At what temperature does pike perch spawn? Where to look for pike perch? At the right time in the right place
Pike perch is a large predator that lives in our reservoirs, which is why it goes to spawn earlier than many peaceful fish. This is due to the fact that in order to survive, the fry of predatory fish must have time to grow up by the time the fry of peaceful fish are born. Pike perch goes to spawn when the water temperature reaches +10 degrees. The fish lays eggs in one go. An adult female pike perch is capable of laying from 100 to 200 thousand eggs. The predator reaches sexual maturity in the third or fourth year of life.
The pike perch chooses places for spawning where there is no current or where it is very insignificant. Depths at which it passes pike perch spawning, are about one and a half to two meters. This predator approaches the choice of spawning grounds very responsibly, choosing places with a soft bottom, on which there are last year’s thickets of water lilies, roots of bushes and trees, reeds and other vegetation.
Before spawning, the female pike perch creates a nest in which the clutch will mature. First, it creates streams of water with the movements of its pectoral fins, thereby clearing the future nesting site of debris and other organic matter. Then it makes a depression in the bottom with its snout. Thus, the predator prepares a nest in which the clutch will mature. The size of the nest depends on the size of the female and can be from 10 to 60 cm in diameter.
Walleye Spawning: Male Walleye
The spawning of walleye is not similar to the spawning of other freshwater fish. Pike perch go to spawning grounds in groups. Usually the female is accompanied by several males. But ultimately, only one male fertilizes the female's eggs and then guards them. The female and other males, who took part only in preparing the nest, leave the spawning area. The nest remains guarded by the male, which some ichthyologists and fishermen call the guard pike perch. This male remains on the spawning ground until the pike perch fry hatches from the eggs.
Pike perch is not distinguished by fertility and survival of offspring, so the male plays a very important role at the stage of egg maturation:
- With its fins, it aerates the water around the eggs and clears it of silt and other debris.
- The male also fiercely protects the clutch from attacks by other fish that want to feast on pike perch eggs.
It is extremely undesirable to catch a pike perch guarding a nest, since then the entire clutch may die.
The pike perch fry usually hatches 7-10 days after laying. The rate at which eggs ripen depends on the water temperature and weather conditions under which the pike perch spawned. Juveniles that are born first stay in the upper layers of water and feed on small zooplankton, and as they grow older they switch to feeding on fry of carp fish. By the end of the first year of life, pike perch fry can reach a length of 6 to 15 cm.
In industrial terms, pike perch undoubtedly plays the first role among all spiny-finned fish. Everyone knows his appearance. It is easily recognized by its elongated body and long, pointed snout, which gives it some resemblance to the pike it approaches and its predatory nature. The jaws of pike perch are armed with strong fang-like teeth, between which there are small ones. Its back is greenish-gray, its belly is white, on the sides of its body there are large brownish-gray spots, which often form 8-10 regular transverse stripes; the dorsal and caudal fins are covered with rows of dark spots. In the southwestern provinces, large pike perch of a very dark color are sometimes found, constituting a kind of special, black variety, distinguished in some places by the fishermen themselves. On the Lower Volga, fishermen, according to Yakovlev, distinguish the running - sea - pike perch from the river pike perch by color: the former is always somewhat lighter, but after spending some time in the river, little by little it takes on a dark color. Apparently also, some pike perch become almost black after spawning.
In terms of size, pike perch also ranks first in the entire order. In most cases it weighs from 3-7 pounds, but in large rivers, especially in the lower reaches, and in large lakes it sometimes reaches 3 feet in length and weighs 15-25 pounds, even more, exactly 30-40 pounds, but such giants are already a great curiosity and were noticed only at the mouths of the Dnieper, Don and Kuban. Caspian pike perch are generally shorter, which, however, depends on increased fishing.
Where are pike perch found?
The indigenous habitat of this fish is the basins of the Black, Azov, Caspian and Aral seas and the very seas in which it is found in the greatest quantities. However, in Siberia, in the north of Russia and in the western and southwestern countries of Europe, it is not found at all and is seen, although in small quantities, only in the rivers of the Baltic Sea up to the river. Elbe.
