Crucian Carp Fishing : Crucian Baits, Crucian Rigs and Top Crucian Tactics. 

Thanks for watching! Let me know what you think of this new format and any other topics or species that you think I should cover in the comments below.

Really enjoyed that Paul... very interesting vid. Had the same thing with tench in ireland. Caught it from a wild lake on 4 different occasions. Had a strange tail so identifying it was easy. Strange as decent stock of fish in the lake and it's not small.

Well done Paul ya got to take the red letter days which ya can some nice crusian s there 😊👍stay safe mate

I've found those pink dynamite match mini dumbell boilies mounted lengthwise on the hair are an excellent bait for picking out bigger crucians on both the method feeder and float but the tench also quite like them so I use nash scopex squid 10mm trimmed down into a barrel in those instances. With your story of catching the same fish twice below and then above your target I had kind of the opposite experience when trying to catch a monster perch. I was fortunate enough to stumble across a smallish lake that had been sneakily stocked with about 20 perch 10yrs before I chanced across it and as a result they had grown on to be monsters. You never caught many but they were frequently above 3lb when you did. So one year I was down there by myself in late winter/early spring and one of my livebaits smashed round and I was into what I though was a carp, I played it in as best I could on the soft feeder rod until eventually it surfaced and it was the biggest perch I'd ever seen. I missed it once with the net but managed to get it on the second attempt, took a glance at this great big green and black football of a fish and immediately knew it was worth a photo. I fumbled round in my pockets for my phone and realised I'd left it in the car, no worries I thought, give it a weigh to make sure it was worth the walk, slip it back in the net then go get my phone. I assumed it was fat with spawn so I didn't want to stress it too much so got my sling and scales prepped, took it out, hoisted it up and read the scales in disbelief as it wheeled round to 5lb 2oz! I checked again to make sure but that was the number. What a fish, way beyond anything I could have hoped for. I carefully slipped it back in the pan landing net and found a nice place to rest it while I went back to the car. Just as I'd secured the net my other rod hooped round and the clutch screamed so I picked it up and bent into what I was certain was a carp this time. I bullied it in not really caring if it broke me off but got it to the bank and had to net it, I tried to be as careful as I could to not let the monster perch swim out but as I got the net under the carp it ploughed downwards and caught me off guard, I lifted the net as quick as possible but it was too late, the monster perch had escaped. To say I was gutted would be an understatement, people who new me would vouch that I don't lie about captures or weights but without a photo I knew, quite fairly, it would always be questioned. Fish of a lifetime gone with only my story to tell the tale. Fortunately I caught the same fish again in the autumn of the same year after a few more spring blanks and then leaving it over the summer. This time it was at a more modest but still colossal 4lb 10oz with two witnesses to corroborate my story and someone to do the photos this time. I can't begin to explain the relief, I was actually beginning to wonder if I'd actually imagined the whole tale myself after having the story doubted so many times.

Brilliant video Paul. I love this style of story telling. I much prefer to listen to how the sessions unfold rather than the more tactical side of fishing. We're almost there with you, watching their little heads bob above the surface 🙂.

Hi Paul the smile on your face as you narrated the story said it all! Sadly I lived just outside Godalming in the early eighties and only fished Broadwater. I don't think they had Johnson's then, but I used to catch a lot of crucians from Lightwater Country Park. Nothing huge, I think my best was 2lbs 12ozs but lots of them and loads of small tench. They only went to about 21/2 lbs but tear away bites. No method feeder in those days and the crucians liked flake while the tench ripped off with maggots. I have no crucian venues near me these days and miss fishing for them as they with small Rudd were my first fish I ever caught! Incidentally I have found soft braided hook lengths work better on the method as the fish seem to suck the hook right in. Stay safe regards Bill

what a pleasant man. its so nice to listen to you, thanks alot for sharing your stories. my english isnt so good. sometimes i have some fish poke their head out of the water and it FASCINATES me, its like they come out to see who is that person trying to catch them. Do tench do that?? im really after tench. im trying so hard but i havent got any this whole summer and the summer before that:( there is a massive lake pond with HUGE tench but i cant seem to get one for years.. (there is this one old man that keeps catching massive tench there, but he doesnt want to share his sercrets..)

Hi Paul, thanks for a super video, beautiful crucians, my favourite fish. My best is only 2.5lbs but was thrilled with that. The Crucian always brings back memories of my youth , many many years ago now and fishing our local ponds. Thanks again Paul.

Nice video,I’ve fished both those swims but not stayed overnight.Caught mainly Tench,few crucians over 3lb and some nice Rudd to 2lb. Also have turned up at 4am in May and couldn’t get a swim,ended up on Harris lake .

Superb stuff mate, probably my favourite lake, although I haven't actually fished there for nearly two years now. Might have to have another bash this year 👍🏻

Loved it Paul. Fishing well presented here with the key element, relaxing. No hype, no super claims, no matcho statements. Just relaxing atmosphere and memories well shared. Maybe you and Duncan can do one together over a beer or something. You two are like brothers, and can nicely highlight a session or two. Just a thought. But thanks for the video.

Another great video mate. Helps keep the fishing bug at bay for the time being.

I like it. You're a thinking angler.

👍👍👏

another great video Paul, well done

Wonderful storytelling! Greetings from Estonia :)

What a great video to find. I’m a pretty Jew angler and I’m on the Godalming ticket so I’d love to crack Johnson’s this year for crucians. I really love the method feeder style of fishing so this has given me some great confidence that I can bag my first Crucian. Love how simple your videos are but how much enjoyment you get from reminiscing about your catches. Thanks Paul

I love how all crucians do that round in circles thing under the rod tip when they’re almost ready to net 😊

Great video. Enjoyed all the tips. Thank you. Will hopefully put them to good use.

Hi Paul great video as ever don’t know what the thumb down is for are you going to be covering pike at all with baits possibly later in the year?