If anyone has ever tried real fish soup on the Don, he knows what kind of fish is included in it. After all, the taste of this amazing fish soup directly depends on the composition - it is, first of all, carp, vimba, and also a fish with the interesting name “oseledets”, which is interesting to many. It is this oseledets that influences the aroma and taste of the fish soup. What kind of fish is this, what are its characteristics and how to catch a herring fish while fishing - read in this article.
Who is Oseledets?
Local fishermen pronounce this name as follows: “oseledets”. In ancient times, this was the name given to the world-famous forelocks of the Cossacks of Zaporozhye. In addition, the Cossacks of the Don call the fish in the same way - Don herring.
It is customary to distinguish several types of Don herring, but they fish mainly for the following:
- belly,
- Burkun
Appearance
This fish does not stand out much from other river inhabitants. It has a silvery color, inexpressive gray fins, which on the eve of spawning in males acquire a reddish tint.
Don herring in a pond looks very interesting. So, in the sun, their scales sparkle with a greenish-violet tint. Among the representatives of this species, there can be both large individuals, from thirty to forty centimeters in length, and small ones, from fifteen to twenty centimeters in length. This fish lives on average 6 years.
Habitats
This fish is found almost everywhere on the Black Sea coast, near the coasts of the Caucasus, Romania and Bulgaria. And during the spring months, Don herring goes to spawn in the rivers Danube, Don, Dniester, Dnieper, Bug and so on.
Spawning
The largest representatives of the Don herring reach sexual maturity by 4-5 years, the smaller ones - by 2-3 years. This fish spawns annually. The female lays eggs, which are then carried away by the current to the river mouth. And from the end of summer and autumn, the fry, together with adult representatives of this species, swim to the Black Sea through the Kerch Strait.
During the breeding season, Don herring in Russia, for example, enters the Sea of Azov through the Kerch Strait and then swims to the upper reaches of the Don River. Previously, it was mined in these places on an industrial scale.
How to catch herring using a spinning rod?
The best places for fishing are the banks of the Volga located between Tver and Staritsa. There are areas with shallow depths and rocky bottoms where spawning herring prefer. Moreover, there is an alternation of places where there is a fast current and quiet backwaters with almost stagnant water.
To catch herring, it is preferable to choose a light spinning rod that allows you to instantly respond to a bite or hook. The coil must be of the inertial type.
The spinning rod is equipped with a 0.5 mm fishing line for aggressive fishing and a 4-5 cm long spinner with a hook. The spinner should make oscillatory movements when moving to attract attention and bite from the herring.
Read Carp fish - calorie content, composition, recipes
After spawning, herring can be caught until late autumn, while it is fattening.
Herring is a popular fish to catch due to its taste and variety of uses:
- used for salting, pickling;
- used smoked;
- fried, stewed.
There are many recipes for cooking fish, which are very popular among the population.
Types of Oseledians
There are several types of this fish, but the Don fishermen who hunt for the Oseledets distinguish the following:
Burkun
This is the name of the largest representative of sea herring that is of interest to fishermen. This fish can be hunted already in the third ten days of April, and any angler will be proud if he manages to hook this fish. Moreover, at this time Burkuns can be found in whole flocks.
Since the Burkun is a predator, many experienced fishermen catch it with sprat (it begins to bite especially greedily after spawning). A spinner or fly fishing rod is suitable as bait.
Belly
The bellyfish is usually smaller in size than the Burkun, but this is more than compensated for by its large number. In addition, according to reviews from Don fishermen, the taste is much more interesting.
You can catch it with a variety of gear: rubber bands and fishing rods, mainly near bridges, or at the point where the river turns, where the current is slightly stronger.
Dry salting of Don herring
No one knows how to salt Don herring like fishermen. They know all the secrets of preparing this tasty and fatty fish (during spawning, the fat content of herring reaches 20%). Salting tips from fishermen are as follows:
Place the fish in the container only with the belly down
This is due to the fact that the belly, which contains the entrails, begins to deteriorate first, and therefore it is important that it is salted as early as possible. During the salting process, carcasses should be stirred at least once a day. There is no need to use pressure during salting. Ready herring can be frozen. If necessary, the fish is defrosted on the top shelf of the refrigerator, sliced and served.
The result is a very tasty lightly salted Don herring.
The recipe for dry salting fish is as follows:
- For salting, a whole, ungutted fish carcass is used. It is rolled in coarse salt, the gills are completely filled and placed in a plastic refrigerator drawer (designed for storing vegetables) or in any other container.
- The herring is placed in a container with its backs up in a checkerboard pattern (to save space).
- In this form, the herring will be salted for 7 days. However, already on the 3rd day, when the brine begins to appear, the upper and lower carcasses need to be shifted (switched places).
The finished herring is washed under running water, cleaned and served. The remaining carcasses are placed in plastic bags and frozen.
