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What does smelt fish look like and where is found in Russia. Where is found and how to catch smelt? Nutritional value of smelt

Smelt and smelt belong to a special genus (Osmerus) of the salmon family, which is distinguished by a rather large mouth, a longer lower jaw, numerous and large teeth and very delicate scales; the dorsal fin does not begin in front of the ventral fins, as in whitefish and grayling, but behind; lateral line incomplete. Both fish differ from each other almost only in size, and belong to the same species.

Live smelt is very beautiful. Her back is brownish-green, somewhat translucent, since the dorsal scales are not lined inside with a silvery pigment; the sides are silvery with a blue tint above and below. Males differ from females in a more prominent lower jaw, and during spawning - in a large number of warts on the head and lower paired fins.

Smelt is found in the northern seas of the Old World: Arctic, White, Baltic and German. This is its main habitat, but, in addition, it is found in many large and deep lakes in Northwestern Russia and Sweden.

Smelt always walks in very large herds. Usually she lives in deep sandy places of the sea or lake, but for throwing eggs she enters rivers, although she rarely rises very high along them and avoids fast currents. Its food consists of various small animals, exceptionally small crustaceans: daphnia, cyprises, cyclops, but large smelt almost feeds exclusively on the juveniles of other fish or even its own; the rapacity of this fish is also indicated by its sharp teeth. According to Kessler, this tendency of large fish to devour small fish of their own tribe is especially noticeable in lakes where there is no other, more suitable food, for example, in Lake Valdai. Smelt is very voracious, and it happens to find a three-inch fish in the stomach of a seven-inch fish.

These fish differ from all species of the salmon family in their vitality: being taken out of the water, they remain alive for hours, probably because there are two small cavities in the form of sacs above the gills, in which water can be stored.

Of all salmonids, smelt is the most unpretentious and can easily be bred in any significant lake that has sufficient depth and rather cold water. In England, according to Borne, this fish is kept even in ponds (probably key ponds), and there it breeds very well and strongly. It would be most profitable to breed smelt in the lakes of Central Russia, where it has a relatively fairly significant value.

Smelt calories

It is 102 kcal per 100 g of product. It has good nutritional properties due to the high content of proteins. In 100 g of baked smelt - 99 kcal. Moderate consumption of this fish will saturate the body with useful substances without harm to the figure.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Useful properties of smelt

Smelt meat contains useful minerals and trace elements, such as iron, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, chlorine, molybdenum, fluorine. It should be included in your diet for everyone, especially the elderly. Frozen, chilled, salted and smoked smelt are on sale. The fish is very easy to clean, it has fatty meat, it is perfectly fried. Very tasty smelt, rolled in flour and deep-fried.

This fish is always in a special account with anglers. Small, but extremely tasty and healthy smelt has always been a good addition to the diet of fishermen living in the harsh conditions of the Arctic Ocean Coast. Its unique taste from year to year makes fishermen go to Gulf of Finland ice in relative proximity to the cultural capital of Russia - Petersburg.

Species and habitat

Smelt (Osmerus eperlanus) is a small, marine, schooling predatory fish, which ichthyologists refer to the salmon order. Scientists distinguish two subspecies of this fish:

European smelt, which lives in water bodies belonging to the Baltic and Barents Seas;
Far Eastern smelt living in water bodies belonging to the Sea of Okhotsk.

The European subspecies rarely grows larger than 10 cm. The Far Eastern smelt lives longer, grows up to 35 cm.

Please note, do not confuse smelt with stickleback. these are two completely different fish, whose names are surprisingly similar.

Sea smelt tries to stay in slightly saline waters, it is considered a semi-anadromous fish, it comes to spawning in the mouths of rivers, sometimes for tens of kilometers. Spawning dates depend on weather conditions. Smelt does not like warm water and spawns at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius. The maximum water temperature at which fish (freshwater subspecies of smelt) spawn is 9 degrees.

This fish is difficult. Its habitat is constantly expanding. European freshwater smelt (smelt), large flocks of which have always been famous for the White Lake, are gradually mastering other water bodies.

The largest population of this fish lives in the Gulf of Finland. Smelt is also caught in Sweden, Latvia, Finland and some reservoirs in Estonia and Lithuania. In Germany, the appearance of flocks of this fish, which comes to spawn in the Elbe and Oder, is noted. Flocks of freshwater smelt in our time live in all large lakes of Northwestern Russia, as well as in the Volga reservoirs (including Ivankovskoye, Rybinsk, Gorky, Saratov and Kuibyshev).

What is remarkable about smelt

The body of this fish is elongated, elongated, covered with large scales. Before spawning, the entire body of the fish is covered with small tubercles. Like all predators, smelt has a large, toothy mouth, with an elongated lower jaw, characteristic of all representatives of the salmon family. Each subspecies, depending on the area in which it lives, has a different color of the abdomen and back, but even the classics of world literature on fishing note that smelt has:

Brown-green back;
Silvery sides with a bluish tint;
Silver belly;
Light fins.

