Fishing for crucian carp in the river during the current. Silver crucian carp in small rivers. Gear options for catching crucian carp in the current

In many rivers, especially those that have a regulated flow, silver crucian carp are found. Where there is enough food, it grows quickly and is well caught with bottom gear. The most effective bottom tackle is the quivertip feeder.

I caught a lot of large crucian carp with bottom gear on Pakhra in the area below the dam in the village of Novlenskoye. The crucian carp here was fattened. At that time (five years ago), with the correct feeding of bait, it gathered quickly at the fishing point. During the morning or evening dawn it was not difficult to catch 3-4 kg of fish.

Fishing conditions and times

The silver carp bite on the rivers begins immediately after the spring water clears. In low-flow reservoirs, its activity begins when the water warms up to 13-15 degrees. At the beginning of the season, when the water is still quite cool, silver carp can feed throughout the day, but after the water warms up to 18-20 degrees, it can switch to morning, evening or night feeding.
However, it is useful to note that the bite of large silver crucian carp is often observed in the very heat, when, it would seem, no fish should take it. This is due to the emergence of crucian carp into shallow waters with fast currents when the water overheats.

Where to look for it?

Silver crucian carp prefers to stay close to algae, where it can find various food. In summer, when the weather remains normal for a long time, medium-sized crucian carp are often caught at shallow depths, and fish weighing more than half a kilogram usually live at depths of 3-4 meters or more. However, at night they can go to underwater heights that are far from the coast, as well as to coastal shallows, where they feed intensively. Therefore, in fine summers, it is preferable to catch large crucian carp closer to the night: both in the morning and in the evening.
Crucian carp love to walk near water lilies, thickets of uruti and pondweed, so casting with a feeder should be done so that the feeder is in an area of clean water, but near the algae. In addition, the direction of casting should be such that, when reeling in, the equipment can pass above the grass, and if the fish is hooked, it can be taken out along a clear corridor (or where the algae does not reach the surface of the water). Large silver crucian carp is often caught well on the coastal channel edges near sedges and water lilies; for this, on narrow rivers, casts are made to the opposite bank.

Selection of equipment

Let me remind you that the English bottom rod has three interchangeable tips (nods) of varying stiffness, designed for fishing in weak, medium and fast currents. It should be remembered that the soft tip will immediately bend in the current and will not react properly to a bite. In addition, one or another tip is installed on the rod in accordance with the weight of the sinker or feeder, as well as the weight of the fish. Replaceable tips have a bright, often orange color.
For night fishing, it is most convenient to use signaling tips that have a luminescent color. Moreover, in order to distinguish the tips by degree of flexibility, they can have an additional multi-colored color.

When fishing in shallow waters, in addition to the previously mentioned replaceable tips, a swing tip can be used.
As for reels, you need to take one whose gear ratio corresponds to the fishing conditions. For example, on a clear bottom with minimal current when fishing for small crucian carp, a reel with a low reeling speed is suitable, but where there are snags, algae, rocky ridges or other obstacles, you will need to quickly raise the equipment above the ground to a certain level and move it at a certain speed ( then it will not lower), and this will require quick wiring. For high-speed rewinding, you must have a reel with a gear ratio of at least 6:1. The diameter of the spool is selected in accordance with the diameter of the fishing line. For catching crucian carp with a feeder, small-section fishing lines are mainly used, so the suitable spool diameter will be 35-40 mm.

When selecting fishing line, the characteristics of the rod and its tip are taken into account. For light to medium-sized feeders, monofilament is usually used as it has minimal friction as it passes through the rod guides and is less sensitive to fish. For fishing with heavy feeder tackle, you sometimes have to use braided lines, but when choosing a leash it is still better to give preference to monofilament.

With the right choice of fishing rod and good balance of all parts of the equipment on a quivertip feeder reel, it is enough to have a supply of fishing line of no more than 80 m with a diameter of 0.14 to 0.25 mm. Naturally, such a wide gradation of values depends on various reasons and, first of all, on the object of fishing. Let's say, pond crucian carp weighing up to 300 g, which sometimes has a very neat bite, should be caught with fishing lines of minimal thickness, and river crucian carp with maximum thickness. The presence of algae on the bottom should also be taken into account. If they are present, then when fishing with a thin line there will often be breaks. In addition, it is necessary to keep in mind that in a fast current, a thick fishing line is strongly blown out, which affects the clarity of the hook.
For catching silver crucian carp in the coastal zone, a light feeder is quite enough. For long-cast fishing, a medium feeder is more suitable. Let us remind you that there are three categories of feeder feeders: light, medium and heavy. The following rods correspond to them: “Light feeder” (length up to 3-3.3 m), “Medium feeder” (length up to 3.5 m) and “Big feeder” (length up to 4 m). It is sometimes wise to use a large feeder in the initial stages of fishing in strong currents, when a large amount of quickly eroded food is required. This is necessary to create a long feeding path of light and heavy particles. After which you can switch to fishing with a medium or light feeder.

