On the one hand, trout is one of the most common salmon fish. On the other hand, its appearance, size and even habits can be so different in different places that even professional biologists often come to a standstill. This fish is found almost everywhere in northern Europe, there are a lot of it in Karelia and the Baltic, as well as on the Kola Peninsula.

It is interesting that this one can exist both in the marine (anadromous) form and in the freshwater (lake) form. Moreover, it is obvious that many thousands of years ago, during the period of geological cataclysms, the trout lake replaced the sea.

This is a very beautiful and strong fish. However, it is appreciated not only by anglers, but also by gourmets, as its soft orange meat has truly magnificent palatability. Perhaps it is difficult to come up with something more appetizing than a fatty, transparent and literally melting in your mouth slice of lightly salted or lightly smoked trout.

Biological description

Brown trout is one of the most typical and widespread representatives of the salmon family, and among fishermen and in the literature there is often confusion in the names of this fish. The fact is that this salmon is of two types: migratory and freshwater, the latter often being called trout. In addition, quite a few forms of brown trout are found in nature, which differ from each other both externally and in habits. There are five main subspecies, and ichthyologists consider that five anadromous and one lake variety of trout inhabit our territory.

The most curious thing is that the exact taxonomy of brown trout is generally devoid of practical meaning: this fish completely denies Linnaeus's theory and, under certain conditions, one form spontaneously transforms into another. This fact is not a hypothesis, but reliable information, confirmed by the experience of acclimatization and breeding of trout in artificial conditions. That is why trout and brown trout are no longer considered separate fish species, and at present the fact of the transformation of anadromous brown trout and freshwater lake trout into each other has been accurately proven.

The color of the brown trout, its size and shape, as well as other biological indicators vary greatly depending on the habitat of the fish. You can also find an almost black specimen, and a very light one, with a short body, and a very elongated one, etc. The sides are most often covered with numerous red and black spots with a light halo. The dimensions depend most of all on the size of the reservoir itself. So, in small rivers, trout, which is often called trout here, rarely grows more than 25 cm, but in large lakes, fish can reach a meter with a weight exceeding 10 kg. Even larger passage forms, the dimensions of which can reach one and a half meters

Habitat

Kumzha is a very common fish. Only on the territory former USSR the following main types are found:

  • anadromous trout and freshwater trout, which large quantities lives in the basins of the Baltic, White, Barents and other northern seas;
  • Caspian trout, which, as the name suggests, is found in the Caspian. The fish goes to spawn in the river. Kuru, and part of it remains there, turning into freshwater trout;
  • Black Sea salmon living in the basins of the Black and Azov Seas.

This list is not exhaustive, and many more forms can be added to it, for example, the Eizenam trout living in Dagestan, which lives in the lake of the same name, etc.

Lifestyle

Typically, trout are classified as predators, but this is not entirely accurate, and it is more correct to consider it a fish with a wide range of food. Any fisherman will tell you that you can find anything in her stomach - from fry to larvae and beetles. Nevertheless, the predilection for hunting as a whole determines its way of life, and all the main time the trout patrols in the water column, mainly preferring the upper layers, where there are many juveniles of smelt, vendace, herring, etc.

However, this behavior is not a dogma and it happens that nutritional versatility leads to a change in shape. An interesting example is Lake Ohrid, which is located on the border of Macedonia and Albania, where two forms of lake trout are found at once. One of them is large and predatory, reaching 10 kilograms in weight, the other is a small silver fish that feeds on crustaceans and plankton. These fish are so different from each other that they are considered as different kinds. And, nevertheless, it is one and the same breed!

Most often, brown trout is an anadromous fish that lives in salt water, but goes into rivers to spawn, much like they do Atlantic salmon. Depending on the specific habitat, spawning occurs from September to February. The female spawns on shallow and rapid sections of the rivers, where there are suitable stones or coarse sand, where orange eggs sometimes burrow. There are few of them, on average from 7 to 12 thousand, but the sizes can reach 6 millimeters in diameter.

Each female spawns from 4 to 11 times in her life, and if she came to the spawning ground, this does not mean that she is ready for spawning, since the state of the caviar can be such that she will spawn it only on next year. During spawning, brown trout, unlike some other salmon fish, does not stop feeding. The hatched fry grow in the river where the spawning took place until they are 7-10 years old, after which the matured fry roll back into the sea.

