Pigs are amazing fish in every way. Only fishermen who are well acquainted with the habits of this species can count on success in catching pigs.
Fish, which I am hauling on a match rod, it does not run away as vigorously as a chub or a barbel. And yet it offers some pretty good resistance. It also does not brick to the bottom, but it jerks just below the surface and lines consistently across the current. Only the piggy fights like that. After pumping several times, I finally pull my prey to the bank.
After a while, I am holding a half-kilogram white fish in my hands. The hard cartilage upper lip has the characteristic shape of a pig's whistle, hence probably the species name of this fish. Thick lips are the best evidence of this, that pigs mainly look for food at the bottom.
I have never caught a few pigs in a row before. It is true that they are herd fish and they feed in smaller or larger groups-
cash, however, other species of fish are much more aggressive than them and almost always chase them away from the baited fishing grounds. After catching one pig, they usually take barbels and roach from me.
If I want to catch another pig, I cast the rod a little further than before. Then the guinea pig is quite often the first to grab the bait. If I let the float flow down in exactly the same place, there are almost always barbel or roach already there.
Pigs are very strange fish. Although they are typical bottom fish, then catching them effectively with a groundbait rig with a feeder has almost no effect. The bait must be in constant motion. In summer, pigs often catch white worms, for example, when fishing for a stream in or even close to the water's surface. How to explain it? Perhaps white worms, which I give after each casting of the rod, they disappear quite quickly somewhere in the nooks and crannies of the bottom and pigs learn, that it is much easier for them to grab food when it sinks in the water.
Algae gourmets
In addition to white worms, algae on the stones on the bottom of the river are also a good bait for pigs. I keep the collected algae in a closed box filled with water, which prevents the bait from drying out. Dried algae threads become brittle like rotten gum and unsuitable for catching. Although the fresh algae are not sticky, putting them on a hook is not a problem. The bait is simply wrapped around the hook, starting with the shank, and ending with a blade, which should be completely hidden in algae. The more algae on the hook, the less strikes, unfortunately. The trick is to use the algae on the hook very sparingly.
If after catching a pig, roach, chub or barbel, after lightly squeezing the fish in the area of the anal fin, we will notice, that her droppings are green, then we can be sure, that the fish are eating algae. Tiny invertebrate animals live on algae, which are also an attractive morsel for fish. It is also an excellent explanation, why fly fishermen catch pigs on green loaded nymphs so regularly.
