Silver carp fish: characteristics, lifestyle, fishing and breeding

Description of silver carp

Silver carp is also called silver carp and bighead. The fish is large in size; with a length of 1.5 meters, the weight of the fish can reach more than 27 kilograms. Officially registered weight is 50 kilograms. Fishermen are diligently trying to catch trophy fish, because they are valued not only for their impressive dimensions, but also for their nutritional value, beneficial properties and unique taste.

The fish has silvery sides. The belly color varies from silvery white to pure white. The eyes are located far on the head and point slightly downward. The silver carp differs from other fish by having a wide forehead and mouth.

On the large head of the silver carp there is a mouth without teeth. Visually, the mouth appears upside down. The fish's mouth is a filtering apparatus that looks like fused gills, similar to a sponge. This structure contributes to better capture of the main food source - plankton.

When introducing silver carp into artificial ponds for fish breeding, its effective preservation from water pollution and algal blooms is guaranteed. The silver carp has a long body covered with small scales.

Gear selection

To catch big silver carp, you need to use powerful equipment. The fishing line must be strong - 0.35-0.4mm. The rod is suitable for a feeder or carp rod, five to six meters long. Choose a hook capacity no less than you plan to catch fish. Under no circumstances should you take a float with a red color.

Better take the dark one. The fishing rod is usually taken no longer than 3.6 meters. To prevent your precious gear from being dragged into the water by silver carp, be sure to take a baitrunner.

What you feed them with is what you catch them with. During complementary feeding, the silver carp will get used to one food and will no longer react to another.

For catching silver carp along the bottom, there is a special tackle - a “silver carp stick”. They exist for different types of fish, so pay attention to this when purchasing.

The most common type of tackle is the classic donka. It is easy to set up and can cast long distances, but it may not be effective enough because the bait falls straight to the bottom. You can use a small piece of foam to keep the hook from going too low.

If you fish from above, also keep the bait on the surface. You can use a water-filling ball for this. In this case, it is better to take a thinner line so that it is less noticeable. The float should have a load capacity of 30-40 grams. Choose a sliding weight weight of 45-65 grams. Lead olive works best.

Types of bighead

There are only three varieties of silver carp, which are characterized by different colors and significant differences in weight. The following types of silver carp are distinguished:

Bighead carp

Bighead carp have a large head, large fins and a long tail. Adult individuals are characterized by a color more close to black. There are spots on the sides. Young specimens have golden skin and scales. The fish's gills do not grow together with stamens, due to which the fish can easily feed on zooplankton. Unlike silver carp, the keel on the belly starts from the ventral fins and extends to the anal feather.

The fish grows up to 1.5 meters in length, and its maximum weight is 40-60 kilograms. The preferred food for fish is phytoplankton. Spawning occurs in late spring and early summer, when the water temperature reaches 18-30 degrees. The fish reaches sexual maturity at 2-6 years, depending on the habitat. Maximum fertility is observed in the waters of Turkmenistan and Moldova: one female can spawn from 600 thousand to 1 million eggs.

It is distinguished by its high economic importance:

• Reclamation of reservoirs;
• grows quickly, gains weight just as quickly;
• Bighead carp meat is of high quality and in demand.

Silver carp

The fish has a tall body with a silver color. A distinctive feature is a large head with low-set eyes and dark fins. The maximum weight of the fish varies within 20 kilograms with a length of up to 1 meter. It is characterized by the presence of a ventral keel, which begins in the neck of the fish, reaching the anal fin.

For feeding white fish, the optimal temperature is 25 degrees. For this reason, flocks constantly move around the reservoir during the day, in search of comfortable living conditions: in the morning they live near the shore, in the afternoon they choose deeper places in the bays, settling in the middle layers of reservoirs.

When cold weather sets in, closer to mid-autumn, silver carp practically do not feed. The exceptions are those individuals that live in warm-water canals and reservoirs.

The unique structure of the gill apparatus allows the fish to feed on phytoplankton, filtering it from the water. Meat is characterized by high gastronomic value. Its fat content ranges from 4 to 23%, which increases with the age of the individual and weight gain.

