Africa's Lake Victoria is the largest international fishing center, with more than 200 species of fish. Every year, fishermen from all over the world come here to compete in the art of catching catfish, carp, tiger fish, and eels. The highlight of the catch is the famous giant Nile perch, the world's largest river predator.
Common view
An ordinary species, also called river, lives in most reservoirs of Russia, Asia and Europe. It is one of the smallest representatives in its order and has an average weight of about 800 g. Fishermen's trophies are often fish whose weight does not exceed 400 g.
The maximum size of an ordinary perch directly depends on the type of reservoir in which it lives and the amount of food available to it. In a large lake with significant depths and a good food supply, it can grow up to 3 kg. In small shallow ponds and lakes, where there is an acute shortage of food, the size of the striped predator rarely exceeds 300 g. In such reservoirs it forms a dwarf form and after 4 years of life it practically stops growing.
The slow-growing grass perch grows very slowly and by the age of three years of life gains a mass of 30 g. Its maximum weight is about 80 g. Deep representatives of the common species can weigh more than 100 g at 3 years of age, and by the age of eight they reach one kilogram.
In standing reservoirs, trophy perch can be found in places with complex bottom topography and on vast plateaus with a depth of about 4 m. In high-water rivers, significant specimens can be caught in the following places:
- in the area of the channel edge;
- at the confluence of tributaries;
- in snag areas with depths up to 8 m;
- at the exit from local pits.
In a small river, the largest individuals prefer to stand in coastal pools and on sharp channel bends, where the maximum depth is formed.
To catch large perch in open water, as a rule, spinning tackle is used. If we are talking about fishing in large reaches with depths of no more than 5 m, then wobblers of varying degrees of buoyancy about 12 cm long can be used as bait. In the summer, “humpback whales” can stand not only at the bottom, but also in the middle layers of water, what should be taken into account when wiring.
To get a trophy river perch from a deep hole, you will have to use a jig class of bait. A large predator responds well to twisters and dark-colored vibrotails with a length of 8 to 12 cm. The weight of the jig head is selected depending on the depth and strength of the current.
In winter, large “humpbacks” stand at a depth of at least 5 m and are often caught using jig gear designed for catching pike perch and pike perch. The best live bait for catching a trophy perch will be a small roach 10–12 cm long. It is better to purposefully catch a trophy predator from the ice using a winter fishing rod for trolling.
The bait can be:
- vertical spinners up to 12 cm long;
- balancers measuring at least 10 cm;
- ratlins 8–10 cm long.
The largest perch caught in Russia was caught at the end of the last century on Lake Tishkin Sor, located in the Uvat district of the Tyumen region. The weight of this giant was just under 6 kg with a length of more than 50 cm. It should be noted that the captured individual was a female. It contained about 600 g of caviar. The lucky person who caught this fish is called Bodymer Nikolai Arturovich. The catching tackle turned out to be a spinning rod. The bait used was a large rotating spoon, which was intended for fishing pike. Another record trophy was caught in the Baltic Sea in 2001. His weight was just over 4.5 kg.
The largest perch officially registered in the Guinness Book of Records was caught in one of the Dutch lakes by sports fisherman Willem Stolk. The fish weighed a little more than 3 kg.
Perch breeding
In the second or third year of life, depending on living conditions, the perch becomes a sexually mature predator. Before the start of spawning, striped robbers gather in numerous flocks and go to shallow water to spawn. In spawning areas there should be a gentle current, and the water temperature should reach 7 to 15 degrees plus. Fertilized eggs are attached to underwater natural or artificial objects, as well as to the roots of coastal vegetation. The masonry resembles a garland, up to a meter long, containing up to 800 thousand eggs. After 20-25 days, perch fry emerge from the eggs and initially feed on plankton. They become predators when they grow to 10 cm in length. Sea bass subspecies are viviparous fish, that is, they do not lay eggs, but fry. During the spawning period, the female gives birth to up to 2 million fry, which rise closer to the surface and begin to feed in the same way as the fry of freshwater perch.
Largemouth
Largemouth bass are often called "black" or "bass". The homeland of this fish is North America, but over the last decade it has significantly expanded the boundaries of its habitat and began to be found in some reservoirs in the CIS, Asia and Europe.