Combining all subspecies of smelt, it has distinctive features:

The high calorie content of this fish, which reaches 100 kcal. The meat of this fish can be cooked in a pan without adding oil;
Fish meat is rich in micro and macro elements, vitamins and is recommended by doctors for the prevention of osteoporosis;
The fish has a specific smell. Caught smelt exudes the smell of fresh cucumbers, which disappears after the heat treatment of meat.

We watch a video about smelt, reflecting some of the features and secrets that this fish keeps in itself.

Smelt - freshwater smelt

Most often, anglers in our country are faced with such a variety of smelt as smelt.

Back in the century before last, scientists established that the smelt is a type of sea smelt that has degenerated into a small form. The smelt differs from its marine relative only in size and weight. Smelt is a very small predator. Its length does not exceed 6 cm.

This species of smelt lives throughout the Northwest. It is traditionally caught on Lake Psov, Seliger, Ilmen and White Lake (all year round). On the reservoirs of the Volga, this fish bites most often in winter.

Where and how can you find on the pond

Smelt is a schooling fish that moves away from the coast in summer. It is difficult to catch her during this period. The main period of catching it falls on the autumn-winter period, when the reservoirs are covered with ice.

At this time, it is easier to find fish in deep water places, not far from the mouths of rivers flowing into the reservoir. Most often, fish can be found in deep-sea areas with a sandy or clay bottom, with a weak or medium current.

Smelt prefers to stay in the middle horizons of water, periodically slowly rising to the surface or sinking to the very bottom.

The search for smelt should begin with studying the bottom with the help of an echo sounder or using a sinker - cheburashka, simultaneously determining the depth, nature of the bottom and the strength of the current. Lots of holes need to be drilled. The flock, though slowly, but will move. You will have to look for smelt on different horizons.

How and with what help they catch smelt

The diet of smelt consists mainly of small crustaceans, therefore, in catching this small predator, you can use artificial baits:

small winter baubles;
headless mormyshki.

Smelt is caught more often on baits of animal origin:

pieces of fish;
worm;
bloodworm;
shellfish meat
other seafood.

Bait does not give a special result, it does not hold the flock in place.

Tackle for catching smelt is simple:

A winter rod equipped with a thick (about 0.25 mm) main line.
Heavy load. Weight is selected based on the strength of the current in a particular place of fishing;
Several leashes (with hooks) no longer than 15 cm. The number of leashes is selected depending on the conditions of fishing and the behavior of fish in a particular reservoir. Usually there are at least two, but no more than five.

Of course, catching smelt has nothing to do with catching weighty trophies. Smelt is just a small fish that no gourmet will refuse to try.

Smelt is a small-sized fish of the Salmon family, which, when eaten, brings a lot of useful microelements, vitamins and minerals to the human body. This fish, like, for example, capelin, is today considered one of the most popular that are used in the fishery. You can cook many delicious dishes from it at home, as well as eat in restaurants or cafes.

Appearance and habitat of smelt

Appearance and habitat of smelt. What does a fish look like? Its body is elongated, silvery in color and covered with soft scales. The size fluctuates: a small smelt is considered, the length of which does not reach 20 cm, the average is the one whose size is from 20 to 30 cm, and a fish from 30 cm is considered a large waterfowl. The maximum length is 40 cm. The color of the eyes of the smelt is black, the back most often has a gray, and occasionally - a greenish tint. The fins have no color, they are transparent. The mouth of the fish is small, however, there are large teeth, for which the smelt is often called "catfish" or "toothed". The weight is often 15-30 grams, but it may vary depending on which smelt is lake, river or sea, that is, on its habitat. The life expectancy of such a fish of the Salmon family is 1-10 years.

Habitual habitat for smelt are bays, rivers, lakes and seas of the Baltic States, Russia, Scandinavia. Sandy places in the seas and lakes seem to her the most attractive for life, while for spawning, that is, for spawning fish, they choose calm, secluded places in river mouths, where there is a weak current. How long spawning will be depends on climatic conditions. The most acceptable temperature is 4-9 degrees.

There are three varieties of this small fish:

European;
Asian;
smallmouth.

In the western part of Europe, fish rarely live, because the habitat for it is not suitable there due to inappropriate environmental conditions.

How and what to catch?

How and what to catch? Everyone who prefers to go fishing, rather than buying ready-made fresh or frozen fish in stores, needs an answer to the question, so that after drying, smoking, frying, baking, drying, salting, stewing at home. The goals of all fishermen are different: for some, this is a hobby and a favorite hobby, a great way to take a break from the bustle of the city by going fishing in nature; for others, it is a way of earning money, because after catching they are engaged in trade, sending fish for sale in bulk. However, no matter why people go fishing, you need to know the rules and secrets of fishing: how, where and at what depth to catch, what it bites, what it eats. Fishing will be very successful if the following facts are taken into account.

