Is it possible to eat Black Sea scorpionfish. sea ​​ruff

Scorpion fish

poisonous fish The unusual color of the scorpionfish attracts the eye. The Black Sea ruff pricks the fins of its offenders with sharp needles, but often becomes an object for fishing by fishermen.

Scorpion is an inhabitant of the waters of the Black and Mediterranean seas. They have unusual view and unique coloring. She rarely moves and prefers to wait for prey near the sandy bottom or among the stones overgrown with algae.

Short description

The Black Sea ruff is a medium-sized fish. The length of her body reaches 40 centimeters, weight - 1.5 kilograms. The head of the scorpionfish is massive, it is covered with plates and horny growths, making up a third of the length.
The mouth is large with thick lips and strong jaws.

On the body of a scorpionfish there are many patches of skin, dark spots and outgrowths, it is bumpy. This makes it possible for the fish to disguise themselves as stones and attack their prey suddenly.

At the base of the rays of the dorsal, anal and lateral fins there are poisonous glands. The spines serve as protection against large predators.

The coloring of the scorpionfish is variegated. Young fish are yellow or beige, with brown spots. With age, the color darkens, becoming dark brown. There are black, raspberry and pink Black Sea ruffs.

habitats

The scorpionfish lives in the coastal waters of the Black and mediterranean sea, off the European and African coasts of the Atlantic Ocean. It is located in rocky depressions and cracks, thickets of bottom algae, on dark stones.

Food

This fish is a nocturnal predator, lying in wait for its prey in ambush, disguised as a stone. The scorpion is immobile. It feeds on crustaceans and small fish, which it catches with lateral organs. The Black Sea ruff is quite sharp, as soon as the victim is 10-15 centimeters away from him, the fish becomes active and swallows it whole along with the flow of water.

reproduction

Spawning of scorpionfish falls on the warm season. The fish spawns from July to September in separate portions. The eggs are enclosed in a mucous membrane that dissolves before the larvae hatch. The fry live in the water column, and then sink to the depths and lead a bottom lifestyle.
Scorpion venom can cause inflammation and an allergic reaction. If you have been injured by a poisonous ruff, treat the wound with an anti-inflammatory agent and take an antihistamine.
The meat of the Black Sea ruff is suitable for food. Aspic is prepared from it or used for cooking fish soup.

Scorpion is a genus of fish that belongs to the scorpion family. Latin name Scorpaena.

This fish has a large head, somewhat compressed on the sides and armed with spikes. In addition, there are leathery appendages in the form of tentacles on the head. She has a large mouth with a slanted slit. There are velvety teeth on the jaws and on the vomer.

Scales of medium size. The dorsal fin has 12-13 spiny and 9 soft rays, and the anal fin has 3 spiny and 5 soft rays. The pectoral fins have no separate rays, the lower ones are thickened. Scorpion lacks swim bladder.

In the world, there are approximately 40 species of scorpions living in tropical and warm seas.

They are pretty lazy creatures. most spending time hiding in the sand or between stones among plants, waiting in such an ambush for prey, which become small fish. The pectoral fins help these fish to burrow into the sand and crawl along the bottom. The coloration of scorpions is quite diverse, and not only in different individuals of the same species, but even in the same fish. In general, it is a mixture of different colors - yellow, red, brown and black. Scorpionfish do not differ in large sizes and are rarely longer than 30 cm and weigh no more than 500 grams.

The Black Sea scorpionfish lives in the Black Sea, or, as it is also called, the Black Sea sea ruff, the Latin name of which is Scorpaena porcus. It was this fish that gave the name to everything big family scorpion. In addition to the Black Sea, it can also be found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea along the African and European coasts. Sometimes found in the Sea of ​​Azov. It prefers to stay in the coastal zone, where it lies in wait for prey, lying on the bottom. The main menu of scorpionfish is small fish and crustaceans.

