The only freshwater cod that lives in the rivers of Russia is burbot. What eats, how to catch it and how tasty this fish is - issues that interest not only fishermen. We will talk about this strange fish, which is so similar to catfish, in this article. And at the same time, we will dispel the myth that the burbot feeds on the drowned.
Lota lota
Common burbot - commercial fish from the Cod-like family (Gadiformes). This is the only genus whose representatives live exclusively in fresh water. The modern classification has three types of representatives of the Nalima genus:
- Ordinary (Lota lota lota) - a representative of the ichthyofauna of water bodies in Europe and Asia.
- Thin-tailed (Lota lota leptura) - lives in reservoirs of Siberia and the Arctic coast of Alaska.
- The only species that lives in the rivers of North America is Lota lota maculosa.
Burbot differ in appearance, biology features. But in general, they are similar to each other and to what burbots eat in nature.
Legendary fish
Evenki, the indigenous inhabitants of the Arctic, have a legend about an insidious and cunning burbot who managed to outwit the fox. And in the traditions of the Khanty there was a flying beast Nalim, who ravaged the settlements and destroyed the herds. In punishment, the gods turned him into a fish, which itself became the object of hunting people.
And with Stepan Pisakhov, the hero of the tale was a simple peasant from Arkhangelsk Sen Malin. Thanks to this character, who often fell into comical situations while fishing, a tournament for winter fishing lovers “Burbot Malinych” appeared in Arkhangelsk.
general characteristics
The body of this fish is elongated, in the front part it is round, and in the back it is compressed laterally. The head is flat, the eyes are small, on both jaws there are teeth in the form of bristles, with which the burbot easily cuts the fishing line. There are two antennae on the upper jaw, only one on the lower jaw.
The body color is spotty and depends on the soil and the transparency of the reservoir where the burbot lives and feeds. The lower these indicators, the darker the spots. The belly is light in color, as are the fins (two dorsal, two pectoral, abdominal, anal, and caudal).
Scales of burbot are small, cycloid type. The lateral line and sensory organs, the antennae and the second ray of the ventral fin, are well developed.
The largest individuals can reach 120 cm in length and weigh up to 18 kilograms. Such giants live in the rivers of the Ob basin, for example, in the Lena River.
Cold water lover
Burbot prefers cool ponds, spawning - from December to February. These fish can lead a sedentary life and be semi-passage. Moreover, the latter, as a rule, are larger and can migrate to distances of up to 1 thousand kilometers.
These are active predators and saprotrophs. Invertebrates, small fish, organic remains are what burbot and catfish eat. This is precisely what makes these species even similar in appearance. And, like catfish, burbot feeds on the corpses of other animals that end up in water.
Live in a natural environment burbots up to 25 years.
Night predator
This fish leads a nocturnal lifestyle, its prey becomes smaller counterparts, frogs, crayfish, leeches, larvae and worms. The developed sense organs of burbot (sight, smell and touch, hearing) help him find food in the dark and in muffled waters.
Nalim do not like warm water and sunlight. In the summer, they hide under stones and driftwood and can fall into a stupor with a temporary loss of appetite. And only at night, when the water temperature reaches +15 degrees, does the predator go hunting.
It is worth noting the exceptional hearing of the burbot and its interest in the sound source. And this, of course, allows you to increase the chances of a successful hunt and obtain the food that feeds on burbot in the river.
A wide mouth allows this predator to swallow prey, which is commensurate with the third part of the size of the predator. Burbot grabs his victim for any part of the body and calmly swallows without sharp movements. The developed sense of smell allows this fish to smell the smell of decaying remains at great distances, which brought the burbot the glory of a scavenger.
Savings on males
As already mentioned, burbot spawns in the winter, for the development of eggs, the water temperature should be within +1 ° . Such conditions are easily achievable in the northern latitudes, and in a more moderate climatic zone, females are ready to lay eggs in the rare days of severe cooling. And at the same time, do not bother looking for a male to fertilize. This method of sexual reproduction is called parthenogenesis, and due to the development of fry from an unfertilized egg, the burbot retains its abundance in the waters of temperate latitudes.
On average, there are 15-20 eggs in the clutch, it is located in shallow water, among the stones. During spawning, the burbot eats, which is different from salmon. And precisely in connection with this, fishing in this period is prohibited. Over the entire spawning period, a mature female can lay up to 3 million eggs.
Eggs can drift, and after 30-128 days fry hatch from them. They hide during the day, and actively eat at night. How can a burbot eat? Caviar of other fish, small crustaceans and worms. And already during the first year of life, burbot grows to 11-15 centimeters.
How to catch a burbot
Based on what we now know about the way of life and what the burbot eats in the river, the specificity of its fishing becomes clear.
Experienced anglers identify three favorable periods for this - in the fall, winter and spring.
In winter, during the spawning season, in many regions the catch of burbot is prohibited. But with a large population in a pond, it can be caught directly from under the ice using a ventilator.
In spring and autumn, burbot is caught on the donka, on the crib and on the bait spoon.
In the summer, burbot catch is almost impossible. Well, except with scuba diving during underwater fishing.
Features of the bite
But out of season, this fish can be caught either early in the morning or at night, and in such weather, when, as they say, even a dog is not walking on the street.
Frogs and rotten fish are used for bait - this is what burbot feeds on. At the same time, this predator completely swallows the hook and almost does not resist when it is pulled out.
But what should not be done when fishing for burbot can be found in the eponymous story by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. Burbot is a slippery fish, and the use of a strong landing net when fishing is mandatory.
The liver is a famous delicacy
Burbot meat is tasty and nutritious even though the burbot feeds. It is rich in vitamins, fatty acids, trace elements (phosphorus, iodine, magnesium, zinc, copper, calcium and sodium). But the calorie content of meat is not high, which allows you to use it with a diet and diabetes.
But the liver of this fish, which is 10% of the total weight of the fish, is considered a delicacy. And this is 6 times more than other fish of similar sizes. The content of vitamins (A, D) in the burbot liver is greater than in the notorious fish oil.
The use of this fish can be a good prophylactic for heart diseases, atherosclerosis, and lowered immune status. Omega-3 acids and vitamins of meat and liver burbot contribute to tissue regeneration, increase the level of calcium absorption, which becomes important when recovering from operations.
Table decoration
The recipe for burbot fish soup can be read together with the generals in “The Story of How One Man Fed Two Generals” by Mikhail Yevgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin.
Fried and baked, in sour cream and in beer - there are a lot of recipes for cooking fish.
It should only be noted that burbot is contraindicated for people prone to allergies, those who have kidney stones. People with hypercalcemia and vitamin D hypovitaminosis should use burbot with caution. As, however, and other fish.
But for women in an interesting position, burbot liver is very recommended. The fatty acids that it contains have a beneficial effect on the development of the fetal nervous system.
Summary
So, if you are a lover of fishing in the cold and night vigils - catching a burbot will bring you unforgettable pleasure. For there is no fisherman who would not want to catch this predator. Especially if, when ringing a donkey’s bell in the darkness of the night, imagine a fish 1.5 meters long and weighing about 20 kilograms. And this is quite possible if you are sitting on the banks of the Lena on a cold autumn night.