Catching crucian carp with a feeder is a fairly common type of fishing. Most often, they catch this method in reservoirs with a muddy bottom and the object of fishing is large crucian carp, which is not possible to catch with a float rod. Large specimens rarely approach the shore, so fishing with a feeder is the best method for them.
By using the right feeder equipment, your chances of catching big fish increase dramatically. But not all fishermen know how and what gear is best to use, what fishing tactics to choose. And there are a lot of secrets in fishing itself. Let's talk more about this.
Tackle
Feeder tackle for catching crucian carp has a rather simple structure - it is a classic feeder rod with guide rings and a reel with a wound line or cord. Bite alarms for the feeder, or a soft and movable rod tip, help you notice that a fish is hooked. Most often, fishermen use feeder gear with a feeder.
Rod
The choice of a rod for catching crucian carp on a feeder depends on many factors, the most important of which is casting range. Mostly fishermen use rods about 3-4 meters long
.
Focus on one very simple rule: the farther you want to cast the equipment, the longer the rod should be
.
As a rule, fishing for crucian carp with a feeder does not occur at distances exceeding 100 meters
, so buying a rod that is too long is not entirely justified.
Choosing a rod test
depends on the fishing conditions and the weight of the feeder used, I use rods with 40-100 grams of dough.
Using heavy sinkers is also not very good
, because crucian carp is a rather cautious fish and sometimes moves away from heavy equipment.
Choose a medium rod build
, it is best suited for this type of fishing.
Coil
Choosing a reel for such fishing does not have any special requirements. Absolutely any type of reel will work here.
. Only the spool volume should be chosen no more than 3000 according to the Shimano classification. It is not advisable to use reels of particularly large sizes, since crucian carp does not grow very large, and it does not have much strength.
By using large reels, you risk losing the balance of the tackle and making it too heavy.
fishing line
The rather complex structure of the feeder tackle entails the requirement to use two types of fishing line, which is quite justified. These are: the main fishing line and the fishing line for making leashes. If we talk about the main fishing line, then a braided line with a diameter of about 0.15 millimeters or a regular fishing line, approximately 0.25 mm in diameter, will do.
.
There is no need for constant monitoring of the bait in this type of fishing, so buying a braided cord is not entirely justified
(and the price is high). Although it has greater strength with the same diameter, compared to fishing line. And this will allow you to cast over a greater distance.
Leash
for making a leash , the main thing is that its diameter is an order of magnitude smaller than the main one
. Otherwise, all the properties of the leash and the rationality of its use will simply be lost. Often, fishermen use leashes made from ordinary fishing line with a diameter of 0.1 to 0.15 millimeters.
Some anglers have chosen leashes made from fluorocarbon fishing line, but despite the fact that it is almost invisible in the water, it is many times tougher than regular fishing line
. If fishing for crucian carp on a feeder takes place in early spring, when the fish is passive and bites rather sluggishly, then with such a leash the chances of success are sharply reduced.
Feeder
You need to choose the weight of the feeder depending on the test of the rod
, there is no way to overcome this addiction. The larger the rod test, the heavier the feeder can be used. As for the form, catching crucian carp on a feeder with a feeder does not have clearly established parameters; it all depends on your personal preferences.
But the choice of the shape of the feeder is influenced by the characteristics of the reservoir.
. For example, for fishing in ponds with a rocky bottom or on lakes with a lot of snags on the bottom, a streamlined feeder is better suited, since cage feeders will simply cling. The choice of shape is also influenced by the time of year:
- In spring, the fish come close to the shore (the water is warmer there) so the shape doesn’t really matter (you don’t need to cast far);
- But in the summer, crucian carp tries to move away from the shore and you have to make long casts, so you will have to give preference to streamlined cone-shaped feeders.
Reel and line
Reel – Daiva 3000
There is no fundamental difference when choosing a coil. However, it is worth remembering that making long casts with a large weight of equipment and landing large specimens of fish entail a fairly large load. It is for these reasons that it is necessary to choose only reliable and fairly large types of reels.
We recommend the most suitable type of reel for feeder fishing – Daiva 3000-4000. The friction brake is selected according to the taste of the angler.
To minimize the gathering of large specimens of peaceful fish, it is necessary to purchase reels equipped with a baitrunner system. This system allows you to instantly move the friction brake from the working position to the minimum position.
The baitrunner is especially excellent for beginners, who very often complain about fish disappearing due to inexperience and inability to properly fish from the depths to the shore.
It would be wiser to use a braided cord as the main fishing line. It has high sensitivity and great strength.
Thanks to the increased strength, it is possible to use a thin section, which has a positive effect on casting distance and makes even a slight bite obvious.
