Today we will dispel the surprise and horror of tourists, which arises at the sight of a long fish with elongated jaws like an alligator, like a needle and predatory like a shark. Meet the star of the Black Sea, a fish with a unique constitution, color and culinary properties - the Black Sea garfish. This schooling fish is very easy to spot among the rich variety of marine life. Sargan is characterized by a disproportionately long body, elongated like an arrow, a thin long beak, with many sharp teeth. The color of the scales has a light shade, the back is gray. The length of the body does not exceed 60 centimeters. The not boring life of the Black Sea garfish lasts 18 years. Sargan is a predatory fish, nature has created a real biologically machine for catching small fish. The speed of movement in the water column and long as surgical tweezers allow you to feast on sprat, anchovy, fish with a needle or sprats.
Where can you find Sargan
The garfish can be found in spring and autumn. In the spring, when the period of throwing the game begins for the garfish, and for the first time swimming in Anapa, the first acquaintances take place. To detect the garfish, you need a mask and fins; when diving, you need to observe the surface of the water. Having gained patience, the diver will surely notice schools of fish, long as needles. In the sea you can watch the rapid hunting of the garfish. In the fall, there is an opportunity to touch the fish by taking an excursion to where experienced fishermen catch garfish.
How to catch a garfish
Anapa fishermen know a lot about tasty fish. Knowing the main places and gatherings of local fishermen, you can get acquainted with the peculiarities of sea fishing for garfish. Sargana is caught in autumn and spring. Sargan fish is very capricious to baits, so you need to take several delicacies with you at once. Today fishermen prefer to catch garfish for maggots, beef, shrimp. The tackle is also special. They catch fish on a spinning rod with a special sinker with a bombard (bomb), which walks along the line and does not allow the bait to sink, which allows it to be carried along the upper layer of water.
In Anapa, a small garfish fishery is also developed, which is caught with nets and shutters. For a good catch, fishermen at night drive the garfish in the net.
How to cook garfish
Sargan is highly prized in. Small scales of a garfish do not need to be cleaned. You can just cut off the head and tail and ask the fish for a frying pan. Sargan is delicious fried and stewed, fillets can also be dried and salted.
Features:
The bones of the Black Sea garfish have a dark green color, which sometimes scares gourmet beginners. The market says that there is a lot of phosphorus in fish, so it is green, and therefore healthy. In fact, a green shade of garfish is given by a special bile pigment, which is absolutely not dangerous to health.
Sargan Black Sea - has many relatives. Carapace pike, needle fish - in the absence of experience, you can easily confuse these fish, although they have little in common and they belong to completely different families. Knowing what a sea beauty looks like, the characteristics of his behavior depending on the season, and the most common ways of hunting a monster, you can easily return home with a rich catch. Of course, this long-awaited event can happen only if you are lucky enough to go on a sea fishing - the natural habitat of the sea monster.
The arrowfish (one of the names of the garfish) has a long body, some specimens of the representatives of this family grow up to 80 cm.The body is narrow, the anal and dorsal fin are located near the tail itself. The jaws are elongated, very narrow and sharp at the ends. Sargan is the owner of numerous sharp teeth, which, despite their almost tiny size, tenaciously hold their prey.
The scales will delight fishermen who do not like to clean their catch, because they are small and can be easily removed even with an ordinary knife. The unique feature of the arrow is its bone shade. They are greenish in color, which is rare in fish.
There are several types of garfish, the most common are the Black Sea and the Pacific. The difference between the Pacific Ocean and the representatives of this family is a long strip running from the head to the very tail. It has a stripe of bluish-blue hue, which stands out brightly on a green body.
Natural habitat of the garfish
You can meet garfish in many seas, especially if the water there is constantly moderately warm. In Russia, these are the Taganrog Bay and the Black Sea coast, a little less often - the Azov and White seas.
You can often find an arrow near North Africa or southern Europe. Fishermen who are lucky enough to go to Cape Verde for trophies, with a little luck, will surely come across a giant from this family, since it is from Norway to Ireland that the largest specimens come across. According to some reports, the trophy garfish (a little over a meter) was caught in these places.
