✅ Ishkhan fish photo - netfishing24.ru

Varieties

Trout from Lake Sevan belongs to a special species and is very different from other representatives of this species. Unlike other trout species, whose weight rarely exceeds the seven-kilogram mark, the Sevan species can reach a weight of more than 15 kg and have a length of about a meter.

Ishkhan differs from European trout not only in its greater weight, but also in appearance. If the color of European trout includes many small spots, then the Sevan species has very few such spots, and they are much larger. Ichthyologists distinguish 4 subspecies of ishkhan, which have a number of significant differences among themselves.

WINTER ISHKHAN

The largest subspecies of Sevan trout is called “winter ishkhan”. Its maximum weight can be close to 20 kg, and its length can be more than a meter. This fish is silver in color with a small number of large, dark spots. Interestingly, the spots can have a variety of shapes. Each spot has a light edge.

Interesting! Despite such impressive size, the winter iskhan is not a pronounced predator and feeds mainly on bottom crustaceans.

Fish of this subspecies reach maturity at the age of 5 years. During the spawning period, males radically change their color. Their scales take on a dark tint, and the few spots on their sides become bright red. Females do not change their appearance during spawning. The spawning grounds of the winter Ishkhan are the shallow bays of Lake Sevan. At one time, the female is capable of laying more than 4,000 eggs.

It should be noted that the lake is home to 2 herds of winter Ishkhan, which spawn at different times and at different depths. The spawning of the first herd lasts from October to January, while the fish spawns at a depth of up to 4 m. The spawning of the second herd takes place from January to March, and the eggs are deposited at a depth of up to 20 m. In recent years, the reservoir has become very shallow, which has led to the loss of many spawning grounds winter ishkhan. Due to this circumstance, the number of this subspecies has sharply decreased.

Description

The size of an individual fish depends on its subspecies and conditions of detention. In some places, Trout does not grow even 30 cm, weighing up to 1 kg, while in others you can find an individual measuring 90 cm and weighing up to 6 kg. The record catch is listed in the Guinness Book of Records and is 1.17 meters, weighing 25 kg. However, large species are very rare.

Sometimes it can be difficult to identify brown trout by appearance. Such changes are due to the difference in subspecies. Even an experienced fisherman, who is presented with several subspecies of trout, will not be able to say 100% what type of trout is in front of him.

Migratory brown trout lives in the seas and in large water areas. This is necessary for spawning, during which it moves from the sea to a river with fresh water.

To learn more:

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

The fish also has a color that reflects its habitat.

Found in nature:

light;
dark gray;
brown;
black.

In addition to the main camouflage, brown trout have spots all over the surface of the carcass.

Summer Ishkhan

The second species of Sevan trout is the summer ishkhan. This fish is also called summer bahtak. They called it that because it lays eggs in spring or summer. Its spawning takes place in the Bakhtak-chay and Gedak-bulakh rivers, as well as in Sevan itself, in the pre-estuary areas of the lake. This type of trout is smaller. Its maximum weight reaches two kilograms, and its length is about 60 centimeters. Summer ishkhan matures at the age of 2-7 years. This type is a less prolific trout species.

GEGHARKUNI

Another type of Sevan trout is called “Gegharkuni”. This subspecies differs from other trout living in Sevan by its original color. On the body of this fish there are not only variegated spots, but also transverse stripes, uncharacteristic of salmon. In general, the color of Gegharkuni is slightly darker than that of other Sevan trout, but it also has a silvery tint.

The main difference between Gegharkuni and other salmonids of Lake Sevan is that this subspecies feeds not only on bottom crustaceans, but also on zooplankton, which is brought into the lake by river flows. In addition, unlike its closest relatives, gegharkuni can spawn only in the running water of rivers flowing into the lake.

Important! Despite all attempts to restore the number of Sevan trout, its population is declining every year. The reason for this is the natural decrease in the water level in the lake and the reduction of natural spawning grounds.

