The chub or chub, also known as Squalius cephalus, is a widespread medium-sized fish from the carp family. Its distinguishing feature is the large upturned head with a wide and flat forehead, from which it takes its name. Chub are popular among anglers, whether they fish with a fly rod, spin rod or float rod. Opinions on the taste vary: average taste for some, praised by others.
What kind of fish is this
The freshwater expanses of reservoirs are home to an elegant representative of the carp family - the chub.This fish amazes with its huge size and attractive appearance. Adult chubs can reach an impressive 80 centimeters in length and weigh up to 8 kilograms. However, most of them fit into a more modest framework, weighing no more than 4 kilograms. Chubs continue to grow throughout their lives, which can last about 18 years.
A characteristic feature of the chub is its massive head with a flattened upper part and a wide forehead. However, it is not only the head that attracts attention, but also their bright coloring. The dark green back and silvery sides, which acquire a golden tint, create a unique image of this fish. Distinctive features are also visible in the color of the fins: the anal and ventral fins are bright red, the pectoral fins are orange, and the dorsal and caudal fins are deep dark blue. Naturally, the color of chubs may vary slightly depending on their age and habitat.
These fish are incredibly diverse in their habitat. They are distributed throughout almost all of Europe and in the middle latitudes of Russia. However, the mountain rivers of Crimea became truly native spaces for them. It is extremely interesting that chubs prefer rivers with strong currents and cold water. This phenomenon is admirable, considering that their relatives cannot survive in such conditions.
But chubs are not so often found in lakes, with the exception of lakes Ilmen and Chukhlomskoye, as well as in small ponds with insufficient flow. In the spring, after the first February thaw, the fish leave their wintering grounds and go downstream. They prefer to travel in schools of fish of the same age.
Females that reach the age of three are ready to spawn and begin to lay eggs.This valuable natural resource is located on a shallow, rocky bottom with strong currents. Spawning time depends on climatic conditions and usually occurs in March-April. Chub eggs are incredibly small and orange in color, making them unique from other cyprinids. A small female, weighing a little over a kilogram, is capable of laying up to 100,000 eggs, making chub one of the most prolific representatives of the fish world.
How does she look
This is a fish with a strong and elongated cylindrical body, slightly compressed at the sides. The chub, a fish that lives in our waters, has an interesting feature - its head is larger than that of most other fish species. It has a wide and flat forehead, which is the basis for its name. The name “chub” comes from the word “head”, indicating the protruding part of its carcass.
This fish also has characteristic yellowish eyes with brown-yellow spots above them, a large upper lip, a thick and fleshy lower lip, bony plates instead of the last pair of fins for grinding food such as the hard shells of beetles or the exoskeletons of crabs. The dorsal side of the body consists of large, firmly attached scales, which are silver in color with golden hues around each. The scales on the front have a dark spot that expands to form a mottled area.
The color has a dark gray or black base with a slight hint of dark green, blue or purple. The sides shine with a silvery sheen reminiscent of the hues of fresh milk, while its back is adorned with compact and durable scales that fit perfectly together.
The dorsal fin consists of 3 unbranched rays and 8-9 branched ones, which have darker edges resembling wide black borders. The caudal fin of the chub is decorated with an elegant notch, painted in tones that match the color of the fish’s back. The pectoral fins attract the eye with their orange hues, while the anal and pelvic fins delight with their vibrant red-dark or burgundy palette, sometimes with a delicate pale edge and gracefully rounded corners.
Habitat
The European and Asian range of the chub looks very impressive, as it extends from the Pyrenees to the Ural Mountains. In northeastern Europe, the distribution zone extends to the Northern Dvina, and in Asia to the Euphrates River. In the southern expanses, the chub expands its possessions to the Mediterranean coast, while in the north, the boundaries of its habitat completely cover the Scandinavian Peninsula. Being a warm-water fish, the chub does not live in regions with harsh winters east of the Ural Mountains. The eastern borders of the chub extend along the picturesque rivers: Ufa, Ural, Ilma, Chusovaya, Slyva and Kostroma.
The chub reacts sensitively to water quality indicators and selectively chooses rivers that are saturated with oxygen and clean, where the current is either rapid or moderate. It is rarely found in quiet bodies of water and tends to leave them to enter inflowing streams. In lowland rivers it is usually found in the upper reaches of the river rather than near the mouth or in lower reaches. In mountain rivers it lives mainly in the middle reaches and downstream.
In rivers where grayling and trout live, this species is characteristic and is found much more often than other representatives of cyprinids.Among the characteristic features of this species, one can note its preference for areas with fast flowing water, a sandy or rocky bottom, steep banks, as well as thickets of trees and shrubs. However, it avoids places with a muddy bottom.
