Fauna, fish resources of the Saratov region

Fishing in the Saratov region

, always pleasantly pleases with its variety and features of reservoirs where you can use or test any equipment and always achieve the desired result.
The water resources of the Saratov region are represented mainly by numerous rivers, including the Volga, as well as mineral springs and mineral water deposits. The lakes of the Saratov region are represented by the huge artificial Volgograd reservoir and many special ponds where they breed fish, so fishing in the Saratov region
is extremely attractive for fishing enthusiasts.

Reservoirs of Saratov and the Saratov region

More than 180 small rivers flow through the territory of the Saratov region with a total length of more than 10 thousand kilometers, belonging to the Don basin in the west, the Kamysh-Samar lakes in the eastern part and the Volga basin in the central regions. The main river is the Volga, 420 kilometers of which passes through the Saratov region and divides it into (western) right and (eastern) left banks. In the southern part of the Volga flow it forms the Volgograd Reservoir, in the northern part - the Saratov Reservoir. The largest rivers on the left bank are the Bolshoy Irgiz and Maly Irgiz, Bolshoi Karaman, and Eruslan. The river network of the right bank is denser; the most important rivers include Khoper, Medveditsa, Tereshka, Alai, Chardym, Kurdyum. Most of the lakes in the region are located in the floodplains of rivers, mainly on the right bank. In the steppes of the Trans-Volga region, many ponds were built for agricultural needs, supported by spring melt water.

Reservoirs of the Saratov region in numbers

• There are 358 rivers in total in the Saratov region.
• 25 rivers - medium and large.
• 333 rivers - small and very small.
• 13117 kilometers is the total length of all rivers.
• 3,535 ponds and reservoirs are located in the region.

Map of the river network of the Saratov region

Availability of reservoirs

In the Saratov region there are up to 2 hundred rivers, including the largest of them - the Volga River. It is not difficult to imagine that fishing in this region can be exciting and rewarding, since only the Volga is home to a huge variety of fish species. The same can be said about the rivers flowing into the Volga.

In all other bodies of water there are many representatives of both peaceful and predatory fish. Here fishing is allowed with any type of gear, both from the shore and from a boat.

In addition, in the Saratov region fishing continues all year round, both in summer and winter, both in spring and autumn. The fisherman can only acquire the necessary gear and bait, depending on the time of year. Don’t forget that it doesn’t hurt to find a promising place for fishing.

Video map of catching places in Russia. Season 1. Surroundings of Saratov

Types of fish in reservoirs

In the ponds and lakes of the Saratov region, fish such as carp, carp, grass carp, silver carp, etc. are artificially bred. In natural reservoirs there are: crucian carp, pike, catfish, pike perch, bream, tench, perch, sabrefish, ruffe, roach, burbot, chub. For spawning, stellate sturgeon, sterlet, salmon, as well as beluga and sturgeon go from the Caspian Sea to the Volga.

The ide, which is often caught on a spinning rod using small spoons, has rightfully received the status of a cult fish in the reservoirs of the region. Fishermen come across chub and asp along with ide. Local amateurs consider patience to be the main secret of successful ide fishing, without which no fishing can be done. In the Volgograd Reservoir itself, bream is caught all year round, there is a lot of pike, and pike perch can be of unprecedented sizes.

Many lakes in the region are equipped with tourist bases where fishermen can stay and relax in comfort while doing their favorite pastime. In stocked ponds you can catch pike, carp, crucian carp and even catfish of decent size, so fishing in the Saratov region brings fans a lot of joy from a successful catch.

Free ponds and lakes in the region

Of the variety of ponds and lakes in the Saratov region, it is quite difficult to single out the most interesting ones.

Each body of water is notable for its own peculiarity, valuable to fishermen.

Nevertheless, the most popular lakes in the region are:

1. Lake Obermoungi is a shallow (up to 3 meters) floodplain reservoir known for the fact that it is home to a lot of crucian carp and largemouth buffalo (an artificial type of crucian carp), which is popular in sport fishing. Individuals of both species weighing up to 2-3 kg are not uncommon. A type of fish such as rotan is often caught in the reservoir. A favorite place for anglers who prefer to fish with float gear.
2. Lake Bannoe is famous for its calm weather due to its location to the prevailing winds and the surrounding forest. In the former Gulf of the Volga, which has turned into an independent separate reservoir, there are a lot of pike, roach, tench, perch, and silver bream are often found.
3. Golden Bottom Lake , which is an oxbow (old part of the channel) of the Big Pocket River, is known for winter fishing for pike and perch. Most often, predators are caught using jigs, jigs and spinners. Also found are crucian carp, tench, silver bream, and bream.