Arrowfish diet
The main food of the garfish is hamsa. The appearance of an arrow in the Black or Azov Sea is associated with the migration of this particular small fish - the garfish pursues its favorite food. In addition to the anchovy, the predator does not disdain other representatives of small fish, hunger forces them to go in search of invertebrates.
Among the fish that attract the garfish:
- pipefish;
- atherina;
- young mackerel;
- gerbil;
- sprat.
Photo 1. Anchovies or hamsa are the favorite delicacy of the garfish.
In pursuit of a tasty target, the garfish develops tremendous speed, increasing it slightly with each dash. Carried away by hunting, the arrow can make incredible jumps above the surface of the water, which leaves the prey no chance to escape.
How the seasons affect the garfish
If the garfish fish live in comfortable conditions - in coastal areas, it rarely moves, preferring to stay in one place. The only thing that can cause an arrow to migrate long distances is to search for food.
Predators living in the Black Sea prefer to winter on the spot, but after the anchovy moves to the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov (this happens in spring), the garfish goes after its favorite food. With the onset of cold weather, the Black Sea representatives of the family try to stay closer to the shores of the Crimea, which allows fishermen to hunt for a tasty and unusual handsome all year round.
Photo 2. The fish came close to the shore.
Lures and tackle - what to choose for hunting garfish
Even novice fishermen know perfectly well that going fishing in the hope of catching a garfish is not worth it with a donka - there will be no sense from it even during the hours of rest of the predators that take place at depth. What to choose for successful boom fishing? It is imperative to remember that the tackle must be strong and powerful, otherwise large specimens of garfish will easily break the line and even break a thin rod. Sea waves and strong winds are of no small importance - they can also easily damage fishing equipment, chosen incorrectly.
Photo 3. Fishing at sea.
The cross-section of the leash should not be less than 0.3 mm. The length of the leash also matters - the longer it is, the shorter the casting distance becomes. To catch a garfish it is better to take one - almost invisible in the water and having a rigid structure.
How to complete the tackle when setting out? The first thing that should be there is a triple swivel (). It is better not to take a large one, it is enough for an arrow-fish and medium. At the same time, the quality of fishing is significantly increased, since it does not waste extra time on additional installation.
Fishermen who are keen on spinning fishing can try their luck by using. Traditional fishing will not be fruitful - the structure of the mouth of the garfish will make most of the bites in vain. Another feature is that when it feels cold metal in its mouth, the predator immediately throws a dangerous suspicious object. Resourceful fishermen act quite ingeniously - they connect a tee and a spoon on a short leash. Having swallowed the spoon, the arrow-fish simultaneously deeply swallows the hook.
Simple but powerful ones are more popular when fishing for garfish. Raw meat, sea worms or freshly caught anchovy can be used as bait. A good arrow takes (usually raw, but you can take boiled one).
Interesting! Experienced fishermen have a strange way of fishing. You don't need hooks for this - instead of them lush tassels of thread are tied to the fishing line. It is enough for a curious voracious predator to be tempted and swallow an attractive bait - it is already impossible to throw it, the threads are tightly entangled between the numerous teeth. Sometimes, happy from a good catch, a fisherman with difficulty takes out a thread brush, preferring to cut it off with a knife.
Sargan is an interesting fish, but it is not popular with many fishing enthusiasts. This happens due to the unusual shade of the bones, which is completely safe for the human body. Only true connoisseurs know how tasty this predator is, they are ready to indulge in their favorite hobby for whole days, and this hobby will certainly be rewarded with an excellent catch!
Needle fish, arrow fish, spindle, silver needle, sea pike - all these trivial names belong to one of the most interesting representatives of the ray-finned fish class. In the scientific world, it is known as a garfish.
The unusual appearance and high nutritional value of meat made the schooling fish an object of active fishing. Garfish dishes are distinguished by their unusual appearance and excellent taste.
Appearance, dietary habits, behavior and reproduction
Sargan got the name “arrow” for a reason. The predatory fish is capable of making lightning dashes in pursuit of prey, jumping out of the water and developing high speed. This is facilitated by the ideal structure of the fish from the point of view of aerodynamics: the body is long, slightly compressed from the sides, covered with very small cycloidal scales. In a calm state, the garfish moves, wriggling, like a snake (hence another nickname - spindle).