When a gaping fish or a large crustacean finds itself at a distance of 10-15 cm from the sea ruff, it makes a sharp jerk, while opening its mouth wide, and literally sucks in the prey along with the water. And in order to be well camouflaged in anticipation of a potential dinner, he needs such a camouflage coloration, which we described above. The scorpionfish also has a property that is extremely rare for fish - it sheds. This happens with a frequency of approximately once every 28 days. At the same time, the upper tarnished layer of the skin of the scorpion sheds off, and a new one with a brighter color appears in its place. Scorpion shed their skin just like snakes - like a cover.

The scorpionfish is able to hunt only moving objects, which the lateral line organs help it to detect, most of all development in the head area. With the help of these organs, the scorpion can catch water currents created by any moving object. Thanks to this property, the scorpionfish can successfully hunt even at night. If the caught object is not of food interest for the scorpionfish, then it spits it out. A scorpionfish defends itself from enemies with the help of its thorns, and their injection can be very painful for a person.

Spawning by scorpions is carried out in small portions, each enclosed in a transparent mucous membrane. These peculiar balloons of mucus float to the surface of the water. By the time the larvae are ready to hatch, the balloons disintegrate and the eggs are released from the common shell. For some time, and very short, the hatched juveniles stay in the water column, after which they descend to the bottom, where they pass future life scorpion Little sea ruff is caught, mostly it comes across with other fish.

Scorpion is a genus of marine ray-finned fish. Scorpionfish live in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, as well as in the seas of their basins. They are very common on the islands of the Malay Archipelago, in the Philippines and in Thailand. One of the northernmost representatives is the Black Sea scorpionfish or, as it is also called, the sea ruff. Its habitat is the Black Sea, the Kerch Strait. Although rare, it can also be found in the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov. In general, all species live exclusively in salt water, preferring coastal zones and shallow waters of coral atolls. However certain types can be found at depths up to 2000 m. sedentary image life.

The scorpionfish is considered one of the most dangerous marine life. Even the name of the fish, which translates as "scorpion fish", indicates its strong toxicity.

The color palette of most scorpion species is dominated by red-brown tones, which, combined with a large number of small motley spots, lines, stains, allow the fish to be completely invisible against the colorful background of a coral reef or seabed.

A specific notch divides the dorsal fin of the scorpionfish into two parts. 7-17 rays in the front and 1 ray in the back turned into sharp spines. Besides, in pelvic fins there is 1 spine, in the anal - 2-3. At the base of each spine is a venom gland that secretes poison. The poison flows out through two grooves. It is worth noting that there are thorns on the cheeks of the scorpionfish, but the poison does not flow through them.

How to protect yourself from a scorpion sting

Firstly, while diving, swimming in the habitats of scorpions, be especially careful, because due to the skillful disguise of the sea ruff, it is not always possible to detect in time against the background of the surrounding landscape.

Secondly, be vigilant and while walking along the beach, wear shoes with thick soles, as the scorpion often throws a wave ashore.

Thirdly, remember that scorpion fish can be caught in nets and on fishing rods as an accompanying fish. Having accidentally caught her on a hook, do not fuss and do not try to knock her down, as this is fraught with getting an injection in the most unexpected place. Just stun the fish with a suitable item. Put the caught fish in a canvas fish bag. For manipulations with scorpionfish, including butchering it, use gloves or mittens made of canvas fabric.

Fourth, when keeping a scorpionfish in an aquarium, in no case do not touch it with your bare hands.

What are the consequences of a scorpion injection

When injected into the wound, poison immediately penetrates, which belongs to high-molecular heat-labile proteins. The poison affects mainly the respiratory and vascular systems.

A prick of a thorn very quickly causes acute pain, which increases with time and spreads further along the lymphatic vessels. May develop pain shock which leads to loss of consciousness. Plus, when poisoned with scorpion poison, the following are observed:

• pressure drop,
• swelling and numbness of the affected body part,
• pulmonary edema.

Among other things, lymphangitis develops first, then lymphadenitis, which can persist for several days. A limited area of ​​necrosis occurs at the punctured site. As for the general symptoms of poisoning, they are not acute.

Symptoms do not disappear in a few days, but death from poisoning with scorpion venom is a rather rare phenomenon.

In some cases, an allergic reaction may develop, which is accompanied by vomiting, shortness of breath, inappropriate behavior, loss of consciousness.

