Even now, when the fish stocks of the Baltic Sea and the rivers flowing into it have significantly decreased, in late spring on the streets of St. Petersburg, no, no - and you can smell fresh cucumbers. This means that massive smelt fishing has begun. And although now it almost never happens that the whole city with fishing rods and special nets is lined up along the embankments of the Neva, smelt remains one of the most popular fish in the Northern capital.
It just so happened that the word "smelt" immediately recalls St. Petersburg. By the way, there is even a monument to this small fish, only 15-20 cm in length - in Kronstadt, whose population survived during the blockade thanks to the legendary inhabitant of the Gulf of Finland. In St. Petersburg every year a smelt festival is held, and for cafes and restaurants it is considered a very prestigious business to participate in this holiday.
However, smelt is caught not only in St. Petersburg and not only in spring. It is found in many seas of the Northern Hemisphere, it is quite easy to catch it, and many inhabitants of coastal regions from Kaliningrad to Nakhodka and beyond have been engaged in this simple fishery. And in the Gulf of Finland it is excellently caught in winter.
Smelt is one of the most ancient fish. It has been preserved since the Ice Age, and lives in both salt water and fresh water. Freshwater lake smelt is called smelt, and this commercial fish lives in many regions of Russia. This fish has one great trait. She is extremely sensitive to various kinds of pollutants, lives exclusively in clean water. And this means that you can eat smelt without any fear.
Smelt feeds on smaller fish, as well as organisms that live at the bottom of seas and rivers. She also eats caviar excellently, which was laid by other fish. However, this fish itself often becomes food for larger predators. But it also multiplies quite quickly, laying eggs on sand and small pebbles, from where the current carries them away. It is during spawning that adult smelt is most often caught. The behavior of the fish itself contributes to the success of fishermen to a large extent - they live in flocks of smelts, and in case of alarm they huddle together and swim together.
If desired, smelt can be caught with a fishing rod. True, this fish is sensitive to danger and will easily notice a line that is too thick. Therefore, the line should be thin, and the lead is used small. This is how smelt is most often caught in winter. But in the summer, a special net is more convenient - a kind of a butterfly net with a long handle.
A variety of dishes are prepared from smelt. The easiest way to fry it, especially since you do not need to clean it. Just roll in flour and throw in a skillet without covering. But you can marinate it, and dry it, and cook it in batter. In general, this fish is for all tastes, and even the most capricious gourmet will find a suitable recipe for himself.
