FLOAT FISHING FOR CRUCIAN CARP  

To catch crucians regularly, a very carefully shotted light float rig is imperative, the best floats being a fine-tipped antenna or a short, narrow-diameter length of peacock quill fished in 'mini-lift' style. The object is to see those tiny bites for which crucians are renowned and which often barely register on the float tip (fig. 9B).

For this reason the single shot (a No. 1, BB or AA depending on float size) should be not more than 2 in from the hook. Try moving it even closer, to 1 in away, because sometimes this alone can make all the difference between seeing bites or not. The secret, after casting in and tightening up so the float cocks, is to wind down even further so the tip is just the merest 'blimp' on the surface. Strike the slightest movement.

When crucians are really feeding confidently, denoted by clusters of small bubbles regularly rising to the surface, the float might even lift completely out of the water and lie flat, as the carp tills its head up after sucking up the bait and dislodges the shot. Or the tip will sink positively as the crucian characteristically runs along the bottom. Many more bites will barely register on the float, so you need 10 hold the rod throughout and be eagle-eyed.

To stand a better chance of hilling bites from crafty crucians that just lie on the bottom blowing the bait in and out, rig up a light antenna float with a dust shot 2-3 in from the hook, with the bulk.

shot set at mid depth {fig. 9A). After carefully plumbing the swim, adjust the float so the bait is literally a fraction above the bottom. As with the lift rig, strike at the slightest movement on the float tip. Remember to keep loose feed or small balls of groundbait going in on the little-and-often principle, and they might be encouraged lo feed all day. A ruse always worth trying when they are particularly dour is to gently wind the float in 6 in at a time, which makes the bait lift upwards enticingly and fall gently down to the bottom again. Baits which are inherently buoyant like bread flake or csters, or which are expected to move, as worms, work best when 'twitching' in this way to encourage bites.

Incidentally, both these rigs work effectively for tench that are biting particularly shyly.

John Wilson

John Wilson's Fishing Safaris on Lake Nasser

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