Every angler knows that successful fishing largely depends on the weather. At the same time, a sunny, fine day in summer is not always better than a cloudy sky and a little rain. Especially if you went to catch crucian carp. The behavior and feeding preferences of this fish are highly weather dependent. To get a good bite, you need to know and take into account a number of points.
Knowledge of weather conditions that affect its bite will help ensure a successful catch of crucian carp.
Bite forecast
Most fishing enthusiasts go to the pond with a fishing rod only when they have free time. For example, on the long-awaited only day off or even for a couple of hours after work. In such cases, it is difficult to take into account weather conditions, including atmospheric pressure, possible cyclones, wind direction, etc.
However, if you are focusing specifically on the results of fishing and the number of fish caught, and not just on a pleasant pastime on the shore of the lake, then you need to make a bite forecast in advance. This is done quite simply. Let's say you go fishing tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. So, when looking at the weather forecast, pay special attention to:
- air temperature;
- wind strength and direction;
- precipitation;
- atmospheric pressure.
When going fishing for crucian carp, you should take into account the weather on that day, because... otherwise there may be no bite
Of course, experienced fishermen will say that these 4 points are not enough. It is important to know the water temperature, the geomagnetic situation, and even the phase of the moon. But still, weather factors are much more significant, so we will consider each of them and determine their positive and negative impact on the outcome of successful fishing.
Why doesn't the crucian carp bite?
Crucian carp will not bite in a pond only if it is not there.
In other cases, he bites, but you need to take into account all the factors influencing the fish’s bite. Why doesn’t crucian carp indulge fishermen with active biting:
- Incorrectly selected gear. Crucian carp is not large in size; its weight generally reaches 200 - 300 grams, and it is also very careful, so heavy tackle is not suitable for catching crucian carp. The tackle should be equipped with a light sinker, up to 5 grams, and a light float that responds well to the slightest touch of the bait. When fishing in a pond, the donka should not be equipped with a sinker. Enough feeder.
- Error in choosing the time of day. In some cases, crucian carp bite only in the morning and evening dawn, sometimes all day, and sometimes only at night. If there is an abundance of food for crucian carp in the pond, it bites only in the morning and evening dawn. Weak food supply - he feeds all day. There are predators in the pond; crucian carp feed only at night. Two fishermen went fishing for a day. We planned to cook fish soup in the evening and have a good dinner. But all their efforts to catch at least one crucian carp were unsuccessful. The disappointed fishermen drank tea in the evening and decided to go to bed, get up early in the morning and try their luck at dawn. After lying for a long time, one couldn’t stand it and decided to try night fishing. I put a glowing cambric on the float and cast the fishing rod. A few minutes later the float twitched, hooked and there was a good crucian carp on the shore. The second and third casts ended with the same success. He called his friend. During the night they caught up to 5 kilograms of crucian carp. As soon as dawn broke, the bite stopped. It turned out that there were pike and perch in the pond. At night, predators are not very active, so crucian carp lie down in the grass during the day and come out to feed at night. It is important to know the features of the pond and its inhabitants.
- Inappropriate season. This applies to shallow water bodies. In summer they warm up well and quickly become overgrown with grass and begin to bloom. All this takes oxygen from the water and makes it not very convenient for crucian carp to live. At this time of year, crucian carp rest at depth. It is active only in spring and autumn, when there is no flowering yet, or it disappears.
- Bad weather. Crucian carp does not like heat, high and medium pressure, or strong wind.
- Negative influence of the moon. The influence of the moon affects all areas of life on earth, including the behavior of fish. Crucian carp behaves actively on the waning moon, passively on the waxing one.
- The bait does not match the taste of crucian carp. It is better to get bait from the bottom of the reservoir where fishing takes place or near the reservoir.
- Presence of competitors. Crucian carp behaves very passively if it is alone in the pond. There is plenty of food for him. Its activity increases significantly when other species of fish live next to it, and the more of them, the more active the crucian carp is.
- Presence of predators. Fear for their lives forces crucian carp to eat intensely in order to grow faster. The presence of predators in the pond increases the activity of crucian carp.
Air temperature
When it comes to air temperature and its effect on how lake fish bite, it is important to take into account the time of year. If it’s spring, the warmer it is outside, the brighter the sun shines, the better it is for catching crucian carp. The fact is that the fish are just waking up from hibernation and the slightest warming only increases its activity and hunger.
In summer the situation changes a little. High air temperatures and hot weather negatively affect the bite. The fish are forced to retreat to deep holes, where there is more oxygen, and wait for a slight cooling. Therefore, in June-July, it is best to go crucian carp fishing in the early morning (from 4 to 10) or at the so-called evening dawn (from 18 to 22), when the sun does not shine so brightly.
