Asp in autumn: habits and fishing in September, October and November

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The asp is a fairly large fish. Fishermen constantly compete with each other in an effort to catch the largest specimen. Many people note that there are quite a lot of bones in fish. However, this does not in any way diminish its popularity. There are many nurseries in which this fish is bred for industrial purposes, or for personal pleasure. Among the people, asp has many other names - horse, grip, whiteness. The first two are due to a very specific hunting style. The fish is called white because of its clean, almost colorless scales. Asp is a type of fish that is divided into three more subspecies.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Zherekh

The asp belongs to the chordate animals, divided into the class ray-finned fish, the order Cyprinidae, the family Cyprinidae, the genus and species asp. To date, ichthyologists cannot provide complete information regarding the origin and evolution of this representative of cyprinids. There are several versions of the origin of these fish. According to one of the existing theories, ancient representatives of modern asp inhabited the territory of the coast of modern China, Japan, and other Asian countries.

Video: Asp

The most ancient representatives of modern fish appeared on earth approximately 300 million years ago. This is evidenced by fossils in which the remains of fish were found. Such ancient sea inhabitants had an elongated body shape, they had something similar to modern fins, but there were no jaws. The body of ancient fish was covered with dense scales, which looked more like a shell. The tail had the shape of two horny plates.

Fish of that time tended to lead a sedentary lifestyle and live at shallow depths. About 11-10 million years ago, as a result of evolution, creatures began to appear that looked very similar to modern fish. These individuals already had sharp, rather long teeth. The upper part of their body was covered with dense, horny scales, which were movably connected to each other.

Further, in the process of evolution and changes in climatic conditions, fish began to be distributed among different regions. In this regard, depending on the living conditions, each specific species began to develop features of its structure, lifestyle and diet.

Appearance and features

Photo: What an asp looks like

Whitefish is a fish of the carp family. Just like other members of the carp family, it has many bones. The fish is distinguished by a large, massive, shortened body, which has the shape of a spindle. The back is straight and rather wide, colored in a dark, sometimes bluish color. The sides of the fish are gray in color, and the belly area is painted exclusively silver. The entire body is covered with silvery scales. It is noteworthy that the asp has a very strong and massive tail. It is worth noting that its lower part is longer than the upper. Ichthyologists note a number of characteristic external signs.

Characteristic external features of the asp:

• elongated, curved head;
• big mouth;
• large lower jaw;
• the dorsal and caudal fins are gray and have dark tips;
• all other fins located on the body of the fish are colored red or orange at the base and gray towards the end.

The head of the whitefish is quite massive, elongated in shape. It has massive, fleshy lips and a slightly protruding lower jaw. The jaws of these representatives of cyprinids do not have teeth. Instead, there are peculiar tubercles and notches. The tubercles are located on the lower jaw. The grooves on the top are intended for the entrance of the tubercles, which are located below. This jaw structure makes it possible to instantly capture potential prey that simply has no chance of escape. This structure of the mouthparts allows the asp to hunt even large prey.

Interesting fact: Surprisingly, there are a small number of incisors in the asp’s throat.

Adult, large individuals reach a body length of 1-1.3 meters. The body weight of such fish is 11-13 kilograms. The average size of a mature individual is 50-80 centimeters and weighs 6-7 kilograms.

Seasonal fishing for asp

Sheresper fishing is carried out in winter, when it has settled to depth after accumulating fat in the fall. They often use bait in the form of live bait, special wobblers for asp, bleak, and jigs.

The feeding is rare and is carried out with porridge. The color of the spinners should be silver in order to give the asp bait the appearance of a fish. The bait should be lowered to the bottom carefully so as not to spook the fish. The asp sleeps in holes, but, sensing prey, can rush to hunt for it. You should be careful, as the predator sometimes breaks off the fishing line itself.

• It is necessary to pull it out of the water using a hook.
• In the spring and summer season, you should look for asps on the upper layers of water, because the predator will try to hunt insects.
• When fishing on an industrial scale, the asp often ends up in the catch along with the rest of the fish by accident.
• For more productive fishing, clothes with a protective color are used during the daytime.

How is asp useful?

This type of fish is rich in vitamins and minerals - phosphorus, calcium, fluorine, magnesium, as well as potassium, ascorbic acid.

Vitamins include B1 (thiamine), which takes part in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and PP (nicotinamide), used to treat nervous system disorders, reduces the risk of diabetes and hypertension.

The beneficial properties of phosphorus and calcium are due to the fact that these elements are the main source of energy in our body and improve the condition of hair, nails and bones.

Magnesium relaxes muscle fibers. Fluoride forms tooth enamel. Ascorbic acid is used to fight viruses in the body.

Choosing asp in the store

The selection criteria are external and tactile sensations.

Externally, the gills of fresh fish are red and without mucus, the scales fit tightly to the meat, there are no damage or bruises on the body. When palpated, the shape is immediately restored.

