Lake Sterzh attracts hundreds of tourists every year. There are all favorable conditions for fishing, as well as for the most comfortable outdoor recreation. The article provides all the necessary information about this place.
Geographical position
Lake Sterzh is located in the Tver region on the Valdai Upland. Translated from the Old Slavonic language, the name means "quiet lake". Several rivers flow into the reservoir at once: Runa and Kud. Volga flows through Sterzh - this is the first large lake found along its course. Among the Upper Volga Lakes, the reservoir occupies the most northern position, while the water does not freeze all year round and is notable for its purity. Getting to Sterzh by car is quite difficult, as there is no direct road to the coast.
Description of the lake
Sterzh is not famous for its size - it becomes immediately clear from the original name. The lake is 12 kilometers long, with a maximum width of one and a half kilometers and a maximum depth of eight meters. At the same time, the depth of Lake Sterzh is enough for comfortable movement on a boat and a motor boat. In the system of lakes of the upper Volga, Sterzh occupies the third place in its dimensions.
The bottom is mostly covered with silt, but a small part contains pebbles and sand. Along the coast there are stone ridges that help fishermen to choose a convenient place for fishing. The surrounding landscape brings the beauty to the landscape of the lake. The nature of the surrounding areas is famous for the richness of the species.
Development history
From the first millennium BC, the first settlements appeared on the banks of the reservoir. So, it is reliably known about the Finno-Ugric villages built on the lake. Subsequently, the locals merged with the Novgorodians, and nearby the village of Sterzh. It reached its dawn in the XII century, but over time, residents moved several kilometers north. Before the start of World War II, Soviet archaeologists excavated in these places.
Until recently, a motor ship passed through the reservoir, connecting the villages of Peno, Shirkov Pogost and Kokovkino. All of them are near Lake Sterzh.
Main attraction
The main historical attraction of Lake Sterzh is a four-pointed cross built of reddish sandstone. It was delivered by one of the Novgorod boyars in honor of the opening of new water trade routes. Its height is 167 centimeters, and the mass almost reaches a ton. The date of installation is indicated on the cross - July 14, 1133. The inscriptions on it are made in the Novgorod dialect of the Old Slavonic language.
The name of the boyar Ivanko Pavlovich, who ruled Novgorod for about a year in the middle of the XII century, is indicated on the cross. He died during the battle on Zhdanovskaya mountain.
According to a common theory, they put an end to it after completing work to deepen the Volga channel. This made it possible to directly connect the city with the river. In addition, large and heavy merchant ships no longer had problems moving to other areas of Kievan Rus.
Initially, the Sterzhensky Cross was located elsewhere. According to the locals, it was part of the Sterzhensky fortification - the largest settlement on the shores of the lake. Several centuries later, one of the landowners transferred the relic to the cemetery and placed it next to the grave of his grandfather.
At the beginning of 1879, employees of the Tver State Museum of Local Lore achieved the fact that the cross was moved to the walls of this institution. It is still kept there.
Tourism, resorts
Sterzh is far from large regional centers, and therefore many people come here to rest, wishing to be closer to the wild. This has the picturesque nature of the Russian Plain, as well as the unique flora and fauna. Often there are photo shoots. Several recreation centers are open here for visitors at once: Sterzh, Quiet Lake, Ivanovskoye and others. Vacationers are satisfied with the level of service and accommodation. All recreation centers on Lake Sterzh are capable of hosting up to a hundred people at a time.
One of the best bases
The greatest attention among places of rest is attracted by the recreation center "Sterzh". There are excellent conditions for individual and family holidays. Vacationers have the opportunity to rent various means of transportation: boats, motor boats, motorcycles and cars. A tennis court and a volleyball court are open; a full set of sports equipment is available for people. In the evening, you can stop by the bar. There are several excursions to nearby conspicuous places at the recreation center.
Base of log cabins
The recreation center "Beach of Dreams" won the best reviews from fans to relax. Among the advantages of spending time here are a cozy infrastructure, interesting architecture of the houses and a clean beach. All buildings are made of clean spruce, which only adds to the atmosphere of relaxation. Around is a natural forest, also treated from ticks. In general, all the conditions for a family vacation are provided here - there is a playground, a children's room, and even a tennis court. Every day, new goods are brought into the local store. There were no complaints about the work of the guard.
Other interesting places
In addition to tourist camps, there are many private buildings around. Cottage owners offer their vacation rental homes. The price in this case will be small, but the conditions provided are quite good. All the necessary benefits are available here, including the Internet. Reservation is possible in advance.
For those who need only a place to sleep, tents are offered. All of them are located near the coast, and workers take only a nominal fee.
Rest on Lake Sterzh leaves few indifferent. In addition to ordinary rest, the lake is famous for its catch.
Fishing in the Tver region on Lake Sterzh
The main occupation of vacationers is considered fishing. This is favored by several factors at once: a huge number of fish species represented, comfortable weather all year round and the convenience of the coastline. In the Tver region there is no better place to fish than Lake Sterzh. From here you can bring the most diverse and interesting trophies. Among the main prey are called perches, pikes, ides and bream. We learn more about the features of fishing for each of these species.
Perch
Hunting perches in a pond does not stop for a whole year. Most of all representatives of this species can be found near the sandy bottom. On average, the weight of the caught fish is from 400 to 700 grams, but successful fishermen bring large perches, the mass of which is more than a kilogram. The peak of fishing occurs in the fall - the season starts from the last days of August and ends in late November.
It’s easy to find perches by seagulls that accumulate next to schools. Experienced fishermen in one day can immediately find several places, moving on a motor boat. In winter, fish do not change their usual place of residence, but they go to deeper layers, so fishing in January-February becomes complicated.
Zander
A lot of zander is found throughout Lake Sterzh. They can be caught by a rocky ridge, therefore, catching these fish is more difficult than perches. To hunt for this species, fishermen use floating wobblers, and unobtrusive bait will also help. On average, caught individuals weigh no more than three kilograms, but sometimes zander, whose weight exceeds ten kilograms, is recorded.
Ide
Sterzh is known, among other things, due to the large number of ides in the pond. Fishing in Lake Sterzh for this type of fish begins in the spring, when their schools are located near river mouths that flow into the lake. For fishing, float gear is used, on which a leech or worm is planted. The average catch is three kilograms. In summer, fishing is also carried out using live or artificial baits.
Pike
There are not very many representatives of this species of fish, but patient hunters every year catch real giants. You need to look for flocks in grassy backwaters - then the chance to catch a pike is quite high. Lures are excellent for successful fishing, while the pike also goes well to the fry.
Bream
Sterzh bream has a really huge number. Regularly, anglers catch really big bream weighing up to 3-4 kilograms. In the riverbed and on stony ridges - it is there to look for individuals of this species. In summer, it is recommended to use various plant components for bait: peas, bran or some types of millet. For bait "semolina-talker" is ideal. In the winter season, hunters use worms and bloodworms as bait, and maggots for bait. The main rule of catching bream is calm and complete silence. Only in this way can it be possible to catch cool prey.