A great place for fishing will be the coast - piers, piers, bridges, located within the city. You can do without a swimming facility, because this will not change the quality of the catch.
Fishing should be in places with a weak current, if we are talking about rivers and bays.
It is recommended to change the depth: first, where it is less, then more, and so alternate.
The best time for smelt fishing is in the morning (until 11 o'clock in the afternoon) and late at night, because these water bodies are as calm as possible during these hours.
A lot depends on gear. In order for fishing to be as comfortable as possible, and fishing to be successful, buy a fishing rod of 4-6 meters. Focus on the quality and lightness of the fishing tool so that your hands do not get tired of it quickly. Tackle can be of several types: for example, a fishing rod with a fishing line tied to its tip or a fishing rod with a reel and rings. The best fishing line will be a thread with a cross section of 0.2-0.25 mm. 3-4 leashes must be mounted, stepping back from the base of the fishing line by 8-10 cm. The hook should have a long forearm, and the number recommended for catching smelt is 4. In order not to bother because the smelt constantly gnaws with its sharp teeth fishing line, you can use spinning tackle during fishing, for which hooks are suitable under numbers 5, 6 and 7.
In terms of bait, bait and bait, there are no difficulties. Smelt is a predatory fish that feeds on larvae, some crustaceans and juveniles. Smelt bites excellently on worms, bloodworms, maggots, flies, pieces of fish and strings of different colors. Smelt can be called unpretentious to bait, bait and bait fish. She is very voracious and eats almost everything with which the fishermen go on a "hunt", and therefore most often fishing ends successfully - the catch is large.

You can fish in spring, summer and even in winter, specifically in December, when the fish bite the most. Each season has its own nuances that you should definitely remember. Referring to the season, you need to choose a fishing tool for yourself - it can be tackle, a net (used during spawning), a net, a spider or a net. In summer, for fishing from the shore, it is better to opt for thin gear.

In order for smelt to peck well, it is necessary to fish in places:

with sufficient depth;
where the depth fluctuates from large to shallow and vice versa, since fry and other small fish, which are food for smelt, most often live there;
overgrown with reeds and other aquatic plants;
water areas with changing currents.

Consider the facts listed above, and you will not return home empty-handed from fishing.

Interesting fact! Every year in St. Petersburg there is a holiday called "Smelt Day". This fair is considered the most popular among all festivals in the Russian Federation. The action takes place in the spring, in the numbers from May 11 to 19. In St. Petersburg, at the place of celebration, an ear is prepared in a huge vat (1000 liters), and salmon fry are released into the Gulf of Finland.

Smelt in cooking

Smelt in cooking is a wonderful product used by professional and amateur chefs quite often. One of the great advantages of this fish is the fact that it can be fried or stewed at home in a pan, on a grill, in oil, deep-fried, on a baking sheet in the oven, using foil, boil. That is, heat treatment is applied to smelt constantly. You just need to do everything right. Also, fish can be dried, smoked, salted, frozen, marinated for barbecue, canned in jars like sprats for the winter in vinegar, sauce, tomato or other marinade. It is also allowed to stew in a slow cooker, and steaming smelt is easy and simple.

Frying, salting, smoking, stewing, boiling, drying are very common ways to use smelt in cooking. It is an excellent ingredient and basis for cooking soup, fish soup, fish aspic. A strong half of the population prefer to add dry salted smelt to beer.

Fish is prepared on the grill, on the coals on the grill, on the fire. In some cafes and restaurants, even smelt prepared according to a dietary recipe is served.

Store Selection Rules

The rules of choice in the store should be followed in order to buy not spoiled, fresh fish, smoked, salted, frozen or even live in packages, from which later it will be possible to cook a lot of delicious dishes at home in a pan, in the oven, in a slow cooker, on a fire, on the grill, on the grill, using a variety of recipes. Smelt is not so cheap, but its price is very acceptable.

You can buy a good smelt by reading the following facts:

The eyes of the fish should be clean and bulging. You can refer to this rule when choosing absolutely all fish.
The body is elastic. While in the store, you can lightly press on the fish. If the hole immediately recovered, then the fish is fresh.
Watermelon smell or fresh cucumbers. It is the cucumber or watermelon aroma that is a 100% sign that the smelt in the store is fresh.
Cleanliness, moisture and smoothness. If the listed signs are present on the body of the fish, then everything is in order. In case of dryness, spots or bends on the carcass, it is not recommended to buy such smelt.

Guided by these tips, you will make the right choice and be able to start cooking delicious dishes from purchased fish with peace of mind. At the best price, it can be easily purchased at any supermarket. Fresh fish can be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than a few days, while frozen fish will last longer - weeks and months before cooking.

What to cook from fish?

