Contents
Crucian carp is a very capricious and unpredictable underwater inhabitant, which is often very difficult to catch. Its catching will be effective only if the angler knows where to look for this fish in various types of reservoirs, knows how to correctly equip the tackle, and also choose the effective composition of the bait and the working version of the nozzle.
Where to look for carp
For successful fishing, the angler needs to know the nature of the places where crucian carp usually stand. When looking for promising sites, be sure to take into account the type of reservoir on which fishing takes place.
On the river
If fishing takes place on a large or medium-sized river, when looking for crucian carp in the spring and summer periods, the angler needs to pay attention to the following places:
- bays abundantly overgrown with aquatic vegetation with a depth of 1,5–3 m;
- shallow eriki and oxbow lakes;
- stretches with a slow current;
- shallow areas located before the bends of the river.
In summer, large crucian carp often come out to feed on shallow waterings located next to the main riverbed.
Photo: www.i.ytimg.com
In the autumn and winter seasons, flocks of crucian carp are more common in bays with a depth of 3–5 m. In such places, the water temperature changes more slowly than in the course, which makes the stay of heat-loving fish more comfortable.
On small rivers, carp can be caught in coastal whirlpools. Fish often stand on bends, where the depth increases and the current slows down.
In stagnant water bodies
In spring and summer, flocks of crucian carp usually feed on stagnant reservoirs in the coastal zone, where there is an abundance of vegetation. Such places are distinguished by a rich food supply, which attracts fish.
In autumn and winter, crucian carp stands in deeper parts of the reservoir. At low water temperatures, it can be found:
- in bark pits 3–6 m deep;
- on flat plateaus located next to pits or a riverbed flowing into a stagnant reservoir;
- on deep stretches;
- in local pits.
Only in April – early May (depending on the region) this heat-loving fish again begins to enter the coastal zone, where the water warms up much faster than in the deep parts of the reservoir.
Seasonal features of fish behavior
When fishing crucian carp, it is important to take into account the peculiarities of its behavior at different times of the year. This will allow the fisherman to quickly navigate the pond and choose the right fishing tactics.
Summer
Summer is the most favorable period for carp fishing. In warm water, this fish behaves actively, responds well to bait and willingly takes the nozzles offered to it.
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In summer, this representative of the cyprinid family shows increased feeding activity in the early morning and before sunset. In cloudy weather, he can feed throughout the day, taking a short break at lunchtime.
During the whole summer season crucian pecks well at night. In the dark, it comes out to the coastal shallows and actively feeds, collecting worms and other invertebrates washed out of the soil by the daytime wave from the bottom.
At night and in the early morning hours, crucian carp, as a rule, collect food from the bottom. During the day, when the water temperature rises, it begins to feed in the middle horizon. This factor should be taken into account when setting up gear.
Autumn
With the onset of autumn, crucian carp switches to a daily diet. As the water gets colder, its bite in the morning and night hours noticeably weakens, and closer to the middle of the season it completely stops.
In autumn, this fish moves to deeper parts of the reservoir and stops feeding in the middle layers of the water. During this period, she switches to feeding on animal organisms, looking for food in the bottom soil.
If the autumn turned out to be warm, crucian carp continue to be caught with varying degrees of success until the middle of the season. In the second half of October, its activity sharply decreases. He goes to wintering pits and practically does not come across amateur gear.
Winter
In winter, when the water temperature stops dropping, settling on one value, the crucian carp starts to show activity again. However, at this time you should not count on a big catch that a fisherman could boast of in the summer.
Photo: www.i.ytimg.com
In winter, this fish is extremely capricious. Incorrectly selected bait or imperfection of tackle usually leads to the fact that for the whole day the angler does not see a single bite.
In cold water, crucian carp is very sensitive to any changes in the weather. The most stable bite is noted under the following conditions:
- barometer readings stay approximately at the same level for 3–4 days;
- temperature indicators are in the area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbzero;
- atmospheric pressure is at a level not higher than 745 mm Hg. Art.
In winter, biting is better in cloudy weather. On sunny, frosty days, the angler can hardly count on a good catch.
In the winter season, the diet of crucian carp is unpredictable. Short flashes of biting can occur both in the light and in the dark.
