The Black Sea garfish has many relatives. Shelled pike, needle fish - in the absence of experience, you can easily confuse these fish, although they have little in common and they belong to completely different families. Knowing what it looks like sea beauty, the peculiarities of its behavior depending on the time of year, and the most common methods of hunting for a monster, you can easily return home with a rich catch. Of course, this long-awaited event can only happen if you are lucky enough to go sea fishing - the natural habitat of the sea monster.
The arrowfish (one of the names of the garfish) has a long body, some specimens of this family grow up to 80 cm. The body is narrow, anal and dorsal are located near the tail. The jaws are elongated, very narrow and sharp at the ends. The gar is the owner of numerous sharp teeth, which, despite their almost tiny size, tenaciously hold their prey.
The scales will please fishermen who do not like to clean their catch, because they are small and easily removed even with the help of regular knife. The unique feature of the arrow is the shade of the bones. They are greenish in color, which is rare in fish.
There are several types of garfish, the most common being the Black Sea and Pacific. The difference between the Pacific and representatives of this family is a long stripe running from the head to the very tail. The stripe has a bluish-blue tint, which stands out brightly against the green body.
Natural habitat of the garfish
You can meet garfish in many seas, especially if the water there is constantly moderately warm. In Russia this is the Taganrog Bay and the Black Sea coast, a little less often – the Azov and White Seas.
You can often find an arrow near North Africa or southern Europe. Fishermen who are lucky enough to go to the Cape Verde for trophies, with a little luck, will definitely come across a giant from this family, since it is from Norway to Ireland that the largest specimens are found. According to some reports, a trophy garfish (a little more than a meter) was caught in these very places.
Arrowfish diet
The main food of garfish is anchovy. The appearance of the arrow in the Black or Azov Sea is associated with the migration of this particular small fish - the garfish pursues its favorite food. In addition to anchovy, the predator will not disdain other representatives of small fish; hunger forces it to go in search of invertebrates.
Among the fish that attract garfish:
- pipefish;
- smeltweed;
- young mackerel;
- gerbil;
- sprat.
Photo 1. Anchovies or anchovy - favorite treat garfish
Pursuing a tasty goal, the garfish develops enormous speed, increasing it a little with each jerk. Carried away by the hunt, the arrow can make incredible leaps above the surface of the water, which leaves no chance for the prey to escape.
How do the seasons affect garfish?
If the gar fish lives in comfortable conditions– in coastal areas, it rarely moves, preferring to stay in one place. The only thing that can make an arrow migrate over long distances is the search for food.
The predators living in the Black Sea prefer to spend the winter in place, but after the anchovy moves to the Sea of Azov (this happens in the spring), the garfish goes after their favorite food. With the onset of cold weather, Black Sea representatives of the family try to stay closer to the shores of Crimea, which allows fishermen all year round go out to hunt for a tasty and unusual beauty.
Photo 2. The fish came close to the shore.
Lures and tackle - what to choose for hunting garfish
Even novice fishermen know very well that it is not worth going fishing in the hope of catching a garfish with a donka - it will be of no use even during the hours of rest for predators, which takes place at depth. What to choose for successful arrow fishing? It is imperative to remember that the tackle must be strong and powerful, otherwise large specimens of garfish will easily tear the fishing line and even break a thin fishing rod. Of considerable importance sea waves And strong wind– they can also easily damage fishing accessories if chosen incorrectly.
Photo 3. Fishing at sea.
The cross-section of the leash should not be less than 0.3 mm. The length of the leash also matters - the longer it is, the shorter the casting distance becomes. To catch a garfish, it is better to take one that is almost invisible in the water and has a rigid structure.
How to equip your gear when setting off? The first thing that should be there is a triple swivel (). It’s better not to take a large one; a medium one is enough for an arrow-fish. At the same time, the quality of fishing is significantly improved, since no extra time is spent on additional installation.