What to cook from fish? And there are many answers to the question, because smelt is a fairly popular fish in the fishery.

Hot or cold smoked smelt, spicy fried or stewed, boiled, dried, baked, dried, salted, is found in its pure form, as an addition to main dishes, as an ingredient in salads and other things in the menu of many cafes and restaurants. But there are a lot of simple step-by-step recipes that will help you cook fish at home.

You can clean and salt, deliciously fry smelt in batter using milk, flour, semolina, eggs, crackers, or stew in cream or navy sour cream, in tomato sauce with potatoes, onions and other vegetables in a frying pan, slow cooker or bake crispy fish in the oven.

Incredibly wonderful meatballs, pies, fish soup are obtained from minced smelt fish. And home-cooked dishes according to the right recipe seem even more delicious..

Useful and harmful properties

Smelt, of course, has useful and harmful properties. It brings the body more benefit than harm, and this is a huge plus. The composition of this fish includes many vitamins, minerals, trace elements and other useful substances.

Smelt is rich in potassium, calcium, sodium, nickel, phosphorus, chromium. Sodium normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system and supplies the body with glucose. Calcium and phosphorus are an important component of bone tissue. Vitamins of groups A and B are contained in significant amounts. The former have a positive effect on vision, while the latter improve metabolism, and also bring the nervous system back to normal.

Smelt is partly a dietary product if it is properly prepared for this purpose, and therefore they eat it when they want to get rid of excess weight. It is also recommended for use as a preventive measure against various diseases.

The calorie content of smelt is not so high - only 102 kilocalories per 100 grams of weight. The composition of the BJU is as follows: the fish contains a protein that has a beneficial effect on the body - 15.4 grams, fats, which are also necessary for a person for normal activity - 4.5 grams, there are no carbohydrates in the fish. That is, the nutritional value of the product is high.

Pregnant and lactating mothers, as well as children, need to be careful in eating fish and introduce it into the diet only with the permission of the doctor and if there are no contraindications.

Advice! In the diet of dogs, especially puppies that are growing, there must be meat and fish food, but in this regard you need to be very careful. Fish contains vitamins A, D and B12, which make the pet's coat softer and fluffier. It is not recommended to feed your four-legged pets with raw smelt, since it contains thiaminase, which reacts with vitamin B and prevents the spread of nutrients. Only boiled (29 minutes on moderate heat) fish of this type can be given to dogs.

Smelt is a very tasty and healthy product that has its own cardinal differences from other fish. Smelt fishing is a very exciting and enjoyable process, because it is very easy to catch this fish. After it, you can sell it in bulk or cook something tasty at home.

We also offer you a video with an interesting recipe.

Smelt fish is small and belongs to the salmon family. She has a long body, its size varies from 10 - 20 cm. The smelt has a greenish back, and the sides are silver with a blue tint. Males have a longer mandible than females. Smelt fish does not gain more than 300 g in its entire life.

Interesting! Fresh smelt meat has the flavor of cucumber and watermelon.

Habitat

Smelt fish lives in packs.

Its habitat is northern, cold seas:

German;
White;
Baltic;

There is also lake smelt, which lives only in large lakes, such as:

Ladoga;
Onega;

Did you know? This fish can live up to an hour after being caught. Because of the wide cavities of the gills, in which a large amount of water accumulates.

Kinds

Asian smelt.
European smelt.
Sea smelt.

The first two species of the species are very similar to each other, but the marine one is distinguished by a small mouth and a short fin.

Compound

Smelt fish is rich in vitamins:

But most of all in smelt minerals:

Potassium;
Calcium;
Magnesium;
Sodium;
Phosphorus;
Iron;
Chromium;
Nickel;
Molybdenum;

Beneficial features

Boiled, fried, smoked - in any form, the fish is easy to clean.

It contains a lot of calcium and phosphorus, which are good for bone tissue. Vitamin B - for metabolism and for the nervous system. Smelt contains a large amount of potassium, which is necessary for the body. It is important for water-salt metabolism. Smelt meat has a pleasant taste, it can be eaten by children and the elderly.

Harm

This fish cannot harm health if there is no individual intolerance to the product.

How to choose

The fact that the fish is fresh and you can buy it says the following:

Smelt's eyes should not be cloudy. Take fish with clear and bulging eyes.
Press on the fish with your finger, the body should not be deformed. The hole that has formed should quickly recover.
The aroma of fish will resemble the aroma of cucumber, if you do not feel such a smell, then the fish is no longer fresh.
If you take a smelt fish across the back with two fingers, then the carcass should not bend or twist.

Use in cooking

Smelt is easy to clean, so it is easy to work with. It lends itself well to almost any processing. Fish can be fried, baked, boiled. The latter should be done very quickly. the fish boils quickly. If the carcass of the fish is about 10 cm, then it can be fried without gutting. It will make an excellent aspic and first courses.

