Fishing for crucian carp in summer: choosing gear and bait

Summer is a favorable period for catching crucian carp. In summer, crucian carp are especially active and insatiable. But it is still advisable to find out in advance about the peculiarities of his behavior in different summer months.

Or how to properly equip the tackle, what kind of bait to use. Crucian carp is a cunning fish, it does not take any bait, and easily recognizes gear even in summer. But summer fishing is considered the most productive in terms of seasonality.

Peculiarities of fish behavior in different months

At the beginning of summer, spawning continues; large crucian carp hardly feed. Only small things can be caught on the hook. After spawning the real food will begin. As the water warms up completely, the fish begin to become active and therefore fishing in the summer will most often be productive.

Only bad weather conditions can affect the behavior of crucian carp. In July, usually the hottest month of summer, oxygen in the water becomes insufficient. Small crucian carp move around the water area no longer so actively. And the big one goes to the depths for a short time. It begins to become active only when it gets colder, rains, or winds.

If the change in weather is accompanied by a decrease in atmospheric pressure, summer fishing can be unpredictable. Only when the pressure stabilizes will the bite resume. When it is hot and completely calm in stagnant bodies of water, fishing will become more difficult.

The crucian carp spreads throughout the entire reservoir, goes to the depths, hides among the vegetation, and seeks shade. And it won't be easy to lure him out of there. In summer, in rivers with running water, crucian carp do not lack oxygen.

When the wind is strong in summer, crucian carp go to great depths. But after the end of the bad weather, the crucian carp will attack the leeward shores in the hope of profiting. Waves wash food onto the shore. But with a slight wind of up to 15 m/s, it becomes active even during the day. Wind improves the oxygen regime of water.

Fishing in July is especially productive in the morning at 4 o'clock. Crucian carp mainly stays only in the coastal zone. The peak of the bite is 6 o’clock and stops completely at 10 o’clock. In August, in the morning and evening, the bite, unlike the beginning of summer, will be noticeably reduced.

The most optimal time to sit by the water with a fishing rod is during the day (from 12–17), in cloudy weather. On a sunny day in summer, crucian carp begin to bite from 7 a.m. until almost noon. But in the evening, the bite subsides, the small fish don’t bite, but you can still catch a trophy or at least a large specimen.

In August there is a noticeable decrease in temperature, daylight hours become shorter. Therefore, crucian carp move more and more lazily around the reservoir. They are almost inaccessible to the coastal zone. Therefore, the length of the rod must be at least 7 meters.

Good to know! In August, the most effective fishing is on the feeder, because you can fish in deep-sea holes.
It is better to use bloodworms and worms as bait in the morning and during the day. In the evening and in warm weather, you can try any plant bait.

Finding a fishing spot

The ideal depth for fishing for crucian carp is 1-1.5 meters , although sometimes it can be successfully caught at a depth of much less than 1 meter. But at depths greater than other meters, it is already difficult to fish with a fly rod, of course, if the fishing does not take place a couple of meters from the shore.

Determining the depth of the chosen place is very simple: set the distance from the float to the hook to 1 meter and throw it into the water. If the float stands up well, it means there is a deeper place. Remove the equipment from the water and increase the “drop” until the float stops standing up normally, then reduce the “drop” so that the float stands up normally.

Crucian carp loves standing water. But even in ponds there are places with a flowing current, so it is better to fish in small creeks and creeks, there is a high probability that this is where crucian carp feeds.

What is the difference between a feeder and a picker - an article about gear that works great when catching crucian carp.
A detailed guide to the float rod can be found here.
Rigging a float rod for carp - a difference from crucian carp rigging and a guide to fishing techniques.

Probably the most ancient fishing tackle. In various modifications it is used by fishermen of all ages, professions and even gender.

The fly fishing rod, among other things, has a thin rig, which allows you to successfully catch cautious fish, and the flexible tip and the rubber shock absorber enclosed in it help to catch large specimens.

This tackle is a real heavy artillery in the arsenal of float tackle and it serves for particularly long-range casts, which can reach 30-40 meters. Therefore, special waggler-type floats are 30 cm or more in length, and the load reaches 15-20 grams along with weights on the fishing line. Wagler floats can be loaded, depending on fishing conditions, with shot in the float body and washers, which are screwed on as needed.

