The common catfish belongs to the catfish family, and is rightfully considered the largest representative of the ichthyofauna of fresh water bodies.

Catfish are found in freshwater bodies of most European countries and the European part of Russia. These fish usually live in the deepest places. The hole where the catfish lives can become a haven for other large predatory fish.

If the number of catfish in a reservoir exceeds the number of suitable places, then small fish move to medium depths. In summer, at night, this powerful representative of the ichthyofauna lives in shallow places.

Body structure

The body of representatives of this species has an oblong shape with a large rounded head and a very long tail. Small fish are sometimes called "ties" because of this. There are no scales or large fins, except for the anal one. The body color is dark with shades of black, green and brown. The saggy abdomen is light in color. The body length of a catfish can reach 3-4 meters, and its weight is about 300 – 400 kilograms. Fish rarely grow to such sizes, but this does not stop individual fishermen from inventing stories about fights with giant fish.

Types of catfish

Despite the large number of species in the catfish family, only two varieties are found in our reservoirs: the common and American catfish. The American catfish is significantly smaller in size than the common European catfish, which is why it is also called dwarf.

How long do catfish live?

It is quite difficult to answer the question - how long does a catfish live? The age of a caught specimen can be determined by the number of concentric circles on the scales. The fish grows quite quickly and at the age of two years reaches a weight of more than a kilogram. At 4–5 years of life, the catfish weighs about 6–7 kilograms. Thus, the maximum annual weight gain is 2 – 2.5 kg. The average life expectancy in nature reaches 50-60 years.

At what age does a fish become sexually mature?

At the age of 3-4 years, fish are mature enough to participate in spawning games. The older the female, the more mature eggs she is able to lay.

Nutrition

Many fishermen have repeatedly heard stories about how giant catfish dragged dogs, birds and even children to the bottom. It is difficult to say how true these assumptions are, but its enormous size undoubtedly makes it one of the most dangerous predators. Fish that live in deep holes for many years become unsuitable for food, so many fishermen catch catfish on a catch-and-release basis. It is best to weigh the caught trophy in a special bag so as not to injure the fish.

What does catfish eat?

If there is enough food, the catfish will eat any protein food:

• fish;
• shellfish;
• crustaceans;
• rodents;
• birds;
• frogs;
• large insects;
• small mammals.

If the size of the prey is large, and the fish cannot immediately eat its prey, then it has to wait until it rots and begins to decompose. If there is not enough animal food in the reservoir, then the catfish calmly eats any organic matter. There are cases when fish, in the absence of their usual food, eat bread.

Behavior by season

The fish rarely shows its presence in the reservoir, and in most cases it simply lies at the bottom in a hole. Divers are most often able to observe the behavior of catfish. True, such meetings can be very dangerous. During spawning, food for catfish becomes less of a priority.

Behavior in the warm season

In spring, summer and autumn, catfish prefer to live in pits. During the daytime he sleeps and becomes active at nightfall. The fish's vision is not very well developed, so it relies on its sense of smell and three pairs of long whiskers around its mouth to find food.

Behavior in winter

During the cold season, the fish hibernate at the bottom of wintering pits. In winter, in the pits, you can see the following picture: a huge catfish surrounded by smaller fish. In a state of suspended animation, irreconcilable enemies become friends.

Catching catfish

Most often, catfish are caught in the warm season, so it is best to fish in the summer. There are several ways to catch this large fish. For any type of fishing, a rod and reel should be an order of magnitude more powerful than similar gear for catching large pike. The diameter of the braided cord should be in the range of 0.3 - 0.5 mm. It is almost impossible to pull large fish ashore, so fishermen use boats. After driving the fisherman back and forth for some time, the fish weakens and surrenders to the mercy of the winner. Inexperienced fishermen are wondering how to catch a huge catfish? However, few realize that such fights can be life-threatening.