The main habitat of pike perch is the large and medium-sized rivers of Eastern Europe, as well as large lakes connected to rivers (Chudskoye, Beloozero, Seliger, Ladoga, etc.). It loves deep and at the same time clean, not muddy water and therefore in the Moscow River, for example, it is found either in its upper reaches, above the city, or in the lower reaches (starting from the Ugreshsky Monastery) and in general in the tributaries of the Moscow River, dotted with factories, it is found rarely. In Klyazma, pike perch is also more common only from Pavlovsky Posad. In small, dammed rivers and rivers, pike perch stays mainly below the dam, in whirlpools, and less often in the ponds themselves, and only if they have, at least in some places, a sandy bottom. In general, although pike perch lives (transplanted) even in dug ponds with very strong springs, it avoids standing water. In the Moscow River, as soon as they begin (in early May) to assemble the dams, the pike perch, sensing a weakening of the current, rushes down and manages to jump over the obstacle presented to it, taking a running start from a planted height. The spectacle of pike perch jumping out is very interesting, since at the same time they literally fly out of the water, falling five fathoms and further beyond the dam. During this flight, the crackling noise from the ruffled feathers is clearly audible. This migration of pike perch is noticed later, already in the summer, and explains its rarity in the middle reaches of the Moscow River, where the water is very bad for it. However, other fish, such as chub, ide and shereshper, follow his example, but not so often and, it seems, not with such dexterity, since sometimes dams and stones piled up below the abutments are broken on the iron trusses.
Pike perch are most numerous in low-salinity areas of the seas. The Azov and Caspian Seas and the lower reaches of the rivers flowing there provide even the bulk of the pike perch, and here this fish is migratory, whereas higher up in the rivers it is found only as sedentary fish. Pike perch is not at all afraid of salt water and although it still sticks to the freshwater areas of these seas, nevertheless, for example in the Caspian Sea, it is found in large numbers in purely salt water, for example near Mangyshlak, off the Turkmen and Persian coasts, even in the open sea, although O.A. Grimm believes that it is unlikely to be found here, on the basis that pike perch were not noticed further than 20-30 fathoms from the shore. On the contrary, it cannot live at all in muddy river water, which is why it often sleeps after heavy rains. This circumstance partly explains the small number of sedentary, “residential” pike perch in the lower reaches of the Volga and other rivers, its early spawning there and its abundant movement in autumn and winter.
For most of the year, pike perch (sedentary) stays on the bottom, in deep places of the river, with a gristly or sandy bottom and steep banks. It comes to the surface of the water, also in the bay and aground, only during spawning or chasing prey, usually in the morning and evening; On quiet, clear evenings, pike perch often walk on the surface in small schools. In general, almost more than other fish, they prefer strong places, and therefore in small rivers they live mainly in mill pools, while in navigable rivers they choose holes with snags, oaks and sunken barges. Only small pike-perch, one- and two-year-olds, are found in shallow and even grassy places along with perches, the same schools (sometimes several hundred pieces, even in rivers that are not particularly abundant in them). Medium pike perch are usually found in small groups of 5-10; very large ones walk alone and do not seem to have a permanent residence. Based on some observations, it must be concluded that in large rivers, pike perch of different ages are distributed in certain points and each flock or village, having chosen a certain area, stays in it only for a certain time and then goes to another, giving its place to younger generations.
In its predatory nature, adult pike perch is superior to perch and almost equal to pike. According to Radkevich, he is often so carried away by the chase that, like a perch, he jumps out to places where the water is no deeper than an inch. This is an extremely voracious, strong and fast-moving fish, which, however, can be seen from its appearance. Pike-perch does not give mercy even to its own young generation, but, having a relatively narrow mouth, it most prefers dace, bleak, squint and minnows, avoiding wide fish, such as bream. Having grabbed the prey, it quickly moves into the depths. In general, its main food is small fish, and only in summer it also eats crayfish and frogs. Small pike perch (approx. 1/2 pound) apparently prefer worms and insects, since they take fry less often than small perch, mostly catching worms. Despite its predatory nature, pike perch is very humble and, according to Volga fishermen, there is not a single fish more humble and stupid than pike perch.
Zander spawning
With the exception of the lower reaches of rivers, where the spawning of pike perch (anadromous) begins before the flood (very late here), sometimes, as at the mouths of the Volga, at the end of March, this fish spawns after the waters have receded - in May, even at the beginning of June; By this time, pike perch have significantly grown two fangs. Judging by the observations of Haeckel and Yakovlev, the spawning of pike perch continues for quite a long time, 3-4 weeks. For this purpose, it emerges in advance from the depths to grassy banks (never, however, to floodplains), and from lakes and moraines it enters rivers. In the lower reaches of rivers, the pike perch does not rise in the spring, however, it does not rise high and in the Volga, for example, it rushes in the mouths, even in freshwater sea bays and kultuks, for the most part, however, in small channels, eriks, ilmens and backwaters. In the lakes and rivers of Central Russia, it spawns at the end of May and in June near overgrown banks, where they are caught with dragnets and sometimes hit with a spear. The spawning process takes place either at night or at dawn. Autumn and winter pike perch, which wintered in the Volga, on the contrary, rise far up the river and, probably, rush much later.