In the 90s, a sharp increase in biogenic elements in the water was noted in Lake Sevan, which could enter the reservoir through industrial and municipal wastewater. After the water was polluted, the lake began to become heavily overgrown, which also negatively affected its underwater inhabitants.

Today Sevan trout is on the verge of extinction. Several years ago, this species was listed in the Red Book, so any fishing for Ishkhan is strictly prohibited.

BOJACK

The smallest subspecies of ishkhan is bojak. Ichthyologists claim that the maximum size of this dwarf trout is limited to 30 cm. Fishermen's catches usually contain fish 15–20 cm long. Males of bojak are characterized by red spots on their sides. It spawns only in lakes and enters rivers extremely rarely. Bojack becomes sexually mature at the age of 4 years.

An interesting fact is that, unlike its closest relatives, this subspecies does not make nests for laying eggs. Bojack spawns throughout the bottom soil of the lake, at a depth of more than 30 m.

Subspecies[edit | edit code]

Sevan - the habitat of Ishkhan

Ishkhan forms 4 subspecies (sometimes a 5th one, alabalakh, is mistakenly attributed to it) differing in time and place of spawning, as well as growth rate: winter bakhtak and bojak are lake fish, summer bakhtak and gegharkuni are migratory fish. Ishkhan is the largest trout found in the USSR: winter melon reaches 90 cm (there have been cases of catching winter melon up to 104 cm long), weighs up to 17 kg. The subspecies mainly feed on bottom-dwelling amphipods. Ishkhan is the main commercial fish of Lake Sevan. The catches are dominated by fish aged 4-6 years (28-33 cm long, weighing 340-560 g).[1]

Winter melon (Salmo danilewskii)[edit | edit code]

Winter melon is the largest representative of the Sevan trout species. There are from 104 to 119 scales in the lateral line, and 16-20 gill rakers. At the age of 4-5 years, winter melon matures.

During feeding, the bahtak is silvery-white with a dark, steel-colored back. Few dark spots are surrounded by a light rim. Males darken before spawning, their fins become almost black, the light rim on the black spots stands out very sharply, and 2-3 red spots appear on the sides of the body. The females change little and lay eggs in the lake itself (about 4 thousand eggs).

After the fall in the level of Sevan, almost all the main spawning grounds of winter melon found themselves on the shore. Now it is found very rarely, mainly in areas of preserved spawning grounds. Before the water level in Sevan dropped, the commercial stock of winter Ishkhan was about 1.5 million individuals.

Gegharkuni (Salmo ischchan gegarkuni)[edit | edit code]

Gegharkuni (Salmo ischchan gegarkuni)

Gegharkuni is an anadromous form of Sevan trout. The body of the juveniles has dark transverse stripes and brown-yellow and red spots. Individuals older than one year feed in the lake. The coloring is similar to that of the winter Ishkhan, but seems somewhat darker due to larger and more frequently spaced spots; individuals weighing up to 16 kg are found. Gegharkuni feeds not only on benthos, like its relatives, but also on zooplankton. Gegharkuni breeds exclusively in rivers, at their sources.

Before the water level of Sevan dropped, the commercial stock of Gegharkuni was about 1.6 million individuals. Some of the young Gegarkuni do not slide into the lake, and turn into a residential form similar to brook trout, which is called alabalakh (similar to the situation with lake trout and European brook trout)

Summer melon (Salmo ischchan aestivalis)[edit | edit code]

Summer melon lays eggs in spring and summer in rivers flowing into the lake and in the lake itself, in the areas near the mouth. The size of the summer melon reaches up to 55 cm in length, weight - 1.9 kg, the number of scales in the lateral line is 105-117.

The fish matures at the age of 2 to 7 years, it is less prolific than the winter melon: it lays an average of 1200 eggs on the ground of gravel and pebbles. The summer Ishkhan often has red spots on the sides of its body. Until the mid-1940s, the commercial stock of this form was estimated at 1.7 million individuals, by the 1960s - at 0.8 million individuals, at present it is equal to several thousand individuals.