Source: dom-eda.com

Fishing in the Leningrad region

Fishing has always been a favorite pastime of the male part of the population of the Leningrad region. This is especially facilitated by a large number of various rivers, streams and lakes. Until now, many reservoirs are full of fish and fishermen have where to roam. Moreover, the fish found in the local, numerous rivers and lakes of the Leningrad region, willingly goes both to sports and amateur tackle. In addition, most of the Gulf of Finland falls precisely on the Leningrad region. And the north of the region is literally strewn with clusters of numerous lakes. In addition to one of the largest and most beautiful lakes in all of Europe, Ladoga, such large lakes as Otradnoye, Glubokoe, Komsomolskoye, Balakhanovskaya, Cheremenetskoye and some others are popular among fishing enthusiasts.
As for the rivers and streams suitable for fishing, there are about twenty-five thousand of them in the region. There are not many large rivers (Neva, Vuoksa, Svir, Volkhov, Luga, Narva, Plyussa), most of the river system is made up of small rivers, no more than 10 kilometers long.
In addition to natural reservoirs, there are six large artificial reservoirs in the region, which also supply fishermen with fish.
The total area of all reservoirs in the region is more than 12,000 sq.m.

Survey

About 60 different species of commercial fish live in the reservoirs of the Leningrad Region, including such valuable species as salmon, whitefish, brown trout and smelt. All types of fish are divided into anadromous and semi-anadromous, which enter rivers and lakes, lake-river fish, which are constantly in local inland waters, and marine species.
Among the anadromous and semi-anadromous species, one can single out the Baltic sturgeon, salmon, whitefish, smelt, river eel.
The indigenous inhabitants of rivers and lakes include: roach, tench, perch, chub, bream, pike perch, dace, burbot, grayling, crucian carp, catfish, asp, rudd, whitefish, bleak, syrt, loach, silver bream, river trout and many others, only about 30 species.
Among the marine fish living in the Gulf of Finland, cod, herring, sea pike, eelpout are most often found.
In addition, in reservoirs for paid fishing, valuable fish species are bred, such as carp, trout, omul and nelma.

Descriptions of reservoirs in the Leningrad region

Fishing reports in the Leningrad region

Species of fish of the Leningrad region

Perch - is the most common fish in various reservoirs of the Leningrad region.

in the summer, medium and small perch try not to leave the deep pools, but in September and October they come out into the open. Large specimens try not to leave their deep pools at all, appearing on open water only at short intervals, in the evening and in the morning. Spawning at the perch is at the end of spring, in the month of May. During open water, the perch goes well with an ordinary float rod, with a simple nozzle, to get it out of deep creeks, they use a bottom rod or catch it from a boat, in the so-called plumb line, without using a float. Fishing is considered the most productive in August, when perches arrange a collective hunt for fry.

The habitat of pike perch is the southern coast of Lake Ladoga, some northern lakes, and the Vuoksa River, which has a length of 156 kilometers. Spawning pike perch in late spring - early summer, and spawning in pike perch is quite long, about a month. Like perch, zander prefers deep holes and backwaters. It is caught almost all summer, but the best period is the beginning of autumn. Fishing with live bait is considered effective, which are small fish: gudgeon, bleak, smelt. They also use plumb bobbling, bottom fishing rod and catching on the track.

Burbot is a nocturnal predator, and like all predatory fish is very voracious. It occurs in almost all rivers of the Leningrad region. Spawns in winter, in December-January. Fishing is usually divided into three periods: autumn, winter and spring. In autumn, the bite begins in September and lasts until the end of October, they catch it on a bottom bait. In winter, the biting of burbot begins after its spawning, and it even goes to the lure, in the spring it is caught immediately after the reservoir is freed from ice. Since burbot is a predator, it is caught on a worm, on meat, on a frog, or a piece of fish.

Carp are mainly found in prepared waters with a fee for fishing. It is well caught both on a regular float rod and on a bottom one. He likes millet porridge, bread, soaked steamed peas. Unlike many, it is caught only in the summer months. The best bite is at dawn.

Tench prefers quiet, calm deep backwaters, well warmed by the sun. Do not be found in Lake Ladoga. Not too picky about the quality of water, inactive, mostly standing at the very bottom. Tench is a fish that loves solitude, so it is rare to catch even several fish in one place. Winters, buried in silt, fishing begins with the onset of heat, spawning in the summer, in the month of June, gives preference to its reservoir. The best bait is the red worm, the best fishing time is in the morning until 8 o'clock.

Bream, one of the most common inhabitants of the reservoirs of the Leningrad region, loves deep clay pits. Spawns on shallows covered with reeds and reeds, spawning lasts about a month, in late spring and early summer. The best time for catching bream is the period before spawning and in early autumn. Good for fishing with float rods. From nozzles prefers a worm, bread and dough. For bream, bait is required. At night, you can also fish with a bottom line.