The spawning itself is carried out in a very original way. According to Yakovlev, before this, the pike perch split into pairs, and the female stands head down, almost in a vertical position, and during the release of eggs she does not make any strong movements, which usually accompany this process in other fish, but only turns very evenly with a “flying wheel.” , that is, with the tail, now in one direction, then in the other direction; the male also walks quietly and waters the eggs with milk. In calm weather, during the spawning of pike perch, you can often see from the shore numerous “flyers” sticking out from the water - “like beacons,” as the fishermen put it. Pairs spawning usually choose muddy places off the coast, near cobbles, at the roots of trees, brushwood, etc. The eggs, of which there are 200-300 thousand in an average-sized pike perch, are yellowish in color and relatively small (1-1.5 millimeters ).
Having spawned, the pike perch immediately goes into the depths of the river or lakes, and the migratory fish mostly rolls into the sea, mainly because it cannot tolerate the muddy spring water. At the mouths of the Volga in May and June, during the flood, there are no pike perch in the river, except for downstream ones. In the same way, juvenile pike perch, hatching from eggs, soon leaves the bays for deeper parts of the river, and in the lower reaches - also to the seaside; in the Lower Volga, only a certain part remains in the wide channels, choosing the quietest ones, where the water is less turbid than in the river bed.
Pike perch grows very quickly and under favorable conditions, for example in estuaries and on the seashore, reaching 1.5 pounds in weight in one year, and 2.5 pounds in two years. In other places, for example in the Moscow River, juveniles grow much more slowly and in September there are a little more than 2 inches. One-year-old pike perch both here and in Borisovsky pond (near Tsaritsyn) and Serebryansky (near Pushkin) have (only) 5-6 vershok and no more than 1/2 pound (?). According to Yakovlev, pike perch of the spring litter on the Lower Volga reach 12-14 inches (with tail) in December of the same year, and at the same time, i.e. in the ninth month, the rudiments of the genital organs (ovules) appear in the young in the form of narrow , thin ribbons, from 1-1.5 lines wide. A two-year-old fish (in the third year?) is already capable of spawning, and, probably, the average life expectancy of a pike perch, as Haeckel assumes, does not exceed 8-10 years. The only exceptions are the largest - 30-40 pound individuals, which, presumably, are more than a dozen years old. According to the observations of D. N. Sokolov, a 9-inch pike perch (fishing standard) weighs 5 pounds; 11-vershok - 7 pounds; 14-vershok - 14 pounds; arshin - 23 pounds.
From the middle or end of summer, the secondary movement of pike perch from the sea to the mouths of rivers begins, and this summer, or rather autumn, release (and at the same time autumn fishing) of this fish is often more abundant than the spring one. As soon as the hollow water in the Volga begins to subside, the pike perch is already moving into the river, at first in small numbers, then, as autumn approaches, its movement intensifies more and more, stopping only temporarily, partly due to contrary winds, partly due to heavy rains, causing water turbidity. As is known, the movement of pike perch, and indeed all fish in the sea, especially at shallow depths, at least up to a depth of 4 fathoms, is completely dependent on the winds: in the northern parts of the Caspian Sea, the north-west wind always repels fish from the mouths of the Volga and deviates it to the Urals, so that at the first change of wind it enters exclusively into the last river; with a northeast wind, the opposite phenomenon occurs. In general, with southern winds (sea winds), the strongest movement of pike perch is always observed both in spring and in winter.
This autumn pike perch, wintering in the lower reaches of rivers, however, does not lie down in holes and does not hibernate, like red fish. In the Volga, it usually gathers in dense masses at the mouths, at less than a fathom depth, and waits for the first breath of water to move into the river. In warm winters and during prolonged moraine, the upward movement of pike perch almost never stops, but in severe winters it enters the Volga only when there is a thaw. In the spring, the main movement of pike perch occurs in the middle, sometimes at the beginning of March; at the beginning of April there is already a late pike perch mixed with bream, the so-called honorary one. With the exception of the lower reaches of rivers, pike perch spends the entire winter in deep holes and does not emerge from there, apparently, until the water is empty; during a flood, it enters the floodplain lakes in large numbers and generally stays on the floodplain, where the water is cleaner than in the riverbed. It has been noticed that in some places (for example, in Beloozero) pike perch lie down in pits for the winter along with bream.
