Barbel is a rather large fish, it can grow up to 1 meter and gain weight of 12 kg. Many actually dream of catching it. She is of serious sporting interest, as she has a strong body. It should be noted that all mustaches are dexterous and smart. They won't get hooked just like that, even if the bait is one of their favorite treats.
The whole genus of fish of the Karpov family is different from the barbel. It is often confused with a minnow, but upon closer examination, it can still be identified. All thanks to the antennae that are located on the cheeks of this representative. Obviously, it is thanks to them that he got his name.
Description
One of the largest representatives of the Karpov family is the barbel fish. A photo of her against the background of a person, boat or other relatively large object will help to verify this.
The barbels have a raised back. The body after the dorsal fins begins to flatten, so the main meat is located closer to the head. He is also distinguished by thick lips, since he gets food at the bottom. And as a result of the fact that they constantly rub against pebbles, they canget damaged. The antennae, located on both sides of the lips, are a kind of radar. If the fish notices food, then it will linger on a specific section of the river.
The dorsal fin is short but rather high. He and the one located in the tail have a gray tint. The rest are a little reddish. The body has no spots, it is even, silvery in color. But sometimes there are specimens with brownish scales.
The eyes of the fish are very small. This is due to the fact that when searching for food, she relies more on her antennae-radar than on sight. They sit deep and are unlikely to help in any way during foraging, spawning, or normal swimming.
Distribution area
Barbel fish is very common in Russia, photos of fishing enthusiasts with a long-awaited trophy often decorate thematic sites. But the habitat is not focused on the whole country. In cold regions, barbel is extremely rare, if not completely 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, the barbel is not found in southern Italy. This is again due to cold climate conditions or lack of suitable water bodies.
Habitats
Many fish that are part of the Karpov family live mostly in rivers. But sometimes they can be found in lakes or creeks. Such conditionsallow only a few representatives to feed. Therefore, if a fisherman is lucky enough to catch a barbel in the lake, he will be incredibly large.
For a short period of time, the population of this fish has declined markedly. The reason for this was too polluted rivers and the pursuit of trophies. But now the population is gradually recovering. Today you can catch such fish in narrow rivers with uneven bottoms.
If you can find a barbel in a body of water other than the river, it is only because he is too carried away by traveling while looking for food. If there is no current, then the fish will not be able to breed, since there are no conditions for this. However, there is a lot of food in quiet backwaters and reservoirs, so the largest trophies are found in them. Needless to say, it will be easier to catch a barbel in the river?
The 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 feed easily and have all the conditions for spawning.
Food
Barbel is a fish whose menu is very diverse. But this is not at all the result of an abundance of favorite delicacies. Because barbels feed on whatever they find on the bottom of the river, the large menu comes from the diversity of organic life.
Most often this fish, which is part of the Karpov family, eats eggs of other river dwellers, as well as larvae. But sometimes she comes across small mollusks, which also make up the diet. Barbels will refuse food only inif it doesn't fit in your mouth.
This fish does not disdain various waste products. If the remains of animals after the slaughterhouse are thrown into the river, then the barbels will live happily ever after.
Often, fish eat crustaceans or algae, but not all, but only those that will suit her taste. Smaller river inhabitants can also become prey for barbel. In a word, he will eat everything he finds at the bottom, even if it is small fish or slaughterhouse waste.
Lifestyle
Barbel is a fish that only occasionally prefers company. She usually leads a solitary life. But she has to step over her principles for the period of winter parking and spawning. Then the barbels huddle together.
Fish food is late at night. Sometimes she continues to swim in search of food in the early morning. In addition, the barbel can go hunting during the day in autumn or spring, when the temperature is too low at night.
For the winter, all the fish in question hide in holes or depressions, since the water is warmer in them. At this time, they have almost nothing to eat, so they do not spend strength on this process and actually do not leave the shelter.
There is no predisposition to migration in fish. She will only swim across in search of a new home if her river is too polluted.
During the daytime, barbels descend to the bottom. In addition, the larger the fish, the greater the depth it will need in order to feel normal. It reaches its greatest activity in the pre-dawnwatch, then you need to catch it.
Reproduction
Barbel is a fish that reaches sexual maturity at 2 years old, but females become ready to spawn 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 best time for spawning is late spring or early summer.
For one process of spawning, 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 is carried downstream. But after a few months, having grown stronger, the juveniles come to the surface. Further, until reaching puberty, the fish keeps in large flocks. Only after spawning does she switch to a solitary lifestyle.
Catching barbel
The considered 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 should not be used in large quantities, especially if fishing takes place during the day. If the barbel notices a large piece of meat, then he will be frightened of it. When fishing is oriented at night, the fish will rely only on their instincts and can grab a large piece.
The same can betalk about food. Only small food will be eaten by barbel fish. The Carp family does not like large baits at all, as well as complementary foods.
You can catch with a fishing rod, but you need to make sure that the tackle is strong. The barbel is aggressive, it can simply escape if it is not hooked in time.
Conclusion
Thus, we examined the barbel. This is a fish of the carp family, which is of sporting interest to fishing enthusiasts. It also has tasty and nutritious meat. The main thing is that it should not be caught for spawning, as then it is poisonous. There have been no deaths yet, but it's still not worth the risk.
I must say that all barbels are quite tenacious. This allows fishermen not to use buckets or storage containers. All you have to do is put the fish in the wet grass.
