Crucian carp spawning in detail: when does it start and end, where does it take place and what prohibitions exist?

Yuri 12/28/2020 716

In many Russian regions, crucian carp is considered a trash fish with mediocre taste. But it also has its fans, as it can be caught all year round. The fish is very fertile; up to 300 thousand eggs are laid during one spawning of crucian carp. The larvae develop exclusively in warm water, being glued to blades of grass and algae. Within a month, the crucian carp turns from a fry into a mature juvenile. This process is long and interesting.

When does crucian carp go to spawn?

Despite the above-described features of crucian carp spawn, whatever one may say, spawning is closely related to water temperature. Referring to various sources, we can say that the optimal temperature should be from 13 to 18 degrees. In shallow water, where the water warms up better, spawning occurs faster.

At depth, spawning of crucian carp occurs in several stages. The fish gradually moves from the shore to the heart of the reservoir. Due to the long process of spawning, the ban on catching crucian carp is being postponed. The first wave of spawning may occur at the end of May, and the second in mid-summer.

Female crucian carp have their own characteristics. For example, during spawning, she can join a school of tench, which are not able to fertilize crucian carp, but successfully help in the development of future fry.

Before going to spawn, crucian carp form in schools. If the reservoir is not large, herds may include specimens of different sizes. The spawning area is always noisy, with fish constantly jumping out of the water.

Spawning process

The quality of carp spawning is influenced not only by climatic conditions, but also by its age. Having reached the age of three, the carp is completely ready to give birth. By this age, the male reaches 25-29 cm in length, and the female from 30 to 35 cm.

During spawning, the female can jump out of the water

Active spawning occurs before dawn and gradually fades towards noon. During the day and at night, carp continue to spawn, but the process is extremely sluggish. The spawning process is quite interesting. One female, ready to spawn, is courted by 2 or 3 males. They push each other aside and chase the female around a limited space in which eggs will be laid. The female jumps out of the water from time to time and hits it. By doing this, she breaks the bag of caviar and prepares it for release.

When the eggs begin to appear, the males expel their milk. The first time, the female produces about half of the eggs, after which she goes off for a short rest. After resting, she releases all the eggs in one or two times. While the males are resting, the females begin to rub against the plants. By such actions they facilitate the release of milk for insemination of eggs. The process of milk release is accompanied by a strong noise and a characteristic whistle. The insemination process is so active that it can be seen from afar on the surface of the water.

Despite the large amount of eggs released during spawning, only a small part of the offspring survives

Carp spawning lasts about a month, starting in mid-May. During the spawning season, a certain age continuity is observed. The young ones spawn first. It is the most active and its spawning occurs quickly. The period of laying eggs is completed by large fish. The spawning period of each age group lasts from 8 to 11 days. This allows different groups to use the same spawning sites several times. Fertilized eggs mature in 3-5 days, after which the larvae appear.

A characteristic difference is that the female often does not completely throw out all the eggs. Back in August, you can catch a female with eggs inside. This may be due to changes in weather and colder water. In this case, the female stops spawning. When the previous conditions are restored, she can begin the spawning procedure again. When the spawning is completed, all its participants return to their usual habitat.

At the end of spawning, the carp retires and its activity decreases sharply

Spawning of crucian carp in central Russia

In central Russia, crucian carp spawning begins only in late spring, usually in the second ten days of May. Spawning lasts about 30 days. In the southern regions, fish go to spawning grounds in early May, and in the north, it happens in June.

Note that in reservoirs with abundant vegetation, spawning occurs later than in reservoirs with open water. The fact is that bogs most often become completely free of ice only in June. Deep-water rivers may not warm up to the required temperature for a long time. In shallow water, crucian carp spawn much faster than in a large body of water.

Timing and beginning of spawning of crucian carp

The spawning time of crucian carp, compared to other fish, comes with some delay and lasts about a month.

The determining factor in this case is the water temperature, which depends on a number of factors:

Where do crucian carp spawn?

As the mating season approaches, the time comes to choose a place to raise future offspring. The choice remains with the female, who will be followed by a retinue of males.

