Sea ruff scorpionfish catch cook. Sea ruff.

Scorpion is a genus of fish that belongs to the scorpion family. Latin name Scorpaena.

This fish has a large head, somewhat compressed on the sides and armed with spikes. In addition, there are leathery appendages in the form of tentacles on the head. She has a large mouth with a slanted slit. There are velvety teeth on the jaws and on the vomer.

Scales of medium size. On the dorsal fin located 12-13 spiny and 9 soft rays, on the anal - 3 spiny and 5 soft. The pectoral fins have no separate rays, the lower ones are thickened. The scorpionfish lacks a swim bladder.

In the world, there are approximately 40 species of scorpions living in tropical and warm seas.

They are pretty lazy creatures. most spending time hiding in the sand or between stones among plants, waiting in such an ambush for prey, which become small fish. The pectoral fins help these fish to burrow into the sand and crawl along the bottom. The coloration of scorpions is quite diverse, and not only in different individuals of the same species, but even in the same fish. Altogether it is a mixture different colors- yellow, red, brown and black. Scorpions are no different large sizes and are rarely longer than 30 cm and weigh no more than 500 grams.

The Black Sea scorpionfish lives in the Black Sea, or, as it is also called, the Black Sea sea ruff, Latin name which Scorpaena porcus. It was this fish that gave the name to everything big family scorpion. In addition to the Black Sea, it can also be found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea along the African and European coasts. Sometimes found in the Sea of ​​Azov. It prefers to stay in the coastal zone, where it lies in wait for prey, lying on the bottom. The main menu of scorpionfish is small fish and crustaceans.

When a gaping fish or a large crustacean is at a distance of 10-15 cm from sea ​​ruff, he makes a sharp jerk, while opening his mouth wide, and literally sucks the prey along with the water. And in order to be well camouflaged in anticipation of a potential dinner, he needs such a camouflage coloration, which we described above. The scorpionfish also has a property that is extremely rare for fish - it sheds. This happens with a frequency of approximately once every 28 days. At the same time, the upper tarnished layer of the skin of the scorpion sheds off, and a new one with a brighter color appears in its place. Scorpion shed their skin just like snakes - like a cover.

The scorpionfish is able to hunt only moving objects, which the lateral line organs help it to detect, most of all development in the head area. With the help of these organs, the scorpion can catch water currents created by any moving object. Thanks to this property, the scorpionfish can successfully hunt even at night. If the caught object is not of food interest for the scorpionfish, then it spits it out. A scorpionfish defends itself from enemies with the help of its thorns, and their injection can be very painful for a person.

Spawning by scorpions is carried out in small portions, each enclosed in a transparent mucous membrane. These peculiar balloons of mucus float to the surface of the water. By the time the larvae are ready to hatch, the balloons disintegrate and the eggs are released from the common shell. For some time, and very short, the hatched juveniles stay in the water column, after which they descend to the bottom, where they pass future life scorpion Little sea ruff is caught, mostly it comes across with other fish.

Sea ruff (scorpionfish), harmoniously combined with the ornament of the seabed. Even with close range, it is difficult to distinguish it from a lying stone, dotted with water currents. Throwing itself out of an ambush, it never leaves the victim a chance, even if a crab turns up, swallows it whole, with all its "chain mail". During fishing, he grabs the bait, in his usual manner: without ceremony, as already his own.

Given the peculiarities of this nature of the bite, the fishermen came up with tricks to catch the obstinate fish, which you will learn in this article.

1. General description of scorpion fish (sea ruff)

The scorpionfish, also called the sea ruff, has an elongated body, slightly compressed from the sides. Large head, slightly flattened, with large bulging eyes and a wide, thick-lipped mouth. Powerful jaws armed with small teeth. There are outgrowths of bristles in the pharynx, arranged in a semicircle, which act as graters

The body is covered with warts, spines, patches of scales and tentacles of various lengths, giving the fish a comical appearance. The dorsal fin consists of soft rays coming from the tail and spiny feathers extending across the back. Abdominal and pectoral fins, wide, oval, as well as anal, have spines along the edges. The gills, fins and tuberous spines are equipped with needles, on the edge of which there are glands with poison. The coloration of the back is dark brown, the body is light brown.