When biting, do not hook immediately, wait until the fish drowns the float or pulls it to the side. Fish it out smoothly, otherwise you will tear the crucian carp’s thin lips and it will run away. Use a net to remove large fish from the water.

It is worth fishing during certain periods. It bites especially well from 5 to 10 am, as well as late in the evening or at night. At night, the chances of catching large fish increase, which come out of their hiding places only when the water has completely cooled down. However, you usually have to wait for such individuals for hours.

Tips for a fisherman: What bait is better to catch crucian carp - Tips for a beginner

Crucian carp is an unpretentious fish and can be found in almost any pond, lake, reservoir or river, however, you need to know the places where it is found most often.

She does not like strong currents and lives only where there is no current or very weak one. It often swims in thickets of reeds, reeds, cattails or water lilies, where it easily finds food and hides from the scorching sun and predators.

Crucian carp can be found in snags, where you can also hide and avoid the heat. When casting into such areas of the reservoir, remember that you need to throw not far and not very close to the snags, since in the first case the fish will not dare to get out of the shelter, and in the second it will pull the hook to where it can’t be retrieved later.

In addition, she prefers:

shades of coastal trees;
shallow water;
oxbows;
backwaters.

In the video you can learn the secrets of fishermen who have been successfully catching crucian carp in the spring and summer for a long time:

The best time to catch crucian carp is in the summer

Early morning is the best time for fishing. Only in the morning you can contemplate the most active bite. Large carp are more often caught when fishing from the bottom, and small ones bite closer to the surface. By eight o'clock in the morning the bite noticeably worsens and gradually fades away.

The trifle now sinks into the bottom layers. Larger specimens, on the contrary, will rise closer to the surface and remain there until sunset. But behavior may change, much will depend on favorable weather conditions.

Tackle for summer fishing for crucian carp

You can use a variety of gear for summer fishing. In addition, they are improving quickly.

There are many commercial fishing gear:

Float tackle is the most popular because it is easy to use and has high catchability.
Bottom tackle (donka, feeder, elastic band) is indispensable for large bodies of water and catching trophy specimens.

Rod selection

The main gear for summer fishing is a fishing rod. But it should be extremely light, but with a rigid rod.

In summer, 3 types of fishing rods are used for fishing:

Coil selection

You can take any model, but spinning reels are especially popular. With their help, you can cast bait over a wide variety of distances. Choose a spool diameter from 1500–3000.

Line selection

The thickness of the fishing line should be no more than 0.12–0.14 mm. Regular monofilament fishing line is suitable. For a leash of 0.1 mm. But if hooks are possible, you can give a reserve of power. Use a line of 0.15 mm, a leash of 0.2 mm. Some fishermen only use thin braid, but it is very expensive.

Selection of hooks

Hooks for fishing in summer are used with a rounded hook and a shortened shank. In summer, crucian carp do not swallow the hook too deeply. And it is most convenient for a fisherman to put bait on such a hook.

The main thing is not to skimp too much on hooks; they should be of high quality, with sharp edges and catchy. Hook size No9–No11. You can, of course, install several hooks at once, but this is not recommended.

Float selection

The main requirement for summer gear is sensitivity. The float must respond even to a slight touch to the nozzle. It should be lightweight, with a load capacity of 1–2 grams, an elongated design, and fastening at one point.

Let's celebrate! It is necessary to load the float with several pellets in the summer. Place the sub on a leash, 5–7 cm away from the hook. Choose a float with a brightly colored antenna so that it can be seen even from a great distance.
At the very end, balls and cylinders are attached.

Equipment

No less important in catching crucian carp is the equipment of the rod. If it is done incorrectly, fishing is unlikely to be comfortable and productive. In addition, if the fishing rod is not equipped correctly, the fish may not notice the bite.

First of all, when assembling, you need to pay attention to the rod itself. All further equipment depends on this. When fishing for crucian carp, a Bologna, fly and match rod with a length of 4 meters or more is usually used. The assembly of each of them is different from each other in one way or another.