Fishing with silicone baits

Catfish, like any other predatory fish, bite on all baits, but the best results are shown by equipment on a jig head.

Catfish are successfully caught using the following types of silicone:

• twisters;
• rippers;
• passive silicone.

The weight of the sinker should be proportional to the depth of the hole. In deep holes, it is appropriate to use sinkers weighing 20-40 grams. The size of the bait should correspond to the effort spent chasing it. The optimal bait size is 15-20 cm. Edible silicone shows good results. There is no one universal bait retrieve, but since catfish are poor swimmers, the retrieve should have long pauses. The fish bites correctly and requires a strong hook. The river catfish resists much more strongly than its lake counterpart.

Lure fishing

The spoon takes second place in terms of effectiveness after jig rigs. Catfish bite especially actively on large-sized oscillating spoons. The wide surface of the spoon does not allow slow retrieval into the current, so it is best to fish with spoons in holes with quiet or standing water.

Photo 1. Both small and large catfish are caught using spinning rods.

Fishing with kwok

Kwok is a special device that, when the cup-shaped part hits the surface, creates an attractive sound. Such sounds force catfish to rise to the surface in search of food. As a rule, kwok is made of wood, although recently options made of composite materials have become increasingly common.

Photo 2. Catfish and quok.

Donk fishing

Bottom tackle is the most common type of rod for catfish fishing. Fish eat natural bait much more readily. In addition, the angler has the opportunity to supply as many rods as needed. As a rule, tackle for catfish consists of a sinker weighing about 100 grams and a large hook on which the bait is placed. The tackle is not particularly tricky, but the catfish is not picky in this regard. The teeth on the jaw are small, so metal leashes are not used.

Baits used

Catfish responds well to all baits of animal origin. The main requirement is large size.

What is the best bait to fish with?

If you have to fish with worms, then these must be crawlers. It is best to plant it as a whole bunch. The fish responds well to the meat of bivalve mollusks and locusts, but it is best to fish for meat. A lightly fried piece of chicken is an excellent option for fishing at any time of the year. Some anglers have successfully caught toads and vine snails.

When choosing a bait for fishing, you need to make sure that it holds well on the hook and does not fly off when it hits the water. Sometimes ordinary thread helps to secure a piece of meat on a hook.

Photo 3. Great trophy!

Using bait

Some anglers use a special catfish bait made from crushed fragments of animal carcasses. The composition of such mixtures includes feathers, animal skins and remains of entrails. You can also add fish oil.

Bait with a scent

If possible, it is best to leave the bait outside for a while before fishing. Fish responds well to the smell of spoiling bait.

Let's sum it up

Despite a certain monotony of such fishing, such fishing has many admirers. Even those anglers who spend all their free time with a roach fishing rod dream of trying their hand at fighting a freshwater giant. Catching such a fish requires perseverance and the ability to wait for large prey, but the bright moments of the fight against the incredible power of a large enemy are worth it.

Som ( Silurus) is the largest predatory fish that lives in freshwater lakes and rivers. It belongs to the class of ray-finned fish, the order of catfishes, and the catfish family.

Catfish fish - description, characteristics and photographs

The catfish fish has a long, flattened and rather powerful body, which is devoid of scales and covered with a layer of mucus, which ensures the gliding and maneuverability of the fish in the water space. The wide head of a catfish usually has a flattened shape. There are small, slightly blind eyes of the catfish on it. The wide mouth of the fish is “armed” with small, but abundant teeth. Almost all catfish have one feature: long whiskers are located on the jaws of this predatory fish. The catfish's whiskers are the most important tactile organ with which fish find food. Depending on the variety, of which scientists number about 500, the appearance of the catfish, its color and size can vary significantly.

How long does a catfish live?

The lifespan of a catfish that lives in natural and environmentally acceptable conditions reaches 30, 50, or even 60 years. There is data from ichthyologists who have recorded individuals who have reached the age of 75 years.

What does catfish eat?

