Marsh Farm is currently the premier big crucian fishery in the UK with three pound plus fish being caught most days during the warmer months. The fishery record currently stands at 4lb 4oz. The Marsh Farm complex was developed through lottery funding and is a commercial day ticket fishery run by Godalming Angling Club. The big Crucians were originally stocked from the adjacent Johnsons Fishery. Godalming Angling Club is an all too rare example of a progressive club which actively encourages youngsters to get into fishing through its regular coaching sessions.
I must confess that Marsh Farm has become one of my favourite fisheries in recent seasons and I look forward to my handful of visits each season. It was nearly dark when I arrived (the curse of the M25) and I was surprised to find only one other angler on Harris lake.
lthough some anglers choose to catch crucian carp on bolt rigs real crucian fishing is all about float fishing, and as
I would be fishing in the edge alongside the marginal reeds in about two foot of water I set up a 2BB Drennan Insert Waggler. This would enable me to swop the insert for a mini starlight after dark.
Four walnut sized balls of groundbait laced with mini pellets were thrown around the float initially, to be topped up by a further ball every twenty minutes thereafter. I baited up with garlic flavoured meat on a size 18 hook to a copolymer hooklength.
Four walnut sized balls of groundbait laced with mini pellets were thrown around the float initially, to be topped up by a further ball every twenty minutes thereafter. I baited up with garlic flavoured meat on a size 18 hook to a copolymer hooklength.
Before long the float started dancing as crucians picked amongst the groundbait. I imagined them tightly huddled together occasionally brushing against the line. I am sure that no other fish feeds as delicately as the crucian and this explains why so many bites are missed. Every session is diferent, sometimes you need to strike at the slightest movement of the float tand another time you might have to count to three after the float has submerged to connect, frustrating but fun!
By three o'clock the float was dancing around the swim without any help from the crucians and it was time to reel in and get a couple of hours sleep before dawn. As is usual on here most of the activity comes in the first few hours after dark, by the time I packed up at 8am I had accounted for eight crucians including a couple of three's, the largest 3lb 2oz. I fed some corn to Eric (the Egyptian Goose in the photo) before leaving.