Fishermen who are interested in spinning fishing can try their luck by using. Traditional fishing will not be fruitful - the structure of the garfish's mouth will make most bites in vain. Another feature is that when the predator feels cold metal in its mouth, it immediately throws a dangerous, suspicious object. Resourceful fishermen act quite cleverly - they connect a tee and a spoon on a short leash. Having swallowed the lure, the arrow-fish simultaneously deeply swallows the hook.
Simple but powerful ones are most popular when fishing for garfish. Raw meat will be used as bait, sea worm or freshly caught anchovy. It takes a good arrow (usually raw, but you can also take boiled one).
Interesting! Experienced fishermen have a strange way of fishing. You don't need hooks for this - instead, lush thread tassels are tied to the fishing line. It is enough for a curious voracious predator to be tempted and swallow an attractive bait - it is no longer possible to throw it away, the threads become tightly entangled between its numerous teeth. Sometimes a fisherman, happy with a good catch, has difficulty removing the thread tassel, preferring to cut it off with a knife.
Sargan is an interesting fish, but it is not popular among many fishing enthusiasts. This happens due to the unusual shade of the bones, which is completely safe for the human body. Only true connoisseurs know how tasty this predator is; they are ready to spend whole days doing their favorite hobby, and this hobby will certainly be rewarded with an excellent catch!
Today we will dispel the surprise and horror of tourists that arises when they see long fish with elongated jaws like an alligator, needle-like and predatory like a shark. Meet the star of the Black Sea, a fish with a unique physique, color and culinary properties - the Black Sea garfish. This schooling fish is very easy to identify among the rich variety of marine life. The garfish is characterized by a disproportionately long body, elongated like an arrow, a thin long beak, with many sharp teeth. The color of the scales is light shade, back is gray. The body length does not exceed 60 centimeters. The not boring life of a Black Sea garfish lasts 18 years. The garfish is a predatory fish; nature has created a real biological machine for catching small fish. The speed of movement in the water column and long as surgical tweezers allow you to feast on sprat, anchovy, needle fish or sprats.
Where can you find garfish
The garfish can be found in spring and autumn. In the spring, when the garfish begins the period of throwing game, and vacationers in Anapa have their first swims, the first acquaintances take place. To detect a garfish, you need a mask and fins; when diving, you need to watch the surface of the water. With patience, the diver is sure to spot schools of fish as long as needles. In the sea you can watch the rapid hunting of garfish. In autumn, you have the opportunity to touch the fish by taking an excursion to where experienced fishermen catch garfish.
How to catch garfish
Anapa fishermen know a lot about tasty fish. Knowing the main places and concentrations of local fishermen, you can get acquainted with the peculiarities sea fishing for garfish Garfish are caught in autumn and spring. Gar fish are very picky when it comes to bait, so you need to take several delicacies with you at once. Today, fishermen prefer to catch garfish using maggots, beef, and shrimp. The gear is also special. They catch fish on a spinning rod with a special bombard sinker (bomb), which runs along the fishing line and prevents the bait from sinking, which allows it to be carried along the upper layer of water.
Anapa also has a developed small fishery for garfish, which is caught with nets and traps. For a good catch, fishermen drive garfish into nets at night.
How to cook garfish
Garfish are highly valued. Small scales of garfish do not need to be cleaned. All you have to do is cut off the head and tail and the fish is ready to be thrown into the frying pan. Sargan is delicious fried and stewed; fillets can also be dried and salted.
Peculiarities
The bones of the Black Sea garfish are dark green color, which sometimes scares new gourmets. The market says that fish contains a lot of phosphorus, that’s why it’s green and therefore healthy. In fact green tint The garfish is given a special bile pigment, which is absolutely not dangerous to health.
Garfish - unique fish, which is a delicacy today. Its peculiarity is the presence of green bones, because of which some are simply afraid to eat it. It is shaped like an elongated fish and has a beak-like jaw. Inexperienced fishermen often confuse it with armored pike due to external similarities. Knowing the habitat and characteristics of the garfish, you can return home with a rich catch.
Description of the species
A distinctive property of the gar fish is its needle-shaped body, which gives it excellent aerodynamic properties. Thanks to them, she can develop enormous speed, which makes it much easier for her to hunt others. aquatic life. Garfish usually feed on anchovy or small mackerel. Some fishermen call the garfish an arrow (due to the shape of the body).