Fish oil has a consistency and properties similar to the fat of marine life. When used as food, the level of cholesterol in the blood decreases. Recommended when following a diet. A delicious balyk is prepared from the meat of silver carp.

Hybrid

The hybrid silver carp was bred by fertilizing the eggs of a white individual with the milk of a motley silver carp. The main derivative of this breeding is that the species includes all the best qualities of the parents:

• instantly gains weight, increases in size as quickly as possible;
• prone to tolerate low water temperatures;
• has a small head in contrast to the white species;
• feeds on phytoplankton;
• The scales and skin of this species are white.

Such features contribute to the fact that this type of fish can be settled in colder regions and water areas where this was previously impossible.

Appearance and features

Photo: What does a silver carp look like?

The silver carp is a deep-bodied, laterally compressed fish. They are silver in color when young and when they get older they go from greenish on the back to silver on the belly. They have very small scales on their body, but their head and spines are scaleless.

Silver carp have a large mouth without any teeth on the jaw, but they do have pharyngeal teeth. The pharyngeal teeth are arranged in a single row (4-4) and are well developed and compressed with a striped grinding surface. Their eyes are located far forward along the midline of the body and turned slightly downward.

Silver carp are unlikely to be confused with true carp due to their size and unusual eye position. They are most similar to the carp H. nobilis, but have a smaller head and an upturned mouth without teeth, a keel that extends forward beyond the base of the pelvic fin, lacking the dark spots characteristic of large-headed carp, and branched gill rake.

Young fish lack spines in their fins. Juveniles are similar to the bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), but their pectoral fin extends only to the base of the pelvic fin (unlike the pelvic fin of the bighead).

Some sources report the presence of spines in the dorsal and anal fins of silver carp. However, the New Zealand variety shown does not have spines.

Silver carp has several fins:

• dorsal fin (9 rays) - small, flag-like;
• anal fin rather long and shallow (15-17 rays);
• caudal fin moderately long and flattened;
• pelvic fins (7 or 8 rays) small and triangular;
• the pectoral fins (15-18 rays) are quite large, returning to the insertion of the pelvic fins.

In male silver carp, the inner surface of the pectoral fins, facing the body, is rough to the touch, especially during the breeding season. The intestine is 6-10 times longer than the body. The carinae extend from the isthmus to the anus. The total number of vertebrae is 36-40.

The eyes are low on the head with the lower edge below the level of the corner of the mouth, they have a terminal mouth, without antennae. The gills of silver carp have a complex network and many densely spaced gill rakes. The gill membranes are not connected to the isthmus.

Habitat and living conditions

Silver carp were first developed in the 1970s in the United States, where they were recorded in several locations throughout the Central and Southern regions. Silver carp prefer to live in the Mississippi River basin, where they form spawning grounds. The fish was introduced throughout the world, which is why fishermen often hunt it in East Asia, Africa, Mexico, and the Antilles.

Silver carp lives in almost all water bodies of Russia, but, as a rule, exclusively in those places where it was introduced artificially. Usually the fish start in the spring, forming schools; they completely settle into the territory of the reservoir. During the period of warming water and the growth of various vegetation, fish activity decreases, silver carp settles in one place.

As a rule, silver carp prefers to be in places with a muddy bottom and soft aquatic vegetation, where the depth is no more than 3 meters. Before sunset and early morning, the fish move closer to the shore. During the day, silver carp tries to stay away from the shore.

What to fish with

In its natural environment, silver carp fish feed on small algae and plankton. This is the difficulty of catching it with a fishing rod. Under normal conditions, he will not be attracted to corn, peas, dough, bread, or any kind of cereal. However, it is difficult, but possible.

If you choose a place where food is in short supply, that is, where there is little vegetation of any kind, and the water does not have a greenish tint, the silver carp will bite on live bait or a spinner. May sometimes be tempted by small insects

The situation is simpler with silver carp, which is raised specifically for catching. In such places, the fish may bite on heavily boiled peas (to prevent the bait from coming off the hook, you can add a little grated crackers), finely shredded cabbage or cucumbers, or mulberry.

