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Vobla what kind of fish sea or river. Ram and roach - the difference between these fish, what are the differences from a culinary point of view

What is a vobla, most anglers do not need to explain. Bundles of fatty fish immediately hang before the eyes, and the nostrils involuntarily catch the specific smell of dried fish.

Do you smell?

Many believe that vobla is a way of drying fish. Obviously, not everyone went to the Astrakhan region in April to find out what the course of the Caspian roach is.

More L.P. Sabaneev wrote in his fundamental work "Fish of Russia" the following lines: "... The vobla comes from the depths of the sea and, moreover, in huge, countless masses. Schools of vobla stretch along all the branches of the Volga, sometimes until the end of April; part of it passes higher, but a much larger amount remains in the mouths, where, looking for places for itself to throw caviar, it crowds into all tributaries, eriks and backwaters, sometimes in such fabulous numbers that it is difficult for anyone who has not seen this phenomenon with their own eyes to believe that in in narrow channels, roach masses are often so thick that they prevent boats from sailing freely.»

Yes, it probably used to be like that. But now anglers have begun to use more powerful motors and more modern boats, so they move “on the wobble” without any problems. Of course, this is irony. Now there is no longer as much roach as there was during the time of Leonid Pavlovich. But there are still enough roaches for everyone. She is caught on fishing rods by everyone - from small to large. For the Astrakhan region, vobla is the main spring holiday.

Voble erected a monument during his lifetime!

During this period, around the 20th of April, the Vobla festival is held, dedicated specifically to the course of the Caspian roach, which gathers up to 300 participants - amateur fishermen not only from Astrakhan, but also from Moscow, Volgograd, Saratov, Krasnodar and other cities of Russia.

The usual picture on the Astrakhan streets of the Astrakhan region during the course of the roach.

The main idea of the festival is the preservation of bioresources and the attitude towards them as national wealth. So what is vobla? I came across the shortest definition on Wikipedia: “Vobla is an endemic of the Caspian Sea, and there are several isolated herds: the North Caspian, Azerbaijani - in the southwestern and southern parts of the Caspian, Turkmen - in the southeastern part of the Caspian." I don’t think that anyone is interested in reading about where the roach spends the winter. You can read about this without any problems in the same Wikipedia, in Sabaneev or in the works of modern ichthyologists. Fishermen begin to be interested in roach only in the spring, when its massive move from the Caspian Sea to the Volga begins.

Statistics for many years show that the mass movement of roach is gaining momentum in the third week of April. I think that there is no need to talk about how far the vobla rises up the Volga. Why, if anyway we go to catch it closer to Astrakhan? Well, it happens that sometimes a roach comes to Akhtubinsk, and so what? If someone is going for roach, he goes to the forefront of the Volga delta, that is, below the Narimanov watershed. It remains to add that the vobla goes very badly along the Akhtuba, and more and more along the channels closer to the Volga.

The weight in the form of a ring allows you to hold the tackle in a strong current

Vobla comes from the Caspian in separate schools. In the Volga delta, the first shoals appear in early April. The course continues until the end of May, but in the areas closest to the mouths it ends earlier. Individual specimens of vobla are shown in the river still under ice from the end of January; from the middle of February it comes across in shoals; in March, its course is even more intensified; however, the root exit opens only in April, when the river has long since opened up and the ice has passed.

By the 450th anniversary of Astrakhan, a monument to voble was unveiled. According to the conviction of almost all Astrakhan residents, Vobla, namely, with a capital letter, she is called here, should have been awarded a monument for a long time. It is considered their "national fish" here. According to local residents, Vobla is like a Tula samovar or an Orenburg shawl. And it is wrong to think that any dried fish can be called roach.

Watching year after year.

By and large, below Astrakhan, roach are also caught in winter.

Naturally, not as massively as in the spring. It is caught mixed with roach and silver bream. It is on the ice that its secondary morphological features(fins gray color with a black rim and silver-colored irises with dark spots above the pupils), distinguishing it from roach, which is often called "serukha".

On ice it is easy to distinguish roach from roach

During the spring run of the roach, it can be found in almost all branches of the Volga. But, nevertheless, most of the roach remains in the mouths, and only a small part of it rises above Astrakhan. Usually the beginning of the roach run falls in the first half of April, the maximum - in the second half of April, the end - in the first half of May. In different areas of the delta, the moments of the start of the move do not coincide. As a rule, in the eastern part of the Volga delta, the course of the roach begins much earlier than in the middle part, and in the middle part - several days earlier than in the western part. However, the timing of the maximum run of the roach almost always coincides in different parts of the delta. The end of the move, in all likelihood, also occurs almost simultaneously. According to the observations of fishermen from Astrakhan, the total duration of the roach run is approximately 65 days, while the mowing run takes 17-40 days, and an average of 27 days. In the Volga, roach swims at a water temperature of 4-12°C. The mass run takes place at 8-9°, at the beginning of the run of the roach, a temperature of 2-4.4° is observed. The main course occurs at 6-7.1° and maximum at 7-11.7°. According to long-term observations of the Astrakhan Ichthyological Laboratory, the movement of roach in the river occurs at the following temperatures: the appearance of the first specimens at 2.4°, the beginning of the mowing run at 5.4°, the maximum run at 9.6, the end of the run at 11.2°, the disappearance the last specimens at 14.4°.

