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A fish of the char family, it has, unlike its close relatives, a beautiful and vibrant coloration. The char is distinguished by its even larger head than other members of the genus. Due to declining populations and extinction, it can only be caught in limited numbers.
What is this fish and its varieties?
Freshwater bodies of the European continent contain only two varieties of this wonderful fish, related to char:
Blue char
A larger member of the char family, it can weigh nearly 10 kg. It has white flesh, although it is often called a red fish. Its back is dark green, with small orange spots scattered throughout. The sides of the fish are lighter shades of green. The belly of the char is a vibrant, dark orange.
Platy char
It has a gray body with white spots. However, it never weighs more than 5 kg. Its head, unlike that of its predecessor, is small. The population of the brown char is significantly smaller than that of the blue char. The brown char gets its name from its habitation near deep ridges.
Both species inhabit cold, northern waters. However, the char doesn't descend deeper than 70 cm. The char, on the other hand, lives comfortably at a depth of 1.5 meters. They only rise from the depths to the surface in search of food, where it can be found.
What does the char subspecies bite on?
This predator feeds on small fish, mollusks, insects, and crayfish. Therefore, the easiest way to catch this bloodthirsty predator is with live bait. The char's diet includes a wide variety of small fish, such as vendace, smelt, and others. However, this predator is capable of mercilessly devouring the young of its own kind.
What gear is used when catching char?
The char's bait is usually a spoon, and the tackle is a spinning rod. You can use small fish as bait, and the char will probably attack even dead minnows. Catching them with a rod is practically impossible, as the fish prefer deep water. The only option is to use a rod in damp, rainy weather, when the fish rise from the depths to feast on insects or salmon flies.
The best way to hunt char is from a boat. Sometimes you can try casting a spinning rod from the shore. There's no guarantee you'll get a bite, but chances are different. Just remember the char fishing regulations. Recreational fishing for this endangered species of char is permitted on the Putorana Plateau, but only if it's at least 30 cm long. All other specimens must be released.
These regulations apply to many lakes, but in some places, the requirements are even more stringent. Lake Onega, where this predatory char is also found, has stricter requirements. There, the caught specimen must be at least 50 cm long.