  • once, for the purpose of acclimatization, brook trout was brought to the New Zealand rivers. Quite a bit of time passed, and a significant part of the trout that adapted to local conditions rolled down to the lower reaches of the rivers and the sea, after which it turned into anadromous trout;
  • the largest trout is the Caspian trout. There is reliable information about the fish caught, the weight of which was 51 kg. Alas, most likely such monsters already go into the category of legends, and catching a fish over 10 kilograms is considered great luck;
  • the Baltic trout does not belong to large slaves, and its usual size does not exceed half a meter with a mass of 5 kg, although there is evidence of the capture of a specimen that weighed 23.6 kg;
  • among scientists for a long time there was one misconception. Due to the huge size and resemblance with salmon, ichthyologists considered the Caspian trout to be its special subspecies. Clarity was introduced only in the 80s of the last century, when chromosomal analysis showed that, on the contrary, salmon is a form of brown trout that has changed greatly in the course of evolution;
  • where there are anadromous and residential forms of trout, they form a single herd that spawns together. The fact is that there are more females in the anadromous trout population, and in order to compensate for the lack of males, one has to “borrow” them from freshwater species, where there is a clear excess of those;
  • in 1936-1939 catches of the Caspian trout reached 620 tons, and in 1970 its catch did not exceed 5 tons. The sharp decline in the population is mainly due to the violation of the conditions of natural reproduction as a result of hydro-construction and irrational fishing.

Description


Brown trout, kemzha, Black Sea salmon are all salmon, with common name trout. Do not confuse it with kunja, which is loach.

If we take the Latin names, then trout are numerous Salmo. Actually, it's very interesting. salmon species, it can be both anadromous and freshwater. Moreover, it may well turn into different forms as needed.

For this reason, there are many varieties of this fish, different in size, appearance and even behavior. Even in the same lake you can meet seasoned predator, weighing up to 10 kilograms and small fish living on crustaceans and plankton, and both of them will be called brown trout.

That's why, general description this fish is quite difficult to give.

Lake and brook trout are a freshwater subspecies of brown trout, although it was previously thought that these were two certain types. An interesting metamorphosis that happened in New Zealand. The brook trout brought there went into the lowlands and turned into a migratory form.

There are several subspecies of trout, these are:

  • Aral,
  • Caspian,
  • black sea,
  • pre-Caucasian,
  • Eizenamskaya (living exclusively in Lake Eisenam between Dagestan and Chechnya).

All these salmonids have a characteristic torpedo-shaped body with small scales, a head with a wide mouth and various spots on the body. Unlike salmon, there are spots below the lateral line. Red, black, orange, round or x-shaped, each type of trout has its own. Some spots may be missing.

Since this species is very variable, the “characteristic torpedo-like” is rather relative. The color can vary from almost black to silvery with varying degrees of darkness on the back.

The life expectancy of brown trout is up to 20 years. Anadromous species on average grows up to a meter or even more, and weighs 8-12 kg, brook trout - up to 50 cm and weighs up to 2 kg, lake trout - 70 cm and weighs 6-7 kg. The largest of them is the Caspian subspecies, caught fish weighing 51 kg, now they rarely exceed 13 kg.

habitats

The plasticity of the brown trout also explains the rather wide range of its habitat. Generally speaking, this is the northern side of the pool Atlantic Ocean. Plus the basins of the Black, Caspian, Mediterranean seas. In Aralsk, she practically ceased to meet.

There are also various high-mountainous Caucasian and Alpine lakes, clear streams and cold rivers. That is, it is the Central Southern Europe, part of the Central and almost the entire North-West of the country. Thanks to human efforts, this wonderful fish appeared in North America, Australia, New Zealand.

Behavior

The freshwater form loves cold, clean, oxygen-rich water. Prefers either alpine lakes or mountain rivers. It often happens in flat rivers and streams with springs and springs. The migratory form tries to keep to the mouths of rivers and coasts. He likes rocky and small pebble, as well as sand and pebble bottom.

Depending on the species, it stands either in pits under riffles, swirls and the boundaries of two jets, or in a shady deep place. Wintering this salmon partly comes from the sea to the rivers, but partly remains in the coastal zone. It all depends on the temperature of the water.

Spawning

Kemzha, both anadromous and stream breeds in rivers. This fish will be sexually mature at 3-5 years of age. Ozernaya spawns according to its habitat, but often goes into rivers. Anadromous trout does not make long spawning transitions.

