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Marble Trout fish identification, its habitats, characteristics, fishing methods.
Marble trout is a species of freshwater fish in the Salmonidae family, the largest of the Adriatic Basin salmonids. It is characterized by distinctive marbled color pattern and high growth capacity. The marble trout is found in rivers of the Adriatic basin, particularly in the Po and Adige rivers in Italy and Soca and Idrijca rivers in Slovenia, Tevere drainage in Italy, rivers Krka and Neretva in the Croatia, and has traditionally been identified also in further drainages of western Balkans in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and possibly Albania. Marble trout of the rivers Neretva (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Zeta (Montenegro) were found to be closely related to Salmo dentex.
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Marble trout, Salmo marmoratus, freshwater fish family Salmonidae, also known as Neretva glavatica ("glava" - head) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is native to the North Adriatic river systems, particularly northern tributaries of the river Po in Italy and the river Soca and Rizana in Slovenia and Italy. Inhabits streams Adriatic basin, in northern Italy, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovoa, Macedonia and Albania.
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Description
The Marble trout has an elongated, cylindrical body, slightly compressed laterally, with a large head (22-25% of the body length) which is why it is also known as "Glavatica" ("glava" - head) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The eyes are relatively small, eye diameter 1.7-2.2 times in interorbital distance, 3.1-4.3 times in postorbital length. A big mouth is reaching to the rear edge of the eye. The lateral line is between 124 and 140 shells.
The body is silvery to olive-green mottled with dark, irregular, curving stripes and spots which form a marble-pattern which is the most obvious characteristic of marble trout. Young individuals already have a marbled pattern and many dark spots, so youthful transverse spots on the flanks hardly visible. There are no parr marks in individuals larger than 6 cm. The intensity of color varies considerably upon the surroundings. Some individuals have red spots that merge with the rest of the pigment, always only along the lateral line and confined to lateral line, could be absent in some individuals and populations. Some brownish blotches or lines could be on opercle.
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9-10 Dorsal fin rays
10 Anal fin rays
Maximum length: 120cm (30-70 cm)
Maximum weight: 50lb (30kg)
Maximum age: 10 years
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There is some Brown trout, Salmo trutta, from the river Otra, Norway having Marble pattern similar to Marble trout Salmo marmoratus. And some Marble trout are also having the red spots, one of the characteristic of Brown trout. Some Marble trout from the Neretva river of Bosnia-Herzegovina and from Zeta river in Montenegro are not closely related to Salmo marmoratus of Northern Adriatic, it is closely related to Dentex trout, Salmo dentex, also known as Zubatak. Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) also has a marble-like pattern, but only on the back while its belly orange. Brown trout (Salmo trutta) on the body has black and red spots. Lower edges of the pectoral, abdominal and caudal fins are white.
Habitats
Marble trout are reophylic species, inhabits rapid and turbulent parts of cold streams and rivers especially the taller and wider spaces and piedmont landscapes with a summer temperature usually not rising above 15� C. Very rarely enters into shallower and smaller waterways. They occurs over sandy and gravelly bottoms of running or standing clean and cold waters in the upper courses of Alpine rivers and glacial lakes.
Marble trout is piscivorous, feed mainly on a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial benthic invertebrates, on smaller fish when adult.
Spawning
Marble trout female become sexually mature in the 4th year of life, and male at the age 3+. They spawn from November to January in gravel of rivers and streams with swift water (0.4-0.5 m/s) at moderate depth (0.6-0.8 m). Male comes to the spawning area about a week before the females. The incubation period lasts about 45 days, and the larva begins to feed 2-3 weeks after hatching.
Fishing Methods.
It is usually caught with big streamers fished deep or with plugs and other lures. Given the status of their population, marble and dentex trout are species of great concern. They are threatened due to hybridization with Salmo trutta and Salmo cenerinus introduced in the area, pollution, and overfishing. Only a few pure populations remain and stocking of pure strains has improved the situation.
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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