A scorpion prick is also fraught with the introduction of a secondary infection into the wound. Even infectious pericarditis has been recorded, which arose as a result of contact with a sea ruff.

What should not be done when pricked scorpionfish

• It is forbidden to apply a tourniquet to the affected limb, as this can lead to a deterioration in the condition of the victim and the development of complications.
• It is also impossible to cut the wounds. Such manipulations do not contribute to the removal of poison, but only provide additional trauma to the victim.
• You should not cauterize the punctured place for the same reasons that were discussed in the previous paragraphs.
• Do not inject a solution of potassium permanganate and other strong oxidizing agents into the affected area. This is not only ineffective, but also dangerous.
• In case of poisoning with scorpion venom, it is not recommended to drink alcohol, since it contributes to a more rapid spread and absorption of the poison.

What measures can be taken in case of a scorpion injection

1. Immediately after the injection, the victim should be provided with complete rest, laying him immediately on an impromptu or real stretcher, so as not to shift it in the future.

2. If necessary, remove the remaining needles in the wound.

3. If it is impossible to immediately deliver the victim to a medical facility, it is recommended to immerse the pricked place in the maximum possible hot water, naturally, without bringing the situation to a burn. Optimum temperature water - 43-45 degrees. This procedure will help relieve pain to some extent and neutralize certain components of the poison under the influence of heat.

4. Then you should treat the wound with brilliant green, iodine or hydrogen peroxide and apply a sterile bandage on it. As edema increases, the bandage must be periodically loosened to avoid cutting into the tissue.

5. To slow down the spread of poison throughout the body, a splint can be placed on the pricked limb.

6. Among other things, you should provide the victim with plenty of fluids.

7. And, finally, and most importantly, the victim should be taken to a hospital as soon as possible, where doctors will provide him with the necessary medical care.

Interesting facts about scorpions and their injections

• The venom-producing apparatus of the scorpionfish is a bit similar to the device of poisonous teeth in snakes. In addition, the sea ruff also sheds periodically like a snake.
• The greatest danger is the scorpionfish, which lives off the coast of Australia. Every year, more than 120 people die from its poison.
• The scorpionfish is in the TOP 10 most poisonous marine life.
• Several cases of catching scorpions in fresh water have been recorded.

Sea ruff, also known as scorpionfish, is a small fish, edible and even, according to experts, tasty, not very well known to the general public. In ichthyological circles, it is much more popular. Not only is it named after her Scorpaenidae (scorpion, or sea ruffs), including 172 species, but also a whole Scorpaeniformes (Scorpioformes), consisting of 35 families.

Unfortunately, these fish were most famous not for taste and beauty, but for danger. Representatives of the detachment of sea ruffs take second place after stingrays in terms of the number of poisonous injections inflicted on people.

But in the beginning we will talk about the fish themselves, and only then - about their dangerous spines, first aid for injections, prevention of unwanted contacts, and in conclusion - how to cook delicious ruffs.

So there are three families:

Family Scorpaenidae , subfamily Pteroinae - turkey fish, lion fish, fire fish

Family Scorpaenidae , subfamily Scorpaeninae - scorpion fish, crow fish, stone fish

Family Synanceiidae - stone fish, wasp fish, ghoul fish

And then: "they are us" and "we are them" - medical and culinary aspects of marine science

Let the meticulous reader not be confused by the fact that fish of two different families are called “stones”. Sea ruffs have a lot of names, but some of them belong to several species, so without often it is impossible to understand what kind of fish they are talking about. Moreover, edible representatives of scorpions are called in English sources both cod and perch.

Fish- turkeys, lionfish, firefish

( Family Scorpaenidae, subfamily Pteroinae )

Visitors to the underwater observatory certainly linger at the aquarium with lionfish. And when I explain that these are not only one of the most beautiful Red Sea fish, but also one of the most poisonous, they are surprised and refuse to believe. Painfully cute creatures soar in the water.