Interesting fact! Sargan jumps out of the water to overcome the obstacle. These can be objects floating on the surface of the water, including fishing boats. There are cases when fish injured people.
When playing, the garfish makes high jumping-candles and can wrap itself with fishing line several times
Thin elongated jaws with many small sharp teeth, similar to the beak of a prehistoric pterodactyl, help to grip and hold the victim. The upper jaw of the needlefish is shorter than the lower one.
The younger the individual, the longer its lower jaw. It can be 3/4 of the length of the entire head.
The green and blue back and silvery sides of the garfish are in harmony with the general color of the sea water
In addition to the back, the bones of the garfish are colored green. The non-standard shade is due to the presence in their composition of a coloring bile pigment - biliverdin, which is also present in the human body. The photo shows what the spine of a fish looks like.
The coloring pigment is not hazardous to human health
A typical marine pelagic fish, the garfish keeps in deeper layers during daylight hours, rises to the surface of the reservoir on a moonless night.
The basis of the garfish diet is made up of small fish: anchovy, sprat, herring, young mackerel and herring. In search of food, the predator migrates long distances. For example, after the hamsa it can move from the Black Sea to the Azov Sea and Sivash.
The needlefish reaches sexual maturity by 3–6 years of age. Females spawn eggs in small portions, so spawning lasts for several months (usually from early May to mid-August, in the Black Sea - from late April to mid-October). There is no ban on fishing during this period.
Sargan and fish needle - class one, different families
There is a common misconception that garfish and needlefish are synonymous names for the same fish. In fact, this is not the case. The needle fish is a representative of marine fish of the needle family (the order of sticklebacks). Its close relative is the seahorse.
The genus includes more than 50 species:
- common marine needle;
- italian needlefish (other names: Black Sea needle, small needle);
- spiny needlefish;
- northern sea needle;
- small-nosed needle fish;
- long-nosed needle fish;
- thin-nosed needle fish and others.
A shy small fish (maximum length 30 cm), unlike the predatory garfish, is quite peaceful. She does not even have teeth: the basis of food for needlefish is plankton, small crustaceans, insect larvae. For most of the day, the fish either moves slowly near the bottom, or stands almost vertically in the thickets of marine plants, leaning on its tail.
The color of the needle depends on the reservoir of habitat: usually these are yellow, green, reddish tones
The needlefish has an elongated, tubular mouth (snout) with a characteristic extension at the end.
Interesting fact! A fish, like a chameleon, can change color according to its environment.
They live in the Black, Azov, Caspian, Baltic Seas, enter the rivers and lakes associated with them. Sea long-nosed needlefish is an object of hunting for tourists. It is caught by hand in coastal areas, dried and taken away as a souvenir.
Some species are freshwater. River needlefish is found in the Volga, the lower reaches of the Don, some reservoirs (Kuibyshev, Volgograd, Rybinsk, Tsimlyansk).
Unlike the garfish, the needlefish has no commercial value. Because of its friendly disposition, attractive appearance and unpretentiousness, they like to keep it in an aquarium. Chubby igloo fish are usually kept as a pet.
The fish got its name because of the strongly protruding gill covers.
Freshwater fish looks beautiful: the body is green or brownish with contrasting transverse stripes, the abdomen is light with a black keel. Height does not exceed 20 cm, weight 5 g.
There is only one thing in common between the garfish and the igloo fish: both belong to the class of ray-finned fish.
Species and habitats of the garfish
The garfish family unites 25 species. Fish are classified mainly by the area where they are found.