In different areas spawns from late September to February. Some subspecies breed in the spring. If the reservoir contains freshwater and marine forms, then they spawn together and create a common flock. Caviar is laid in nests, its average number is 5 thousand eggs, caviar is large. After spawning, anadromous trout goes to fattening in the sea, brook and lake trout go to their usual habitats.

Malek comes out in 2-4 months. At anadromous brown trout, young people live in the river up to 7 years, then go to sea, lake juveniles go back to the lake after 7-11 months. Our salmon species can breed up to 8 times in a lifetime.

Nutrition

Kumzha is a predator, eats different fish, crustaceans, molluscs. It consumes invertebrates, caviar, and will not refuse its own fry. Brook and lake trout, as well as young migratory forms, have great respect for various insects, both aquatic and flying - mayflies, beetles, etc. Eats throughout the year.

Moreover, during spawning, unlike others, it continues to feed, although not so actively.

Industrial and recreational fishing

Brown trout is valuable commercial species and is widely used in breeding. In general, despite the geographically wide habitat, this species is rather small, and in some areas it completely disappeared in its natural form due to the construction of dams, irrational fishing, water pollution and poaching.

This is especially true for brook trout, which is listed in the Red Book of Russia, and in many areas is prohibited from catching.

It is also prohibited to catch the Black Sea salmon (trout). Minimum size freshwater trout for recreational and sport fishing in different regions is 15-20 cm, lake trout 30-60 cm, sea trout - 30-40 cm.

Fishing methods

Since this salmon species is a predator, therefore, you can catch it with the help of,, summer and.

  • When fishing from baits, poppers, wobblers, oscillating and rotating baubles are suitable.
  • When fishing, floating and sinking flies, nymphs, streamers.
  • When fishing, any bait of animal origin (worms, larvae, beetles, flying insects, etc.) is also live bait. Of the 4 types of summer rods, it is best to use either or rods.
  • When fishing with sheer lure in winter, mormyshkas, baubles, balancers.

Separate conversation about brook trout. This beauty is the most cautious of all, and the fisherman must keep quiet, use disguise and hide. Everything here is the same, and, only rods should be taken in a lighter class. Small spinners and wobblers - spoons, turntables from 0 to 2 and caution, this is the secret of success when fishing for trout during the day.

In the evening and morning dawn, she is not so careful, and often comes to the surface to collect fallen insects. In this case, it is more appropriate to use flies. Often, river trout are also caught in wiring, on a worm, dragonfly, grasshopper or other insect. You can also use fry (live bait).

Brown trout is a very strong fighter, therefore, the choice of any rod should be taken with particular seriousness. And the meat, incredibly tender in taste, will satisfy any gourmet.

Calories, kcal:

Proteins, g:

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Kumzha or otherwise kemzha is a freshwater, anadromous fish belonging to the family salmon. There are many varieties of trout fish, which are like appearance, and are very different in size. Brown trout is considered big fish, its dimensions can vary from 30 to 70 centimeters with a weight in the range of 1-5 kilograms. Meet especially big fish, which reach a length of 110 centimeters and weigh more than 20 kilograms.

Brown trout fish is an ecologically plastic species and in connection with this fact, its habitat is very large: the pool Barents Sea and the Pechora River; Caspian, Aral, Baltic and mediterranean sea and even the lakes of Dagestan. Roughly speaking, brown trout are those that live in the ocean, and not in the river. There are known cases of the transformation of fry of brown trout into the usual one when the first ones settle in small rivers.

In terms of its nutritional and culinary characteristics, trout meat is not inferior to animal meat, and sometimes even better than the latter. The dignity of brown trout is determined by the content of valuable easily digestible protein in fish meat.

Calorie trout

The calorie content of this product is only 104 kcal per 100 grams of meat.

Composition of brown trout

Brown trout is a valuable object of fishery, and it is also often artificially bred. Getting into different conditions habitats and different water bodies, it is able to change the color of the body, its shape.

Useful properties of trout

Frequent consumption of this fish prevents and protects against atherosclerosis and heart attack, promotes good digestion and normalization of metabolism.