These fish have an original appearance, which is reflected in numerous names. Russian name "lionfish" - translation Latin name Pterois. Other Russian name"zebra" needs no explanation. In English, lionfish and lionfish are lion fish, and turkeyfish are turkey fish, and firefish are fire fish. In Hebrew, the lionfish is called zaharon, from the verb lizhor - to shine, to radiate light.

Lionfish are really dangerous. They are predators, hunting small fish, crabs and shrimps among coral reefs. Moreover, they can both wait for prey in an ambush, and pursue it. If the lionfish hid, then the striped coloration and numerous outgrowths on the body mask it, visually dismembering the contour. Long, evenly oscillating fins and outgrowths on the head (the outgrowth above the eye is especially developed) make the lionfish look like a bunch of algae. When a curious creature, attracted by the movement, approaches her, she is caught in her wide-open mouth.

If the lionfish pursues the victim, then, as soon as the distance is reduced, a lightning-fast throw, capture by the jaws and swallowing follow. Cannibalism has been observed in aquariums (and lionfish are very popular with marine aquarists). Lionfish are active at dusk and at night, but hungry fish can hunt during the day.

However, it is not the hunting, but the defending fish that is dangerous. No matter how attractive the lionfish look in the water, do not touch them, do not drive them into the corners of shelters, otherwise they may rush at you. Defending itself, the fish turns its back to the enemy, and with lightning speed inflicts a poisonous injection with a long dorsal fin. At first, the injection seems trifling, almost imperceptible, but the pain gradually intensifies to such an extent that it can lead to loss of consciousness. What lionfish attack and what to do when injected is described below. Lionfish themselves become victims. The flute attacks lionfish from an ambush and swallows them from the tail, which reduces the risk of receiving a poisonous injection. Sharks that are immune to poison can also prey on lionfish.

	There are 5 species of lionfish in the Red Sea. Pterois miles , a devilish firefish, grows up to 36 cm, preys on fish and crustaceans. This is the only lionfish that lives in the Mediterranean Sea.
	P. russelii , flat-tailed turkey fish, grows up to 30 cm.
	P.radiate , radiant firefish, smaller in size, 24 cm. Feeds mainly on crustaceans. During the spawning season, the male Pterois caring for the female.
	In lionfish of the genus Dendrochirus the rays of the pectoral fins are connected by a membrane. D. brachypterus , a short-finned lionfish, lives in families consisting of one male and several females.
	D. zebra can breed in an aquarium. Eggs are floating, so lionfish master new water areas

Scorpion fish, crow fish, rock fish

(Family Scorpaenidae , subfamily Scorpaeninae )

Visitors to the Underwater Observatory are even more surprised when, moving to a nearby aquarium, they learn that the closest relatives of beautiful lionfish are ugly sea ruffs.

Sea ruffs (scorpionfish and related species) are mainly fish of tropical and subtropical seas. They live in the coastal zone, in thickets of algae, they spend most of their time lying on the bottom in anticipation of prey. If a fish or a crustacean swims up to a distance of 10-15 cm to a sea ruff, it makes a sharp jerk, opens its mouth wide, where the prey is sucked in along with the flow of water. A well-camouflaged ruff can lie motionless for hours waiting for prey. And the fish are masked by skin outgrowths on the head and a bizarrely variegated coloration of dark spots and stripes on a brown background, the shades of which are quite variable. Many scorpionfish are overgrown with algae and sessile invertebrates. That is why underwater photographs of these fish resemble the “find the fish” picture.

Periodically, scorpions molt: the top layer of skin is shed almost like a snake's - with a cover and replaced with a new one; the faded color becomes bright and fresh again. In addition to ruffs, they molt like a snake, for example.

The sea ruff grabs only moving prey, which it detects primarily with the help of lateral line organs especially developed on his head. Therefore, the sea ruff can hunt in complete darkness and in muddy water. The scorpionfish meets the enemy with thorns, the injections of which cause severe pain to a person, much more than the injections of lionfish.

The sea ruff lays eggs in separate portions, which are enclosed in a transparent shell of mucus, such mucus balloons float to the surface of the water. Before the larvae hatch, the mucus dissolves and the eggs are released from the common shell. The hatched juveniles do not stay long in the water column and soon pass to life at the bottom.