From the commercial point of view, the most interesting are:
- garfish european (other names: Atlantic, ordinary). The most common species was chosen by the moderately warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean, the Marmara, Black, Azov seas (its western, more salty water area). Sometimes the common garfish is caught in the White and Barents Seas. The growth of adults rarely exceeds 90 cm. It is allocated as a separate subspecies. It differs from the European one in more modest dimensions (up to 60 cm);
- garfish crocodile (other names - crocodile tylosur, giant garfish), the largest representative of the family, growing up to 1.5 meters. The weight of the trophy specimens is 6.5–7.5 kg. Inhabits the tropical waters of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It got its name for its hard scales and its peculiar color, reminiscent of crocodile skin;
- far Eastern or pacific garfish: it is distinguished by a narrow bluish longitudinal stripe with a silvery shade and the absence of gill stamens; the thermophilic species is most widespread in the southern waters of the Sea of \u200b\u200bJapan, off the coast of Korea and China (up to the South China Sea), in the Pacific Ocean south of Hokkaido Island. In Russia, fish is caught in Primorye. Sargan, as a seasonal migrant, enters the Peter the Great Bay and the channels of salt lakes in the south of the region in summer. In the catches, individuals weighing up to 1 kg and up to 1 m long are usually found. With a decrease in water temperature to 15 ° C, it goes south;
- black-tailed garfish: An inhabitant of the coastal waters of South Asia is named for the large black spots on the caudal fin. During low tides, fish often remain in the drained area, burrowing into silt or sand to a depth of 50 cm.
Most species prefer to stay close to the coast, some (for example, the tropical ribbon garfish) go into the open ocean.
There are 5 species of the sargan family that live in fresh water bodies. They are found in the rivers of South America, Southeast Asia, North Australia.
Nutritional value, recipes
Needle fish, especially caught in autumn, is tasty and quite fatty. The lack of small bones makes it a desirable product in the kitchen. Meat has many useful properties. It contains a large amount of polyunsaturated aliphatic acids of the Omega group. They are necessary to increase immunity, normalize the work of all vital systems, and level the hormonal background. Thanks to fatty acids, a general rejuvenation of the body occurs.
Garfish dishes are good for thyroid health: fish contains a lot of iodine.
Fish meat is rich in phosphorus. The macronutrient is needed to maintain muscle activity, brain activity, and bone growth.
There are many recipes for cooking a sea predator. The fish menu includes marinated, boiled, fried, baked garfish. Smoked needle fish has excellent taste.
Hot-smoked Sargan
Fish is prepared in a special smokehouse (can be replaced with a massive saucepan or a bucket with a tight lid).
Operating procedure:
- pour wood chips (ideally aspen or juniper) on the bottom of the smokehouse, put on fire;
- prepare the fish: a small garfish can not be gutted, a large garfish must be cleaned of entrails, put any greens (dill, parsley) in the abdomen;
- rub the fish with salt, place on the grill of the smokehouse.
Sargana is kept in the smokehouse until cooked, usually the process takes about 40 minutes
The garfish is kept in a smokehouse until tender, usually the process takes about 40 minutes. Some semblance of hot smoked fish can be cooked in the oven. To do this, cleaned garfish is rubbed first with salt, then coated with "liquid smoke", placed in a baking bag and put into the oven for 50 minutes.
Cold smoked needle fish
The cold smoking process is long and laborious, but the garfish prepared in this way can be stored for up to a year without losing its taste.
Step by step recipe:
- clean the fish, put it on a string (it is convenient to do it through the eyes), salt, leave to stand for 3-5 days;
- remove excess salt: to do this, place the fish in cold water for 1-2 hours, then rinse;
- dry the garfish in the open air for 2-3 days. For best results, insert wooden sticks into the abdomen;
- place the fish suspended in a tall smokehouse (for example, from barrels) with alder or juniper sawdust: they give off a fragrant cold smoke. The smoke temperature should not exceed 25ºC.
The smoking process itself takes from 1 to 6 days, depending on the size of the fish. Readiness is determined by the appearance of the garfish: it becomes dry, the surface acquires a golden brown hue.
The recipes for the ancient dish are varied. In general, shkara is a fish stewed in its own juice.
For 5-7 pieces of garfish we need:
- 3-4 pieces of onions (the more, the tastier);
- jar of olives (pitted and without fillers);
- 2 lemons;
- butter;
- vegetable oil (preferably olive oil);
- salt, pepper, bay leaf (to taste).
In addition to products, you must prepare in advance: 2 pans (main and auxiliary), toothpicks according to the amount of fish.
There should be enough fish so that, rolled up in rings, it fits tightly in the pan
Step by step recipe:
- Cut some of the lemon together with the zest into small pieces, fill the olives with them.