The main fishing for pike perch in the Lower Volga occurs during the spring run. According to the observations of fishermen, he never tries to escape from the net, and when the last one swims up to him, he does not rush in all directions, like other fish, but quietly backs away from it, until he is forced to go into the muck; sometimes, coming close to the net, he grabs it with his teeth and hangs on it without any movement. In the cage he is also very humble: even when thrown to the edge of the shore, he does not try to get back. However, it should be noted that this fish is extremely gentle: sometimes it is enough to shake the pike perch by the tail to make it fall asleep. Even in lakes-cages they sleep in large numbers, especially if the bottom of the cage is silty; their eyes are covered with a special opaque film, and they go blind; the body also takes on a much darker color. For these reasons, transplanting pike perch is done with great precautions, and some people lower them into cages on matting, which prevents the formation of turbidity that clogs the gills of exhausted fish.
Value of zander
In industrial terms, pike perch, together with bream, is the most valuable commodity after red fish and is exported from the lower reaches of the rivers - Volga, Ural, Kuban and Don - in millions of poods, both in dried form and lightly salted, and in winter ice cream. The pike perch intended for light salting is cut flat, that is, cut from the back, and the one prepared with a block (balyk) is cut on the meat, but is not flattened, but is directly salted in chests, in which it lies all winter until spring, when it is already hung out and dried. . Caviar and entrails of pike perch are also used. Fat is rendered from the insides of pike perch, which is distinguished by its tenderness and pleasant taste, which is why it is used as food. To heat the fat, as always, they use vats, which are filled halfway with the entrails of fish and filled twice with boiling water; The fat floating on the surface of the water is removed and poured into other barrels. Out of a thousand pike perch, this results in about a pound of fat. Pike-perch caviar came into use relatively recently (since 1847), but previously it was either thrown away or used to fatten pigs and poultry. This caviar is salted in whole eggs, that is, in the ovaries, and rarely makes its way through a sieve, like red fish caviar; In addition to salt, some saltpeter is put into it. This caviar is sold mainly to Greece and Turkey, and only in recent years have they begun to bring it to the Nizhny Novgorod fair, along with the caviar of other small fish. At present, probably, more than one hundred thousand poods of this caviar are prepared in Russia, since back in the early 60s, up to 100 thousand poods of pike perch alone were exported abroad.
The largest quantity of pike perch is caught in the lower reaches of the Volga, Ural, Kura and Terek, where a few years ago up to 45 million pieces of this fish were caught, and the Kuban (up to 7 million). Now its catch has decreased significantly, and near Astrakhan the previous division of pike perch into large (8-inch) and undersized pike perch no longer exists; a thousand pieces weigh from 60 to 180 pounds, i.e., each on average less than 5 pounds.
Pike perch meat is not bony, tasty and healthy, it does not become boring so quickly, and therefore is consumed in huge quantities and is of great value. Recently, however, fresh pike perch began to be transported over very long distances (for example, from the Don to the Western Territory), placing freshly clubbed fish in troughs made of boards (kolymazhki) or in boxes (Petrozavodsk) lined with matting. The fish is placed in several layers (?), separating the layers with ice and placing the fish on straw. The fish laid in this way is covered with the remains of matting, which are sewn up. For 11 poods of pike perch, 11 poods of ice are placed in the cages.
Transportation of pike perch, removal of pike perch
Since pike perch is one of our most valuable fish, it is understandable that repeated attempts were made to breed it in ponds and lakes where there were no pike perch. For the most part, however, these attempts ended in failure for many reasons, the most important of which is that pike perch can not live in all stagnant or low-flow basins. Then, pike perch is an extremely delicate fish, and its transportation is very difficult. Where pike perch can live and reproduce and where it cannot is clear from the description of its location, but we consider it necessary to note that pike perch should not be transplanted into small and shallow ponds, or even large, but very muddy ones. It needs fairly clean and fresh water in summer, a depth reaching 4-5 arshins in places, a sandy bottom, or, in extreme cases, clay or marl. In such ponds and lakes, if in addition there are snags, stumps, stones, brushwood in places, transplanted pike perch can not only live, but also reproduce, and then, if in a convenient pool there are no places suitable for spawning, then it is necessary to arrange (on ice in winter ) artificial spawning grounds from the above-mentioned items, of course, in suitable places and where these piles could not interfere with seine fishing. Pike perch very willingly spawns on brushwood, and therefore it is best to make fences from willow or fascinator fagot and surround the bottom with stones. Juvenile pike perch are quite defenseless and are most exposed to danger almost from their parents, and therefore spawning is also necessary in pools in which too little reproduction of this fish has been observed. Let us note, by the way, that for pike perch fishing in ponds and lakes in general, which is not very productive, such spawning is very important (especially if stumps, snags, tree trunks, baskets and thin boats loaded with stones are lowered into the water), since pike perch are then grouped into these places.