2. Distribution and habitats

Sea ruff, lives in the eastern part Atlantic Ocean, off the African and European coasts, as well as in the Black Seas.

3. Age and size

Life expectancy is 6 years, body length is 40 cm.

4. Lifestyle

A bottom predator that lives in the coastal strips at a depth of 10 - 90 meters.

4.1. Reproduction - time and features of spawning

June - September. Reaches sexual maturity at the age of 2 years, having a body length of 17.5 cm. Sizes may vary, depending on habitat and ecology.

It spawns in portions, wrapped in transparent mucous membranes, which, rising to the surface, ripen. The protective veil bursts, and the larvae, being released, drift in the water column. Very soon, already in the form of juveniles, they sink to the bottom, continuing their way of life, in their native element.

4.2. Diet - what to eat

Small fish, such as gobies, greenfinches and slats, as well as crustaceans and mollusks (,).

5. How, where, when and what to fish for scorpion fish (sea ruff)

You can fish from the shore and no less successfully from floating means, around the clock, using both natural and artificial baits.

For lovers of fishing sea ​​waters we invite you to familiarize yourself with detailed information about the Mediterranean, weather conditions, topography, water temperature, water flow and inhabitants -

5.1. Biting calendar - what time of year is best to bite

Fishing scorpion, underway all year round.

5.2. What weather is best for scorpion pecking (sea ruff)

In the first hours after the storm.

5.3. What are the best places to fish

In the morning and evening, near the shore, at a depth of at least 3 meters, on the slopes of the shell, coral or rocky bottom, as well as in the coastal zone, among stones, reefs and algae.

5.4. What gear is best to fish

When fishing from a boat, spinning is used hard, with a sensitive tip. Inertial coil, or.

Tackle, which is often successfully caught, is collected in this way:

• main line 0.40 mm, with a margin of 50 m on the reel;
• at the end of the bet, sinker 50-100 g;
• 0.30 mm section, attached to the main line with;
• hook size, depends on the size of the bait No. 5-9, in the amount of 2 pieces.

AT clear water, in shallow water, so that the boat is not visible, the equipment is thrown to the side, and to make it easier to pull the ruff out of the stones, the hooks are equipped with floats, giving them a suspended state.

Since fishing for scorpion fish is mainly carried out in stones and algae, it is best to use a piece of reinforcement 20–30 cm long as a load, bending it into latin letter- V, instead of a bend, they attach a fishing line and hooks in the stones and thickets of the bottom, there will be no more.

From the shore they catch on float tackle, with a deaf or sliding installation, depending on the depth and casting distance. The float should be made of polystyrene, white and large, and for fishing at night, it is coated with Firefly varnish.

At night, effectively and in large numbers, they catch scorpion fish on the bottom. An ordinary sinker, round or flat, will not work, the fish will drag it into the stones, after which it will be problematic to fish it out.

Scorpionfish, during a bite, is detected by itself and at what, always. Pecks, immediately swallowing. Given these features, a thick wire is used as a sinker, which is bent into a ring. The ends of the rod are connected by soldering. The main fishing line with a carabiner, fastens the ring - a sinker, to which they are tied with hooks.

Equipment is thrown at a distance of 40 - 80 m from the shore. Dozens of pieces are thrown to Donok, and in the morning the catch is counted. On one tackle, it can be hooked, up to five individuals.

A bunch with a trophy, easily released from the main line by opening the carabiner. After that, the scorpion fish is transferred to a plastic bucket, or to some other dense container. On the way back from fishing, the fish will calm down, and already at home, in a calm environment, pull the hooks out of the mouth. Shooting an aggressive ruff at night, even with a flashlight, is not always convenient and safe.