For feeder fishing for silver crucian carp, you can use both open and closed feeders. When fishing in the current, you need to use flat feeder weights that rest securely on the bottom. However, in early spring or on warm autumn days, the use of plant food is not always advisable. Then they catch using a feeder intended only for live food (bloodworms, maggots). There is also a method of fishing with a rolling rig. I usually use two or three feeder donks. But in the rolling version I fish with one or two gears. Since the fish notices everything that moves near the bottom, it reacts faster to rolling, then freezes, lingering on an obstacle, such as rocks.
Both when fishing in the current and in low-flowing water, for medium and heavy feeders you can use a tandem of feeders, one of which is closed for live food, and the other open for plant food.

In calm waters, it is possible to use a feeder that is not loaded with lead, the slow immersion of which additionally attracts fish, since the smell in the water then spreads better (this, of course, depends to a large extent on the composition and consistency of the food).

When choosing equipment, you should take into account that the silver crucian carp that lives in the river is stronger than the pond carp. To catch large silver carp in the current, it is better to take leashes with a diameter of 0.18-0.2 mm and hooks No. 5-7.

Usually, a small swivel with a carabiner is tied at the end of the main line so that you can easily change one type of equipment to another. This sometimes becomes necessary when moving from place to place, where there is a different depth, a stronger or weaker current. So, for fishing in strong currents, it is necessary to use longer leashes and a heavier feeder. It is convenient to store the replacement equipment on a reel, on which the sinker is fixed with a rubber band.

Nozzle selection

Among the baits of animal origin for catching crucian carp with feeder tackle, a red worm (subleaf, dung worm) and maggot are used. A sandwich made from one or two maggots and a dung worm gives a good result. Among vegetable baits, crucian carp prefers a hard ball of white bread, a ball of dough, steamed barley grains, a piece of pancake, a piece of pasta. Often, flavors and oils typical for carp fishing are added to vegetable baits.
Barley or wheat is planted in two or three (sometimes four) pieces so that the grains completely cover the hook; there should be from 3 to 5 maggots on the hook; worms - three or four medium-sized leaflets are planted in a heap, piercing each one two or three times and hiding the sting in one of the tails.

Sometimes, to enhance the smell of the animal bait, an appropriate flavoring agent can be added to it, according to the instructions included with the product being sold. This is especially true when fishing at night or when there is a muddy stream along the bottom. Flavors with the smell of dung worm, maggot and some others are on sale.

What to fill the feeder with?

Good results on the current for an open feeder are given by bait containing 40% boiled millet, 30% breadcrumbs, 10% ground "Hercules" or baby oatmeal, 10% ground (in the skin) fried seeds or cake, 10% fried and ground hemp seeds. Sometimes it is appropriate to reduce the amount of one of the components and add boiled peas. Aromatic additives such as vanillin, anise, cumin do not always improve fishing results, but sometimes they can play a decisive role. It is more effective to add live components to the bait, such as maggots, bloodworms, and sometimes a worm. Their amount is approximately from 5 to 30%, depending on the viscosity of the feed stuffed into the feeder. So, in thicker bait there should be more components of animal origin, since they are difficult to wash out. If the bait is consumed faster, this percentage can be reduced.

During the period when silver crucian carp begins to actively peck, and frequent recasts of rather heavy tackle occur, the viscosity of the bait put into the feeder should be reduced. Then, as it moves to the bottom, it creates a kind of trail that leads to the place where the feeder falls. To retain a school of crucian carp, it is also good when part of the feeder is filled with a loose mixture, and part with a thick mixture. If you only have a thick mixture on hand, try to stick it around a larger feeder, then the part of the feed that is not tied with wire will fall off when the tackle is lowered to the bottom.

When using small frame feeders, sometimes it becomes necessary to make additional delivery of bait to the fishing site using a slingshot or catapult.

Fishing for crucian carp on the river has some of its own characteristics and differences, which will be discussed in this article. In rivers, crucian carp choose areas where water movement is minimal or practically non-existent. Therefore, you can often find it in small bays, in shallow water near the shore, especially if there is aquatic vegetation. Crucian carp is caught well at the borders of the current and thickets.

Do not ignore the bends of the river. In such places, usually the coastal area is washed with silt or sand, and crucian carp often go there in hot weather. Its bite there is not particularly intense, but it’s still worth a try. At times, river crucian carp can be found literally near the very shore, where it is hidden under thickets hanging over the water.

Bait for catching crucian carp on the river

River crucian carp is less cautious, unlike its counterpart that lives in closed reservoirs, and bait here is of no small importance. It is enough just to send a small amount of complementary food a little upstream from the fishing site, and after 15-20 minutes the whole flock will gather there.

The composition of bait for river crucian carp differs, first of all, in the presence of binding components, such as crushed oatmeal or cake. The main thing here is its naturalness, so I don’t advise you to get carried away with all kinds of store-bought mixtures. Components such as breadcrumbs and cake have proven themselves to be the best. You can use peas, either steamed or ground. Some fishermen add various animal components to the bait, which in some cases can significantly improve the bite.

As a bait, they use everything that crucian carp is usually caught with - bloodworms, maggots, dung worms, and from plants - dough, wheat, pearl barley, peas and corn.