A reel for fishing with a Bolognese and match rod is suitable for a spinning reel with a spool size of 1500-2500 according to the Shimano classification. It is not needed at all for the flywheel.

The hook is selected depending on the bait. For fishing with animal baits, a short shank is used; for vegetable baits, a long or spiral shank is used. Ideal size No. 16-10 according to international classification.

The float for catching crucian carp in the summer on a float rod is taken as sensitive as possible. Goose feathers and pencils work well. When using a match rod, you need a waggler.

The fishing line is selected depending on the material and thickness. Monofilament with a size of 0.18 - 0.25 millimeters is suitable for fishing. Fluorocarbon and braid are too rigid and can scare the fish, so they are used only for a leash, and only sometimes.

Bait for fishing for crucian carp in summer

As we already know, there are 2 types of bait: plant origin, animal origin. In summer, baits can be used individually, or as a sandwich. The bite can never be predicted for sure.

In some reservoirs, the best bait in summer may be a worm. Moreover, it should be dug only near the vicinity of the selected reservoir.

In icy rivers, feeding on underwater springs, crucian carp will give preference to animal baits:

bloodworm;
maggot;
moth larva, dragonfly;
mayfly;
crawl out;
Chafer;
Shitik.

In warm waters in summer, fish are caught using plant bait. The most popular are boiled pearl barley and corn. Various doughs with and without flavorings are suitable. Small crucian carp can be attracted with ordinary bread crumb or mastyrka.

Note! Combined baits work great. If crucian carp refuses to bite separately on a worm or corn in the summer, make a sandwich. And this can cause unexpected zhor. You can safely use synthetic baits. In hot weather, as you know, vegetable baits are more preferable.

Popular baits and baits

Crucian carp is quite picky about food, so the choice of gear and baits should be taken very seriously.

Animal baits such as various worms show good results. The fish reacts well to maggots and bloodworms, etc. If we talk about worms, then dung worms will work better, which have some advantages:

• they are convenient to attach to a hook;
• they attract crucian carp with their specific smell
.

The larvae of insects and flies will be “catchy” only in those reservoirs where only crucian carp is found, otherwise you will have to change the bait quite often - it will be attacked by small fish.

To catch trophy specimens, it is better to take a sandwich with crawlers. Some fishermen use French fries and shrimp as bait (these products must be frozen). By the way: the shrimp meat sits securely on the hook, and it is difficult for fish to knock down such bait.

Tips for fisherman: How to quickly remove scales from crucian carp - What is the difference, pros and cons

Semolina chatter is another good type of bait. There are many recipes for making it in fishing circles, and each of them is effective in its own way. You need to apply the mixture using a medical syringe to avoid getting dirty.

Crucian carp also bite well on dough. Again, there are many folk recipes for making such flour compositions. The presence of natural odors such as corn, garlic, honey, spices and herbs makes such bait even more attractive to fish.

Boiled and steamed pearl barley is also used as bait. The first type, of course, is subjected to heat treatment on the stove, the second is steamed in a thermos with boiling water.

Well, the most popular and win-win attachment is a pellet of bread, and you can use both black and white bread.

Atmospheric pressure also affects the catch. You will not be left without an excellent catch if the atmospheric pressure was stable for 2-3 days before fishing.

Groundbait recipes

Making bait is not at all difficult, the main thing is to determine what kind of bait will interest the crucian carp. In the summer, he willingly eats only food that is familiar to him, so you need to experiment with ingredients.

Main bait requirements:

aroma;
fineness;
contrast with the bottom.

There is a basic composition of summer bait, which can be modified, various ingredients and flavorings can be added.

But the main ingredients remain the same:

corn or oat flakes;
various cereals: semolina, peas, pearl barley, wheat, millet.

Recipes for bait for crucian carp in summer:

boil 1-1.5 peas;
stir in a little crushed crackers and flour;
1 tbsp. l. cocoa.

Having arrived at the place, pour a little water into the bag with bait, let it sit for half an hour, then make balls.