Tackle of this design has the following advantages:

1. Minimum effort.
2. High result.
3. Convenient and safe to use.

In this 3 minute video, experienced fishermen will share with you their experiments with tackle and reels. Fishing is carried out with ultralight on, from the pier, in the city of Sochi

Ruff, rattles with his ammunition, only with his appearance, pleases enthusiastic fishermen. Caught in the Black Sea large size, on brightly colored silicone

5.5. Bait for catching scorpionfish (sea ruff)

Seafood mix: crustaceans, fish and shellfish (, mussels,). Finely crushed and poured into a nylon stocking. Then, they are thrown into the place of the upcoming catch.

5.6. What baits and baits to catch

As bait, they most often serve: raw or boiled rapana meat, mussels, whole crab, small in size, as well as slicing fish (for example,), nereis, and lard.

Pilker, silver or green, with black spots. The result of the catch will increase if, in addition to the hook, you pick up slices of fresh fish.

6. Interesting, unusual, funny facts about this fish

From the stories, spearfishers and fishermen who have experienced the bite of a ruff, the symptoms have been described in different ways. For example, in the Black Sea, the fish are calm and the bite is less painful. In, after a bite, swelling follows and the temperature rises, the pain effect can last up to 2 days. In the Red Sea, after an injection of a sea ruff, there have been fatal cases, and the temper, in the scorpion species, is more aggressive.

The toxicity and behavior of fish are influenced by two main factors - the number of enemies and the availability of food. In the Black Sea, most likely, living creatures are abundant, and in the Red Sea, you have to fight for every shrimp.

In the case of a scorpion stab, no matter which sea it happened on, the first step is to remove the thorn from the wound. Then, squeeze out the blood so that the poison does not spread throughout the body. Disinfect the bite site with hydrogen peroxide, if this is not possible, then rinse the wound with sea or hot water. Even if the place of the burn does not bother, you still need go to the hospital to prevent infection or an allergic reaction.

On the head, the sea ruff has receptors, thanks to which, even in the dark, by the slightest fluctuations, it recognizes its prey.

Ruff swallowed a burbot, the size of himself, and in order to place it in the stomach, rubs it with pharyngeal brushes. At the time of the meal, an underwater diver sailed up to wish you bon appetit. Watch 1 min. video

7. Gastronomy

The meat is white and juicy, slightly sweet in taste. Contains substances: chromium, fluorine, zinc and nickel, as well as molybdenum and nicotinic acid.

8. Useful video

The Black Sea, the city of Anapa, fishing for a sea ruff, from a rocky shore. The video contains comments from the champions of Russia in fishing. Stories about habits dangerous fish, recommendations on fishing technique and rods used, see 10 min. roller

9. Most Useful Fish Links

- an encyclopedic article about scorpion fish;

http://forum.tetis.ru/viewtopic.php?t=54371 - advice from members of the forum on what to do if bitten by a scorpionfish;

– an interesting article about the methods of catching scorpion fish;

http://koktebel-himik.com.ua/pages/animals/11.htm - about sea ruff in folk predictions.

I must say that catching ruff on the Black Sea is quite a popular occupation due to the unique gastronomic properties of its meat. It is elastic white color slightly sweet in taste. Great for frying, boiling, drying, cooking fish aspic dishes. And the legendary scorpionfish ear? This is an unsurpassed delicacy! By the way, the meat of this fish has positive influence on male libido. They say that it is stronger than the famous Viagra. Perhaps that is why many men prefer to catch ruff rather than flounder, garfish or mackerel.

