Whitefish (Coregonus) is a fish that is well known for its taste. The whitefish family is very extensive and includes about 40 species, many of them differ little and differ almost only in their habitat. The fish is a commercial and trophy fish, it does not live in every body of water and not everyone is able to catch it. A fisherman's luck depends on knowledge of the habits of different types of whitefish and how to catch them.
Fish of the whitefish family
Whitefish: general description and habits, where it lives
Whitefish loves clean and cold water. Refers to salmon commercial fish. It can be found in Europe, Asia, North America. There are more than 40 species of fish in the family, which differ significantly from each other. The most common are anadromous, sand, river, Amur, Valaamka (zobaty whitefish), Neva and sea whitefish. The largest specimens weigh 10 kg. The lifespan of most species reaches 20 years.
Valaamka
Prefers very clean water. He likes places located close to the river fairway, deep holes near riffles, boundaries of fast and slow currents. The fry prefer the coastal zone, places near channels and changes in depth.
Whitefish can live alongside grayling and perch. This is only possible if they occupy different depths. If you need to choose a place for fishing, you need to remember that adult individuals spend most of their time at depth. However, early in the morning or late in the evening they can sometimes be found in shallow water. The fish grows for three years, after which it turns into an adult.
Habitat of whitefishes in Russia
Smoked
Muksun fish can not only be baked in the oven, but also smoked at home. This recipe for making a delicacy makes it possible to impart tenderness, juiciness, and a rich aroma to the product after heat treatment. Cooking fish this way is quite simple. However, this will require special equipment, namely a smokehouse.
What ingredients will you need?
The process of creating smoked muksun fish with your own hands requires the following food products:
- muksun – 2 kg;
- pepper - as needed;
- table salt - to your taste.
If desired, the fish carcass can be sprinkled with aromatic dried herbs or spices that you like best. This will give the treat a brighter taste and smell.
Step-by-step cooking process
To prepare delicious smoked muksun fish at home, you should follow these steps:
- The fish must be cleaned and rinsed under running water. Next, you need to thoroughly rub it with pepper and salt and let it brew for 3 hours.
- Excess salt should be removed from the surface of the carcass using a napkin, then rubbing the carcass with vegetable oil and placing a spacer in the belly.
- The smoke temperature during the smoking process should not be higher than 40 ℃.
- During the first 12 hours, the flow of smoke should be continuous, and then you need to take a break every 2 hours.
After the fish has cooled in the smokehouse, it can be served within a day.
Whitefish: list with photos, names and descriptions of the family
The whitefish family includes several dozen species; descriptions of the most common and interesting ones with photos and descriptions are presented below.
Amur or Ussuri
The distribution of this species is limited to the middle and lower reaches of the Amur River. The Ussuri whitefish is also found on Sakhalin in lakes. Adults are 60 cm long and weigh 2 kg. This fish is able to live in salt water.
Amur whitefish
Whitefish (pointed toe)
This species gets its name from the fact that its body is more rounded compared to other varieties. The fish grows up to 40 cm. However, its weight does not exceed 2 kg. She has a small head and a narrow, long snout. Another feature is a very small mouth.
Kamchatka rolls
Chir is the most common fish in Yakutia from the whitefish family.
This variety of whitefish is also called shokur. These fish are larger than usual. Some specimens grow up to 80 cm. They can weigh up to 16 kg. Although the most common weight is around 3-4 kg. The whitefish has a wide and laterally compressed body. Chir can also be recognized by its silvery scales with a golden tint.
Rybekha is larger in size than other species of the whitefish family. One of the signs that makes shokura stand out. also has a large hooked nose. It lives beyond the Arctic Circle in large rivers. It is also found in the Republic of Sakha Yakutia.
In the video, catching whitefish in Yakutia with subsequent preparation of the fish:
Tugun - endemic to the northern rivers of Siberia
This whitefish lives in rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean (Ob, Yana and others). Apart from Russia, it is not found anywhere else in the world. Tugun is small in size. An adult specimen reaches 20 cm, and its weight does not exceed 90 g. Life expectancy does not exceed 6 years.
