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Dentex Trout fish identification, its habitats, characteristics, fishing methods.
Dentex Trout is a variety of trout, a freshwater fish in the Salmonidae family, found in the western Balkans, in Europe, including Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia. Its identity are not properly clarified and is still has remained unclear due to huge hybridization with other trout ancestries and diverse, especially Brown trout and Marble trout and multiple names and descriptions of the same trout in different areas.
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Dentex Trout, Salmo dentex, locally known as the Trota zubatak or just zubatak, is a freshwater fish in the Salmonidae family. It inhabit North West of the Neretva river, Livanjsko river and Hutovo Blato wetlands in southern part of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lake Skadar and its tributaries in Albania and Montenegro, Cetina and Krka rivers in Croatia and in river Alfios in Peloponnese, Greece.
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Description
Dentex Trout has fusiform spindly and relatively low, strong body, laterally compressed oval section. Pre-dorsal length is equivalent to 47-50% of standard length. Pre-anal length is equal to 77-80% of standard length. Elongated conical head with long nose and wide big mouth located in the middle position. Rear edge of the upper jaw extended to reach areas behind the back of the eye. Numerous teeth of medium to large size are strong and sharp, arranged on both jaws, on the palatine, the language and the ploughshare. There is a small dent between the eyes. Also between the eye and the front part of the cover there are two branchial larger patches. Inter-orbital distance is 20-25% of the length of the head. Scales are small and cycloids, count 115-122 along the lateral line. Lateral line is in middle position. Trout has blind pyloric stomach and well developed fins. Ventral fins with insertion at the origin of the dorsal fin or a little later. Caudal fin at the rear edge is almost straight or slightly concave.
Distinguished characters: Pre-dorsal length is equivalent to 47-50% of standard length. Pre-anal length is equal to 77-80% of standard length; head and body with small dark dots, especially in upper part; and dark red spots of different sizes, on whole side, circled by bright pale rim.
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9-10 Dorsal fin rays
7-8 Anal fin rays
8 Ventral fin rays
11-13 PeIvic fin rays
19 Caudal fin rays
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Background color of the plumage olive green or brown ocher on the back, sides increasingly clear to the belly whitish, with yellowish tinges, more or less marked. The head and body are covered with small dark spots, particularly numerous on the tops. On both sides of the body are observed many red spots of various shapes and sizes, surrounded by bright pale rim on entire side. The flanks of the body and dorsal fin are spotted with black spots, sometimes in the form of letter X. Except for black spots on the dorsal fin and around the middle of sides, are shrinking red dots; the other fins are grayish or yellowish tint. The fry and immature fish are disclosing characteristic spots parrs. In the larger specimens of populations lake stains fade until it disappears completely or nearly so, and takes on a silvery livery very marked.
Habitats
Dentex trout inhabits lakes and large rivers, characterized by shallow clear and cold water with temperature around 13� C whole year. They live in the middle part of the upper reaches of rivers of greater scope, where the water temperatures not exceeded 18� C and well oxygenated. They prefer rapid and turbulent parts of the river with current sustained moderate substrate mixture consisting of rock boulders and gravel, rich in ravines, scattered with deep holes, but they inhabit cold and stagnant waters. They are also present in lake environments, where they accepted a color similar to lake trout.
The fry are gregarious and immature. The larger size specimens are inactive and local nature, are established in a stretch of river or stream well defined, where they remain in the shelter of the roughness of the bottom, making the movement of short entities to attack their prey and to ward off potential competitors. Dentex trout lives in the river during juvenile period, and then started to enter nursery grounds. The sun migrations are made to reach areas of scrubs for the reproduction. During the winter they move in deeper areas of lakes and rivers, and then moved back in the main tributaries in the summer. The trout has habits similar to Marble trout, Salmo marmoratus.
The young species during their early stages of life are feeding on planktonic aquatic invertebrates. The medium-sized trout (20 - 24 cm) prey on juveniles, larger specimens (500 grams or more) catch larger 8-10 mm fish. The diet of adult specimens is almost exclusively fry and immature small fish, like small 6-7 cm bleak (Alburnus alburnus), immature endemic from 6 to 9 cm long Rutilus Basak, 3-4 cm Gasterosteus aculeatus, and 6-8 cm Rudd (S. scardafa).
Spawning
Spawning takes place between November and December in deep and fast water flow in the rocky canyon of the River. The mature species swim up rivers and main tributaries to reach areas of scrub, located in shallow sections with gravel substrate. The female digs a shallow pit in the substrate and lays eggs. After fertilization by the male, the female holds the brood nest with gravel. There is no parental care. The fry remain buried in the gravel to the resorption of the yolk sac, then emerge and begin to feed. During the incubation period, the eggs are prey of dragonfly larvae and other fish.
Fishing Methods.
The species has a considerable economic interest and especially for sport fishing, is threatened both with natural baits, and lures on spinning and fly on fly rods or tenkara rods. Its white meat and delicate, are considered very valuable. It is a popular dish and is often presented in the menus of local restaurants. Because of its rarity is not very present in the fish markets, it is sold locally and sold fresh.
Most usable methods are: Fly fishing using Fly Fishing rods, Bait Casting using
Casting rods, and my favorite
Pole Fishing with extra light, stiff, powerfull and strong Carbon Pole Rods.
They are best and easily caught fishing wet or dry flies. Very effective baits are worms and salmon eggs and flies.
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