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Crucian baits.

Chris Turnbull

Chris Turnbull

Senior Member
It has been a long time since I fished for crucian carp but I have finally found a local water with some true crucians that are holding out against the odds against the presence of a large number of king carp which tend to beat them to my hook bait. The more tiny particles and crumb I use the worse this situation seems to become and there are also a number of small roach and rudd which can make short work of maggots, casters, bread and corn.

Having mulled it over for some time, I'm thinking that mini boilies, stiff pastes and pellets are probably my best bet, thus avoiding the small fish and also hopefully minimalizing the intrusion of the king carp by keeping baiting levels down to a minimum. What I'm wondering is are there any other anglers out there who have faced a similar situation and how did you/they get around it?
 
Chris,

Not sure if it will work as i dont have the same problems, but i use a very soft paste about the size of a small marble, which tends to keep the rudd and roach at bay. The crucians nibble at the paste until it is small enough to engulf. I fish this at dead depth under A 2 or 3bb glow tip antenna with the weight of the paste to cock the float. When the paste is gone or a crucian takes it, the tip rises up before disappearing. Great fun on light gear.

Paul
 
You have't mentioned pellets which can be small fish proof but have caught me a lot of crucians. You could use a minimal baiting of 4 - 6mm pellets (put too many in and the king carp arrive!) and fish 6mm hard, soft or expander pellets or mini boilees - or up the sizes if small fish are still a problem. Having said that I am not sure you would always be able to avoid the king carp (my best is 21-4 on 4lb hooklink on the pole!) - although you could try a more heavy baiting in the next door swim to draw the big carp away from your crucian swim? As Graham said spam / polony / luncheon meat can be a good alternative but is still loved by king carp and was one of my first 'specials' after par boiled Maris Pipers!
 
Ian, I did mention pellets but thanks for your contribution. Your baiting strategy echoes my thoughts exactly. The idea of feeding the carp off in the swim next door has to be a winner. Thanks for that.

Paul, I was thinking along similar lines. Are you loose feeding with paste as well as baiting the hook with it?
 
Chris,

At first i loose loose feed very lightly with hinders little gems well doused in hinders fish pro liquid; when i know there are crus about i increase the feeding, but i'm not sure if this will work for you with king carp around as they may home in and spoil the party. The place i fish for crus, i get pestered by little tench and just stop the loose feed until theyve gone or just carry on catching crus and tench if they dont go.:D

Paul
 
I used to be lucky enough to regularly fish for them about ten years ago in a little lake close to Baldock. The favoured method was on a pole/whip, with as light a float as possible, (I happily caught on a light waggler) feeding hemp and mini pellets, with a small pellet on a 14/16.
BUT, I discovered whilst fishing for the ghosties in there, that the bigger crucians had a real soft spot for cockles.
Slow sinking flake caught as did bread punch with liquidized bread.
 
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Chris,

I've got a similar problem on a sand pit that I fish. Although it doesn't have any Roach or Rudd in it (long story) it does hold a lot of small crucians, with a sparse stocking of some big old things up to and over 3lb, which Ive seen once in the deep, clear margins. It has LOTS of small carp and ghosties in it though, which have been beating the big crucians to the bait.

As already suggested baiting another swim to feed the cyprinid carp has been working for me, and although I havent had any truly huge fish as yet, I have been avoiding the bigger carp.

Incidentally the sparsely baited swim seems to go unnoticed by the little crucians also. Now its just a case of waiting for a big one to find my bait.

Not telling you anything here but I suppose if anything, you'll know your not alone in your frustrations! :p
 
Chris,

Not fished for crucians for donkeys years myself, but friends who have rate Sonubaits SuperCrush green feed pellets very highly. Dampened to soften them up, then pressed onto a tiny in line method/pellet feeder, with either pellet or pellet paste on the hook.

Cheers, Dave.
 
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