Mormyshka (or Mormishka, or Marmooska, russian: мормышка) is a sort of
fishing lure
A fishing lure is a broad type of artificial angling baits that are replicas designed to mimic real prey animals and attract the attention of predatory fish, using appearances, flashy colors, bright reflections, movements, vibrations and/or loud ...
or a
jig
The jig ( ga, port, gd, port-cruinn) is a form of lively folk dance in compound metre, as well as the accompanying dance tune. It is most associated with Irish music and dance. It first gained popularity in 16th-century Ireland and parts of ...
. The word is derived from Russian word Mormysh (russian: мормыш) meaning Freshwater Shrimp (Gammarus).
Mormyshka was invented in the 19th century in
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
. The prototypes were big
spoon lures
In sport fishing, a spoon lure is a fishing lure usually made of lustrous metal and with an oblong, usually concave shape like the bowl of a spoon. The spoon lure is mainly used to attract predatory fish by specular reflection of light, as well ...
used for ice fishing. Trying to imitate shrimps, anglers made lures smaller and changed the way of fixing them on the line. As a result, efficient lures appeared and were spread quickly among ice fishermen all around Russia and Scandinavia.
Mormyshka consists of a metallic head, often made of
tungsten
Tungsten, or wolfram, is a chemical element with the symbol W and atomic number 74. Tungsten is a rare metal found naturally on Earth almost exclusively as compounds with other elements. It was identified as a new element in 1781 and first isol ...
, and a hook soldered in it. There is a small vertical hole in the middle of the head where the line passes through.
The way to knot Mormyshka to the line is unusual, but is not difficult. The line is put through the hole and tied to the hook.
When suspended, Mormyshka keeps an almost horizontal position, and the point of the hook is above its shank.
Some mormyshkas have a Bead Head on the hook.
In contrast to Jig Heads, original Russian Mormyshka jigs have no up eye;
Mormyshkas are not always globe-shaped. There are many forms that provide different presentations to fish;
Usually, high quality Mormyshka is not painted, but coated or plated with Nickel, Brass, Copper, Gold, Silver, or combination of two metals, that provides better attraction to fish.
For the past few years Mormyshka has been used in summer fishing as well with long poles and a float or a nod. It is used either with live bait or alone. Also, anglers use palmers tied on Mormyshkas.
References
External links
Mormyshka
{{fisheries and fishing
Fishing equipment
Culture of Russia
Russian inventions