Smelt fish that smells like fresh cucumber or watermelon: why, how much it costs, how to catch and how to cook. Where smelt is found A fish similar to smelt

Smelt is a commercial fish species and is caught on a large scale. Despite the fact that the smelt is not characterized by large sizes, it is of interest both for commercial fishing and for amateur anglers. This fish has a specific taste and aroma, which made it very popular in the northwestern part of Russia.

Smelt firmly holds the second place in terms of the number of fish caught within the boundaries of the Gulf of Finland. Here the herring holds the first place. In addition to the Gulf of Finland, smelt is common in Lake Onega and Ladoga, at the mouth of the Northern Dvina, in the White Sea, in the Arctic Sea, in the Baltic Sea, the Barents Sea, in the Luga, Neva, Volga, Rokkala, Narva, Sister, Sistra rivers.

It can be found in large reservoirs, such as Saratov, Rybinsk, as well as Gorky and Kuibyshev.

Due to the deteriorating ecological situation, smelt is much less common in the waters of Western Europe.

Depending on the reservoir in which this fish is found, its color may differ, albeit slightly. Smelt is mainly characterized by a brown-green coloration of the upper part of the oblong body, and the rest, which is 75%, has a silvery-bluish hue. The fins of the smelt are gray-green in color, and the body is oblong in shape, from 10 to 35 cm in length. Different types of smelt can weigh from 5 to 375 grams. This small fish lives from 1 to 7 years, and sometimes, under certain conditions, it can live up to 12 years.

With the beginning of the ice drift, when the water temperature reaches +4°C, the smelt begins to spawn. Before spawning begins, smelt becomes active and begins to move to places where it can lay eggs. At the same time, she is able to overcome up to 270 km, and the spawning period can stretch for an indefinite time, right up to autumn itself. To spawn, smelt heads out of bays and seas to nearby rivers.

Smelt spawns massively in conditions when the water mark reaches +9°C.

The smelt family includes six genera and 10 species. In the northwestern part of Russia, the following species are noted:

• small-mouthed smelt;
• capelin;
• smelt.

The most massive species of all of the above is the last species. Within the territory of the CIS, two subspecies are common:

• Asian smelt;
• European smelt.

Smelt, like other fish species, can be anadromous, depending on the habitat, as well as permanently living within one particular reservoir. As a rule, fish that lives in the seas, bays, oceans is called anadromous if it moves upstream the rivers to spawn. European smelt lives:

• in the North Pacific;
• in the Arctic Ocean;
• in rivers and coastal waters of the North Atlantic.

Asian smelt lives:

• in the White Sea;
• in the rivers of Siberia and the Far East;
• in the Baltic and North Seas;
• in Lake Ladoga;
• in Lake Onega.

Smallmouth smelt lives:

• in certain parts of the Arctic Ocean;
• in the Pacific basin (Mackenzie River);
• in the Asian Basin (Yellow Sea).

Smallmouth smelt is found in water areas from Kamchatka to Korea and from Alaska to California. For spawning, a similar species goes to desalinated water areas of river mouths.

The smelt chooses coastal areas where there is a food base suitable for smelt. Smelt is considered a predator, therefore it feeds on food of animal origin. She chooses areas only with clean water, therefore, in conditions when there is constant pollution of the water area of ​​​​reservoirs, she cannot be found.

Within the northwestern part of Russia, smelt is caught on an industrial scale. It is almost impossible to catch a suitable specimen of smelt in an amateur way, since you need to go to the sea, and on a lake or on a river it is a matter of luck. In the rivers of Germany or England, where smelt spends a significant period of time in them, going far up from the mouths of the rivers, local anglers practice catching smelt with amateur gear.

Is it possible to catch smelt in fresh water?

According to many connoisseurs, smelt is actually caught only in salt water. But this is not the case, since there is a freshwater species of smelt called smelt.

The freshwater species of smelt is found in large lakes with very clear water.

There is a lot of smelt in the Gulf of Finland, although there is a little less Baltic herring. And this means that this small fish occupies an important niche in fishing and ichthyofauna.

The most widely known are the following types of gear:

• thin tackle if the smelt is cautious and refuses to peck;
• pickup or net is used in spawning conditions;
• three-wall network;
• spider;
• seine.

In the summer, when fishing from the shore, thin but sensitive tackle is used, equipped with the smallest sinkers and hooks. In addition to them, an ultra-thin fishing line and the most sensitive type of float are used.

For bait, both natural and artificial nozzles in the form of simple foam rubber can serve. Small live bait or just pieces of fish are suitable as natural baits, since smelt is a predatory fish.

