the density of the bait material. So, if the specific gravity of rubber is lower than that of water, then it will float.

The advantage of floating rubber is:

• copies feeding animals as much as possible, which attracts fish;
• performs well when hunting a sluggish predator, remaining afloat during long stops performed during slow retrieval;
• shows excellent performance in the drop shot fishing technique, about the implementation and types of which you can read;
• artificial floating bait in bright, provocative colors is clearly visible in muddy water;
• performed in a hinged manner with or with a classic fishing hook.

1.2.1 Lifehack: how to make floating silicone at home

Method 1 “Suitable for any bait”

1. We purchase a material endowed with buoyant properties - polystyrene foam, which has an advantage over polystyrene foam in its greater density and uniformity of structure.
2. Cut a small piece from the material.
3. Using a sharp blade lengthwise, cut the back of the bait.
4. We insert a piece of polystyrene foam into the resulting longitudinal cut.
5. Carefully close the hole with a soldering iron.

Method 2 “Improving twisters”

1. We purchase foam used in construction.
2. Starting from the head, we make a longitudinal incision.
3. Fill the hole with foam.

2. What does active and passive silicone mean?

Active baits- these are those that have a pronounced own game with them. Such artificial baits can be used both in still (calm) water and in currents, and there are no rules for conducting the retrieve. It will be easier for a novice spinning player to get used to using active silicone.

Passive lures- these are those who, when immersed in water, do not have any activity (play). In order to provoke the bait, you need to competently approach the issue of performing postings in various fishing conditions. Passive silicone is typically used in standing water.

The disadvantage of passive baits is that the effectiveness of fishing with them directly depends on the abilities and dexterity of the spinner.

Educational video about passive silicone baits in a video from the Shcherbakov brothers

How to visually distinguish passive baits from active ones? Thus, passive baits have an external resemblance to their living prototype, while, like active ones, they have interesting tails, due to which their game occurs.

For example, like this

10. Useful links

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attractants - a little knowledge from Wikipedia;

— educational article about floating silicone;

— an informative article about edible silicone baits.

Over the past five to six years, floating silicone baits have become widespread and popular. The demand for such silicone is quite justified, because floating baits really turn out to be very effective in fishing. In some conditions, it is positive buoyancy that plays a decisive role in the process of attracting fish and provoking it to attack.

Although many well-known companies are now producing floating silicone, a wide variety of such baits can be found in online fishing stores.

What are the positive properties and advantages of floating silicone baits?

Firstly, during the pause phase, such baits take a position perpendicular to the bottom, in which It is much more convenient for predators to attack silicone bait.

Secondly, floating silicone provide more possibilities when using tap-off installations. Lures hang in the water column much longer or may even float up if light hooks are used.

Thirdly, floating baits allow work with slightly heavier weights under the same conditions. Subsequently, the casting distance can be increased.

It is also worth saying that even with positive buoyancy, some silicone baits may have additional “edible” properties.

Important improvements to silicone baits

Ordinary silicone sinks when it gets into water, so to create your own floating baits you will need some kind of floating material. For example, polystyrene foam is suitable, which differs from the more familiar polystyrene foam in its greater density and uniform structure.

Method No. 1

To ensure positive buoyancy of the bait, it is necessary to install a piece of polystyrene foam into it, which will allow the silicone to float and not instantly sink.

The manufacturing process takes place in several simple steps:

1. We prepare a piece of polystyrene foam of the optimal size;
2. Using a utility knife or sharp blade, carefully make a cut on the back of the bait;
3. We insert the floating material inside the silicone;
4. Solder the cut using a soldering iron.

Method No. 2

The second manufacturing option is also very simple and is suitable primarily for twisters. A small longitudinal hole is drilled in the bait, starting from the head.

Floating material is placed in it, which is sometimes used as ordinary construction foam, which dries completely in 3-5 hours.

Such floating twisters are equipped with hooks in the same way as conventional silicones are equipped. Sometimes two hooks are placed at once, below and above. This is due to the fact that a predator often attacks a floating bait from below, so an additional hook will not hurt at all.

Even ordinary silicone baits perfectly imitate small fish and attract the attention of hungry predators. Floating models provide even more possibilities in fishing methods.

Silicones with positive buoyancy are very convenient for fishing in shallow water or in “windows” surrounded by dense aquatic vegetation. You can also freely experiment with wiring techniques, choosing the most effective option.

Using floating edible silicone you can catch various predators, among which pike and perch are the most likely to bite.

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We all know the classic jig with its huge variety of baits. Each bait has certain subtleties, which include the wiring, the place where they are used, the transparency of the water, the type of fish we want to catch, and for some anglers, the phase of the moon. Of course, each individual type of bait has the right to life, because there are many fishing conditions and just as many opinions on the use of certain types. Among the many familiar silicone vibrating tails, twisters, foam fish, mandulas and metal jigs, there is a not very common, until recently, floating silicone. This is where I would like to dwell in more detail and talk about the pros and cons.

What does it look like and how to catch it? Quite popular questions from anglers who have only heard about floating silicone. Judging by the assortment that I had to catch, the baits look exactly the same as regular ones; the differences can only be distinguished by holding the bait in your hands. This silicone is often stronger than regular silicone and much more elastic. Some brands make a “combo” - floating-stretch material. That is, the bait stretches quite well, sometimes two or three times, relative to the original length. This elasticity gives longer life when fishing for active fish, especially perch. Otherwise, they look exactly the same as classic baits. We see the following differences after immersing the bait in water. It rises vertically and does so quite quickly after falling to the bottom. This is the whole “trick” of floating silicone. Here the question arises: how to catch it?