Spring
At the beginning of spring, most rivers, lakes and ponds are covered with an ice shell, which begins to melt, enriching the water with oxygen and increasing the activity of fish. During this period, you can quite successfully catch crucian carp from the ice with winter types of gear.
After the ice melts, this fish is in some stupor. For 2-3 weeks, she ignores the bait and baits offered to her. The bite resumes when the water temperature reaches 12°C.
The spring bite of crucian carp reaches its peak when the water temperature rises to 16°C. Depending on the region, this period falls on the second half of April – mid-May.
Photo: www.eribka.ru
In spring, crucian carp are best caught during the daytime. Klevu is favored by quiet, sunny weather. With heavy rainfall, which sharply lowers the water temperature, the activity of the fish is significantly reduced.
Best bait
The crucian carp is very picky about the choice of bait and can change its taste preferences several times a day. That is why fishing should take different types of nozzles.
Animal types of baits
Animal types of baits work well for crucian carp throughout the year. However, they are most effective at water temperatures up to 18°C. These types of baits include:
- muckworm;
- bloodworm;
- maggot;
- brook
Muckworm – one of the most effective crucian nozzles. Being impaled on the hook, it moves actively, quickly attracting the attention of the fish. For bait, it is better to take arthropods 5–7 cm long.
When the fish is actively feeding and willingly takes the bait, the worm must be put on the hook as a whole, piercing it in several places and leaving the sting open. If the crucian is passive, the hook is baited with separate fragments of an arthropod 2 cm long.
The attractiveness of worms for fish can be increased by adding a container where they are stored, a little garlic gruel. After this procedure, the bait will acquire a specific aroma, which crucian really likes.
Bloodworm is also an effective nozzle. It works especially well in ponds and shallow lakes with silty bottoms where fish are accustomed to feeding on mosquito larvae.
Bloodworms are more often used when fishing crucian carp in cold water, when the fish does not show increased activity. 2-4 mosquito larvae are usually planted on the hook.
Oparysh effective when the fish feeds not from the bottom, but in the water column. Large larvae or casters (pupated maggot) are used for baiting.
2-3 maggots are planted on the hook. When fishing on rivers with muddy water, it is better to use larvae painted in yellow, pink or red. You can give the animal nozzle the desired shade with the help of food coloring.
Photo: www.fishelovka.com
brook performs well when catching crucian carp on medium and small rivers. It also works great in places where tributaries flow into a stagnant body of water.
Caddisfly can be picked up in shallow areas of flowing reservoirs, at a depth of 10–30 cm. 1–2 larvae are usually planted on a hook.
Animal-type baits often perform well in combination with each other. The most catchy combination is 1 maggot and 2-3 bloodworms.
vegetable baits
When the water temperature rises above 18 ° C, plant foods begin to make up a significant part of the crucian diet. In such conditions, the following nozzles work best:
- semolina “chatter”;
- boiled barley;
- bread crumb;
- bread roll;
- sweet corn;
- mini-tall;
- bread crust.
semolina talker more often used for catching crucian carp on ponds and lakes with a fly rod. Once in the water, this nozzle begins to quickly dissolve, forming a small cloud of turbidity around itself, which additionally attracts fish.
To prepare a “talker” from semolina, you will need to perform the following steps:
- Pour semolina into a small jar.
- Add some warm water to the cereal bowl.
- Mix the contents of the jar.
- Add more water if necessary.
- Let it brew for 30 min.
Water must be added until the “talker” acquires the consistency of batter. This delicate bait is planted on the hook with a stick. Also, the nozzle can be placed in a medical syringe and squeezed out as needed.
Photo: www.kaklovit.ru
To increase the attractiveness of the “talker”, a little vanilla powder is added to it (at the kneading stage). This herbal bait can also be flavored with sweet “dip” flavored with berries, fruits or caramel.
Boiled pearl barley perfectly keeps on the hook, which allows you to use it not only for fishing in still water, but also when fishing in the current. To prepare this bait you need:
- Boil water in a saucepan.
- Pour in pearl barley.
- With regular stirring, cook barley over low heat for 50 minutes.
- For 5 min. before the end of cooking, add a little sugar or honey to the pan.