In fishermen's catches, bass weighing 1–4 kg are more common. One of the Mexican fishermen claims that he caught a specimen that weighed 11.4 kg and had a length of 97 cm. However, the capture of the trophy was not documented, so the reliability of this information is questionable.
This fish should be caught using spinning tackle. If a small predator is quite easy to catch with all kinds of artificial baits, then a large largemouth bass is very careful and picky. To catch it, it is better to use high-quality minnow and shad class wobblers, as well as silicone worm imitations. Since bass lives in heavily overgrown and snagged areas of the reservoir, soft baits should be served on an offset hook, which will minimize the risk of hooking.
The largest largemouth bass was caught in Lake Biwa, located in Japan. The successful fisherman turned out to be a man named Manabu Kurita, who had fished in this reservoir more than once and was well acquainted with the behavior of the local inhabitants. The caught bass weighed 10.5 kg and had a length of 74 cm.
Fish Bass
Largemouth bass, which belongs to the genus black perch, is often called trout perch or bass (in English, perch is “bass”). The homeland of this species of fish is considered to be the waters of North America, but largemouth bass is often found in the basins of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Black and Mediterranean seas.
Appearance
Bass can be recognized by its olive-green body color, covered with dark spots that form a jagged horizontal stripe on the sides of the fish. The body of this fish is elongated, and with age it is strongly compressed on the sides. The head of a largemouth bass is relatively large, and the upper jaw on it extends much further than the eyes. There are more than 60 ctenoid scales along the lateral line of the body, and a deep groove separates the dorsal fin. Bass fish are one of the largest members of the black grouper family and can reach up to a meter in length and weigh more than 10 kilograms. Females are much larger than males.
Habitat
Largemouth bass prefer to live in quiet and calm waters, where the bottom topography and vegetation allow them to hide and wait for prey. Nature created such conditions in the east of the Rocky Mountains in the USA, where bass have lived for a long time. This fish has also taken root in the reservoirs of Portugal, Spain, Croatia, and Italy, where it was successfully acclimatized. Largemouth bass can also be found near Cyprus and the Japanese Islands. Recently, its population has increased in water bodies of China, Vietnam and Korea.
Attempts to acclimatize bass in the reservoirs of our country were less successful, but small populations of this fish (though not of interest for sport and industrial fishing) remained in the Don and Kuban rivers, and in Lake Abrau. The average lifespan of individuals of this fish species is about 16 years.
The spawning period for bass lasts from March to July, when males prepare a nest on a pebble or sandy bottom, and females lay from a thousand to 4 thousand eggs. Each of the males, having fertilized the eggs laid by the females, guards the nest until small fish appear.
Nutritional Features
Despite such care for its offspring, largemouth bass is an ardent predator that does not disdain small species and fry of other fish. At the same time, young bass feed on small fish, insects, shrimp, amphipods, and older fish feed on snails, frogs, crayfish, small fish, salamanders, snakes, bats, small waterfowl and even young crocodiles.
Where, how and when to catch bass
Largemouth bass are a coveted trophy for fishermen around the world. Bass fishing is especially popular in North America, but recently professional and amateur fishermen in European countries and Japan have been trying to outwit this fish.
Professional and amateur fishermen value bass as one of the strongest and most persistent “game fish.” With its resistance, tenacity and power, largemouth bass can compete with salmon. The fish attacks the bait, jumping out of cover with lightning speed and swallowing it whole. Having swallowed the hook, the bass violently resists, then jumps out of the water, then goes into the depths. The self-preservation instinct of largemouth bass is so developed that it often emerges victorious in competition even with venerable and experienced fishermen.
By analogy with its relative, the European perch, largemouth bass is caught using a worm (live and artificial) and live bait. Depending on the natural conditions of a particular reservoir, the appropriate bait is selected. For example, in grassy shallow waters, the easiest ways to catch bass are with poppers, spinner baits, and wobble-free spinnerbaits. Near the shoreline and under overhanging trees, spinners, crankbaits, and light jigs work well to catch largemouth bass. But in snags it is best to use light gliding baits made of silicone, imitating live crayfish, insects and their larvae. At great depths, the most preferred method for catching bass is jig spinning using the so-called “Texas rig.”