In the summer, the catch of crucian carp will be better in the morning, when the air temperature remains low
Crucian carp also do not like it when it gets very cold in the summer. In this case, the fish bite extremely rarely and mainly only on animal bait. In the autumn months, it is optimal for fishing when the air temperature has not changed by more than 5°C for 2-3 days. Moreover, if the weather is sunny, the fish bite much better and more often. At the end of September and October, during the first frosts, crucian carp may even begin to burrow into the silt - naturally, it is difficult to catch them, and there is no point in counting on a good catch.
Why doesn't crucian carp bite in July?
Two reasons explain the low activity of crucian carp in July:
- Hot weather.
- Active water bloom.
High air temperatures quickly warm up the upper layers of water, which leads to its depletion of oxygen. Under these conditions, the fish feels uncomfortable and goes deeper or buries itself in the mud. You can only get fish at this time of year in the early morning, when the water has cooled and become enriched with oxygen. There is a chance to catch crucian carp in the late evening, not long before complete darkness. Active water bloom reduces the oxygen level in the water, but also provides the opportunity for crucian carp to get food without making much effort. It can feed while standing still, not paying attention to the bait offered to it.
Wind
Particular attention must be paid to strength and direction. In stormy and gusty winds (from 20 m/s), the fish, as a rule, bite very poorly. It’s also difficult to react to a bite – be it float or bottom tackle. Strong wind causes the bait to move unnaturally and intensely on the bottom, which frightens the wary crucian carp.
Complete calm, as a rule, is also unfavorable for fishing. There is less oxygen in the water, the heat increases, and even small crucian carp are sent to the depths, where they can be periodically caught only with the help of a feeder and long casting. A warm southern wind with small gusts of up to 7-10 m/s has a positive effect on crucian carp’s interest in bait. When eastern and northern winds blow, there is a sharp decrease in the bite, especially in summer.
Both in strong wind and in its absence, crucian carp will practically not be caught
Experienced fishermen also recommend positioning themselves on the reservoir on the leeward shore. Thus, the current created by the wind redistributes the food supply, carries in the direction where the bait equipment is located, the remains of complementary food, various larvae, etc., which greatly attracts fish. True, if the wind is too strong, then the waves beating against the shore and coastal vegetation create noise that alarms the crucian carp.
If, looking outside, you notice a real squall, then it is better to stay at home. But after the wind subsides, you can safely go catch this fish - crucian carp are very fond of feeding near the shore, where there is a lot of delicacy for them, washed by the wave from all over the reservoir.
Another fact related to the influence of weak wind on the success of fishing is the creation of ripples, which better saturate the water with oxygen and serve as a kind of “camouflage”, because. the fish does not see what is happening on the shore and is more confidently interested in the baited hook.
Light winds are optimal for successful crucian carp fishing.
Do not forget about the location of the reservoir, which may be in a hollow or surrounded by forest on all sides. In this case, the wind has little effect on the bite. The behavior of the fish depends more on the temperature of the water and air, pressure, current, and even on the bottom topography in the place where the fishing is taking place.
At what wind strength can you fish?
Regardless of what time of year we are talking about, it is better not to go fishing on a windy day. It is believed that air movement at a speed of 6 meters per second and higher is an unfavorable time for fishing.
Important! In strong winds, crucian carp never bite actively. However, this rule also applies to other inhabitants of rivers and lakes.
A strong wind, even in a favorable direction, makes fishing much more difficult, because actively moving air masses create a wave on the surface of the water, scaring away underwater inhabitants. A light swell, on the contrary, promotes biting.
However, crucian carp is an exceptional fish. It is worth adjusting the float rod so that the fishing depth falls exactly on the border of water clouded by the wind and a transparent space inaccessible to the bad weather raging on the surface - and a good bite becomes real.
Precipitation
If we talk about fishing for crucian carp in the summer, then light precipitation in the form of light rain makes the bite more stable. It is easier to catch it in such weather conditions - it greedily takes the bait, “rejoicing” at the slight cooling and the influx of oxygen into the water. Often crucian carp bite better before a thunderstorm, but only for a short time. He tries to fatten up as much as possible and hide from bad weather in deep holes or snags.
Autumn and spring rain significantly worsens the bite. The reason for this is that the water becomes too cloudy, and the crucian carp practically stop feeding. If there were a couple of rainy days in the summer or it rained all night, then this will definitely increase the water level, to which the fish will react extremely negatively and stop feeding.
Heavy rain will scare away the crucian carp and there will be no catch
In winter, during snowfall, the crucian carp bite is noticeably worse. In addition to the lack of precipitation at this time of year, its activity also requires calm, warm weather. But such weather conditions are rare, which is why not many people take to catching crucian carp with winter gear.
How temperature and precipitation affect
The best crucian carp fishing occurs in warm, but not very hot weather. If the weather has not changed for several days, you can prepare your gear and go to the reservoirs - you will not be left without a catch.