The above changes in the timing of the mass flow of roach undoubtedly depend on the combination of conditions in the river and in the sea. Moreover, we have to talk about temperature due to the fact that in the spring the rate of maturation of the sexual products of the roach depends on it. In the sea, after the ice breaks up, the water warms up quickly due to the shallowness of the area. In the river, the water warms up more slowly. It is delayed by the entry of strongly chilled upstream water. As a result, the temperature difference between the sea and the river increases. Apparently, temperatures below 14°C are optimal for mature roach, since its intensification in the river is combined with an increase in temperature difference. But only during the period when the sea water temperature is kept within 6-15 °. At this time, an intensive movement of roach spawners takes place in the sea, the number of which in the sea, after warming the water above 14 °, decreases due to the departure of some part of the roach into the rivers. Observations lead to the conclusion that in the river the optimum temperature for the movement of roach is 5-10 °. In spring, at this temperature, the vobla forms dense aggregations in the river. In the future, especially when the water in the river warms up above 10 °, the vobla diverges along the ilmens and hollows.

The course of the roach is already hot weather. Keep your head and bait out of the sun!

The flow of flood waters into the Volga delta, which slows down the heating of water in the river and the height of the level, strongly affects the course of the roach. According to long-term observations, the beginning of the mass movement of roach in the Volga delta is usually timed to coincide with the appearance of upper muddy spring waters here, along with a more or less intense rise in the river level. Regardless of the power and intensity of the course of the roach in the river, a completely clear pattern is observed in relation to the distribution of the roach by size in time and space. For example, it is known that every year in the Volga delta the largest roach is caught in the area of the village of Kirovsky, the smallest - in the village of Volodarovsky, intermediate sizes are caught in the areas of Orangery and Tumak.

What to catch her, dear?

The most important thing that captivates in catching roach is the simplicity of fishing tackle. Most often, this is an ordinary donk mounted on a spinning rod.

Also, catchy gear for this type of fishing are feeder and float rods. When equipping a float rod with a blind rig for roach fishing, the following recommendations should be followed. Fishing will be carried out in high water, so the recommended length of the rod should be within 6-7 meters. This will allow, with a strong flood current, to reach the bottom without any problems when fishing in the wiring. Usually fishing for float rod under the coastal slope at a depth of 4-5 m is quite effective and gives a lot of pleasure, but not too large roach is caught within 150 grams. For more worthy specimens, bottom gear is needed. In order to build a donkey on hastily, use a sinker ring weighing about 100 g and a suitable fishing line. Tie two or three short (15 cm) leashes with #6 hooks, and your fishing tackle is ready.

For roach fishing, tackle with rod test up to 90 g, 40-60 gram sinkers or a feeder with a sinker feeder are suitable. Fishing will be carried out in a strong current, so the use of round sinkers is not recommended. The best way casting - 25-30 meters from the shore. The size of hooks for fishing according to foreign classification is within the limits of No. 12-14, which corresponds to domestic No. 4.5-6.

With a fishing line, too, it’s not worth it to grind too much. Astrakhan fishermen prefer not to be too almondy with roach. Hooked, pulled out of the water, adjusted the nozzle and threw it back into the water. I usually use 0.22 - 0.25mm multifilament line on the leaders. And it does not matter at all whether it is fluorocarbon or ordinary. The main thing is to find a channel where there is a roach, and not try to catch intractable fish.

What to put on a hook - anglers have no consensus.

Saving worms when catching roach is a common thing.

Some believe that there is nothing better than a dung worm, others prefer maggot. Vobla is also well caught on canned corn. The traditional bait remains the cow's udder, which is perfectly kept on the hook. One way or another, if you are riding a roach, you need to seriously stock up on a nozzle. Worms and maggots either end very quickly, or quickly become unusable due to the heat. If fishing is carried out in muddy water conditions, the best effect is achieved either by planting corn to the worm, or a white bead is hung above the hook, which is designed to attract the attention of the roach.

Preservation of the catch is reduced to ordinary salting.

Astrakhan "silver"

The caught roach is first put in a bag, then another layer of roach is placed in some tank, pouring it with coarse salt. In this tank, the fish is carried home in a brine. Soaking and drying takes place already at home.