Recipe 2:

Fry the sunflower seeds in a frying pan and grind.
Take 1 kg of crushed crackers and 0.5-1 kg of wheat bran.
Add any flavoring of your choice, or divide the mixture into several parts and add one flavoring to each: drops of Corvalol (10-20 drops), vanilla, cinnamon, honey.

Recipe 3:

take equal proportions of crushed corn grits, barley, wheat;
300 gr. semolina;
gingerbread;
300 gr. any bran.

At the pond, bring the dry mixture to the desired consistency with water from the pond. Additives in the form of dill, vanillin, and ground anise will also not be superfluous.

Recipe 4:

Boil 2 kg of potatoes, mash well;
Stir in a little flour or fish feed.

Recipe 5: mix maggots or bloodworms with the soil of the reservoir, form small balls.

6 complementary feeding recipe, especially good for feeder:

200 g oatmeal;
400 g of ground crackers and ground cake;
50 g roasted and ground any nuts;
150 g of animal component: worm, bloodworm, maggot.

Animal bait

As has already been said, animal baits work better in the spring, but even in the summer, crucian carp do not disdain such treats.

Such baits include:

worms;
maggots;
bloodworm;
leeches.

Let's consider several popular types of bait for crucian carp:

Maggot

Although it is used in spring and autumn, it can also be used in summer, this is especially true in early June or late August.

Where can I get this bait?

The easiest way is to buy it at a fishing store. They are not very expensive.
If you are not disgusted by bad odors , then you can look for them under piles of manure or in the toilet.
You can also grow maggots yourself . To do this, you need to place a piece of meat or fish in a warm place for several hours. As soon as the fly lays eggs, a piece of meat is placed in a plastic box and left for a week in a dark place. After the larvae hatch, they need to be transferred to sawdust, where they are cleaned of any remaining meat and unpleasant odor.

It is recommended to store such bait in the refrigerator in a closed container.

How to properly place a maggot on a hook:

A hook number eight is suitable for this bait . Several maggots are planted at once. The hook tip is passed through the skin of the bait, 0.5 cm away from its thickest end.
The hook is passed through the thin end.
The sting should be hidden in the last maggot.

Bloodworm

It is considered the most favorite delicacy for crucian carp. Purchased at a fishing store. When purchasing, you should pay attention to its color . It is better if it is bright red, but if the color is dark red, then they will not be too elastic, mobile and may leak when pricked.

How to plant bloodworms:

The best hook is numbered 2,3-3,5.
The bloodworm is taken with dry fingers so that its head is on top.
You should hold it very carefully as it may burst.
A bloodworm is pierced in the area of the third phalanx.
The bait is placed along the entire length of the hook.

Reviews from fishermen

I have learned from my own experience that without bait, summer fishing will not be the same. For those who don’t understand, I’ll describe it in more detail. A feeding mixture, i.e., various food scraps, is taken and thrown into the reservoir a week before the intended fishing. This will force the fish to visit this place more often than others. The main condition for us is to attract fish, and not to feed them. Grade:

Vadim

I rarely go out into nature, but if I do, I always come home with a catch. I just know the secret of my luck. When I was a child, I went fishing with my father; he always used the same bait. It can be used for fishing rods and donkeys. Boil the millet, add the flour and boil for a few minutes.

fried makha;
1 tbsp. millet;
2st. water.

Rating:
Victor

I noticed a long time ago that this fish is never hungry, never. Therefore, you need to take a little bait. Because overfed, it won’t even take tasty bait. Grade:

Sergey

And I never bother with bait. I just bought the Crucian Carp Killer, it costs mere pennies. Of course, I can’t say that I carry fish home by the bucketload, but I have enough.

Grade:

Vladimir

A week ago I went to my favorite place. I took 4 types of bait with me and sat there for half a day. But luck turned away from me this time. Although the place was well fed and he always came home with his catch. Grade:

Alexander

Crucian carp is a capricious fish and is not particularly hungry in the summer. Therefore, summer fishing requires knowledge of the basic habits of the fish, the characteristics of the chosen reservoir, and nutrition.

Let's celebrate! We hope that the advice of our fishing experts will be useful to you. And if not a trophy specimen, then you can certainly count on a pleasant holiday with a fishing rod and a good bite!