Largemouth bass are typically caught during the open water period, from early spring (after the ice has broken up) until the first frost. You can try your luck in open water in winter, but in cold water the bass is less active, the fish requires very delicate baits, and the retrieve must be very slow. In warm water, largemouth bass are more active and the bites are regular and powerful. Largemouth bass, unlike other types of perch, are not caught from under the ice in winter.
Perch is the largest in Russia and in the world. Features of the structure and behavior of perch
A frequent trophy among fishing enthusiasts, especially in winter, is river perch. A large perch is the most desirable prey, and having caught this fish, you want to immediately weigh it, measure it and photograph it.
This article will talk about this wonderful fish and how the weight and size of a perch relate to its age. You can also find out where the largest perch in the world was caught.
Deadly jaws of groupers
Grouper sea bass of enormous size can be very aggressive, it clearly protects its space - it drives away, and sometimes swallows, anyone it comes across. The size of the mouth of some groupers is very impressive; an adult can easily fit in it. The jaws of the perch's mouth are massive and have an expressive shape. The upper jaw is larger in size than the lower jaw, making it very convenient for the grouper to swallow prey completely.
The perch swallows its prey in a very amazing way. Its huge mouth can suddenly open and, like a funnel, suck in its prey. A large sea bass can attack a person if suddenly, out of ignorance, he violates the boundaries, because the grouper doesn’t care who it is, a fish or a person, the main thing is not to get close!
They hide in the dark gorges of the underwater world, between rocks or among the wreckage of sunken ships and can grab everything that floats past with their unrealistically large mouths. Grouper groupers pose a great danger to scuba divers. Some pearl divers fear groupers even more than dangerous predators - sharks. There have been cases when a grouper could half swallow a diver. The scuba diver was saved only by the fact that the perch, feeling a compressed air cylinder in its mouth, released the man, since he could not swallow him.
In addition to the enormous size of the sea bass's mouth, its prickly spines also pose an extreme danger to humans. They are very sharp and, piercing the body of a scuba diver, can cause quite serious wounds and, as a result, contribute to large loss of blood. This is why divers are always warned to avoid large log-like fish.
Perch: habitat
River perch is one of the most well-studied and widespread fish species in Eurasia. And yet, in reality, there are many more questions in terms of perch biology than answers. It turns out that other fish species have been studied even less well.
River perch lives almost throughout Eurasia. In Asia, it is found even in the north (Kolyma), and was once distinguished as a separate subspecies. In the south, on Lake Balkhash, this species is adjacent to the Balkhash perch.
In Europe, its habitat first extended to the northern part of the British Isles, the northern parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula and the north of the Kola Peninsula. The southern range covered the territories of almost all of Europe. But now the places where this fish is found are expanding, since river perch, being a competitive species, often displaces local endemic representatives when introduced into new bodies of water.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle of perch
River perch (lat. Perca fluviatilis; common perch, European perch) is a fish of the perch genus of the perch family, order Perciformes. River perch is a predatory fish: other freshwater fish occupy a significant proportion in the diet of adult perch.
The predatory perch, however, often becomes the prey of larger predators - pike, catfish, burbot, [[|pike perch|pike perch]], as well as birds - gulls, osprey, hawk, etc.
Perch will eat any fish, as long as it is the right size. And since its toothy mouth is very wide, it can eat quite large fish. Even juvenile perch prey on fry of other fish almost the same size as the perch themselves. Perches do not give mercy even to their own offspring.
In addition to fish, perches hunt for crayfish (especially molting ones, devoid of a durable shell, although crustaceans protected by a shell are too tough for them), caviar, and aquatic insects.
Perch is unusually voracious. If there is a large school of fish in front of him, he, having barely swallowed one fish, immediately swallows the second, third, etc. Sometimes fry that do not fit in the stomach stick out of the mouth. Many believe that the greatest damage to the “fish stock” is caused by pike. However, in this regard, the perch is unlikely to yield to it, rather the opposite. In ponds where [[|pike perch|pike perch]], bream, whitefish, and especially carp are bred, perch is a death sentence for caviar and fry.
