With quite a few retailers struggling for casters and even maggots in some cases, Mark Fox had to change his plans on a recent crucian session but it certainly paid off when he banked this new personal best 4lb 3oz specimen.
He told us “As I drove down to a southern club water for a crucian session, I had it in my head that I’d fish casters. But when I arrived and visited the tackle shop, they were totally sold out! They didn’t have any maggots either, and with the crucians proving tricky this season, and those caught showing there this season to smaller baits, I was a bit stumped as to what I’d do.I figured my only real option was to go down the pellet and boilie route, so I settled into a swim where the wind was hacking in and planned to fish the Method feeder, with one rod on a 6mm pellet and the other with a boilie. But as I sat chatting with a mate, I noticed an elderberry bush in the swim filled with ripe, red fruit. We’ve caught roach and chub on them in the past, so I figured, why not give them a try? The dark berries look similar to casters, and if fish will pick up bits of plastic, surely they’d take a berry too. I added a few loose berries to my groundbait mix and hooked two berries onto a size 16 instead of a boilie. As they’re so soft, there’s a chance you’ll lose one on the cast, so by hooking two I was confident I’d still be sat with one on the hook. I had to leave them hanging out the feeder too, as they simply squish if I try to compact them into the mix.
I gently swung the feeder onto the spot around 10 yards out, and first cast, I caught a tench. It was a confidence booster, and after recasting, it took just 15 minutes before the bobbin smacked against the rod and the alarm screamed off again. I knew it was a decent fish, but was amazed to see this huge crucian surface. At 4lb 3oz, it’s the fish of a lifetime, and a PB by 2oz. It was also an immaculate, young-looking fish, which is a good sign for the future. That was the last fish I caught on the berries, but I did also add two other crucians of 2lb 7oz and 2lb 5oz on the banded pellets.
To be honest, I’m glad the shop didn’t have any casters! It made me think about my fishing in a totally different way, and whilst I wouldn’t want to fish exclusively with elderberries, right now is the prime time to use them.”