When fishing from a boat or ship, the following tackle will be useful, consisting of:

1. From a hook with a long shank.
2. Made of synthetic fiber (organza).
3. From the assembly thread.
4. beads.
5. Laka.

The gear is mounted in the following way:

1. The hook is fixed in a clamp or a special machine where flies are knitted.
2. A pair of fibers is separated from the organza.
3. The fibers are pulled into the eye of the hook.
4. The fibers are guided along the forearm and tied with a mounting thread. The result should be something similar to the abdomen of an insect.
5. All this is reinforced with a lacquer glowing in the dark.
6. After that, beads are put on and fixed with the same varnish. The beads must be within the ear of the hook so that it can imitate the head of an insect.

To carry out the final installation of gear, it is necessary to prepare:

1. Winter fishing rod with a nod.
2. Fishing line, 0.1 mm thick.
3. Artificial baits in the amount of 5 pieces.
4. A weight of lead, weighing about 3 grams.

The gear is assembled together in this order:

1. A reel is taken and a fishing line is wound on it (on a reel of a winter fishing rod).
2. Tie three leashes up to 10 cm long.
3. Attach the hooks to the leashes with a secure knot.
4. The leashes are fixed on the main fishing line, at a distance of 25 cm from one another.
5. Fasten 2 hooks on the main line without fixing them (just thread the line through the eye).
6. Attach the load to the main line.

Where to look for smelt for fishing

The most promising areas for catching this fish are:

• Smelt loves depth very much, so bottomless places along the fairway are its places.
• Various changes in bottom depth where smelt can hide from danger. In addition, such places are inhabited by fry and other fish, but since smelt is considered a predator, for it, such places are places where it can find food for itself.
• In places where there are thickets of aquatic vegetation.
• In water areas where different currents meet.

When choosing a place for fishing, you should pay attention to places whose depth is not less than 3 meters. At the same time, sharp changes in the bottom topography should be observed. In this case, an echo sounder is indispensable. When choosing a place for fishing, if there is no echo sounder, it is advisable to use a depth measurement if the nature of the bottom of the reservoir is unknown. If there were no bites, then it is necessary to continue searching for the smelt site: perhaps it is very close.

How is smelt caught?

Smelt is caught easily and simply, so not all anglers are fond of this type of fishing. Experienced anglers are able to fish up to 500 individuals in a short period of time. Therefore, some anglers are so passionate about smelt fishing that they do not recognize any fishing. Despite the fact that the fish is small, the bite is just crazy, and you don’t have to sit for hours and wait for bites.

Amateur anglers in the northwestern part of Russia are happy to practice catching this unique fish.

Fans of winter fishing in St. Petersburg are massively fond of catching smelt in winter. Despite the fact that it is necessary to look for the smelt camp, for which you have to walk several kilometers along the winter lake, they do not leave their favorite pastime.

With the advent of spring, the fish begins to move closer to the shore, to depths of up to 6 meters. Here she begins to actively prepare for spawning. During this period, almost all anglers are in the waters of the Gulf of Finland.

Not all anglers are ready to talk about fishing spots. But it is not difficult to recognize them; it is enough to find a cluster of fishermen on the ice. In this case, it should be noted such places as:

• Komarovo;
• Vistino;
• Ermilovskaya bay;
• Sands;
• Primorsk;
• Vysotsk;
• Repino;
• Zelenogorsk;
• Swan;
• Red hill.

Those who prefer to be on the ice for hours in search of a catchy place always rejoice at a plentiful catch. As a result, there will be a small fish on the table, fried to a golden crust and having a wonderful taste and aroma.

A small smelt fish is very popular with domestic anglers. It gives a lot of pleasure while fishing, and smelt meat has a special exquisite taste. The richness of the catch will depend on the right time and place for fishing. Based on the seasonal behavior of the "cucumber fish", the optimal method of fishing and tackle is selected.

Smelt fish in different regions has such names as smelt, nagysh, root and root. She is a member of the smelt family. A distinctive feature of the fish was translucent small scales. On the back, it shimmers with bluish-green hues, and on the rest of the body, the color is yellowish-white. Smelt fins can be colorless or grey. Unlike similar freshwater fish (, dace), there is an additional fin on the back of smelt.

There are teeth in the mouth of the fish, as well as in the tongue. In males, the lower jaw protrudes somewhat, and before the mating season they have many tubercles on their heads. Body length ranges from 10-40 cm, and the maximum weight is 350 g.

There are many varieties of smelt. Domestic anglers most often encounter the following species.