Vobla- a fish that lives in the Caspian Sea and belongs to the Carp family. In length, the fish reach about 30 cm. In ancient times, this fish was considered useless, so it was simply thrown away. Today, most often this fish is salted and consumed as an appetizer for beer.

Vobla refers to a semi-anadromous fish, which looks like this: it has a fairly wide body flattened from the sides. The fish is covered with small gray scales, there are spots of white-golden color on the sides (see photo). Vobla is often confused with roach. The distinguishing features of the roach include the presence of a silvery iris around the eyes, and dark spots are located above the pupils.

What is the difference between vobla and rudd, roach and ram?

Vobla, rudd, roach and ram are varieties of fish of the carp family. Despite the external similarity, these fish have significant differences. To find out what is the difference between them, we suggest you read the information from our article.

Vobla is a small fish, the body length of which is about thirty centimeters. The fins of the vobla are gray in color, and there is a dark edging along the edges. In winter, the body of the fish is covered with a thick layer of mucus, which protects the roach from the cold. The habitat of the fish is mainly the Caspian Sea, but closer to the beginning of spring, the vobla migrates to the rivers. Before the beginning of the spawning period, the fish stops eating and lives off the fat accumulated over the winter. The diet of the roach is made up of invertebrates. From the end of May until the beginning of spring of the next year, this fish cannot be found in the rivers, because after spawning it returns to the sea.
The rudd is distinguished from other types of fish by a bright color. The body of the rudd is golden in color, and the fins are distinguished by a red tint. The eyes have an orange iris. The most saturated color of the body and fins have older varieties of rudd. Fish habitats are the Azov, Black, Caspian and Aral seas. Also, the rudd can live in artificial reservoirs, preferring places with a lot of reeds. Having chosen a place to live, where underwater vegetation will be in abundance, this fish does not change it. The body length of the rudd reaches forty centimeters, but specimens up to twenty centimeters are usually found. Such a fish does not like currents, therefore it prefers to spawn in quiet backwaters and reservoirs, starting from May and ending in July.
The roach is highly active throughout almost the entire year. This variety includes many subspecies, among which are ram, roach and roach. In appearance, the roach resembles the rudd, but its color has a less saturated color. The lower fins are red, while the caudal and dorsal fins are brown in color. The back of the roach is dark with a bluish tint, and the color changes from yellowish to silver towards the belly. The diet of this fish is made up of invertebrates, and in young age- seaweed. Roach spawns in large flocks, preferring closed ponds or bays. For wintering, the fish descends into deep holes, and its activity decreases until the beginning of March.
The ram outwardly is very similar to roach and rudd, but it has differences. The fins of the ram are marsh-brown in color, and the body has a golden color that turns dark towards the back. The fins are slightly larger than other species of carp fish. The average size of a ram is thirty-five to forty centimeters, but most often individuals come across no more than twenty-five centimeters in length. This fish lives in the Azov and Black seas. It can spawn in rivers adjacent to the seas, but never goes far from the main habitat. The ram also differs from other cyprinids in that it can quickly adapt to new habitat conditions, making it easy to find food in new places. It feeds mainly on small crustaceans and occasionally on vegetation.

From all of the above, we can conclude that there are not only external differences between vobla, roach, ram and rudd. These types of fish also differ in their habits and habits, so if you are going fishing, the information from our article will not hurt you.

Fishing for roach

Vobla fishing is one of the favorite activities of young and experienced fishermen. If you are going to recover for roach fishing, then the best time to fish is in late April or early May, when roach is most active. You will need the necessary tackle, bait, as well as some theoretical knowledge about this fish.. We invite you to study our article to take note useful information and also watch an interesting video.

Spring - best time for roach fishing. The fish comes to the surface when the water temperature reaches six degrees. Until this moment, the vobla hibernates in deep holes, which is why winter fishing for this fish will not bring impressive results.

In March, the biting of the roach begins when the ice has already melted. Bloodworms and maggots should be used as bait. Since the fish is hungry after wintering, feeding is not required, but at this time the vobla is inactive. You can catch only two or three fish in a few hours, so if you do not make a good catch your goal, going fishing just to relax, this option will suit you.

In April, a full-fledged bite begins, in which you can use any kind of gear. Vobla is perfectly caught on a regular bait, as well as on donks and feeders. At the beginning of the month it is better to go to wide rivers, using earthworm and dung worm as bait, and by the end of April it is advisable to relocate to small bays.

When the water temperature rises to twelve degrees, the roach will live close to the shore, so the fishing rod should be cast no further than fifteen meters. In this case, the weather conditions must be suitable. The sun must be bright, and a light breeze will also be useful. You can use crackers and millet as bait to lure the fish closer to the shore.