- In a main skillet, melt a piece of butter over low heat, then add a few pieces of bay leaves.
- Roll the fish into rings, securing it along the abdomen with toothpicks; fry in an auxiliary pan for 10 seconds on each side in well-heated vegetable oil, then remove the toothpicks.
- Cut the onion into rings, put a dense layer on the bottom of the pan, after removing the bay leaf from there.
- Put the fish rings with their bellies down on the onion pillow tightly to each other, salt and pepper.
- Put olives stuffed with lemon and a small piece of butter in each ring.
- Cover the fish with a thick layer of onion rings and pour generously with lemon juice.
- Add a little water to cover the fish.
- Close the lid, simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
Advice! Before the end of the stewing process, the lid does not need to be removed: this way the dish will completely retain its aroma.
Sprats
To prepare sprat, you will need gutted carcasses of a garfish without a head and tail, vegetable oil, black peppercorns (or a mixture of peppers), bay leaves, salt.
Preparation:
- cut the fish into pieces of about 5 cm, place tightly in a pan in an upright position;
- add salt, pepper, bay leaf to taste;
- pour vegetable oil so that the fish is completely covered;
- simmer covered over low heat for about 3 hours.
These sprats can be stored in glass jars in the refrigerator.
A beautiful swift predator is an object of commercial fishing. Extraction is carried out mainly off the coast of the Crimea, in the Kerch Strait. Amateur walking fishing (with long-range tackle) is possible in spring and autumn, when the needle fish comes close to the shore. By this time, the fish managed to work up fat, its meat becomes tender and juicy. They put on the hook what the garfish usually eat: anchovy, pieces of herring, meat of mussels and shrimps. The predator reacts well to chicken meat. It is possible to use artificial lures: floating wobblers and small-sized lures.
Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it has green bones. Therefore, many are simply afraid to eat such exotic things. After reading today's article, you will learn about the main features of this fish.
Appearance
It should be noted that the Black Sea garfish is a schooling fish that is a subspecies of the European or Atlantic family. It has a long, arrow-shaped body slightly compressed from the sides. One of the main features of this inhabitant of the seas is the presence of thin elongated jaws, which outwardly resemble a bird's beak. On the top there is a frequent comb of sharp teeth with a conical shape.
This fish has a contrasting coloration. It has silvery green, light silvery or grayish sides and abdomen. The back, upper body and head are colored light brown or brownish green. The entire body of the garfish, from forty to sixty centimeters long, is covered with small, easily falling scales that extend over the top of the head.
Breeding features
Individuals that have reached the age of five are considered sexually mature. From that moment on, they are capable of annual reproduction. The Black Sea garfish spawns, a photo of which will be presented in this article, in the spring. To do this, he swims away from the coast and sinks to a depth of twelve to eighteen meters. The lengthy spawning time is explained by the fact that eggs are spawned in small portions. This period begins at the end of April and ends in mid-August.
Small eggs, the diameter of which is about three and a half millimeters, are deposited on algae and other floating objects. All larvae and fry have sixty to eighty long filaments, thanks to which they are attached to underwater vegetation. Egg development lasts from ten days to five weeks. It all depends on the temperature of the water. The first larvae keeping in the coastal zone can be seen as early as early June. The adult Black Sea fish garfish differs from them in appearance, since the young do not have such long jaws. By the end of the first year of life, the grown offspring acquires a typical appearance and swims from the coast.
Sargan Black Sea: how to catch?
The hunting season for this predator begins in October or November and lasts until February. For quite understandable reasons schools of small fish try to hide in quiet warm bays, so you need to look for them there. Alternatively, you can try to catch them on the high seas.
However, experienced fishermen advise to organize fishing from piers or capes. Moreover, it is necessary to throw the tackle and use such an item as a spoon on the Black Sea garfish away from the coast. It is interesting that this cautious and shy fish is looking for food for itself practically on the surface. Therefore, to catch it, it is advisable to use the thinnest line with an almost floating bait. As for the hooks, it is advisable to completely hide them in the bait.
How is this fish useful?
Immediately, we note that the Black Sea garfish is rich in many valuable substances, including iron, phosphorus, iodine and omega-3 fatty acids. Despite the relatively low cost, its meat is quite nutritious and quickly saturates the human body.