Bojack (Salmo ischchan danilewskii)[edit | edit code]

Bojak is the smallest representative of Sevan trout: its body length does not exceed 33 cm, weight 224 g. The average length of these fish is 24-26 cm. Bojack males, especially small ones, often have red spots on their sides. Bojack spawns only in the lake, at 3-4 years of age. Unlike other subspecies of ishkhan, bojak does not build nests, but scatters its eggs along the bottom of the lake, at depths from 0.5 to 15 m in October - November at a temperature of 10 ° C.[2][3]

The main distinctive features of the bojack are a large eye, a short snout, a narrow forehead, short bases of the dorsal and anal fins, and a smaller number of gill rakers compared to other races (15-20). Bojack is never reproduced artificially. Before the decrease in the water level of Sevan, the commercial stock of winter Ishkhan was about 1.5 million individuals.[4]

Map - Areas

Sevan trout Salmo ischchan,
Black Sea salmon Salmo trutta labrax,
Caspian salmon Salmo trutta caspius,
Aral salmon Salmo trutta aralensis

The main factors that caused a sharp decrease in the number of all races of Sevan trout should be considered a violation of reproduction conditions as a result of a decrease in the level of Lake Sevan by 18.5 m and drainage of spawning grounds, deterioration of habitat conditions for juveniles in rivers, and a reduction in the scale of artificial breeding. The decline in numbers was also adversely affected by eutrophication of the lake, poaching, especially during the breeding season, and the complete lack of protection of trout.

Sevan trout (cooking)

Cooking Sevan trout at home. This simplified recipe will allow you to prepare the dish in a hurry. Tasty, simple, healthy. Be sure to try it!

Description of preparation

Sevan trout is a dish of national Armenian cuisine, which, if you have the skill, can be prepared in less than an hour. This recipe for preparing Sevan trout differs from others mainly in the use of ginger and a small amount of other types of spices.

Trout – 800 grams
Lemon – 1 piece
Onions – 1 piece
Grated ginger - 1/2 tbsp. spoons
Garlic – 1 clove
Tomato – 1 piece
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp. spoon
Greens - To taste
Olive oil - 2 tbsp. spoons
Salt - To taste
Pepper - To taste

Number of servings: 3-4

Video

Sevan (Armenian) trout - description of the species with photos

This type of trout lives only in the legendary Lake Sevan and small lakes located nearby. It has another name, which is translated from Armenian as “King”. The fish grows to a meter in length, gaining weight up to fifteen kilograms. These figures are significantly higher than those of the European species of this fish. And the color of this type of trout is more colorful. Unlike its European counterpart, Sevan trout is covered with larger and brighter spots, there are not so many of them. But they make it decorative.

Trout in this area comes in four subspecies, which differ from each other:

winter ishkhan
summer ishkhan
Gegharkuni
Bojack.

And each of these types has its own characteristics.

Trout habitats

Trout habitats are widespread in the northern hemisphere of our planet. This is explained by the demands on temperature and purity of water. Trout prefers clear, cold waters.

The lake variety is found in clean, cold waters of Karelia, the Kola Peninsula in the northern regions of Russia. Lake trout live in schools and live in deep water.

Rainbow trout has the widest habitat. This variety is least demanding of water purity and temperature, so it can be found even in the southern regions. Rainbow trout thrive in lakes, ponds, and rivers. This species is most often used for breeding in paid reservoirs.

Brook trout live in clear, cold, fast-flowing rivers. Found in Norway, Finland, Canada, and northern Russia.

In Armenia, Lake Sevan is home to a unique species of trout. That’s what it’s called – the Sevan variety.

Sea trout live in the northern regions of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. And also in the seas of the Arctic Ocean.

Trout also exists in the Mediterranean Sea, mountain rivers of the Caucasus, Primorye and some other regions.

Summer Ishkhan

This subspecies of trout differs from the winter ishkhan in appearance and timing of spawning. Already from the name it is clear that the summer Ishkhan spawns strictly in the summer. The summer Ishkhan reaches a length of 60 centimeters and weighs about 2 kg. The appearance of these subspecies is also significantly different. This type of fish is not only smaller, but the spots on its body are blurry, irregular in shape, and dark in color.