Perch likes cool water and does not like to swim near the surface of the water. But if a school of fish appears on the surface, then he, without hesitation, rises from the depths.
Spawning of perch begins in the south of the country in March - April, and in the north - in May, and sometimes it drags on, and individual specimens are caught with milk even in June. During spawning it does not gather in large flocks. The eggs are usually laid near last year's aquatic vegetation, at shallow depths. After spawning, it goes to summer camps, where it stays relatively sedentary until autumn. With the onset of cold weather, it gradually gathers in large flocks and lives in the middle and lower layers of water. Small perch feed on various aquatic insects, and as they grow, they become predators.
High fertility, 200-300 thousand or more eggs, the ability to destroy the eggs and juveniles of other fish put perch in the position of a competitor to more valuable fish. According to ichthyologists, it should be intensively caught.
Description
Perch has excellent ecological plasticity, and therefore, adapting to different living conditions, it can look completely different. For example, in Karelian lakes you can find almost black representatives of the species. This coloring allows them to camouflage well. And in many rivers where the sandy bottom predominates, this fish, on the contrary, is very light. Sometimes even the stripes on her body are not visible.
The sizes, proportions, number and color of fins can also vary. It is important to note that all of these existing forms are not subspecies. Their external features are not inherited, and over time, for example, a dark-colored Karelian perch placed in a reservoir with a lighter bottom gradually becomes lighter.
The largest perch in Russia is considered to weigh just under 6 kilograms, but this is quite rare. Even weighing about 1.5 kg, this fish is considered large, and more than two kilograms is considered very large. In small bodies of water, the average weight of perches rarely reaches 700-1200 grams.
The big bass aren't that big. For the most part they grow in height and thickness. Their length is approximately 54 cm, and their thickness and height are approximately 18 and 27 centimeters, respectively.
Russian perch
The usual size of perch does not exceed 1200 grams. In rare cases, it reaches 2.8 kg, and only in large lakes, for example, on Onega, are there 3-kilogram or more, and on Lake Peipus - 4-kg. It should be noted that such giants are no longer a curiosity for Western Siberia. Yekaterinburg lakes and reservoirs in its environs are home to huge perches (about 5 kg).
The largest perch caught in Russia is a female spawn, whose weight reached 5.965 kilograms. It was caught on Lake Tishkin Sor in 1996, in the Tyumen region (Uvat district).
Particularly large perches are caught in Siberia and the Lower Volga. This is due to the presence of large feeding grounds and the slight pressure of civilization.
The age of the fish is determined by the growth rings marked on the upper jaw and on the operculum bone. River perch can live up to about 23 years. This age was recorded for perch that lived and was caught in Mongolia, in Lake Khuvsgol. Its length was 44.7 cm, and its body weight was more than 2 kg.
Both the size and lifespan of fish of this species also depend on the characteristics of the reservoir. Where does large perch live in Russia? The largest specimen can be found in the deltas of the Kuban and Volga rivers and in the reservoirs of Siberia.
Perch fishing
They hunt for perch in several ways. In summer, the most common fishing is with a float rod and a worm. Fish with 2-3 fishing rods at the same time. The perch takes it decisively and greedily, swallowing the bait deeply. However, this is not always the case. Large and medium ones do not readily bite the worm, and the use of other baits - lamprey larvae, small minnows and fry - gives better results. In the absence of gudgeon, they are caught with small crucian carp or ruff. Live bait is placed on a single hook No. 5-7 on a nylon leash 0.25-0.3 mm thick. When fishing in the current, baitfish are hooked onto both lips, and in still water - onto the back. They fish with live bait using float rods and mugs. Good baits include dragonfly larva (brant), crayfish meat, pieces of fresh fish, fish eye, bloodworms, jigs, and caddisfly larva. In deep forest lakes, perch sometimes catches well on local aquatic insects and caddisfly larvae. In autumn, at the first cold snap, small frogs are used as bait in small rivers.