In addition, regular consumption of this type of fish helps to moisturize the epidermis of the skin and smooth out fine wrinkles. The B vitamins it contains have a positive effect on the state of the cardiovascular system and improve blood circulation. This helps prevent blockage of blood vessels and the development of cancer.
Sargan Black Sea: how to prepare a scale?
This is one of the most favorite dishes of the Crimean people. It consists of two layers of stewed onions, between which it is hidden as one of the components, and garbage is used, which is the best suited for this dish.
To prepare a restaurant version of the scale, you will need fish filleted. Rolled up a roll and fastened with a toothpick, strips of garfish are lightly fried in heated olive oil. This should be done no more than twenty seconds. After that, you need to remove the wooden sticks, and put an olive stuffed with lemon inside each roll.
In a simpler, fisherman's version, this dish is prepared a little differently. Pre-peeled and gutted garfish are cut into pieces. Onion rings are placed in a frying pan soaked in vegetable oil. Fish (or rolls with olive) are laid on top of them. Sprinkle everything on top with salt, pepper, marjoram and rosemary, and then sprinkle with a small amount of chilled, grated butter and cover Pour some water into the pan, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for twenty minutes.
Sargan with lemon jam
To prepare this dish, you will need twelve peeled fish, two hundred and fifty grams of potatoes, two tablespoons of oil, ¾ cup of bread crumbs, as well as a tablespoon of cinnamon and lemon jam.
Pre-boiled potatoes should be mashed with butter. Add cinnamon and lemon to the resulting mass. This mixture should be used to stuff the fish (Black Sea garfish) and fasten it on the sides with toothpicks or skewers. The fish dipped in flour are fried on both sides for one or two minutes and served with spinach.
Cooking snacks
Sargan Black Sea has small scales well behind the body. Therefore, it is not necessary to clean and gut it before serving it with beer. Simply dip the fish in salt and leave for twenty minutes. After this time, the carcasses must be hung upside down and wait until they have dried a little. This will take about twelve hours.
Also, from this inexpensive and tasty fish, you can prepare "sprats", the taste of which is not inferior to the Baltic canned food. To do this, you need to take a previously gutted headless carcass and cut it into strips, the length of which does not exceed five centimeters. Then the prepared fish is placed in a deep narrow saucepan so that the pieces are placed vertically. A pinch of salt, a few bay leaves and peppercorns are also sent there. Then the contents of the dish are poured with vegetable oil so that it covers the fish by about a centimeter. Place the saucepan on low heat, cover and leave for three hours. The finished dish is served chilled.
Hot dishes
Despite the fact that dried and smoked garfish are sold in southern markets, all its taste qualities remain incompletely revealed. It is best to try to cook it with a marinade. A kilogram of fish must be peeled, gutted, salted and fried in vegetable oil. Then pour three tablespoons of flour into a deep frying pan and fry it. After it acquires a creamy hue, add two hundred milliliters of water, half a glass of dry white wine, salt, pepper, rosemary and a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar. The resulting sauce is boiled until thick, and then the fish is stewed in it. This dish can be served with any side dishes.
The wavy bending of the garfish body allows you to dynamically move around the water. At the sight of prey, this brave fish is able to jump out of the water with lightning speed and overtake the victim, and when frightened, it will jump over any obstacle ...
Why should a fisherman be wary of this gambling predator? How to curb her while playing and lure her deliciously - you will soon find out ...
1.General description of the sargan
The sargan family is represented by 9 genera with more than 25 species. Sargan is one of the marine inhabitants with an interesting body structure. The sagittal elongated body is covered with small silvery scales. Has elongated jaws. The back has a greenish tint.
The garfish predator has small and sharp teeth, allowing it to grab small fish while moving.
The biliverdin present in the skeleton (a green bile pigment) sets them off to a green tint.
2. Distribution and habitats
The geography of distribution of garfish fish is very wide. Found in African waters, Iceland and Norway. Also found in the North, Baltic, Azov, Black and. Far Eastern, common garfish inhabits the waters of Russia, and the Atlantic inhabitant of the Mediterranean.