If you still decide to winter fishing, then you should go to shallow areas, drill an ice hole and use a light fishing rod. Bloodworms and corn should be used as bait. Be sure to bring a quality tent with you, as it can get quite cold near the water in winter.

How to choose?

When choosing a roach, pay attention to the eyes, they should not be cloudy. The scales should fit snugly against the body. There should be no mucus on a clean surface. The body should be elastic and when pressed, the shape should be restored.

You need to choose the roach in the store or on the market correctly so as not to buy a low-quality product and not harm your health. We recommend that you take note of a few tips for choosing fresh and dried, as well as dried fish.

Choosing dried roach, pay attention to her scales. It should be shiny and dry. On the scales should also not be white plaque, stains and damage. The scent must not contain any foreign matter. Also make sure that the roach is completely covered with scales. If there are not enough scales in some places, then the fish is not the first freshness. In addition, when buying, inspect the product, paying special attention to the abdomen and gills. In these places, in no case should there be moisture, and if it is, it means that the fish is stale and it was previously soaked in a solution to remove unpleasant odors.
Dried The roach should also not have damage on the body, all scales should be intact, and there should be no spots on the fish. Foreign odors are unacceptable. A good product is distinguished from others by the costal bones protruding on the belly, as well as whole fins. If you want to choose a fish with caviar, feel the belly. It should be elastic and convex. Dried roach meat should not be as hard as dried vobla, especially on the back. Particular attention should be paid to butchering the fish, as at this stage worms can be found in the meat. In this case, it is better to throw away the damaged product.
Fresh roach should also be chosen carefully. First you need to raise the gills and smell the fish. In this case, there should not be any other smell, except for the sea and mud. Fresh roach does not even have a characteristic fishy smell, so consider this fact when choosing a product. Fresh roach scales should be smooth and moist unless the fish is frozen. Cracks and defects on the carcass indicate that the product was stored incorrectly and may be spoiled. The gills are bright red or pink color and the eyes are bulging and transparent.

Do not hesitate to ask the seller for a quality certificate, which will confirm that the products have indeed passed the necessary checks and are suitable for human consumption. Also, when choosing a roach, be guided by our recommendations in order to buy a quality product.

Beneficial features

The benefits of roach are primarily due to the presence of a large amount of protein in it. And the composition of the fish includes polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial for the body, as they reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

There are B vitamins in the wobble, which are necessary for muscle tissue, for nervous system and for the whole organism. The composition of the fish includes ascorbic acid, which is needed to maintain immunity, as well as for healthy skin and normal brain activity.

The presence of chlorine and sodium ensures the normalization of the water-salt balance. Wobble also contains phosphorus, which is involved in the regeneration of bone tissue, and together with calcium, it strengthens it and improves the condition of hair, teeth and nails. Molybdenum is a part of fish, which is necessary for metabolism, and it also improves sexual function.

It is also worth mentioning the low calorie content of roach, so it can be consumed without fear of spoiling the figure, as well as for people who are obese.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, it is very useful to eat roach, since this fish contains a large amount of protein, as well as vitamins B and C, which are necessary for a woman's body when she carries and feeds a child. Also, the wobble contains a large number of other trace elements, such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sodium, as well as molybdenum and many others.

Due to the fact that the vobla's calorie content is no more than one hundred kilocalories per hundred grams of product, this fish can be included in the daily menu of people who are on a diet. Soups with vobla fillets will be useful, as well as the inclusion of other seafood in the diet. However, fish should not be abused, as in large quantities it can cause bloating and nausea.

Vobla caviar also has useful properties for the body, as it improves the condition of the hair and helps to cope with various kinds of skin rashes. Based on it, various cosmetical tools, which will be especially useful for women over 30 years old, as it has a stimulating effect and slows down the aging process.

Use in cooking

Vobla is not as popular in cooking as other types of fish. Most often at home, it is salted, dried or smoked. Some people like to eat this fish fried. For food I use not only fish meat, but also caviar. The vobla is also subjected to another heat treatment: the dish stewed vobla in milk is very popular. It can also be boiled, used for cooking first courses.

You can cook vobla with many various ways. Most often it is salted, soaked in brine, or brine. How to do this, we will tell a little later in our article.

You can also soak the fish if it is too dry. The situation can be saved if you soften the fish using our recommendations. To do this, you will need clean cloth towels and plain water. Moisten the cloth so that it is damp, but not wet, and wrap the overdried vobla in it, then send the product to the refrigerator for twenty-four hours. After this, the roach should become much softer, and if this does not happen, repeat the procedure, leaving the fish in a towel for another twelve hours, after moistening the fabric.