Roach can be found on any body of water. It is the main river fish, in the spring it keeps almost throughout the reservoir, in the summer it goes into small tributaries and small bays. Spawning usually takes place in early May. The main tackle is a float fishing rod, from nozzles it is best for bloodworms, worms and bread. Since the fish is deep enough, it is necessary to ensure that the nozzle sinks almost to the very bottom.

Rudd prefers warm, stagnant water in small bays and oxbow lakes or lakes with good aquatic vegetation. Lives at medium depths, spawning at the rudd in early summer, goes well for worms and bread. On lakes, it is good to catch where there are windows among the reeds.
The ide is a rather rare fish, found in deep lowland rivers and in lakes with running water.

It is good to be caught immediately after the ice has melted, to spawn in April, May. The best time for biting is immediately after the end of spawning, in the summer in the morning before dawn, in the fall - in the late afternoon. It goes well both on the float and on the bottom. You can catch almost anything, from steamed peas to grasshoppers and dragonfly larvae, as long as there is a good bait.

Although the chub is considered only a river fish, it can also be caught in the Gulf of Finland. Spawn in May. Caught on a float rod, goes well with fly fishing. Likes small insects, bread and cheese.

Yelets is a small fish, similar to roach, found everywhere, prefers clear rivers with a moderate current. Spawns almost all spring from March to the end of May. Therefore, the best biting is in the summer, after spawning. It is well caught on a float fishing rod with wiring and donks. It goes well on pieces of a worm, fly-fishing is caught on any insect. In winter, it is caught on bloodworms and maggots.

Syrt can still be found in the southern regions of the region, in the Svir and Volkhov rivers. Likes fast, cold water. Spawn in May or June. In the spring, before spawning, it is well caught on the bottom, in the summer it is better to catch it in wiring or from a boat on a float rod.

It is hard to imagine our reservoirs without pike, the most famous and insatiable predator of rivers and lakes. In reservoirs, it prefers to stay near the shore in thickets of grass. Large pikes prefer deep holes, whirlpools. The first biting begins immediately, as soon as the ice in the reservoir collapses, the second biting immediately after spawning, which takes place in April for river pike, and for lake pike in May, the third period of the best biting is September, October. On Lake Ladoga and in the Gulf of Finland, the best time is the first decade of June, and autumn until the formation of ice. Of the baits, of course, he prefers live bait - a small fish, while the squints go very well to the worm.

Catfish - a large fish found mainly in the southern regions of the region, the northern border runs along the Vuokse River. Prefers deep pools, from which it comes out very rarely. Catfish are caught mainly at night, when he goes out to hunt. Caught on donkeys. Several worms, a small fish, crayfish are used as a nozzle, but catfish is best for a frog.

Paliya - a large fish of the salmon family is found in Ladoga and Onega lakes. Open only for recreational fishing with spinning. Live bait is used as a bait.

Golden (ordinary) crucian carp prefers to live in overgrown reservoirs, feels good in such a chopping block in terms of water quality, where other fish simply do not survive. Spawn in summer. He loves well-heated water, therefore, unlike other species, it is great to be caught on a hot day, rising to the very surface. It bites well on a worm, bread, cereals. Perfectly caught on a float rod.

The bleak is a small fish, kept in small shoals near the surface, lives everywhere in rivers and lakes. It is caught on a float rod, the best nozzle is flies, worm, maggot. Spawning lasts from late spring to mid-summer.

Loach, although found throughout the Leningrad region, is quite rare. Likes heavily overgrown areas of rivers and lakes. Spawning in the loach during the summer months, considered one of the most hardy fish, will survive where all other fish species die. Some varieties of loach are used by fishermen as bait when fishing for trout.

Gustera prefers to stay closer to the shore in small flocks. It is found in all major rivers of the Leningrad region, Ladoga and other lakes, spawning takes place in May and early summer. The best biting period is a week before spawning, after spawning the biting is quite stable all summer. The best fishing time is late in the evening, just before sunset.

Ruff is rarely more than twenty centimeters. Inhabits, probably, all reservoirs of the region. It is caught all year round on the bottom, float rod and plumb.

Brown trout is a valuable migratory fish found in the Gulf of Finland, Ladoga and some other lakes. Spawns from October to December. Caught on spinning, track and fly fishing.

The eel is a valuable commercial species. There is a lot of it in the Gulf of Finland. Included in large rivers flowing into the bay. Spawning in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean, then the larvae, with the course, go to the shores of Europe, to the North and Baltic Seas. It is well caught from the beginning of summer, until late autumn, on a bottom line with a worm or live bait.

Asp - now a rare predator, spawns in early spring, the best period of biting is immediately after spawning, lives near rocky rifts. The best time to fish is in the early morning when he goes out to hunt. It is well caught on a float rod, spinning, fly fishing, small fish, such as bleak, large insects are well suited as a nozzle.

