For fishermen, crucian carp may seem like a capricious and unpredictable fish, so without special training in fishing you should not count on great results.
To make the fishing process enjoyable, you need to stock up on bait and a wide range of baits in advance. Also, some experienced fishermen recommend being patient, because with the right arsenal for hunting, crucian carp will not always want to bite.
Peculiarities of crucian carp behavior at different times of the year
Just like humans, crucian carp reacts to changes in time of day and year, and therefore when fishing you need to take these nuances into account:
- Winter. Small and medium-sized fish go to the bottom, to hibernate. Large individuals continue to bite in deep rivers with currents. Sometimes inactive crucian carp remain at the bottom and feed on shells and mollusks, which they can easily bite through with their teeth. Most often in winter, you can pull out a predatory specimen (Amur sleeper or pike) along with crucian carp.
- Spring . The crucian carp is beginning to prepare for reproduction, so the bite will be good for two weeks in the morning and at night. During the breeding season, the fish go to the bottom, and there is almost no bite.
- Summer. The active biting period is early morning, evening and night. During this period, the fish actively feeds on bait. The fish is not used to competitive relationships, so crucian carp likes to go out to feed when there is no one else around.
- Autumn. Crucian carp come to shallow water on warm and sunny days. The rest of the time the fish is at depth. However, it bites all day long on meat bait (maggots, bloodworms, etc.).
Let's celebrate! As the seasons change, the fisherman must change the composition of his bait. During periods of cold weather or natural disasters, large crucian carp come out for high-calorie bait. In warm weather, a light bait is enough for him.
How to catch a large crucian carp among small ones?
Large crucian carp prefer bloodworms, dung worms, maggots and shite for bait. Average individuals prefer bread crumb and semolina. Large fish bite directly at night, and during the rest of the day, only small or medium-sized specimens are caught.
To cut off small fish, it is worth using dust-free baits; they attract less attention from small individuals. When making balls with complementary foods, you need to form them wet so that they fall to the bottom.
Fishing for large crucian carp
The main secret to catching big crucian carp is the right place and good bait. If the fish does not go to spawn, then it can be found in secluded, muddy pools. In a certain body of water, large individuals behave differently, so before starting fishing it is better to observe the behavior of your prey.
In warm water with a weak current, the crucian carp remains in the reeds and comes out only when necessary, so you need to lure it out of there. Don't forget about the fisherman's appearance. Fish's vision reacts to frightening bright colors even from the shore or boat, so you need to wear regular camouflage or clothing in earth tones.
Good to know! Large crucian carp are much more careful and timid than small ones, so even talking on the phone can scare them. It is worth maintaining silence and patience. If fishing is planned to take place on a boat, then the size of the fishing rod should not exceed 6 meters with a strong and rigid base. For a large trophy, it is recommended to choose light-sized fishing rods so that you don’t get tired while waiting for the catch.
How to choose a fishing spot?
Crucian carp does not like noisy places, so the place should be located away from the road and populated areas. Fresh and deep reservoirs with tall and dense vegetation are best suited: reeds, algae, willows.
Crucian carp likes to hide in thickets and sandy bottoms, so a muddy pond will be good. It is worth remembering this and choosing more inconspicuous and inconvenient places. In order for a large individual to actively come out to bite, three days of complementary feeding can be carried out.
How to catch a big crucian carp and scare away the small ones?
Crucian carp do not live in schools, so small individuals lose their vigilance when moving. To catch a large individual, it is enough to use bait that is suitable for the season (maggots, bloodworms, etc.).
Small crucian carp do not bite on the food that adult crucian carp eat; they are more attracted to bread crumbs and porridge mash. Also, small ones go into shallow waters where large individuals do not live. “Trifle” is afraid of the boat and does not take bulk bait, which is also worth taking into account.
Bait and bait for catching crucian carp on a float
The award-winning crucian carp does not stand on ceremony at all with the food offered - it grabs it instantly and boldly. As a rule, fish spend most of their time digging in the bottom silt, looking for food. If you offer her a worm, bloodworms, or larvae of aquatic insects, then the likelihood of effective biting will increase sharply. As for plant foods, crucian carp really respects dough, bread, and pearl barley.