The best time to transplant pike perch is autumn: September and October; It is more difficult to catch it in the spring, and, in addition, it is flimsier at this time. There is nothing to think about summer transportation, and winter transportation is possible only in the thaw. In most cases, pike perch from cages are not suitable for transplantation and it is better to transport freshly caught ones, and they are removed from the net with great care and immediately placed in barrels, no more than one measure of small ones and 1/4-1/2 measures of large ones. The barrel is filled to the brim so that the water does not move too much and so that the fish cannot injure each other with their spiny dorsal fins. During transportation, the water must be changed every 2-3 hours (?) and also changed skillfully, since you cannot release all the water and immediately replace it with the first one you come across. It is best to entrust the transportation to the seine fishermen themselves with an agreement to pay a high price only for dark-colored pike perch, since whitened, pale pike perch cannot always be released. It is most practical to choose specimens from 1 to 2 pounds for transplantation. Since smaller ones can be exterminated by pikes, and large ones are very expensive and more difficult to transport. In addition, it is necessary to keep in mind, as with any transplantation, that the number of transplanted specimens must correspond to the size of the pool, since a dozen fish in a large pond risk not finding each other during spawning. This quantity is difficult to determine, but it should not be less than 20 pieces per tithe.
In Western Europe, they tried more than once the artificial hatching of pike perch by squeezing out the reproductive products, but these experiments always ended in failure, since the breeding specimens did not tolerate the squeezing and died, and only a small part of the fertilized eggs was hatched. Therefore, it is most advisable for breeding pike perch to transport wattles and fascinators with eggs spawned on them, wrapped in damp grass.
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Depending on the temperature conditions in the reservoir, spawning of pike perch can begin either in mid-April or at the end of May. In southern rivers, where the water warms up faster, it begins in mid-late April, while in the reservoirs of the middle zone, pike perch spawning occurs later - in late May-early June. For spawning, the water in the river must warm up to 7-10 degrees Celsius; when the water reaches this temperature, the pike perch gathers in mating groups.
During this period, pike perch, which is devoted to rapids, riffles, and other places with strong currents, goes to areas unusual for it in quiet sections of rivers, with extensive aquatic vegetation and an almost complete absence of current. For spawning, mating groups of pike perch usually choose relatively shallow water places - with depths from 0.5 to 4 m. Even 4-meter depths are exceptions; more often, the spawning grounds of pike perch are located in quiet places with depths of about 1.5-2 m.
With the onset of spawning, schools of pike perch begin to search for a suitable substrate for spawning. These can be branched roots of reeds, sedges, rhizomes of water lilies, as well as the roots of various shrubs, coastal or flooded trees (alder, willow and others). There are frequent cases when pike perch chose flooded meadow grasses with depths of 1 - 1.5 m for spawning.
The spawning of pike perch is very interesting. Each mating group of pike perch consists of one female and 2-3 males accompanying her. The first thing the females do is prepare the nests. Having stopped at the flooded roots suitable for spawning, the female actively fans the roots with her fins, forming waves and thus removing the remaining soil from the roots. Then the whole group uses its snout to level the hard ground around the spawning area. As a result, a 5-10 cm deepened space in the form of an oval is formed around the roots, where the eggs will be spawned. The dimensions of the nest depend on the size of the manufacturers themselves, and can range from 25 to 60 cm in diameter. Spawning usually occurs at night. The female spawns all the eggs at once in one go, but only one male takes part in fertilization, the rest go home. After spawning, the female swims away, and the male, who fertilized the eggs, remains to guard it. It is called the “guard” pike perch.
The “sentinel” pike perch remains near the spawning area until the larvae begin to hatch from the eggs. The mission of the “guard” pike perch is very important; during the period of caviar maturation, it actively fans the eggs with its fins, thus aerating them and also protecting them from silting. If you scare off the “sentinel” pike perch, after some time it returns to the nest. But if caught, all the eggs die. In addition, pike perch is not highly fertile; the number of eggs hardly reaches 200 thousand per litter.
Pike perch, despite its high numbers in many rivers, may well disappear from them. Often in reservoirs and other large bodies of water there are simply no suitable places for spawning, and if a spawning ground is not found, the eggs are swept out spontaneously and soon die. But pike perch in problematic reservoirs can also be easily saved - they willingly lay eggs on artificially created spawning grounds.
After the end of spawning, a short period of feeding is observed. But this period ends surprisingly quickly, and the pike perch bite weakens. Before spawning, few people catch pike perch; its activity at this time is very low. Only with the onset of the first days of May does its bite become satisfactory, and improves at a slow pace until it stops for the spawning period. The pike perch bite reaches its peak in July-August, and then gradually worsens again.