The ideal option for choosing a braided cord for catching crucian carp on a feeder would be a product diameter of 0.1 - 0.14 mm.
Technique
Catching crucian carp on a feeder has a lot of subtleties, tricks and secrets. But the most important step is still the correct choice of fishing spot. It is best to start searching for fish in the coastal areas of the reservoir, and if it is not there, then move away from the shore. But don’t play around, casting too far won’t lead to anything good. If there is no crucian carp in the middle of the pond, then there is no need to look further
.
Very often anglers make a big mistake when choosing a hook; take hooks as small as possible
. Large hooks will only scare away the fish, and if a worm or maggot is used as bait, then you will not be able to put it on a large hook at all.
Crucian carp is quite cautious, and everyone knows about it. If you use a large hook, the fish will try the bait for a very long time and may simply move away from it, suspecting something is wrong. But crucian carp swallow small hooks instantly.
at night is very popular among fishermen.
. At night, he prefers to come closer to the shore to feed, and also stands near ravines and holes. For fishing in such conditions, you do not need a heavy feeder, since there is no need for long casting.
In order not to scare away the fish from the fishing spot and not to create unnecessary noise when casting, it is best to purchase a light rod. If you fish close to the shore, it is better to additionally feed the fish with your hands. Be sure to use loose bait for additional feeding. This structure of the bait will crumble immediately when it falls into the water and will very well attract crucian carp from all over the reservoir and keep it at the fishing spot.
Crucian carp are quite shy, so you should choose a flashlight for fishing very carefully. Try to put the bait as far from the shore as possible, and it is better to observe the rods without lighting at all (use light bite alarms).
I almost forgot, where would we be without a video about this wonderful fishing, in which they will reveal several rather interesting secrets and provide practical advice.
Tactics
Catching crucian carp on a feeder is quite simple and does not require any great knowledge of handling tackle and equipment. The only thing you need to know is how to make the right tackle, proper feeding tactics and choosing a location. Let's take a closer look at the main stages of feeder fishing for crucian carp.
Pre-cast
The main requirement when using feeder gear is to minimize the percentage of misses, that is, try to throw the equipment at one point as often as possible. To make this difficult task easier for themselves, fishermen often make preliminary casts without equipment (just a weight on the main line). It's very easy to do this:
- First you need to choose a landmark on the opposite bank
, it could be a tree, a large house or any other noticeable object that does not change its position. - Now throw the tackle to the intended fishing spot and fix the line on the reel
using a special clip (this action will allow you to control the casting distance).
Lure
A very important stage is the preliminary feeding of the fishing spot, which is done using a specially prepared bait feeder. Before you start fishing, you need to make 6-7 casts with this gear.
But even here, not everything is simple. To create a cloudy cloud of bait, you need to pour the mixture out of the feeder the moment it touches the water. This is done with 2-3 feeders, the rest of the bait is released from the feeder already at the bottom.
Tackle for catching crucian carp on a feeder
In addition to the type of rods, there are also bottom equipment used for bottom fishing. It is not always the case that typical equipment is installed on a classic feeder and vice versa.
Regular feeder
The classic feeder rig is a feeder in the form of a rectangular basket, with a ring for attaching to the main fishing line, and one, rarely two, long leashes with hooks. The feeder and leash are attached to the main cord in various ways.
Donka
Here the basis of the equipment is a sliding type feeder, often in the form of a spring, attached to the main fishing line. There are from one to three leashes, and they are usually shorter than in the previous case. With such equipment, various wire bends and rocker arms are often used.
Flat feeder
A flat feeder differs from a regular feeder primarily in the shape of the feeder. It is sliding, in the form of a flat, egg-shaped plate weighted at the bottom, on the other side of which food is attached using several arcs. Thanks to its design and wide base, such a feeder always falls with the bait up and allows you to fish in silty reservoirs without plunging into the bottom silt. Hooks with bait, in such equipment, are often pressed into the food, and the crucian carp sucks them in along with the bait.
Video: flat feeder for crucian carp
"Death to crucian carp"
This bottom tackle consists of several light feeder springs located on the main line approximately 10 cm from each other. On both sides of each spring there is a very short leash with a hook. When loading, a viscous bait is placed in each feeder, and foam balls are placed on the hooks. The principle of operation of such gear is that in the water the hooks, thanks to the foam, float directly above the feeders, and the crucian carp, feeding from the feeders, involuntarily swallows them and hooks itself.
Death to crucian carp
Finding a fishing spot
Catching crucian carp with a feeder can take place in completely different places, depending on the time of year and weather conditions. The fish constantly changes its location, but despite this, its favorite places for feeding remain areas with a muddy bottom, snags and reeds.