Best fishing spots

Dog Hole and Green Stop

• Places on the islands on the Volga near the village of Chardym and on the Kuyukovka River. It flows south of the village of Krasny Yar to Chardym. A branch from the main Volga.
• What is found: catfish, bleak, pike, perch, bream, roach, pike perch.
• How to get there: by Omik to Chardym.

Tereshka

• A channel inside the Volga that flows from Usovka to Chardym. Fishing with spinning rod and float rod is possible. If you go out on a boat closer to the fairway, you can catch trophy specimens. These are found closer to Chardym.
• What is found: catfish, bleak, pike, perch, bream, roach, pike perch.
• How to get there: by bus Saratov - Usovka from the bus station.

Berezovka

• A branch from the main Volga. Most fishing takes place in the area of ​​the village of Podstepnoye. The holes at the bottom of the Berezovka River are home to particularly large perch.
• In addition: catfish, bleak, pike, perch, bream, roach, pike perch.
• How to get there: from the bus station by bus Saratov - Russian Kameshkir or by minibus No. 280 from Engels, from the fair in the center.

Krasnoyarsk floodplain

• The floodplain part of the Volga near the villages of Podstepnoe and Krasny Yar. There are many channels and bays. It is possible to catch a “trophy” pike.
• What is found: catfish, bleak, pike, perch, bream, roach, pike perch.
• How to get there: by Omik to Shumeika.

Yastrebovka village area

• Left bank of the Volga. You can fish with both spinning rod and fishing rod. It is located 120 km from Saratov, 15 km from Marx.
• How to get there: from Saratov by Balakovo bus to the village of Podlesnoye.

Black waters

• In the area of ​​the villages of Krasnaya Polyana and Bobrovka. There is a muddy bottom, so the water appears black. Both types of fishing are possible. There are many channels of the Volga in this place, where it is good to fish with a fishing rod. It is located 70 km from Saratov on the Engels side.
• How to get there: by Marksov bus from the bus station from Saratov.

Sazanka

• Near Engels, before reaching the meat processing plant, near the village of Kvasnikovka. The floodplain part of the Volga, lakes, bays - therefore both types of fishing are possible. The main cool place is the Sazanka River.
• How to get there: by minibus number 14 from Engels.

Usovka

It is located north of the center of Saratov, 70 km. In this place of the Volga there are great depths and a fast current. It is best to fish there with a spinning rod and use vertical lures. These days it will be good to catch chub using steamed pearl barley.

• How to get there: by bus Saratov - Usovka from the bus station.

Variety of reservoirs

There are about 200 rivers in this region, the largest of which is the Volga. Its length across the territory of the Saratov region is 420 km. Major waterways include:

• Small and Big Irgiz.
• Big Karaman.
• Eruslan.

All of the above rivers are tributaries of the Volga. In terms of fishing, smaller waterways are especially popular:

• Hopper.
• Alai.
• Ilovlya.
• Chardym.
• Ursa.
• Kurdyum.

Also in the region there are large reservoirs - Saratov and Volgograd. These reservoirs are especially popular among fishermen, as many varieties of fish are found here: roach, carp, carp, bream.

Volgograd Reservoir

This freshwater body of water is one of the largest in the region . Its area is more than 3100 km2. The length is 540 km, and the maximum width is 17 km.

The reservoir is home to several dozen species of fish, so many fishermen come here in the hope of getting a good catch. The average depth of the reservoir is just over 10 m, the maximum is 41 m.

The waters of the reservoir are rich in perch, catfish, pike, pike perch, and burbot. Roach is the dominant species in these areas. Carp, bream, and carp are also caught in the reservoir.

Fishing can be done both from the coastline and from a special watercraft. The most common fish is roach. As a rule, it is caught from the shore. However, by the end of spring, when spawning begins, the bite decreases sharply. It resumes only in the second or third ten days of June.

Roach is caught using a float rod directly from the shore. Once spawning begins, it can only be caught at depth using bait. Most often, roach is found in places with a sandy, steep bottom, where there is no bottom grass. Bream often bite on roach bait (barley, dough, semolina). But most often fishermen use bloodworms to catch it.

Saratov Reservoir

The age of the Saratov reservoir is relatively small. It was formed about 50 years ago. The reservoir is quite large, its width reaches 15 km, and its length is 340 km. On its territory there are islands of large and small sizes. The reservoir contains almost the same species of fish as in the Volgograd Reservoir. Here you can also catch asp and bersh with a fishing rod.