Yet main feature are its green bones, which became so due to the presence of a special substance in the fish - biliverdin. Even soup made from this underwater inhabitant It will turn out greenish. There are also rumors that this fish glows in the dark, but this is more a myth than a fact.
Varieties
Garfish has quite a few varieties, but the most common are the Pacific and Black Sea species. External differences These two species have practically no differences, but they differ in habitat. The Black Sea garfish mainly lives in the Black Sea (as can be seen from the name of the species). It can also be found on the banks of the Azov and White Sea, however much less frequently. The Pacific inhabitant is a more thermophilic fish and prefers the waters of Japan and Korea. It is quite easy to distinguish the Pacific garfish from the Black Sea one. The Pacific has a long bluish stripe on its body that extends from head to tail.
Black Sea garfish - schooling fish(as opposed to the Pacific), which is a subspecies of the European family. The Black Sea inhabitant has a rather interesting coloring. The entire part of its body, except for the tail and lower part of the belly, is colored light brown or brownish. The lower part of the belly is covered with small scales that extend behind the head.
Features of reproduction
Sexual maturity of the garfish occurs at 6–7 years of age. Its spawning, unlike other species, begins in late summer and ends in mid-autumn. One individual can lay from 12,000 to 30,000 eggs. Their number varies depending on a number of factors, such as weather, age of the individual and habitat.
At the time of spawning, the fish comes very close to the shore and begins to spawn in small portions. Garfish eggs reach a diameter of 3 to 3.5 millimeters. They also have thin threads on them, thanks to which they are firmly attached to underwater plants and remain on them until the fry appear.
After their appearance, the fry try to stay near the shore in the upper layers of water. They differ from their older brothers because they do not have an elongated head. When the fry reaches a year of age, they move away from the shores and begin the full life of adults.
Beneficial features
Sargan contains a sea of vitamins, such as Omega-3, phosphorus and iron. Despite this, this fish has its own personal advantages.
- Prevalence. Despite the rather narrow habitat, the catch of this fish is significant, which is why it has a low cost. If other species rich in vitamins, such as salmon and salmon, have a high cost, then people can enjoy garfish every day.
- A small number of bones. The fish has very few bones, which makes it easy to eat. Also, despite the low cost, it is quite fatty due to the presence of Omega-3 fat.
Cooking methods
There are a lot of dishes that are prepared from garfish. Now we will consider the most popular and delicious of them.
Crimeans
Crimean - a dish consisting of stewed onions and garfish. In the dish, it is located between two layers of onions, which saturate it with their juice and give it extraordinary taste. Its peculiarity is that it is popular among fishermen, who invented this dish.
First you need to gut the fish and cut it into small pieces. Next, the onion rings and the garfish itself are laid out in the frying pan. Then it is saturated with spices, which are usually: salt, pepper and rosemary. After that, a layer of onion is also laid out on it. The last step is to add a little water to the pan and leave to simmer for 20 - 25 minutes.
Snack
There are many snacks made from this fish: dried, smoked, dried, etc. The most common are:
- Dried fish. If we are talking about serving fish with beer, then the first thing you need to do is salt it and wait 20 minutes so that it is saturated with salt. Then she is hung upside down and left there for 12 - 16 hours. Due to the fact that this fish has small scales, it is not necessary to clean and gut it.
- Sprats. Sprats are also often prepared from this fish. To do this, the first thing you need to do is gut it, then cut it into small strips up to 5 cm long. Next, all the pieces are placed in a deep pan. Salt, pepper and bay leaf are immediately added there. After this, the pieces are poured vegetable oil about 1 cm. Place the pan on low heat and stay there for 3-4 hours. Finally, the dish should be cooled, after which it is ready to serve.
Hot dishes
All taste qualities This fish has not been discovered to this day. The most delicious and affordable option for preparing hot garfish is cooking with marinade. To prepare the marinade, add 3 tablespoons of flour to a deep frying pan and fry it. After it begins to acquire a creamy hue, any spices are added to it to suit the taste of the person who will eat the dish. Most often it is wine, pepper and salt. All ingredients should be cooked until thickened. After the sauce is ready, the fish is stewed in it. The resulting dish is served with any side dishes.
