In Asian rivers, you can sometimes find fish that are uncharacteristic of the usual catch on average fishing. But they also deserve the close attention of an avid fisherman. Such "eastern" trophies can include Central Asian Ottomans - a fish that lives in the icy water of fast rivers running in the mountains. It is found in the high mountain lakes of Altai.
General characteristics
There are three types of this genus. All of them are quite rare and essentially endemic. That is, you will not meet them anywhere else, except in certain Central Asian mountain ponds. And the habitat of these fish is the upper and middle reaches of small mountain rivers. Ottomans can also live in high mountain lakes, sometimes they rise upstream of the rivers to the very glaciers.
Osman is a predatory fish belonging to the cyprinid family. It is divided into three types:
- naked;
- scaly;
- Altai (mountain dace).
Naked Ottoman: Description
Osman naked has a body with almost no scaly coating, elongated in shape. On the back, the color is brown or greenish-gray, with a bluish tint. It happens and golden, as well as gray-silver color. On the sides - yellowish, with orange features, and ventral fins - spotted. On the upper fin, on the back there is a thorn.
This fish has fleshy lips, the bottom is interrupted in the center, and in the corners of the mouth - tendrils, like many cyprinids.
Osman is a fish that lives in Central Asia, in such reservoirs as Balkhash, Issyk-Kul, Zaysan, as well as in Mongolian lakes and rivers. By nature, he loves clean and fast water, cool - even very low temperatures. It is often based in the upper reaches of the rivers of the Central Asian mountains, and if it lives in a lake, then it needs to be searched deeper, in places where the water is clear and cold.
His diet is mollusks, smaller fish, insect larvae and arthropods themselves. The spawning of the species occurs at different times: in the lake - in the spring, in the river - in the summer.
Catching the Ottoman Naked
Osman - the fish is not too large, but can become a worthy trophy for a skilled fisherman. Her weight rarely reaches 3 kilograms, with a length of not more than half a meter. Average weight - 2 kg, length - 30 cm or more.
Ottomans - the fish is quite strong and cunning, so when fishing it can be used various gear: spinning and feeder, as well as fishing rods. But best of all, according to some fishermen, Ottoman goes on a medium sized spinning rod.
Osman (fish): what to catch?
The bait for this representative of the Central Asian fauna can serve as small live bait, clam meat (living in the local rivers), worms: dung and earth. We should not forget that Osman is a predatory fish, although it belongs to the cyprinid family. It is not too large, but when played, it can provide decent resistance, as for a good trophy. In general, you have to sweat a little, but this is what gives the fishing excitement!
The forest should choose a cross-section from 0.25 to 0.35, and the hooks for fishing are suitable for a number from 6 to 10. Ottoman starts to get active and peck after spawning, during spring floods, and in early summer. But in winter, the predator’s enthusiasm is reduced. But what is typical, even in the cold season, this fish does not sleep and continues to feed, which increases the chances of a fisherman, as winter fishing can be very successful. The Osman fish (you can see a photo of it in our article) goes well at this time with mormyshka, float tackle, sheer whitening.
Scaly Ottoman
The scaly appearance looks like a naked one, but there is a scaly cover on the body. Moreover, above the lateral line, it covers the body almost completely, forming the so-called "cleavage" around the anus. And on the back, on the upper fin, this fish does not have a spine.
What environment do scaly ottomans prefer? Fish (where this species is found, it is clear from the previous descriptions) loves clean and cool water. She lives in Lake Issyk-Kul and some adjacent rivers - in their upper reaches. Below rifts, it mainly stays in the bottom areas, whirlpools.
Diet, sizes
In the menu of this species: fry and mollusks, represented in abundance of assortment in rivers, insects and their nutritious larvae, some aquatic vegetation. Such a fish can reach a mass of 1.5 kilograms (though rarely) and up to half a meter in length. And most often, individuals of 0.2-0.3 meters in size and weighing up to half a kilo can become a fisherman’s prey.
Catching Scaly Ottoman
Spawning of these fish takes place throughout the summer, as the eggs of the Ottomans are laid in small portions. Fishing is prohibited at this time. In the rest of the year , scaly ottoman goes very well to bottom gear, spinning .
Fish, fishing in the Almaty region of which, for example, is carried out both in the spring and in the fall, prefers worms and larvae of various insects as baits. At the same time, fishing line is used 0.22-0.28 millimeters, it is preferable to take hooks from the 6th to the 8th number.
Altai variety (dace mountain)
Yelets is also a water predator. He has a body resembling a spindle. Color - greenish, dark, but the back is lighter. On the sides there are placers of spots - a small, darkish shade. On the head of the Ottoman Altai there is a marble pattern, and the belly is blackish, with a brown tint.
Habitats, diet
Tuva reservoirs, the Altai lake environment, the Ob river in the upper places, the Chui and Biya rivers are the habitat of the Ottoman Altai. Only clean and cool water is preferred. Ottoman loves to frolic in the stream of the stream, but also does not mind relaxing in calm and quiet places, in areas with a rocky or sandy bottom, where the stream is calm.
Altai osman species uses small fish, mormysh, a small amount of underwater vegetation, and the larvae of some insects for food. Fish spawning takes place in spring, when the water reaches a temperature of + 10 ° C and above.
Altai Ottomans (fish): fishing and tackle
This fish sometimes grows larger than its brethren. The length of some individuals can reach 65 cm, and weight - about 4 kg. But, on average, you can catch an osman even two kilograms, and he, of course, will be a pleasant trophy for any fisherman.
Catching the Ottoman Altai is well carried out on a spinning rod. As baits, it is better to use spinners, not large and not heavy. True, traditional spinners have recently given way to newfangled spinning gear.
Sometimes fishing for dace (osman) takes place on a float or donka. And bait is often used as bait - a small fish, which this mountain fish eats in nature. Ottoman goes well for slicing fish meat, for dung and earthworm, for shell meat. Forests are required for fishing - 0.3 or 0.4 millimeters, and hooks - from six to tens.
Ottoman's bite, as a rule, is greedy and, as they say, for sure. But when caught on a hook, this fish can have strong resistance when fighting, so you need to keep an eye on it. And the most active bite is observed in the first week after spawning.
Altai Ottoman is caught in the winter. As a rule, perches are used for fishing, and mammoth tackle. During the last hook, an amphipod (mormysh) is used as bait.
What you need to know for successful ottoman fishing
The spawning of this fish ends after summer floods. This time, according to experts, is the most effective for fishing. For amateur fishing, they often use traditional spinning, a float, and a donkey. And for the industrial catch of the Ottoman Altai - nonsense and nets. But in the winter - not bad, he goes for a fishing rod and mormyshka. Often used and vertical flashing.
The fish itself is not too shy and unpretentious, so special skills for catching it are not required. The main task of the fisherman becomes the opportunity to get to the catchy places, since they, sometimes, are in highland places. And here, lovers of hunting with a fishing rod for Ottoman lurk insidious natural elements and cold winds.
A good plus is the fact that Osman bait can always be found right on the spot. One has only to walk along the shore, collect larvae or worms, and catchy fishing is almost guaranteed!