Despite the vigorous industrial activity of man, the underwater fauna on Earth still remains quite diverse. There are simply a huge number of species of fish that live in the seas and lakes on the planet. They are inhabited by natural bodies of water not only in hot and warm, but also in cold regions. For example, one of the species of fish that prefer the polar regions is the Arctic char. The distribution area of this fish is very wide. It lives mainly in the Arctic Ocean.
What varieties are found
One of the features of the cold-water Arctic char is that it is characterized by pronounced ecological plasticity. The size, and in some cases the biological characteristics of this fish, depends on which pond it lives in. There are mainly three varieties of northern char. These fish can be lake, migratory, or lake-river.
Largest view: description
The photos of the Arctic loach of the continuous form presented below in the article clearly show how large this fish can be. Representatives of this particular species in nature reach the largest sizes. The body length of adults of this form can reach 88 cm, and weight - 15 kg. A passing char spends most of its life in the ocean. However, this fish spawns, like many other salmon, in the lower reaches of the rivers.
This representative of the underwater fauna looks quite impressive. The body at the passage char is torpedo-shaped. The color of the scales in this fish ranges from steel to light silver. The main distinguishing feature of the loach is the presence of a bluish pearl strip on the back. Rare light spots are clearly visible on the sides of this fish.
During spawning, when entering the rivers, the belly of males of Arctic char often turns orange. Light spots on the sides acquire the same color.
Passage-based distribution area
In the Arctic Ocean, this form of loach lives everywhere. There are huge populations of this fish, for example, in the Kola Peninsula, Svalbard, off the coast of Alaska. Arctic char is also found in the Pacific Ocean. Here the fishermen call it Malma.
Lake varieties
The through form of the loach, therefore, is distinguished primarily by its large size. Lake varieties of this fish are classified into large, small and dwarf. All these forms live in natural freshwater bodies in the cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Large arctic char is about 35-45 cm long. In appearance, these fish are somewhat reminiscent of brook trout. The weight of large char is usually 450-500 grams.
Small lake varieties can reach a length of 240-370 mm. Such loaches weigh about 150-450 grams. Dwarf lake forms have a body length of only 170-150 mm. They weigh 50-130 grams.
Outwardly loaches of all these types are very similar to the passage form. However, the strip on their backs is usually not bluish, but olive or greenish. In the small and dwarf form, as well as in the large juvenile, on the sides, among other things, transverse dark stripes are also clearly visible.
Power Features
All varieties of this northern fish have fairly well developed teeth on their jaws and palate. Passing char, as well as large ones, eat mostly live fish. They can hunt, for example, for grayling or an ordinary minnow. With pleasure, representatives of large forms eat their own young, as well as Siberian char. Small and dwarf species in the wild feed mainly on plankton. However, their diet can vary greatly depending on environmental conditions.
Spawning fish
Arctic char usually spawn eggs in the fall. And they do this, unfortunately, not every year. Passing forms in some cases can spawn in the spring (according to unverified data). Lake char sometimes lays eggs in June. But nevertheless, almost always this fish spawns in September-October. The coloration of lake males during this period, like that of males, becomes brighter. The abdomen and spots become orange.
Passing forms, as already mentioned, for spawning in large flocks enter the lower reaches of the rivers. The juveniles that later emerged from eggs remain to live and feed on the hatching site for about 4 years. After that, young Arctic passers who have gained weight have gone to the ocean. They usually do this in the summer.
The timing of puberty in this fish depends on the specific form. Dwarf and small char can begin to lay eggs already at the age of 4-10 years. Large and migratory forms of puberty reach later - at the age of 8-13 years.
Is it possible to catch?
The distribution range of Arctic char is quite wide. However, despite this, it belongs to the category of rare and endangered fish. In lakes of inaccessible areas of the taiga and tundra, the populations of this char can be significant. In the BAM zone in our country, as well as in the areas of geological exploration and gold mining of this fish, unfortunately, it is becoming less and less. In some places in lakes and rivers, its population due to uncontrolled fishing is almost completely nullified.
