Best approach and bait?

[MGs]

I have been catching quite a lot of crucians in the last year or so. Mostly in the 1lb to 1lb 8oz range. I too have found them to be very picky. Most of them have been picked up on light tackle, similar to roach gear. So for me it has been 2.5-3lb line, and a medium sized quill carrying as much shot as possible (just the very tip visible).
Hooks will depend on the bait, but nothing bigger than a 14 when using a cockle but mostly single grains of corn on a 16. My chosen rod has been my Allcocks Holdwell, 12' with a very fine tip.

[JerryC]

I very much agree with MG and believe it is essential to go as light as possible for the bigger crucians. Also I am fortunate to be able to have Marsh Farm and The Summer Pit (Yateley) with a forty minute drive so a real possibility of a true 4lb+ fish. Having said that I have 'only' had a 3.15 from the SP and two 3.14's from MF plus some close back ups (I'm far too honest :sarcasm: ). Although I much prefer to fish the more traditional methods, and I'm not a lover of poles, I do tend to use an old margin pole at up to 7m quite often on these waters and the presentation advantage does in my opinion help. Although there are no problems with carp on these waters the tincas go to double figures and the SP is pretty much choked with weed. If you are really worried about the carp and believe you must fish heavy a very successful alternative, although I wouldn't use it out of principle, is a scaled down bolt rig method feeder which has taken very big C's on both waters. However it's not all about catching big C's, I had a most enjoyable day catching seven to approximately a pound and a half on February 29th from a local club water farm pond.
Jerry

[GazTheAngler]

I have to agree with MGs and Jerry C,

2.5- 3lb line light float, shotted right down.

I haven't had any from my current ponds on corn but have in the past, breadflake is good as are (not trad I know) soft or jelly pellets. In the ponds i fish id never get past the small Roach, Rudd and perch if I used maggots.

Also hit every movement of the float dont always wait for a dip or lift.

Good luck .

Gaz

[Mark]

Thank you chaps, some food for thought there which I shall be trying. :thumb:

[JerryC]

They certainly can be frustrating little so and so's. I remember a session at Marsh Farm some years ago when a delicately balanced float never dipped once during the day - every one was caught by luck or instinct lifting at the right time.

Regarding sweetcorn, during Ian Welch's time with RMC/CEMEX , he and others were hitting the 4lb +'s on plastic corn bolt rigged at night from the Summer Pit. I believe that MB's record was caught the same way.
Jerry

[Mark]

I couldn't use one of those bolt rig chappies Jerry, I know they work but there not for me.

I'll try the small hook, fine line and light float approach. :thumb:

[JerryC]

Me neither Mark, I'd much rather persevere with a float - far more satisfying than letting the fish do all the work
Jerry

[GloucesterOldSpot]

If you're lucky enough to find a pool with obliging crucians you might get away with tackle strong enough to give you a chance with the bigger carp, but it seems you're not getting as many as you think you should on the heavy gear, so it sounds like they are fairly typical of the species.

If you really want to target the crucians go lighter; 2lb line and a size 14 to 18 hook depending on bait, a float or match rod and a centrepin. My favourite crucian float is a thin-stemmed antenna type, as small as possible. Drennan Stillwater Blues are excellent, as I suspect are their replacement, the Glow-Tip Antenna, though I've not had occasion to use one. I expect you could make a similar float up out of traditional materials if you really must, though balsa and cane are pretty traditional anyway.

Sometimes these fish bite so delicately even a tiny porcupine quill won't register the bites, which is why I use a setup that relies on tension; a scaled down lift rig where the main float body is cocked by shot at mid depth, and the antenna is just sunk by one small tell-tale shot close to the hook. If the distance between this shot and the float is set a little greater than the depth of water, only the bulk shot registers and you can tighten up to the small shot resting on the bottom and draw the stem down so only an eighth on an inch remains above the surface; the buoyancy in the float (which is only countered by the bulk shot remember) will keep the line tight to the tell-tale shot, and if a fish picks up the bait the float either sinks out of sight or lifts up, depending which way the fish moves.

If you use a shot that is not heavy enough to sink the stem you will experience difficulty tightening up to the float, which will keep pulling the shot along the bottom.

[Mark]

Thanks GOS I will give that a try. :thumb:

[SeanM]

I'm currently on a quest for a 2lb plus crucian as well Mark - a tall order up here! Here are a few suggestions from my own experience.

Fish the margins (very close in) or very close to cover. If you've got deepish margins lined with flag iris later in the year then this is one place to try. Failing that fallen trees (I can see one or two in your pictures) or trees overhanging the water with trailing branches.

Try worm. It certainly works well on my local crucian water.

Use a fishmeal ground bait (Sonubaits Halli Crush is good). Mashed bread in any quantity will tend to spook larger, more wary fish. The darker fishmeal groundbait will attract and once fish are in the swim it's dark colour won't spook them as much. If you object to fishmeal then brown crumb might be worth trying.