Pike perch, a member of the perch family, can only be found in clean lakes and rivers, where it lives at different depths, depending on the water temperature, oxygen content and food supply.
General information
Pike perch is considered a medium-sized fish. On average, it grows up to seventy centimeters and weighs four kilograms, although sometimes trophy specimens are found that are more than a meter in length. The body of this predatory inhabitant of reservoirs is dense, elongated and compressed at the sides.
During the year, it mainly stays near the bottom, preferring sandy or rocky soil. In the shallows or on the surface of the water it can only be found while chasing prey or during spawning. Pike perch is considered a solitary fish. And only the young of this representative of perch gather in small flocks.
In rivers in winter, pike perch do not hibernate, but concentrate near deep holes, continuing to feed. In small lakes, where, as a rule, there is not enough oxygen for activity, this fish, along with bream and other brothers, lies in depressions at the bottom.
It's time to multiply
This predator becomes sexually mature at three or four years of age. At the same time, males mature a year earlier. Pike perch spawn in May or June, depending on temperature. The optimal conditions for laying eggs are considered to be fifteen to eighteen degrees Celsius in a pond. At this time, this species, huddled in mating groups, begins to leave the usual hunting grounds.
Flocks, which consist of several males and one female, rise from great depths, from holes and dumps, where a strong current helps to obtain food. They begin to look for other places, those that are convenient for laying eggs.
Preparing for spawning
First of all, the female of the mating group begins to prepare the nest. Having stopped at the places chosen for spawning, it begins to actively fan itself with its fins, forming waves, and thus removing the remaining soil from the flooded roots and branches. Then the males join her, and together they begin to level the hard ground around the selected spawning area with their snouts. As a result, a space is formed around the branches and roots, deepened by five or ten centimeters in the shape of an oval. This is where the eggs will subsequently be spawned. In general, the size of the nest primarily depends on the size of the females and breeding males. Sometimes they range in diameter up to sixty centimeters.
Spawning time
This predatory representative of the perch goes to breeding after the water enters its banks. Before spawning, pike perch acquires a light color. The duration of preparation for spawning is quite significant: it ranges from three to four weeks. Pike perch, having left the deep place in advance, comes closer to the shore, to the shallows, where there is a lot of grass, algae and snags. Marine and lake subspecies prefer river eriks, backwaters, as well as bays, ilmens and small channels. The actual spawning of pike perch - the process of spawning - begins late in the evening and even at night.
Reproduction process
This “sacred act” looks quite interesting: the males spread out in pairs, and the female, having taken a vertical position with her head down, evenly and smoothly shakes her tail, releasing eggs at the same time. The spawning of pike perch in the spring is very similar, only the latter becomes more active. The male pike perch swims around the female, pouring milk on the eggs. If the fisherman is lucky, he will be able to see tails sticking out on the surface of the water in areas overgrown with mud and algae. In addition, pike perch also likes to lay eggs in places where there are fallen trees.
Caviar
The female spawns in the dark and only once a year. The eggs are fertilized by only one male from her mating group. He then remains to look after her and protect future offspring.
The “guard” male stays next to the eggs until the larvae emerge from them. All this time he aerates them, constantly fanning them with his fins. At this stage it is difficult to drive him away from the spawning area, and even if you frighten him away, he will definitely return. If the male is disturbed, all the eggs will die.
The spawning of pike perch can be wasted if the mating group does not find a suitable place. In this case, the female simply spawns eggs randomly and swims away. Apparently, for this reason, pike perch does not take root in some reservoirs. In addition, this fish is not very fertile: the female spawns only about two hundred thousand eggs at a time.
Sad statistics
Pike perch, despite the fact that it still retains its numbers in some rivers, is under threat of complete extinction from the water bodies of many regions of our country. The reason is that sometimes in reservoirs and large lakes it simply does not find a suitable place for reproduction. And if the spawning of pike perch ends with the spontaneous release of eggs, then they will soon all die. But this fish can still be saved. If a person comes to her aid and creates artificial spawning grounds for her everywhere, then she will be happy to spawn there.
After the breeding season, he begins to have a short hunger. However, this period ends very quickly, and the pike perch bite gradually weakens. Before spawning, pike perch are not caught due to very low activity.
After laying and fertilizing eggs, this predator again descends to the depth of the reservoir. The marine subspecies swims closer to its main habitat. And since pike perch practically cannot tolerate dirt and turbidity in the water, it can migrate very far from the spawning area, since in May-June the flood floods the banks and the already dirty snow flows into the rivers.