.
If the fish likes the place, then it can stay there for a long time until the food runs out there. The fisherman’s main task is to find such a place and keep the fish there (not to scare it off with the noise caused by the gear falling on the water).
in spring
Fishing for crucian carp in the spring on a feeder occurs in places with shallow depths
. Since the fish has not yet spawned, it tries to stand in places with warm water, and it is in shallow spots that the water has the highest temperature. It is before the start of spawning that the likelihood of catching a large crucian carp increases sharply.
In summer
Summer fishing is usually carried out a little further from the shore; crucian carp prefers to go long distances during this period. Most often it stays on the edges and pits
. By the way, it has been noticed that fish prefer to feed several hours before sunset and at the same time before sunrise.
And this is where long-length feeder rods come into play, since there is a need to cast long distances. And those who want to catch big fish have to use large baits to cut off the small things.
in autumn
Fishing for crucian carp on a feeder in the fall often brings very good results, since with a noticeable cold snap the fish’s appetite awakens. The fish senses that winter is coming soon and tries to stock up on fat in anticipation of it. Definitely, when fishing in autumn you need to use high-calorie baits of animal origin
.
As for finding a fishing spot, most often these are the deepest places in the reservoir
where the fish are preparing for the winter.
Most fishermen believe that crucian carp are not particularly active in winter. But they are wrong. Some craftsmen even manage to catch crucian carp with a feeder even in winter. But this is a topic for a separate article.
Catching crucian carp with a feeder
Have you ever seen kilogram crucian carp walking in shallow water at depths of 30-50 cm?! The impression is as if you are at a nuclear submarine base - humps stick out above the water, whirlpools, a sight not for the faint of heart. All events take place 15-20 meters from you. What to do?
My opinion is that the most difficult way to catch crucian carp is with hooks and the like. gear, because its reactivity is known, and at the highest gear ratios on the reel it turns out to be more agile. Because of this, I rarely use hooks in the summer, although it’s not for everyone, many people only catch fish with hooks.
Feeder fishing for crucian carp - universal feeder tackle!
On tightening
One maggot is good, but half a maggot is excellent!
Experiments and more experiments lead to successful crucian fishing. It would seem, what else can you come up with with such an attachment as the well-known maggot. Closer to autumn, with the first cold snaps, when the crucian carp's basic reflexes are slowed down, and in general, when the bite is bad, I pinch a couple of maggots on the hook. Sometimes I go even further - I cut off half the larvae with sharp scissors, and sometimes this is the only thing that revives the bite.
On familiar rivers there are no problems with choosing a place, but it must be remembered that the activity of crucian carp is greatly influenced by atmospheric pressure, weather conditions and time of day. At normal atmospheric pressure (760 mm Hg) and stable warm weather, it is advisable to go fishing for crucian carp in the early morning and in the afternoon until the evening. At night you can also catch respectable specimens, but the nuances of night fishing are a separate topic.
Bait
Crucian carp is an omnivorous fish, but sometimes it refuses to take this or that bait, then you have to experiment to understand what preferences the fish have today. The choice of bait is also a rather specific matter and largely depends on the body of water where fishing will take place. But there are the most popular (catchy, according to many fishermen) baits for feeder fishing:
- muckworm;
- maggot larvae;
- pearl barley;
- bloodworm;
- corn;
- dough;
- various cereals;
The most important rule to follow when choosing bait for fishing: choose it so that the bait does not fly off the hook while casting
. Experienced fishermen recommend taking many different baits with you to the pond in order to choose the best one.
Please note that fish can often be lured with bait sandwiches. A combination of bloodworms and maggots, corn and pearl barley, and many other different options can help you out in the absence of biting.
Baits and attachments for float fishing for crucian carp
For float fishing for crucian carp, professionals and even amateur fishermen use a huge variety of all kinds of bait and attachments. Of course, plants and animals predominate, but all kinds of artificial baits with various attractants and odors are often used.
Vegetable bait and bait
In this category of attachments, an excellent choice is dough, which can be made from different types of flour (wheat, pea, corn and semolina). The main nuance during the preparation of the test is the addition of a small amount of the necessary bait or flavoring in this case, which attracts crucian carp (such an irreplaceable thing can be purchased at a specialized fishing store).
Fishing promises to be much more successful if the angler catches crucian carp by mixing the dough not in chlorinated tap water, but directly near the pond (using pond water with the addition of a small pinch of flavoring). The preparation of the dough itself will also be quite simple - just knead the necessary ingredients to a fluid and soft consistency. After this, you should wrap the hook with the prepared mixture or roll balls from it.