- Drain water carefully.
- Pour the boiled cereal on a flat surface and let the barley cool.
After cooling, barley is placed in a tightly closed jar, sprinkled with a small amount of cinnamon powder and shaken with boiled cereals. This procedure will give the bait an additional aroma that attracts crucian well in warm water.
Unlike most other vegetable baits, barley works great for crucian carp not only in summer, but also in autumn. When fishing in cold water, this bait should have a garlic flavor.
bread crumb used for fishing in stagnant water, when crucian carp feed in the middle horizon. For its manufacture, the soft middle of a fresh wheat loaf is used.
Photo: www.farmer.blog
After falling into the water, the bread crumb swells and sinks very slowly, simulating the natural immersion of food that has fallen into the water. To put this bait on the hook you will need:
- Take a small piece of bread pulp.
- With the back side, drown the hook in the pulp.
- Slightly flatten the flesh between the thumb and forefinger.
When fishing for bread crumb, light hooks made of thin wire are used, which ensures a slow immersion of the bait.
Bread pellet keeps quite well on the hook, so it is used both on rivers and in stagnant reservoirs. For its preparation, you can use various types of bread:
- wheat;
- rye;
- “Borodinsky”;
- bran.
It is important that the bakery product used to make the nozzle is fresh. To make such a bait, you just need to carefully knead the bread core in your hands and add a little unrefined sunflower oil to it.
To put a bread pellet on a hook, a small ball with a diameter of 5–10 mm is first made from it. After baiting, the plant nozzle is slightly flattened between the thumb and forefinger.
Sweet Canned Corn It has a hard shell, thanks to which it keeps perfectly on the hook. This nozzle is more often used on rivers with a moderate current. This bait is very fond of crucian carp living in commercial reservoirs, as they are regularly fed with mixtures that include corn grits.
Photo: www.manrule.ru
Corn can be planted directly on the hook or use a “hair” rig. The second method is more often used for fishing trophy crucian carp, since it allows you to make a voluminous nozzle consisting of several grains.
Mini-tall – a solid nozzle of plant origin, which is often used when fishing crucian carp with a feeder. The bait is fixed on the hook using a “hair” mount.
Mini-boilies can vary in the following parameters:
- taste;
- color;
- aroma;
- size.
- degree of buoyancy.
The optimal size, color, taste and aroma of the bait are selected empirically in the process of fishing. If fishing takes place on a pond or lake with a silty bottom, nozzles with positive buoyancy should be used – this will prevent the bait from sinking into soft ground and ensure its good visibility for fish.
Bread crust It turns out to be a very effective bait on hot summer days, when crucian carp often collect food objects from the surface of the water. For its manufacture you will need:
- Take a loaf of fresh wheat bread.
- Cut off the lower part of the crust from the loaf, while leaving a little pulp.
- Cut the bread crust into 1×1 cm squares.
Photo: www.activefisher.net
You need to bait the bread crust by piercing the hard part with a hook and removing the sting from the side of the pulp. This method of planting will ensure the maximum implementation of bites.
Lure
Successful fishing of crucian carp is possible only if there is a properly prepared bait. When making a bait yourself, you need to take into account that the composition and other characteristics of the nutrient mixture may vary depending on the conditions under which it will be used.
For warm water
To catch crucian carp in warm water, you need to use a bait mixture that has the following characteristics:
- light color;
- rich smell;
- the presence of components of small, medium and large fractions.
In warm water, crucian carp shows increased activity and responds well to light-colored bait. A bright spot quickly attracts the attention of fish, collecting it at the point of catching.
The crucian carp has a good sense of smell, and in a warm water environment, the smell of bait spreads very quickly. That is why, for summer fishing, mixtures with a rich aroma are used, which make it possible to collect fish from a large area in the shortest possible time.
Photo: www.rybalka2.ru
In the summer, this representative of the carp family responds better to flavored baits:
- fruits;
- berries;
- vanillin;
- cinnamon;
- chocolate;
- caramel;
- tutti-frutti.
Crucian bait for warm water must certainly include sunflower and hemp cake. These ingredients have a specific aroma that even inactive fish cannot resist.