It is not typical for crucian carp to leave their habitual place in search of spawning grounds. For such an important task, the crucian carp will choose a well-warmed place with vegetation, on which the female will attach the eggs. It is preferable if the bottom is muddy. In rivers, flow should be minimal or completely absent.

Crucian carp with mature eggs can be found in open water throughout the spring and summer.

Crucian carp is a prolific fish, ready to lay up to 300,000 eggs at a time. The higher the water temperature, the faster the eggs will develop. The larva develops within a month, being attached to algae. In 4 weeks, the formation of fins, tail and scales occurs. But, since there are enough predators in reservoirs ready to feast on fresh caviar, the survival rate of crucian carp is not too high.

Spawning sites and the process itself

The reproduction of crucian carp has many similarities with the spawning of other fish species, but it also has its own characteristics:

Depending on the characteristics of the reservoir, it may take place at the beginning of summer or last the entire period of open water, i.e. before it freezes in November.
Most goldfish are female; their reproduction occurs with the help of males of other fish species - carp, tench, gudgeon or rudd, which stimulate the development of eggs.
Fertilization takes place near the shore, near reed pools, while schools of fish noisily rub against reeds, snags, bushes and branches that descend into the water. They completely forget about caution; the water in the spawning areas is so shallow that the fish can only swim sideways in it.
For spawning in the river, an area with well-heated water, a slow current and dense thickets is selected. And in a closed reservoir (pond, lake), the water surface with abundant grass under it is well suited for spawning.
When it becomes difficult for females to carry eggs, mating games come to an end. The fish accumulate in dense underwater thickets, where the females begin oviposition. Egg laying is a fairly long period; during this time, one individual lays 4-5 portions of eggs.
The best time for spawning is considered to be a sunny morning.

At what age does crucian carp spawn?

Silver predators are considered early maturing. Crucian carp are ready to produce their own kind already at the age of 2-3 years. But his golden ones are lagging behind somewhat - a year or two. In fact, the rate of sexual maturity is influenced by the food supply of the reservoir and weather conditions. In ponds with poor food supply, the time for spawning occurs at a later age.

Physically, the fish is ready to throw, having reached a length of at least 10 cm and a weight of at least 100 grams. The female is usually larger than the male.

When does spawning of crucian carp begin?

Crucian carp spawns in the fourth or fifth year of life. When crucian carp begin to spawn, there is almost no bite.

spawning of crucian carp and carp
catching crucian carp during spawning
catching crucian carp for spawning
catching crucian carp during spawning

The ice drift has ended, the snow has melted from the fields and meadows, the trees have turned green with their crowns, the sun is rising higher, gradually raising the temperature. A new biological year begins for fish in reservoirs. The most common among them is crucian carp. This genus of fish is part of the most widespread carp family and lives in all geographical zones of the CIS. Crucian carp can be found in any, most unpredictable place, starting the list with dammed swamps, quarries, never-drying puddles and ending with its large rivers and lakes. It is difficult to find a body of stagnant water where this genus does not live. Less common in our waters, one of the two species of golden crucian carp, popularly called round, forms schools consisting of individuals of different sizes. It prefers swampy waters overgrown with algae, does not like currents and is inactive. With an abundance of food and good climatic conditions, captured trophy specimens can reach a weight of three kilograms and grow up to fifty centimeters long. This species survives winter hibernation by burying itself in the mud. The second species, the silver crucian carp, which is more often found in our waters, also gathers in schools, but it has an interesting distinctive property. The entire crucian carp family consists of only females. When crucian carp spawn, the eggs are fertilized by males of other small breeds of carp, tench, and, in particular, golden crucian carp. The milk of males does not fertilize the eggs themselves, but only contributes to the subsequent development of the egg. In winter, it loses activity and is quite difficult to catch, although in areas with warm conditions it can be caught under the ice. The population of silver crucian carp lives in reservoirs with slow or no current. Some individuals grow up to one and a half kilograms. In some reservoirs, the dominance of small crucian carp predominates. This is due to the small depths and area. In these cases, it mixes with fish of other small species and grows very slowly. In reservoirs with small areas, but with sufficiently large depths, larger specimens, including males, are found. They often contain predators. Both species of crucian carp are very unpretentious. They survive with any amount of oxygen, even small amounts. There are situations when the surface of the water area is completely covered with mud and algae. However, this tenacious fish survives well and produces offspring in these conditions. When some reservoirs completely dry out during the summer months, the crucian carp silts into the depths, sometimes up to a meter, and waits out the unfavorable time there. Amazingly, this species maintains its vitality after prolonged exposure to frozen water. There are cases where prey survived for more than seventy-two hours without water, simply in a container lined with grass. The death of this fish can cause saturation of water layers with hydrogen sulfide or other chemicals that cause poisoning.