🦈 Where scorpion fish are caught

Ruff fishing is carried out in two ways: from a boat and from the shore. The latter does not require any special fishing skills, great efforts and serious expenses, therefore it is popular not only among experienced fishermen, but also among local boys. It is most convenient to catch a large ruff from moorings or piers, from stone embankments and rocks. The main thing is that in this place at the bottom there should be at least a little vegetation and more boulders, among which the scorpion loves to hide, waiting for its prey. This predator hides in algae and under stones, ambushing shrimp, greenfinches, gobies and other small fish at the first opportunity.

Despite showing some signs of reptiles, the sea ruff does not hibernate in winter. He pecks all year round, but since cold period fishing is uncomfortable, ruffs come off throughout the summer. As for the time of day, this fish is most active at night. With a good bite, you won’t have to sit until the morning, in just a couple of hours you can catch a dozen or one and a half weighty prickly ruffs, which is quite enough for breakfast, and you can also treat your friends.

Day fishing, as a rule, is carried out from a boat or boat. During the day, scorpionfish can be found anywhere: in shallow water among brown algae, on heated limestone, near rocky ledges. But most often it concentrates on the so-called banks - underwater hills located at a considerable distance from the coastline. You can’t throw any long-range tackle there, the only way to get to the object of fishing is a watercraft. The depth in such places usually does not exceed 12-15 meters. Here are optimal conditions for the reproduction of small and medium-sized crustaceans, habitats small species fish that scorpionfish hunt with pleasure.

🦈 Effective tackle

For day fishing from a boat, a rigid spinning rod with a sensitive tip, equipped with any type of reel, is suitable. It can be a meat grinder (inertialess) or an inertial mechanism - the "Neva" coil and its analogues. The main fishing line is a strong monofilament with a section of 0.4 mm with a margin of at least 50 meters. The rig is simple, it includes a pear-shaped sinker, 15 cm leashes of smaller diameter line (0.25-0.3 mm) mounted above it and hooks selected according to the size of the bait. For example, for fishing on a shrimp, small ones are suitable - No5-6, and for large baits (bait bait, pieces of meat), you can put a hook of the 9th or even 10th number. The mouth of the sea ruff is huge, so it easily swallows them. It is advisable to fix the leashes on the main fishing line using triple swivels, this will prevent them from twisting.

For fishing in difficult areas where there is a risk of hooking on underwater vegetation or stones, Black Sea fishermen make original weights from rebar scraps in the form of a Roman “five”. Due to this shape, they almost never cling to algae and stones lying at the bottom. They can also be quickly made from a thick lead rod with a diameter of 0.5-1 cm. There is no need to come up with some kind of ears or loops for the load, the fishing line is simply tied at the bend point.

Another common installation for fishing a ruff for spinning from a boat in a plumb line is a sea circle. This is a small metal ring with several leashes tied around the perimeter. So that they do not slip and move towards each other, shallow cuts are made on the ring. The fishing line may not withstand such a rig, so thin but strong twine is used instead.

When fishing on a circle, the fish is self-securing, and a heavy ring does not allow it to hide in nearby boulders. Therefore, the angler only needs to charge the tackle, lower the bet to the bottom, and you can safely enjoy the contemplation of the endless expanses of the sea without fear of missing a bite. When the ruff swallows the bait, the tip of the spinning reel will signal this with a series of short pulls.

In the dark, scorpionfish can be effectively caught from the shore with a float rod. She has about the same equipment as when fishing for spinning, plus a large white foam float, clearly visible in the dark. Alternatively, you can put a special night float covered with fluorescent paint on the bait, or attach a so-called firefly to a regular daytime bite alarm.

With float tackle, the sea ruff is caught after dark from moorings, piers and other structures or from a suitable rock. At this time of the day, it approaches quite close to the shore, comes to depths of 3-4 meters. True, large adults rarely look into such obvious shallow water. Since a predator, approaching the coastal rocks, does not scour in search of food, but sits in a shelter and waits for it, it would be more correct to use search tactics. The more sites a fisherman catches, the more significant his catch will be.