Using asp in cooking

Not everyone likes to cook it because of the large number of small bones. It is worth noting that this fish has low calorie content. Its energy value is about 100 kcal per 100 grams. After cooking, asp meat is soft, tender, very tasty, reminiscent of salmon.

• Asp can be prepared in different ways. Often, fish soup is fried, stewed, smoked, salted and boiled.
• Cooks prefer to use various vegetables during cooking: cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes; alcohol: white wine; sauces: tomato; seasonings: pepper, salt, onion, garlic; various greens, mushrooms and dairy products.
• The fish makes a rich broth.

Where does the asp live?

Photo: Zherekh in Russia

The asp is very picky about living conditions. The presence of a large, deep-sea reservoir is extremely important for this type of fish. It must have clean running water and a large amount of food and oxygen. Fish will never be found in reservoirs that are polluted or do not have enough food supply. Most populations living in Russia inhabit large reservoirs, large rivers, seas and lakes. It has been precisely established that whitefish are found in the southern seas of Russia, the Northern and Baltic lakes.

The geographical region where the fish lives is small. It extends across Eastern and part of Western Europe. Ichthyologists outline it as an area between the Ural River and the Rhine River. This waterway is the largest in Europe and passes through six European countries. The southern boundaries of the fish’s habitat are delineated by the regions of Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan.

The southern limits of the fish's habitat also include:

• Caspian Sea;
• Aral Sea;
• Amu Darya;
• Syrdarya.

Small populations of fish are found in the Svityaz River, Neva, Onega and Ladoga Seas. Occasionally you can meet Zherekh on Lake Balkhash. It was brought there artificially.

Habitats

Asp is a freshwater fish that needs large bodies of water with running water enriched with oxygen. Where the water is polluted and the food supply does not meet the needs, animals will not be able to live there. In its natural environment it prefers and feels comfortable in large rivers and large lakes. It is also abundant in North Sea reservoirs.

The prevalence of the predator is insignificant. It is found in Central Asian reservoirs. Often this species of Carp can be found in Lake Balkhash and in the Amu Darya River. The asp also lives in Austria, Slovakia, and Germany.

The predator leads a solitary life. On warm sunny days it likes to swim in the upper layers of reservoirs. Loves warmth, and sinks deeper on cold and cloudy days. Spends the whole winter in pits and spends the night in them.

What does an asp eat?

Photo: Asp fish

By nature, the asp is a predator. However, it stands out from other predators due to its very unusual hunting style.

Interesting fact: To catch its prey, the fish jumps high above the water and simply falls on it. Thus, it stuns potential prey. After that, she easily manages to grab it and swallow it.

The structure of the oral apparatus and features of appearance indicate that the fish lives in the upper or middle layers of the water space. After the asp grows to a sufficient size of at least 35 centimeters in length, and gains the required body weight, it begins to lead a predatory lifestyle. During growth and development, the main food supply is plankton and aquatic insects.

Food supply for adults:

• vobla;
• bream;
• shellfish;
• zander;
• gudgeon;
• silver bream;
• chub;
• small-sized crustaceans.

The favorite food of whitefish can be considered young roach or bream. They can also feed on freshwater, larvae, fry and eggs of various marine inhabitants. The asp is considered to be completely undemanding when it comes to food, so it eats almost everything that can be considered fish food. Asps hunt for fish that are suitable in size as a food source. They are able to catch individuals whose body length does not exceed 15 centimeters. It is unusual for these predators to wait for their prey in a secluded place. They always chase her and stun her by hitting the water.

During periods of heavy rains, with the onset of cold weather, or in inclement weather, the fish sink almost to the very bottom. They only occasionally rise to the surface to satisfy their hunger. After wintering, the fish are extremely weakened. They are not able to lead a predatory lifestyle and pursue their prey for a long time. During this period, until they get stronger, they feed on insects, larvae, freshwater and other small inhabitants of water bodies.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Asp under water

This representative of cyprinids prefers river spaces with rapid currents, especially sluices and water structures. Such places are an ideal habitat for fish. They have all the necessary conditions for successful hunting and a sufficient amount of food supply. The sound of the water and the waterfall hide and mask the impact of the water, with the help of which the fish obtains its food. In places where there is no such current and noise of water, fish are extremely rare.

Asp is one of the largest representatives of the carp family. By nature, it is endowed with a rather aggressive character and, having reached sufficient size, leads a predatory lifestyle. Whitefish are very sensitive to water temperature. This criterion has a strong influence on size and life expectancy. This fish is classified as a long-lived fish. Ichthyologists were unable to determine the exact age, but they were able to determine that some individuals lived up to 13-15 years.

It owes its long life to its lightning-fast reaction speed. In addition, the fish is very shy. If she sees an approaching shadow from afar, she instantly hides in a secluded, safe place. In the first year of life, fish gather in schools to maintain their numbers as much as possible and increase their chances of survival. As they grow, the schools disintegrate and the fish lead an exclusively solitary lifestyle. Fish are indiscriminate eaters; they can eat almost anything they can find in river water. Thanks to this, they grow quite quickly and gain body weight.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Asp on the Volga

Puberty occurs around the third year of life. The fish is ready for spawning when its body weight exceeds one and a half kilograms. The reproductive age of fish that live in the northern regions occurs two to three years later than that of fish that live in the southern regions.