It is also necessary to clean the vobla correctly. To do this, follow our recommendations:

To begin with, take the fish in your hands and knead it well, arching it in different directions so that the scales and skin are separated from the meat and bones.
Then grasp the anal fin with one hand and pull it towards the fish's head to tear off the belly along with the pelvic fins.
Cut off the head of the roach with a sharp knife.
Also clean the insides of the roach with a knife. If there is caviar in the fish, take it out and clean it.
Now you should remove the skin from the scales. This will be very easy to do if you have previously mashed the fish. Just pry the edge of the skin at the base of the head and pull it towards you, thus cleaning the entire carcass of the roach.
After that, dried or dry fish will be ready to eat. You can cut it into pieces or tear off the meat with your hands.

You can salt the vobla yourself at home if you are lucky with the catch while fishing. We will talk about this in the next subsection.

How to salt?

Salting vobla yourself is quite simple. To do this, you need to prepare a brine or use ordinary salt. There are also several recommendations that will help you properly organize the salting process.

It is not recommended to wash or clean the fish before salting. If there are remains of mud or river debris on it, you should remove them with your hands or with a napkin.
It is advisable to use coarse salt, since a finely ground product will contribute to the formation of a salt crust on the fish carcass, due to which the roach meat will not be salted well enough.
It is always necessary to put oppression on top so that the salting process goes faster and the fish does not have time to deteriorate.
After the roach stays in the brine for the required time, it must be transferred to cool water for a couple of hours to remove mucus and plaque. Tyk fish will look more appetizing.

Now we can go directly to the salting process. To do this, you will need coarse salt, roach, an object for oppression (you can take a pot or a bottle of water) and a large container. If you are going to salt fish for drying, then you will need brine, or brine. We will talk about salting roach for drying in the next subsection, but now you need to stock up on ordinary salt.

Pour a layer of rock salt on the bottom of the selected container, and then lay the roach on top so that the largest fish is at the bottom. Pour a layer of salt on top again, shifting it with a smaller roach. Do this until the fish runs out. The last should be an impressive layer of salt. Now you need to cover the container with a wide lid and leave to infuse at room temperature. Twelve hours later, when the fish releases juice, put pressure on top and put the whole structure in a dark place where it will be cool enough. After two days, the salted vobla should be washed with water and left to dry on a clean towel, after which the product will be ready for use.

How to dry?

You need to dry the roach at home after you soak it in brine or brine. To prepare it, you need to take two hundred and fifty grams of salt per liter of water, mix it all in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. After that, cool the brine and check the strength by dropping raw egg. It should float to the surface, if it doesn't then the brine is not strong enough. Add a little more salt to keep the egg on the surface, after which you can start salting the vobla.

You need to take fish of small sizes, which must be fresh. Vobla must first be strung on a strong rope, passing it through the eye and picking up the free end through the mouth opening, and then lower it into the brine so that the liquid covers the fish completely. Leave the container with brine and roach for two days, then remove the fish and hang it over the container to drain. When the brine stops draining, you should hang the roach in a well-ventilated area or on the street, covered with an insect net. After the product has dried to the condition you need, you can remove it and eat it.

How to dry?

Dried roach is best in autumn and spring, as at this time the fish contains the largest amount of fat, which makes the product tastier. At the same time, it is better to take a small roach, because it will salt better and also dry faster. Preliminary cleaning is not required, it will be enough to wash each fish from dirt, and also wash off the mucus from it.

Now you will need a large, deep container. Pour a layer of salt on the bottom and put it with fish, then salt again and fish on top. Keep doing this until you run out of vobla. The last layer should be salt.

After ten or twelve hours, the fish will release juice. After that, it should be covered with a lid and oppression should be placed on top. Vobla should be under it for at least two days, after which it is necessary to string the fish on strings and hang it out to dry in a well-ventilated place.

Where and how to store at home so that it does not dry out?

At first glance, it may seem that you can store roach at home for a very long time, but if stored improperly, it can dry out. To prevent this from happening, you must adhere to simple rules, which we will discuss in our article..

If you need to store dried or raw roach long enough, it's best to do so with freezers. To do this, the fish should be wrapped in cling film or a plastic bag and put in freezer. After defrosting, the dried roach will need to be dried a little. You can also store the product on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, but this option is not suitable for raw fish and is less long-term.
Another option for storing dried roach is glass or plastic containers. A little medical alcohol is poured into the bottom of the container, after which dried fish is placed in the container. You can also do without alcohol if you take a glass container and throw a lit match into it so that all the oxygen burns out. Then you should lay the container with fish and roll up the lid, putting it away for storage in a dark, dry place.
If you want to store fish for no longer than a month, without allowing it to dry, you can leave it hanging in the same room where it dried. In thirty days, the roach will not dry out much more. If you are still afraid, you can spray the product once a week drinking water from a spray bottle.
You can also use large wooden boxes for storing fish. Making them yourself is not difficult. To do this, you need to take thin leaves of plywood and make boxes out of them, inside which you can equip fixtures for hanging fish. Holes should be made in the walls of the box for ventilation, and outside the box should be covered with gauze to protect the fish from insects. Thus, you can store dried vobla from a month to three.