• The smelt has a short lifespan (2-3 years), and individuals of this species become sexually mature a year after birth. In length, the smelt reaches only 10 cm and weighs 6-8 g.
• The largest representative of smelt is the Siberian subspecies. This fish lives up to 12 years, growing up to 35-40 cm in length and gaining a mass of 350 g.

Noticed! The later the smelt becomes sexually mature, the longer the fish lives and grows larger.

Habitat

Depending on the habitat, smelt have a certain division.

• The European smelt lives in the Ladoga and Onega lakes, as well as in the basins of the Baltic and North Seas. It has a short lateral line and weak teeth. Smelt is often called a dwarf European subspecies that lives in freshwater areas. The population of this fish began to increase in the Volga basin, while the "stock" in the White Lake is declining.

Photo 1. Lake Ladoga.

• In some lakes of the northwestern part of Russia, lake smelt is found. It is mined on an industrial scale.
• Asian or American smelt is common in the Arctic and Pacific basins. The fish has a longer lateral line and strong teeth.
• Another species lives in the Far East, called the small-mouthed smelt. This fish keeps in coastal zones, often enters freshwater areas.
• Capelin also belongs to the smelt family. However, this fish is not caught on amateur gear, since the northernmost waters far from densely populated shores have become its habitat.

Nutrition

Despite their small size, all types of smelt are voracious. The main part of the daily diet is zooplankton. However, this small fish is not averse to eating fry, which is not much smaller than it.

They love smelt various small animal organisms. Numerous flocks destroy fish eggs, insect larvae, as well as amphipods, daphnia and cyclops.

Since smelt is not too fastidious in nutrition, and also acclimatizes quite easily in new conditions, it began to be artificially bred on an industrial scale. This requires a deep pond with cold running water. Lakes located in the central part of Russia are best suited for fish farming.

Seasonal Behavior

Flocks of smelt lead a fairly active lifestyle throughout the year. But for fans of fishing with rods, the most attractive are winter and spring. From summer to late autumn, fish spend time in the sea away from the coast. Therefore, at this time, anglers fail to catch it on a bait. Some species can live near the coast throughout the year, in such places it is possible to get “cucumber fish” all the time.

• In winter, after freezing, flocks of smelt enter the bays and estuaries, where they find food for themselves. Fish occupies horizons within 6-25 m. In pursuit of a feeding flock, anglers often have to overcome several kilometers on ice.
• even closer to the coastline, preparing for the mating season. At this time, the fish feeds at a depth of 4 to 6 m.

Surveillance! The easiest way to find an active flock of smelt is by the concentration of anglers. It is worth secluded a few tens of meters from a gathering of competitors, and you can not get a bite.

Spawning

Before the mating season, most sexually mature smelt representatives go through a different migration path. Its length depends on the habitat. If the species living in the White Sea, then the Yenisei relatives can overcome about 1 thousand kilometers. Flocks spend about 3-4 months on this move. Amur individuals go to spawning grounds, which are located within 300 km. And seaside smelts enter the rivers no further than 20 km. Lake dwellers prefer to lay their eggs in the mouths of inflowing rivers.

As soon as the water warms up to 4ºС, the first individuals begin to spawn. The most massive spawning of smelt is observed after the water temperature reaches 7-10ºС. Accordingly, the timing of the marriage period is seriously different. In the waters of Western Russia, the beginning of spawning dates back to March, while in the east of the country spawning occurs from April to May, and in Siberia, the mating season is observed only in summer.

The duration of spawning is limited to 2-3 days, after which the fish leaves the spawning ground. The masonry is located at a depth of up to 2 m, where there are stones, tree roots or abundant vegetation.

Fry appear from the eggs, after 15-20 days. They immediately go downstream, feeding on plankton. As they grow older, they move on, caviar and juvenile fish.

Fishing methods by season

Depending on the season of smelt fishing, a suitable fishing method is chosen. Since the size of the fish is small, the rod should be light and elegant.

Applied tackle and bait

Fishing gear that is used for angling smelt can be divided into winter and summer. Each group of rods has certain equipment secrets.

Having installed a dozen petty tyrants, the fisherman is left to watch the nods. Occasionally, you can approach each gear to play along with the bait.

To catch a nimble schooling fish with the smell of cucumber, you need to stock up on attractive baits. They are natural and artificial.

• The best natural baits are baits. It can be worms or fish meat. Smelt has its own preferences for fish meat, which is explained by the food supply. In some regions, carp also works well. Somewhere better attracts smelt or perch meat. And St. Petersburg fishermen successfully catch the "borage" on the eelpout.