Complementary foods for large crucian carp should be prepared very carefully, since trophy specimens are very picky. If they don’t like the food, they will simply leave, leaving everything to their smaller brothers. For example, there is a recipe that is quite popular among fishermen: scald the cake with boiling water, add sawdust and cow horns to it. But store-bought mixtures with the addition of chopped worms, bread, etc. will also work well. Add the fertilizing mixture in several not very large portions.
Fishing gear for big crucian carp
- Lure;
- Floating fishing rod, feeder or spinning rod;
- Line with a diameter of up to 0.22 mm with a specific weight of 2 - 4 kg;
- An oblong float with a weight of up to 2.5 grams;
- Sinker (in windy weather).
- The tackle is a pacifier.
Note! Gear is selected depending on the reservoir; if the bottom is full of snags and algae, then it is better to “look through” the bottom with a sinker. If it does not fall evenly, then it is better to move a little further so as not to break the fishing line.
Float fishing rod
- Rod. When fishing with a float rod, use a rod 3 to 6 meters long from the shore.
- Fishing line. For an overgrown reservoir, braid or fishing line with a diameter of 0.22 mm is used.
- Hooks and leashes. For large crucian carp from a fishing rod, hooks No. 5 - No. 7 and fluorocarbonate leashes up to 0.12 mm.
A floating fishing rod is suitable for experienced fishermen who can catch large crucian carp without any problems.
Feeder
- Rod. Maximum size – 4 m.
- Fishing line. Durable with a high level of tearing up to 0.2 mm in diameter.
- Nozzle. It is selected taking into account that small individuals cannot swallow it.
- Hook. Only #9.
Feeder gear must be selected taking into account weather conditions and time of day. Suitable for large and deep reservoirs.
Spinning
- Rod. Ultralight with dough up to 7 g. Flexible with a monolithic tip.
- Cord. Thin 0.1mm with high tensile strength.
- Fluorocarbon leader.
- Coil. Medium size 2500.
- Small hook.
When fishing with spinning bait, you should choose non-aggressive colors so as not to scare away the fish. Dark, sandy colors are suitable.
Makushatnik
- Leashes. Each length is up to 12 cm.
- Hooks. Four pieces No. 6,8 or 10.
- Nozzle. A crucian carp bait made from granules and worms is suitable.
- Installation. The carp rig is also suitable for large crucian carp, the hooks will be free.
The optimal time for fishing with the top of the head is: late spring - early summer, when the water in the reservoir does not heat up more than 20 degrees, and the fish come out to feed.
Tackle
In addition to the basic gear, it is definitely recommended to take with you a landing net no shorter than 2 meters. You should immediately determine how far you will have to cast the bait. When fishing at night, the ideal tackle would be a float no shorter than 5 meters. The main line should not be less than 0.4 millimeters, with a breaking load of about 7 kilograms. For a leash, a section of 0.2 is enough, approximately 25 centimeters in length and a hook number 6.
In the morning and evening it is great to use a float; when fishing occurs at night, it is advisable to use a feeder, since the feeder can be cast up to 60 meters. It is advisable to use bait from animals, for example a worm, maggot, or crawler. For vegetable baits, you can use potatoes, dough or corn. We must not forget about bait, today you can simply buy it. Food should be diluted at the fishing site, and only with local water. No matter how much food is prepared, bait must be added to it. Most often, finely chopped worms are added to the food. The food should be formed into balls the size of a fist. To begin with, you need to throw about 6 balls, then one every next hour.
Read: Catching crucian carp. Tackle for fishing with foam balls
Of course, there is much more to catch in familiar baited places, but you can try your luck in an unfamiliar place. Some fishermen also use bite enhancers or flavoring agents. At the same time, you need to be careful with these ingredients, since a couple of extra drops of flavoring can simply scare away the fish. You shouldn’t go fishing with just one set of equipment. Breaks are inevitable, so you should have about 5 spare hooks, floats and sinkers with you. In order for the fish to remain fresh, you need to purchase a cage in which the crucian carp can swim. And naturally, silence is considered a very important factor; large individuals are much more careful than small ones, and it is very easy to scare them away.
Bait for catching large crucian carp
The diet of large crucian carp depends on the season.
Winter:
- Maggots;
- Young bloodworm;
- Brew.
- Spring:
- Worms;
- Maggots;
- Bread mash.
Summer:
- Pearl barley porridge;
- Wheat grains;
- Maggots;
- Bread;
- Corn or beans.
Autumn:
- Chopped worm;
- Maggots.
