A true fisherman always gets a bite! A woman's perspective on a man's occupation

In our family, only my dad and, to a lesser extent, my son are fans of fishing. But even that's enough to teach everyone about the need for keepnets, nets, covers, rods, bait, and everything else that goes into this craft. But we don't complain, because we always have fish on the table: fried, boiled, dried, and all sorts of fish dishes.

All the ponds in the village used to belong to the state farm. Fishing was only allowed with rods, but the men, naturally, didn't stop there. Then the ponds were leased out. The leaseholders cleaned them out and stocked them with fish. Now fishing is strictly regulated: buy a ticket, grab a rod. Nets and crayfish traps are out of the question. But we, or rather my dad, were lucky—one of the ponds belongs to my sister's husband.

When the fishing season begins, Dad is euphoric! He loves this activity so much! He's ready to run to the pond in any weather, at any time of day or night. The pond owner doesn't like fishing, but has the financial means to raise fish, while Dad has the opposite—he has a ton of knowledge and experience, but no money for his own pond. So they found a mutually beneficial solution.

We have all sorts of nets at home: with different mesh sizes and line/thread thicknesses. Each fish species has its own net. If you use a large-mesh net, small fish will easily swim through it, while small-mesh nets will tear through adult, strong fish, but will trap the fry. That's what I learned from my father.

Canvas suits and high boots, hats made of mosquito net, all sorts of waterproof jackets, raincoats, and pants—this is essential fishing gear. These items hang in Dad's "office," strictly under his supervision.

A rubber boat is the center of attention for the whole family in the summer. Some use it for fishing, others just for a ride on the river, and the kids love to splash around in it, using it as a pool.

Usually, during a major catch, buyers flock to the river immediately, and if the fish is for personal use, it's transferred to cages for transport. These cages, filled with fish, can be lowered into the pond to keep the catch from fading, as Dad said. This is especially convenient when fishing with a rod and line. Then, at the end of a long break, all the "catch" can be brought home fresh and alive!

Dad has a few simple fishing rods that he uses regularly. While it's warm, they stand ready in the garden. He can grab them anytime and head to the river—everything is safe and ready for a relaxing day.

The main thing is to bring bait with you so you're not dependent on weather conditions or the fish's mood. For bait, my father uses:

• sunflower cake or sunflower seeds passed through a mill;
• crushed rolled oats;
• whole or crushed worms;
• steamed grain: wheat, millet, millet, etc.;
• canned corn;
• bread crumbs.

Groundbait can be scattered around the pond in its pure form, but it's better to mix it with ballast. For example, make balls out of raw materials and soil. This increases the effectiveness significantly, as it's more difficult for fish to consume such bait, especially in turbid water.

For easier hooking and landing, there are simple devices with long handles. Such a keepnet makes it easy to support a raging fish, preventing it from slipping off the hook.

To catch crayfish, crayfish traps are used.

But first, you need to fill them with live bait. At home, we often keep a few small fish in a tub of water for this purpose. We cut them into pieces and thread them into crayfish traps. All that's left to do is scatter them around the pond and wait for a crayfish to crawl to the bait. And the result is this delicious treat!

Fishing not only strengthens the body, calms the nervous system, and gives you a chance to be alone, but it also feeds you. A fisherman's family will never go hungry. My father is happy, and we are doubly so.