Following our recommendations, you will be able to properly salt the roach, and also learn how to store and catch it. At the same time, do not forget that it is desirable to cook fish that has been recently caught, as in this case the product will turn out to be more aromatic and will have a rich taste.

Harm of vobla and contraindications

Vobla can harm those who suffer from individual intolerance to the product, which means that it is contraindicated for those people who suffer from food allergies.

Salted and smoked fish, when consumed in large quantities, can harm the body.

Vobla is a fish of the carp family, lives in the waters of the Caspian Sea. During spawning in early spring vobla moves into the river waters of the Volga. On the Volga, the places where the vobla is found are important objects of fishing. The vobla feeds mainly on bottom-dwelling invertebrates or vegetation. During winter sleep, the fish lies motionless at the bottom and does not eat anything.

One of her hallmarks- this is what vobla lives in large flocks. In order to protect against enemies when predators approach, it adjoins large fish. Outwardly, it is a wide fish, the sides are flattened, the scales are large, the back is black, the belly is with a golden hue.

scientific classification
Domain	eukaryotes
Kingdom	Animals
Type	chordates
Class	ray-finned fish
Detachment	Cypriniformes
Family	Carp
Genus	Roach
View	Vobla
International scientific name	Rutilus caspicus

Often this fish is confused with roach, river fish. It is possible to distinguish roach from roach by certain characteristics: the first is larger, its fins are gray with a black border, there are black spots above the pupil, the abdomen casts a bluish-golden hue.

Vobla, Taran and Siberian roach (click to enlarge the picture)

Many argue about the difference between ram, roach and rudd and roach, and which fish tastes better. It turns out that ram, rudd and roach are related forms of roach. The roach feeds on plants, with a lack of food, the family begins migration in the hope of profit and moves from fresh water to sea water. Fish caught in the reservoirs of the Caspian Sea is already called roach.

The roach differs from the roach and the roach in the shape of the body: the roach is more enlarged in thickness. The rudd is distinguished by a bright color, the body is golden, the fins are red. " Every man to his own taste”, but only true gourmets and connoisseurs of fish can distinguish each representative of the carp family by taste.

Vobla

Photo 1 of 3

Vobla semi-anadromous form, from which it differs in larger size (up to 30 cm or more) and some morphological features (gray fins with a black rim and a silver iris with dark spots above the pupils). Vobla is one of two more or less distinct subspecies. However, the identification of even these subspecies is questionable.

In autumn, the fatted vobla comes close to the banks and winters just before the mouth of the Volga, in order to move back into the river in the spring. Before hibernation, the roach secretes an abundant mucus, enveloping its entire body in a thick layer, this mucus is known as the slena, or shirt, and probably protects the fish from the influence of cold water.

In early spring or even at the end of winter, when other fish are still lying in the pits, the vobla begins to migrate into the river. The exit of the roach from the sea into the river is affected by the weather conditions, with the wind from the sea (marine), the exit of the roach begins earlier, cold weather delays the course. Individual specimens of vobla appear in the river still under the ice, in mid-February it comes across in schools, in March the course still intensifies, but it finally opens only in April, when the river has long been opened. Schools of vobla stretch along all branches of the Volga, but do not rise especially high up the river: it almost never comes across above Volgograd.

Before the onset of the breeding season, the roach stops eating, at that time her stomach is empty or filled with only mucus, she now lives off her fat, which is the richer the earlier she entered the river. Most of the roach remains in the mouths, where, looking for a place for throwing caviar, it stuffs itself into all channels, erics and backwaters, sometimes in incredible numbers. Vobla goes up the river quite quickly, keeping mainly at a depth, into hollow water or, with a strong current, stretches along the coast. For throwing caviar, the vobla enters ilmens, reeds, and also gets out to grassy places flooded with hollow water. Many voblas die during the spring run, the water quickly leaves the spills formed during the sea wind, and the roach and other fish that have climbed into them remain in a dry place. A lot of vobla dies and is thrown ashore during rough seas.

Vobla is an animal-eating fish, feeding on sedentary invertebrates. During the period of winter sleep, the fish does not eat anything and lies motionless at the bottom of the pits and whirlpools, being in a half-asleep, half-awake state. During its life, the roach breeds on average 5-6 times. Spawning occurs simultaneously in April-May. Caviar is laid to a depth of no more than 50 cm.

During spawning appearance The roach changes somewhat, in the spring, sometimes long before spawning, an increased activity of the outer integument of the body begins, releasing a lot of mucus, which thickens and covers the entire body. In both males and females, special warts form on the skin scales, first white, then darkening, with a sharp and very hard apex. The head is partially covered with large whitish growths in the form of a tumor. The so-called "nuptial attire" is formed, which is characteristic of all cyprinids.

