Pike – the predatory fish loved by many fishermen extended mainly in fresh reservoirs of Eurasia and North America. Its length can reach 1.5 m, and weight to reach 8 kg. Thanks to such decent dimensions, the pike is desired production of a great number of fans of fishing. The most successful time for catching of the predator, according to skilled fishers, is the prespawning period coming after long hungry winter.
When the pike goes for spawning
The pike begins to throw caviar of other species of fish much earlier. The pikes living in the southern areas begin to spawn early enough – at the end of February, the period of spawning of predators of a midland falls on March. In northern regions the pike throws caviar in April. It should be noted also that in the closed reservoirs the spawning happens later, than in open. The fact is that ice on lakes begins to thaw later, than there is an ice breaker on the rivers therefore and the pikes living in them start spawning only after liberation of a reservoir from ice.
Early spawning of a pike is caused also by the fact that in early spring landlocked water is most oxygenated which high level is the most important condition for normal development of berries. Gradual heating of water promotes decrease in level of oxygen which insufficient number can lead of posterities to death. It turns out, the earlier the predator will stop throwing caviar, the it is more than chances at berries to survive.
As the pike spawns
Spawning of the pikes living in natural reservoirs begins on the fourth year of life of predators. It concerns females, males are capable to start spawning only, having reached the fifth year of life. Spawning of a pike happens near the coast, as a rule, within 1 m. Starting throwing of caviar, fish passes to shallow water and begins actively and is noisy to lap. The feature of reproduction at pikes is that at first spawning is started by small individuals but only after them larger males and females. Before spawning of a pike, unlike the majority of species of fish, do not gather in large packs, and form the small groups including several individuals. If the female small, surrounds her 2-4 males if large, the quantity of male fishes around it can reach 8. During spawning the male individuals entering into one group, as a rule, float near a female or over it, moving away from the predator on only several centimeters. Fins of males at the same time periodically appear over a water surface. The period of throwing of caviar at pikes is characterized by continuous movement of fish on a spawning area. At this time predators even for a minute do not linger on one place. Upon termination of reproduction process all fish blurs in different directions. At this time it is possible to notice how many females jump out of water. For one period of reproduction the female of a pike is capable to postpone until 215 thousand berries which are attached to water vegetation and canes, but because of weak sticky ability easily fall down even at the slightest stirring. For this reason in several days after the end of spawning all berries of pikes appear at the bottom of a reservoir.