• Of the artificial baits, I would like to note foam rubber, which is painted white or yellow. The lure holds the hook perfectly and the bright color attracts fish. The best spinners are light narrow-bodied baits of silver color. Tandems of vertical spinners and phosphorus mormyshka have proven themselves well.

Smelt fishing for amateur gear is popular in different regions of Russia. Local anglers use their own set of gear and lures. It is important to consider this point when going fishing.

Smelt in Latin - Osmerus eperlanus, this fish is from the smelt family. There are six genera and about ten species in the smelt family. Representatives of three genera live in the water spaces of Russia from the smelt family, these are smelt, small-mouthed smelt and capelin. The smelt fish itself is widespread and has a large population among other fish species. This fish is of great commercial importance in many regions of Russia. And also among fishing enthusiasts, this fish, smelling of fresh cucumbers, is very popular during ice fishing on, as well as in spring, during the course of smelt to the shores and into rivers to spawning grounds.

Smelt, what kind of fish and what happens

The smelt looks like most of its relatives from the smelt family, they are small slender and oblong fish, with silvery sides and a silvery white belly, the back is dark. The scales of the fish are weakly expressed, the scales are small and not hard. The smelt dorsal fin is short, usually contains 7-14 rays and is located in the middle of the body of the fish above the pelvic fins, which have 7-8 rays. The caudal fin has 19 rays, the fish has pectoral fins, anal and adipose fins. The fins are usually colorless or have a gray tint, the caudal fin is darker.

The head of the fish is oblong, the eyes are round white and shiny with a black pupil in the middle. The mouth is large relative to the head, the lower jaw is slightly pushed forward, there are small teeth on the jaws, the so-called species, toothed smelt. In the Far Eastern waters of Russia, along with toothed smelt, small-mouthed smelts are common. They have a small mouth and small teeth, these fish are smaller than the common toothed smelt. The usual size of the small-mouthed smelt is 10-12 cm, and in size it is similar to the Ladoga or Onega smelt living in the North-West of Russia.

Several varieties of smelt or smelt, as many fishermen call it, live in the North-West of Russia. And accordingly, this fish has many names usually associated with its habitats, there are European, ordinary, Neva, Ladoga, Onega, Pyaozero, lake, sea, smelt, smelt, and many other names. All these smelts look basically the same, but with slight differences.

The differences between smelt are mainly in size, the size of the Neva smelt is larger than that of the Ladoga and Onega smelt. In the Neva, unlike the Ladoga and Onega teeth, the teeth are more developed. At the same time, the diameter of the eye relative to the body of the fish is smaller in the Neva than in the Ladoga and Onega smelts. But the tail of the Neva is longer than the Onega or Ladoga relative to the entire body of the fish.

In general, Ladoga and Onega koryushins are more similar in size to smelts, but differ from typical smelts in more developed teeth and slightly larger sizes. The length of adult Ladoga and Onega smelts is on average 11-13 cm, but among the Ladoga there are fish up to 25 cm long, and among the Onega there are fish up to a maximum of 16 cm.

And the common, Neva or Baltic smelt is usually 13-25 cm long, and sometimes there are fish, mostly females up to 30-35 cm long. Such an adult large smelt can live up to 10-12 years, but smelt usually does not live long of the year. The rate of growth and maturation of various smelt populations depends on the food and climatic conditions in which they live. And these fish from the smelt family are also ready for breeding at different times, smelt breeds at the age of 1-2 years, the Baltic or Neva smelt breeds at the age of 2-4 years, the White Sea at the age of 3-4 years, the Siberian is ready for breeding only at 5-7 years old.

Where smelt is found and lives

The smelt fish species is one of the most widespread and abundant. The smelt lives in the mouths of rivers and in the bays of the seas of the North Atlantic, the northern region of the Pacific Ocean and in the waters of the Arctic Ocean. These smelts are distinguished into two subspecies, toothed and European. Toothed smelt is found in the White Sea, in the waters of Siberia and the Far East. The European smelt lives in the basins and bays of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, as well as in the Ladoga and Onega lakes and other large lakes in Karelia.

In many places and regions of Russia, smelt fish has been artificially bred since Soviet times. At one time, lakes in the north-west of the country, and many lakes in the Urals were stocked with smelt and smelt. In the waters of Europe and North America, smelt stocking was also carried out. Fish from the smelt family themselves are quite good at mastering new reservoirs without human intervention, so it appeared in the Rybinsk reservoir, the Gorky and Kuibyshev reservoirs and other reservoirs of the Volga basin.