Animal bait and bait
When float fishing for crucian carp, the following animal baits are most often used:
- worm;
- bloodworm;
- maggot.
When using a worm, professionals recommend opting for dung worms, since they hold the hook especially well, have a strong and persistent natural odor that almost instantly attracts fish, and, of course, are the most tenacious.
In reservoirs inhabited exclusively by crucian carp, float fishing with bloodworms, maggots and the so-called sandwich (mixed bait, when the angler places bloodworms and maggots on the hook; other combinations of bait are also possible).
If you intend to catch a large crucian carp using a float rod, the most successful option would be a combination of crawling worms of different sizes on the hook. The crawlies are quite large worms, making it quite difficult for the fry to eat them.
Universal flavors for different types of bait and reservoirs
As flavoring agents, it is possible to use both natural and artificial products (in the form of liquid or oil), available in any fishing store.
The most common flavorings are:
- garlic;
- honey;
- ginger;
- drops of tincture of valerian, corvalol and valocordin;
- Vietnamese balsam (popularly called “star”);
- “semolina chattel”, pearl barley;
- semi-finished products in the form of boiled shrimp and French fries.
The list shows the most universal attachments for float fishing for crucian carp, but they can all work differently in different bodies of water. If in one pond the fish immediately shows interest in a dung worm or shrimp, then in another it may peck exclusively at steamed pearl barley or a specific dough. Based on this, in each individual case, the fisherman should experiment, test and select bait for a specific body of water. Professional fishermen recommend preparing at least three types of baits, even if you plan to go to an already familiar body of water, since the preferences of crucian carp may also depend on a certain day, time of day and weather.
The best options for baiting crucian carp
Bait is the most important preliminary stage in the fishing process. To catch peaceful fish (crucian carp, roach, carp, bream, etc.) with a float rod, it makes no sense to bait the chosen place in advance (even a couple of hours in advance). The bottom line is that almost all modern bait mixtures contain a sufficient amount of flavorings and instantly attract fish, so there is no particular need for such bait earlier than 10 minutes immediately before the start of fishing.
Lure
Catching crucian carp on a feeder with a feeder requires the mandatory use of bait, although it won’t hurt without a feeder either. But not just any bait is suitable for such fishing; it is very important to choose the right composition. You can buy ready-made store bait or make it yourself
, guided by the recipes below. But first, a little theory.
In summer, fish prefer plant foods, but do not refuse baits of animal origin (worms, bloodworms and maggots). Therefore, it is better to include animal and plant elements in the summer bait.
Nobody forbids you to go to the store and buy a ready-made bait mixture, and when you arrive at the pond, simply add water to it. But the price is quite high, and it is not always possible to find what you want. Therefore, preparing bait at home is much more convenient and economical.
.
There are a lot of feeder bait recipes for crucian carp. All reservoirs differ from each other, as do the preferences of the fish in them, so the bait recipe can be changed due to the individual characteristics of the fish’s preferences. We decided to choose the TOP 3 best bait and provide you with its recipes.
A universal bait is considered to be a mixture of corn flour and boiled pearl barley with the addition of wheat or wheat cereal. The wheat must be boiled for 15 minutes (as soon as the grains begin to open, this means the porridge is ready). After cooking, you need to drain the water from the pan and rinse the entire mixture several times with running cold water (this is necessary to ensure that the grains do not stick together). Now boil the pearl barley and mix it with wheat. To prevent the bait from turning sour, add flour upon arrival at the pond.
The basis of the following bait recipe is potatoes. The preparation is very simple: boil about 7-10 medium-sized potatoes, mash so that there are no large lumps and add makukha or fish feed. Now stir the resulting mixture and add water to it if necessary.
The basis of the following bait mixture is steamed oat, wheat and hemp grains. Which need to be mixed in one bowl and added to them is flour with various attractants. At an average fishing rate, 2.5 kilograms of this complementary food was enough for me.
Additives to bait
To enhance the effect of using food, some fishermen add bite activators to it, and some recommend using various flavors of natural origin. Over the years, fishermen have experimentally found out what smells attract crucian carp to the feeder and it turned out that they react positively to the smells:
- garlic;
- anise oil;
- cinnamon;
- sunflower oil;
- vanillin;
- linseed oil;
- cocoa.
Bait for feeder for crucian carp
Stores are filled with ready-made mixtures, paid and sponsored athletes broadcast from the screen about the best feeder feeds for crucian carp - each about their own, for which they receive sponsorship. However, there is no best and universal mixture for crucian carp. This fish has an extremely high adaptive ability; therefore, the tastes of silverfish vary greatly in different bodies of water. You need to feed crucian carp extremely carefully - preferably with natural ingredients and aromas. If the fishing does not take place on long-term paid platforms, in which a lot of artificial food is poured into the water, then it is better to rely on natural food, and it is necessary to use it on the feeder carefully, depending on the seasonal characteristics of the behavior of the fish.