Let's celebrate! For large crucian carp, two types of bait are suitable: plant and animal. Before fishing, even with a certain knowledge of the habits of the fish, it is difficult to guess which bait will be best for the slave to peck. To make fishing a success, experienced fishermen advise taking several types of bait: both plant and animal.
Advantages of using a float rod for crucian carp
Fishing with a float rod has its advantages:
- Fishing takes place close to the shore. This greatly simplifies the entire fishing process;
- The equipment of the fishing rod is quite simple and requires minimal cash outlay;
- Easy to use. This type of fishing is accessible to any age and almost any physical ability;
- The fishing process is possible at any depth.
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Bait for fishing for large crucian carp
It is better to prepare bait for large individuals at home, this guarantees the quality of the bite.
The following mixtures are in great demand among fish:
- Cake – 300 g;
- Corn flour – 300 g;
- Semolina – 300 gr;
- Corn grits – 600 g;
- Barley – 1.2 kg;
- Ground wheat – 1.1 kg.
The ingredients are mixed, 30 drops of Corvalol and the required amount of water are added. An important point: portioned balls must be prepared just before the start of fishing, so moisturizing the mixed mixture can be done right next to the river.
Unfamiliar flavors of bait can scare off crucian carp, so you need to use familiar ingredients.
A good option would be mono bait:
- Dry oatmeal;
- Semolina porridge or cereal;
- Wheat porridge or cereal;
- Store-bought bait.
Good to know! Just like humans, carp have receptors that perceive pleasant aromas as positive. Therefore, “scents” from seeds and plant roots are added to the bait. It is also worth considering the fact that crucian carp have a small mouth. Large individuals may refuse bulk bait and not approach it until the “trifle” breaks it down into small particles. Therefore, you need to prepare in small portions in advance.
What to do if only small crucian carp bite?
Small crucian carp quickly react to food, so they immediately start biting. To distract the fry, it is enough to make several feeding places, in which case all the “trifles” will go to feed where there is the most food.
Large individuals will not want to compete for prey and will remain in the thickets. After the bait for the “trifles” is placed, after a while you can start hunting for more individuals, which, when smelling food, come 1–2 meters to the shore. Don't miss the moment.
Reviews from fishermen
I don’t know, I constantly catch crucian carp in the river behind the garden and nothing – there is a result. I think that the crucian carp reacts not to the noise of the area, but to the possibility of food, so I use bait. Grade:
Anatoly
In winter, my usual trophy is 1 - 1.5 kg per crucian carp, so I constantly go to the same place with a spinning rod and pearl barley bait. Grade:
Semyon
I once tried to catch a large crucian carp on a float, but because of this it was difficult to land the fish, there was no support. Since then, when I take a big catch, I take a spinning rod with a reel with me to be sure of success. Grade:
Dmitriy
Last winter I tried to cook mash from oatmeal and semolina, the crucian carp goes well after two or three casts. I think bait is still needed. Grade:
Nikita
The first year I decided to try myself as a fisherman. My large crucian carp go well only at the beginning of spring; I once went fishing in the winter, but there was no result. I tried everything: bloodworms and maggots, but there was no result! It's a shame. Grade:
Yuri
Fishing for crucian carp is an interesting, but time-consuming process. Many fishermen go on such a hunt just for fun, because crucian carp is a trophy and beautiful fish. To achieve results, it is enough to adhere to basic tactics and avoid repeated mistakes.
It is worth noting: that crucian carp is not so much picky about gear as it is about bait and bait; for this you need to prepare suitable food in advance. As mentioned earlier, crucian carp is an unpredictable fish, so it reacts differently to fishing baits on different days. It is better to take several types of baits and gear with you.
Nozzle for catching large crucian carp
The bait for catching large crucian carp can be varied. But, for example, in the middle of spring it
Can only be caught using animal bait. In some places it is maggots, in others bloodworms or worms.
Do not forget that crucian carp is a very harmful and picky fish. Today he could be caught with maggots, but tomorrow he will only want worms. Therefore, you need to prepare in advance all possible baits for crucian carp, which this fish is delighted with.
From the beginning of summer it is already possible to use attachments of plant origin. You can use corn or boiled potatoes. Although golden crucian carp still continues to be caught using animal bait and sometimes does not want to see anything other than a worm.
If there is no current in the reservoir, then the bite must be treated with extreme caution. The thing is that crucian carp spends a long time tasting the bait.