On forest lakes, when fishing from a raft, perch are occasionally attracted to the fishing site using the following unusual technique. Throwing 2-3 fishing rods and making sure for 5-6 minutes. in the absence of bites, lower the rod tip into the water and 5-10 seconds. quickly spin it near the surface. Following this, bites often begin immediately.
The perch bite is decisive. He vigorously sinks the float, and at this time he is hooked. When fishing, maintain the tension of the fishing line, otherwise slippage may occur.
In summer habitats, perch is successfully caught with a spinning rod using large spinners such as “Spinner”, “Universal”, “Trofimovskaya”, “Baikal”, “Okunevaya” of white or yellow color, equipped with a small tee camouflaged with red wool. He also takes narrow oscillating spoons, but less willingly. When catching one perch, carefully fish the bite area, as it often stays in a school. The spoon is cast in the bottom layer or in half-water, close to underwater rocks, snags, ledges, etc. Subsequent casts are made closer to the school accompanying the caught perch and their movements are carefully monitored.
In a weak current or in a body of standing water, summer fishing for perch using a winter lure from a boat in a vertical position is interesting. From a boat moving slowly in the wind, they cast light continuously, close to the bottom, at a depth of 4-6 m. If the wind is driving the boat quickly, they lower a small weight dragging along the bottom or anchor with a long cord. Where a perch camp is found, a buoy is thrown into the water for orientation. Lures, as a rule, are silver or yellow, narrow, 3-4 cm long with a single soldered hook. They fish with summer and winter fishing rods.
Sometimes it is successful and interesting to fish with a winter lure on top, and cast with long (3-4 m) summer rods. The line is taken slightly shorter than the rod, which allows you to quickly pull the perch out of the water. They hold “only one rod in their hands, and two spare ones are kept in the boat in case the spoon breaks. This method is used to catch fish at dawn, when there is no wave. The boat is stopped on a lake or reservoir near islands of aquatic vegetation. They carefully look around (sometimes with the help of binoculars) and, noticing a fattening school of perch by splashes, quickly and silently drive up to it. Having stopped the boat at 5-6 m, they throw the spoon into the place of “fight” and smoothly pull it towards themselves, preventing it from sinking. The bite follows immediately, and in case of a slip or miss, another perch grabs the spoon. While seeing off the “lucky” one with a spoon in his mouth, several more fish approach the boat. The success of this fishing depends on the speed of action and precise movements of the angler. If the bite is over, you need to look around again, find a stray or another flock. They pull out the perch with reasonable haste. He stubbornly resists and easily tears his weak lips. Having broken loose, he often takes the entire flock with him. However, fishing slowly can also spook the fish. Therefore, they try to act quickly, but without sudden jerks.
In the summer you can catch perch with a jig using a long rod with a nod on the tip. If there is no nod, the angler feels the bite directly with the hand holding the rod. They fish from a boat, from the shore or from a bridge, lowering the jig vertically down and then raising it with short movements or a slow, smooth pull. A fishing line that is long and shorter than the rod is more convenient. When fishing from a boat at a depth of over 4 m, they sometimes use short winter rods and a fishing line that reaches the bottom.
Knowledge of the bottom topography is of great importance. Usually the perch stays in the bottom layer of water, therefore, using a depth gauge, you need to monitor the depth of the nozzle, which they try to keep 15-25 cm from the bottom. Sometimes perch is searched for in the upper layers of the bottom, for example when it is hunting for fry.
The best fishing time is in the morning. The evening bite is shorter. During the feast and in favorable weather, perch can be caught during the day.
Winter fishing for it is very interesting and has its own characteristics. Its most productive period is the first ice period, approximately during the first 15 days. Then the bite subsides. On many small closed reservoirs, perch fishing is good only in the first 2-3 days of freeze-up, but on large lakes, reservoirs and rivers the active bite continues for over 15 days. This depends on the weather, changes in water levels and the time of ice formation.
