Spring gold

 

This winter has been one of the coldest for a while so I was gagging for that spring warmth! Although this winter was a productive one fish wise I was glad to see the back of it. I'm not a big fan of the cold or the amount of darkness that comes with the winter.. it wasn't long and the trotting and perch gear was stored away and I began to think of the "bars of gold" the magnificent crucian. I only had a couple of sessions lined up for the crucians this spring due to family commitments but my first session came at the start of March. Early I know but there was a lovely warm weather front and I couldn't ignore the conditions and I fancied getting out for my first night since October the year before! I had a couple of days booked off so I headed to the venue. I didn't expect it to be busy and the it wasn't. People probable weren't as nuts as me! I knew where to head to as the previous spring the crucians held up in this particular area. I wheeled my gear round to the area and I was shocked to see another crucian angler. After a quick chat we found out we had mutual friends and got on rather well. I decided to plot up next to the fellow crucian angler. In front of me had some depth and the bottom was nice and clear so no real need to flick a lead about. I set up my two Feeder rods with inline method feeders with short hook links and small buoyant caster hook baits I fished both the rods at 25 yards range.

 

I then mixed up my trusty Spomb mix which consisted of various ground baits, dynamite Coconut and white chocolate f1 mix and some betaine green ground bait, I then added some red krill pellet and some hemp and dead maggot.

 

 I didn't want to over do the swim with heavy baiting as once you've put the bait in you can't take it back out. I like to build my swim up according to How the fish are feeding so I introduced four small Spomb over the area. With the rods out and bait over the rods I set up base camp. Once every thing was set up I had my first brew of the session and had a good old natter with the crucian angler next door. It didn't take long for one of my rods to leap into action... a tench was responsible for disrupting the social. 

 

I was happy though as it was a good Sign that fish were moving about and feeding! With the tench returned my rod was cast back out over the baited spot. The day was slow and the odd tench made an appearance. Sadly no crucians fell to my rods but the lad next door landed a 3lb+ crucian! Good signs of things to come! I decided to put some bait out prior to it getting dark so I did so. Darkness fell so all there was left to do was chat and drink tea. I received a bite on my left rod, a rather scatty take. I lifted into the fish and my rod bent double.. a Carp! With light rods and tackle it was good fun playing the beast putting my tackle to the test! But after a spirited fight and my arm falling a sleep the carp was in the net! A lovely old dink strain fish known as "Barry" we laughed about the name of the poor carp took some shots and returned him to his home. 

 

By now it was getting on and the other crucian angler had left. I sat in silence watching the water when I noticed a few fish rolling in close so I dropped a rod short. By now it was really getting on and the temp had dropped so I got into my bag and started to drift off.. my left rod let out a series of bleeps and I looked out to see the bobin pulled up tight to the blank. I ran out and lifted into the fish. At first I thought it could be a roach or a Rudd but after a few seconds it started to feel a lot heavier and made a better account of itself! I knew it was a crucian by this point by the standard fight under the rod tip un be known  I didn't know the size so I applied caution into the fight. It wasn't long and the crucian was in the net! I was buzzing! Always good to catch your target species on your first trip to the venue of the year! The needle spun round to 3.8! What a cracker! A friend took some lovely night shots and the cru was returned. 

 

I decided to drop both rods in short but sadly no other bites fell through the night. At first light I applied more bait to the longer zone and got both rods onto the spot. Again it didn't take long and one of my rods was away! Again to another hard fighting carp! Another spirited fight on the light gear but eventually the carp gave up and ended up in the back of my net. This fish was another lovely mirror so I was made up!

 

 The day dragged again with just the odd tench breaking the day up. Sadly no more crucians fell to me that trip but I knew they were on the move and feed so I was buzzing to get Back down! Sadly my partner fell ill so my fishing took a back seat understandably. Over the next few weeks the fishing for the crucians really picked up! As did the mild weather! I really was chomping at the bit to get back down! Luckily my other half slowly got better and I got the green light to get back out! My next session was after working eight days solid, two of which were spent working at the big one fishing show (great fun) I was gagging to get out! At first I had planned to arrive early Tuesday morning but I was to eager so I arrived at 11pm on the Monday eve! I dropped In an area I'd had big hits in the past from and knew the crucians were about in the area so I was hopeful. After having a chat with a couple of gents fishing the same bank I slowly set up and got the rods out. Again the same methods I always fish (inline methods with short hooklinks and small hook baits) I didn't put any bait out over the rods as I didn't want to make to much of a disturbance. With the rods out and my brolly etc all set up I got my head down. Just as I was drifting off my left rod churned off.. oh god.. another carp! This one felt huge! It battered me all about the margins and flat rodded me several times! I really didn't expect to land the carp! But luck was on my side and the carp finally graced my net! She was big! I left her in the net whilst I sorted every thing out allowing for maximum safety! The needle spun to just under 31lb I couldn't believe it! A epic capture on the crucian gear!

 

It took me a fair old while to get to sleep as I was buzzing and when I looked at my watch it was already 3am.. and I had my alarm set for 5am to get the rods and out prior to any morning feeding fish! It only seemed like five minutes sleep before my alarm awoke me but up I got and made a tea. With the morning light I mixed up my trusty Spomb mix and put out four Spomb at 25yards range. Accuracy is key! 

