Perch is the fish most often caught by fishermen. It is found in almost all water bodies, regardless of whether it is a lake or a river. Prefers to live in clean water and is not found in muddy water bets.
Perch is caught on any gear, the main thing is that the bait is of animal origin. It is also perfectly caught on spinning, therefore, spinningists know this fish very well. You can meet real fans to catch this striped predator. As a rule, they are familiar with his way of life and know where to look for him better than other fishermen.
Perch can be caught at any time of the year. For a perch not to peck, you need serious reasons. And there is such a reason.
Spawning in life and perch fishing
Spawning is a special period in the life of any kind of fish, including perch. During spawning periods, it is difficult to interest him with any bait. At the same time, the perch has pre-spawning and post-spawning periods that deserve attention. Immediately after the ice melts, the perch leaves their wintering grounds to head for shallower waters. Such places are liked not only by perch, but also by other fish, especially small ones, which the perch simply adores. The fact is that the water in the shallows warms up much faster than at depth, therefore, most small fish accumulate in shallow areas.
The perch, having gathered in flocks, chases bleak, bream, roach, and also, with pleasure, eats the caviar of spawned fish. Larger specimens of perch leave their hiding places only to “hunt” for white fish. At the same time, they do not mind swallowing their fellows. This period is called pre-spawning zhor. It is characterized by the fact that perch can be caught on any tackle and on any bait of animal origin, such as bloodworms, worms, pieces of fish or live bait.
Spinners use completely different artificial lures, such as spinners or jig lures. This period can last about a week, and will end just before spawning.
After spawning, the perch begins to eat again, and again it can peck at any animal bait. This is the most interesting and productive period of perch fishing.
When perch goes to spawn
As soon as the water temperature reaches + 8 ° C and starts to rise, we should expect a complete cessation of biting. This factor will indicate that the perch is going to spawn. The second condition is related to the saturation of water with oxygen. Therefore, perch will never spawn if the reservoir is covered with ice.
Perch spawns in March-April, depending on weather conditions or climate zone. It comes out to spawn at sunrise. During this period, the perch changes its color to a brighter one. Spawning can last from 3 days or more.
If you look closely from the shore, you can see perch rubbing against stones or dried stems of aquatic vegetation. This process can be observed at sunrise, and by the afternoon this process begins to fade. Sometimes spawning can resume with the onset of the evening, and sometimes the fish go to rest until the next morning.
Larger perch do not spawn in flocks. He prefers to stick to deeper places. He also lays eggs at a depth, therefore, spawning of large perch can hardly be observed. As a rule, large perch choose specific places for spawning. Since spawning occurs at a depth, this process occurs somewhat later than the spawning of small perch.
Where does perch spawn
Spawning of grass (small) perch can be observed in areas of the water area, the depth of which does not exceed 1 meter. Deep-sea (large) perch spawns at depths of more than 1,5 meters. The spawning process should be facilitated by certain conditions:
- No current at all or presence, but a weak current. Many fish, including perch, spawn in the bays. Most of the bays do not have a current, but have thickets of aquatic vegetation, which makes these places ideal for spawning fish.
- The presence of various underwater, including artificial barriers. The main thing is that the current should not be fast. There are reservoirs where there is no aquatic vegetation at the depth where the perch can spawn, therefore, he has to look for appropriate places.
- Appropriate oxygen balance.
If fish spawning occurs in places that do not meet these conditions, then the eggs will most likely die. In the presence of a strong current, it will simply be washed off from shallow water, and without oxygen, offspring will not appear. In search of suitable places, the perch can migrate through the reservoir or rise up the river. In any case, the perch knows all promising places for spawning and annually lays eggs in such places.
The female perch can lay from 50 to 200 thousand eggs, which indicates its fertility. Despite this, part of the eggs are eaten by the perch itself, and part by other predators. Therefore, very few will survive.
But it is still worth noting that the spawning of a perch, like any other fish, is a unique process that contributes to the emergence of offspring and the continuation of the genus of a striped predator.
For fishermen, this process is also interesting because perch is the object of fishing for most fishing enthusiasts. Its fecundity contributes to the fact that the perch inhabits most water bodies that correspond to its habitat conditions. Despite the fact that small perch are caught more, it brings a lot of pleasure from the fishing process.