Tackle for catching crucian carp on the river

No special gear that differs in design is used here. They catch crucian carp using all available methods, both with a float rod and a donka and a feeder equipped with a light feeder. On large rivers, you can use a donka with a rubber shock absorber, since with this tackle you have a good opportunity to catch large crucian carp.

Compared to others, crucian carp takes the bait more decisively, and often drags the float to the side. This applies to small and medium-sized individuals. The bite of a trophy crucian carp is more accurate - first it tries the bait for a few seconds, then, grabbing it, it goes upstream.

Fishing for crucian carp in September

For crucian carp in September

September begins autumn and is already characterized by low night temperatures, and daytime temperatures force the fisherman to dress warmer. Naturally, the water in the reservoirs where crucian carp lives also cools down. At the same time, the fish begins to feed less actively, and it becomes more difficult to catch them.

On cold September days, crucian carp bite very poorly, but when it warms up, biting activity increases. The truth is that this does not start in the morning, but later, around 10…11 o’clock and stops completely by 15…16 o’clock. Fishing is also difficult on days with strong winds.

Among the features of catching crucian carp in September is that in this month it begins to move around the reservoir in schools; therefore, having caught one, you can hope for a good overall catch.

September crucian carp on a fly rod

Flying tackle in early autumn, as in summer, is often used by anglers going to catch crucian carp. It gives the best results on a pond where the water is calm; but on large reservoirs and rivers with it you can be left without a catch, which is explained by the fish moving away from the shore to a distance for which this tackle is not designed.

You should choose a light fishing rod, as with a good bite you can simply get tired. The fishing line is set to 0.12…0.15 mm, which is quite enough to fish out a kilogram specimen (with a landing net, of course). Hooks No. 12...No. 20 (international classification) with a relatively long shank.

Float 1.5...2 g load capacity. If you have the desire and opportunity, it is better to make the latter yourself from a light goose feather - this type of feather will provide the necessary sensitivity of the tackle, and it is not so costly to lose it when hooked.

The weight of the fly rod, which relates to the subtleties of catching crucian carp, should be done in a composite manner, from at least two weights. For the bottom they choose light, at the top they put it heavier. This combination ensures the visibility of a bite on the float at the slightest action of the crucian carp and does not frighten it with its weight.

The weights for the tackle are selected so that the float rises above the water surface only by the working tip of the antenna. This position is the most optimal and informative for the fisherman in any case of crucian carp bites.

They catch crucian carp with a float rod in September on ponds near the shore, trying to cast the bait closer to thickets of aquatic vegetation, reeds, cattails, trees, bushes that have fallen into the water, and stumps of flooded trees.

Most fishermen consider areas of clear water between the stems of reeds to be the most successful place. Moreover, they throw the bait literally into 5...10 centimeter openings between plants and to a small (25...50 cm) depth. In this case, they often use short (2...4 m) rods, which allow them to make a very quick and timely bite.

They catch crucian carp in September with a fly rod from the shore and from a boat using various baits. This month he responds well to worms (dung worms) and maggots. Often prefers pearl barley, dough, semolina. The latter probably has no competitors when fishing in the reeds.

When catching crucian carp you need to constantly use bait. It is advisable to immediately feed (but overfeed) the place chosen for fishing and periodically add bait further afield in small portions. You can feed them with branded bait purchased in the store. You can prepare the bait mixture yourself, for example, by mixing corn, barley and wheat chaff and corn flour in equal proportions with half the amount of semolina and flour.

September crucian carp on a match fishing rod

Match gear allows you to fish places both close to the shore and remote. This is its main advantage over fly tackle. True, it is heavier than the latter, therefore it tires the fisherman faster.

In mid-September, large crucian carp are already beginning to settle in depths far from the shore. The distance to them on some reservoirs is 20...30 m, so you can’t do without a match fishing rod. Choose a rod that is not very long (4...5 m), and put a spinning reel up to number 1000 on it. The main fishing line of 0.20...0.25 mm is wound onto the latter, to which a leash made of monofilament of 0.10...0.12 mm and a hook No. 12...No. 20 (according to the international classification) are attached, preferably with a long shank. The float is either sliding or regular, whichever you like, but with a large (4...5 g) load capacity and with a large antenna, noticeable from a distance.

The place of fishing in early September and during other periods is usually supplemented with food. If distance allows, throw balls of bait with your hands. If not, use various devices (for example, a slingshot). You prepare the bait yourself or buy it ready-made in the store. The first, of course, is cheaper, so it is used more often.

You can make bait, for example, according to the following recipe: steam pearl barley, add millet and peas to it (the ratio to pearl barley is 1:1 and 1:0.25, respectively); the mixture is left for 2 hours. brew; drain off excess water and stir; add a drop of anise oil and mix again.

They catch crucian carp with match gear in September using worms, maggots, dough, pearl barley, and semolina. For the latter, special hooks with a spring are used; the latter prevents the bait from quickly flowing off the hook. “Sandwiches” made in different combinations give good results.

Fishing for crucian carp in September on a feeder

The feeder today is widely used by fishermen when fishing for crucian carp in ponds, and especially on the river, where there is often a need for long casts. With its help, it is easy to fish in strong winds on lakes, in pits where large crucian carp hide, short among algae in the summer, when ponds are almost completely overgrown, and even in areas with a muddy bottom.