Catfish in nature prefers to lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle, lying in pits with a large accumulation of silty sediments. It is unpretentious in its diet: the catfish happily eats plant remains, small fish, larvae, shells, crayfish, or birds that accidentally fall into a pond, and other living creatures. Catfish also feed on carrion. Often he "hunts" prey near old and forgotten fishing nets. A large hungry catfish can even eat or that accidentally entered the water.

Where does catfish live?

The catfish fish is quite widespread in the waters of Europe and Asia, while living in rivers flowing into the seas, it often swims into their salty waters. Unfortunately, in such conditions, only one species of catfish can exist for a long time - the channel catfish; other individuals from this family are not adapted to such a “salty” living.

Types of catfish - photos and names

There are many interesting and unusual representatives in the catfish family.

• Common catfish (European) ( Silurus glanis)

can reach a length of up to 5 meters and weigh up to 400 kg. Lives in rivers and lakes of Europe and Russia. Cases of attacks on people have been described.

• American catfish (dwarf catfish) ( Ameiurus nebulosus)

lives in water bodies of South America. The length of the American catfish does not exceed a meter, weight – 7-10 kg. The mouth of this species is surprisingly designed: the teeth are arranged in several rows, and each row differs in size - from smallest to largest. This feature allows the American catfish to capture prey as if in a steel vice.

• Malapterurus electricus)

lives in water bodies of Africa and rivers of Arab countries. Its ability to generate powerful charges of electricity helps it successfully hunt even large prey. There is information according to which an electric catfish killed animals that accidentally wandered into a pond to drink with a discharge of current.

Among catfish, numerous aquarium varieties are widely known: tarakatum, platidoras, glass catfish, cuckoo catfish, changeling catfish and others. And their variety of colors is simply amazing:

Glass Indian catfish

Catfish is a freshwater large fish without scales from the order Catfish, representing the catfish family.

The species has a distribution in lakes and rivers throughout Europe, except for Norway, Italy, England, Scotland and Spain. Representatives of this species are found in southern Finland and Sweden. The area of ​​distribution of catfish in the south is limited by the coastal waters of the Black and Aegean Seas, in Asia - by the Aral Sea. Catfish that live in rivers that flow into the Black, Baltic, Caspian Seas often swim in their salty waters. In the upper reaches of rivers, fish are rare; the highest concentration of catfish occurs in large reservoirs and at river mouths.

Appearance of catfish

Catfish have a long, scaleless body, rounded in front and laterally compressed in the back. On the flat and wide head there are small eyes that are located closer to the forehead. The fish's mouth is armed with a large number of small teeth. A characteristic feature of catfish is their long whiskers located on opposite sides of the upper jaw. There are also mustaches on the lower jaw, 2 on each side. The fish has a long anal fin, no adipose fin, and the dorsal fin, located closer to the head, is small and sharp. The pectoral fins are wide and strong. In order to confuse its prey, the catfish creates turbulence in the water with its pectoral fins. The skin of the fish is smooth and slippery.

The color of the fish is not uniform. The back has a very dark shade. Slightly lighter than the sides, they are greenish-brown with lighter areas. The belly has a light gray tint. The color of the fish depends on its habitat. In stagnant waters, the body color of catfish is rich and dark. In running water, the skin of the fish becomes lighter in color.

Catfish is a fairly large fish.

Catfish sizes

Catfish are very large in size. The length can reach 4 meters, weight reaches 180 kg, there are much larger specimens.

However, individuals with maximum weight are extremely rare in nature. For example, in the 19th century there were giant catfish that reached a length of 3 meters and weighed 200-220 kg. There is a story that in the Dnieper, in 1856, a fish of this species was caught, which weighed approximately 400 kg and its length was 5 m.

Nowadays, catfish with a length of 1.3-1.6 m are usually caught. It is a great success and the greatest rarity if you manage to catch a fish more than 2 meters long and weighing 70 kg. Most often you come across specimens 1.5 meters long and weighing 15-20 kg.