3. Age and size
Life expectancy is up to 7 years. According to data from Wikipedia, the maximum length is up to 93 cm.
Israeli record
But, in November 2018, an Israeli amateur angler named Vyacheslav denied this information. The trophy 107 cm long and weighing 1635 grams was caught at about 9 am on the stones of the Sironit beach in the city of Netanya. The huge garfish was tempted by live bait from. And here is a photo report about this handsome man.
Record holder Vyacheslav with a catch
Trophy Sargan
Record size
Record weight
However, this is really a record, and most often there are individuals reaching 70 - 75 cm and weighing up to 1.3 kg.
There is another exception, for example, in the tropics there is a giant representative of the garfish - crocodile, up to 180 cm in size.
Crocodile garfish.Life expectancy is no more than 13 years. Mostly there are individuals from 5 to 9 years old.
4. Lifestyle
Predator, keeps in pack. Pelagic fish, that is, it lives in the water surface. It can be found in waters of varying degrees of salinity, it is able to swim into fresh water bodies.
4.1 Reproduction - timing and characteristics of spawning
Fish reaches sexual maturity in 1 year at the age of 4 - 5 years. The spawning period lasts from May to August. Fish spawn near the shore. Eggs have sticky threads that attach to marine vegetation. A favorable temperature for the ripening of eggs is considered to be a temperature over 10 degrees. Sargan is capable of producing on average up to 15 thousand eggs, larger representatives - up to 50 thousand. The larvae swim in coastal areas on the surface of the water. The difference from adults is the structure of the jaws - shorter. During the first year of life, they acquire an elongated structure, which is usual for large fish.
4.2 Diet - what does the garfish eat
Small fish are the main food of the garfish. Also eats crustaceans and insects.
5. How, where, when and what to fish for garfish
Usually the garfish is located far from the coast. Approaches to catch prey or spawn. The insatiable garfish will always be nearby near a school of small fish that gather along rocky shores, bays and reefs.
5.1 Biting calendar - what time of year and day does the garfish bite best
With an increase in the temperature regime of the water, garfish go into the sea, where they can be hunted from sea transport.
In the cold, the fish bite throughout the day. Favorable time for fishing in shallow coastal areas is at night and early morning.
5.2 What kind of weather does it bite best?
It bites well in autumn and until mid-spring, especially with wind, waves from 1 m and turbidity of water. The water temperature should be less than 10 degrees. Under such conditions, the garfish for the purpose of food comes to the shore, near which small fish swim.
5.3 Where is the best place to catch a garfish
The best fishing distance is considered to be from 40 to 100 m. The coastline, coves, coral reefs and bays. During low tide, the garfish hides in drained places, burrowing into silt up to a meter deep. Fishing on sea spits, will allow you to move away from the coast.
A promising place will also be the surf zone, which extends into the sea many meters ahead.
Fishing from rocks can allow you to successfully catch a garfish, since it is fearless in such places.
- fishing time - early morning;
- long throw;
- navigate the water quickly;
- having brought it to the shore, pull it out of the water with a fishing rod;
Option 4 "Catching with a petal and a hook"
Two-handed spinning rod:
- 0.25 mm;
- a sinker weighing 10 - 15 g is attached to one end, to the other - a factory ring with and;
- at a distance of 10 - 15 cm from the ring, it is attached with a length of 3 - 4 cm with a diameter of 0.2 mm with a small tee;
- after 10 cm, a leash with a white spinner petal is attached;
- then the leash and tee are knitted again.
- wiring is done along the surface of the water;
- you can use petals and yellow.
Option 5 "Christmas tree fishing"
- on leashes - 4 or 5 cm, fix 2 - 3 oscillating spoons or jig with 2 hooks;
- silver tee.
- bait no more than 3 cm;
- leashes at a distance of 20 - 25 cm
- trailing narrow lure - 100 - 110 cm
- use silver metal spinners
Option 6 "Fishing with long casting"
Carbon fiber tackle up to 8 m long:
- or ;
- fishing line with a diameter of 0.18 mm;
- large elongated float with a long antenna;
- a sinker (olive) with built-in foam is attached to the float itself;
- weight - a pellet is attached at the end of the fishing line, to which () a leash (with a diameter of 0.15 mm), 25 - 30 cm long is tied;
- hook number 4 - 6 ().
