There is still something magical about catching a crucian carp, and as these fish get rarer in the UK, a specimen fish is still something to cherish, as angler David Brice found out when a recent session ended with him landing a beautiful 3lb 12oz crucian.
As the weather has been very wet and cold for the spring, David decided to target the crucian carp in his local lake one last time before he set his sight on tench. It proved to be a great choice as the weather felt right for a big fish.
“After watching the weather for the last week, I knew the wind was about to swing from a light southerly to a strong westerly around midnight, and despite the venue being very busy, the corner the wind was about to blow into was empty,” he told us.
“I put out some pellets, groundbait, and a pint of casters and fished into dark but with no bites. I reeled in for the night and set the alarm for first light. With the predicted wind pumping in nicely, I put the rods out on the spot at 30 yards.”
After catching a rogue tench and a carp the following morning, David received the bite he was hoping for.
“At 11 o’clock, a quick bite. I knew instantly it was a crucian and a very old warrior of about 2 1/2 lb soon graced my net,” he said.
This was all the action for that day, and despite baiting up the swim again, the night remained uneventful, which left David concerned he may have overdone it with the bait.
“With everything on the barrow and just the rods, mat, and net left, the end of the session was looming large, then the bobbin on the same right-hand rod as before hit the butt and I was on it in a flash."
“On picking up the rod, I knew it was a better crucian, and after a bit of a hairy moment under the branches or a nearside tree, one of the lake's jewels was in the net, at 3lb 12oz, what a way to end, and is there a better-looking fish.”
“Over the years, I have learned that following the wind is key to catching crucians, and I have stuck to a fish meal and krill groundbaitmix rather than go down the now-trendy sweet fishmeal mix,” David concluded.
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