The pessimism of some fishermen about the insensitivity of the feeder to cautious bites of crucian carp is not understandable. By choosing the most sensitive rod tip, you will be able to even notice the fish touching the bait. Those who are most likely to oppose a feeder for catching crucian carp are those who either do not know how to use it, or are categorically against changing their traditional gear. What speaks for the feeder is its lack of alternative, especially in difficult conditions - with strong winds, high waves, etc.

You can find crucian carp in September:

in “puddles” where it traditionally lives and there are practically no other fish; here you need to look for deeper places, holes where this beauty goes when it gets cold;
in classic ponds, on the lake; but among such reservoirs there are those in which, with the onset of autumn, crucian carp for some reason stops biting at all; therefore, when I go fishing, I need to ask my local friends about it; Some observations can help in this matter, one of which connects the early fish bite in the spring and its obligatory activity in the fall.

In early autumn, when it is still relatively warm, you can use a feeder to catch crucian carp in shallow waters, near grass and reed thickets. However, after a cold snap, it leaves such places and may appear later, when the water warms up noticeably.

It has been noticed that at the first cold snap the crucian carp leaves the thickets, but not far. It lingers at its edge, especially if at least a small drop into depth or a small hole begins next to it. Places with 2...2.5 meter depths become interesting at this time.

At the end of September, crucian carp can only be found at significant depths (3...3.5 m) and most often in snags or something similar. This is a time of uncertainty, so you need to take 2…3 feeders for fishing and try to catch all interesting places with them, including distant and coastal ones. After the fish bite, you can switch to one rod and fish in a specific place.

As in spring and summer, crucian carp can bite well in September, but on some days the weather for catching crucian carp in September turns out to be unsuitable, and it refuses any bait. Among the patterns that allow you to calculate successful days:

2...3 days before it warm winds blow from the south; luck in the form of a catch of crucian carp awaits the fisherman near the surf shore; True, there will be a lot of rough water, but this is not a problem for the feeder;
when frequent but warm rains begin; True, on such days the fish bite more in the water column - you will have to install a long leash with a pop-up bait on the feeder;
There are days when crucian carp eat in September, but they are rare and pass quickly.
At night in September you can still go fishing for crucian carp with a feeder, but the intensity of bites noticeably decreases during the month.

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All about crucian carp and its fishing

Almost every boy begins his fishing journey by catching crucian carp on the nearest pond. It seems that there is no fish more familiar and easier to catch. However, few fishermen can boast of a decent catch, which includes trophy golden, also known as common, or silver crucian carp.

We will devote this review to a description of the life, nutrition of this fish, and habits according to the seasons. Let's touch on the issues of how to catch crucian carp and talk about fishing methods.

Ichthyology

Let’s immediately dot the “E” in the crucian carp classification. There are only two types of “peasant carp” - golden, aka golden, aka round, aka common, and silver crucian carp.

Despite their external similarity, representatives of these species are easy to distinguish not only by their color: yellow and white, but also by their body shape - the common crucian carp has a taller and thicker body, silver fish look more runaway.

The persistent Chinese bred the goldfish out of its golden appearance. Silver crucian carp received the following nicknames among the people:

hybrid;
buffalo;
dushman;
mestizo;
Karabaz.

Most likely, this happened because in different bodies of water the body shape of this species varies greatly. This happens not due to its hybridization, but due to the presence or absence of a predator in the reservoir. Subject to the laws of natural selection, initially elongated crucian carp, in order to be less accessible to the predatory mouth, begin to grow more in height than in length.

The largest crucian carp in the world, mentioned in various sources, naturally golden in appearance, weighed more than five kilograms. And the largest silver crucian carp pulled three kilograms and two hundred grams.

Believe it or not, decide for yourself; reference books on ichthyology note that the maximum weight of the silver species is about two kilograms, and the golden one – up to three.

The growth rate depends on what the crucian carp eats in a particular body of water. So in a poor pond, with a lack of food, a silver crucian carp at the age of three can weigh less than two hundred grams, but already be ready to reproduce. In large reservoirs, and even when fattened at the same age, each individual can reach four hundred grams in weight.

It was the large crucian carp that was fattened in Germany that received the name “peasant carp.” Such specimens are desirable in the catches of every fisherman.

Crucian carp lives in almost every body of water: in a small village pond, in a reservoir, and in a lake. It also lives in rivers, but chooses calm places with weak currents, since its thick body does not resist the current well. Peasant carp overwinter, gathering in schools and occupying wintering pits.

The highest survival rate of crucian carp in difficult conditions is noted. In shallow reservoirs that freeze to the bottom in winter and in summer, when the water dries up from the heat, up to seventy centimeters can be buried in silt.

Crucian carp are rarely propagated artificially, but in every new body of water they appear literally after a couple of years and contribute to the spread of birds, to whose paws the spawned eggs stick.

Crucian carp spawning is quite extended in time and depends on the characteristics of water heating in each specific reservoir. This usually happens when the water reaches a temperature of 18 degrees, but sometimes 15-16 is enough for spawning. Therefore, the spawning period in the same area can be extended from early May to mid-June.