Spawning of crucian carp occurs from the last days of April to the end of spring. Everything depends on the different temperature conditions of the area, and in the case of a long and cold spring it can last up to half of the first month of summer. By this time, the main fish species have already spawned (for example, the spawning of pike has already ended and it has begun to fatten), with the exception of tench and the carp itself.

Catching crucian carp during spawning is a lost cause. No bait can lure him. His behavior becomes apathetic. He chooses quiet, secluded places covered with grass. Sticking to the wings of birds swimming among the algae, the eggs are safely transferred to other, distant bodies of water, which contributes to the spread and development of its population.

Golden crucian carp is more thermophilic, so the spawning of round crucian carp begins when the water warms up more strongly, starting from approximately seventeen degrees Celsius, that is, later than silver crucian carp. When silver crucian spawning begins, thirteen degrees is enough. The temperature of the atmosphere also affects the duration of spawning itself, shortening or increasing its duration. It is quite easy to determine spawning sites. They are characterized by noise caused by the play of fish, and when approaching, they can be visually identified. Of the flora representatives, preference is given to reeds. In the absence of the above plant, females lay eggs directly on the ground. Having zero buoyancy, and not even attached to plants, it is transported over considerable distances, thereby increasing its distribution area. Another characteristic feature of crucian carp is its ability to reproduce throughout the summer months. It was necessary to catch females with eggs during this period as well. In this case, only small crucian carp spawn.