Sexual maturity occurs earlier than in other whitefish species - at 2 years. Their favorite food is larvae and zooplankton.
Peled/cheese
Another name for cheese fish is that it has from 49 to 68 gill rakers. The mouth has a protruding upper jaw. The length of the fish is 40-55 cm, weight - 2.5-5 kg. Peled has several subspecies, which are divided according to their primary habitat. This fish is a commercial variety and lives not only in the wild, but is also bred artificially.
Muksun - whitefish with pink tender meat
It lives in northern rivers around the world, as well as in the reservoirs of the Taimyr Peninsula. Sometimes found in desalinated bays of the Arctic Ocean. The main food is bottom crustaceans and mollusks. It can grow up to 85 cm. The weight of an adult fish reaches 8-13 kg. Muksun is also bred artificially. It is considered a delicacy.
Baikal and Arctic omuli
Omul has two subspecies: Baikal and Arctic, the first whitefish grows 30-60 cm in length and weighs from 0.25 to 2.5 kg. The Arctic usually grows up to 60 cm and gains weight up to 3 kg. Omul feeds on bottom organisms and fish fry.
Baikal omul
vendace
It has several subspecies, the most famous of which is the European vendace, which is also called rhipus or kilets. This is a small fish, similar in size to a herring. Its length is 13-35 cm, weight - 50-200 grams. It lives in northern Europe, as well as in certain bays of the Baltic Sea.
European vendace ripus
Whitefish Siberian pyzhyan
A silvery, chased beauty belonging to the whitefish family. Reaches a weight of 7 kg. The largest population is observed in the Yenisei basin.
Family commonality
The whitefish family includes more than 40 species, which are characterized by significant variability. Their characteristics significantly depend on their habitat. However, they have a number of common features.
Whitefish can be recognized by the following characteristics:
- the body is long and laterally compressed;
- eyes look large;
- the color of the sides is silver;
- small mouth.
The color of the scales can shimmer in different colors: greenish, golden, gray or bluish. Whitefish have an adipose fin between the dorsal and caudal fins. The muscles do not fit it and scientists cannot yet say why whitefish need it.
Useful tips
To properly make a fish carcass at home, it is recommended to follow several useful culinary tips regarding preparing the delicacy with your own hands:
- To avoid loss of juiciness, it is recommended to thaw a frozen carcass naturally, without exposing it to sudden temperature changes. The best way to do this is the main chamber of the refrigerator compartment or ice water. Trying to defrost a semi-finished product in a microwave oven will only aggravate the cooking process and ruin the finished delicacy.
- If a fresh or chilled fish carcass is used in production, then when cutting it is recommended to pay attention to the presence of parasites in it. Fish that has been deep frozen will be safer for health, since the parasites die under the influence of low temperatures.
- To prevent the product from acquiring an unpleasant bitterness during gutting, you should pay attention to the gall bladder. It is not recommended to open it, as this may affect the taste of the dish.
- To ensure that the dish remains juicy after cooking, it is recommended to bake the fish whole, wrapping the carcass in foil.
- The cooking time for fish in the oven directly depends on its size. For example, a kilogram carcass will need to be baked for 40 minutes. at a temperature of 200 °C, and steaks or fillets will be ready within 30 minutes.
Muksun fish is not only tasty, but also a fairly healthy food product for the body and health in general. This is due to the presence of a large amount of vitamins and minerals in the carcass. At the same time, such a product does not contain too many bones and is easily absorbed by the body. There are many recipes for making this delicacy at home.
Muksun can be baked in the oven, fried in a saucepan in batter, salted, pickled, and also smoked. In any execution, a dish from this fish turns out aromatic, juicy and appetizing.
