Huge crucian best of year

This is the biggest crucian of the year weighing 4lb 2oz, topping an amazing haul of specimens.

It was a catch that included no fewer than seven 3lb-plus fish and was made by big-fish man Adam Perna during a two-night session on a Southern stillwater.

The Oxfordshire angler netted a total of 10 fish during the trip, including another weighing 3lb 12oz, after opting for a no-feed minimalist approach using just a 35g Method feeder with a single artificial white caster hair-rigged to a size 16 hook.

“Despite seeing others spodding out loads of feed, with it being so early in the year and the water still pretty cold I decided against feeding anything other than the fishmeal groundbait and 2mm pellets on my feeder. The fish can end up having too much bait to get through when everyone is feeding so heavily,” said Adam.

The session began slowly as he took just two 2lb-plus fish on the first night, but a switch from a darker imitation caster to the white variety on the second night sent his alarms into overdrive as fish after fish made off with his hookbait.

The icing was put on the cake early on the final morning when Adam landed the biggest crucian of his magical haul to set a new personal best by just 1oz.

“I have been fishing the lake for three years but this year all the hard work and research is starting to pay off,” he continued.

“Catching a 4lb-plus fish feels great, especially at this time of the year when the fish are yet to bulk up prior to spawning.

“The fishing should be even better later in the year and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the crucian record was broken this summer as the fish are getting bigger every year.”

- The current UK crucian record is 4lb 10oz, jointly held by Michael James and Stephen Frapwell, with both captures occurring in May last year.