- the float is released to a depth of 1 - 1.5 m;
- you can use a float with a mounted sinker;
- it is possible to tie the float to the end of the line and a leash at a distance of 1 m from it.
Option 8 "Catching with a bombard"
Spinning up to 4 m and dough 10 - 40 g:
- (0.32 - 0.35 mm) or 0.15 - 0.20 mm;
- hooks No. 6,7 (flattened to the sides and with a long forearm);
- tie the shock leader to the fishing line, onto which to fix the 10 - 40 g bombard;
- after the bombards, put and;
- Fix 2 m to the line through.
- have bombards of different weights, depending on the weather and conditions;
- use 0.1 mm;
- first you need to collect the tackle without a leash, only with a bombard;
- you need to moisten the fishing line, for this, a cast is made without bait;
- when fishing line, do the sweep slowly with a large amplitude;
- when using a cord, the sweep is done only with the hand.
Famous video on how to catch a garfish - part 1
5.5 Bait for catching a garfish
At the moment - there is no information about the bait for the garfish. I would be grateful for any information on this matter.
5.6 What baits and baits the garfish bite on
Animal baits
- worm (, earthworm);
- liman worm (nereis);
- :) also cut with skin;
- less durable;
- to preserve nereis, pour vodka into a jar with worms, close the lid and place in the refrigerator. Store for an unlimited time.
5.7 How the garfish bite
Strong fish, loves to fight. The bite is confident: he sinks the float, swallows the bait and drags it abruptly into the water. Do not rush to hook, so that the hook does not slip. However, with active fishing, you need to hook quickly. After the hold, it starts to pull. When playing, there is a struggle on the surface of the water. Getting ashore, it resists aggressively.
5.8 How to properly catch a garfish? - Basic techniques
- with a sluggish bite, the hooking is done with a pause for a few seconds, not allowing the spoon to go to the bottom.
- in shallow water, long-distance casting and wading are used (fishing with entry into the water);
- fishing in a rocky area is dangerous as the stones have a slippery surface. For this, it is better to fish from the water. The cage is fastened on the belt;
- so that the landing net does not interfere during the process, it is worth keeping it behind your back.
- when fishing with a sandy bottom, a cage is not needed. Such a shore allows you to calmly grab the fish with your hand and remove it from the hook;
- make fan casts, starting along the coastline, then a semicircle in places where fish accumulate;
- the speed of the posting is fast, allowing the spoon to jump out of the water;
- when a predator breaks off, do not stop wiring, since garfish can follow him;
- if there is no bite, change the spoon to a different color.
5.9 The most important points when catching a garfish
- choose equipment depending on weather conditions, water and wind behavior;
- observe safety precautions while fishing;
- have equipment, clothing and polarized glasses appropriate for the weather and the place of fishing.
6. Interesting, unusual, funny facts about this fish
An interesting way to swim is through undulating body folds. Jumps sharply out of the water. Swims at high speed.
In pursuit of prey or danger (fear), it is able to jump over an obstacle standing in the way. Large individuals can damage fishermen on boats at such a moment.
The greenish tint of the bones is caused by the presence of biliverdin (a green bile pigment) in the body, which has a frightening effect on some gourmets. The fish is safe to eat.
7. Interesting videos about garfish
The video is in English, but everything is clear anyway. You will learn how to catch a garfish with a bombard, how to properly string mackerel bait, what hooks to use and enjoy the spectacular moments of playing garfish
8. Gastronomy
Most of the fish is caught fresh for local consumption. Eaten fried, baked. They say that a garfish ear is something special.
9. Most Useful Fish Links
https://ru.wikipedia.org/ - general description of garfish fish on Wikipedia;
http://masterok.livejournal.com/3029616.html - a large article about different types of garfish with many beautiful photos;
http://fishinginrus.ru/stati/na-rybalku/lovlya-khishchnoy-ryby/chto-po-vkusu-sarganu?SHOWALL_1\u003d1 - useful article about catching garfish, what gear to use and how to catch it correctly, with illustrations.