Grayling prefers northern rivers and reservoirs. Leaves for spawning in May. Very voracious predatory fish. If he is in a pond, then you immediately notice him by high jumps from the water. It is caught exclusively during the daytime. Keeps near the coast, with trees hanging over the water. Lives settled in small flocks. The best time for catching grayling is the period after the May spawning. It is caught in wiring, fly-fishing, prefers worms and large insects from nozzles.

Video online. Fishing in the Leningrad region. A tributary of the Neva. Grayling. Part 1

Smelt is a commercial fish throughout the Baltic Sea, including the Gulf of Finland, and is found in large northern lakes. During spawning, it enters rivers. It is held in large shoals. Spawn in May. Well caught before spawning.

Whitefish are distinguished by a variety of different species and subspecies. There are whitefish river and living in lakes. Whitefish are found in the Gulf of Finland and in the Neva. In Lake Ladoga there is a kind of whitefish called ludoga. White whitefish live in the Volkhov and its tributaries. Whitefish is a schooling fish, loves cool and clean water. Whitefish spawn in late autumn. The best time to fish for it is March, April. In winter, it is great to catch mormyshka.

River trout is the dream of any angler. She is very cautious and shy, so fishing with a float rod is mainly from the shore. The best time to catch it is spring, after the ice melts, and autumn before freezing. Insects, flies, worms are used as nozzles. Large trout prefer small fish such as minnows or bleak.

The Karelian Isthmus is one of the best places for fishing in the Leningrad region.

The best place for fishing in the Leningrad region are the lakes of the Karelian Isthmus, which separates the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga. There are over 800 small lakes rich in fish. All lakes have different depths, have different bottom topography. The best lakes for fishing are Lake Pitkojärvi, Lake Longitudinal, Lake Saucer, Lake Beloe, Osinovskoe Lake, Lake Small Shchuchye.

Water bodies of the Leningrad region

Other bodies of water

Fishing on the lakes of the Karelian Isthmus of the Leningrad Region

Lake Kavgolovskoye.

Lake Krasnogvardeyskoye

Fish species: perch, ruff, pike, bream, zander, burbot, roach

Lake Nakhimovskoe

Fish species: perch, roach, ide, pike, bream

Nakhimov recreation center

Bases on the lake:

Nakhimov recreation center

Lake Kirillovskoe

Fish species: pike, perch, roach, crucian

Lake Big Longitudinal

Fish species: perch, roach, pike, bream

Lake Deep

Types of fish: perch, bream, ide, pike, roach, pike perch.

Lake Vishnevskoe

Fish species: perch, pike, roach, ruff

Lake Lembolovskoe

Fish species: perch, ide, roach, pike, bream, zander

Bases on the lake:

Baltic - 500 meters from the lake.

Gruzino-4

Onega - 500 meters from the lake, prices - from 3500 rubles / day.

Lake Pitkojärvi

Types of fish: bleak, ruff, pike.

Lake White (Small Pike)

Fish species: Perch

Lake Osinovskoe

Fish species: pike, perch

Lake Marchenkovo

Types of fish: roach, perch.

Lake Kharlampovskoe

Types of fish: roach, perch.

Lake Ulovnoe

Types of fish: crucian carp, bream, bleak, ruff, perch, pike.

Lake Torikovskoye

Types of fish: roach, tench, perch, pike.

Lake Sukhodolsk

Types of fish: roach, perch, trout, ide, bream, whitefish, grayling, dace, zander, salmon, bleak, pike.

Bases on the lake:

Cottage near Sukhodolskoye Lake

Recreation center Parus

Lake Sudakovskoe

Types of fish: pike perch, roach, perch, tench, ide, bleak, bream, silver bream, burbot.

Lake Stepanyanskoye

Types of fish: roach, crucian carp, perch, pike.

Lake Stavok

Types of fish: roach, pike, perch.

Lake Semiostrovie

Types of fish: rudd, roach, perch, burbot, bream, bleak, tench, silver bream, pike.

Lake Svetloe

Types of fish: whitefish, carp, roach, perch, pike.

Lake Cancer Large

Types of fish: roach, burbot, perch, crucian carp, rudd, pike.

Lake Razdolinskoye

Types of fish: rudd, roach, perch, bleak, burbot, crucian carp, bream.

Lake Pravdinskoe

Types of fish: roach, pike perch, burbot, pike.

Bases on the lake:

Cheerful elk - from 1250 rubles / day

Lake Cross

Types of fish: crucian.

Lake Polyanskoe

Types of fish: bream, roach, perch, silver bream, pike.

Lake Midday

Types of fish: roach, burbot, perch, bream, pike.

Lake Pokrovskoe

Types of fish: rudd, roach, perch, bleak, silver bream, tench, bream, burbot, pike.

Lake Nizhnee Podosinovskoe

Types of fish: rudd, roach, perch, silver bream, tench, burbot, pike.