It has unusual appearance- flat, elongated body and long jaws. Because of this feature, it is often called the arrow fish. Belongs to class bony fish, the garfish family. There are about twenty-five species of this marvelous fish.
Garfish: description
The garfish stands out not only for its special appearance, but also the color of the vertebral bone is green (several types). This is what makes some people refrain from catching it, but it is absolutely in vain: the unusual color of the bone is just a pigment that does not affect the taste of the meat. On the contrary, fish has excellent taste, and you can prepare a lot of culinary masterpieces from it.
It boasts powerful and very long jaws with tenacious fang teeth, characteristic of a predator. The dorsal and anal fins are located near the tail itself, and the lateral line is located low, near the belly. The body is covered with very small scales, and its color depends on the subspecies:
- The most common - European (common) - has a greenish back and greenish-silver sides, a dark stripe stretches along the entire back. The maximum size it reaches is 90 cm.
- Black Sea fish garfish. Belongs to the subspecies of the European common. Garfish fish in the Black Sea are smaller in size (up to 60 cm).
- Giant (crocodile) has silver scales with a bluish tint. Grows up to 2 meters, Weight Limit– 6 kilograms.
- Pacific or Far Eastern - the owner of small scales with a bluish tint on the back, silvery towards the belly. The size of the Far Eastern species is up to 1 meter in length.
- Black-tailed - silvery in color with transverse stripes and an anthracite-colored spot at the tail, reaches 50 cm.
The average lifespan of a fish is about 13 years. Catch specimens are considered to be 5-8 year old specimens. Swims very quickly and quickly jumps out of the water when there is danger, when obstacles arise, or into the light at night. There have been cases when a predator jumping out in this way caused serious damage to a person.
Habitat
Garfish, with the exception of a few freshwater species, are marine fish. Lives in seas with moderate warm water. In Russia, these are the Black Sea, the Taganrog Bay, the Sea of Azov and the Sea of Japan. Garfish are also found off the coast of the White Sea. He also took a fancy to Western and southern shores Europe and North Africa. The largest individuals, a little more than a meter, are found here, in the coastal waters of Cape Verde, Norway and Iceland.
One of the freshwater species that lives in reservoirs South-East Asia, has a cylindrical body shape, silver-green color and small size - up to thirty centimeters. That is why it is bred in aquariums. And the ribbon-like one lives in tropical waters and lives in open ocean. Some subspecies have chosen coral reefs as their habitat.
Lifestyle and nutrition
Our hero lives in packs. Swims in the upper layers of water. He is not particularly picky about his diet: he does not disdain small fish, crustaceans, insects, and even the fry of his relatives. All subspecies are characterized by seasonal migrations. Black Sea garfish migrates from the waters in spring
The Black Sea to the Azov Sea for anchovy - a favorite food. By autumn it returns to the Black Sea. And the Pacific sails from Korea to summer time year for spawning in Primorye. Males reach sexual maturity at 5 years of age, females a little later, at 6 years.
Spawning and reproduction
The fish begins to spawn in April and ends in August. Females always spawn near land, once every two weeks, choosing secluded places in reefs and among underwater vegetation. Algae are necessary not only for camouflage: the eggs are attached to them using adhesive threads.
The eggs are located close to the surface of the water. The water temperature favorable for producing fry is more than 10 degrees. One female is capable of laying from 15 to 50 thousand eggs.
Larvae have short jaws, unlike adults. As they grow older, the jaws grow to normal sizes.
How and where to catch him, the swift one?
This fish is near land only during spawning and in pursuit of food. Schools of small fish in the area of bays, rocky shores, and reefs serve as good bait for it. The optimal distance for fishing from the shore is 40-100 meters.