In order for a catfish to grow to a decent size, very good living conditions are necessary. Even under ideal conditions, the weight of the fish may not exceed 90 kg, and the length - 2.5 meters. The maximum weight of representatives of the species currently recorded reaches 144 kg with a length of 2.78 meters.

Catfish behavior and nutrition

Catfish do not migrate far from their usual habitat. Feeding and spawning areas are located nearby. Fish prefer to lead a solitary lifestyle, gathering in large schools in cold weather. They huddle in deep holes and stop feeding until spring.

Catfish is a large underwater predator that leads a bottom-dwelling lifestyle. The fish feels comfortable in quiet areas of the reservoir, at the bottom of which there are caves, pits and snags.

Catfish hunt from ambush. Hiding in a secluded place, the fish makes a throw and catches the gaping victim. In shallow water, where the movement of young fish is observed, you can see a large flock of hunting catfish. They stand against the current, open their mouths and swallow whole flocks of small fish.

During the day, catfish prefer to rest in caves and pits, they go hunting at dusk and at night. Sensitive skin and mustache help detect the victim.

Contrary to the popular belief that catfish are only scavengers, it can be said that bottom fish species serve as food for them. This could be carp, goby, perch, different types of herring and sturgeon. At an early stage of life, catfish eat crustaceans, frogs, fry, aquatic insects and attack waterfowl and rodents. Catfish also do not disdain carrion.

Reproduction and lifespan

The ability to reproduce occurs after the catfish reaches a size of 50-60 cm and a weight of 2-3 kg. The fish has these parameters in the fifth year of life. Depending on the region where they live, spawning occurs in spring and summer. The required water temperature for this is 17-20 degrees. Under favorable conditions, females of this species lay 2 portions of eggs. For one kilogram of weight, a female can lay up to 30 thousand eggs. In general, the larger and heavier the female, the more eggs there will be. The sizes of the eggs vary from 1.7 to 3 mm.

Before spawning, the female catfish builds a nest at the bottom of a river or lake. Typically, this is a shallow rounded hole covered with aquatic plants. Such a nest is always located in shallow water, at a distance of 50-70 cm from the surface of the water. Sticky eggs are securely glued to the walls of the nest and to the bottom. The development of eggs occurs from 3 to 10 days and throughout this time the nest is guarded by the male.

The eggs first produce larvae. Then, the yolk sac dissolves and the fry appear. Their length is 15 mm. They disperse from the nest and lead an independent life.

Young catfish grow quickly, especially in the rivers of the southern regions. During the first year of its life, the fry grows to 30-40 cm and gains a weight of 300-500 grams. At the age of 10 years, the fish can weigh 15-20 kg and grow up to 1.25 m. However, there is a very high mortality rate of young individuals. Only 5% of the young of this fish species can survive to one year of age. The lifespan of catfish is 30-35 years.

Only young catfish serve as food for people. As a rule, their weight does not exceed 15 kg. Large representatives of this species are very heavy and fatty, so it is not recommended to eat them. You cannot eat catfish caviar, as it is poisonous.

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Welcome to my blog! In this article I will talk about catfish fish. Where it lives, what it eats, how you can catch it. Catfish is common in the basin of the Aral, Caspian, Black, Baltic seas, rivers and lakes of the European part of Russia. The Amur catfish lives in the reservoirs of the Far East. Catfish is a large, scaleless freshwater fish. The weight of the fish reaches up to 400 kg, and the length is up to 5 meters. But usually fish weighing no more than 15 kg are caught. It has a long anal fin, the fins do not have spines, and it does not have an adipose fin. The body color is brown, with shades of brown and green. The belly of the catfish is light.