Kumzha in cooking

The presence of intermuscular layers of fat in fish meat makes it very tender, while the location and number of these layers depends on the age and period of life of the trout. It is worth noting that trout meat is less fat than meat, but at the same time it still differs in its extraordinary taste and popular in the cuisines of many countries. Brown trout served different ways cooking, it can be grilled or pan-fried, boiled, steamed, as well as salted, smoked and canned.

Trout or otherwise kemzha- freshwater, anadromous fish belonging to the Salmon family. There are many varieties of trout fish, which differ greatly in appearance and size from each other. Brown trout is considered a large fish, its size can vary from 30 to 70 centimeters with a weight in the range of 1-5 kilograms. There are also especially large fish that reach a length of 110 centimeters and weigh more than 20 kilograms.

Brown trout fish is an ecologically plastic species and in connection with this fact, its habitat is very large: the basin of the Barents Sea and the Pechora River; Caspian, Aral, Baltic and Mediterranean seas and even lakes of Dagestan. Roughly speaking, brown trout is a trout that lives in the ocean, not in the river. There are known cases of the transformation of brown trout fry into ordinary trout when the first ones settle in small rivers.

general information

Trout

Externally different types brown trout are very different from each other, they are confused not only by amateur fishermen, but also by specialists involved in the production of fish products. For example, brown trout is called trout, and this is true: some of its subspecies living in streams and freshwater lakes really belong to trout, but there are many species and subspecies of trout in the world.

There are several subspecies of trout, these are:

  • Aral
  • Caspian
  • Black Sea
  • pre-Caucasian
  • Eizenamskaya (living exclusively in Lake Eisenam between Dagestan and Chechnya).

All these salmonids have a characteristic torpedo-shaped body with small scales, a head with a wide mouth and various spots on the body. Unlike salmon, there are spots below the lateral line. Red, black, orange, round or x-shaped, each type of trout has its own. Some spots may be missing. Since this species is very variable, the “characteristic torpedo-like” is rather relative.

Appearance

The body is elongated, covered with dense scales. Dorsal fin III 8-11 rays, anal fin II-III 8-9. Gill rakers on the 1st arch 13-18, usually 14-16 (in the Baltic more often 18), the first and last are tuberculate. The upper jaw noticeably extends beyond the vertical of the posterior margin of the eye; mouth large, oblique. The smallest body height is usually not more than twice the length of the caudal peduncle. Gill rays 10-12. Pyloric appendages 40-66. The vomer head has a triangular shape and bears 3-4 teeth on the posterior edge; on the body of his teeth in 1-2 rows, they last longer than in salmon. There is an adipose fin located between the dorsal and caudal fins. In sexually mature males, the jaws are curved, but much less so than in salmon.

The body of adult fish is covered with numerous black spots and below the lateral line, there are round spots on the sides of the head and on the dorsal fin. In mature individuals (especially males), numerous pink spots appear on the sides of the body. Juveniles are colored like brown trout. IN large lakes has a predominantly silver color. The length is usually 30-70 cm and the weight is 1-5 kg, but there are brown trout up to a meter or more in the Baltic Sea, weighing 8-12 kg.

One of the many relatives of salmon is trout - a fish that is a representative of the fauna of many seas: the Baltic, Caspian, Aral, White and Black, as well as mountain streams in many countries, lives in upper reaches Euphrates and Amu Darya.

One of the many relatives of salmon is the brown trout.

This species is very diverse, so that even scientists do not have time to classify subtypes. And all because This fish is well adapted to environment, whether it is the sea or another body of water, and easily mutates(changes). This is actively facilitated by its relocation by humans to various water bodies for breeding and increasing livestock.

Depending on the habitat, the color of the fish varies from very light, dark gray to almost black, and there are dark spots on the body that have a light halo (sometimes they are red).

Anadromous (the one that lives in the sea) trout lives in pools major rivers, since in spawning she needs to rise from the waters of the sea into a freshwater river. Individuals that live in lakes are trout. Those living in the river have a brown color on the back and a silvery tint on the sides. Those that are found in large lakes are dominated by a silver color.

The lifespan of this fish can be long. Individuals were observed whose age was 19 years (for migratory) and 20 years (for lake).

Brown trout goes to spawn (video)

Gallery: trout fish (25 photos)





















spawning process

Kumzha differs from many salmon relatives in that it can spawn more than once (up to 10) in its entire life. She does not starve before spawning (on the contrary, she feeds heavily) and does not die after it, returning to her usual habitat. It spawns in shallow water, laying eggs under rocks or buried in sand. At one time, the female lays up to 4 thousand eggs of rather large sizes - 5 mm. After 1.5-2 months, young growth will appear. The size of the hatched fry is 6 mm.