🦈 Fishing baits and lure

In order not to return to this topic later, we note right away that there is no need to feed the sea ruff. Is that only in the case when the predator concentrates in a place that is inconvenient for fishing and needs to be lured out of there somehow. You can put some crushed clams and pieces of fresh fish into the net with a small cell, and then lower it to the bottom where it is more comfortable to wield tackle. The scorpion will definitely catch up with the smell of food.

We figured out the bait, now about the bait. What to catch ruff in the Black Sea? Fresh shrimp and cuts of freshly caught fish are considered the best bait, followed by pieces of squid meat and chicken fillet. Those who do not want to bother with such baits do it easier - they break mussels or rapans and put the contents of the shells on the hook. In the sun, the nozzle quickly loses its freshness, even if you hide it in the shade, but with good predator activity, this is not a problem. A hungry scorpion does not refuse a little spoiled meat, and sometimes pecks at it even better.

To say that the sea ruff is voracious is to say nothing. His insatiability is astonishing. Divers have repeatedly observed how this fish in literally stuffed a piece of meat or other marine life the same size as her! The huge mouth and the ability of the lower jaw to move forward make the scorpionfish real sea ​​monster.

🦈 How to deal with caught prey

Scorpio is in the top 10 most dangerous representatives underwater fauna. A prick of her thorn is not fatal for a person, but pain shock and redness at the site of skin puncture are guaranteed. There are also more serious reactions of the body, for example, nausea, vomiting, profuse sweating. For vacationers, this is a tragedy, but for a fisherman, one injection of a scorpionfish will in some way even be useful. The fact is that it is worth getting it once, enduring the consequences, and in the future there will be no more reactions, since the body will develop immunity to poisonous substance this fish.

You should not regard the above as a call to harden yourself in this way, you never know how the body will react to the poison. To avoid trouble, remove the sea ruff from the hook with the utmost care. It has a lot of spines, poisonous ones are located at the bases of the dorsal, ventral and anal fins, that is, almost from all sides. So the best thing to do is:

• press the caught fish to a flat stone with a rod;
• grab her lower lip with pliers;
• take scissors in the second hand and cut off all dangerous spikes;
• relax and take out the hook like any other fish.

Of course, you will have to carry extra tools with you, but these will never interfere with fishing. In addition, thanks to them, the first health care you definitely won't need it.

As mentioned above, great time for fishing sea ruff is the night. Those who are not used to night fishing are advised to go to the seashore in the evening and fish before dusk. Morning, even early - not the best the best choice due to a large number vacationers who manage to sneak into all the nooks and crannies. Starting from 8.00, you simply cannot get away from them.

📽 Catching a scorpionfish video

📽 How to cut a sea ruff video safely

There are fish in Anapa, with which it is better not to meet one on one in the sea, but it is advisable to try it fried in the resort's cafe. To such formidable representatives of the underwater flora Black Sea refers to the sea ruff or scorpionfish.

The scorpionfish lives in many southern and tropical countries where tourists like to relax. Our sea ruff is the most northern view scorpion lives in the Black Sea, loves coastal rocky places. The fish can be found on the High Coast, the beaches of Utrish and Sukko. The sea ruff has a reddish-brown coloration, for good camouflage in dense seaweed and rocks, and is about 15-20 centimeters in size. Lateral and dorsal poisonous fins sea ruff spreads when threatened. This species must be handled with care as you may suffer from an injection.

How to protect yourself from a scorpion sting

It is not as easy for a simple bather to step on a ruff as it might seem. Usually, when a person approaches, the scorpion swims away quickly. You need to be careful when the sea is rough and stormy, because. Ruff at this time is not so easy to notice the bathers. The main injuries occur when trying to get to know a person closely with Black Sea ruff. Fishermen, divers and divers who try to touch or unhook a scorpionfish stumble upon poisonous spikes.