Catfish fish are ready for spawning at the 5th year of life. It spawns in spring when the water warms up to 20 degrees near the shore in aquatic vegetation. Choose places without current or with weak current. Spawning occurs in pairs. The female lays eggs in nests, which are guarded by the male until the fry emerge. The fertility of catfish is up to 500 thousand eggs. After spawning, the fish go to their permanent summer places, under snags, bridges, holes.

Catfish fish is a nocturnal predator. During the daytime, they settle in pits and snags. Catfish feed on crustaceans, fry, insects, frogs, spoiled foods, carrion, waterfowl and animals. Catfish feed mainly at night. A good meal occurs after spawning. Then it weakens and stops when the water gets colder. In different bodies of water, the lifestyle of catfish varies. In the lower reaches of southern rivers, catfish lead a migratory lifestyle. In the spring, after hibernation, catfish go to spawn; after spawning, they go to deep places in reservoirs or go to estuarine areas. And in the autumn they go back to the rivers and into pits for the winter. But in the middle and upper rivers, catfish do not go far from their permanent habitats.

Before the ice appears, catfish gather in schools of 5-10 fish. In winter, they do not feed and remain motionless.

How to catch catfish

Catfish are also called the king of fish. If you catch it, you will catch the main fish in your fishing trip. Somyatniki - fishermen who catch catfish, always keep secret the places and holes where the fish are found. Since they themselves have been looking for them for many years, and no one will give away such a secret.

The main way to catch catfish is fishing with kwok. Kwok is made from hard wood or bone. The kwok has a curved appearance, with a funnel cut out at the end. It can be round or oval, up to 6 cm in diameter and up to 2 cm in depth. The surface must be polished. The sounds that the quok makes are a bit like the croaking of frogs or the gurgling of fish, and therefore attracts fish. There are two ways to strike.

1 way to catch catfish using kwok. Deal three blows with an interval of 3 seconds, pause for 1 minute and strike again.

2 way how to catch catfish using kwok. Strike once every 30 seconds.

The blows must be struck at an angle of 30 degrees, and when deepening into the water up to 10 cm. This must be observed, because the sound that the quok makes is not produced when entering the water, but when the quok exits the water. To properly produce the desired sound, practice before fishing.

Perhaps the most interesting and productive fishing is from a boat. For this fishing, take a short rod, preferably light, so that it does not sink. If it jumps out of your hands when the catfish jerks strongly, you can pick it up from the water. Take a reel with a large diameter and strong line, but the line is too thick. To catch catfish weighing up to 30 kg, a fishing line with a diameter of 1 mm is sufficient. You can use live bait, lamprey meat, or frog as bait. Be sure to install a nylon leash and a spindle-shaped weight. Take the weight of the load so that the fishing line in relation to the boat receives an angle of approximately 45 degrees. You need to start fishing late in the evening, it is better if you go fishing together, one will fish, the other will drive the boat. You can do it alone, but it will be a little inconvenient.

Lower the bait so that it is almost at the bottom. Gradually fish the entire area where catfish are likely to be found. There should be no less than 5 meters between parallel passages. It will be better if you play with the bait; you need to lift it up and down, move it in a zigzag manner, and hold it in place. Drive the boat against the current, at a speed slightly less than the speed of the current.

You can use live bait, frogs, dead fish, shell meat, worms, bird guts, and stale meat as bait. It is better to use white chub fish, bream, and roach as live bait. Fishing with a spinning rod or track does not bring results because the catfish itself is slow and does not rush in pursuit of prey. If you use artificial baits, then you need to give preference to those that play well with slow retrieval.

There are many fish in rivers and lakes that people eat. Predators and their prey get along quite peacefully with each other, forming a natural cycle. Almost every body of water today is inhabited by catfish - the largest river predators. So, what does a catfish look like? What do catfish eat?