How to determine the spawning of crucian carp

Anticipating the question of when crucian carp spawning begins, I will say - when the maximum amount of eggs has accumulated. After which, female and male individuals accumulate in algae thickets, where the females make their first clutch. Spawning occurs in a certain number of passes, on average there are four or five. This is usually done before lunch. Attention should be paid to the special fertility of the above-mentioned individual. At each visit, the female lays out up to one and a half hundred thousand eggs. Although the crucian carp offspring are not in danger of being carried away by the current, they have plenty of enemies. Various croaking, crawling, flying animals and insects pose a fairly serious threat. They strive to grab the hatched little thing in the first hours and days following birth. As a result, most of the offspring are exterminated by voracious enemies, and only a third of them continue to exist. The size of the reservoir matters when throwing eggs; the larger they are, the longer the time. Sometimes this period can last a month. The larger the body of water and the higher the flow speed, the higher the population of silver crucian carp in it. On the contrary, golden crucian carp is found in stagnant water and small reservoirs. It does not get along with running water, preferring wetlands. This type of fish is one of the slowest growing. The size of a two-year-old individual does not exceed five centimeters. Even in Soviet fish nurseries, selection experiments were carried out on the offspring of carp and crucian carp. Scientists have been working on developing a breed that is as fast-growing as the first and has the vitality of the second. Not much success was achieved. However, in some reservoirs there are fish similar to both breeds. The absence of antennae on the lips makes one think that this is a crucian carp, but this carp is a crucian carp. He only resembles his little parent in adolescence. With its dimensions and the power of resistance provided during fishing, it exceeds all its characteristics. At a later age, this individual resembles a crucian carp only with its head and the same light fins. In all other respects, it resembles a carp. With an abundance of food, this individual reaches three kilograms over several years. In terms of its vitality and leashes, it is akin to crucian carp, the only thing is that it does not silt up during the winter, but lies in deep holes and goes into hibernation. The best period for fishing for crucian carp is the summer months after spawning. With the onset of morning frosts, the fish bite gradually decreases, the fish gradually dives into the ground and cannot be lured out by anything, even the most delicious bait. Then he disappears completely. Crucian carp prefer to be in areas overgrown with algae, where they cannot be reached by any predators. For this reason, fishing is done from the shore and there is no need for a boat. Many fishermen clear small windows of existing plants for this purpose, using long metal tools, like a rake. The depth of the area in this place should be about a meter. For fishing itself, ordinary gear is used: so-called fly rods up to several meters long without reels, ordinary fishing line of small thickness. A fishing line made of silk wears out quickly, even if it is treated with special compounds that prevent rotting. The float should be light and responsive to weak bites. A small sinker, a hook no larger than a five. Many fishermen use feeding in the form of various porridges seasoned with aromatic additives, because crucian carp can smell the water very well. For this, essential oil plants are used: cumin, anise and the like, some manage to use kerosene. For bait in the spring, it is better to take an ordinary dung worm or other animal baits: maggots, bloodworms, they can be combined. In the summer, vegetable baits are preferred: bread, preferably black, corn, barley. All this also needs to be treated with odorous compounds. Steam the grain well beforehand. In the fall, we need to switch to animal baits again. During these months it is very difficult to catch this fish from the shore and it is better to use a boat. Although, in terms of choosing bait, crucian carp is the most finicky fish. If there are no bites, you need to be prepared to change the bait. And keep in mind, feeding should not be better than bait. In winter, it is necessary to fish in reservoirs with a sandy or muddy bottom; it has been noted that it is better to catch crucian carp in the presence of a predator. At this time, in addition to the usual fishing rod, a jig is used. The fishing line should be selected as thin as possible and a smaller hook should be used. Almost everyone prefers silver crucian carp to taste; it smells less like mud. But still, its fish soup does not evoke any particular taste, so it is better to fry it. Well, who knows how to cook them in sour cream, the main thing is not to bite off your fingers from the pleasure

Prohibitions during spawning of crucian carp

During the spawning process, the fish are unlikely to be actively interested in food. You can catch trophies if you go fishing before or after spawning. When going for trophies to your favorite body of water in the spring, it is worth remembering that unlimited fishing can cause serious harm to the population.

Spawning restrictions are different for each region. To avoid financial penalties, it is worth studying the rules for catching crucian carp in your area every year.

During the spawning period, crucian carp can be caught exclusively with passive baits using bottom or float rods. It is forbidden to use a double or triple hook. The boat is also prohibited. Also, to avoid a fine, you should not go far into the water.

Spawning grounds are strictly prohibited, as crucian carp spawn for a long time, sometimes in tandem with valuable species of underwater inhabitants.

In general, the crucian carp population does not cause concern. Caviar develops well, both in natural and artificial conditions. However, this should not be a reason for indiscriminate fishing. After all, in addition to humans, future crucian carp have plenty of enemies in reservoirs.

Methods of catching crucian carp

In the kingdom of fish there is no more capricious and wayward inhabitant than the crucian carp. Therefore, in order to increase the chances of catching crucian carp, it is better to use certain tricks based on knowledge of its habitat and food preferences.

Thus, places for catching crucian carp are chosen based on temperature - where the water warms up faster. I must say that the chances of catching this fish are high during the spring-summer period. In the spring it is extremely voracious, especially after a long, harsh winter.

Experienced fishermen know that excellent crucian fishing occurs in the morning and evening. They catch it both with a feeder and a fishing rod. Yes, there are a lot of fishing rods out there now, so which one should you choose for hunting crucian carp?

There is no better tool than a regular float rod, which is good because it can be used for fishing both from the shore and from a boat. And when playing, it will bring a lot of pleasure, because... the feeling of struggle is simply indescribable.

There are several types of float fishing:

fishing with fly tackle;
plug fishing rod;
match;
Bolognese.

Everyone chooses according to their preferences and capabilities.