Bait, oriented to fishing in warm water, should include components of different fractions. Finely ground particles provide a persistent cloud of turbidity, which contributes to the rapid attraction of fish. These ingredients can be:
- breadcrumbs;
- ground oatmeal;
- corn flour;
- powdered milk;
- children food.
Particles of medium grinding are necessary to keep crucian carp at the fishing point. These components can be:
- boiled millet;
- hemp seeds steamed in boiling water;
- corn grits;
- steamed wheat grains;
- wheat bran.
Crucian bait should also contain coarse particles, which are usually used the same components that are put on the hook:
- sweet corn;
- boiled pearl barley;
- mini-tall;
- pellets.
Large fractional particles present in the bait mixture teach the fish to take the hooked bait without fear, which increases the number of effective bites. Their percentage in the composition should not exceed 10%. If this rule is not followed, the crucian carp will quickly become satiated and will ignore the nozzle on the hook.
An effective bait for fishing crucian carp in warm water can be prepared from the following ingredients:
- breadcrumbs – 1 kg;
- corn grits – 0,2 kg;
- hemp seeds – 0,2 kg
- corn flour – 0,4 kg;
- dry milk – 0,2 kg;
- hemp cake – 0,2 kg;
- sunflower cake – 0,2 kg.
After mixing and moistening the bulk components, coarse-grained ingredients are introduced into the bait, similar to those used as a nozzle.
If liquid substances are used to give the bait a smell, they are first diluted in water, which is subsequently moistened with the composition. When using powdered flavors, they are introduced into the mixture at the kneading stage.
If fishing takes place in the current, it is necessary to add heavy soil to the bait in the ratio of 1 kg of nutrient mixture to 3 kg of earth. This is necessary to prevent rapid washout of the bait by the water flow.
For cold water
Crucian bait, oriented to fishing in cold water, should have the following characteristics:
- dark color;
- neutral or spicy aroma;
- fine grinding;
- indispensable presence of animal components.
At low water temperatures, crucian carp are very cautious and suspicious of light spots on the bottom. That is why the bait used in autumn and winter should have a dark color.
Photo: www.rybalkaprosto.ru
You can color your own mixture with food coloring. To do this, you need to dilute the black powder or tablet in water, which will moisten the bait composition.
In autumn, when the water temperature drops rapidly, it is better to use bait with a neutral smell. Such mixtures are less alarming for an inactive, shy crucian.
In winter, when the water temperature is at the same level, crucian carp begins to respond well to bait with a smell:
- paprika;
- coriander;
- anise;
- cumin;
- garlic.
The aroma of groundbait used in winter should not be too harsh. Failure to comply with this rule will lead to the complete absence of bites.
In autumn and winter, the life processes of crucian carp slow down. If you use bait with the presence of medium and large particles, the fish will quickly become satiated and stop paying attention to the bait. That is why small-fraction compositions are used in cold water.
An attractive mixture for cold water must certainly contain animal components:
- feed bloodworm;
- chopped worm;
- small maggot.
Animal ingredients significantly increase the effectiveness of bait and make crucian bites more confident.
Photo: www.webpulse.imgsmail.ru
To prepare the autumn-winter bait, you will need the following ingredients:
- rye breadcrumbs – 500 g;
- sunflower cake – 100 g;
- ground cumin – 10 g;
- fodder bloodworm -100 g;
- small maggot – 50 g.
Dry ingredients must be mixed and moistened. Animal ingredients are included in the composition immediately before catching.
Gear and tactics
The right choice of tackle largely ensures the success of crucian fishing. To achieve good results, you also need to know what tactics to use when using a specific fishing gear.
Floating rod
For fishing crucian carp on lakes and ponds, as well as in the still water of river bays and eriks, a fly rod with a float is excellent, which includes:
- telescopic rod 5–7 m long;
- a small float with two attachment points and a load capacity of 1–2 g;
- the main monofilament with a thickness of 0,15–0,18 mm;
- a set of weights-shots of different sizes;
- leash made of monofilament 0,12–0,16 mm thick, 15 cm long;
- hook No. 16–6 (depending on the volume of the nozzle used).