In deep sections of the river, this fish may prefer the shelter provided by a sandy, rocky or uneven bottom. These places provide her with additional protection and help her avoid danger. In addition, good habitats for this fish are eddies that form at the border of fast and slow currents, as well as the mouths of fast rivers.
It also prefers areas of rivers where trees and shrubs overhang the water, providing additional cover. Dense underwater vegetation can also provide cover. Regulation of river flows and the construction of dams, however, negatively affect the number of chub.
Is there any in Russia
The rivers of the Caspian, Azov and Black Seas serve as a fertile home for numerous species of golovans or chubs. They swim freely in the waters of the rivers of the inland northern seas of Europe and Russia. These include such as the Rhine, Elbe, Dniester, Oder, Danube, Dnieper and Pripyat in Europe. On the territory of the Russian Federation, these amazing creatures live in the tributaries and main channels of the Kama, Don, Northern and Western Dvina, Khopra, Volga, Vychegda, Oka and Seversky Donets. Their relative, the Caucasian chub, similar in appearance to them, lives in the Caucasian waters of the Kuban, Terek, Kura and other places.
Reproduction and spawning
Chub become sexually mature at the age of 2 to 3 years. But at this age they are not yet large and weigh only 100 to 200 grams.The beginning of spawning occurs at a water temperature of 12 to 17 degrees Celsius, which depends on the habitat; it usually begins in April for southern Europe, in May for most of central Russia and in late spring, early summer in the north.
The spawning period lasts 4-7 weeks, with females outnumbering males by two times, and mating occurs within 3 hours near their permanent habitat in shallow water with a moderate current and a rocky bottom.
After resting and recuperating, the chubs begin intensive feeding to replenish the calories lost during mating.
Natural enemies
During its growth period, before reaching adult size, the chub becomes food for many predators, both in water and on land. In the aquatic environment, the chub is the target of hunting for many predatory fish, including asp, pike, perch and pike perch. They chase the chub and try to grab it in their mouths.
Young fish are also targeted by many fishing birds, including herons, terns, kingfishers and gulls. These birds deftly hunt young chub and use their sharp beaks and quick movements to catch their prey in the water. In addition to fishing birds, young fish are also at risk from some large semi-aquatic mammals, particularly otters and minks. These predators, living both on land and in water, show interest in juveniles and can actively pursue them.
Population
This prolific fish species is capable of laying between 10,000 and 200,000 eggs, which are small in size, comparable to a poppy seed, and have an orange hue. Despite their high reproductive capacity, their population does not reach huge sizes due to the fact that unhatched eggs are carried away by currents and also become prey for other fish species, such as crucian carp, bream and roach.
5-7 days after hatching, young chubs begin their development. At first, they prefer to stay near the shore in protected places or among aquatic plants, feeding mainly on zooplankton. As they mature, they switch to benthos - organisms that live at the bottom of the reservoir. Gradually, as they grow, the juveniles move closer to the center of the river, avoiding strong currents. By autumn, they form large schools with hundreds and even thousands of fish and head to deeper waters for the winter.
Is chub valuable to people?
Chub meat is a product with high dietary value. Per 100 grams of this product there are about 125-130 kilocalories. It is also low in fat, only 5.6%, and high in protein, about 17.8%. Thanks to these indicators, meat is easily digestible and is a useful source of nutrients.
In addition, chub meat is rich in vitamins and minerals that are essential for maintaining health.It contains important minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphorus, which play a role in regulating water balance and maintaining bone health. Meat also contains vitamins A, B1, B5, B6, B9 and B12, which affect many processes in the body, including metabolism, the nervous system and hematopoiesis.
All of these nutrients make meat a healthy and important component of a balanced diet, helping to maintain health and fitness.
Fishermen have different opinions regarding the taste of its meat: for some it is unpleasant, while for others it tastes good. Regardless of the size of the fish itself, small bones can be unpleasant to eat but can be easily removed by chopping or marinating in vinegar before cooking.
This type of fish, which lives in river waters, is prepared according to many delicious recipes. It can be marinated in vinegar or lemon juice with spices; boil, fry, stew or bake; salt and smoke to add additional flavor. Popular dishes include soups made from freshly caught chub, as well as stews cooked over an open fire, wrapped in aluminum foil.
Chub is an interesting and difficult fish to catch, as it requires skill. It lives in strong currents, which makes fighting it difficult. Catching this species can be done by fly fishing or from the bottom using baits such as cockchafer, maggots, and Caddis flies. Catching a trophy-sized chub is considered a big win for any angler.