For the first time, babies live in the place where they were born. From 2 to 7 years of life they spend in the river. They feed on various insects and larvae. When their size increases to 20 cm, the fish descend into the sea. Their diet is expanding: frogs, invertebrates and fry of other fish. For 4 years of life in the sea, the size of individuals increases to 60 cm.

Depending on the habitat, the color of the trout varies from very light, dark gray to almost black, and dark spots with a light halo are located on the body.

Adults feed on small schooling fish, large crustaceans, insects flying above the water. In some lakes, two types of trout coexist together: predatory (weight up to 10 kg) and small silvery fish that feed exclusively on vegetation.

The sizes of brown trout are very different and depend on the reservoir in which it lives. In small rivers, trout reaches a size of 25 cm, in large lakes the size of the fish increases to 1 m, and the weight is up to 8-13 kg, in the seas - up to 1.5 m. If we compare the size and weight of some species sea ​​trout, then the Caspian has the largest (maximum weight - 51 kg, although now such specimens are not caught, usually 12-13 kg). The trout living in the Baltic Sea (Baltic subspecies) grows up to 30-70 cm, and the weight grows from 1 to 5 kg (there was also heaviest weight in history - 23.5 kg). Ciscaucasian trout weighs from 2 to 7 kg.

The value and benefits of fish

Brown trout meat has useful properties, it is very tender and tasty. It is absorbed by the human body easier and faster than meat. You can’t call this fish fat, although between the muscles of its body in certain places there are layers of fat. The average calorie content of all types of brown trout in its raw form is 100-105 kcal / 100 g of meat. The product is also valued for the fact that it contains valuable fats for humans, which are very useful for strengthening of cardio-vascular system and prevention of heart attacks and strokes. And also it is a storehouse of vitamins (A, groups B, E, PP, D) and minerals: magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, selenium, fluorine, potassium, calcium, iron, manganese. Plus 17 amino acids. Kumzha is salted, boiled, fried. All these processes are simple, and the fish is cooked quickly and easily.

Brown trout (video)

Methods and subtleties of fishing

I want to catch a bigger trophy - and this is a predatory trout. You can catch it using different gear: spinning, float fishing rod, track and overlap. In this case, her habits must be taken into account. This fish loves deep places reservoirs and rifts, but in search of food it can go to shallow water.

When using float gear, it is worth using a fishing rod no longer than 5 m. This is convenient when moving along a coast that is heavily overgrown with bushes, so as not to catch on and break the tackle. As bait, you can use a worm or maggot. The tackle should be thrown downstream to the place where the trout can presumably live.

It is important to remember that during the zhora this fish can be at any depth.


The sizes of brown trout are very different and depend on the reservoir in which the fish lives.

If fishing takes place on spinning, then you need to take into account the time of year in order to choose tackle. In summer, brown trout hunt near the surface of the reservoir and at shallow depths. Therefore, as a bait, you need to use small spinners. Wobblers are used in spring and autumn. Wiring when fishing on spinning should be done slowly and smoothly. It is important to know that the time when fishing is most successful is in the morning. To be successful, don't be afraid to experiment with bait.

Fishing with an artificial fly is the use of overlap and a high probability of catching a large specimen.

But hooking a fish on a hook is half the battle, you still need to pull it out of the water, and this is not easy and requires skill, patience and the presence of special devices.

A reasonable fisherman will not catch a trout returning from spawning, as it is weakened at this time, and after a certain period of active feeding, the fish will gain weight.

Brook trout is also an object of amateur and sport fishing. This fish is very cautious and shy, as it has good eyesight and sees what is happening on the shore. It is very difficult to catch a large individual weighing up to 2 or 4 kg, which strongly resists, jumps out of the water, spins on the hook, sharply rushes from side to side, as practice shows, is very difficult. This is within the power of an experienced fisherman. But a smaller variety of brook trout - pied - usually weighs within 1 kg. This fish is also cautious, and you need to apply knowledge and skill to catch it, but this is easier to do compared to large individuals.

To date, trout fish is an endangered species and is listed in the Red Book. Therefore, a license is required to catch it and you can fish in places allowed for fishing.