Large species of scorpion are edible, kosher and very tasty. However, fishermen are not very eager to catch a scorpionfish, because it is difficult to remove it from the hook or get it out of the net. A fish taken out of the water has all its spines protruding, sometimes it grumbles and growls loudly, warning quite unambiguously that you cannot take it with your bare hands.

The English names for these fish are: scorpionfish - scorpion fish, sea raven - sea raven, rockfish and stonefish - stone fish. Hebrew: akravan and akravit (from akrav - scorpion).

In the Red Sea there are 16 species of bottom fish of the family Scorpaenidae pertaining to genera Parascorpaena , Scorpaenodes , Scorpaenopsis and Sebastapistes . 7 species belonging to the genera found in the Mediterranean Sea Scorpaena and Scorpaenodes , but they all keep well to the west of the Israeli coast.

Stone fish, wasp fish, ghoul fish

(Family Synanceiidae )

Close relatives of lionfish and scorpions are fish-stones, they are also warts, which ichthyologists distinguish into a separate family of the ruff order - Synanceiidae . Although to an ordinary person their differences from scorpions are hardly noticeable, there is a very important difference that needs to be mentioned: warts have bare skin, while scorpions have scales. That is, scorpionfish are kosher, but warts are not.

Warthog is a very inactive fish. A large head with small eyes and an upward-pointing mouth is covered with ridges and tubercles. Pectoral fins with a very wide oblique base; The 12 thick spines of the dorsal fin are equipped with the strongest poisonous glands among fish. There are also poisonous glands in the ventral and anal fins.

Warthogs - fish of the coastal tropical and subtropical seas of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It lives in shallow places, among coral reefs or lava heaps. According to the method of nutrition - an ambush predator. Usually lies, huddled in a gap between stones or buried in the ground. Only the upper part of the head and back sticks up, often masked by fouling. Even in the littoral, where the wart can dry out at low tide, it is difficult to notice. If necessary, it will move, does not swim, but crawls, using paired fins as paws. The skin is changed several times a year.

At the slightest irritation, the wart raises the spines of the dorsal fin. Sharp and durable, they easily pierce the foot of a person who has stepped on a fish. Ordinary swimmers' shoes do not protect against these spikes.

In English, these cute fish are called stonefish - stone fish, waspfish - wasp fish, stingfish - stinging fish and ghoul - ghoul. In Hebrew - avnun and avnunit, from the word Even - stone. There are 7 types of such "stones" in the Red Sea. Synanceia verrucosa - the most common and most poisonous member of this family. Found from the Red Sea to Australia and Polynesia. Grows up to 40 cm and 2.5 kg. A solitary fish usually lies buried in the sand up to its eyes. It feeds on bottom fish and crustaceans, pulling them into the mouth along with water. Despite its large size, it is not eaten.

Here are the smaller ones Choridactylus multibarbus , Inimicus filamentosus and Minous monodactylus get to the markets of the Pacific countries in a fresh and salted form. There are no representatives of this family in the Mediterranean Sea.

They us

Fish of the order of sea ruffs take the second place after stingrays in terms of the number of poisonous injections inflicted on people. Poisonous spiny rays are present in all fins, except for the pectorals. At the base of each ray are 2 poisonous glands. The thorn itself is covered with a freely hanging skin, which, when pricked, moves down and presses on the poisonous gland. The secret of the gland pours out and enters the wound along the hollow running along the spine. The venom is a high molecular weight protein. You can get an injection not only at sea, fishing, diving or just wandering in shallow water, but also at home if you keep scorpion fish in an aquarium (many aquarists find these fish not only interesting, but also beautiful).

According to the structure of poisonous organs and the strength of the poison, ruffs can be divided into 4 groups. The least poisonous kind Sebastes, although they can deliver a dangerous stab. A thorn wound sometimes causes complications that incapacitate a person for several weeks or even months, or even leave a mark for life: the finger loses the ability to bend and unbend. But sea ​​bass deep-sea creatures, they are not found off our shores, but are sold in fish stores called rotbash or varadon.
In lionfish, the spines are long and thin, the venom glands are small, and the jabs are relatively weak.
Scorpions have shorter and thicker spines, larger venom glands, and stronger jabs.
Fish-stones have short strong powerful spikes, well-developed poisonous glands, their injections can be fatal to humans.