What to do with an injection of the Black Sea ruff

If you are a victim of a scorpion stab, don't panic, no one has died from it yet. When injected, poison enters the body. The victim needs rest. The site of the wound, usually the heel or sole of the foot, should be dipped in hot water(temperature 45-50 degrees). You can take antiallergic drugs. Usually unpleasant symptoms disappear in one or two days.

How to cook ruff

Sea ruff is a delicacy, you can try it in fish. Very tasty fried fillet of sea ruff and ear.

Black Sea scorpionfish or in the common people a brush.
Bottom fish that can lie on the bottom for hours waiting for prey. Very well camouflaged, almost completely merges with the surrounding algae. For all its intimidating appearance, the brush is very edible and is considered one of the most delicious fish in the Black Sea. The meat is white, elastic and juicy, especially tasty if baked in foil. In Turkish cuisine, sea brush ear is very popular and considered a delicacy. By the way, there is an opinion that the meat of the Black Sea scorpionfish has a very positive effect on the male body.
In view of the presence in the upper and lateral fins, as well as on the head of a large number of poisonous spikes, when meeting with a brush, one must be careful not to touch it with bare hands. Although the poison in the thorns is not fatal, the thorn sting is very painful. The sea ruff is very inactive and not shy, it feeds small fish and crustaceans, it usually hunts from an ambush, making a very sharp jerk towards a gaping fish. The largest specimens reach 40 cm in length and up to half a kilogram of weight. One third of the body is occupied by a head with a huge mouth where a small crab can easily fit entirely. He shows complete indifference to people and never attacks, even in self-defense. The brush has interesting feature, he often sheds like a snake shedding his skin. The scorpionfish reproduces by laying eggs in small portions in a shell of mucus that float to the surface of the water.

Before the fry hatch, the mucus dissolves and the eggs are released from the common shell. After hatching, the fry stay on the surface of the sea for some time, but soon begin to lead a bottom lifestyle. In Anapa, a brush can be found on the beaches of "Vysokiy Bereg" and "Small Bay" starting from depths of 1.5 - 2 meters, and then in very small quantities. Therefore, the chance of stepping on a scorpion tends to zero. The only thing if you are snorkeling and saw a sea brush lying at the bottom - do not grab it with your hands! And just admire it (under water, the brush looks impressive, especially after the link) and swim past.

Another type of scorpion found in the Black Sea is conspicuous scorpionfish. Outwardly, the conspicuous scorpionfish is practically no different from the Black Sea scorpionfish, but it is much smaller in size (up to 15 cm), i.e. swimming with a mask and seeing a small brush, you are unlikely to be able to immediately understand what is in front of you - a young Black Sea scorpionfish or an adult noticeable scorpionfish.
A few words about spearfishing for scorpionfish. True, today it has become not as popular as, say, 30 years ago, since “professional” underwater hunters consider hunting scorpion below their dignity (outgrown :)), and boys (for whom scorpion was always the main prey), today they prefer to hunt on monsters in computer games(what can you do - the age of universal computerization ..).
So, the most difficult thing in spearfishing for a brush is to find it! As mentioned above, the scorpionfish disguises itself very well, try to keep the visual image of the brush in your head and then there will be less chances to swim past. With what spearfishing tool is it better to “swim” behind a brush - in my opinion, an ordinary, sharply sharpened peak is best suited here. The brush is not shy and bringing the tip of the pike close to it and piercing it with a sharp movement will not be difficult (although skill is needed here), but unlike an underwater gun, you can get several brushes in one swim, simply by moving the dead closer to the handle peaks. And from the harpoon of an underwater gun, whether you like it or not, you need to take it off and continue to carry this prickly monster with you, the occupation is not very pleasant (even with a dead scorpionfish, the spikes remain poisonous) and dangerous. And at the peak, it is like meat on a skewer - it will not go anywhere, and it does not really interfere with further hunting. The second minus of an underwater gun is that when fired, it is very easy to damage the harpoon on stones, among which the scorpion usually lives.