Smelt is a schooling fish, found in the lower layers of water near the bottom or in the water column. At a young age, it feeds on planktonic crustaceans, adult fish feed on benthic crustaceans, worms and small fish as predators. Most of the year, this fish is in places close to the coast. Smelt actively feeds mainly in summer and autumn. With the onset of the winter period, her nutrition becomes less intense. But at the same time, during the time, she actively pecks at various baits on mormyshkas in the form of cutting the meat of herself or the meat of other fish.

There are subspecies of smelt living in the sea in salt water, as well as living in fresh water in lakes and rivers. Lake and river smelts practically do not enter the seas, but marine and lake species enter rivers, mainly for spawning, although lake subspecies can also spawn near the shore right in the lake on shallows or in front of river mouths.

Smelt spawning

Smelt spawning can take place at different times depending on the geographical location and location of the habitat of this fish. In the rivers of Western Europe, it can spawn in March and February; in many reservoirs in Eastern Europe and North America, smelt spawns in April and May. In the White Sea, North-West Russia, as well as the Baltic smelt in the Gulf of Finland, spawning also occurs in May, and in the rivers of Siberia, spawning is closer to summer in June and even July. Usually, the spawning time begins immediately after the ice melts or the appearance of rims near the coastline.

Closer to spring, flocks of smelt accumulate under the ice in the spaces in front of the mouth of the rivers, and stay there until the start of the spawning run. To get to the mouths of the rivers, the smelt overcomes the migration route, which varies greatly in its distance. The length of the migration path for smelt populations living in different places is different, and is determined by the location and finding suitable places for spawning. Smelt rising in large numbers for spawning in small streams and rivers becomes easy prey for predators, fish-eating birds, and also fishing. In streams and rivers, spawning smelt can be caught with an ordinary net or spider of the permitted sizes for this type of fishing.

It is known that the Yenisei smelt rises 1000 km up the Yenisei, its spawning journey lasts about four months. In the Lena River, these smelt fish overcome 180-200 km, in the Amur River about 270 km, and in the Elba River, the migration distance is 100 km. In the rivers of Primorye, smelt travels no more than 16-20 km. Smelt of the White Sea comes for spawning into streams and rivers, even the smallest ones, moving away from the sea by no more than 2-3 km, and sometimes only 100-300 meters. Many lake smelts and smelts spawn in places in front of the mouths of rivers flowing into lakes and may not enter the river at all. Smelt spawning starts at a water temperature of 4℃, and the peak of spawning occurs at a water temperature of 6-9℃.

During the spawning period, smelts develop a nuptial attire, the upper part of the head and gill covers become blue-black, the lower jaw is pointed, the head, fins and the whole body are covered with tubercles, in males this is more pronounced than in females. Flocks of smelt spawn in the current, mass spawning does not last long, usually only a few days. The female spawns immediately and immediately swims away from the spawning ground, the males stay on the spawning grounds longer and participate in spawning, fertilizing the eggs of many females, gradually spawning milk. Smelt usually spawns at night, although in some places the main spawning occurs in the evening or early morning.

Caviar spawns on stones, pebbles, aquatic plants and roots, rarely when caviar is found on sand. Depth in spawning areas is usually from 15 cm to several meters. In an egg that has fallen into the water, the outer shell becomes sticky and sticks firmly when it is on any object, stone, sand or plant. The size of the eggs is small, the diameter is 0.6-1.2 mm, the color of the eggs varies from light yellow to yellow-orange. The female, on average, spawns 10-40 thousand eggs, and in a large female there are even more eggs. Sometimes, due to the dark backs of spawning fish, the bottom of the river is not visible, smelt spawns with noise and splashing.

After fertilization, the development of eggs occurs as follows, the outer shell of the swollen egg bursts, slides off the inner shell and turns inside out, while remaining connected at one point with the inner shell, forming a kind of process. On this process, the egg is held in an attached position, swaying in the water, creating resistance to the flow of water with its everted outer shell. Many eggs do not withstand this resistance, break away from the place of the current and die. It is believed that already dead eggs are carried away from spawning grounds.

From that smelt caviar that did not die, was not eaten by other fish and birds, the larvae hatch after 15-20 days and roll downstream. At first, the fry feed on plankton, then they switch to feeding on benthic invertebrates, and then they can already eat fish, eating, among other things, fry of their own species.

Smelt is a mass commercial fish, but, despite its small size, it is of interest not only to fishers, but also to ordinary amateur anglers.

Where is smelt found?

Following the Baltic herring, smelt takes the second place among fishermen of the Gulf of Finland.

In addition to the Gulf of Finland, smelt can be found in:

How to catch more fish?

I have been active fishing for quite some time and have found many ways to improve the bite. But the most effective was and remains.