After an injection on the thorn of a scorpion fish, a person experiences sharp pain, which gradually increases to the point that it can become unbearable and lead to loss of consciousness. The affected area is numb and swollen. The pain begins to subside sometimes only after a few hours, but is felt after a few days. The severity of poisoning depends on many factors, including the type of fish, the number of spikes stuck, and physical condition victims. Especially dangerous are deep injections inflicted by several thorns at once. With repeated wounds, a person gradually acquires immunity to fish poison and suffers from it less and less.

Since there are a lot of legends, often unreliable, about sea ruffs and their relatives, as well as about any dangerous creatures, to refute them, I used an article by an American doctor, Dr. Scott Gallagher "Lionfish and Stonefish" .

Descriptions of the tragic consequences of pricks of scorpion fish roam from site to site. Even on a professional ichthyological site fishbase it is written that lionfish Pterois miles "the rays of the fins are very poisonous, they can cause death of people."

And here is what Dr. Gallagher writes: Doctors described 101 reliable cases of an injection on a lionfish. All victims are aquarists. 92% had local pain, 60% experienced swelling and 13% had systemic symptoms. There were no deaths. In 95% of cases, skin lesions were characterized by erythema (redness), blistering in 4%, and tissue necrosis in 1%.

If the sting of the lionfish is painful and only potentially dangerous to humans, then other scorpionfish are very poisonous marine animals. In any case, among the fish they are the most poisonous. A very popular statement is that when a stone fish is injected, death occurs within 2 hours. But Gallagher writes that information about deaths in contact with stone fish is rare and unreliable. The death of only 3 people was documented, and only one of them died immediately after the injection, and the other two died a few months after being injured from a secondary infection and tetanus.

However, the sting of the stonefish Synanceia causes unbearable pain that makes a person incapacitated. The pain captures the limb and the lymph nodes closest to it. Pain peaks 60-90 minutes after the injection and lasts up to 12 hours without medical intervention. Residual pain may persist for several weeks. The injection site is surrounded by a ring of cyanotic tissue. Then there is swelling, redness, the limb may become hot, in rare cases, tissue necrosis develops even without a secondary infection. Blisters form, the skin begins to peel off and peel off. Sometimes there is a runny nose, muscle weakness, shortness of breath, a drop in blood pressure.

First aid

It is necessary to determine the injection site, carefully remove the detected thorns, squeeze out some blood from the wound, give an anesthetic, treat the wound with soap, rinse fresh water and seek medical attention.

Hot baths are a good method for initial detoxification. This method helps not only with injections of scorpionfish, but also stingrays, sea ​​urchins and other marine animals with venomous spines, since some of the venom polypeptides are destroyed at high temperatures.

According to Gallagher, the water temperature should not exceed 45 o C (114 o F). The doctor reminds that as a result of anesthesia and loss of sensitivity, burns are possible when using more hot water. But there is another opinion: the water for the bath should be as hot as the victim can endure. Processing time - 30-90 minutes. If the pain returns, the procedure must be repeated. But in any case, the bath is made after the removal of the thorns.

An antidote has been developed against the poison of stone fish, but it is effective only if it is administered immediately after the injection. But what is necessary in any case is to be vaccinated against tetanus, the pathogens of which can enter the body with a thorn and cause death. But it is best to take preventive measures.

Prevention

Most stings of scorpionfish are caused by misbehaving people: careless walking on the bottom, awkward handling by aquarists, or aggressive behavior of swimmers. As a rule, it is impossible to notice these fish at the bottom, they are so well camouflaged. Therefore, where there is a danger of meeting them, do not go into the water barefoot, especially at night. Remember that swimming shoes or scuba equipment do not provide complete protection. Poison beams can puncture rubber. In the water, try to walk with a shuffling gait without taking your feet off the substrate. Seeing a lionfish, scorpionfish or warty, do not touch them, and even more so do not drive them into the corners of shelters, otherwise they, defending themselves, may rush at you. Aquarists keeping these fish must be very careful.

