Barbel is a rather large fish, it can grow up to 1 meter and gain weight in 12 kg. In fact, many dream of catching her. She is of serious sports interest, as she has a strong body. It should be noted that all barbel are clever and smart. It’s just that they won’t fall on the hook, even if the bait is one of their favorite treats.
The entire genus of fish of the Karpov family is different from the barbel. Often they confuse him with a minnier, but upon closer examination, it can still be revealed. All thanks to the antennae that are located on the cheeks of this representative. Obviously, it was thanks to them that he got his name.
Description
One of the largest representatives of the Karpov family is barbel fish. A photo of her against the background of a person, boat or other relatively large object will help to make sure of this.
Barbel has a raised back. The body after the dorsal fins begins to flatten, so the main meat is closer to the head. He is also distinguished by thick lips, as he gets food at the bottom. And as a result of the fact that they constantly rub against pebbles, they can be damaged. The antennae, located on both sides of the lips, are a kind of radar. If the fish notice the food, then it will linger on a specific section of the river.
The dorsal fin is short, but rather tall. He and the one located in the tail have a gray tint. The rest are a little reddish. The body has no spots, in terms of color it is smooth, silvery. But sometimes there are specimens with brownish scales.
The eyes of the fish are very small. This is due to the fact that when she searches for food, she relies more on her antennae-radars than on her eyesight. They sit deep and are unlikely to help in any way while searching for food, spawning, or swimming.
Distribution area
Barbel fish is very common in Russia, photos of fishing enthusiasts with a long-awaited trophy are often decorated with thematic sites. But the habitat is not focused on the whole country. In cold regions, barbel is extremely rare, if not absent. This is due to the fact that at sub-zero water temperatures, he simply will not be able to feed. It is difficult for him to get food where its availability is minimal.
Also, the fish in question can be found virtually throughout Europe. The exceptions are England and northern Scandinavia. Also, barbel is not found in southern Italy. This is again due to cold climatic conditions or the lack of suitable water bodies.
Habitat
Many fish that are part of the Karpov family live mostly in rivers. But sometimes they can be found in lakes or backwaters. Such conditions allow only a few representatives to feed themselves. Therefore, if a fisherman is lucky enough to catch a barbel in the lake, then it will be incredibly large.
For a short time period, the population of this fish significantly decreased. The reason was too polluted rivers and the pursuit of trophies. But now the population is systematically recovering. Today you can catch such fish in narrow rivers with an uneven bottom.
If you can find a barbel in another reservoir, except the river, it is only because he was too keen on traveling while looking for food. If there is no current, then the fish will not be able to reproduce, since there are no conditions for this. However, in quiet backwaters and ponds there is a lot of food, so the largest trophies are in them. Needless to say, it will be easier to catch a barbel in the river?
Favorite place for fish is the bottom of the reservoir at a depth of 5-6 meters, which is necessarily covered with pebbles or coarse sand. In this case, the barbel will be easy to feed and have all the conditions for spawning.
Food
Barbel is a fish whose menu is very diverse. But this is not the result of an abundance of favorite treats. Since the barbel is fed on everything that they find at the bottom of the river, a large menu is determined by the diversity of organic life.
Most often, this fish, a member of the Karpov family, eats eggs of other river inhabitants, as well as larvae. But sometimes she comes across small clams, which also make up the diet. Barbel will refuse food only if it does not fit in the mouth.
This fish does not disdain various waste. If the remains of animals are thrown into the river after a slaughterhouse, then barbel will live happily ever after.
Often the fish eats crustaceans or algae, but not all, but only those that will appeal to it. Smaller river inhabitants can also become barb prey. In a word, he will eat everything that he finds at the bottom, even if it is a small fish or waste from a slaughterhouse.
Lifestyle
Barbel is a fish that only occasionally prefers the company. Usually she leads a solitary lifestyle. But she has to step over her principles for the period of winter parking and spawning. Then the barbel is strayed into jambs.
Fish food is focused on late night time. Sometimes she continues to swim in search of food in the early morning. In addition, barbel can go on a day hunt in autumn or spring, when the temperature is too low at night.
For the winter, all considered fish hide in burrows or depressions, since the water in them is warmer. There is almost nothing to eat at this time, so they do not spend energy on this process and actually do not leave the shelter.
Predisposition to migration in fish is not observed. She will swim in search of a new home only if her river is too polluted.
In the daytime the barbel descends to the bottom. In addition, the larger the fish, the greater depth it will need in order to feel normal. It reaches its greatest activity in the predawn hours, then you need to catch it.
Breeding
Barbel is a fish that reaches puberty in 2 years, but the females become ready for spawning a little later. An important condition for mating to occur is the appropriate water temperature. It should fluctuate approximately in the range of 14-20 degrees. This means that the favorable time for spawning is the end of spring or the beginning of summer.
In one spawning process, the female leaves 1-2.5 thousand eggs. Most of them immediately have a fairly large size, from 2 millimeters. It is important to remember that barbel caviar is poisonous. Moreover, during the spawning period it is highly recommended not to eat its meat.
After leaving the eggs, the fry blows down. But after a few months, having strengthened, juveniles come to the surface. Further, until reaching puberty, the fish keeps in large schools. Only after spawning does she switch to a secluded lifestyle.
Barbel fishing
Considering the fish of the Karpov family, despite all the difficulties, after mastering some skills it starts to be caught quite well. The main thing is to choose the right bait. Most often, fishermen use larvae or minced meat. Bait cannot be used in large quantities, especially if fishing takes place during the day. If the barbel notice a large piece of meat, then he will be scared. When fishing is oriented at night, the fish will rely only on instinct and can grab a large piece.
The same can be said of complementary foods. Only small food will be eaten by barbel fish. The Karpov family does not like large baits at all, as well as complementary foods.
You can catch with a fishing rod, but at the same time you need to make sure that the gear is strong. The barbel is aggressive, it can simply break out if it is not cut in time.