After spawning, the vobla becomes so thin that its head looks twice as thick as the rest of the body, which takes on a very narrow, elongated shape and a darker color. Such a vobla leaves the river again into the sea, where it loses its "wedding outfit" and greedily rushes to feed. The fish that has spawned and goes back to the sea is called sloping fish in the lower reaches of the Volga, it goes down the river no longer in such a continuous school as it goes up. From mid-May until the next year, not a single instance of sea vobla comes across in the river. The fry hatching from the eggs, apparently, also immediately go to the sea, where they probably spend their whole life until puberty.

Vobla is a fairly well-known and popular type of fish from the carp family, despite its rather limited distribution. Some attribute this variety to, but this opinion is erroneous. In the old days, they preferred to see red fish meat on the tables, and the rest of the catch, including roach, was simply thrown overboard. But later, smart people realized how valuable this product is. Created industrial enterprises for catching and harvesting this fish, there was a trade in fresh and processed goods. Canned roach were no less valuable than condensed milk or stew. To this day, this representative of waterfowl remains on all fish counters and is in demand.

Description of the roach

In order not to be mistaken and not to confuse roach with roach, you should know that the former are much larger. Vobla grows up to 30 centimeters, but this is not the limit. There are representatives up to 40 centimeters. The average weight is from 600 to 700 grams, the largest can weigh from 800 grams to a kilogram. The body is flattened, but the sides remain wide. At the top of the back, there seems to be a small hump, and the back of the roach is even. The scales are smaller and fit tighter. It is dark on the top of the back, even sometimes it seems that it is black. Below is the transition to silver color. A significant difference from roach is that the color of the roach casts blue and green. The body smoothly passes into a small head, dark on top. The eyes have an orange or silver iris with black dots interspersed above the pupil. Mouth not large, set low.

The fins of this fish are well distinguishable, large. The caudal fin is V-shaped, divided into two equal parts. Unlike roach and ram, the ends of the caudal fin are slightly rounded. Another difference is the color of the fins. It differs from roach, with its dark gray fins, by its inherent redness and dark edging along the very edge of the rays of the fin. The anal fin is longer than that of the roach.

Range and habitats

Vobla lives in a relatively limited range. It cannot be found anywhere other than the Caspian Sea and the large rivers of its basin, such as the Volga. Anyone who claims the opposite is likely to confuse it with rudd, ram or roach. This species unites in large flocks and swims in different parts of the Caspian. So people conditionally divided this representative of the carp family into several groups with an individual name, depending on the habitat. An Azerbaijani group floats in the southwest of the Caspian Sea, near the shores of Azerbaijan. The southeastern part is inhabited by the Turkmen group swimming near Turkmenistan. The flocks swimming near Russia and Kazakhstan are designated as the North Caspian group.

So that there is no doubt who managed to be caught in the coastal sea waters of the Caspian Sea, it should be remembered that roach does not leave the mouth of the rivers and does not like sea water. The conclusion is obvious!

Although the whole vobla lives quietly in the salty sea water, some of this species periodically rises up the rivers. This happens when winter comes and the fish leave to look for a place where they will wait out the cold. The second case is spawning time. So you can divide individuals into two varieties - residential and semi-anadromous. The first leads a sedentary life, preferring not to change the situation and does not rise high along the rivers for spawning. The latter, on the contrary, go on a long journey to find a suitable place. Observations and studies note that the semi-anadromous vobla is larger than its sedentary counterparts, which is due to a more active lifestyle. Migrations occur at water temperatures not lower than 8°. Before severe cold weather, flocks look for deep holes in coastal waters that will not freeze and give the fish shelter. To withstand the cold, the body secretes copious mucus, which covers the scales and does not freeze. In the warm months, there is an active fattening for wintering. At this time, all individuals swim at a depth of up to 6 meters.

What does roach eat

Vobla is an omnivorous fish. But individual flocks and individuals have their own preferences. So the diet depends on the place of residence of the flock. The best area with an abundance of food and favorable conditions is considered to be the North Caspian. There is no great depth here, and the choice of food is very large. Here waterfowl eats mollusks, worms, crustaceans, underwater insects, larvae, corals, shoots and seeds of algae. Plant foods are not the most favorite, but in moments of deficiency of animal components, the vobla is ready to switch to such a diet. Sometimes there are cases when, due to lack of food, adults eat their fry or fry of other fish. But this happens very rarely and under very harsh environmental conditions.

The basis for nutrition is still animal food. It accelerates the growth process, provides everything necessary for existence, helps to quickly build up fat. Young animals eat more actively, eating everything in a row. With age and increase in size, there is a decrease in appetite, the vobla begins to eat less. Fry hatched in the mouths of rivers eat the same things as fry of bream or carp - rotifers, daphnia, insect larvae, worms.