 

I then clipped up both rods and fished them at the same range to. 

 

The other lads had told me bites had been few and far between so I wasn't counting my chickens. But I still remained confident knowing what had been caught off of the bank the previous week or so. I was drinking tea and talking to other Angler's when my left rod leapt into life! I picked up the rod and reeled into a dead weight, a classic crucian tell tail sign! I guided the fish to the margin where it had started to dog about the bottom making me nervous.. my heart was in my mouth as I knew it could be a bloody big crucian! That it was! And my nerves nearly got the better of me but I landed the magnificent specimen! A new personal best and my forth 4lber from the venue! I was over the moon! Thankfully we got some cracking shots to! And the specimen was returned to its home. 

 

Only tench made an appearance that day making it a long day as the bites were very spread out. Before dusk I again put out a few spombs topping up the area for the nights fishing. Thankfully it was a quiet night with just a few roach waking me up now and again. Just like the day before id set my alarm for 5am in order to get me up and active. Again I topped the swim up with a few spombs of my trusty mix in hope of some more early morning feeding crucians. 

 

Unlike the previous day it was more overcast and slightly colder. Far better conditions in my eyes! And I was wrong as it wasn't long for one before one of my rods leapt out a series of bleeps and again I was into another big crucian! This one really put up a scrap! As soon as I had the crucian in the net the other rod was away! Another crucian! This one looked a little smaller than the other! The first crucian went over the magic 4lb mark and equaled my pb which I beat yesterday and the other crucian went 3.10lb!

 

 

 I was over the moon with the result! So much so I decided to pack up and head home early!! Seven sessions for twenty five crucians from the venue wasn't bad going at all! Five over 4lb+, sixteen over 3lb+ and four over 2lb+ what a fantastic tally and one I was over the moon about! My spring crucian target smashed my sights are now set on the tench! Here's hoping for some more good luck.. 

 

The five different 4lb crucians I've been lucky enough to catch 

Quest for a 4lb perch

The quest for a 4lb perch

 

After several blanks I finally got amongst the perch and found where they liked to feed at dusk, the prime time to catch a big old stripey! With minimal time I'd get the odd afternoon after work and the odd days holiday. I was lucky enough to catch a few different 3lb+ perch and lots of back up 2lb+ perch this winter with one recapture of a 3.8lb perch. 

 

 

 

I was happy and confident with my approach it was just a matter of getting to the lake when the conditions were right for a bite. Sadly some of the times I did have available to fish the lake it was either frozen or the conditions weren't the greatest but working five days a week and working in a busy machine shop I still fished on these occasions as it's nice to get out no matter what some times as I enjoy just being there. 

 

But with the warmer weather on the rise and the perch really on the munch I knew it was time to try and increase my efforts by getting to the lake! I'd been catching regularly from one particular water but my friend and I fancied a trip to another venue which we knew held big perch. Sadly after the long drive we were greeted by a closed lake due to a match being held on the venue! We were burnt to say the least! But maybe it was a sign? We agreed to drive back to mine and car swap and I'd drive to the usual spot! After dealing with traffic and feeling a little deflated we were both finally set up. I fished the usual area where I'd been targeting the perch, no real features other than a good bit of depth and some marginal rushes. I opted to fish all three rods on light link ledger set ups giving minimal resistance so if a perch would bite you'd have more chance of hooking the wary predators! I've made a few alterations to my set up along the way which paid dividends to my fishing! I removed the 1oz lead and attached a micro rig ring and tied on two shot making the rig even more lighter and gave the rig even less resistance. By doing this I went from getting twitchy bites to full on confident takes! Almost like carp Takes at times! So with my trusty rigs placed in three areas all with king prawns attached and a few chopped and whole king prawns chucked around the rigs I sat back and waited. 

 

I never get despondent if I don't have any takes up till dusk unless the weather is cloudy and dull! This particular session I was fishing on the end of a warm wind and there was a slight bit of cloud cover so I was fairly confident in receiving a bite before dusk. The time had now crept to 4.30pm and the light levels had just started to fade.. my first rod was away! Another confident take and I was into the first perch of the session. After a spirited fight a nice plump 2lb+ perch was in the net! Photos were taken and the perch was returned. 

 

By now my mate had received a few bites but had sadly lost them. My rods remained motionless but the light levels were dropping even more so I knew a bite could be any minute! The bobbin cracked the blank of the first rod again! Another savage bite! As soon as I lifted into this fish I knew it was a decent perch! For a few seconds I thought it even could of been a carp! But the big perch rolled on the surface quite soon into the fight! This wasn't such a good thing as now I was well aware of what was on the end! I played the perch in silence with the beat of my heart getting louder and louder! This perch really held on! The fight on my .75 test curve rods was immense! Eventually the perch graced my net! My mate immediately ran over and we both knew this perch was a monster! A monster indeed! A true dream come true and a massive relief that my quest for a 4lb perch was over for this winter! My mate took some lovely shots and I returned the perch with a big smile on my face! 

 

 

Sadly my friend lost a couple more fish and I landed another 2lb+ perch but I was over the moon! I brilliant end to a fruitful winters perch angling! Now where are those tench and crucians at?!?