Trout lures

Lures for trout should imitate their natural food. Experienced fishermen have several baits in their arsenal that trout constantly bite on.

I will tell you about the most popular types:

for live bait. A small fish acts as bait. This bait works on adults that feed on fish. You can fish with live bait at any time of the year.
on a fly. The fly imitates a flying insect. This fishing method is only possible in summer.
on a spinner. Spoons can be different in design and color. Experienced fishermen often use the Kastmaster spinner. These are narrow-bodied oscillating spoons that are suitable for catching a variety of fish. Trout bite perfectly on this bait.
for worms. Large dung worms are used to catch trout. They can be tinted for a brighter color.

The type of bait is selected individually in each case. It all depends on the reservoir and the type of trout.

Gegharkuni

This subspecies of Sevan trout is perhaps the most beautiful in color. Not only are the spots on his body more frequent, they are also different in color. In addition to the spots, there are also stripes along the entire body, and the body color itself is a more saturated shade of bronze with silver tints.

In addition to its colorful colors, gegharkuni differs from others in that it spawns only in those places of lakes where rivers flow into. Caviar needs air and water movement for better development.

bojack

This subspecies of trout, unlike all other representatives of this fish in the lake, is quite small. It does not grow more than 30 centimeters. And the bojack spawns, without making nests, at the depth of the entire lake. Simply sowing eggs on the bottom surface in its habitat.

The most interesting thing is that each of the species has chosen its own habitat in the lake and does not pose a threat to each other at all, despite the fact that they are predatory fish. They do not interfere with the reproduction and hatching of young animals, because they differ in habitat and spawning time. All species of Sevan trout are on the verge of extinction due to environmental pollution, overgrowing of lakes, and poaching.

Armenian trout, as this type of fish is also called, is very popular among local residents and not only among them. To visit Armenia and not try dishes made from this fish will be considered almost a crime, an act of disrespect for the entire people. This is why poaching in Lake Sevan flourishes, and no measures are taken to protect and breed this fish.

Trout fishing

For most hunters, fish is of great value - after all, it is a predator. Before fishing, the habits of the fish are also taken into account, because when searching for food, brown trout go to shallow water.

Trout fishing

For fishing, you should choose float gear up to 5 m in order to comfortably move along the shore with large thickets. A worm or maggot is suitable as bait.

Advice! During spawning, trout are found at any depth.

When fishing with a spinning rod, you should choose gear for a specific time of year. In summer, fish live near the surface, so it is better to choose a spoon. Wobblers are recommended in autumn and spring. The best time of day is morning.

To learn more:

Char: description of red fish

It is not wise to catch fish after spawning because they lose weight.

Ishkhan fish photo

Ishkhan - king fish from Armenia

Products - tags: ishkhan, gegharkuni, bojak, summer bakhtak, alabalakh

While setting up a continuation of the topic on ecology, I came across a conversation about Lake Sevan. Well, how can we not remember the famous fish, which is found only in Armenia, and which is called ISHKHAN? In the Baltics, trout is a fairly common product. And oddly enough, it is not that expensive. But trout (and ishkhan is a type of trout) is said to be superior in taste to Baltic trout. Well, maybe it’s Armenian nationalism that pushes us to think so)))

And yet a little about fish, which is considered a delicacy.

Ishkhan is a fish, otherwise called Sevan trout. “Ishkhan” translated from Armenian means “prince,” and indeed, this fish that lives in Lake Sevan is completely different from the usual trout that swims in all the rivers of Europe. Thus, Ishkhan is a lake fish, and it is represented in several species that spawn at different times of the year. Sevan trout comes to grocery stores from Armenia both fresh and frozen. Ishkhan is a fish ideal for all types of culinary processing. Containing the perfect amount of protein and fat, it is especially good served with white sauce and accompanied by roasted vegetables. Ishkhan is a fish that goes well with seasonings unusual for its counterparts: fruits, nuts, pomegranate and lemon juice.

