Skip to content 
During trophy hunting trips to this protected area, after a helicopter drop, fishermen and hunters are immersed in a magical world of living nature. The taiga will enchant anyone, and its bounty is varied, beneficial, and abundant.
While local waters are home to numerous noble salmon (taimen, char, lenok, etc.), there are also more modest species. One of these is the carp's relative, the minnow, also known as the verkhovodka. The verkhovodka has many names. It is renowned for its tasty meat and helps fishermen hunt large predators by acting as bait.
What does a peaceful fish look like?
The verkhovodka (topmouth gudgeon) resembles the bleak in its appearance, but has a number of significant differences. The individual looks like this:
· The back of the fish is colored in greenish tones.
· On the sides there is a horizontal, clearly visible blue stripe.
Large specimens can reach a full 10 cm in weight, with a body mass of as much as 10 cm. Compared to the waters of the Urals, Putorana minnows are considered giants. Indeed, in Shargash Island (Sverdlovsk Region), they don't weigh more than 3 grams.
This timid fish lives in large schools and is often caught as live bait. In severe frost, the small fish burrows into the bottom and awaits warmer weather. The minnow is used to make uniquely tasty dishes, and it serves not only as bait but also as an excellent snack. However, it has no particular economic or commercial value.
For cat breeders, I have a piece of advice: don't feed live or raw freshwater fish to your pets. Uncooked freshwater fish can contain parasites that can infect cats' livers.
Fishing for topwater
Large numbers of fry can be caught during the warmer months. Large schools are visible at the surface of bodies of water and can be caught with regular nets, gauze, nets, or spiders.
In extreme cases, to catch a sufficient number of live bait, fishermen use float rods. They use bread, crackers, and aquarium fish food as bait.
In winter, minnows are sought in areas with slow currents, where the fish feed on readily available food. During the cold season, bait is essential. Feed it in small quantities and wait for a school of fish to arrive.
Smallmouth bass are caught with small winter fishing rods equipped with sensitive rigs. Side-swimming rigs that respond to light bites are excellent. Bloodworms can be used to lure them.
In conclusion, a few lines
A relative of carp, the perch, although considered a trash fish and small in size, is still used in both cooking and fishing. This species can be used to catch lenok and grayling in large numbers, so anglers have a special attitude toward these small fish.
Once hooked, minnows often return to their natural habitat, but only under the strict supervision of anglers, i.e., as live bait. The fish is quite tenacious and active, which makes it a great attraction for bloodthirsty specimens. The predators greedily try to swallow the defenseless fish, which doesn't escape their sharp teeth.