In the open sea, when the water warms up well, you can hunt it with marine species transport. In cold weather, the bite is excellent throughout the day. At night and early in the morning it is good to fish in shallow water. Excellent bite occurs in autumn and spring, when slight wind, average, up to 1 meter, waves and water temperature more than 10 degrees. In this weather, small fish concentrate near the shore, and our hero follows them.
You will catch a garfish along coastline, in bays, bays and coral reefs. During low tide, it has the habit of burrowing into the mud to a depth of 1 meter in drained areas. Successful hunting can be in the surf zone, fishing from rocks, or the territory of seaports.
Areas where fast current borders on slow, attracts small fish, and therefore our fish.
This predator is caught with a small organic bait:
- Maggot.
- Sea worms.
- Fish fry.
- Fish or chicken fillet (cut into 4-5 cm pieces)
- Shrimps.
- Nereis.
Artificial baits are also suitable: spoons, wobblers, silicone worms. From the shore, the most popular are fishing with a fishing rod (spinning rod) with a weighted float and “bomb”. In the open sea best ways- using a tyrant and without a fly fishing hook. Some even hunt underwater. A special wetsuit was created for this purpose.
You need to remember that this predator lives in the upper layers of water and can perfectly see all your manipulations with the tackle. He is cautious and shy, so the line should be thin and the bait should almost float. The hook must be hidden well in the bait. There were cases when the bite resumed if the fishermen “went into ambush.”
Video about sea fish garfish:
Garfish otherwise called arrow fish. The popular name emphasizes the thinness and elongation of the animal. His body resembles a ribbon, and a long nose- igloo. The jaws open like a beak. Inside it is strewn with sharp and thin teeth.
The appearance is exotic and the taste is excellent. Garfish has fatty, white and soft meat. There are minimal bones in it. Therefore, fishermen are not embarrassed by the small “exhaust” of meat. If you are cutting an arrow fish for the first time, it is interesting to look not only at its appearance. The water dweller has green bones.
Description and features of garfish
Sargan - fish ray-finned. There are also cartilaginous ones, for example, and. Ray-finned fish are divided into superorders. Garfish are included in the "true teleosts". The order is called “sargan-shaped”. The family is called garfish. Its representatives are characterized by:
- small and thin scales with a smooth edge, called cycloid
- fins lack spiny and hard rays
- the anal and dorsal fins are opposite each other, only one is on top and the other is below, almost at the tail
- The lateral line is located on the belly of the fish rather than on the side
- the swim bladder is disconnected from the digestive system, ensuring compactness of the organs
Biliverdin gives the green color to the spine of the garfish. This is one of the bile pigments. The substance is a breakdown product of fish bone marrow blood cells.
When cooked, garfish bones turn green
Biliverdin tastes unpleasant. However, there is no need to eat garfish bones. By the way, the skeleton turns green during heat treatment.
Bileverdin is not poisonous, although it scares many people with its color. The color of the garfish on top also includes green. The back of the fish is cast for them. The sides and belly are silvery.
In what bodies of water is it found?
There are 25 species of fish in the garfish family. Two dozen live in the seas. Only 5 people like fresh water. Rivers and garfish inhabit exclusively in tropical zone. Marine fish thrive in subtropics and temperate zone.
Freshwater species caught in Ecuador, Guiana and Brazil. Two species live in their waters. Another 2 live in the waters of India, Ceylon and Indonesia. The fifth of the freshwater garfish is found in Northern.
Both freshwater and saltwater arrowfish mostly stay off the coast and even bury themselves in the sand at low tides. In the photo there is a garfish sometimes it appears as the tip of a bony nose or tail sticking out from the edge of the beach.
When choosing a bottom landscape, garfish prefer a complex one. As a rule, arrowfish are found near reefs. A few species of garfish, for example, the ribbon-shaped one, swim away from them and the shores.
Types of garfish
Among the 25 species of the hero of the article, the smallest are freshwater ones. However, all arrow fish are mostly small. However, there is one giant living in the sea. Let's start listing the species with this:
1. Crocodile. Reaches 2 meters in length, for which it is nicknamed gigantic. Another name for the animal is the armored pike. Unlike most garfish, the body of the crocodile is covered with hard scales. They form a relief similar to the skin of a crocodile. The giant weighs about 6 kilograms.