In winter, especially on first ice, it is easier to find perch than in summer. Most often they begin to catch it with a spoon, and as the bite weakens they switch to fishing with a jig and with fry. At the beginning of winter, lighter, well-playing spinners are used. At this time, the perch is still active and rushes after the bait moving away from it. Later, in the middle of winter, they use small but heavy spoons. A sluggish perch no longer chases a moving spoon, but rather takes one that only slightly oscillates. At this time, they switch to slow spinning, with an extended pause and a short, barely noticeable lowering of the spinner after it (and pauses when fishing with a heavy spinner should be shorter than with a light one). At great depths, over 5 m, they take heavier spoons, and in the shallows - light ones that sink slowly and can go far to the side under the ice when falling. Anglers gradually select catchable lures. The lure technique is changed taking into account the thickness of the fishing line used. The thinner it is, the freer it is to play. The “game” of the perch spinner is also influenced by a small, solid butt-soldered ring. Tying the lure with a large loop is worse, since the double loop diverging in the water is more noticeable to the fish. The eye of the perch is placed on the hook of the spoon, but it is better not the whole eye, but only the yellow film of the pupil. It holds securely and does not interfere with the movements of the spoon. Bloodworms are baited on a thin hook on a small spoon. This is an excellent bait, well used by Moscow anglers. In Siberia and the Urals they use mormysh, which perch takes very willingly. Sometimes they attach a worm or a piece of fish, but this is ineffective. Good results are achieved by baiting a fry with a size of 3-5 cm. In large bodies of water that are little fished, instead of the indicated baits, a small red hair is tied to the hook. In order for the fry to be active for as long as possible, it must be properly placed on the hook. One of the most reliable methods is to attach it to the dorsum (the dorsal fin) and through the gills. In this case, it will live longer, thereby better attracting perch.
Perch bites on a spinner vary. Sometimes it is a push that is felt by the hand holding the rod. Sometimes this is a barely noticeable rise in the line with a change in its bend at the tip of the rod. This happens when a perch takes a spoon from below and rises a little with it. In any case, immediately make a short hook.
When trolling perch vertically, a piece of thick-walled rubber tube (nod) about 10 cm long is placed on the tip of the fishing rod. With it, the angler can see the bite better. Most often, but not during the feeding period, the perch grabs the spoon while it stops.
Types of perch
In many large bodies of water, the perch population is represented by two races, each of which has its own unique habitats, diet and behavior. In the bays, in the coastal thickets, the so-called grass perch lives, and there is quite a lot of it, but it grows slowly. This specimen feeds mostly on invertebrates, but is often itself a victim of predators. Usually he is caught while fishing with a float rod.
The characteristics of deep-seated perch can be described as follows: it grows quickly, has a thick and wide body, and feeds mainly on small fish.
A characteristic feature for representatives of both races is that at a certain stage they occupy approximately the same habitat and lead a similar lifestyle. Changes and differences occur as we grow older. It should be noted that among the deep race the proportion of females is much higher. This is due to the fact that fast-growing females spawn annually.
Regarding the grass form, some researchers believe that an insufficient food supply for them definitely inhibits both their growth and the development of eggs, and therefore representatives of this species spawn only after a year.
Nutrition
From a biological point of view, perch is an omnivorous type. The diet, according to the community of biologists, consists of small fish, tadpoles and other organic food, which classifies it as a predatory fish species. But this is partially not true. Yes, large individuals of perch are sometimes able to feed even on crustaceans, but the majority are able to consume the eggs of other fish, worms, insects and even plant parts of food.
But fishermen persistently consider it a predator of fresh waters. Science has proven that the individual is very voracious. Constantly hungry and on the move. It feeds on everything that moves. Researchers found small bottom pebbles and algae inside some predators. The constant desire to eat fills him with energy and speed.
Summarizing the data on the diet of the predatory robber, we highlight its main food in fresh water:
- small fish of other species (theirs or even their own young - roach or similar)
- caviar of neighbors in the pond;
- mollusks (if present in the habitat);
- various insects and their larvae;
- aquatic worms.
Sea bass is a predatory species. Its food is considered to be marine invertebrate organisms - mollusks, or plankton. Successfully consumes the eggs of other sea inhabitants. Can eat plant foods – algae. Behavior is similar to the river species. Equally energy-intensive and constantly hungry. Large individuals are able to hunt for prey, hiding in algae thickets, unexpectedly attacking potential food.
