Where to catch crucian carp in July
Hot summer days do not contribute to oxygen saturation of water bodies, so schools of crucian carp are inactive and bite sluggishly. Fishing places can be very diverse. A representative of the Karpov family prefers to look for food near the coastal zone, where vegetation is widespread, and on days when the temperature is especially high, near the bottom.
From the practice of fishermen, we can highlight the following list of the most successful places at this time of year:
- a water area near the shore with abundant flora, among which there must be reeds and sedges;
- oxbow lakes, creeks and bays;
- places where the water is saturated with oxygen;
- on the river, fish choose calm areas with no current;
- mixed-depth bottom covered with silt;
- if the area is open, the crucian carp will not come close to the shore, it bites at a depth of 1.5 m or more, beyond the junction between two planes (you can find the name “edge”), the distance between it and the shore should be at least 20 meters.
Places in a reservoir with a sandy bottom and depressions of more than 2.5–3 m are not rich in food supply for crucian carp, so they completely ignore them.
Did you know? In Germany, crucian carp was called “peasant carp”. No one knows for sure the origin of this term, but it is assumed that it is due to the fatness and density of the fish.
If you are fishing from a boat, it is recommended to take a closer look at the following places:
- corridors and “windows” in sedge thickets (if there are none, you need to cut them yourself);
- behind thickets of aquatic plants at a depth of approximately 1 m or more, while the bottom of the boat should be hidden by algae;
- water areas with dead tree branches.
Many residents of the southern regions of Russia make the mistake of trying to fish from a boat in a pond in open water - in such a situation it is more difficult to find the crucian's path, and the shadow from the boat scares away the fish. However, in hot weather, this fish lives in the most unexpected places, be it a small island of plants three meters from the shore or a deep hole in the lake. That is why, if there is no catch within the first hour, it is worth changing the place.
Find out how to catch crucian carp in windy weather: features and recommendations.
Best time for fishing
This aspect depends on many natural factors, including water temperature, wind speed and direction, atmospheric pressure, precipitation, and cloudiness. Experienced fishermen believe that the best time for fishing is between sunrise and ten o'clock in the morning. During this time period, crucian carp actively moves along a pond or river in search of food.
Evening fishing for crucian carp is less effective, but you should be patient and the catch will definitely please you. The fish begin to bite when the sun has already set below the horizon (approximately 20:00), by 21:00 the peak is reached, and at 22–23:00 the catch decreases and completely disappears.
Important! At night, crucian carp do not bite, regardless of weather factors.
Crucian carp is an extremely capricious fish, it is important to take into account that at the end of July (approximately the third decade) there may be no bite at all, as well as starting from 11 am, when the heat sets in. If, in the region where fishing is carried out, there is a gentle wind and drizzling rain, the bite can be amazingly successful at almost any time of the day. When a steady wind blows, the fish swims away from the shore, but they bite all day long under such conditions. In such a situation, feeder gear is used, since fishing has to be done at a distance. In rainy weather, crucian carp are very capricious and can completely ignore even the best conditions created by anglers, and will show interest in the bait only around 10–11 am. However, he begins to feed intensively at this time.
If you plan to make this representative of marine fauna your permanent target, it is recommended to keep a diary, which includes information about the situation on the selected lake - wind, atmospheric pressure, the beginning of the bite and its end, etc. Once you have collected a decent amount of data, you can analyze it and make your own forecast - although the fish are unpredictable, certain patterns can be deduced.
When to catch
The best time to catch crucian carp is in the morning. Its biting begins at 4 o'clock in the morning, but reaches its peak at 6-7 o'clock, and by 9 o'clock it practically stops.
Fishing for crucian carp in the evening is less effective, but if you are patient, you will definitely not be left without a catch. In the evening, crucian carp begin to bite from the moment the sun stops illuminating the pond.
This happens at about 20:00, by 21:00 the bite reaches its peak, and already at 22-23:00 it stops completely. At night the crucian carp does not bite.
From 9 am, the crucian carp changes its parking places, moving closer to the middle of the reservoir. However, crucian carp have short periods when they approach the shore. Day is the most difficult time for fishing.
If you know the peculiarities of the movement of crucian carp in a reservoir, and understand the reasons for these movements, then even during the day you will catch no worse than in the morning, and read about these features below.
Bait selection
Often in July, anglers resort to using plant baits, but do not ignore baits of animal origin. As you know, crucian carp is quite capricious and is characterized by frequent changes in preferences throughout the day, so it would be a good idea to take several types of “delicacies” with you.
Did you know? The fish described is very fond of unusual smells. In the process of preparing feeding, fishermen actively use odor enhancers such as garlic, valerian, Corvalol, sunflower oil and kerosene.
Keep in mind that in some places this fish may completely ignore plant options. The most commonly used baits are worms, bloodworms, maggots, grasshoppers and dragonflies, with the former being the most successful choice. The fact is that maggots and moths are small in size, which attracts the attention of small fish. It is necessary to place 2–6 fish on one hook. One large worm will be more than enough.