Lately, the feeder has enjoyed great success in catching crucian carp. Despite the capriciousness of crucian carp, feeder tackle provides excellent results. The accuracy of casting the feeder into the bait zone helps to achieve it, and with the help of the presence of a feeder, it attracts fish to the fishing spot. Also, with the help of this tackle, you can bypass all areas of the reservoir that are inaccessible for fishing with a fishing rod.

Some fishermen use both a feeder and a fishing rod at the same time, which makes the fishing process more productive and interesting.

For bait I use maggots, worms, bloodworms, steamed grains, and dough. Porridges are suitable for bait, especially semolina and oatmeal.

When does crucian carp start biting after spawning?

After an important task, the crucian carp resumes its usual habits and returns to its usual habitats for food. Each region has its own peculiarities of fishing. The zhor will be affected by wind speed, precipitation, and water temperature.

In the first summer month, the reservoirs are full of vegetation, so the crucian carp has enough natural food. In subsequent months, the fish will react to earthworms, bloodworms, and maggots. Bread, flakes or cake are also suitable as bait.

During the post-spawning period, crucian carp may behave unpredictably, either abruptly grabbing the prey or slowly savoring it. The peak of the bite will be in the morning from 6 to 10 am. The exception will be windy, gloomy days.

If after spawning the fish are in no hurry to bite, you shouldn’t expect a miracle. Try to experiment with baits.

Fishing after spawning

A few days after the end of spawning, crucian carp returns to their usual summer habitats and begins to actively feed. Fishing features during this period completely depend on the reservoir and weather conditions.

Attention! The behavior of crucian carp, as well as its desire to get enough, is significantly influenced by precipitation, wind speed, and direction. A surf wind is considered advantageous in catching crucian carp.

In June, the vegetation in the reservoir develops quickly and vigorously, and therefore the fish have enough natural and usual nutrition. In snags, the availability of such food is almost 100%, therefore, the choice of bait and complementary food must be careful and selected. After spawning, crucian carp actively bites on earthworms, maggots, bloodworms, and chooses oatmeal, black bread and cake as bait.

Despite the strong feeling of hunger, the fish can behave unpredictably, sometimes quickly grabbing the bait, sometimes carefully and for a long time “tasting” it. In addition, when going out to a reservoir, it is impossible to immediately determine whether small crucian carp will be active today or whether a large individual will swallow the bait.

Several equipments need to be prepared. For palm-sized fish, choose a fishing line with a thickness of no more than 0.09 m. For larger fish, change it to a more powerful one, while maintaining the carrying capacity of the float. Experienced fishermen who go out for crucian carp say that it is better to tie the tackle for this fish directly on the shore, taking into account the direction and strength of the wind, the presence of clouds or bright sun.

With the arrival of the first summer warmth, large individuals feed in the shallows far from the shore. The intense bite occurs from 7 to 9 am, and then from 6 to 8 pm. The exception is days with strong, gusty winds when the water in the lake or pond mixes.

It is a mistake that many novice fishermen claim that well-chosen spring bait for crucian carp is the key to successful fishing. The choice of mixture must be approached individually, since crucian carp is one of those fish that quickly gets used to “free” nutrition, and, as a result, then reluctantly takes the bait offered to it.

At the beginning of summer, after the end of spawning, many fishermen use bait rather than baiting fish. This way to interest crucian carp is more effective - it forces the fish to feed in the same place, at the same time of day. If you fish in a permanent body of water, accustom the crucian carp to the type of complementary food that is convenient for you, without changing its composition. The mixture must include components of animal origin - chopped maggots or bloodworms.

During the post-spawning feast, there is no point in waiting a long time for a bite. If the crucian carp does not take the worm, change it to maggots or bloodworms, lift the tackle from the bottom by 5-10 cm, change the casting distance. In the spring, 2-3 minutes are enough to understand whether the fish will bite.

Before going fishing, be sure to check the spawning ban periods. In each region, these periods may vary significantly, while in some the ban may apply only to certain types of fish or their sizes.