Nile perch
Nile perch is the largest perch in the world. This individual reaches a length of up to two meters, and its weight can exceed 150 kilograms.
Due to its gigantic size, this perch is the most important predator in any habitat. It is found mainly in rivers such as the Nile, Niger and Congo.
It was in the 50s of the 19th century that Nile perch was an important commercial species. It was introduced to the lakes of East Africa - Victoria and Tanganyika.
In addition, this species was introduced into the artificial Lake Nasser, where it was bred as a commercial fish. This type of perch is a favorite catch among sports fishermen. Due to its unusually large size and ferocious disposition, it is a desirable trophy for any fisherman. A photo of the largest perch is presented below.
Nile perch usually feeds on other fish species, crayfish, and insects. There are cases of eating small representatives of their own species. The voracious perch happily bites on artificial feeding and bait.
Fishermen from all over the world come to the rivers and lakes of Africa with one single goal - to catch this magnificent giant representative. And the meat of this fish is very tasty.
It should also be noted that in 2002, an angler from Great Britain was able to catch the world's largest Nile perch, which weighed about 85 kilograms. In addition, a naturally dead perch (the largest) was once caught on Lake Victoria, the weight of which reached 140 kilograms. And ichthyologists say that this is not the limit.
About the habits of fish
At its core, perch is a schooling fish. Only the largest individuals stay solitary. Juveniles usually form large flocks of up to 100 individuals or more. Young fish feed on the eggs of other fish and invertebrates. Therefore, it is not the number of them in the flock that is important, but a good place.
Teenage perches stay in schools of about 5-20, since in such a group it is easier to hunt fry, crowding them together and creating a kind of cauldron in which predators quickly lose self-control from the sight of a large amount of prey and begin to attack aggressively. The “cauldron” for spinning fishing is the most convenient option, but the chances of catching a large specimen are slim.
A little about spawning
An increase in temperature to 10 degrees and melting ice is a good incentive for perch to spawn. Such conditions are necessary for the complete maturation of eggs, since it depends on the presence of nutrition and oxygen in the water.
Spawning migrations are a typical but not obligatory phenomenon. For example, perch that lives in fresh water, as a rule, simply looks for well-warmed and shallow areas. But individuals living in slightly salted water bodies go to fresh river water to spawn, because their eggs are sensitive to salt (they die in a salty solution as a result of dehydration).
Perch spawning lasts about a week. The number of eggs in large females can reach up to 300,000, although on average their number is about 20-30 thousand.
The largest perch caught in Russia
River perch is the most common trophy in the catches of winter fishing enthusiasts.
A large perch is always a desirable prey and often, after catching a perch, we estimate by eye (some people specially carry electronic scales with them) its size and weight. “The longer a fisherman’s arms, the bigger the fish he catches” - this joke is always in circulation when someone starts talking about what kind of humpback whales he caught last time.
But jokes aside, here we will talk about how the size and weight of a perch relate to its age.
L.P. Regarding the size of the perch, Sabaneev noted in his famous book “Life and Catching of Freshwater Fishes”:
“The usual size of perch does not exceed 2-3 pounds
(1 pound = 409 g, therefore approximately 800-1200 g). In very rare cases, it reaches 5-7 pounds (2-2.8 kg) and only in large lakes, for example Onega, are 8-pound (3.2 kg), and in Chudskoye even 10-pound (4 kg). ) perch. But in the rivers and lakes of Western Siberia, such giants are no longer a very big curiosity, and in the lakes of the Yekaterinburg district there are currently huge perches weighing 10-12 pounds (4 - about 5 kg).
However, large perches are not so big at all,
as one would expect, which depends on the fact that they grow more in thickness and height than in length. They are almost never more than ¾ arshin (arshin = 71.12 cm, i.e. approximately 54 cm), but their thickness in the back sometimes extends to four, and their height to six vershok” (vershok = 4.4 cm, means approximately 18 and 27 cm, respectively).
Interesting information about the size of perches and their growth rates is contained in Wikipedia.
In particular, it is noted there that, as a rule, the length of river perch does not exceed 50 cm and the weight is 2 kg, although individual individuals can reach larger sizes.