The standard set of vegetable baits consists of bread, corn, pearl barley, semolina and dough, and you can increase your catch with the help of flavorings - sweet additives (honey, caramel, etc.) always work in well-warmed water by the sun. No less popular are the so-called “ sandwiches" - a mixture of baits of different origins. For example, good combinations are: worm and corn, maggot and semolina, pearl barley and bloodworms. You can mix 3 different components, the main thing is that the contents are held tightly on the hook.
Bait
Dung worms and maggots continue to be universal baits for crucian carp, but in the summer heat, fishing for crucian carp in July is very effective with baits of plant origin, such as various porridges, steamed pearl barley, and dough. I would also like to say something about such an attachment as a semolina chatter. Using semolina in July, I was able to achieve amazing results, while the crucian carp completely ignored other baits and baits. It’s a good idea to add maggots to a semolina bait, which noticeably enlivens this dish, and the crucian carp is more willing to take such a bait.
What to feed
In summer, bait is not always necessary, but great competition among fishermen and fishing in flowing waters suggests its presence. The best results are shown by “store-bought” mixtures - they contain preservatives that prevent the bait from deteriorating, thereby scaring off crucian carp. If purchasing is not possible, you can resort to one of the recipes presented below.
In the first case you will need:
- cake;
- black bread (crumb);
- millet;
- water;
- clay or earth.
All ingredients are mixed directly on the shore, and the resulting mixture is formed into balls. First, they throw a few into the water and start fishing. Portions should be small so as not to oversaturate the crucian carp, and the interval between feeding feeds is 2–3 hours.
Another option for bait mixture consists of:
- breadcrumbs;
- ground roasted seeds;
- wheat or millet porridge;
- oatmeal or oatmeal;
- crushed cookies with vanilla flavor;
- chopped worm or attractant;
- sifted soil from the place where fishing is planned.
All ingredients are mixed until smooth and balls of the required size are formed.
Important! During the summer months, it is recommended to carefully use bait only in large pieces. Smaller fractions are capable of creating a cloud of nutritional components, which can easily attract small fish.
Autumn preferences of crucian carp
With the onset of cold weather, the taste preferences of fish change. Crucian carp in the fall practically does not react to plant baits, which worked great in the summer months.
There is a deficiency of protein in the natural food supply, which is found in abundance in a variety of baits. They need to be fished for. First of all, these are bloodworms, maggots and worms. It is advisable to have all three types of bait available, as crucian carp become more finicky as winter approaches. It may well happen that today he only bites on a worm, but yesterday he took exclusively on bloodworms. Therefore, having only one bait, you can be left without a catch.
Often it is more effective to use sandwiches. In addition to bloodworms, maggots, and worms, its components should also include plant ingredients such as pearl barley and corn. In this case, one of the components must be bait.
It should be noted that large crucian carp continues to respond to plant baits in the fall. In this connection, fishing with sandwiches consisting of animal bait and plant bait can be very successful. Standard-sized crucian carp will also bite on them, and in addition there is a possibility of catching a trophy specimen.
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Fishing technique and tactics
Regardless of the gear and equipment, the fishing technique in July is almost the same.
However, it is important to adhere to these tactics:
- Be quiet, wear dark clothes.
- Choose a fishing spot in advance and try to cast to the same place.
- Water heated by the sun causes bait to quickly deteriorate, so you need to change the liquid often.
- The fishing line should be selected depending on the color of the water. Brown or green are often used.
- Fishing for crucian carp must be done smoothly, but firmly.
Fishing begins with standard feeding: first they throw in 2-3 balls of the prepared mixture, and after 20 minutes - another portion. While the bait “starts to work”, you can lay out the fishing rod, install stands and a chair, throw a fish tank into the water, etc.
Did you know? In Japan, aquarium goldfish were bred from red crucian carp, and after a while other varieties were bred.
Usually the first 15–20 minutes are enough for crucian carp to approach the feeding point. After this time, you should place the bait on the hook and throw it to the chosen location. Then all that remains is to watch the float and not rush to hook it. If you do this too early, you can simply pull the bait right out from under the fish’s nose. You need to be patient and hook only when the float moves to the side or falls to the side.
Why doesn't the crucian carp bite?
Almost every fishing enthusiast, not to mention experienced fishermen, has at least once encountered the fact that in the summer the bite is completely absent.
There are many factors influencing the situation:
- atmospheric pressure or weather conditions have changed very sharply;
- wrong fishing tactics;
- water bloom;
- incorrectly selected bait or lure;
- change in water level in the fishing area;
- heat (temperature over +27°C), resulting in overheating of water masses and low oxygen levels;
- incorrectly selected place and time of fishing;
- loud noises or conversations that scare away fish.
By following the above tips and recommendations, even a beginner can easily catch a crucian carp the first time. All you have to do is be patient - fishing takes a lot of time, but the catch is completely worth the wait.