Habits and lifestyle depending on the season
When the cold season arrives, the fish look for places where it is a little warmer than usual. Deep holes are suitable for this. Whitefish prefers places where it has already been.
Spawning
The fish becomes sexually mature at three years. It prefers to spawn in the river fairway. Whitefish lay eggs from September to December. For spawning, areas with standing water and a pebble bottom are chosen. The female does not cover her eggs. It is thrown at temperatures from +1.5 to +5 degrees. Typically, the female's fertility reaches 20-30 thousand eggs.
When the last snow begins to melt, fry emerge from the eggs. As a result of spring warming, at this time there is a large amount of food for fry, which flows together with wastewater into the floodplain of rivers and lakes.
Whitefish caviar
Nutrition
The fish feed throughout the year. This happens, in particular, during the winter months. It prefers bottom organisms and also preys on fish that are much smaller in size. If possible, it eats the eggs of other fish.
At the height of summer, the main diet consists of mosquitoes. In the second half of summer, it is difficult to interest the predator in anything due to the fact that at this time there is enough food for it. During the cold season, the whitefish no longer has enough food and begins to actively hunt. Most of the time during this period it can be found at depth.
In the oven
Muksun is a fish whose recipes include mushrooms and nuts. It turns out quite tender and juicy. It is permissible to stuff the carcass with vegetables and bake it in the oven. The result is a fairly nutritious and satisfying delicacy that can be served for lunch or dinner.
What ingredients will you need?
When making muksun fish with your own hands in the oven, you should purchase the following food products:
| Required Ingredients | Required quantity |
| Mushrooms | 200 g |
| Lemon | 75 g |
| Bulb | 75 g |
| Vegetable oil | 34 ml |
| Muksun | 1 PC. |
| Nuts | 75 g |
| Salt | of necessity |
| Spices | at your own discretion |
To make the product more filling, it is recommended to stuff the carcass with potatoes. Due to this, baked fish will become a complete delicacy. Both peanuts and walnuts can be used as nuts.
Step-by-step cooking process
The step-by-step process of making muksun fish at home is described in the following paragraphs:
- The fish must be cleaned of its entrails and washed thoroughly under running water. Then, using a knife, you need to make small cuts on the carcass. The top of the workpiece will need to be peppered, salted, and also seasoned with spices, sprinkled with lemon juice and set aside for a while.
- The onion should be peeled, cut into small cubes and fried in a saucepan with well-heated oil until half cooked.
- The mushrooms should be finely chopped, added to the onion and fried until tender, after adding salt and pepper to taste.
- Using a blender or rolling pin, you need to chop the nuts, and then send them to the mushrooms, thoroughly mixing all the ingredients.
- Then you need to fill the fish with the resulting mass, applying a small amount of oil to the carcass.
- The baking tray should be covered with parchment or greased with oil. Then you need to lay out the fish and other vegetables for garnish.
Bake the treat for 30 minutes until done. at 180℃.
How to catch whitefish
Whitefish fishing is carried out taking into account its habits and varies depending on the time of year. The dependence in preferences correlates with the food supply, which prevails at a certain point in the season. If in the spring these are insects, then closer to summer there is a bias towards small crustaceans and small fish.
Where to find
Adults love deep places, river fairways, and changes in bottom height. The young prefer coastal waters, where there are snags and tree branches hanging over the water. It is relatively safe for them here, since they can hide from predators. At the same time, there is a sufficient amount of food - insects and their larvae.
Fishermen mainly look for adults in holes where rip currents can occur, and juveniles - near the shore.
The handsome man looks very menacing underwater
Tackle
Lures should imitate the whitefish's natural search: insects, eggs or fry. Flies or jigs are also suitable.
Float rods and spinning rods are suitable as gear. This fish is caught at a depth of 3 meters or more. The line must be long enough for this.
Spinning fishing
As one of the options for spinning tackle for catching whitefish, we can offer the following equipment:
- Spinning with 8-25 grams of dough. Fast build. The blank is long from three meters, as long casting is often required
- Take a spinning reel (according to Shimano classification 2500-3000).