Silver carp love sweets, so you can try sweetening the breadcrumbs with sweet juices. Make sure that the bait does not sink to the bottom, otherwise the effect will be zero.

The leader among baits is technoplankton, because it is as close as possible to the natural diet of silver carp. It looks like powder pressed into a barrel. It can be used both as complementary food and as bait. It is flavored. The tastes are completely different - vanilla, blood, honey, bloodworm, anise, strawberry.

Whether a fish will bite at a certain smell depends on the specific body of water, so if you have the opportunity to find out what the silver carp eat in the place you choose, do it.

Previously, it was believed that the silver carp was elusive, and if someone managed to catch it, it was only by luck. In fact, successful fishing requires preparation and careful choice of strategy. Silver carp is picky, but you can please him too.

Behavior and lifestyle

Bigheads are fish that occupy the middle and upper layers of the depths. The fish is found in the waters of large rivers, creeks, lakes, warm-water ponds, and flooding areas that are connected to large rivers. They tend to live in still water and where there is current. The ideal habitat for silver carp is calm, warm waters with a gentle current. Fish do not linger in waters with strong currents - this scares them away. Favorite places are shallows with a light current, a muddy, sandy or rocky bottom, as well as artificial reservoirs where there is a lot of nutritious plankton.

When going fishing, it is better to look for silver carp in quiet backwaters that are located away from major roads and city noise. Silver carp can tolerate a wide range of temperatures - from 0 to 40 degrees, low oxygen levels, slightly salty water.

At different times of the year, the behavior of fish changes:

• In autumn, when the water temperature is below 8 degrees, silver carp actively accumulates fat.
• In winter, the fish goes into deep sleep, choosing holes at the bottom of the reservoir.
• In spring, a lot of detritus and plankton appear in the water, due to which, after waking up, the fish goes in search of food. First, it examines the depths and only when the water temperature reaches 24 degrees does it rise to the surface. During this period, due to severe hunger, silver carp grabs any bait, which makes it easy to catch. At the end of May, fish can be caught even with a piece of cigarette filter or foam rubber.

Under favorable conditions, the fish can live up to 20 years. In conditions of industrial breeding, this is not at all profitable, which is why the fish are caught for sale when they reach 2-3 years, when the size is appropriate.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Young silver carp

Silver carp is very prolific. Natural spawning occurs in the upper reaches of fast rivers with a minimum depth of 40 cm and a current speed of 1.3-2.5 m/s. Adults breed in rivers or tributaries over shallow rapids with gravel or sandy bottoms, in the upper layer of water, or even on the surface during floods when the water level rises 50-120 cm above normal levels.

The final maturation and spawning of eggs is caused by an increase in water level and temperature. Spawning stops when conditions change (silver carp are especially sensitive to falling water levels) and resumes when water levels rise. Juveniles and adults form large groups during the spawning period.

Mature individuals migrate upward over long distances at the onset of rapid flooding and rising water levels, and are able to jump over obstacles up to 1 m. After spawning, adults migrate to feeding habitats. In autumn, adults move to deeper places in the main course of the river, where they remain without food. The larvae drift downstream and settle in floodplain lakes, on shallow shores and in swamps with virtually no current.

The minimum water temperature for spawning is 18° C. The eggs are pelagic (1.3-1.91 mm in diameter) and increase in size rapidly after fertilization. Egg development and hatching time depend on temperature (60 hours at 18°C, 35 hours at 22-23°C, 24 hours at 28-29°C, 20 hours at 29-30°C).

In winter, silver carp lives in “winter holes.” They spawn when the water reaches a temperature of 18° to 20° C. Females lay 1 to 3 million eggs, which swell as they develop, migrating passively downstream for up to 100 kilometers. In stagnant water, eggs drown and die. Silver carp become sexually mature at the age of three to four years. Where it is bred, silver carp is a commercially valuable fish.