What do they eat?

Peasant carps eat everything that gets into the water. In this respect they resemble real carp. Mollusks, insect larvae and insects themselves, worms, mud - everything is suitable for crucian carp feeding. But crucian carp’s attitude to nutrition is very selective, which is also reflected in its bite.

If yesterday he took well for bread, this does not mean that today he needs to be offered bread crumb; on the contrary, give him maggots in the morning, and a worm or corn for lunch.

Taking into account the above, we state that fishing for crucian carp will be more successful if you take several types of attachments and bait.

Peculiarities of biting by season

Winter

Contrary to the popular belief that crucian carp burrow into the silt for the winter and stop biting, in some reservoirs this fish is also active under the ice. These are rivers and large ponds with currents and depths of over one and a half meters.

It is noted that in reservoirs where catching crucian carp in winter is not uncommon, predators are always present. Even rotan can work as such. Apparently, fearing predatory fish, peaceful crucian carp do not hibernate, but continue to move, burning energy. Therefore, to renew it, our hero bites in such ponds even in winter.

Fishing for crucian carp in winter is carried out with two types of gear:

float winter fishing rod;
fishing rod with a nod.

In winter, they bite mainly large crucian carp from two hundred grams and above; catching small fish is a rare occurrence. At this time, fish live near the edges and in pits, near snags. Moreover, they are picky not only in the deepest places, but also near the shore, the main thing is that there is a pronounced difference in depth.

Bait in winter should only collect fish, but not saturate it, because activity is low and little energy is spent compared to summer. Therefore, crucian carp fishing is carried out either without feeding at all, or using fine-grained dust mixtures based on ground crackers.

The best baits at this time of year:

bloodworm;
maggot;
dough;
semolina chatter.

Spring

Fishing for crucian carp at the beginning of the open water season begins after the water clears. At this time, he wakes up and bites best in shallow waters warmed by the spring sun. All sorts of summer gear comes into play.

In the spring, when crucian carp begins to bite, it is caught with the following float rods:

Flywheel - near the shore and from a boat.
Bologna - at some distance.
Plug-in – for point baiting.
Match, if you reach an interesting small fish with other float rods it is problematic.

Bottom gear is also used:

snack;
rubber;
simple “baton”;
feeder.

Fishing for crucian carp in the spring is carried out with bait consisting of small fractions. This is done due to the fact that the caviar, which begins to swell, fills a lot of space in the fish’s stomach and large food passes through its esophagus more easily.

Large crucian carp in the spring bites on the following baits:

bloodworm;
maggot;
dough;
semolina;
worm.

Worms washed away by spring waters are a well-known and desirable food that fish eat with pleasure.

Large crucian carp prefer animal or spicy aromas at this time of year, but they must be used with great care so as not to frighten off the finicky fish.

Summer

Catching crucian carp in summer is a true pleasure for an angler. Morning, silence, birds singing over the pond. It is found in the summer almost throughout the entire reservoir, but gravitates to various zones that stand out from the general space of the reservoir.

From June to September, crucian carp are caught in the reeds and under overhanging trees, on the edges, near snags and hydraulic structures.

Summer fishing for crucian carp at night is interesting; for this purpose, alarms and floats are equipped with chemical fireflies. Night fishing can be very catchy and is characterized by the fact that it is mainly large fish that bite.

In summer, all sorts of gear is used, from a float swing to a feeder.

The groundbait is flavored with fruit and sweet components and contains large fractions. Living up to its nickname, the fussy fish bites on all sorts of baits:

worm;
maggot;
dough;
bakery and pasta products;
dough, including mastyrka and hominy;
corn and pea grains;
semolina;
pearl barley;
wheat.

Autumn

Cooling water leads to the death of vegetation, and crucian carp switches mainly to animal food. It gradually moves into the depths of the reservoir, entering shallow waters only on especially sunny, warm days.

The same gear is used, but the bait changes again. The best option is to feed with plain soil with the addition of bait components: maggots, bloodworms or chopped worms.

What fish can boast the same popularity as crucian carp? I am sure that there is no more popular fish. Almost every angler began his fishing career by catching crucian carp, at least it was one of the first most desirable fish, because it does not bring as much pleasure as fishing for crucian carp.

In this article we will analyze all the main points of catching crucian carp on the river, that is, on the current. We will look at the right choice of location, bait, groundbait and tackle. Or maybe something else if it's useful.

Crucian carp is a schooling fish; it periodically enters every point of the reservoir, so it may seem that it is everywhere. But in fact, crucian carp will always spend more time in those areas where it feels comfortable, and even better, protected. And if such an area is also , then fishing for crucian carp on the river can be very successful.

When choosing a place on the river to catch crucian carp, you need to have an idea of what areas may attract crucian carp. Then you will ensure yourself good fishing if. Promising places for catching crucian carp on the river will be:

It is also worth knowing that in cold or hot weather the crucian carp will stand at depth. Since the water here cools down more slowly and heats up accordingly. If warming occurs after cold weather, for example, the first spring sun finally warms up, then the crucian carp rushes to shallow water, where the water warms up faster under direct sunlight. Also, there will be crucian carp in shallow water if coolness sets in after intense heat.