The largest perch ever caught in Russia was a female egg weighing 5.965 kg.
It was caught in 1996 on Lake Tishkin Sor in the Uvat district of the Tyumen region.
In general, the largest perches in our country live in the Volga and Kuban deltas and in the reservoirs of Siberia.
The age of a perch is determined by the growth rings on the upper jaw and the roof bone. The maximum lifespan of river perch is 23 years. This age was recorded for a perch caught in Lake Khuvsgul (Mongolia), 44.7 cm long and weighing more than 2 kg. The lifespan of perches, like their size, also depends on the specific body of water.
With a body length of 15-20 mm, the larva becomes a fry; characteristic dark stripes begin to appear only when the fry reaches a length of 20-25 mm. Perch, as a rule, begins to feed on fry in the second year of life, in some reservoirs - in the first, upon reaching 4 cm in length.
The growth rate of perch is primarily influenced by the climatic characteristics of the reservoir and the provision of accessible fish food, which allows an earlier transition to a predatory lifestyle.
In general, the growth rate of perch is low.
In small reservoirs, as well as in conditions of poor food supply, perch grows up to 5 cm in the first year, and up to 20 cm by 6 years. In large lakes, reservoirs, deltas of large rivers, perch can reach 12 cm in length by the first year, and a five-year-old may have a length of 35 cm.
It takes 4.9 kg of other fish to grow perch by 1 kg. The growth rate of perch depends on environmental conditions and can vary significantly in different years in one body of water.
For comparison, a few numbers, also based on data from Wikipedia:
If the perch from Lake Kamennoye, in Karelia, grows up to 11 cm in length by the age of two and “fat” only 18 grams. weight, then his “peer” from the Volga delta already has a “height” of 17 centimeters and weighs as much as 115 grams. And after a couple of years, the first one, measuring 15 cm, weighs only 52 grams. (“sailor”), while the Volzhanian perch already reaches 24 cm and weighs about 300 grams.
I searched the Internet for data on the sizes of perch of different ages in our Kubenskoye Lake, but found nothing, so I decided to focus on the indicators of Lake Ilmen, located in the neighboring Novgorod region.
So this is the size and weight (of course, on average) that perch reaches there:
- 2 years – 11 cm, 23 g;
- 3 years – 14 cm, 56 g,
- 4 years – 17 cm, 104 g,
- 5 years – 20 cm, 166 g,
- 6 years – 23 cm, 252 g,
- 7 years – 25 cm, 344 g,
- 8 years – 28 cm, 451 g,
- 9 years – 29 cm, 581 g.
What does perch eat?
The diet of perch is determined by the availability of prey, its size, and number. There is no denying that perch is a predatory fish. However, in most cases he has to eat various small things. Even after reaching adulthood.
In the first year of life, perch fry consume plankton. The juveniles start feeding on benthos in the second year of life. By this time, their gastrointestinal tract is already ready to consume benthic invertebrates. These include larvae of mosquitoes, caddisflies, and other insects.
Growing to a size of 13-15 cm, juvenile perch begins to engage in predation. During this period, perch cannibalism begins to develop. It is at this stage that the division into “grass” and “sea” (deep) begins. The first migration to the depths and to the shore puts its end. Perch remaining in wintering areas becomes a real predator earlier. Those that have returned to their summer camps begin to eat benthos and fish larvae.
However, here you need to take into account that the reservoirs are different. Just like their population. Lakes inhabited exclusively by perch will definitely be inhabited by cannibals. The attraction (need) to hunt for relatives in this case is revealed already in the first year of life.
As for large perches, they will not disdain to eat dragonfly larvae. However, they are not destined to feed their growing body on boogers. Humpback whales need normal, complete food. Fish, crayfish, frogs. Moreover, the percentage of one or another type of food can be quite impressive. For example, studies of Volga perches in the mid-80s revealed that the diet of perch includes 20% crayfish.
Thus, perch is a predatory fish. The diet is very varied. It is determined by the size of the fish, the availability of food, and areas of residence in the reservoir. Naturally, this must be taken into account when going fishing.