Oseledets dishes
This fish can be prepared in various ways, for example, frying, marinating, boiling. However, the most delicious is the ukha, where, in addition to the sweetish carp and vimba, oseledets are added. It is Oseledets that gives the fish soup its unique taste.
A dish of Don herring, prepared by a skilled housewife, is in no way inferior in taste and tenderness to dishes made from other, more famous types of herring. We present to you a recipe for pickled Don herring - this is exactly how it is prepared on the Don.
Marinated Oseledets
Ingredients:
- fish (bellied) - 1 kilogram,
- tomato paste – 2 tablespoons,
- salt - 1 teaspoon,
- sugar – 2 teaspoons,
- vinegar - 4 tablespoons,
- onions – 2 pieces,
- sunflower oil - a quarter cup.
- allspice peas,
- cloves – 1-2 buds.
Cooking steps:
- wash and gut the fish, cut off the tail and head,
- cut the fish into pieces of approximately 3-4 centimeters,
- cut the onion into rings,
- Now let's start preparing the marinade. Mix the oil and tomato paste diluted in water, add spices and simmer for 5-7 minutes, then add salt, sugar and vinegar.
- In a bowl (the main thing is not to take aluminum), put onions on the bottom, pieces of fish on the onions, then another layer of onions and pour over the marinade, then close with a lid and put in a cold place.
- The marinating period should be about two days.
- Serve with boiled potatoes and herbs. Bon appetit!
Don herring is an interesting and unique fish. Catching it is interesting and not difficult, it is usually found in large quantities, and the taste of this fish is very good.
Recipe for pickling Don herring No. 4
When it is necessary to preserve fish for a long period, this recipe for pickling Don herring is one of the best. Step-by-step instruction:
- Place the Don herring tightly into the container with its back facing up.
- Cover it thickly with rock salt (not iodized), so that it is as if it were covered with snow.
- Lay row upon row and sprinkle salt between rows.
- Keep in the refrigerator for two to three days.
- After salting, wash the salt.
- We pack in bags (or foil) as much fish as goes on the table for consumption. We put the rest in the freezer.
Fish in this salting will last a whole year without losing its taste. This type of salting is called malosol, actually like lard!
Bon appetit, dear fishing friends!
Equipment for catching herring on a spinning rod
For all fishermen whose favorite dishes include mincemeat, herring under a fur coat or other culinary masterpieces with this fish, it will be interesting to know what kind of lure is required for herring and how to catch this representative of the ichthyofauna with your own hands.
When does the fishing period begin?
Don or Black Sea-Azov herring is a fish that is a coveted trophy for fishing lovers on the Volga. After wintering in the Black Sea, the herring begins to rise along the Don or Volga, when you can start catching herring with spoons or homemade baits. This period occurs at the end of April - beginning of May.
The average size of herring, which can be caught in river spaces using a spoon or other equipment, is from 20 to 25 cm.
There are two subspecies:
- large (herring reaches 50 cm in length);
- medium (fish size rarely exceeds 25 cm).
Fishing methods
There are several ways to catch this fish, which differ in the characteristics of the equipment:
- fishing for herring using a spinning rod;
- use of homemade tackle such as an elastic band;
- the use of tyrants, also related to homemade products.
Each rigging method has its own pros and cons, so choosing the best one is quite difficult. Everything will depend on the preference of the fisherman himself.
Spinning
Spinning fishing is all about choosing the right equipment. Tackle for catching herring should be strong enough, but not rough. When choosing a spinning rod for herring, you should choose options that have a test load of no more than 30 grams.
The spoon for herring should be quite small. The best bait will be an oblong-shaped “olive tree”, the length of which does not exceed the size of an ordinary match. You can make your own spinner or fish with store-bought bait. For successful fishing you need fishing equipment.
It may vary, so here are some tips for choosing equipment:
- The best hook would be a regular single hook, size 7 to 9, according to traditional numbering. The spinner (store-bought or homemade) must be attached to the main fishing line using a leash. It is good if fluorocarbon or ordinary metal is chosen as the material for the tackle.
- Additionally, a weight weighing from 20 to 30 grams is attached to the spoon. This will allow you to make long casts when fishing with a spinning rod.
- A spinning reel can be inertial or inertial-free. You will need to wind a cord around it. The most optimal fishing line diameter for herring tackle will be a 0.18 mm cord or a 0.35 mm fishing line. If you plan to fish from the shore, we equip the reel with a larger spool (3000-4000).
Read How to salt mackerel at home
The fishing process itself consists of finding a suitable school of herring. After this, the process of spinning fishing turns into a purely technical event.
Rubber
A homemade elastic band is a fishing equipment, the main components of which are:
- aircraft model rubber of round section;
- hooks size 8-10;
- winding ring;
- reel, which can be homemade;
- fishing line (main and leader);
- fasteners;
- cargo.
