Carp are abundant everywhere in the rivers and run into the lower reaches of smaller streams during late May to spawn. Carp are bottom feeders and can grow to very large sizes. Canned or sweet corn, bread kneaded into a tough dough, or worms are the best baits. In shallow water, a sliding float rig, set deep enough so that the bait will lie on the bottom, is a good choice. In deeper water, use a sliding sinker rig instead. Getting carp to bite requires a lot of patience but they put on a memorable battle when hooked. The best chance to catch one of these fish is during the summer months of June, July and August.

Chub

 

Pike

Perch

Roach

Bream

Tench

Barbel

Eel

Sheat-fish

 

Goldeye and Mooneye are found in Krasnodarsky Kray's rivers. They are surface feeders and can be caught using a sliding float rig, a small hook, and a worm or minnow. They can be caught in significant numbers if a school passes by, usually between late May and early September.

Sauger


Walleye

Sauger and Walleye live in the rivers and spawn during late April and early May. Sauger outnumber walleye in the Kuban River. Both prefer deep water with a rocky bottom, shoreline, bridge pilings or similar forms of cover. To catch them, fish on or near the bottom using a pickerel rig baited with minnows or worms, a jig with a jig tail or natural bait, spinner baits, spoons, or deep-running crank baits. Most anglers catch the majority of their fish from early May to early June, late August to freeze up and during the winter ice fishing season.

Bullheads

Bullheads are medium-sized catfish and are abundant in slower moving water. Bullheads are easily caught on worms or minnows fished on or near the bottom using a sliding sinker or pickerel rig. The best time to catch bullheads during the year is between early June and late August. When handling bullheads, be careful not to cut yourself on the sharp spines on the front of the dorsal fin and each pectoral fin. The sensory barbels or whiskers around the mouth are soft and harmless.

Goldeye


Mooneye

Goldeye and Mooneye are found in Krasnodarsky Kray's rivers. They are surface feeders and can be caught using a sliding float rig, a small hook, and a worm or minnow. They can be caught in significant numbers if a school passes by, usually between late May and early September.

Drum or Silver Bass

Freshwater Drum or Silver Bass stay in the rivers throughout the year. They feed on small fish, crayfish and small clams, and are best caught by fishing on the bottom with a pickerel rig or a sliding sinker rig baited with a minnow, worm or crayfish between mid-May and early October.

Many other fish species can be found in Krasnodarsky Kray's rivers, including suckers, burbot, and black crappies.

Fishing in Krasnodarsky Kray
Krasnodarsky Kray's rivers can provide some of the best sport fishing in Krasnodarsky Kray, as well as a close and convenient place to spend a quiet, relaxing summer evening.

Are the Fish Safe to Eat?
Fish from Krasnodarsky rivers are a safe and nutritious source of food if properly handled, stored and cooked See Fish Handling and Food Safety Guidelines). The rivers and streams flow over deep, rich, prairie soils, and pick up a lot of loose soil material, so they are very turbid. This is natural and not harmful in any way to people or fish.

Krasnopdarsk Environment monitors these rivers and the fish in them for the presence of pollutants.

Where to Fish in Krasnodarsky Kray
Fish can be caught nearly everywhere in Krasnodarsky rivers.

Where to cast your line? Look for habitat that attracts fish. Fish like cover, so bridge pilings, docks, fallen trees, log jams along the shore and rock rip-rap that extends into the water are likely to be more productive than open, uniform shorelines. Drop-off areas near shore, deep holes (often found in sharp bends in a river), back eddies, and mouths of rivers also attract fish. Channel catfish, saugers and redhorse suckers prefer faster water, while freshwater drum, carp, and bullheads like quiet water.

When in doubt, watch where other people are fishing. Good spots always attract anglers.

Fishing Gear and Methods
You don't need expensive equipment to have a successful fishing trip on Russian rivers. An inexpensive rod and appropriate reel are good enough to land any fish from these rivers (although skill, patience and a good deal of time will be needed to land "the big one"). You can get more advice on the type of equipment best suited to your needs from your local tackle shop.

Most fishing in the rivers is done with natural baits such as worms, dead or live minnows, crayfish, and leeches, fished on or near the bottom. Figure 1 shows the two most commonly used bottom fishing techniques.

Pickerel rigs, which can be bought packaged and ready to use, keep the bait just above the bottom. The slider sinker rig, which keeps the bait even closer to the bottom, works especially well for channel catfish, carp and freshwater drum.

Remember, if you are fishing the bottom, you will need a heavy weight to hold the bait in the current.

However, to catch fish that like surface or midwater areas, you will need to use a float or bobber. The sliding float rig shown in Figure 2 allows you to set the depth of your bait and change it easily. This rig is good for goldeye, mooneye, carp (when they are feeding in shallow water), walleye and channel catfish (when they are feeding on fish near the surface).

There are also many types of artificial lures or combinations of lures and natural baits that can be used (Figure 3). A spinner bait can be used as is, with a jig tail, or baited with a dead minnow or worm. All are good for walleye, sauger, and pike. The smaller sizes work better for goldeye and mooneye, which have small mouths. Jigs can be used with minnows and worms, or with any color pattern of jig tail. Especially effective for walleye and sauger, jigs can be cast and retrieved or fished near the bottom. Spoons and crank baits are also effective bait for pike, walleye and sauger.

Fish Handling and Food Safety Guidelines
The following guidelines are similar to those recommended for hamburger during the barbecue season and will help you enjoy your catch.

PREPARATION - Clean Hands, Clean Utensils and Cool Temperatures

• To protect yourself from cuts and possible infections and to protect the fish should you choose to release it, you are advised to wear gloves when handling fish.
• If you intend to take your fish home, use a picnic cooler with ice to maintain cold safe temperatures while you fish and during transportation home.
• Before filleting or preparing your fish, rinse the fish thoroughly with running water by holding its tail and rinsing down to its head. Also rinse out the gill cavities and mouth. This will get rid of most of the river residues and allow for easier handling.
• Wash your hands before preparing your fish.
• Fillet or prepare your fish on a wooden or plastic cutting board (do not use plywood as it splinters easily and cannot be cleaned thoroughly).
• Rinse your fillets or cuts after preparing and immediately wrap them up and place in the refrigerator.
• Thoroughly clean and sanitize your cutting board and knives after use. TO SANITIZE MEANS: Rinse clean boards and knives in a sink or basin containing clean warm water and household bleach (1 tsp. per gallon or 4 liters of water).

Cooking

• Thorough cooking of all meats including fish is extremely important to ensure safety. Fish should be cooked until it flakes easily and is firm.
• Wash your hands before cooking and handle the portions with utensils (such as tongs or lifters) as much as possible.
• Always use a clean plate for the cooked fish.