It attracts fish in cold and warm water with the help of pheromones included in the composition and stimulates their appetite. Suitable for both summer and winter fishing.

• Lake Onega;
• Ladoga lake;
• Mouth of the Northern Dvina;
• White Sea;
• Arctic Sea;
• Baltic Sea;
• Barents Sea;
• Neva;
• Volga;
• Narva;
• Sister;
• Meadows;
• Sistra;
• Roccala.

Fish has also become widespread in reservoirs, such as:

• Rybinsk;
• Gorky;
• Kuibyshevskoe;
• Saratov reservoir.

Due to the difficult ecological situation, Smelt is less common, but still found, in the rivers of Western Europe.

Description

Depending on the environment, the smelt can have several shades, but in its mass it has a brown-green upper body, and 2/3 of the body of the fish has a silver color with a bluish tint.

The fins of the fish have a gray-green tint. The body is oblong, from 10 cm to 35 cm long, and the weight is from 5 g to 375 g. The life expectancy of smelt is from 1 year to 7 years, and some Siberian specimens live up to 12.

Spawning

After the ice drift begins, and the water warms up to 4 0 C, smelt spawning begins. For spawning, in the spring, smelt rises from the Gulf of Finland to the Neva and the rivers flowing into the bay, choosing areas with a clean sandy bottom.

For spawning, the fish is ready to travel from several hundred meters to 270 km, and in time, migration for the purpose of spawning can proceed up to the third part of the year.

Mass spawning lasts for several days, reaching a peak at a water temperature of 9 0 C.

Smelt varieties

There are 10 species and six genera in the smelt family.

In northwestern Russia, the following species are widespread:

• small-mouthed smelt;
• capelin;
• smelt.

The most widespread among the three species presented, received the last species.

Also on the territory of the CIS there are two subspecies:

• Asian smelt;
• European smelt.

Smelt habitats

Due to the fact that smelt has received migratory and residential forms, it should be divided according to habitats (river fish and sea fish).

The habitat of European smelt is:

• North Pacific;
• Arctic Ocean;
• rivers and coastal regions of the North Atlantic.

The habitat of Asian smelt is:

• White Sea;
• rivers of Siberia and the Far East;
• Baltic and North Sea;
• Ladoga lake;
• Onega lake.

Smelt habitatsmallmouthmaritime is:

• desalinated areas of the Arctic Ocean;
• Pacific Basin (Mackenzie River);
• Asian Basin (Yellow Sea).

This species has spread from Kamchatka to Korea, and from Alaska to California. For spawning, this species goes to areas with desalinated water (river mouths).

Habitat feature Smelt

The main habitats of smelt are coastal zones, this is due to the fact that the fish is a predator and needs a large food base, and there is also internal competition between individuals of the flock. Smelt is very demanding on habitat conditions and lives only in clean water.

On the territory of northwestern Russia, smelt fishing is mainly of a commercial nature, since it is possible for a simple fisherman to catch a worthy specimen only in the sea and in rare cases on a lake or river.

In the conditions of the rivers of Germany and England, where the fish spends most of the time in the rivers going deeper from the mouth, this type of fishing is in great demand among local fishermen.

Is smelt only caught in salt water?

The question of whether it is possible to catch smelt in fresh water can be answered in the affirmative, yes, since ichthyology is aware of the existence of a freshwater species of smelt, which is called smelt.

Smelt in most cases is found in large lakes with the purest water. Within the Gulf of Finland, smelt rightfully ranks second after Baltic herring in terms of importance in fishing and ichthyofauna.

Smelt fishing

Among the ways to catch smelt are the following:

• thin tackle (in the absence of a bite) in cases where the fish behaves wary;
• pickup (or lift), used mainly in spawning areas.
• spider;

In the warm season, when fishing from the shore, thin tackle is used as a fishing tool, the equipment of which uses the smallest sinkers and hooks, a very thin fishing line, and a sensitive float.

Both edible and artificial materials can be used as bait, in the first case it can be a small live bait or a piece of fish, and in the second, everything that can attract the attention of a predator, up to foam rubber.

Advice. When fishing from a raft, boat or ship, and sometimes a dock, it is necessary to make tackle.

For this you need:

1. Hooks with a long shank.
2. Synthetic fiber (for example, organza).
3. Mounting thread.
4. Beads.

To mount the tackle, you need to tie something similar to a fly fishing fly:

1. Fix the hook with a long shank in a clamp or a special fly tying machine.
2. Separate a couple of organza fibers.
3. Pull the prepared fibers into the eye of the hook.
4. Distribute the fibers parallel to the forearm and tie with a mounting thread, having previously formed from the fibers, something like an insect's abdomen.
5. Strengthen the winding with luminescent varnish.
6. Put on the beads, fixing it also with varnish, near the ear of the hook (the beads imitate the head of an insect).