- For fishing you need a braided line with a cross section of 0.15 mm.
- As bait you can use small spinner spinners and small spinners. For large species - broadleaf, omul, peled - you can use small wobblers and edible bait.
- A leash is required.
- You can retrofit the rig with a front sight or amphipod.
Micro-oscillators
Edible rubber is also used to catch large whitefish. In large sizes, almost all members of the family show their predatory nature and spinning tackle is the most effective permitted fishing method.
For this method of fishing, you will need a powerful rod with a test weight of up to 60 grams, a strong grinder reel of size 4000 and durable braid.
Special whitefish silicones are used as bait. It must be remembered that this fish has a small mouth and will not be able to swallow a large silicone bait. Predators are most attracted to light-colored baits. To determine which color is best, you will have to experiment a little.
Fishing for whitefish with silicone
The final choice of gear depends on the intended fishing method.
Fishing with a float
A float rod can be used to catch whitefish. This method will be especially effective if you fish this way in the spring. At this time, whitefish will be attracted to any bait. For example, it can be caught with a worm. The fish has become hungry over the winter and strives to gain strength in the spring.
In this case, take a telescopic rod up to 5 meters long. A monofilament line is used, designed for catching large fish with a diameter of 0.3-0.4 mm or braided line 0.2 mm thick.
A small float is used for fishing. It is necessary to color its lower part so that it does not alert the fish. The choice of hook is determined by the expected size of the fish in the fishing area.
Fly fishing
You can catch omul and other representatives of the family using fly fishing. A rod up to 6 meters long is suitable for this. The sinker should weigh 15 grams. It is attached to the end of the leash. Two nymphs are attached 30 cm above it. The rod is held so that the sinker sinks to the bottom. Then it is slowly raised.
Fish can be at different depths. If you manage to catch a whitefish, then the depth is remembered along the length of the fishing line. Other specimens usually swim in this layer of water.
Using donks
In late autumn, bottom fishing is used. A peculiarity of autumn whitefish is that it often comes close to the shore. Maggot is used as the main bait.
To attract a predator, wiring is carried out along the bottom. The fish like the slow movement of the bait with short stops. You need to pay special attention to fishing holes.
Winter suffering
In winter, nodding fishing rods 30-40 cm long, made of wood, are used. You can use a reel or reel to wind the fishing line. The diameter of the fishing line should not be less than 0.17 mm. Monofilament fishing line is used due to its frost resistance. You can fish with a spoon. The game may involve short bursts with short pauses.
Fishing for whitefish in winter:
How to cook muksun in the oven
To prepare this dish, a mold or baking sheet is greased with sunflower oil, potatoes cut into circles and onions into half rings are placed on it. Place the cut fish on top, add salt and pepper, sprinkle with lime juice and place pieces of butter on it - it will give this product a delicate taste and aroma.
Recommended reading: How to fry bream in a frying pan
The dish is baked in the oven at 190 degrees for 1 hour. Place the finished steaks on lettuce leaves, with the potatoes next to them. You can also cook stuffed muksun in the oven. To do this you will need to take:
- large fish – 1 pc.;
- lemon juice – 2 tbsp. l.;
- carrots – 1 pc.;
- fresh champignons – 200 g;
- onions – 2 pcs.;
- vegetable oil – 30 ml;
- spices for fish - added to taste;
- black pepper, salt, herbs - to taste.
Cooking process:
- The fish should first be freed from scales and entrails, the fins and tail should be cut off. Rub with salt, pepper, spices, lemon juice and leave for 20 minutes.
- Carrots need to be cut into thin circles, onions into half rings, champignons into strips. Fry the latter in oil until cooked.
- Then the fish is stuffed with chopped vegetables, mushrooms and herbs. Wrapped in foil and placed on a baking sheet. Baked in the oven at 180 degrees for 40 minutes.