The main thing when assembling float equipment is to correctly load the bite signaling device. For this you need:
- Install the main group of lead shots (60% of the total weight of the load) 80 cm from the loop connecting the leader with the main monofilament.
- Set the second group (30% of the weight of the load) 40 cm below the first.
- Near the loop, fix the remaining 10% of the load in the form of two small pellets.
This option of loading the float will make the equipment as sensitive as possible and will not alert the crucian.
Photo: www.webpulse.imgsmail.ru
The tactics of fishing for crucian carp on a float rod is quite simple. Arriving at the reservoir, the angler needs to adhere to the following scheme of actions:
- Find the right place.
- Prepare feed.
- Collect gear.
- Measure depth.
- Make 3-4 balls the size of an orange from the bait and throw them at the fishing point.
- Put the bait on the hook.
- Throw tackle in a baited place and wait for a bite.
In the absence of bites, you need to experiment with the fishing horizon or change the type of bait.
Donka
Donka can be used to catch crucian both on rivers and in stagnant reservoirs. The equipment package includes:
- budget spinning rod with a length of about 2,4 m and a blank test of 50–80 g;
- 4000 series spinning reel;
- the main monofilament with a thickness of 0,35 mm;
- container-type feeder feeder with a volume of 50–80 ml and a weight of 30–60 g;
- a leash 30 cm long and 0,16–0,2 mm in diameter;
- hook number 10-4.
When fishing crucian carp on the dock, the sliding mounting of the “inline” type of equipment works better, which very rarely gets confused and has increased sensitivity.
The process of catching carp on the donka is as follows:
- The fisherman chooses a promising section of the reservoir.
- It sticks tackle racks into the coastal soil.
- Moisturizes food.
- Gathers gear.
- Throws the rig at the optimal distance.
- Clips the line onto the spool of the reel.
- Bait a hook.
- Throws the mixture into the feeder.
- Makes a cast at a fixed distance.
- He puts the spinning rod on the rack and waits for a bite.
Photo: www.fishingbook.ru
After installing the spinning rod on the rack, a bite signaling device in the form of a small bell is hung on the fishing line, which will notify the angler that the crucian took the nozzle.
Feeder
The feeder is successfully used for catching crucian carp in various types of reservoirs. This tackle has increased sensitivity and allows you to perform long-range casting equipment. To assemble it you will need:
- feeder rod with a test of 20–80 g (depending on the type of reservoir);
- “Inertialess” series 3000-4500;
- monofilament with a thickness of 0,25–0,28 mm or a cord with a diameter of 0,12–0,14 mm;
- feeder weighing 20–60 g;
- a fishing line leash with a diameter of 0,12–0,16 mm or a cord 0,08–0,1 mm thick;
- hook number 16-6.
If fishing is carried out on the river, it is better to use a feeder rig called “asymmetric loop” to catch crucian carp, which works well in current conditions. In this case, the leash should be 60–80 cm long.
When fishing takes place on a stagnant body of water, feeder equipment of the “flat” type is used with a leash no more than 7 cm long, made of “braid”. In such conditions, you can also use the Gardner loop installation with a 20-30 cm long leader element.
Photo: www.breedfish.ru
When carp are caught on a feeder, the same technique is used as when fishing on a donk. The soft tip of the rod (quiver tip) serves as a bite signaling device.
Winter mormus tackle
For ice fishing for crucian carp, it is better to use light jigging tackle, which includes:
- winter fishing rod of the “balalaika” type with a coil built into the body;
- elastic nod made of lavsan or plastic, 10–12 cm long;
- the main monofilament with a thickness of 0,08–0,1 mm;
- a small dark-colored mormyshka.
When fishing from ice to jigging tackle, you need to adhere to the following fishing tactics:
- Drill 3–5 holes (at a distance of 5–7 m from one another) in the most promising area.
- Feed each of the drilled holes.
- Collect gear.
- Lower the mormyshka to the bottom.
- Tap the bait on the ground several times.
- Giving a smooth play to the nod, slowly raise the mormyshka 15–20 cm from the bottom.
- Lower the bait to the bottom and leave to lie on the ground for 3-5 minutes.
If there are no bites, you need to move to another hole. This fishing tactic allows you to quickly find fish in a vast area of water.