Description

The body of a representative of this species is long and elongated. This species has no scales at all. The body of the common catfish is covered with mucous secretions, which help the fish to easily maneuver in muddy water. The head of this species is wide, flat, with small eyes and a rather large wide mouth. The teeth of this type of fish are small and sharp. The catfish has poor eyesight and is even slightly blind. The catfish's tactile organ is its mustache, only two pairs of yellow ones. They are located on both sides of the fish’s mouth; it is with their help that the river catfish finds food for itself.

Color The color of this fish is dark, from brown to dark brown. The belly is lighter, most often white or yellowish. The tail is long, approximately 60% of the entire length of the river catfish. The dorsal fins are soft, blue-black, less often black. Juveniles have a brighter color than adult fish. There are individuals about 5 meters long and weighing more than 300 kg. These fish live for a long time, 50-60 years.

Classification soms:

1. Class - ray-finned;
2. family - catfish;
3. squad - catfish;
4. view - common catfish;
5. genus - common catfish.

Habitat

The common or European catfish lives in almost all freshwater bodies of Asia and Europe. Most often, these fish prefer to live at depth, in pools and underwater holes. Sometimes representatives of this species swim into salty bodies of water, but cannot live there for long.

In salt waters they live only channel catfish. It is considered the most numerous of all catfish species. Most frequently mined.

This fish does not migrate; it tries to live in one place all its life. This freshwater predator leaves its home only while hunting. It becomes most active in the morning and evening; during the day the fish rests. In late autumn, the common catfish hibernates. During this period he does not eat at all.

Nutrition

Common catfish are quite large in size, they are lazy and slow. It takes effort to catch large prey, so large prey is extremely rare.

However, these underwater inhabitants are not short of cunning. They learned to use various tricks for hunting. For example, if a large individual experiences a feeling of hunger, it almost runs aground. In shallow waters, fish such as bleaks and fry often scamper in schools. An ordinary catfish freezes with its mouth half-open. A school of small fish, not noticing the impending threat, gets as close as possible to the freshwater predator. A representative of this species forcefully draws water into itself, and along with the flow of water, about a dozen fish immediately fall into the mouth of the individual. Another fish also takes the whiskers of a catfish hiding under a snag for bait, some kind of worm. Swimming closer to the catfish, the fish becomes prey.

Freshwater predators are extremely voracious: they eat everything that is in the water. Waterfowl, calves, and sometimes dogs were attacked by a whole school of catfish. There have been cases of attacks on children bathing.

So these fish eat:

Reproduction

Puberty in females ends at the age of 3 years. Males, when choosing a partner, begin to beat their tails on the water, performing a mating dance. After the pair has formed, the parents begin to create a nest. Choose a quiet place, mostly in a pool. The female lays about half a million eggs at a time, and the male fertilizes the clutch. The male guards the nest until the fry appear, scaring off strangers. For the first 25 days of life, the male guards the fry, then the grown-up catfish go into free swimming. Catfish are polygamous; after mating, the female and male go to their homes.

Catfish and man

Catching representatives of the catfish family has long been established on an industrial scale. These predators are eaten; their meat has excellent taste.

Catfish meat is practically boneless, only the spine is present.

Besides the taste, catfish meat contains many microelements:

• calcium;
• magnesium;
• potassium;
• phosphorus;
• iron;
• sodium.

AND vitamins:

Doctors advise eating catfish meat for people suffering from diabetes. Thanks to its rich composition, this product can significantly reduce blood sugar. Helps eliminate problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Breeding catfish in captivity

This type of freshwater predator is bred by humans in captivity. This is an extremely unpretentious fish. The only thing he needs is a sufficient amount of food and relative peace. An extensive reservoir is not needed; space for river catfish is not necessary.

In total, there are 4 ways to breed representatives of this species in captivity:

• cage method- the eggs are placed in special cages, in which the fry appear;
• pond method- fish is grown in conditions close to natural;
• pool method- the catfish is kept in the pool;
• feeding method- catfish are raised with other species of fish, but the breeder will have to carefully select the catfish so that the size of all fish is approximately the same.