Diet

The diet of bighead fish depends on the type and age of the fish. These are mainly animal and plant plankton. Silver carp prefers to eat plant foods - its menu consists of phytoplankton. The most delicious dish for it is considered to be blue-green algae, which appears in all fresh waters when the heat sets in. Due to this, silver carp is a welcome guest in reservoirs with stagnant water, because eating algae helps fight the main source of diseases in the reservoir.

Bighead carp likes the same diet as white fish. But together with phytoplankton, it prefers to eat small foods of animal origin. Such rich nutrition ensures rapid growth, which leads to the achievement of large sizes.

Russian breeders managed to develop a silver carp hybrid by crossing a white and a motley variety of fish. This resulted in one species receiving all the benefits. The hybrid fish has a small head, like the bighead carp, but boasts a large size. Because of this, its menu is much wider. In addition to animal and plant plankton, the hybrid individual feeds on small crustaceans. At the same time, the digestive system is adapted to special feed mixtures for artificial breeding.

What does the silver carp eat?

Photo: Silver carp fish

Silver carp feed on both phytoplankton and zooplankton. Silver carp are prolific filter feeders that significantly alter both the number of planters and their composition in the community, reducing food availability for sport and commercial fish.

Silver carp often swim just below the surface and can travel in large groups (either solitary species or together). They are great water ameliorators as they filter detritus from green and dirty water through their mouths. Raising silver carp can help prevent widespread blue-green algae, known as algal blooms, during the summer.

Young fish feed on zooplankton, while adult fish consume nutrient-poor phytoplankton, which they filter in large quantities through their gill apparatus. Because they eat so much algae, they are sometimes called "river cows." To digest such a large amount of low-calorie food, the silver carp has a very long intestine, 10-13 times longer than its body.

Interesting fact: Silver carp are a very aggressive fish that can consume up to half their weight in phytoplankton and detritus. They outnumber native fish populations due to their aggressive behavior and large consumption of plankton.

Various mussel species, larvae and adults such as paddlefish, are at greatest risk of being outcompeted due to proven dietary overlap with silver carp.

Spawning

Puberty of silver carp occurs when the fish reaches the age of 5 years. Determination of a fish that has reached maturity is simple: the scales become grayish-blue in color. The spawning process begins in a reservoir when the water warms up to a temperature of 20 degrees. As a rule, this is the end of May or the beginning of June.

With a fish weighing more than 20 kilograms, it is capable of laying up to 3 million eggs. Females living in artificial ponds do not favor such indicators - the number of eggs is no more than 1 million.

The newly born young feed on zooplankton, due to the fact that the gill filtering apparatus is not developed. This type of nutrition promotes rapid weight gain. Fish will be able to feed on algae only after their gills have formed - when they reach a body length of 5 centimeters.

Characteristics of silver carp

It is worth starting the description of the silver carp with the fact that it belongs to the heat-loving genus, the carp family, and lives in flocks. Morphologically, three types of silver carp are distinguished, classified according to color - motley, white and mixed. Habitat of the Amur River.

In England, silver carp is called silver carp, but Americans call it carp from Asia and are strictly not eaten.

At home, the fish was nicknamed after its large and wide head. The effect of a large forehead is facilitated by the low location of the eyes, actually near the mouth. The large body is generously lined with tiny scales.

The average length of silver carp is 1 m, there are specimens larger, and weight up to 45 kg. Life expectancy is 20-25 years; they go to spawn at 5-7 years. They choose warm water around 20C at the beginning of summer.

The diet of silver carp consists of: zooplankton, crustaceans, algae, detritus, insect larvae, fry and bottom vegetation.

Natural enemies

Silver carp fry are threatened by predatory pike, and very rarely by large perch. After a silver carp is released into a pond, the toothy predator categorically refuses artificial bait. Due to the attacks of enemies, schools of small silver carp become much rarer. This threat to the population remains until the fish is 2 years old, when it gains sufficient weight and increases in size.

Also dangerous is the fact that bigheads can harm the ichthyofauna of water bodies. Due to the consumption of all types of plankton in large quantities, the fry of other fish are left without a food source, which does not allow them to fully develop.

Habitat

Silver carp is a heat-loving fish; fishing begins from the beginning of summer until September. A successful catch will be at a temperature of clear water in the reservoir and 15-20 degrees, using any bait.

High temperatures allow fish to feed on the contents of the reservoir and quickly lose their appetite for prepared baits.

Feeding occurs more in the middle of the reservoir, this is due to the anatomical structure of the fish’s mouth. Anatomically, the lower jaw protrudes and makes it impossible to pick up food from the bottom.

An experienced fisherman never lowers the bait to the very bottom and allows it to rise. The trick is that a piece of polystyrene is hooked onto a hook, which keeps the bait afloat.

Sometimes silver carp themselves give signals about their presence in a reservoir, this is evidenced by splashing and clapping on the water.

Diseases

Silver carp are carriers of the Asian tapeworm, a parasite that has a negative effect on the development and growth of fish. Through the consumption of raw fish meat or a poorly thermally processed product, the possibility of human injury cannot be excluded. The parasite develops in the human intestine, affecting the intestinal mucosa.

Symptoms of infection include vomiting, diarrhea, and severe pain in the lower abdomen. If you notice signs after consuming silver carp products, you must go to the hospital and have your blood tested.

You can avoid infection if you fish in trusted places, buy the product from reputable sellers, and subject silver carp to long-term heat treatment during cooking. When salting, keep the fish in salt for at least 5 days, followed by soaking.

Natural enemies of silver carp

Photo: What does a silver carp look like?

In their natural habitats, silver carp populations are controlled by natural predators. There are no native fish species in the Great Lakes region large enough to prey on adult silver carp. White pelicans and eagles feed on young silver carp in the Mississippi Basin.

Pelicans found in the western reaches of the Great Lakes and eagles throughout the basin can be expected to do the same. Native predatory fish such as perch may feed on young silver carp. Given its growth rate, many individuals can be expected to grow too large and too fast for predatory fish to exert significant pressure to keep the silver carp population in check.

Once silver carp populations have grown with recruitment of young exceeding mortality, eradication is considered difficult, if not impossible. Populations can be minimized in some areas by denying access to spawning tributaries through the construction of migration barriers, but this is an expensive proposition that may inadvertently result in negative impacts on native species. The best control for silver carp is to prevent them from entering the Great Lakes.

Beneficial features

The energy value of 100 grams of silver carp is 86 calories. Depending on the cooking method, age and size of the fish, the indicator changes. For example, when stewing, the calorie content of fish is 76 energy units, when frying it is 71 calories.

Fish meat that is 5 years old is considered fattier and therefore has a higher energy value. At the same time, the meat contains useful, easily digestible proteins and carbohydrates, omega-3, omega-6 acids, vitamins D, E and group B, provitamin A. Silver carp meat is rich in phosphorus, sulfur, iron, zinc, sodium, and calcium.

Omega-3 and omega-6 acids, when consumed regularly, improve human health:

• reduce cholesterol levels;
• prevent the formation of malignant tumors;
• relieve nervous disorders, depression, stress;
• reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular failure and hypertension.

Due to the huge amount of minerals in fish, the growth of nails and hair improves; stimulates the production of iron-containing hemoglobin, which performs the function of gas exchange; toxic substances are removed from the body; reparative regeneration occurs, including the skin.

People who suffer from diabetes, hypertension, gout, gastritis, and low acidity are required to consume silver carp meat, preferably boiled, stewed or steamed. After just a few weeks, a decrease in cholesterol levels and normalization of blood pressure are observed.

Breeding and rearing

Growing silver carp is a difficult process that requires the creation of special conditions. The water in the pond should be no more than 25 degrees. Fish are thermophilic, preferring the sun, muddy bottom and reservoirs where there is a lot of vegetation. The ideal depth for fish is 3-4 meters. At dawn and dusk, silver carp swim into shallow water and hide at the bottom during the day.

What do you feed fish when breeding?

The diet of silver carp consists of phytoplankton, zooplankton, which is a source of proteins. There are three varieties of silver carp, which have not only ecological, but also morphological differences. They are also not similar in their dietary preferences. Silver carp are medium-sized schooling fish that consume only phytoplankton. Bighead carp are large fish that feed on zooplankton, which contributes to rapid growth and weight gain. Hybrids are large fish that consume everything that bighead and silver carp eat.

Silver carp can also eat artificial food. They reach marketable weight already at the age of 2 years, because their weight reaches about 500-600 grams. Sexual maturity in fish occurs at the age of 3-5 years, when the body length is 50 centimeters.

Silver carp breeding is possible in a pond. Be sure to take into account the requirements for maintenance conditions, size and depth of the pond. It is advisable to separate individuals by size, thereby avoiding the spread of diseases and improving breeding and rearing conditions.

Construction of a pond

It is optimal to choose or prepare your own pond, the size of which will be 200-300 square meters. It is filled with various plants for better attachment of eggs during the spawning process. Spawning grounds are used at the end of May or beginning of June for no more than 14 days.

The first time the fish are transplanted is after 5-7 weeks after birth. There are up to 900 individuals per 1 hectare of reservoir, if their growth is no more than 2 kilograms. At first, the stocked fish feed on natural food, which must be regularly added in large quantities to the bottom of the pond. In the fall, future producers are selected, placing them in a separate reservoir, where they will remain until spawning.

As a business, growing silver carp is considered a simple but labor-intensive task that requires compliance with the basic rules:

• Fish will not be able to get enough nutrients from feed if the water temperature is less than 18 degrees. All the energy that it will receive is spent on maintaining life, and there are no reserves left. This results in the fish not gaining enough weight.
• Reservoirs must be regularly cleaned and disinfected, otherwise the fish will develop infectious diseases.
• Agricultural products are subject to a certain agricultural tax. Due to this, the sales volume should represent 70% of agricultural products. The main income is considered to be profit received from processing or retail sales.

First of all, they thoroughly study the area of ​​the site for fish breeding, the depth of the pond, the possibility of supplying and discharging water. It will be possible to achieve profitability when growing white or hybrid silver carp, because they grow quickly, and 80% of their body weight is suitable for consumption. This helps to achieve an increase in the reservoir of up to 600 kilograms.

Costs and payback

When calculating the cost of fish and feed, it is possible to calculate future profits. 5 tons of fish are placed on 10 hectares of reservoir. The average price of 1 kilogram of silver carp is 100 rubles. So, the income from the sale of this quantity will be about half a million rubles. Costs include the purchase of food, fishing, pond protection, transportation and advertising. Only by deducting all expenses will it be possible to calculate net profit. On average, 3 kilograms of feed yields an increase of 1 kilogram of fish. Often costs can be higher than profits if you don’t start growing food on an area near a pond.

If the area does not allow this, it is recommended to breed geese, but the pond must process pollution from living creatures. Geese fertilize the pond, clean it, thereby creating additional food for the fish, exterminating fish parasites and carriers of their diseases. Geese also lay eggs, which they later sell, which provides a special benefit.

It would not be superfluous to organize amateur fishing in a pond as an additional income for charging a certain fee. This will not only popularize the enterprise, but will also increase earnings. Silver carp are deep-sea and heavy fish: they do not bite on a fishing rod and are quite difficult to catch. This ensures additional profit in relation to the complete absence of costs.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Silver carp in a pond

This species has been introduced to many countries around the world for two reasons: aquaculture and plankton control in nutrient-rich water bodies and wastewater treatment plants. Their ability to control algal blooms is somewhat controversial. Silver carp have been reported to be effective in controlling algal blooms if the correct amount of fish is used.

Due to the fact that silver carp can effectively filter algae >20 µm in size, therefore, the amount of small algae increases as a result of lack of fish grazing and increased nutrients due to internal loading.

Some researchers have suggested that silver carp should only be used if the primary goal is to reduce nuisance blooms of large phytoplankton species, such as cyanobacteria, that cannot be effectively controlled by large herbivorous zooplankton. Silver carp stocks appear to be most suitable in tropical lakes that are highly productive and lack large cladoceral zooplankton.

Others are more inclined to use silver carp not only for algae control, but also for zooplankton and suspended organic matter. They argue that the introduction of 300-450 silver carp into the Netofa Reservoir in Israel has created a balanced ecological system.

Interesting fact: Silver carp pose a danger to people due to collisions with fishing boats and injury to people who jump into them.

Silver carp fishing

Catching silver carp brings incredible pleasure, and the main trophy for a fisherman is the capture of a large specimen. To make the process easier, use float or bottom tackle, technoplankton. The “right” bait will help you catch good fish.

For float tackle

It is believed that a simple way to catch silver carp is a universal carp tackle for long-distance casting. In this case, it is important to choose the right float - it must be transparent. Regular floats can scare away the fish. Greater depth is required, although fish can be no deeper than 15 centimeters from the surface.

If the selected body of water contains all kinds of sticks or reeds, use balsa floats. But the float with the antenna is not placed in a vertical position - this can alert the silver carp if the float stands out among the branches located horizontally. It is better to secure it in the same way as the branches lie.

For fishing, it is recommended to use several float options:

• An oblong foam float surrounded at the bottom with several pellets. The upper part of the equipment has a bright color tint, the bottom is protective. Due to the fact that the fish looks at the food from below from the reservoir, and all objects seem blue to it, it is advisable to choose floats with a bluish, gray or white tint on the bottom.
• Universal with antenna. It would be better if these were floats that required passing the fishing line through the cambric on the antenna. They surrounded it so that the antennas did not stand, but were on the surface of the water.

On technoplankton

Over the past few years, many fishermen have managed to master silver carp fishing using special compressed bait - technoplankton. In the water, it gradually disintegrates, which is why a cloud of turbidity is created around it, similar to the natural food preferred by silver carp - phytoplankton. Externally, the bait is a barrel with a hole along its entire length - it is mounted on a thin rod. Specialized stores may offer a more economical option - crumbly technoplankton, but you will have to press it yourself.

The use of technoplankton involves long-distance casting and vertical fishing. The bait is installed on a special equipment called a silver carp stick. The float holds it in a given horizon after casting. Depth varies from 30 centimeters to 1 meter. This is the best fishing area.

Technoplankton has neutral buoyancy. When the turbidity attractive to fish disintegrates and spreads, near which the hooks are placed, one of the fish will sooner or later be sucked in.

The silver carp stick is a floating piece of equipment that needs to be fixed in one place, otherwise the consumption of technoplankton will be useless.

Some fishermen use a sliding sinker above the float, but this arrangement negatively affects casting distance. Others combine a sliding float, limited by a stopper, and a blind weight, placing it at the end of the main line. After casting, the sinker ends up on the bottom, and the bite alarm rests against the stopper, due to which the equipment rises. The use of this option requires accurate knowledge of the depth at the fishing point in order to correctly set the stopper.

Instead of sticks and technoplankton, a spring feeder filled with catchable mixtures is often used in the equipment. At the same time, it is taken into account that the mass of the equipment will significantly increase in volume, because homemade bait is much heavier than technoplankton. You may have to take a fishing rod with a higher test weight and use a float with a higher carrying capacity.

For bottom tackle

The design of equipment for donkey is quite simple. On a large spring feeder, install 2-3 hooks on leashes at least 20 centimeters long. It is recommended to make leashes from braided cord with a diameter of up to 0.12 mm. Foam balls are attached to the hooks - the fish sucks them in along with the rising particles of food and is hooked itself.

Donka fishing has several significant disadvantages. First of all, you need to make your own bait. An error in proportions results in the bait not being “dusty.” In such a situation, experienced fishermen get out of the situation by adding an Alka-Seltzer tablet to each filled feeder - when the drug reacts with water, it begins to boil and destroy the mixture from the inside.

Another negative point is the fishing horizon. Large specimens rarely sink to the bottom; they prefer food that accumulates in the upper layers. But despite this, bottom tackle is simple and affordable, which is why it is so popular.

Bait

Many people do not believe that silver carp is a fish that can bite on a completely bare hook without bait. But it's actually real. There is no need to use anything, not even any vegetables on the hooks. It's not a matter of whether there is bait, but what kind of hook they use and what is around it. That is, if an empty hook falls into an area where plankton is present, the silver carp can swallow it in turbid water without noticing.

Greater success is guaranteed with a larger number of hooks, because during active feeding, the fish will definitely stumble upon one of them.

If you are not sure that this method will give results, it is permissible to use porridge for fishing. But in this case, you cannot do without special ingredients. As a rule, in such cases, purchased “Geysers” are used, which have proven themselves to be excellent when catching silver carp. Sometimes bait is replaced with Yubileinoe cookies, mixing it with porridge, cake, halva, bread, etc.

Please note: fishing during spawning is prohibited by law!

Silver carp is a unique fish that simply amazes with its large size, due to which it attracts not only fishermen who want to get such a trophy, but also entrepreneurs who decide to get a business from selling marketable fish. Breeding and growing fish in your summer cottage is possible if you comply with all the necessary requirements.

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How to cook better

Fatty fish meat is processed in all basic ways. Namely:

• fried and baked;
• stew and prepare aspic;
• dried and smoked;
• make dumplings from fish fillets;
• add silver carp to soups and solyanka.

Most often, fish is fried or baked. The fillet has a high fat content and requires minimal use of oil during heat treatment.

Fried silver carp

A popular recipe for preparing fish fillet suggests frying it in a frying pan. Processing takes very little time and the ingredients required are very simple. The recipe requires:

• silver carp - 5 kg;
• corn flour - 50 g;
• wheat flour - 200 g;
• vegetable oil - 3 tbsp. l.;
• salt - to taste;
• ground black pepper - to taste.

The algorithm for preparing healthy fish is as follows:

1. The carcasses are doused with boiling water and cleaned of scales, and then washed with cold water.
2. The belly of the fish is cut open and the entrails are taken out, and then the head and fins are cut off.
3. The carcasses are washed from the inside and divided into steaks about 2 cm thick.
4. Mix salt and pepper and rub each piece of silver carp on all sides.
5. Leave for 15 minutes.
6. After time, mix the two types of flour and roll the fish in it, shaking off the excess.
7. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan with a thick bottom and fry the fillet over medium heat until golden brown.
8. Turn the steaks over, cover the container with a lid and keep the fish on the fire for a few more minutes.

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The finished fillet is first laid out on paper towels to remove excess oil, and then served.

It is traditionally recommended to eat fried silver carp with fresh herbs.

How to choose and store correctly

When purchasing fresh silver carp, you must carefully inspect the fish and make sure of its quality. There are several points to evaluate:

1. Smell. Fresh fish smells like water, there are no putrid overtones in the aroma.
2. Appearance. A good silver carp should be firm and shiny, with clear eyes and pink or red gills.
3. Dimensions. It is best to choose fish weighing about 2 kg - such carcasses have more fat and less bones.

When purchasing, you can touch the silver carp with your hand. If, after pressing with a finger, a dent remains on the carcass for a long time, then the fish has already begun to deteriorate. In fresh specimens, the surface smoothes out almost immediately.

Frozen fish is chosen according to the same principles. You need to pay attention to the appearance of the carcass. It is better not to buy silver carp with cloudy eyes, peeling scales and caked gills. The low quality of the fish is indicated by abundant ice with streaks on the carcass - its presence indicates repeated thawing and freezing.

Fresh product can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days after purchase. After this, it must be used for heat treatment. If the silver carp was purchased frozen, or was originally bought for future use, the carcass should be immediately put in the freezer. At temperatures below -15 °C, the fish will remain suitable for consumption for two months.