For the final installation of gear, it is necessary to prepare:

1. Fishing rod for winter fishing with a nod.
2. Fishing line with a diameter of 0.1 mm.
3. Prepared artificial bait in the form of flies about 5 pieces.
4. Lead sinker, weighing up to 3 grams.

Equipment is installed in the following order:

1. Wind the line onto the spool.
2. Prepare 3 leashes up to 10 cm long.
3. Tie hooks to the leashes using the figure-eight knot.
4. Tie the leashes to the main line at a distance of a quarter of a meter from each other.
5. Put two hooks through the eye on the main fishing line without rigid fixation.
6. Tie a sinker to the main line.

Place of fishing

Among the promising places for catching smelt, the following areas can be considered:

• dumps along the fairway(smelt loves deep places of the fairway);
• characteristic change in bottom topography(the presence of pits, elevations in the form of tubercles or stones), all these conditions help small fish hide from danger, and in turn, the predator approaches such places to hunt fry;
• the presence of a plant substrate;
• crossing of several streams.

Advice. When choosing a fishing spot, look for areas with a depth of at least 3 meters, as well as with a sharp change in bottom topography, use an echo sounder when searching for a promising area. Having decided on the choice of a place, but having not received a positive result, do not stop at a local search for fish, try to explore the entire area from the top to the sole.

Is it easy to catch smelt?

Among European anglers, smelt fishing is not held in high esteem, because of its simplicity, for one fishing for several hours, the angler, without straining, can bring up to 500 specimens ashore. Smelt fishing is very popular among anglers in northwestern Russia.

Catching smelt in St. Petersburg

Smelt fishing is especially popular among St. Petersburg fishermen. In order to find a promising place and see the catch in their box, the fishermen of the Northern capital are ready to make their way across the ice up to six kilometers.

With the onset of spring, the fish smoothly move to the coastal zone to depths of up to 6 meters and actively begin to prepare for the spawning period. In the first place in popularity among St. Petersburg fishermen, in the spring - winter period, is the waters of the Gulf of Finland.

Few anglers will share the coordinates of fishing spots, but judging by the number of anglers who gather in flocks, like penguins on ice, the following places can be noted:

• Ermilovskaya bay;
• Sands;
• Primorsk;
• Vysotsk;
• Komarovo;
• Repino;
• Zelenogorsk;
• Vistino;
• Swan;
• Red hill.

If you are ready to wander for hours on the ice in search of a promising place, despite the cold and the danger of falling through the ice, you will definitely achieve a positive result in catching smelt. The catch will please you with a golden crust and excellent taste.

How long have you had a really BIG CATCH?

When was the last time you caught dozens of HEALTHY pikes/carps/breams?

We always want to get results from fishing - to catch not three perches, but ten kilogram pikes - this will be a catch! Each of us dreams of this, but not everyone knows how.

A good catch can be achieved (and we know this) thanks to good bait.

It can be prepared at home, you can buy it in fishing stores. But it is expensive in stores, and to prepare bait at home, you need to spend a lot of time, and, to tell the truth, homemade bait does not always work well.

Do you know that disappointment when you bought bait or cooked it at home, and caught three or four bass?

So maybe it's time to use a really working product, the effectiveness of which has been proven both scientifically and in practice on the rivers and ponds of Russia?

It gives the very result that we cannot achieve on our own, all the more, it is cheap, which distinguishes it from other means and there is no need to spend time on manufacturing - ordered, brought and go!

Of course, it is better to try once than to hear a thousand times. Especially now - the season! When ordering, this is a great bonus!

Learn more about bait!

There is a smelt family, which is formed by such fish as smelt. In principle, this fish is considered migratory. But at the same time, there are populations that are considered isolated. Smelt can live within fairly wide boundaries, since its habitat is quite large. In this family, smelt is one of the fish, the total number of individuals of which is much larger than that of the rest of the members of this family.

At the moment, there are three types of fish: European, Asian and maritime. And they differ not only in physiological characteristics. These species also differ in the period that they can live, as well as in weight. For example, a European can live for three years and weighs only eight grams. As for the length, in this species it can reach 9-10 centimeters.

And another variety (Siberian) can live up to 12 years, and the length is 35 centimeters. As for weight, this species can gain up to 350 g. When calculating life expectancy, it is important to take into account the rule - the longer the fish matures, the longer it will live.