Even the fry that hatch from the eggs instinctively follow the depths. Up to ten centimeters in length, they feed only on small invertebrates. And after reaching the coveted mark of one hundred millimeters, they completely switch to the diet of a full-fledged predator. In the open spaces of wide rivers in the spring, even fry of pike perch cannot be found. They swim somewhere in the tributaries, which at this time of year are the cleanest and deepest. The pike perch returns to the riverbed only in mid-summer.
The pike perch fish is the largest of the perch family. The length of the fish reaches 130 cm, and the weight of pike perch can reach up to 20 kg. However, in commercial catches, the average length of pike perch does not exceed 60 cm, and the average weight is 3 kg.
Pike perch is demanding of water - it must be running and clean. During the summer siltation of water, this fish moves downstream. Industrial pollution can lead to mass death of the population.
Pike perch food
Pike perch is a predatory fish. At a young age, it eats planktonic crustaceans, but after reaching 30 mm in length it switches to a fish diet - first on fry larvae, then on a variety of fish (dace, minnows, roach, bleak, ruffe, etc.). Adults are not inferior in gluttony to pikes. Moreover, unlike pike, pike perch aggressively pursues its prey. To gain 1 kg of weight, pike perch needs to consume 3.3 kg of prey. This fish reaches a kilogram weight by 2 years.
Juveniles stick to schools. Moreover, the larger the pike perch, the smaller the flock. Adult pike perch prefers solitary hunting.
Appearance
The body of pike perch is oblong, with small and dense scales. The gill covers are covered with scales only in the upper part. The snout is pointed, and the head is longer than or equal to the length of the body.
The pike perch has a large mouth equipped with several fangs. The other teeth are small, and the gills have spines. The mouth is similar to that of a pike.
The back of the pike perch is gray-green in color, and the belly is white. Juveniles have up to 10 stripes on the sides of the body, which become almost invisible with age. On the back there is a fin with sharp and hard rays with a speckled film stretched between them. The remaining fins are gray-yellow in color. The eyes are bulging, with a blue or purple tint.
Types of pike perch
There are two biological subspecies - semi-anadromous and sedentary. The settled one lives in freshwater bodies of water. The spawning of pike perch of the semi-anadromous subspecies takes place in the upper reaches of the river. Following spawning, it moves to the lower reaches or fresh areas of the seas. Visually, the subspecies are difficult to distinguish, but the sedentary variety is characterized by slow growth.
Pike perch in a river environment
The habitats of pike perch are whirlpools, pits and steep rivers. Preference is given to places where it is easy to hide - snags and cluttered areas. Pike perch likes to be closer to the bottom - preferably sandy, especially in places where there is a sharp change in depth. Closer to the surface, this fish rises on calm evenings. For hunting, it can penetrate into shallow water.
Tactics for catching pike perch have specific features depending on the type of reservoir. For example, on a river, to fish, fishermen move in a boat along the current, and baits are sent to depths with a slow current.
Pike perch in the reservoir environment
In reservoirs, fish stay in flooded channels, holes, and littered areas, sometimes migrating after schools of small fish. Preference is given to a clean sandy bottom at great depths.
This fish is caught where there is sufficient depth (at least 3 meters), clean water and a pebble, rocky or sandy bottom. At the same time, pike perch does not like dense algae. Unlike pike, pike perch does not hide in ambush, but moves along steep slopes and edges into the depths. Good places for fishing are places below dams and rapids, where pike perch hunt for fish weakened by the current.
The pike perch bite dies down if it is full. During this period, the fish prefers to rest in places where snags or stones accumulate. Pike perch is cautious. It is not caught with a large spoon. The best way to fish is with a minnow or small white fish. Although pike perch is a nocturnal predator, it can also be caught during the day.
The secrets of catching pike perch are based on knowledge about the periods of fish activity. Fishing occurs twice a day: before dawn (dark) and before sunrise, and from sunset to midnight. During this period, the fish approaches the shores and can even jump out of the water when hunting. After sunset, the pike perch bite becomes worse, but persists, and in the fall it may not weaken.
Catching pike perch is carried out from the bottom when it goes hunting. Moreover, in contrast to perch, pike perch does not champ when it grabs prey. The optimal time for fishing is immediately after spawning, at a water temperature of 18-20 degrees. Fishing is carried out throughout the year, but fishing conditions worsen in winter, before and during spawning. Conditions improve at the end of winter when the snow melts.
The feeding process of pike perch is characteristic. The process begins with a fight, which is different from the fight of other fish. It continues for up to half an hour - the fish chases the bleak throughout the upper layer of the reservoir. The sounds of pike perch fighting are similar to the sounds that occur when stones hit the water. During the fight, the fish do not bite the bait, but immediately after the fight the pike perch begins to bite. Fishing results directly depend on the supply of food in the reservoir. If there is insufficient food, the bite will be good even during the daytime.