Types of fish: roach, perch, burbot, pike.

Lake Podgryadovskoe

Types of fish: rudd, roach, perch, tench, pike.

Paid fishing in the Leningrad region

Nowadays, for those who like to sit behind a fishing rod, relax their souls in nature, the best option is fishing for a small cash contribution on paid reservoirs. And that's why. Many, especially small rivers, lakes and other open reservoirs are now a rather sad sight; banks in heaps of waste and garbage, the bottom of many rivers is just a garbage dump, and the water is polluted or poisoned with harmful products and waste from various industries. Fish, if it has survived and adapted to life in such conditions, is absolutely unsuitable for consumption.
And on those rivers and lakes where more or less normal conditions for the existence of fish are still preserved, poachers run with might and main, catching natural remains with nets, drowning fish with explosives or killing them with electric fishing rods.
Therefore, it is better to pay a little, but to definitely enjoy fishing.

Bases for fishing in the Leningrad region:

Cordon Kuzmich - cottages on the very shore of the Gulf of Finland, from 12,000 rubles / day.

Mikhailovskaya - Recreation center on the shores of Lake Vuoksa, from 3000 rubles / day.

The recreation center Fir is located in Vyborg on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, from 4500 rubles / day.

Hotel "Dubki" is located in the ecological zone of the village of Dubki, a 20-minute drive from the port of Ust-Luga on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, the price is from 2500 rubles / day

Ozerny Bereg - a cottage complex is located in Priozersky on the shores of Lake Vuoksa.

Under the cover of Ladoga there is a recreation center 150 km away. from St. Petersburg on the shore of Lake Ladoga.

Biting forecast #1 for today

The forecast of the probability of a good bite for the Leningrad region is displayed in a numerical value from 100% of the highest level of fish biting for different times of the day.

Prediction #2 for tomorrow

according to the weather

Biting forecast

by lunar phases

Biting forecast

Weather forecast for St. Petersburg

Source: udochka.rybalkanasha.ru

Smelt species

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

To catch 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 gear 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. Thanks to this, the game of mormyshkas improves, which leads to an increase in the number of fish that fall for 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.

Source: catch.guru

What does a smelt eat?

Basically, any little thing that comes across in its path - very small fish, caviar laid by other fish, and also collects silt from the bottom and strains the organisms living there.

Is it easy to catch smelt?

If on the bait - then you need luck. Hook fishing has been known for a long time, and in some places you can catch up to 300 fish per day.

The fishing line should be very thin (smelt is shy), a small sinker and the smallest hooks. As a bait, you can use ordinary colored foam rubber, cut into small pieces 0.5 by 0.5 mm. And, of course, any float, to taste, but preferably light.

Is it possible to catch three fish at once?

Smelt can come across two or even three at a time (up to 5 hooks can be planted on a fishing line at a distance of five to ten centimeters from each other). A great joy for a fisherman is when 3 fish cling to one bite at once.

I remember that we lived then in Nakhodka, Primorsky Krai, at that time I was 10-11 years old. We fished from the pier, where the ship came at approximately 1 hour intervals. The fish then, of course, all scattered, then appeared again. Dad went somewhere. And the men sat at a distance from me and caught. And then the smelt went in a shoal, my biting began just fabulous. You don’t have time to cast a bait - like one, two, or even three fish for one catch. The excitement is indescribable.

And then I notice out of the corner of my eye that the fishermen began to slowly approach me. It was a shame for them - their bite is sluggish, and for me, a little fisherwoman - one after another. By the time my father arrived, the fishermen were about three meters from me to the right and to the left. But then the flock passed and the bite began to fade. We had to wait for a new jamb ...

Is smelt only caught in salt water?

No, there are freshwater smelt - smelt. It is basically a lake fish. And throughout the Gulf of Finland, smelt is the second most important fish after Baltic herring. Smelt is a relic of ice age. This fish is very sensitive to pollution, so it lives only in clean waters. Where the rivers are heavily polluted, the number of smelt, and other commercial fish, has greatly decreased.

How does smelt reproduce?

Lays eggs on sand and small pebbles. The caviar of this fish is sticky. Fertilized caviar immediately sticks to grains of sand, pebbles. The eggs carried by the current develop rapidly and after a few days the larvae emerge from them. Smelt itself and its larvae are excellent food for larger fish. Smelt is very prolific, so its numbers are large.

How is smelt prepared?

Probably, many people know that smelt has a slight smell of fresh cucumbers. Incredible, amazing scent. The simplest smelt dish: peel, gut, salt and pepper. Place on a large oiled skillet and fry both sides until golden brown. Separately fry the onion (you can also without it). Fill everything with omelet. Eating - take my word for it. There are other ways to cook smelt, but this is the easiest and fastest. Real jam!

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 the fish whose total number of individuals is significantly greater than that of the rest of the members of this family.

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