Appearance of smelt

As we have already understood, the appearance of each species may differ from each other. Let's take a closer look at the appearance features characteristic of each species of these fish.

Smelt habitats

Depending on the species, smelt can live in different places. The fisherman needs to know what to do if he wants to catch this fish. And you need to start by understanding the places where you can catch these fish. Let's find out where each species is found in more detail.

What food does lake or sea smelt eat?

Mostly all species eat zooplankton. This category of food for this fish includes a whole range of "dishes" - cladocerans, mysids, cumic crayfish, and so on). Smelt also loves young fish quite strongly. And she also has one dish that people love - caviar. True, you can’t say that the diet of fish is the same as that of people. For example, all species usually eat the most in the summer and autumn near the coast, where you can catch this fish.

Puberty

Each kind of smelt lives for a different number of years. We learned about this a little earlier. Since the duration of life can radically differ, the period of development of animals also differs significantly from species to species. For example, the European smelt starts breeding at one or two years of age, as the lifespan of this species is only three years. And the Siberian variety of this fish can start spawning in seven years, since such a variety lives up to 12 years.

spawning course

The beginning of fish spawning may indicate end of ice drift. As soon as the water warms up to four degrees above zero, sluggish spawning of fish begins. A significant increase in the spawning rate can be judged if the water warms up to six or nine degrees. When these numbers have been reached, the fish begin to cover fairly large distances in search of a place where they can breed.

For example, in the Elbe, smelt can travel about a hundred kilometers until it finds the most favorable place for breeding. If the potential prey lives in the White Sea, then the distance is somewhat less. This family of fish in this reservoir can cover a distance of up to three kilometers, which is quite a short distance compared to the Elbe. The process itself usually takes several days.

Features of spawning of the marine small-mouth variety

This variety of smelt becomes sexually mature after one or two years of life. The maximum number of times a given fish spawns is only three. spawning usually begins in April and lasts until May. If the small-mouthed fish lives to the north, then spawning begins in June. Where is the caviar deposited? As a place where you can leave your future offspring, smelt chooses the surf zone of the seas, sand or algae. During one time, this type of smelt can leave up to 35 thousand eggs.

In general, it all depends on what city you live in. For example, in St. Petersburg, smelt can be caught somewhere in December. True, usually only small specimens can be caught at this time. A catch of about 500 pieces usually rarely exceeds six kilograms.

If you need to catch a large smelt, then you need to wait until the end of January or the beginning of February. The peculiarity of catching smelt is that it is truly breathtaking. At the same time, two qualities are required from the fisherman: dexterity and endurance.

Tackle for smelt

For catching smelt, you don’t need any very expensive and fancy gear, since this fish is quite light, and even not the most durable fishing rod, fishing line, and so on can withstand it. Something else is important in gear - convenience. They should be really comfortable, since a person still has to fish. And since some skill is needed when trying to catch smelt, convenience comes to the fore here. Also, comfortable tackle greatly reduces the risk that the fisherman will be tired and will not be able to get genuine pleasure from fishing.

However, the process of catching smelt is so unpretentious that you can even make a rod with your own hands, and the fish will peck and stretch quite normally. One of the ways to create a home fishing rod can be considered as follows: first you need to carve a cylindrical handle from foam with a high density. After that, all this must be provided with two support legs. For nods, you should use a twisted spring. The free end of this spring must be equipped with a red foam ball.

Line for fishing it is not necessary to use wide. It won't have much of an effect on the clutch. Rigid types of fishing line definitely cannot be used, as they interfere with normal biting. This happens due to their twisting. It is important to understand that since this fish is caught most often in winter, the line will constantly be in contact with ice. Therefore, every season it will need to be changed.

Smelt fishing tactics

It is undesirable to start fishing at the beginning of the season and at its end, as very few fish are caught. To improve the bite result, you need to look for places that are as far away from people as possible. After all, large crowds scare the fish. Also, the place where you want to catch this fish, you need to look for such that they do not have large differences in depth.

When a school of fish has been found, about eight rods should be set. It is desirable to arrange them in a checkerboard pattern. Also good options are: diagonally or across the stream. If there is no bite, then the fishing rod needs to be moved to another place. Holes are thoroughly cleaned of snow or sludge.

To improve the bite on a weak current, the line must be lowered by 4 turns. This improves the game of jigs, which leads to an increase in the number of fish that are caught on the bait. At the same time, it is better not to lower the fishing line more than this threshold. If this advice is violated, then this can lead to a decrease in the quality of spotting fish.

What conclusions can be drawn?

This is the basic information that can be used to summarize all of the above.