In hot weather, you should look for crucian carp either at depth or in shaded areas of the reservoir - under the crowns of trees hanging over the water or in thickets of aquatic vegetation. Also, in the heat, crucian carp will be actively caught in a section of the reservoir where springs gush from the bottom, cooling the crucian carp and saturating the water with oxygen.

If there are places on the river equipped for fishing, you can take them. Such places are often baited and the crucian carp purposefully visits them specifically for the purpose of searching for food. So, settled fishing spots are often very promising, especially if on the day of fishing you add the usual bait for the fish, if, of course, you know what they feed the crucian carp with.

If there are no equipped places, do not rush to choose the most convenient places for fishing. Usually crucian carp is caught where people have limited access to water. In such places you can catch a larger specimen and catch more small carp. The main thing is to feed the chosen place.

Crucian carp begins to be caught in the river immediately after the flood. During this period, when the water is still quite cool, crucian carp are caught throughout the daylight hours and even at lunchtime the bite does not stop, and often even intensifies.

As the water temperature rises to 13-15 °C, the crucian carp is already beginning to switch to a different mode - there is a good morning and evening bite, while during the day, more often, the crucian carp rests from feeding. But this rule does not always apply; in some reservoirs, even in the summer heat, crucian carp are actively caught at lunchtime. So you need to take into account the characteristics of the reservoir.

In summer, when the water temperature is high, crucian carp is reluctant to be caught during the day, but in the cool mornings and evenings, when it is not so hot, you can fish well for crucian carp. Very often in summer crucian carp are active at night. Moreover, mostly larger specimens are caught and can often be caught together with crucian carp. If the gear allows, then you can catch this unexpected trophy.

In autumn, while the water is warm, crucian carp are also more active in the morning and evening, and when the water begins to cool, they switch to daytime mode again and feed at the time when the temperature reaches its peak, that is, from 11 to 15 o'clock in the afternoon.

Spawning of crucian carp begins when the water temperature reaches plus or minus 15 °C. The bite for crucian carp gets worse during the spawning period, but very rarely stops altogether, since crucian carp can spawn in batches for a very long time. That is, it’s not like other fish - it spawned, got sick and is caught further. Some crucian carp spawn, some continue to be caught.

The activity of crucian carp continuously begins to increase from the end of February, gradually increasing until May. The most active bite of crucian carp is observed from May to July inclusive. In August, the activity of crucian carp decreases slightly, but increases slightly again when the summer heat subsides a little. September is also quite favorable months for catching crucian carp, but from the end of October the activity of this fish drops sharply and the crucian carp prepares for wintering, moving closer to the wintering pits, so that it is already inactive or does not bite at all.

Tackle for catching crucian carp on the river

They catch crucian carp on the river with two main gears - a float rod or (or a spinning rod equipped with a bottom). The gear you choose depends on your personal preferences and the size of the river you are going to fish on. If it is a small river, then the choice is obvious - a float rod. If the river is medium or large, you can fish with both a feeder and a float.

For catching crucian carp on small rivers, a rod 3-5 meters long is suitable. When fishing for crucian carp on medium and large rivers, it is better to choose a rod of 5 meters or more.

Main line used with a diameter of 0.1-0.15 mm and it is advisable to use a thinner leash about 20 cm long, so that in the event of a snag or break, only the hook and sinker come off.

Float for flow you need to choose a barrel-shaped one with a rod. The barrel itself can be of any shape, but it will stabilize the equipment. The use of floats in the form of a goose feather or a pencil in the current is not recommended, since the current will put them on their side, as a result of which the sensitivity of the tackle drops significantly and the bite is difficult to see.

The use of a float in the form of a quill pen or pencil is permissible in sections of the river where the current is very weak or completely absent. The advantages of these floats are very good sensitivity to bites.

Another tackle for catching crucian carp on the river is a donka. As a donkey, you can use a feeder or spinning rod re-equipped for catching peaceful fish from the bottom. There are no particular requirements for the rod. If you fish with a feeder, install a more sensitive tip, and if you fish with a spinning rod, a bell or an electronic bite alarm will help.

The equipment is the same as for fishing with a float rod, but you can use a slightly thicker fishing line, since a feeder will also be used in the bottom tackle. The weight of the feeder is selected depending on the current. The stronger the current, the heavier the feeder needs to be used. The main thing is to ensure that the feeder does not get carried away by the current; based on this, its weight is selected. For catching crucian carp in the current, feeders weighing 30-80 grams are mainly used. Learn more about feeder fishing for crucian carp.

Also, for fishing with a feeder or donk, there is a special equipment called “Crucian carp killer”. This is a feeder with hooks. It is sold already assembled and completely ready for use. So, if you don’t want to bother, you can buy ready-made equipment. Just check the reliability, often they are tied poorly and if you pull on them, they easily come undone from the feeder.