2. European. Grows up to 60 centimeters long. The fish inhabits the Atlantic, found off the coast and the Old World. While sailing through the Mediterranean, the animal gets to the Black Sea. Garfish here it is separated into a separate subspecies. That's what it's called - Black Sea. Garfish this one is slightly smaller than most European specimens. There is a dark stripe running down the back of the animal.
3. Pacific. In Russia it is called Far Eastern. Found in southern waters Primorye, in particular in the Sea of Japan. The fish reaches a meter in length. In the waters of the Primorsky Territory, the animal fattens and spawns, swimming there exclusively in the summer. Blue stripes are visible on the sides of the Far Eastern garfish.
4. Freshwater. All freshwater garfish are united under this name. They rarely extend more than 30 centimeters. This coupled with an addiction to fresh water allows you to keep arrowfish in aquariums. Since garfish are predators, it is not worth adding miniature ones to them. Arrows are introduced to large cichlids.
5. Black-tailed garfish. It has a round anthracite-colored spot on the tail. There are transverse stripes on the sides of the animal. Black-tailed individuals reach 50 centimeters in length. The second name of the species is Black garfish.
IN Soviet times The Black Sea subspecies of garfish was one of the top five fisheries leaders. By the 21st century, the number of Russian arrows has declined.
Nutrition and lifestyle
The thin, laterally compressed and long body of the hero of the article suggests a wave-like movement. The fish swim like water snakes.
Garfish swim in the upper layers of water, that is, they belong to pelagic fish. More school arrows. Gathering in schools of thousands, the animals reach speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour. The indicator is comparable to the sprint of hunting pikes. Garfish are similar in appearance to them.
By staying near the surface, garfish can breathe. The functions of the lungs begin to be performed by the swim bladder of the arrows. Transformations occur in oxygen-poor waters or when fish bury themselves in the sand.
Garfish are indiscriminate when it comes to food; they grab small fish, caviar, insects, invertebrates, even their own relatives. In this way, arrows are also similar to pikes.
Indiscriminate eating is one of the factors that has allowed garfish to survive for millions of years. The arrowfish is a relict fish.
Fishing for garfish
Fishing for garfish exciting and dangerous. The needle-shaped teeth of the water dweller cause painful wounds. The animal's sharp and durable nose can pierce flesh. This becomes possible at speed. Having gained full speed, a garfish can collide with a person in two cases:
- Scared of the bright light. Incidents occur during night fishing or simply when small vessels with spotlights are sailing. Seeing them, the blinded garfish jumps out of the water at speed.
- Having encountered an obstacle. If the animal did not notice it from afar, it will try to jump, soaring high above the water. In flight, the needle steams through objects and creatures that get in its way.
You can also prick yourself on a needle when fishing from the shore. They catch garfish from a distance of 40-100 meters. You need to take the caught individual under your head, like a snake. The animal will squirm and try to bite. You also need to be careful when grabbing a needle that has fallen off a hook and is wriggling on the ground.
You can catch the hero of the article not only from the shore, boat, but also under water. A popular fish is even named after the arrow fish. wetsuit "Garfish" spearfishing enthusiasts are included in the “top 10 best on the domestic market.” Actually, there is more than one wetsuit. More than 10 models are produced under the Sargan brand.
Reproduction and lifespan
To spawn, garfish choose secluded corners among reefs and underwater vegetation, staying close to the coast. 5-year-old males and 6-year-old females begin to reproduce. This is the age of puberty. Older fish, of course, also participate in mating games.
Females lay eggs several times with an interval of 2 weeks. Having started in April, spawning ends only in August.
Algae is needed not only to camouflage eggs. The capsules are attached to plants using adhesive threads. Garfish eggs are placed close to the surface.
Arrowfish are born one and a half centimeters long and have short jaws. The nose lengthens as the animal grows.
In an aquarium, garfish live up to 4 years. Accordingly, this is the age of freshwater arrows. IN natural environment they live to be 7, starting to spawn earlier than marine species. They live up to 13 years.
Loading...
