After a long and cold winter, when the ice has completely melted, fishing for crucian carp begins. Usually, this representative of the carp family begins to actively bite in early May, but if the spring is early and warm, you can cook fishing rods already in mid-April.
Crucian carp is one of the most traditional fishing trophies and is a lot of fun to catch. Crucian carp is a fairly strong rival, and once it is hooked, it resists quite stubbornly, which brings the sporting thrill of fighting to the very process of catching.
However, spring fishing for crucian carp is noticeably different from summer. In order to return home from fishing with a trophy, you need to have an idea of some of the behavior of the spring carp, as well as the correct choice of the place of fishing, rigging, bait and bait.
Choosing a place and fishing tactics
In the spring, the crucian carp is tough, since its food supply at this time of the year is rather scarce. Crucian carps huddle in flocks and travel across the entire water area of the reservoir, trying to find at least something edible. The fisherman should take advantage of this unenviable position of the fish.
Most often, in spring, crucian carp can be observed in shallow water; it also loves to be in reeds and in a snag. It is in these places that the fish feed on their favorite delicacy - the larvae of various aquatic insects. The accumulation of crucian carp can be quite noticeable visually - by the characteristic air bubbles rising to the surface of the water.
The tactics of spring fishing for crucian carp are noticeably different from the summer. So, if in the summer it is enough to choose the optimal fishing spot, throw the bait and wait for the first bite, in the spring it is the opposite - you need to look for crucian carp and, as a rule, throughout the reservoir.
Tackle, bait and attachment
The optimal rig for spring fishing for crucian carp is a long fishing rod (5-6 m), moderately thin fishing line (0, 14-0, 16 mm), a high-quality and stable float (it is best to use a goose feather float) and hooks No. 10 (international classification). It hardly makes sense to use a leash for such fishing, since you will have to fish at shallow depths and in places where there is a lot of underwater vegetation. A leash is undesirable for the simple reason that it is very easy to break.
As a bait, you can use both ready-made "store" mixes, and mixes prepared with your own hands. There are a great many recipes for homemade baits, but the best ones are always made on the basis of sunflower cake, bread crumbs, peas, barley or millet. You can add a few drops of hemp, garlic, or anise oil to your groundbait for flavor.
When fishing for crucian carp in spring, it is best to use a red worm or maggot as a bait. Advice: crucian carp will peck much better if the crushed red worm (100-200 g) is added to the groundbait.