Catching crucian carp with a feeder has never been an easy task - today I pulled the cage, and tomorrow there was no bite, although the weather seemed to be even better and the baits and bait were the same. You need to select keys for crucian carp anew at every fishing trip, including when feeding the feeder. Therefore, you cannot immediately jump into some powerful aromatics on an unfamiliar body of water - it is better to start with simple natural bases with a weak natural smell and taste. More details about the tactics of catching and feeding crucian carp on the feeder:
Seasonal differences
The crucian carp goes to the bait to eat. These are roaches and sabrefish flying into the mud to see if they can catch something in this muddy cloud. The crucian carp purposefully follows the smell and sugar content in the feeder's bait. Receptors in its mouth are able to distinguish fractions of a milligram of carbohydrates per cubic meter of water. And if in summer crucian carp likes to eat a lot, then in spring and autumn, in cold water, it needs just a little to get enough. Therefore, in cold water with bait we only attract crucian carp to the point - the mixture for the feeder should contain a minimum of nourishing food particles. However, there should still be a certain amount of them - otherwise the crucian carp may not be suitable.
In the summer, up to 50% of the mixture should be allocated to a large feed fraction - millet, pearl barley, corn, worms. In the summer, the silver glutton should be invited to the table, and on the feeder hook, a more tempting bait should be placed than in the groundbait, but similar in color, composition and smell. For example, you can highlight it against the main background with a dip or attractant.
in spring
Crucian carp senses the nutritional value of the mass it reaches by smell. Therefore, boiled cereals and sweeteners always worked well for silver. The substances in boiled grains are easier to digest, and sugar provides energy. Fish lives according to the laws of conservation of energy, and it is better for it to eat boiled grain - it will require fewer calories to process it. Store-bought feeder mixtures are usually made on the basis of dry ground grain components. The exception is high-quality sports bait, in which the components undergo heat treatment. In addition, proteins and laxatives are added to the mixture to activate digestion. If you use a ready-made mixture for crucian carp, then it should be a good one that has proven itself in the pond. It’s better not to take cheap chemical ones - you can ruin your fishing. It is better to make bait for the feeder with your own hands from natural ingredients.
In summer
With worms
Fishing conditions
The feeder needs the correct consistency of the bait. The mixture in the water should fall apart and spread along the bottom, and not lie in an indestructible lump. In standing water, you need a crumbly mass - just so that it stays in the feeder during casting. For the flow or flat feeder method, a higher content of adhesive components is needed in the mass - in order to reach the bottom and collapse only on it, and at the same time withstand force casting. At the same time, as already mentioned, crucian carp need inert bait that does not create clouds of turbidity. After destruction, the particles should sink and lie on the bottom in the area of the feeding spot (stream in the current). Read more about the correct feeder bait:
https://rybafan.ru/fiderist/taktika-i-tekhnika/prikormka-dlya-fidera
Flat method feeder and classic
In classic feeders we fill a loose mixture, which becomes a little more viscous as it flows, so that it does not wash away immediately. In the flat method, you need to form a hump in the open feeder trough that will not fall apart during casting, hitting the water and during the dive process. Flat bait on a feeder for crucian carp or carp should begin to break down only three to five minutes after immersion. Method feeders use an even more sticky mixture, similar to plasticine - then such equipment can be used for method-feeder fishing in rivers in the current, like a bottom spring. More information about bait for flat feeder:
https://rybafan.ru/fiderist/taktika-i-tekhnika/prikormka-dlya-flet-metoda
Method feeder with food
Secrets and tips
- Make bait the same color as the bottom of the pond. Some experienced fishermen even use special dyes to achieve maximum color similarity. Some, of course, say that this doesn’t work, but you never know.
- Many fishermen recommend using bait with the addition of fluorescent crackers, painted in bright colors (orange, yellow). I don’t know how this attracts fish, but sometimes it was possible to lure crucian carp this way.
- Anise, strawberry and vanilla are universal flavors for adding to bait for crucian carp. Moreover, it has been noticed that fish react well to them throughout the year. In some cases it is better to use flavors separately, and in others to mix them all together.
- Sprouted hemp in combination with pupated maggots is an ideal feeder bait. Very often it is this combination that helps fishermen out.
- Crucian carp loves places in rivers with a muddy bottom. This forces fishermen to make bait that will not sink into the silt, but will simply lie on top of it.