Reproduction and offspring

The mating season begins in the spring when the water warms up. It falls at the end of April - beginning of May. Individuals become sexually mature when they grow at least up to 8 centimeters, this is after two years of life. Males are ready for breeding a year earlier, as they themselves may be smaller. The female should be larger so that she can carry and spawn a lot of eggs.

During the life of a roach, it can go through 4 to 6 breeding cycles. Females, unlike males, do not go to spawn every year. They may miss a year or even two.

Before migrating to the rivers, to search for a spawning site, preparations are underway for the process. It consists in the fact that the fish stops eating. Her stomach is empty, and the body takes energy from fat reserves. This continues until the very end of the marriage period.

The females are the first to set off on the journey, but in the process of movement, the males are ahead of them and are the first to arrive at the place. Once there, the females enter the reeds, ilmens, spawn on the stems of underwater plants, on algae and grass. Sticky walls stick caviar, preventing it from being carried away by the current. There, the males fertilize her. Having spawned, the fish returns back to the sea in order to quickly replenish its fat reserves and restore strength. Until the next season, she will not be found in the river. The time while spawning is going on and the fish are migrating, the fishermen simply adore. Flocks reach such sizes that the river is simply teeming, and you can get the catch with a net or even just with your hands.

During the spawning period, the vobla changes its appearance. This can be divided into two stages. The first stage, when the fish is decorated with a wedding dress. Her body is enveloped in dense mucus, giving a silver sheen. Dense outgrowths are formed on the scales, with sharp ends. They are dark in color. Tubercles also grow on the head. The second stage occurs at the end of spawning. Then the marriage attire disappears, and all individuals that took part in spawning become very thin. It is noted that their belly becomes thinner than the head, which begins to stand out strongly.

From the surviving eggs, the diameter of which is not more than a millimeter, the larvae hatch in a week. Feeding, they grow up and become fry that prefer not to swim far from their parents, and when they start to swim into the sea, they follow them. There, the fry feed abundantly and develop, gain weight. They will not be able to leave the marine areas until puberty sets in and they, together with the flock, will go to spawn.

Enemies and dangers

As well as other small species, roach can become prey. It is especially susceptible to attacks during the spawning period, when it enters river mouths in large schools. Large animals that grab prey by simply entering the water will also profit from females with caviar. In the sea, in coastal waters, there are few such predators. Running away from them, these individuals adjoin flocks of other fish. But if things are simpler with predatory waterfowl here, then another, no less dangerous hunter appears - a seagull. Hundreds of seagulls are found near the shores, diving under water from the fly, grabbing marine life.

During spawning, fishermen greatly reduce the roach population. This is a significant event for fishing lovers, one might even say enchanting. But not only man reduces the number of flocks. Nature itself plays a cruel joke with this fish with a fatal outcome. In the spring, it often rains, strong winds blow from the sea and the rivers diverge, flooding the land. Vobla swims into such floods, and since the water quickly drains, the ejected individuals simply die or become victims of land animals. Numerous flocks simply do not have enough space on the shallows, then the vobla is thrown ashore, where it dies.

Species status and commercial value

In ancient times, when fishing was difficult, the equipment was primitive, and the conditions for going out to sea were dangerous, certain varieties of fish were considered valuable, which were given preference. Vobla with other small fish was simply thrown away, countless of them returned to the rivers or rotted on land. But with the passage of time, the increase in the number of people in cities and the demand for food, this species became interested in industrialists who were engaged in the fishing industry.

Vobla began to be mined on an industrial scale along with herring. But since the first one went into the rivers earlier, they caught it earlier. Huge batches from 100 to 300 thousand carcasses were mined and prepared for processing, further sale, from one not very large farm. It makes no sense to create special separated territories, fish are already in abundance. You can catch it with nets, going out to sea on a ship or at the time of spawning.

When preparing products, we focused on long-term storage. It was salt, dried, as well as canned food. Separately, caviar is sold, which is separated and, after processing, sealed in jars for sale.

Vobla taste and dishes

Dried roach looks great on the table, in the company of a glass of beer. But it is valuable not only for its taste qualities. The meat of this species contains a lot of useful, easily digestible protein, as well as a large set of vitamins, minerals and other components useful for humans. Eating this meat will have a positive effect on immunity, as it contains a lot of ascorbic acid. Vitamin B will have a good effect on the state of muscle tissue and the functioning of the nervous system. The balance of water will help restore and regulate calcium and chlorine, which will have a good effect on brain function and skin condition. Phosphorus and calcium will improve the condition of bones, hair, nails, teeth. This meat will positively affect even sexual functions! Positive indication for consumption in pregnant women. Everything good qualities will be passed on to the unborn child.