The non-standard behavior of the bait on the bottom also requires a non-standard approach to animation. There are several similar wiring, but I use it in different conditions.

1. The first involves a pause after falling to the bottom, then several short roars with the tip so that the bait travels a distance equal to approximately one revolution of the reel, and then a pause again. Thus, the bait seems to poke into the bottom, imitating a feeding fish, and since the jerks are short, the whole action happens rather slowly. This method is great for fishing a local place, be it a pit or a small snag.
2. The second method is very similar to the first and differs only in that there is only one jerk and immediately after it we return the spinning rod back to its original position and wait for a longer pause. I use this kind of wiring in areas with a current; the bait seems to play on its own at the bottom, during a pause, thanks to the flow of water, and it is at this moment that bites often occur.
3. The third wiring has long been known to everyone. This is a banal dragging with minimal separation from the bottom surface. Naturally, we accompany this entire process with pauses, during which the bait takes a vertical position. A separate topic is spaced rigs, when used, the bait slowly sinks, hangs in the water column, or even floats up. This behavior perfectly provokes the predator and, most importantly, gives it more time to attack. Of course, no one forbids the use of such baits with classic wiring, be it a step or even a uniform one, but here it is worth considering one nuance. It consists in the fact that the load must be calculated taking into account the buoyancy of the bait, for example, you fished with a regular silicone with a 10g head, and if you decide to use a floating model, then, all other things being equal, you need to use, for example, 12g. The numbers I give are conditional; it all depends on the type of silicone, its size, windage, and is usually selected using a scientific method.

For what?

Why use it, because you can fish normally and not bother? Part of the answer to this question is in the first part of the story. Floating baits give us the opportunity to thoroughly and, most importantly, slowly fish local areas, even the smallest ones. With regular silicone, a similar result can be achieved using jig-rig equipment. With such equipment, you can “dance” the bait almost in one place, attracting a predator, but do not forget that the usual bait still sinks, and the floating version occupies a vertical position even at rest. I dare to suggest that it is the vertical position that is more attractive to the predator and, most importantly, convenient for attack, because picking up bait lying on the bottom is more difficult and not so comfortable. The more convenient the position of the bait for the fish, the more likely it is that it will hook well after a bite; therefore, floating silicone, although indirectly, has some advantage over the usual one in this purely bottom method of feeding the bait.

Also, when using baits with positive buoyancy, as I already said, you need to use a larger load, and this in turn can have a positive effect on the casting distance, which is important in shore jigging. Another reason why you might think about using such baits is the strength and elasticity of the materials. Almost all the vibrotails, twisters and slugs that passed through my hands had incredible strength and elasticity, not counting a few Japanese rockfish series, which were quite loose, but this is a completely separate topic. It is worth noting that there are not many such baits on our market, but there is still plenty to choose from.

I’ll tell you about some based on personal experience of use. The first baits with positive buoyancy that I came across by chance were Z-Man, I don’t remember the model, since I didn’t fish with them anymore. The baits are strong and elastic and have good buoyancy, but there is one thing. When stored for a long time in a box with ordinary silicone baits, they react and begin to turn into “sticky snot.” I don’t know exactly what kind of reaction is happening, I’ve never been interested in this question, but the fact remains a fact. There are two ways out of the situation: either store it in a separate box, or don’t use it and replace it with something else, fortunately there is something. The next thing I got, quite by accident, was a pack of silicone from Reins. I liked these baits more than the previous ones, since there was no “decomposition” reaction upon contact with classic silicone. The only thing that didn't suit me was the price.

The tritium version was purchased consciously, specifically for experiments in wiring and storage. It was silicone from Lucky John model Joco Shaker. Excellent silicone, floats as it should, does not react and is not very expensive. Today I always have a small supply of these baits.

Why?

Why do I recommend trying such baits and why is it sometimes worth using only them? Over the past few years, I have accumulated a lot of information, which has resulted in some statistics regarding fish that respond better to these baits and regarding the places in which such baits should be used.

First of all, I would like to note the excellent reaction of pike perch and bersh to such rubber. If in some local place there is a pike perch or bersh, then you can safely put floating silicone and do a lazy sweep along the bottom, the reaction is almost one hundred percent, unless the fish is, of course, in a deep passive position. Often bites occur during a pause, when the bait is on the bottom and, importantly, there is less slippage than when using conventional rubber.

In second place is none other than the catfish! Yes, yes, exactly catfish! Only after mastering the floating rubber did I begin to systematically catch the mustachioed one. The wiring is no different from what I described before, all the same jerking, all the same dragging, with only one caveat. If I know that there is definitely a catfish in the area, then I make longer delays at the bottom with a slight movement of the bait and it readily sucks it in.

For the rest of the fish, the statistics are approximately the same; I don’t take perch into account, since in the active feeding phase it takes equally well from the bottom, in the depths, and on the surface. There is also a separate topic of rock fishing, where these baits have proven themselves to be excellent, but more due to their strength characteristics than buoyancy, since sea fish are very greedy, ferocious, often toothy and leave no chance for ordinary baits. Ordinary rubber goes away in batches, but the strong material of floating baits endures attacks from predators for a long time.

To summarize, I can say that jig baits with positive buoyancy are not a panacea, but in certain moments they can be a great help, the main thing is to apply a little imagination and ingenuity, so having several different types of such baits in your arsenal is very useful.