Crucian carp is not a picky fish, but still, in order for fishing to be successful, you always need to take bait and several types of bait with you to the pond. Suitable baits for catching crucian carp:

To catch large crucian carp, you can also use corn, pieces of crawling fish or a bunch of dung worms or maggots. It is advisable to always have at least one plant and one animal attachment with you. Usually a worm and steamed pearl barley are enough. All you need to do is pour boiling water in a thermos overnight and by morning it will be ready for fishing. More about the best baits for crucian carp in this

On many rivers, some fishermen, starting from the beginning of April, strive to catch spring river crucian carp, while preferring the feeder, which has been proven over the years, to all other gear and equipment. From season to season, good crucian carp fly in through still muddy spring water when fishing on a feeder. By the way, regarding this gear: a considerable part of domestic fishermen do not like the very name of this gear - not quite decent words in rhyme immediately come to mind...

Among bottom fishermen, a foreign word seems to have taken root (translated from English as “to feed”), but in our understanding, a feeder is an ordinary bottom fish only with a feeder, where the sensitive tip of the rod shows bites. By the way, in our country they used to catch fish like this a long time ago, calling such gear a donka. But be that as it may, a feeder is a feeder, the main point is not this, but the fish.

Many fishermen ask the question: “Why are crucian carp caught well in rivers in the spring, but are extremely rare in the summer? In this regard, there are suspicions that high water in the spring drives crucian carp out of the old rivers, and this fish begins to “hang out” along the river. Moreover, crucian carp does not shy away from strong fairway currents, but is still common under quiet banks. An important nuance about the timidity of crucian carp, and here everything can be different.

During the periods when these cunning creatures walk on the coastal shallows, then they are quite careful, even despite the very muddy water - they are afraid of the splashing of the feeders, and they avoid sudden movements of the fisherman. Therefore, in shallow water areas, fishermen use lightweight (10-15 g) models of feeders that produce minimal “splash” upon splashdown. And when you need to cast close (15-20 meters), they use pendulum casts from under themselves, while also trying to make as few sudden body movements as possible.

During periods when crucian carp walk along river depths of three to four meters (at the same time, without avoiding the fairway jets), they are no longer so shy, at least from the blows of heavy feeders (they place them weighing 80-100 g on the fairway itself) don't be scared. It is even possible that the impact of the feeders on the water has an attractive effect - large crucian carp have been bitten more than once immediately after casting.

Of course, on the river, in the spring you have to catch crucian carp with feeders of different weights, and, in theory, you need to take several rods with you when fishing - one powerful, and another more delicate, using one or the other. But in the spring, most often they catch it in the usual way, moving from place to place in search of crucian carp sites. And so they make do with one - a single rod, and changing the detachable feeders is a matter of minutes.

Although there is an “animal” fishing spring in the yard, crucian carp on rivers often respond well to plant bait. Typically, crucian fish keepers select approximately the following composition: 50% breadcrumbs, 15% oatmeal, 15% sunflower cake, 5% milk powder, 15% fine wheat bran. Add a little dill oil to the bait - so much so that the smell is clearly audible in the already well mixed and moistened mixture - crucian carp respond to dill excellently.

Vanilla can also give a good effect, but not always, it’s difficult to say for sure - for this you need to compare one fishing trip with vanilla added to the complementary food and another without it. But be that as it may, vanilla does not deter crucians on the river one hundred percent.

Of the many different baits, spring river crucian carp loves worms and maggots, the latter being even preferable in early spring. In general, fishing for crucian carp on the river in the spring is very interesting. Many crucian fish catch only with regular fishing line; on non-stretchable cords (even with a leash made of fishing line), crucian carp often tear their lips, even with very careful fishing.

More often they use open-type mesh feeders, fastening them to a special tube - an anti-twist, then a leash made of fishing line with a diameter of 0.18 mm and a length of 25 cm is fastened to a carabiner. It is better to select hooks with a short forearm and a sting slightly bent to the side - such models hook crucian carp much more more reliable.

In recent years, many anglers have switched to catching crucian carp in rivers, both large and medium-sized. The main reason for this reorientation was the appearance of many places on rivers in which there are not so many crucian carp compared to a good pond, but they are large and active. We can say that they are somewhat less picky than the lake ones.

There are noticeably more crucian carp in the rivers, especially in the Volga. I think that the formation of large populations of this fish in rivers is due solely to the fact that over time, silted areas appeared that were suitable for feeding and breeding of this fish. This is evidenced by the fact that crucian carp are found well-fed and in fairly large quantities.

The permanent habitats of crucian carp on the river share the same conditions. These are oxbow lakes with virtually no current, silted bays that can be both large and very small. Good areas are with shallow depths, covered with underwater vegetation in places where the coastal zone is shallow at a great distance from the shore. On such shallows closer to the shore there is practically no current. On rivers with dams, a current naturally appears here, which is associated with a change in water discharge. The stronger the current and the closer it comes to the shore, the more local the crucian carp are.

But the most interesting thing is that crucian carp in the river do not always stand in an area without a current or in places with a weak and even flow of water. Periodically, the fish comes almost to the core and is caught along with the bream and roach. I don’t know how it is now, but we used to catch crucian carp right at the water discharge from the dam on the Pakhra River near the village. Yam. And precisely in the middle of summer.

