Post-Lockdown Fishing Fix: Non-Stop Action with Small Crucian Carp

Okay, let’s cut to the chase—if you’ve been cooped up during a lockdown and live for fishing, you know that first trip back feels like a kid in a candy store. That’s exactly how I felt when my neighborhood finally unlocked after 15+ days of being stuck indoors. No more “can’t leave except for groceries” rules—freedom! But little did I know, the first day back would be a total bust… and the second? Pure fishing chaos. Let me spill the tea.

Day 1: Lockdown Hangover & a Major Bummer

Let’s set the scene: The lockdown lifted at 8 AM, but I didn’t waste time. By 5 PM, I was already gearing up—rod, reel, bait, the works. My destination? Construction Bridge (I’ll call it Con Bridge for short). I’d fished there a hundred times before, so I thought it’d be smooth sailing. Boy, was I wrong.

As soon as I rolled up to the riverbank entrance? Boom. Barriers. Metal poles, tape, the whole shebang. No way in. I stood there for 10 minutes, staring at the water like a sad puppy. “Why now?” I muttered. After 15 days without a cast, this was a gut punch.

Backup Plan = Zero Fish

Okay, fine—plan B. I hopped on my e-bike and cruised along the river, checking every spot I knew. Problem? I didn’t know the fish behavior at these backup spots. I ended up plopping down at a random bank, set up my rod, and waited… and waited… and waited.

Two hours. Not a single bite. Nada. Zilch. I even tried changing bait—corn, worms, my go-to dough. Nothing. I started overthinking: “Maybe the fish are deeper? Maybe I need to wait till 10 PM?” But let’s be real—night was falling, and it was freezing. My hands were numb, my legs were cramping, and I was tired just thinking about staying out till midnight. So I packed up, dragged my gear home, and moped. “Great,” I thought. “First post-lockdown trip: zero fish. Way to go.”

Day 2: Redemption (Finally!) at Dam 24

Woke up the next day with a chip on my shoulder. “Today’s gonna be different,” I told myself. I had errands in the morning, but by 4 PM, I was out the door—this time, no Con Bridge. I decided to play detective: I’d ride the e-bike along the river and find a spot where other anglers were catching fish (fish don’t lie, right?).

Here’s the thing about busy fishing spots: the good ones are packed, and the fish? Usually tiny. But after 15 days without action? I didn’t care. “Tiny fish = tiny fun,” I thought. “I just need to cast something.”

Finding the Hot Spot: Dam 24

Then I hit Dam 24. Anglers were lined up along the bank, rods bending left and right. Perfect. I squeezed into a spot (sorry, guys—desperate times), set up my rod in 10 seconds flat, and mixed up my dough bait. The rule for tiny fish? Small hooks, small bait, fast casts. So I rigged a #18 hook, rolled a tiny ball of dough, and cast out.

First cast: plop. Wait 10 seconds. Tug! Oh my god—bite! I lifted the rod, and there it was: a tiny crucian carp, maybe 2 inches long. But I didn’t care. I whooped. “Yes! Finally!”

Non-Stop Action: The “Small Fish, Big Fun” Streak

That first fish was just the start. I cast again—another bite. Cast, bite. Cast, bite. Within 15 minutes, I had 10 fish. Then 20. Then 30. I lost count around 50. The bucket was filling up fast—tiny silver crucians, all fighting like crazy. I even started getting double headers (two fish at once)! That’s the stuff anglers dream of, even if the fish are small.

By the way, let’s talk about the setup: I used a lightweight rod (3m), 0.4mm line, and that #18 hook. Dough bait was just flour, cornmeal, and a dash of honey—simple, but it works for tiny fish. I was casting every 10-15 seconds, so my arm was starting to ache, but who cares? I was in fishing heaven.

The “Big Fish” Experiment (Spoiler: It Failed)

After an hour of non-stop tiny crucians, I got curious. “Can I catch a bigger fish here?” I thought. So I switched tactics:

• First, I used bigger dough balls (to target bigger fish).
• Then, I tried “pulling dough” (a trick where you make a bigger, fluffier bait).
• Even switched to corn for a bit—nothing.

Result? The biggest fish I caught was maybe 2 ounces (about 56 grams). That’s it. Most were still the tiny guys. So I went back to the small dough balls. Why fix what’s not broken?

Nightfall & the End of the Streak

It was a cloudy day, so dusk hit early—around 6:30 PM. Suddenly, it was too dark to see the float. I pulled out my headlamp, but targeting tiny crucians at night is a pain. The float disappears, you can’t feel the bites as well, and it’s just not as fun. Plus, my arm was killing me—casting 50+ times an hour for 2 hours will do that.

So I called it quits. Packed up my gear, looked at the bucket… and wow. I’d caught over 100 tiny crucians. No exaggeration. The bucket was overflowing. But here’s the thing: I didn’t keep any. They were way too small—like, smaller than my thumb. So I dumped the whole bucket back into the river. “Grow up, little guys,” I said. “Next time, I’ll catch you when you’re bigger.”

The Bummer: Lockdown 2.0 (Ugh)

I got home, still hyped from the day’s catch, when my phone rang. It was my neighbor: “Hey, the neighborhood’s locking down again tomorrow. Back to no leaving except essentials.”

My heart sank. All that fun, and now I’m stuck indoors again. I stood by the window, staring at the river. “Why can’t this end?” I thought. Fishing is my escape—my way to forget about work, stress, and all the lockdown nonsense. Now I’m back to watching fishing videos on YouTube and counting the days till I can cast again.

Final Thoughts: Lockdown Fishing = The Good, The Bad, The Tiny

Let’s be real—post-lockdown fishing isn’t always perfect. Day 1 was a bust, but Day 2? It was everything I needed. Tiny fish, non-stop action, and a reminder of why I love this sport. It’s not about catching big fish (though that’s nice)—it’s about getting outside, feeling the sun (or cold, in my case), and forgetting about the world for a few hours.

To all my fellow anglers stuck in lockdown: hang in there. Keep your gear clean, watch some fishing tutorials, and daydream about your next trip. When the time comes, you’ll be ready. And if you end up catching a bucket of tiny crucians? Embrace it. That’s the good stuff.

Oh, and if you’re fishing Dam 24 soon? Watch out—those tiny crucians are hungry. Tight lines, everyone!