The shore of the reservoir is practically not suitable for fishing; the best option is to use a boat. Large specimens of pike perch are found in this region. There were cases when fishermen caught individuals weighing over 12 kg.

Here you can also add to your trophy collection by catching an impressive size pike. According to fishermen, these waters are home to very large crucian carp, the average weight of which reaches one and a half kilograms.

Ilovlya River

The area near the Ilovlya River is very picturesque. Here you can not only relax, but also have great fishing. This water artery is a tributary of the Don. Its duration is relatively short - 358 km.

The river crosses two regions - Volgograd and Saratov. Local fishermen are very fond of this reservoir, as it is rich in fish stocks. Among the predators, pike and perch live here. The most common fish species are roach, crucian carp, ide, and bream.

It is best to fish from a boat, as the coastline is covered with snags and lush vegetation. However, some fishermen have adapted to fishing in such conditions. The advantages of using a boat are obvious :

• you can choose any of the places you like,
• the rafting passage is carried out quietly, this will avoid spooking the fish,
• the quality of fishing is much higher, since you can fish any place you like near shores overgrown with grass and bushes,
• Larger fish are found at depth.

Features of fishing in the Saratov region

The largest body of water in the Saratov region

The Saratov Reservoir is considered. There are several settlements on its banks. In the middle of the reservoir there is an extensive network of islands, which divides it into several branches, forming bays and channels.

Of greatest interest to anglers

represents part of the reservoir located near the village of Panshino. The banks of the reservoir here are high and hilly, and the height of the cliff near the water is about three meters. The bottom in this place is muddy, marshy, interspersed with shells and sharp edges. Sometimes on the shore of the reservoir near the village there are 30 - 40 cars, in which fishermen from Saratov, the region and nearby regions arrived here.

In Panshino the place is so successful from the point of view of fishing that probably not a single angler has ever left here without fish. You can count on a rich catch at any time of the year and in any weather. The main difficulty is getting here, especially in rainy weather. The weather here changes quite often and very sharply. In summer, bream becomes the main prey for fishermen.

Volgograd Reservoir

Due to its impressive size, this artificially created body of water is sometimes called the sea. Fishing in the Saratov region for many is primarily fishing on the Volga and the reservoirs located on it. The species diversity of fish living here is quite large, but the most common fish caught from the shore are roach, bream, carp and perch. To successfully catch the same pike or pike perch, it is highly desirable to have a swimming device, since these fish, especially large specimens, often stand in holes at a considerable distance from the shore, and it is not possible to throw bait there from the coastline.

There are also catfish, asp, burbot, as well as sturgeon, exotic for other bodies of water, which, however, are still protected by law and are included in the Red Book. Depths of up to 45 meters make the reservoir quite suitable for spearfishing. Despite the proximity to a big city, fishing pressure in many places of the reservoir is not very pronounced.

Such trophies are sometimes caught in the waters of reservoirs, but it should be borne in mind that not every tackle is capable of withstanding a fight with such a specimen.

see also

Spring spawning ban in 2021 on reservoirs of the Saratov region

It is worth noting that spawning bans are divided according to the type of reservoirs and their significance for the biological ecosystem of the region. So there are restrictions on fishing in the Saratov region:

• From November 15 to March 31 - in wintering pits;
• In spawning and fish passage (bypass) canals of waterworks;
• Within the protected exclusion zones of hydraulic structures and bridges established in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation;
• On canals of spawning and rearing farms, with the exception of canals or parts thereof provided for the organization of recreational and sport fishing.

Wintering pits in the Saratov region

From November 15 to March 31

From November 15 to March 31 - in wintering pits, according to Order of the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia dated 06/09/2015 N 234, as well as amendments to the Order of the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia dated 01/09/2020 No. 1 “On approval of fishing rules for the Azov-Black Sea fishery basin” in water In objects of the Saratov region of fishery importance, the extraction of biological resources is prohibited.

List of wintering pits in the Saratov region:

From April 1 to May 31 - at a distance of less than 500 m from road (related to federal highways) and railway bridges located on all non-navigable rivers of the Azov-Black Sea fishery basin.

From April 15 to June 15 , fishing for fish is prohibited. (clause 47.11)

From November 15 to March 31 - spearfishing everywhere on inland water bodies. (clause 47.14)

From March 20 to April 25 - pike in water bodies of fishery importance in the Saratov region. (clause 47.21). At this time she spawns.

From April 15 to June 8 - pike perch in water bodies of fishery importance in the Saratov region.

Water bodies of fishery importance in the Saratov region where the use of small and recreational vessels :