Tips from Velesovik

Many people have heard that the spawning period of crucian carp coincides with the flowering of viburnum. We hasten to inform you that the popular belief is not true, especially for the middle latitudes of our country.

Experienced fishermen know that crucian carp can be both gold and silver. The latter are more numerous. The number of silver inhabitants increases, since the females are triploid, that is, the eggs are able to be fertilized without the participation of males.

Let's tell you a few secrets about catching crucian carp.

Fish in large bodies of water where females spawn in several stages.
In small bodies of water, if the crucian carp has already started spawning, cast the fishing rod deeper, where large specimens “wander.”
Live bait, worms, bloodworms, and maggots work best as bait. Bloodworms, by the way, will be a delicious source of protein, which crucian carp so lacked during spawning.

Fishing for crucian carp during the spawning period

Despite the fact that this type of fish is found in large quantities in many reservoirs, fishing is prohibited during the spawning of crucian carp in the spring. During the period of mating games and throwing, the fish often refuses to use the usual gear and equipment. In any case, these are poaching techniques, and crucian carp caviar is not a valuable product to suffer losses because of it. Fishermen often go fishing with prohibited fishing equipment (nets, muzzles, nonsense, parachutes, etc.). If you find out where they play, you can secure yourself an impressive catch. The float bite of crucian carp during spawning is influenced by weather conditions, as well as correctly selected bait (worm, maggot, bloodworm, etc.).

Information: the period of active biting for crucian carp begins 6 weeks from the start of spawning.

Fishing during spawning

Fishing during crucian spawning is extremely difficult, but not hopeless . You just need to know the peculiarities of the behavior of crucian carp during the mating season, then without the use of poaching devices, the catch will be quite effective.

In
late spring - early summer, it is better to catch crucian carp in large bodies of water with a large concentration of fish.
Small individuals in these places begin mating much earlier than their large relatives. The latter, not yet participating in spawning, continue to actively peck, trying to eat up after the winter protein fast. They usually stay in recesses at a distance of 5-8 meters from the shore . Here are some tips for successful fishing with a regular float, elastic band or feeder :

The most successful baits are considered to be caddisfly larvae, bloodworms, maggots, and the best bait would be steamed pearl barley and fragrant dough.
During spawning, fishing is especially affected by the time of day. Mating games begin in bright sunlight and elevated air temperatures. In the middle zone, this time comes no earlier than 8 am, so with the summer sun rising or closer to noon, the best time for fishing is.
When fishing with an elastic band, which is effective in a lightly overgrown pond, you need a rig length of 8-10 meters with a load of 350-400 grams. The best bait is a live earthworm. In this case, there should be several leashes, their length is 30 cm, and the equipment is attached to an elastic band using a carabiner through the winding rings, and then to the spinning line.

How to understand that crucian carp has begun spawning

This is quite easy to do. Firstly, if you fish in the same body of water, then it’s enough to remember when spawning begins there. As a rule, from year to year it takes place at the same time with a difference of several days, which depends on the weather and the early or late arrival of spring.

A fisherman can understand that a crucian carp is spawning by seeing a fish swimming near the shore on its side

Secondly, pay attention to the water temperature. Most online resources that provide weather forecasts also contain information about the average water temperature in your region. If it fluctuates around 15-17°C, then most likely the fish has now left for spawning or is “sick” after it.

By arriving directly at the reservoir, you can also quickly understand whether the crucian carp has begun spawning. If movements are noticeable in the coastal vegetation, sounds similar to slurping are heard, then we can say with confidence that it is spawning.

How to determine the spawning of crucian carp

It is not difficult to determine the beginning of the mating season of crucian carp. The main sign is the excessive playfulness of the fish, its noisy splashes not far from the shore. At the spawning ground, due to the shallow water, crucian carp usually swims on its side.

When the water temperature in spring reaches 15-17 degrees, we can certainly say that the time has come for crucian carp to spawn. At this time, it is easy to notice the movement of coastal vegetation , which is accompanied by slurping sounds. By mid-May, schools of fish near the shore, grouped for reproduction, are not uncommon.