In order to preserve the population, in Russia they even included Arctic char in the Red Book. That is, it is impossible to get this fish in our country either by industrial or amateur methods.
Where to catch
Thus, fishing on the northern char in Russia is thus impossible. Below we will consider in detail the ways of catching it. But solely for general development and for the reader to have an idea of how it is mined in other countries.
Arctic char fishing has a number of features. To catch him, you first need to know where he lives. The fish is northern. Therefore, even its lacustrine forms prefer cold and very clean water. Because of this feature, such char on the mainland can be found mainly in glacial lakes high in the mountains. Sometimes you can see this fish in the lowland waters. In this case, the habitat of loach is most often foothill lakes. But here the water for him is usually still too warm. Therefore, in foothill lakes, this fish most often lives only at a very great depth - up to 30 meters.
Fishing Methods
Of course, ordinary fishermen get Arctic char most often in the lakes. In the Arctic Ocean, its fishing is not conducted either by amateur or industrial methods. In mountain lakes, this representative of the underwater world is fished both from the shore and from boats. In such reservoirs, char often rises in search of food to the very surface of the water. In foothill lakes where this fish lives only at great depths, it is necessary to get it, of course, only with the help of special boats.
What gear are used
Both natural and artificial bait can be used to catch arctic char. This fish responds very well, for example, to ordinary plastic nymphs. The latter for loach are often made in the form of bloodworms of green, black or red. From natural bait, this fish pecks well, for example, on maggots and pieces of fish meat.
In addition to nymphs, as artificial baits for northern char can be used:
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spinners and spoons;
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tackle with dead fish;
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wobblers and swinging baubles;
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streamers and spinning lures;
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dry flies.
When fishing at depth in flat lakes for this fish, it is recommended to use light or even phosphorizing lures. Such gear in the dark is clearly visible and usually quickly attract char. The catch in this case can really be big.
Very often, complex types of equipment are also used to extract Arctic char. Just excellent, according to many anglers, he goes, for example, to gear with side eyeliners. They are recommended to be used on the most famous char places - in mountain craters.
Is this fish bred?
Unfortunately, artificially Arctic char in our country is currently practically not grown. However, in large enough quantities it is bred by large fishing companies of some Scandinavian countries, as well as England. Although in our country they do not engage in the cultivation of northern char, in this regard it is still considered a rather promising fish. It is possible that soon domestic farmers will pay attention to it.
In addition, the cultivation of this fish for Russia is to some extent even traditional. Once upon a time, northern char was raised, for example, by monks living on the shores of Lake Ladoga. This fish was used both, in fact, for kitchens in the cloisters themselves, and for sale in nearby and distant cities.
Growing Arctic char: features
Actually, the technology of breeding this fish itself is determined, of course, primarily by the biological characteristics of its body. This representative of the underwater fauna lives, as already mentioned, at most at a considerable depth. Therefore, in artificial reservoirs of Arctic char most often grown with virtually no lighting. 50 lux for this fish in most cases is enough.
The ability to live without lighting from all industrially bred fish is inherent, in fact, only to Arctic char. Other salmon, for example, in the dark, not only do not develop, but often die.
The water in cages and pools when breeding this fish is most often used marine. But the Arctic char can develop well in the freshwater. The density of fish in cages is usually 10 kg / m 3. Under such conditions, males reach marketable weight at the 18th month, females at 28th. The proportion of sexually mature individuals when grown using this mode in the herd is usually 10%.
When using sea water, Arctic char fish are kept at a temperature of 3-4 degrees. Fresh for it can be applied and warmer. In this case, it is recommended to grow fish in water with a temperature of 7-13 degrees.
Arctic char is fed with a mixture of frozen fish, slaughterhouse waste, meat and bone and coniferous flour in a percentage of 70: 17: 1: 0.5. Also, feed for carp (12.5%) can be added to the mass.