We them

As mentioned, sea ruffs are edible, kosher, and even delicious. Therefore, where they are found, they are loved and know how to cook. Mediterranean scorpionfish can be cooked Scorfano in Umido, stewing it with tomatoes.

For 4 servings you will need:
1400 g of fish
10 mature sherry tomatoes
2 tbsp. a spoonful of chopped parsley,
3 art. spoons of flour
salt and ground hot pepper to taste.

Blanch the tomatoes, remove the skin, remove the seeds, chop finely.
Clean the fish, remove the scales, fins and head.
Cut the carcass into fillets and cut into pieces.
Roll each piece in flour and fry in oil until golden brown.
Then take a large saucepan, put tomatoes on the bottom, and pieces of fish on them.
Salt, pepper, sprinkle with parsley and drizzle with olive oil.
Simmer over moderate heat with the lid partially open for about 30 minutes.

I must say that catching ruff on the Black Sea is quite a popular occupation due to the unique gastronomic properties of its meat. It is elastic white color slightly sweet in taste. Great for frying, boiling, drying, cooking fish aspic dishes. And the legendary scorpionfish ear? This is an unsurpassed delicacy! By the way, the meat of this fish has a positive effect on male libido. They say that it is stronger than the famous Viagra. Perhaps that is why many men prefer to catch ruff rather than flounder, garfish or mackerel.

🦈 Where scorpion fish are caught

Ruff fishing is carried out in two ways: from a boat and from the shore. The latter does not require any special fishing skills, great effort and serious expenses, therefore it is popular not only among experienced fishermen, but also among local boys. It is most convenient to catch a large ruff from moorings or piers, from stone embankments and rocks. The main thing is that in this place at the bottom there should be at least a little vegetation and more boulders, among which the scorpion loves to hide, waiting for its prey. This predator hides in algae and under stones, ambushing shrimp, greenfinches, gobies and other small fish at the first opportunity.

Despite showing some signs of reptiles, the sea ruff does not hibernate in winter. He pecks all year round, but since fishing is uncomfortable during the cold season, the ruffs come off throughout the summer. As for the time of day, this fish is most active at night. With a good bite, you won’t have to sit until the morning, in just a couple of hours you can catch a dozen or one and a half weighty prickly ruffs, which is quite enough for breakfast, and you can also treat your friends.

Day fishing, as a rule, is carried out from a boat or boat. During the day, scorpionfish can be found anywhere: in shallow water among brown algae, on heated limestone, near rocky ledges. But most often it concentrates on the so-called banks - underwater hills located at a considerable distance from the coastline. You can’t throw any long-range tackle there, the only way to get to the object of fishing is a watercraft. The depth in such places usually does not exceed 12-15 meters. Here are optimal conditions for the reproduction of small and medium-sized crustaceans, the habitat of small fish species, which the scorpionfish hunt with pleasure.

🦈 Effective tackle

For day fishing from a boat, a rigid spinning rod with a sensitive tip, equipped with any type of reel, is suitable. It can be a meat grinder (inertialess) or an inertial mechanism - the "Neva" coil and its analogues. The main fishing line is a strong monofilament with a section of 0.4 mm with a margin of at least 50 meters. The rig is simple, it includes a pear-shaped sinker, 15 cm leashes of smaller diameter line (0.25-0.3 mm) mounted above it and hooks selected according to the size of the bait. For example, for fishing on a shrimp, small ones are suitable - No5-6, and for large baits (bait bait, pieces of meat), you can put a hook of the 9th or even 10th number. The mouth of the sea ruff is huge, so it easily swallows them. It is advisable to fix the leashes on the main fishing line using triple swivels, this will prevent them from twisting.

For fishing in difficult areas where there is a risk of hooking on underwater vegetation or stones, Black Sea fishermen make original weights from rebar scraps in the form of a Roman “five”. Due to this shape, they almost never cling to algae and stones lying at the bottom. They can also be quickly made from a thick lead rod with a diameter of 0.5-1 cm. There is no need to come up with some kind of ears or loops for the load, the fishing line is simply tied at the bend point.