All this must be collected in the listed sequence. The best thing would be to use a spinning rod for fishing, which you need to hold in your hands and not let the line sag to avoid empty bites. Lures or several spinners should be placed on the hooks, creating a game in the current that will attract fish.
Petty tyrant
The third most catchable and popular tackle is the tyrant. It is used when fishing from a boat. The principle of fishing is to provide the fish with the most optimal bait.
The tackle consists of parts:
- a fishing rod (usually a spinning rod) up to 3 meters long;
- large spinning reel.
The fishing line is taken of greater thickness (up to 0.8 mm), and a leash with five hooks is mounted at the end. The load is selected depending on the strength of the current.
Fishing gear and how to fish with them
Here we will look at the most popular herring gear, and those whose use is not recommended.
An elastic band is a semi-fishing tackle with an elastic element made of aircraft model rubber (round in cross-section) or from a special fishing rubber band (flat). The rubber band is most popular today for catching spring herring.
Advantages of the gear:
- one-time delivery (delivery) of cargo;
- the ability to play with bait to attract fish;
- the ability to change the fished water layer vertically;
- the ability to change the distance from the shore to the hooks as fishing progresses.
Disadvantages of gear:
- the need for long-distance casting/delivery of heavy loads;
- attachment to one place on the shore;
- narrow fishing sector.
How to make a rubber band for herring:
- We select cargo that matches the speed of the current, the nature of the bottom and the method of cargo delivery. When delivered by boat, it can be an ordinary brick with a strong cord tied to it with a length equal to the depth at the fishing spot plus 5 m. When casting by hand, it is better to use a flat-shaped metal weight with a safety cord and elastic band attached to it;
- The cord for pulling out the load - from a fishing line 0.5-0.6 mm, 50-60 m long (or as long as you can throw it) - is tied to a metal weight. We wind the cord on a separate reel;
- We tie an elastic band to the cord from the load through a carabiner with a swivel, as thick as possible, so as not to float in the current, 6-10 m long;
- We attach to the elastic - again through a carabiner with a swivel - the main fishing line 0.3-0.5 mm (thinner - less sail, thicker - more convenient to hold). We make the connection of the elastic band and the main fishing line detachable, with two carabiners, for subsequent installation of the insert with leashes;
- From the material of the main fishing line we make an insert with loops at the ends and knit 5-10 loops on it for attaching leashes at a distance of 50-100 cm from each other.
- We knit leashes from fishing line thinner than the main one, 20-30 cm long, with loops at the ends. Hooks with long shank, No. 8-10;
- As bait we put on and attach to hooks: cambric white or other bright colors, bunches of white and red threads, small twisters and vibrating tails;
- We install the insert with leads on the tackle after casting/delivering the load.
Read Catfish fish
Depending on the fishing conditions, you can attach a small weight to the end of the elastic band closest to the angler - then the fishing line will be positioned more vertically. If you install a hard foam float there, the hooks will be in the upper layers of the water.
Another common tackle for herring is spinning.
Spinner for herring - oscillating, 4-6 cm long, with one soldered hook
This is the most sporting and probably the most interesting way of fishing. Herring is distinguished by the fact that it takes the bait greedily and usually hooks itself, so there is no need for special sensitivity and high cost of the rod. Its optimal length is from 3 m.
One of the successful ways to install spinning equipment: a spindle-shaped sinker with ears at the ends is tied to the main fishing line with a thickness of 0.35-0.4 mm. On the second side of the sinker, a leash with a spinner 1-1.5 m long, slightly thinner than the main fishing line, is attached.
A variety of spinners are used: spinners, small spoons, and so-called herring spoons. The spoon for herring is oscillating, 4-6 cm long, with one soldered hook. Such spoons, even those sold in stores, are often homemade. You can take the petal of a rotating spoon of the desired size as the basis of the spinner.
The base of the spinner can be taken from the petal of a rotating spinner of the desired size.
Another installation method: a large spoon and several hooks with cambrics. In a word, a lot here depends on the fisherman’s imagination, his experience and, of course, luck.
When fishing with a spinning rod, it is important to find the right horizon. To do this, you need to count the time the load is lowered to the bottom and then, when casting, start reeling on different “floors”
A spinning rod is also used when fishing for herring with flies. This tackle is similar to the well-known tyrant for sea fishing and is used for fishing from piers, bridges and boats. A round-shaped weight is attached to the end of the main fishing line. Then inserts with leashes are knitted onto the fishing line (or ready-made purchased ones are installed). The bait is homemade, purchased trout or other flies and streamers, depending on the angler’s taste.
The bait is homemade, purchased trout or other flies and streamers, depending on the angler’s taste.
Gear, the use of which is not recommended, is those that are prohibited by the rules of recreational fishing. In particular, you cannot install more than 10 hooks on the tackle. The size of the hooks should not exceed No. 10.