- The finished muksun should be transferred to an oval dish, covered with a mesh of mayonnaise, lemon or lime slices. It is best served with steamed vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, etc.
Taste qualities
The meat of the whitefish family is known for its high taste. One of its advantages is its relatively high fat content. Whitefish are classified as salmon, but their meat is not red, but white or pink.
Benefits and harms, calorie content
The fat contained in fish is beneficial for humans. Fish is rich in omega fatty acids. The composition contains more vitamins PP, A and D. Meat contains useful microelements. In particular, whitefish contains chlorine, iodine, molybdenum, nickel, sulfur, fluorine, chromium and zinc.
The energy value of 100 grams of fish is 90 kcal. It contains folic acid, which is essential for pregnant women. Whitefish caviar also has high nutritional value.
Whitefish meat is a storehouse of nutrients
How to cook delicious whitefish: recipes with video
Whitefish has excellent taste. You can prepare delicious dishes from it. The fish can be fried, dried or baked. Below are some of the most popular recipes.
Whitefish fried in a frying pan
To cook fish, initially perform the following steps:
- The fish is carefully gutted. The fins need to be cut off. Before cooking, the carcass is thoroughly washed in running water.
- An incision is made along the ridge with a sharp knife. Now you need to separate the pulp from the bones. You will get two strips of fillet, which need to be cut into pieces of the required size.
- Beat the eggs. Pour flour onto a plate, sprinkle with salt, add turmeric to taste.
- The fish is first dredged in beaten eggs, then in flour.
- For frying, preheat the frying pan, then pour in a little sunflower or olive oil. Add a small piece of butter for taste. After this, the fire is reduced slightly.
- The fish is fried for 4 minutes on each side.
- Keep the prepared dish on paper towels for several minutes to drain off the fat.
The fried whitefish is laid out on a platter and sprinkled with herbs and lemon slices.
How to cook whitefish in the oven:
Diet preparation
In this case, the fillet is steamed. To do this you will need the following:
- fish carcass;
- juice squeezed from half a lemon;
- salt and spices to taste.
To prepare, proceed as follows:
- The fish is gutted, scaled and thoroughly washed in running water.
- Rub the pieces with salt and spices.
- Sprinkle with lemon juice.
- Pour over lemon juice and place in a double boiler for about 40 minutes.
The prepared dish is served on large plates with lemon and herbs.
How to prepare tala from whitefish - a detailed video recipe for preparing a dietary dish:
How to salt
The fish must be salted in a weak salt solution, in which it is kept for 7 hours, after which it is washed and wrapped in film. It needs to be kept in the refrigerator for 5 hours. When serving, the fish can be sliced.
Salted whitefish at home - step-by-step video recipe:
You can prepare a large number of recipes from fish of the whitefish family, both dietary and not so much. It is more difficult to find an opportunity to catch a handsome fish, unless, of course, you are a resident of the northern regions of our country.
Muksun baked with potatoes
Compound:
- muksun – 1 kg;
- potatoes – 1 kg;
- salt, seasonings - to taste;
- refined vegetable oil – 20 ml;
- butter – 40 g;
- onions – 100 g.
Cooking method:
- After cleaning and gutting the fish, rinse and dry with a kitchen towel. Remove gills and fins. Make transverse cuts on the sides. Rub the carcass with spices and salt.
- After removing the husk, cut the onion into thin half rings and place them in the belly of the fish.
- Grease a baking dish with vegetable oil, place the muksun carcass in it diagonally.
- Peel the potatoes, cut into thin circles. Arrange the potato wedges around the fish. It is better to lay them overlapping so that they resemble scales.
- Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and spices and place thin slices of butter on top.
- Cover the pan with foil and place in an oven preheated to 190 degrees. After half an hour, remove the foil and bake the food for another 15 minutes.
The dish will turn out even more delicious if you sprinkle it with finely grated cheese at the last stage of cooking.