Another common installation for fishing a ruff for spinning from a boat in a plumb line is a sea circle. This is a small metal ring with several leashes tied around the perimeter. So that they do not slip and move towards each other, shallow cuts are made on the ring. The fishing line may not withstand such a rig, so thin but strong twine is used instead.

When fishing on a circle, the fish is self-securing, and a heavy ring does not allow it to hide in nearby boulders. Therefore, the angler only needs to charge the tackle, lower the bet to the bottom, and you can safely enjoy the contemplation of the endless expanses of the sea without fear of missing a bite. When the ruff swallows the bait, the tip of the spinning reel will signal this with a series of short pulls.

In the dark, scorpionfish can be effectively caught from the shore with a float rod. She has about the same equipment as when fishing for spinning, plus a large white foam float, clearly visible in the dark. Alternatively, you can put a special night float covered with fluorescent paint on the bait, or attach a so-called firefly to a regular daytime bite alarm.

With float tackle, the sea ruff is caught after dark from moorings, piers and other structures or from a suitable rock. At this time of the day, it approaches quite close to the shore, comes to depths of 3-4 meters. True, large adults rarely look into such obvious shallow water. Since a predator, approaching the coastal rocks, does not scour in search of food, but sits in a shelter and waits for it, it would be more correct to use search tactics. The more sites a fisherman catches, the more significant his catch will be.

🦈 Fishing baits and lure

In order not to return to this topic later, we note right away that there is no need to feed the sea ruff. Is that only in the case when the predator concentrates in a place that is inconvenient for fishing and needs to be lured out of there somehow. You can put some crushed clams and pieces of fresh fish into the net with a small cell, and then lower it to the bottom where it is more comfortable to wield tackle. The scorpion will definitely catch up with the smell of food.

We figured out the bait, now about the bait. What to catch ruff in the Black Sea? best bait fresh shrimp and cuts of freshly caught fish are considered, followed by pieces of squid meat and chicken fillet. Those who do not want to bother with such baits do it easier - they break mussels or rapans and put the contents of the shells on the hook. In the sun, the nozzle quickly loses its freshness, even if you hide it in the shade, but with good predator activity, this is not a problem. A hungry scorpion does not refuse a little spoiled meat, and sometimes pecks at it even better.

To say that the sea ruff is voracious is to say nothing. His insatiability is astonishing. Divers have repeatedly observed how this fish literally stuffed a piece of meat or other marine life the same size as her! The huge mouth and the ability of the lower jaw to move forward make the scorpionfish real sea ​​monster.

🦈 How to deal with caught prey

The scorpionfish is one of the 10 most dangerous representatives of the underwater fauna. A prick of her thorn is not fatal for a person, but pain shock and redness at the site of skin puncture are guaranteed. There are also more serious reactions of the body, for example, nausea, vomiting, profuse sweating. For vacationers, this is a tragedy, but for a fisherman, one injection of a scorpionfish will in some way even be useful. The fact is that it is worth getting it once, enduring the consequences, and in the future there will be no more reactions, since the body will develop immunity to the poisonous substance of this fish.

You should not regard the above as a call to harden yourself in this way, you never know how the body will react to the poison. To avoid trouble, remove the sea ruff from the hook with the utmost care. It has a lot of spines, poisonous ones are located at the bases of the dorsal, ventral and anal fins, that is, almost from all sides. So the best thing to do is:

• press the caught fish to a flat stone with a rod;
• grab her lower lip with pliers;
• take scissors in the second hand and cut off all dangerous spikes;
• relax and take out the hook like any other fish.

Of course, you will have to carry extra tools with you, but these will never interfere with fishing. In addition, thanks to them, the first health care you definitely won't need it.

As mentioned above, night is a great time for sea ruff fishing. For those who are not used to night fishing, it is recommended to go to the seashore in the evening and catch before dusk. Morning, even early - not the best the best choice due to a large number vacationers who manage to sneak into all the nooks and crannies. Starting from 8.00, you simply cannot get away from them.

📽 Catching a scorpionfish video

📽 How to cut a sea ruff video safely