Crucian carp bite well on hot days with thunderstorms and downpours. The air and water are saturated with ozone, and the fish in the reservoirs are revived. But when the thunderstorm passes, the activity of representatives of the crucian order decreases again. The fact is that the water becomes electrified, and representatives of the ichthyofauna do not like this.
Fish respond well to bait during periods of prolonged cloudy weather, as well as when the atmospheric background changes with light drizzling rains. On such days, the water is saturated with oxygen, the pressure is normal.
Read: Amazing details from the life of crucian carp
And vice versa, crucian carp really do not like periods with sharp changes in air temperature. When the heat of the day gives way to a sharp cold snap at night, you can’t expect a bite. If the morning was cool, but significant warming is observed during the day, then a good evening bite will be observed in shallow water. Approximately the same will happen in the first ten days of May.
Atmosphere pressure
For a good catch, you will have to refer to the barometer readings. With a sharp increase in atmospheric pressure, crucian carp feel uncomfortable at the bottom, where they actually feed. After all, the density of water increases, an additional load is placed on the swim bladder, so the fish moves to the upper layers.
By the way, with a significant increase in pressure, there is often still calm, which does not create waves and does not mix air and water masses. There is less oxygen and the crucian carp now definitely have no time for food. They, on the contrary, simply stand at depth, and all their life processes, including digestion, are temporarily slowed down.
Strong surges in atmospheric pressure negatively affect the bite of crucian carp
A sharp drop in air pressure will have an even more negative impact on the bite than an upward barometer needle. The fish simply does not have time to change lanes and does not feel well the water level, depth, and even gets confused in the direction of movement. The crucian carp likes the slow decrease in atmospheric pressure.
Firstly, this is an undoubted symptom of deteriorating weather and the fish is trying to eat for future use. Secondly, there is also a biological explanation. It is necessary to compensate for the difference in pressure in the swim bladder and outside, so the crucian carp needs to feed intensively and stay close to the bottom, where the bait is waiting for it.
You will not be left without a catch even if the atmospheric pressure has been stable over the past 2-3 days. After and before spawning it is enough, even if there was no growth during the day.
The best catch will be at stable atmospheric pressure
For fish living in reservoirs in mountainous areas, fluctuations in atmospheric pressure have practically no effect. You can catch it without looking at the barometer readings.
When does crucian carp start biting in the spring?
The spring bite of crucian carp cannot be predicted with one hundred percent probability, since this process depends on several factors:
- weather conditions
- location of the reservoir
- type of bottom in a particular body of water.
Nevertheless, it is possible to approximately determine the beginning of the bite. This period starts from late April to early May. Awakening from winter sleep and the beginning of spawning requires increased nutrition.
The small crucian carp awakens first, and gradually the large one follows. And at this time he becomes more mobile.
There are reasons for this too:
- liberation from the external inhabitants of the reservoir parasitizing on it , which it has acquired over the winter.
- searching for food to recuperate before spawning begins.
Experienced fishermen know that during this period crucian carp can be caught using animal baits. They are more nutritious than vegetable ones and enable this fish to quickly increase its weight in a short period of time. Crucian carp are most active in mid- and late spring, but many fishermen are more interested in catching them after they have spawned.
What weather is most favorable for catching crucian carp?
Summarizing the above, you can determine when it is better to catch crucian carp:
- On a sunny, clear day with a slight south wind.
- Before a thunderstorm or during drizzling rain (typical in summer).
- On a warm, windless but cloudy day.
- At low atmospheric pressure.
- During a period of moderate water and air temperatures.
- In the absence of sudden changes in weather during the last 2-3 days.
Now you know what weather is considered more favorable for crucian carp fishing, but do not forget that every rule has exceptions.
Crucian carp will also bite well before an approaching thunderstorm
Baiting and searching for fish
In the spring, before spawning, it is better not to use bait at all. After spawning, the bait should be plentiful and, if possible, it is better to create not only a bait spot on the bottom, but also a cloud visible from a distance above the spot. Closer to autumn you need to use a small amount of bait.
The bait must be present in small quantities in the bait.
Finding fish:
Tips for fisherman: At what temperature does crucian carp start biting in the spring - Let's take it step by step
There is no bad weather for fishing
By making a bite forecast based on weather conditions, you can predict 80-90% how much more actively and better the fish will react to the bait. However, we must not forget that crucian carp is unpredictable, and its behavior is often difficult to explain.
From my own experience, I have repeatedly noticed how this fish bites every few minutes in the heat with a strong north-east wind or, conversely, in complete calm. Whereas under favorable circumstances in the form of small clouds, south wind and light rain, the bites stopped completely and even changing baits and fishing locations were unsuccessful.
Therefore, it is best to focus not only on weather conditions, but also on personal experience, the time of year, and the characteristics of a particular body of water and its inhabitants. The desire and passion of the fisherman, carefully selected bait and good gear can always provide good fishing results. Remember this and go fishing as soon as possible!
The features of crucian carp fishing will be discussed in the following video:
