How to distinguish a female from a male Char?

Description and sizes of char

The char fish, the description of which is very different in different regions of Russia, has a great ability to change color. The natural forms of salmon also have different sizes.

The largest representative of the genus in our country is the kunja. The length of adult individuals reaches 80−100 cm and weighs more than 10 kg. But the Canadian lake form of char - gray trout - can grow up to 1.5 m. The average weight of such individuals is 25-30 kg. Other varieties of loach most often have an average body length of about 40−50 cm.

The appearance of loaches is characteristic of predatory fish: an elongated, well-streamlined torpedo-shaped body allows them to develop high speed while throwing. The dorsal fin is single; at the beginning of the caudal peduncle there is a small adipose fin.

Char scales are small and almost invisible. The dark back and light belly, small spots characteristic of many representatives, camouflage the predator. But during the spawning period, the color of the loaches becomes brighter, the belly acquires orange and red shades, and areas of different colors appear on the body.

Habitats

You can meet varieties of Arctic salmon in salt and fresh water bodies of the Northern Hemisphere: the Arctic and Pacific oceans, Siberian rivers, Lake Baikal, American and European waters. The southern border of the range in Russia is considered to be the latitude of the Krasnodar Territory.

Lifestyle and nutrition

All species lead a predatory lifestyle. Migratory species make seasonal feeding migrations, hunting small fish (capelin, navaga, blue whiting, etc.) in marine waters. The diet includes invertebrates that live in the bottom layers of water.

A feature of eating behavior is the ability to easily tolerate long-term fasting (up to 1 year). This makes repeated spawning possible, during which migratory forms rise into river beds.

Most often, loaches live alone or gather in small flocks - at a young age and during a sedentary existence in streams and lakes. Migratory forms during feeding lead an exclusively gregarious lifestyle, moving along the route in large schools, which include both young and adult individuals. Cannibalism is not developed, and small juveniles enjoy the protection of large specimens.

Where is loach found?

We looked through the fishermen's reports and marked on the map the best places to look for char.

Spawning

Loaches can spawn in both autumn and spring. Representatives of the spring race mature for spawning at the end of summer and immediately rise into the rivers, where they spawn. Winter char gather at river mouths, overwinter there under the ice, and in the spring continue their spawning migration up the riverbeds.

Spawning occurs on pebble shallows. The female buries the eggs in the ground, where they are incubated for 5-7 days. Loaches that spawn in the fall remain in rivers until spring, and then return to the sea. The winter form descends into the sea immediately after spawning.

The larvae remain motionless for about 5 days, and then begin to actively feed. They spend about 3 years in the river, reaching sexual maturity, and only then begin seasonal feeding and spawning migrations.

In sedentary forms living in fresh water, migration is practically not expressed.

Migratory char – habitat and lifestyle

The genus-forming taxon of the family is Salvelinus alpinus, which determines the size standards of this group of salmonids and serves as the basis for the formation of most lake, river, stream, and mixed forms. Officially, the fish is called Arctic salmon; it is a voracious predator and leads a migratory lifestyle, forming spring and winter races. The first ones carry out continuous migration, come to the river in the fall with already mature sexual products and immediately go to spawning grounds. The second ones interrupt migration. The fish enter the mouth before freeze-up and overwinter at depth in a state of rest, waiting for the final ripening of eggs and milt. Only in the spring do they resume moving upstream to their spawning grounds.

To learn more:

Muksun fish - structure, habitats, spawning

The selective migration instinct, fixed at the genetic level in each group of salmon, contributes to the stable replenishment of the species’ population twice a year, regardless of the timing of spring and other natural factors.

Habitats

The range of Arctic char is very wide - it includes salt and freshwater waters of the Pacific and Arctic oceans south and north of the Arctic Circle. The fish lives off the coast, in rivers and lakes of Norway, Iceland, the Spitsbergen archipelago, Greenland, Canada, and Alaska. In Russia, char inhabits the Arkhangelsk, Murmansk regions, Primorsky, Krasnodar Territories, the Komi Republic, the Kola Peninsula, the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, Sakhalin, Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands, the coast of Siberia, the Amur and Baikal basins. The favorite feeding area for migratory salmon is the shelf of the Barents, Kara, Japanese, White, and Okhotsk seas. Most often, the char is found in the main channel and tributaries of the Ob, Pyasina, Yenisei, Ponoya, Varzuga, and Kara.

Lifestyle and nutrition

Migratory fish are very unpretentious to food, low temperatures, and water salinity levels. At the age of 2-4 years, salmon begins to make summer food migrations to the sea, where it takes on the role of an active predator, hunting small cod, capelin, pollock, blue whiting, navaga, and sand lance. The fish willingly eats a variety of crustaceans, mollusks, worms, and small sea creatures.

The lifespan of Arctic char, like most of its other forms, can reach 11-12 years. As the fish grow older and gain mass, they gradually abandon schooling behavior in rivers, preferring to stay in small groups or switch to solitary living if there is a significant shortage of food supply. When salmon go out to feed at sea for several months, they again gather in large schools without any age or size division. This facilitates collective hunting for small schooling fish and saves them from larger predators. Due to the fact that young animals enjoy the protection of adults, the survival rate of the entire species increases significantly.

To learn more:

Taimen: a valuable fish of the salmon family

Despite their gluttony and constant search for food, loaches can go without eating for a whole year without damage to their health and weight. This was made possible due to a special biological mechanism for regulating metabolism and the size of the intestine. Largely due to the ability to forcibly free up additional space in the peritoneum, this genus of salmon easily endures the spawning process without the slightest damage to health.

In close relatives of char (pink salmon, chum salmon, chinook salmon), sufficient space for caviar and milt is formed due to fatal deformation of the intestines and other internal organs. That is why, after the end of migration to the spawning ground, the fish stop feeding, lose strength and die en masse.

Varieties of char

On the territory of Russia, there are several main varieties of fish, differing in habitat, lifestyle, and appearance. They most often have a local name, and only the scientific name classifies them as different species of loach (Salvelinus).

Kunja

Due to its size (about 1 meter in length) and abundance, the species is a commercial fish of local importance. During the feeding period, kunja is caught industrially; during the rest of the period, it is the object of amateur and sport fishing. Large caviar females are valued not only for their tasty meat, but also for their red caviar.

The back of the kunja is dark, with a blue tint, the sides are brownish, with light spots, the belly is silver with a pinkish tint. You can meet char in the Pacific Ocean from Kamchatka to the Kuril Islands. The southern border of the range is the Amur River, into which the fish enters to spawn.

Far Eastern

Includes several local subspecies that live on the Kuril Islands and islands of the Russian Far East, in the Khabarovsk Territory and Primorye. Some species lead a sedentary lifestyle. A typical representative is the yellowmouth loach, or Levanidov's loach (Penzhina River).

The size of the fish rarely exceeds 50 cm. Far Eastern char is practically no different in taste from pink salmon. Caviar and milt are also obtained from sexually mature spawning individuals.

Local residents who are familiar with the char fish (the benefits and harms of where it is found) never refuse to buy or catch it.

White

Pacific variety, migratory during the spawning period. White loach is common in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and its surroundings. Sedentary subspecies are found in the rivers and lakes of Kamchatka. When doing amateur fishing, you need to take into account that parasites are found in white char more often than in other varieties.

The color consists of red spots on the background of the back and sides, the belly is silvery and pinkish. During the spawning period, the color becomes gray with a purple tint. The belly takes on rich shades of pink or yellow.

Ozerny

Lake char are sedentary varieties of native species. Lake fish can include Kamchatka char, representatives of European species from Lake Geneva, Ladoga or Baikal trout, and gray trout from Canadian lakes. The average length of lake char rarely exceeds 35−40 cm. This is explained by the lower availability of food in clean and cold reservoirs with limited volume.

Despite the differences from large migratory species, red char fish from lakes has the same pink meat with good taste characteristics.

Ruchevoy

The streams are also inhabited by local forms of loaches that have ceased migrating to the sea. These varieties are found everywhere where migratory species live: in the Far East, streams are inhabited by small varieties of Dolly Varden, and Kamchatka char has stream forms. An endemic species is found in Chukotka reservoirs - the Tarantsa char with pink spots on a silvery background of the body. European streams are inhabited by small subspecies of Arctic char, which share an ecological niche with trout.

Stream forms lead the lifestyle of an active predator, hunting small aquatic inhabitants.

Description

Char is a predator from the salmon family. The name “char” was given to the species due to its peculiar appearance. Small scales cover only the sides of the fish. The fish received the synonymous names “barefoot” and “golodets” for their peculiar behavior and ability to live in icy water. The habitat of this genus is distributed throughout the Arctic Circle, so the char can be called the northernmost of the salmon.

The loach is very beautiful. It has a unique coloration that allows this species to be distinguished from other salmonids. Char has virtually no dark spots on its sides. The pigmentation of this fish is very diverse. The dots on the back and sides can be white, pink or red. Sometimes there are colored stripes in the color.

The back of loaches is usually dark green with small spots, the sides are silver, sometimes with pink spots. The belly of the loach is white, the fins are colored gray-white. The color of the loach changes depending on the environment. In flowing and clean water, the colors of the fish acquire more blue and blue shades, and the skin becomes lighter. In reservoirs with a muddy bottom, the color of the fish is browner. During the spawning period, the shades of red become brighter.

Loach has the ability to change its color within a short time. When light-colored fish were transplanted from a lighted aquarium to a darkened one, they changed their color to dark in just a day.

There are several dozen subspecies of this fish. They differ in both habitat and appearance. But there are also general characteristics of the species that allow it to be distinguished from other species.

Description of the appearance of the loach fish:

• torpedo-shaped body;
• head large, flattened;
• eyes are bulging, located high;
• the mouth is large, the lower jaw is elongated;
• caudal fin truncated, typical adipose;
• many small scales along the lateral line, absence of large scales;
• blue-gray or brown-green sides and back;
• light, pink or white spots scattered over the body;
• belly with reddish spots, becomes brighter during spawning.

Depending on their habitat, three types of loaches are distinguished:

• Marine lives in the Arctic and subarctic coasts. During the spawning season, it migrates to river mouths.

Ozerny lives in mountain reservoirs. The fish is small in size, the length of individuals is no more than 40 centimeters.

The river fish is similar in appearance to trout.

It is impossible to say exactly how many subspecies of these fish exist. The most famous of them: Arctic, Far Eastern, Kamchatka and Boganid.

Arctic

The official name of the subspecies is Arctic salmon. This predator leads a migratory lifestyle. These species are called anadromous for a reason. Fish migrate from rivers to seas and back. Char is one of them. The need to move is associated with spawning. The fish spends the winter in the river. In summer (June, early July) it moves from the river to the sea. Loaches return to the river to spawn in the fall or early winter.

This variety is the largest among the loaches. The weight of individuals can reach 15 kg, and the length is up to 90 cm. The skin is silver in color, the sides have light spots, the back is dark with a blue tint. When migrating from salt to fresh water, loaches change color. The back becomes greenish-brown and red spots appear on the sides.

The lifespan of this species reaches 12 years. Young animals live in fresh water bodies for up to two years, then move to river mouths and into salty sea water. Individuals are capable of spawning at the age of five years. This species spawns several times throughout its life, unlike other salmon (chum salmon, pink salmon, chinook salmon), which die en masse after spawning. Loaches have this ability due to their special metabolism and intestinal size.

Like all predators, it feeds on various fish and what moves around: insects, mollusks, crustaceans, zooplankton. It also eats salmon eggs, causing harm to populations of other species.

Far Eastern

Not all salmon are predisposed to migration. Some species permanently live only in fresh water bodies. Far Eastern char is a common name for several subspecies living in Primorye, Khabarovsk Territory, Amur Region, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.

The most famous of the varieties is Levanidov's char, which lives in the Penzhina River. Because of the yellow spots on the body, it is called "schizandra". The bright yellow color of its mouth gave it another nickname - “yellow-mouthed hungry man.” The size of individuals is rarely more than 50 cm. The fish tastes like pink salmon.

Kamchatsky

Kamchatka or white loach is a large individual weighing up to 11 kg. Distributed off the coast of the Bering and Okhotsk Seas. The species is migratory during spawning. Sedentary subspecies live in the reservoirs of Kamchatka. It is distinguished by the presence of many light spots on the skin. During the spawning period, it changes color to gray with a purple tint. The belly is painted in bright pink or yellow shades.

Parasites are found in white char more often than in other subspecies. This should be taken into account by amateur fishermen.

The Kamchatka subspecies is an aggressive predator that eats other fish, including young salmon.

Boganidsky

Boganid char or palia likes to live in cold water enriched with oxygen. Palia is found in Siberia, Altai, Taimyr, the Kola Peninsula, and Karelia. It is impossible to find this fish in the middle zone. Palia has dozens of varieties, differing in size, color and lifestyle.

The appearance of the Boganid char is standard for the species, but there are also important differences. The size and color of the fish depends on gender and age. There are individuals of silver, gray and even red colors. An important difference between palia is the white furrow on the ventral and anal fins.

In the habitats of palia, there is often a shortage of food, so individuals rarely reach large sizes. The rate of development of palia depends on the size and location of the reservoir. The further north the habitat, the smaller the fish.

Palia grows extremely slowly (by the age of 6 it weighs 1 kilogram), so its fishing is limited by law. Commercial harvesting of this species is prohibited. Recreational fishermen should read the regulations for a particular area.

Whiskered

Due to similar names, errors and confusion often occur. This also occurs in ichthyology. There is a representative of the aquatic world called the mustachioed loach. Many will think that this is a relative of salmon fish. But this is far from true. It is enough to compare photos of these representatives of the aquatic world to be convinced of this. This species has nothing to do with red fish. The mustached loach belongs to the loach family. The species is widespread in European waters. Other names are “avdyushka”, “river ogolets”.

This fish is small, its maximum length is 18 cm, and its weight is 25 grams. Usual sizes are 10-12 cm. Life expectancy is 5-7 years. The body of the loach is ridged and covered with mucus. The scales on the sides are very small. The head is small, there are 6 antennae. The antennae are an important organ of touch for fish. The color of the loach varies from golden to greenish-brown, depending on its habitat.

Char feeds on vegetation, invertebrates, larvae and eggs. Often he himself becomes prey to predators. These small fish have high vitality and can live for a long time without water.

This fish has no commercial significance and does not have any special taste properties. Sometimes loaches are used as bait to catch predators.

Beneficial features

No matter where the fish lives, it is always useful. Salmon meat contains many vitamins, important microelements (zinc, phosphorus, calcium), balanced potassium and magnesium. In combination with omega fatty acids, they have a positive effect on the condition of the human heart muscle.

The delicate consistency of char meat allows you to use any method of preparing it. Char can be fried and baked, cooked into fish soup and other soups, and steamed. Smoked and lightly salted fish are delicious options, and red caviar is not too different from salmon.

Brook char

The high morphological, ecological, and climatic variability of the Arctic taxon, combined with vitality and unpretentiousness, led to the formation of various river forms that swim in running water all their lives. In the Primorsky Territory and the Kuril Islands, beautiful small Dolly Varden, covered with variegated red spots, lives. It rarely grows in length over 30 cm, and its lifestyle is similar to brook trout.

To learn more:

Omul: where the fish are found, what they eat and how they spawn

The Tarantsa loach (Salvelinus Taranetzi) lives in Chukotka; it has a silver-gray body with large pink spots and can reach a weight of 10-12 kg. This species is characterized by slow growth. Often individuals over 15 years old weigh only 3-4 kg. This is primarily due to the lack of nutritious food supply. Kamchatka char is also presented in stream forms, which are characterized by regular entry into lakes for feeding and relatively small sizes in the range of 1.5-2 kg.

We help you make the right choice!

2020-02-28 09:45:09

Chum salmon

(Oncorhynchus keta)

The spawning run into the rivers of northern Primorye begins in August, and the mass entry and spawning begins in the second half of September - October at a water temperature in the rivers of 5 - 10 0 C. In southern Primorye, the entry into the rivers and spawning of chum salmon occurs at a later date. Spawning grounds in the rivers of Primorye are usually located in the lower reaches or middle reaches. Spawning occurs in areas with weak currents, the bottom of which is covered with small pebbles and gravel. Some fish spawn in lower channels fed by groundwater. The eggs are laid in the mounds. After laying eggs, exhausted fish die. The larvae hatch in the spring and, unlike juvenile masu salmon, they do not linger in the river and immediately roll into the sea. In the first summer, the hatched juveniles live in coastal waters, bays and bays, and only later migrate to the open waters of the sea and the Pacific Ocean.

What kind of fish

Char is a predatory representative of the salmon family. Found in mountain lakes and rivers. It also lives in the seas, but does not swim far from fresh waters, where it spawns. It feeds on plankton, caviar, small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Some individuals eat their own young. Loaches hunt day and night.

There are several dozen subspecies of this fish, differing in geography and appearance. Their general characteristics:

1. Torpedo-shaped body.
2. Flattened head.
3. There are no large scales.
4. The back and sides are grayish-blue or brownish-green.
5. Reddish belly, becoming brighter during spawning.
6. A strong backbone with long bones (almost no small bones).
7. The meat is red-orange.

Loaches are divided into several forms:

• nautical. It lives off the coast of the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans, and swims to river mouths to breed;
• river. Looks like a trout;
• lake Often found in mountain reservoirs. Due to the lack of a large amount of food, its length does not exceed 40 cm.

Among the subspecies of fish, the most famous are:

1. Far Eastern. Size up to 50 cm, tastes like pink salmon. Distributed in the Kuril Islands, Primorye, Amur Region, Khabarovsk Territory.
2. White or Kamchatka. It is distinguished by the presence of many light spots on the body. The main population lives in Kamchatka.
3. Arctic. It can reach a weight of about 15 kg.
4. Boganidsky or Bogandinsky. Found in Siberia in reservoirs with a good supply of oxygen. In lakes of Karelia it reaches 80 cm in length.

a brief description of

Char is widespread in nature. It is found in many countries, inhabiting rivers and other bodies of water. Catching this type of fish has made it possible for the population to consume expensive red fish.

What does it look like?

You can recognize a loach by its appearance. It looks like this:

• the elongated body of the loach has a specific torpedo-shaped shape;
• the body is covered with small, tightly fitting scales;
• there are bulging eyes on the large head;
• caudal fin noticeably truncated;
• the whole body is covered with many dark, pink or light spots.

This fish is a relative of salmon species. The loach has a dark body color. The meat of this fish is colored red.

Dimensions and weight

Char is considered a fairly large fish. For example, the Arctic species reaches 88 cm in length and gains weight up to 16 kg. Lake and river fish are smaller. They do not grow more than 45 cm in length, and the average weight ranges from 0.3-1.5 kg.

Where is it found?

Beneficial features

Red char fish is valued by culinary specialists for its good taste, and doctors often include it in the medical menu. The main list of benefits of char:

Reduces the risk of blood clots. Clears the body of cholesterol. Strengthens blood vessels. Has a beneficial effect on brain function. Increases the body's resistance to infections. Prevents early skin aging and cell destruction. Reduces the likelihood of developing tumors. Improves reproductive functions, increases potency. Normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Reduces nervousness. Saturates the body with calcium. Prevents the development of ophthalmological problems.

Contraindications and possible harm

There are no direct contraindications to consuming char. However, red fish is a potential allergen. People with seafood intolerance should avoid this type of food.

If the rules for preparing and selecting a product are not followed, char can be not only beneficial, but also harmful. The consumer needs to consider the following:

Stale fish causes food poisoning. Char caught in the wild can be infected with helminths. The meat must be subjected to good heat treatment. When frying, the fillet loses some of its beneficial properties, becomes more nutritious, and absorbs harmful cholesterol.

How to choose?

In many stores, char is found frozen or fresh. To choose a good fish, you need:

1. Press on the carcass. Fresh fish does not form dents, but the formed and persistent indentations indicate that it is not the first freshness.
2. Inspect the gills. Normally they are pink in color, but brown and gray shades indicate rotten fish.
3. Assess the color of the fish, its fins and eyes. A dry or broken tail, absence of a white film on the eyes and a change in body color will indicate that the fish is stale.
4. Frozen fish must be packed in a whole, airtight vacuum package.

Benefits and harms in diseases

Depending on the disease, experts indicate some features of the impact of char on health:

• hypertension. Fish is rich in substances that help normalize blood pressure. People suffering from pathology are advised to eat 100 g of the product daily;
• pancreatitis. In case of chronic disease in remission, fish helps restore the balance of vitamins and minerals. During an exacerbation, char is prohibited;
• thrombosis. Only properly prepared products are allowed: steamed, grilled, baked in the oven;
• osteoporosis. Red fish - contains substances that promote the accumulation and absorption of calcium. It is advisable for patients to eat char daily.

Recommendations from nutritionists for losing weight

Nutritionists recommend including red fish in your diet. It is fattier than hake or halibut, but contains more amino acids. If a person has a choice between salmon, salmon or char, it is better to take the latter. Its calorie content is lower than that of the listed varieties. When losing weight, you need to follow several rules:

1. Steam, bake, boil fish.
2. If you are overweight, eat the product 1-2 times a week, 100 g.
3. After eliminating extra pounds, you can use it more often.
4. Avoid smoked, salted, and oil-fried fish.

Nutritional value, calorie content

Vitamins:

• choline (B4) – 64.7 mg;
• niacin (PP) – 2.92 mg;
• pantothenic acid (B5) – 0.75 mg;
• pyridoxine (B6) – 0.28 mg;
• thiamine (B1) – 0.14 mg;
• tocopherol (E) – 0.18 mg;
• riboflavin (B2) – 0.12 mg;
• retinol (A) – 35.45 mcg;
• folic acid (B9) – 14.98 mcg;
• cobalamins (B12) – 0.97 mcg;
• phylloquinone (K) – 0.098 mcg.

Minerals:

• potassium – 316.577 mg;
• phosphorus – 269.1 mg;
• sodium – 50.91 mg;
• magnesium – 34.416 mg;
• calcium – 25.66 mg;
• zinc – 0.99 mg;
• iron – 0.37 mg;
• manganese – 0.066 mg;
• copper – 71.61 mcg;
• selenium – 12.71 mcg.

100 g of raw char – 134.761 kcal.

Calorie table for different cooking methods

How is it different from other fish?

Despite the fact that different types of fish are similar to each other, they can be distinguished by certain features.

From pink salmon

The main differences between char and pink salmon are in appearance. The caudal fin of pink salmon has round black spots, and the caudal peduncle is pronounced and thick, which is not the case in char. In addition, pink salmon and char differ in the presence of scales: in the first fish they are small, but plentiful, while in char they are practically absent.

From paliya

Palia is a type of loach. It is distinguished from other representatives of its species by its tall body of medium and large size. It reaches 70-75 cm in length, and the average weight is 6-7 kg. An interesting feature of Palia is its slow growth, which is why at the age of 19 its body weight is about 5 kg.

Dried, smoked char

It is not advisable to dry red meat, since the cooking method deprives the product of its unique taste characteristics. Smoked char is considered a delicacy. When processed hot or cold, it retains its tenderness and attractive color.

However, eating fish in this form is dangerous:

1. Artificial colors and flavors are often used in cooking. In addition, during the smoking process, a large number of carcinogens are formed, which contribute to the formation of cancer cells.
2. A hot smoked product loses some of its beneficial elements.
3. A piece of such fish contains more calories than boiled, steamed, grilled or oven-baked fish.

Cooking methods

Char is a versatile fish. It turns out incredibly tasty any way you cook it.

Oven-baked char has a pleasant aroma and a very tasty fried crust. To prepare, the fish is cut, rubbed with spices, coated with sour cream or butter. Next, put it in foil, and sprinkle onion, garlic or lemon on top - it all depends on personal preference. After pinching the foil on all sides, the loaches are placed in an oven preheated to 200 °C.

For frying, the char is pre-cut, cut into small pieces, or a whole fillet is taken for frying. The fish is coated with salt and spices, and then, if desired, dipped in crackers or batter. The next step is to pour a little vegetable oil into the frying pan and, after heating it, lower the fish into it. Fry the char for several minutes on all sides.

Steamed char will be useful for people who follow a healthy diet, those on a diet and those who simply do not like heavy fried food.

To prepare steamed fish, you will need a steamer or multicooker. Peeled and cut into pieces, the loach is coated with salt and spices to taste, and then placed in the bowl of the kitchen device. The fish is cooked for 20 minutes.

How to salt fish?

The best way to prepare it is to salt the char using the dry salting method. To do this, the fish is pre-washed and wiped dry. In a separate bowl, mix salt and sugar in a 2:1 ratio, respectively. Part of the mixture is poured into a deep salting container, then chopped pieces of fish are laid out and the remaining amount of salt and sugar is added. Char is salted at the rate of 100 g of bulk mixture per 1 kg of fish. The container with the product is placed in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, the fish is taken out, shaken off the salt, washed and dried. Next comes the second stage of salting: the loach is rubbed with ground black pepper, placed in a deep container, and chopped pepper is placed on top of the fish. After 2 hours in the refrigerator, the char will be ready to eat.

How to smoke?

There are two ways to smoke char – cold and hot smoking.

This is a predator, its main diet consists of food of animal origin, namely live fish, including its own young. It is most active in the morning and evening hours. Arctic char is caught using spinning baits. The best of them are recognized:

• Turntables;
• Rattlins;
• Classic wobblers;
• Cranks.

Despite its wide distribution area, char is a rather rare fish; its population is gradually declining due to the fact that fishing is practically uncontrolled. In Russia, the Transbaikal form and the Davatchans are listed in the Red Book. In other countries, the population size does not cause concern.

Depending on the conditions, char is caught using different types of gear. These include:

• Float rod;
• Spinning tackle;
• Donka;
• Boat with flies:
• Winter girders.

To catch small brook Dolly Varden, use both float tackle and spinning rods with small baits.

As you can see, char is not an ordinary fish, this is evidenced by the photo, the description of the lifestyle, and the equipment used. Depending on its shape, it has several names - malma, paliya. Two of the four species living in Russia are subject to a fishing ban. Fishing is a labor type of fishing, but it promises the capture of a real trophy.

What products does it combine with?

Char is best paired with vegetables. Those who like to experiment should take into account that the simultaneous consumption of incompatible ingredients leads to digestive disorders and reduced absorption of nutrients.

Compatibility table with other products

Cooking secrets

When defrosting, you need to take into account a number of features:

• the fish does not lose excess water if the process takes place slowly in the refrigerator;
• to preserve natural moisture, you need to cover the carcass with plastic wrap;
• Do not defrost fish in the microwave, expose it to contrasting temperatures, or bend it.

Cutting rules:

1. Use a knife to remove small scales from the carcass.
2. Remove fins and gills.
3. When ripping open the belly, make a shallow incision from head to tail without damaging the gall bladder.
4. To remove the backbone and bones, it is better to cut the carcass half-thawed.

You can cook many dishes from char in a frying pan, in a slow cooker, or in the oven. Several recipes are offered to the reader's attention.

Char baked in foil with vegetables

Compound:

• 2 medium fish carcasses;
• 1 small carrot;
• 2 tomatoes;
• 1 sweet pepper;
• several sprigs of parsley;
• 2 tbsp. spoons of olive oil;
• a pinch of Italian herbs;
• 0.5 lemon;
• salt to taste.

1. For the sauce, mix herbs, salt, olive oil, lemon juice.
2. Cut the fish into medium pieces, vegetables into rings or half rings.
3. Make bags out of foil and fill them in the following order: carrots, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, char.
4. Pour the sauce over the dish, seal with foil, and place in the oven.
5. Bake at 180 - 200 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes.

Char pie

Ingredients:

• 500 g puff pastry;
• 800 g fish fillet;
• 2 onions;
• 3 chicken eggs;
• spices and salt to taste.

1. Boil the eggs and cut into cubes.
2. Divide the fillet into medium pieces, the onion into half rings, mix, fry and cool.
3. Place half of the dough on a baking sheet, fill with filling: 1st layer - eggs, 2nd - fish with onions.
4. Cover the pie with the remaining dough and pinch the edges.
5. Bake until golden brown at 190 degrees.

Compound:

• 1 fish carcass without entrails;
• 2 units each tomato and potato;
• 1 medium onion and 1 carrot each;
• 3 liters of water;
• salt to taste, spices, herbs.

1. Place the loach in cold liquid.
2. Bring to a boil, add salt and collect foam.
3. Boil for 15 - 20 minutes, remove the fish.
4. Add chopped vegetables and spices to the broth.
5. Bring the potatoes until cooked and add the char meat separated from the bones, cook for 1 - 2 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with herbs before serving.

How to salt fish at home

Only fish that has not been frozen should be salted. According to housewives, char cooked according to the following recipe turns out delicious:

1. Divide the fish lengthwise into two parts.
2. Mix salt and sugar 2:1 (1 kg of raw materials – 100 g of dry marinade).
3. In a deep container, mix the carcass with the prepared mixture.
4. Close the container tightly and put it in the refrigerator.
5. After 12 hours, shake the fish to remove excess marinade and leave for another 12 hours.
6. Before serving, cut into slices and sprinkle with spices or herbs.

How to store?

To keep your char fresh, it is important to follow some basic rules. To begin with, before storage, fresh fish must be cut, gutted, thoroughly rinsed with water and dried with a napkin. Only after this can the loach be sent to the refrigerator. A shelf located away from dairy products and vegetables, which easily absorb extraneous odors, is suitable as a storage space. Fresh fish cannot be stored in the refrigerator for a long time; the maximum period is 2-3 days.

For longer storage, freezing is suitable. The cut and gutted fish is placed in a plastic bag and sent to the freezer. There, char can retain its freshness and all its beneficial properties for several months.