There is a wide range of dishes based on ishkhan: fish can be boiled, fried in wine, stewed with almonds, and so on. Ishkhan is a fairly large fish, which is highly valued in the Armenian food market and is therefore the object of significant fishing. Since Lake Sevan, where Ishkhan is found, is located on the territory of Armenia, dishes made from Sevan trout are typical of Armenian cuisine. A very popular delicacy is ishkhan in wine with the addition of basil, tarragon, green onions and pepper. To prepare it, you first need to prepare the ishkhan: the fish is removed from the entrails and washed well. Then sticks are placed on the bottom of the stewpan, on which the fish, already treated with salt and pepper, is placed. Next, you need to give the Armenian taste and aroma to the ishkhan: for this purpose, the fish is covered with tarragon and other herbs.

After forming a dish of two layers of fish, sprinkled with lemon juice and covered with herbs, a glass of dry white wine is poured into a saucepan and put on fire. It is easy to determine the readiness of ishkhan - the fish should easily separate from the skin when touched with a wooden spatula. It’s even easier to prepare boiled ishkhan: the fish is washed, salted, sprinkled with lemon juice and placed in an oblong flat dish, where vinegar, water and onion are added. In 8-9 minutes the fish will be ready

Subspecies

Winter melon (Salmo danilewskii)

Winter melon is the largest representative of the Sevan trout species. There are from 104 to 119 scales in the lateral line, 16-20 gill rakers. At the age of 4-5 years, the winter melon matures.

After the fall in the level of Sevan, almost all the main spawning grounds of winter melon found themselves on the shore. Now it is found very rarely, mainly in areas of preserved spawning grounds. Before the decrease in the water level of Sevan, the commercial stock of winter fish was about 1.5 million individuals.

Gegharkuni (Salmo ischchan gegarkuni)

Before the water level of Sevan dropped, the commercial stock of Gegharkuni was about 1.6 million individuals.

Summer melon (Salmo ischchan aestivalis)

The fish matures at the age of 2 to 7 years, it is less prolific than the winter melon: it lays an average of 1200 eggs on the ground of gravel and pebbles. The summer Ishkhan often has red spots on the sides of its body. Until the mid-1940s, the commercial stock of this form was estimated at 1.7 million individuals, by the 60s - at 0.8 million individuals, at present it is equal to several thousand individuals.

Bojack (Salmo ischchan danilewskii)

Bojak is the smallest representative of the Sevan trout: its body length does not exceed 33 cm, weight 224 g. The average length of these fish is 24-26 cm. Bojack males, especially small ones, often have red spots on their sides. Bojack spawns only in the lake, at 3-4 years of age. Unlike other subspecies of ishkhan, bojak builds nests and scatters its eggs along the bottom of the lake, at depths from 0.5 to 15 m in October - November at a temperature of 10°C. [2] [3]

The main distinctive features of the bojack are a large eye, a short snout, a narrow forehead, short bases of the dorsal and anal fins, and a smaller number of gill rakers compared to other races (15-20). Bojack is never artificially reproduced. Before the decrease in the water level of Sevan, the commercial stock of winter fish was about 1.5 million individuals. [4]

Species on the verge of extinction

The largest and smallest species of trout, the bojak and winter ishkhan, find themselves in a particularly difficult situation due to changes occurring in the lake itself and other bodies of water. This fish spawns in the lake itself. These species are in danger of complete extinction. And therefore, a fish called Sevan trout was declared a reserve and listed in the Red Book.

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Winter melon (Salmo danilewskii)

Winter melon is the largest representative of the Sevan trout species. There are from 104 to 119 scales in the lateral line, and 16-20 gill rakers. At the age of 4-5 years, winter melon matures.

After the fall in the level of Sevan, almost all the main spawning grounds of winter melon found themselves on the shore. Now it is found very rarely, mainly in areas of preserved spawning grounds. Before the decrease in the water level of Sevan, the commercial stock of winter fish was about 1.5 million individuals.