Origin
Mackerel is a pelagic fish that lives in shoals in the sea near the shores. The distribution area of the scrubs are the coastal waters of North America, the North Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.
The Danube scrubber belongs to the superclass of bone fish Osteichthyes, class Actinopterygii, superorder Claupeomorpha, family Cleupeidae, genus alosa.
It is widespread and common, along the Romanian seaside in spring and autumn. Spring fishing on the river with fixed and drifting gillnets.
Scrumbia Food
Mackerel feed on plankton and the brood of other fish such as herring.
It also feeds on gobies, staveids, anchovies, aterne, uve and marine crustaceans, misids, gamarids, shrimps.
Features Scrub
The Danube mackerel has a length of about 30-50 cm and at the age of 7-8 years has 1 kg. The Danube mackerel has a snout length greater than the diameter of the eye. The adipose eyelid is very well developed at ringing scrubs. Its mouth has teeth developed on its jaws, tongue and vomer. Dorsally it is blue-green, with silvery flanks with vivid gloss; and a weakly marked postopercular spot.
Fishing for Danube scrubs
Towards the end of March, a large part of the shoals are preparing to migrate on the Danube, gathering at the mouths of the sea, determined to dribble the nets and gillnets stretched by the eternal poachers along the river.
The migration of mackerel creates in the cities where the Danube passes real holidays, where Of course the grilled mackerel, wine and cold beer have the main role.
The scrumbies continue their eternal journey upstream and stop in the Iron Gates 2 area, where the Colossus of concrete and iron that cuts the Danube in two obturates their millennial migration.
Too few manage to sneak alongside the ships into the locks and thus overcome the dam and reach further upstream. Prior to the construction of the hydropower plants, the scrumbia reached the cataracts from the boilers, where they completed their mission.
I've noticed that most sport fishermen, when fishing for mackerel, use taparin. This mount consists of a main wire, with a length between 1.5 and 2 meters, of monofilament with diameter 0.25 or 0.3 and several hooks connected to it, with short wire 5-8 cm at distances of 15 cm.
Usually more than 5 hooks are used, up to 15. At both ends of the main thread can be tied clips or spikes, for fixing the lead and for attaching it to the line. The hooks used are those with eyelets, no. 4-5, which is matiseaza each a white feather of duck or one colored coconut.
The lead used will be cylindrical or drop shaped, with variable weight depending on the power of the rod, between 50 and 80 gr. The thickness of the yarn is purely indicative, you can use thicker or thinner yarn.
Taperina fishing is also the most handy in catching mackerel, being a technique that does not require great qualities of fisherman. Long launches, followed by a moment of waiting until the line "sits down", then slow recovery with short pumps.
The rod must be of medium/high class both in power and length. A load bearing of 50-100 g and a length of 3.00-3.50 m are ideal. The use of textile thread in scrubs is not indicated.
The choice of color of feathers on taparin is made depending on local factors, water transparency has a very important role. You can also fish for small twisters (3cm) and even small oscillators and rotators. I have also noticed that large specimens prefer rotator over taparin.
A real advantage is fishing from the boat because the presentation of the nalucii or taparin is done perfectly, without much effort. Another plus in the use of the boat is the fact that taparine losses are reduced, which is important in the conduct of the fishing game.
Reproduction Scrumbia
At the age of 3-4 years (sometimes 2 years) scrubs reach sexual maturity.
Maximum reproduction occurs during May and early June and can extend, depending on temperature, sometimes until July.
The eggs of the scrubs as well as the larvae are pelagic.
The young mackerel are brought by the current of the river to the mouths, where they form compact clumps and remain here to grow and gain weight, all summer and early autumn.
Adults return to the sea in small cards, razlets, or in isolated specimens.