I caught crucian carp, quite large ones at that, in small rivers of the Moscow region, about ten meters wide, but only in very specific places that remained the same from year to year. I was most surprised when I discovered that large crucian carp live in the shipping canal connecting the Khimki Reservoir with the Moscow River, in the area of the ninth lock. It is no secret that there are a lot of crucian carp in the canal named after. Moscow. Here, during the period of active biting, fishermen gather no less than during the spring run of roach on the rivers of the Rybinsk Reservoir.

The peculiarities of the conditions in the habitats of this fish in the river predetermine the technique of catching it, and most importantly, tactics.

In the vast majority of cases, relatively long fly-float rods are used. They catch it less often with a pole, since there are many fewer poles than fly rods. Sometimes success comes from using a fishing technique such as a half-bottom, but much less often than when fishing for bream. This is due to the fact that the current, if it exists, is very weak. Bottom equipment is rarely used and only when the fishing distance does not allow fishing with a float rod, and the angler considers using match equipment for long casting either inappropriate or troublesome.

Bottom rigs are most often used on large rivers when fishing in shallow bays or oxbow lakes. This fishing is practically no different from fishing in a lake, with the only difference being that if crucian carp takes it, it is more active on the river than in a reservoir with stagnant water.

The activity of crucian carp throughout the season in rivers can be due to both a good oxygen regime and competition on a limited food supply. Here I would like to note: despite the fact that crucian carp is less demanding on water quality than most other fish, in good conditions it grows faster and is more active. Therefore, if on a river there is a choice between an oxbow with “blooming” water and a shallow bay with a very weak or even moderately strong current, then the crucian carp will choose the latter. But not always. It should also be noted that crucian carp is often caught well at the very edge of the current, which coincides with the edge of vegetation.

When fishing on a large river, it is interesting that there are practically no small crucian carp among the large ones in the catches. This certainly indicates that depending on the size, this fish prefers different places. Small crucian carp, for example, can be caught on the Volga, and even then with difficulty, literally in the “mud” itself, in the smallest places, where none of the numerous predators can reach them. I have a suspicion that there are very few small crucian carp in the Volga itself, since the bulk of crucian carp migrate into the river during floods. Large individuals leave their native bay lake, and small ones remain to “grow up.” This newcomer crucian carp will already spawn in the river next year, but the percentage of hatched and grown crucian carp is incomparably less than in the lake.

One way or another, crucian carp in the river are almost always more active than lake and pond carp, which, combined with their commercial size, attracts fishermen. It is worth adding to this that in addition to being picky about bait depending on the season and time of day, which is inherent in crucian carp, river crucians also have unpredictability in behavior. Not only is it unknown what it needs now, there is no guarantee that the crucian carp has not left the bay and is not standing in the current.

Fishing becomes largely random, and the presence of crucian carp is discovered by chance only when it is caught. But even after catching the first crucian carp, there is no certainty that this is not an accident.

The only guarantee of success is only a very good knowledge of the reservoir and the habits of the fish in a given season. The dependence of behavior is not so much on the weather, but on the transparency and level of water and the strength of the current.

Since crucian carp can be found in a wide variety of places, and fishing is mostly local, that is, it occurs in a small area, the gear can be very different. But as I already mentioned, most often it is enough to have a fly rod, since the fishing distance is relatively short. There is nothing tricky about the design of the equipment, except that it doesn’t make much sense to use very thin equipment, that is, on a thin line and with minimal weight. The crucian carp takes the bait that he likes, without particularly paying attention to how it moves or does not move, that is, tricks with wiring usually do not arise. This is either free swimming or holding the equipment in place. The latter is most often achieved by placing the bait and bait on the bottom. In this sense, the fishing technique differs little from the technique of fishing in still water, with the only difference being that there is a current on the river, in contrast to the surface and bottom current on a lake or reservoir.

The question of bait is quite interesting. In small rivers, it often happens that after catching the first crucian carp, throwing in almost any bait in a very small amount leads to the capture of several more fish, and that’s where the bite ends. You can add more bait, you can change its composition, but the result will not change.

In a big river everything is almost the same as on a lake. Depending on the concentration of fish, you need more or less bait. Depending on the depth and strength of the current, the consistency of the bait changes, and depending on the activity of the crucian carp, the frequency of feeding changes.

As for baits, here the field for creativity of the fisherman is simply unlimited, but we can still recommend the minimum required set, from which it is most likely to choose something to the taste of this fish. The set includes bloodworms, maggots, barley, dough, worms and caddis flies.

In conclusion, I would like to note a few points. Firstly, crucian carp is such a fish that in order to catch it effectively, you need to be absolutely sure that it is present in a given place in the reservoir. After this, you need to understand at what horizon this fish is now feeding and how the parking horizon changes depending on the state of the reservoir and over time. After this, you need to methodically try to seduce the crucian carp with one or another bait. Having understood how to fish, you need to select and design the optimal gear. And this applies both to fishing in a pond or lake, and to fishing on a river, with or without a current.

Most often, fishermen are misled by the misconception that crucian carp is a passive fish. Quite the opposite.