The beginning of the breeding season directly depends on the climate and water temperature in the fish’s habitat. In the southern regions, spawning begins in mid-April and lasts several weeks. The most favorable water temperature for reproduction is from 7 to 15 degrees. The asp spawns in pairs, so several pairs spawn at the same time in one territory, which creates the feeling of group breeding.

Interesting fact: During the process of reproduction, males compete for the right to fertilize the female. During such fights, they can cause serious injuries and injuries to each other.

The asp is looking for a suitable place for spawning. As a rule, this occurs on sandy or clayey rifts in the bed of permanently inhabited reservoirs. During the search, many individuals rise very high even if they move against the current. An average-sized female spawns approximately 60,000–100,000 eggs, which settle on stems and other parts of vegetation that dies in winter. The eggs are covered with a sticky substance, thanks to which they are securely fixed to the vegetation.

Under favorable conditions and optimal water temperature, larvae appear after about 3-4 weeks. If the water temperature is below average, the larvae emerge from the eggs much later.

Lifestyle and diet

The asp is considered a pelagic predator that tries to stay in the riverbed section of the river, on reservoir reaches, mainly in the middle and upper layers of water. The asp prefers to live alone, and tends to gather in flocks only during the spawning period and during wintering: the number of wintering holes is always limited. The fish spend the dark time of the day in the pits, and during the day the asp goes out to the rifts, as well as to the sandbanks, where individuals stay almost on the very surface of the water surface. If the day is cold and cloudy, then the asp sinks to the bottom or simply stays at a decent depth. His favorite place is next to the water falling from the dams.

The asp feeds on plankton, as well as young fish of other representatives of the ichthyofauna. But the asp does not hide in the thickets, lying in wait for its prey, as most underwater predators do. The asp simply looks for schools of fry, and then stuns the fish by hitting the water with the whole body or just the tail during a jump: while the fry is stunned, the predator eats it. The asp has a very large mouth, thanks to which he can swallow a whole school of fish, so he does not need to rush after individual individuals.

Juvenile asp initially feed on small crustaceans and emerging insect larvae. When an individual reaches a length of 5–9 centimeters, it begins to eat fry of bleak, silver bream, roach, carp and sabrefish, as well as other fish, depending on what kind of ichthyofauna lives in a given reservoir. In the southern regions of the country, the asp has a high growth rate, while in the northern regions the juveniles grow slowly: by autumn they reach a body length of only 5–6 centimeters. The asp reaches sexual maturity when the body length of individuals is 32–40 centimeters. By this time the asp reaches 3 or 4 years old.

Natural enemies of asp

Photo: Large asp

The asp is a predatory, rather aggressive fish, which by nature is endowed with extreme caution, very acute hearing, vision and other senses. Even during the period when the fish is hunting, it controls the entire space around and notices potential danger or an enemy from afar. It is worth noting that young animals and larvae have the largest number of enemies, which is why they gather in flocks.

Natural enemies of whiteness:

• seagulls;
• cormorants;
• ospreys;
• eagles;
• larger species of predatory fish.

Despite the fact that the fish is very careful and endowed with developed sense organs, it leads a rather noisy lifestyle. In this regard, asp becomes the object of spinning fishing in many European countries. However, it is very difficult to catch him.

Also, the population size is directly affected by pollution of the water bodies in which the fish live. This causes the death of a large number of fish, especially if the waters are polluted with industrial or technical waste.

Population and species status

Photo: What an asp looks like

Today, the number of fish is rapidly declining in various regions of its habitat. The main reasons for this phenomenon were the catching of young individuals by nets, which were never able to survive until the breeding season, as well as the pollution of their natural habitat.

Today, such a subspecies as the Central Asian asp is the least numerous. The natural habitat of this subspecies is the Tiger River basin in countries such as Iraq and Syria.

As the population size decreases, the cost of this fish increases significantly. This contributes to the growing number of poachers. They use prohibited devices and fishing gear to hunt asp. Large feathered predators settle nearby in the habitats of the asp, which catch them in large numbers from the water during hunting, which also reduces their numbers.

Changes in climatic conditions and cooling have a negative impact on the population size. Pisces react very sharply to such phenomena. As a result of changes in water temperature, life expectancy decreases and the breeding season is delayed.

Recommendations from experts when catching autumn asp

To get both pleasure from fishing and results, you should follow the advice of experienced fishermen. Among them:

• camouflage;
• have several catchable baits available;
• go hunting in the morning and evening hours;
• use gear taking into account the terrain;
• take a fishing line that is inconspicuous and reliable.

Asp loses activity in late autumn and in November you can catch it in winter camps.
Asp is a worthy opponent, the fight against which requires strong gear. It is better to use silver baits from trusted manufacturers. Fishing with live bait will be unrivaled.