At a depth of over 5 meters, live bait can move vertically (under the boat). In this case, the sinker is tapped on the bottom. When the depth is less than 5 meters, live bait is released 10-12 meters in front of the boat. If the depth is less than 2 meters, fishing makes no sense.
After the pike perch is caught, you need to return above the bite site and repeat the swim. You need to remember the place of the next bite, anchor there and continue fishing in this place. However, frequent swimming can alert the fish.
Spinning fishing
Fishing for pike perch using a spinning rod is not as common as fishing for pike. The disadvantages of spinning fishing are:
- The pike perch bite begins only in the evening;
- a good bite occurs in the pre-dawn twilight, and with dawn the bite becomes worse;
- darkness does not allow accurate casting with a spinning rod.
For spinning fishing, heavy, narrow, elongated spoons are used. Good fishing happens with wobblers and also with jigs. Sometimes several hooks are attached above the spinner on 30 cm leashes with small white twisters, or tassels made of feathers or threads.
Young pike perch are schooling fish. Therefore, having caught one individual, you need to throw the spinning rod there.
Summer season
In summer, this fish loves places near breakwaters and bridge supports, near dams and under rapids. In summer, successful fishing occurs on the rifts. In many cases, successful bottom fishing is possible in well-known sites.
Autumn season
In autumn, fish prefer the deepest and quietest places in rivers with a non-silty bottom. The movement to winter sites coincides with the yellowing of birch leaves.
A good catch is achieved using bottom rods using live or dead fish. It is best caught with gudgeon or ruff.
Fishing improves starting in August, becomes excellent in September, and wanes starting in October.
Winter season
In winter, it is better to fish with a large jig with a sprat strung on it. You can also fish with a balance beam or a spoon.
In winter, pike perch moves little. For successful fishing, you need to establish its parking place. At this time of year, fish prefer edges with differences in depth levels. To search, holes are drilled at intervals of 15-20 meters. Along the way, the depths are determined. As soon as a difference is detected, starting from this place, the interval between holes is reduced to 1-3 meters. Fishing begins in the hole where there is the greatest difference in depth. This fish cannot be spooked by noise; on the contrary, it is believed that noise improves the pike perch’s bite.
The caught fish must be quickly pulled out and fishing continued immediately. If you lose time, the flock will leave. When fishing with a spinner, breaks between retrieves can be 5-7 seconds. The spoon should be 5-10 cm from the bottom. The rise of the spoon should be smooth, but the first 5-10 cm of the rise should be carried out with acceleration. Slight swaying of the end of the fishing rod is used. You can place the spoon on the bottom and move it slightly, then lift it 5-10 cm.
If fishing is carried out at shallow depths (up to 4 meters), you can sprinkle the holes with snow, this will improve the bite.
Spring season
In the spring, the fish hunt for fry, which is why they come out of the holes. During the feeding season, pike perch are easy to catch, but difficult to spot. After the snow begins to melt, fishing improves.
Spawning
The sedentary subspecies does not make significant spawning trips and spawns from May to June. Preference is given to shallow, well-warmed places. Pike perch spawn in pairs: first, the male builds a nest, pike perch eggs are laid by the female, while the male guards the eggs.
For the first time, pike perch spawn when the fish turns 4-5 years old. Spawning duration is 10-20 days. Increased biting after spawning is observed for 8-12 days.
Fishing
Once you feel the grip, which is usually not too sharp, you need to make a sharp hook. Usually pike perch is caught by its powerful jaws. Sometimes behind the cavity of the mouth. The bait is swallowed extremely rarely. In the first moments after hooking, the fish reacts violently, but the resistance does not last long. As soon as the pike perch comes out into the air, it calms down. You need to remove the fish from the hook so as not to get damaged by sharp fins or gill covers.
When fishing, instead of pike perch, sometimes you come across bersh. Outwardly they are very similar. However, the bersh has darker transverse stripes, it lacks fangs, its teeth are straighter, its scales are larger, and its head is wider and shorter. The body length of the bersha is no more than 50 cm, and the weight is no more than 3 kg.
Cultivation in captivity
Pike perch are bred in feeding ponds abounding in weed fish. The best results are obtained when grown together with carp. Since there are no natural spawning grounds in the ponds, it is necessary to create artificial ones.
Pike perch is a worthy trophy for any fisherman. You can not only brag about it to your fellow fishermen. Their pike perch makes tasty and healthy culinary dishes.
