Issyk-Kul Chebak - Leuciscus schmidti
The genus Leuciscus — the chubs — includes quite a few species and is widespread across the entire Eurasian continent. One of the species of this genus is the Issyk-Kul chebak, which is quite large, surpassed only by the chub and the bream. It is a schooling lake fish, a subspecies of the chub, distinguished by its bright orange pectoral, abdominal, and anal fins.
It inhabits Lake Issyk-Kul, preferring coastal shallow waters up to 10-15 meters and stays closer to the bottom here, while in winter it goes to deeper waters and is caught less frequently.
This is an endemic Issyk-Kul species that inhabits the freshwater areas of the lake, i.e., the bays where large rivers flow in.
It is abundant in the Tyup, Jergalan, and Pokrov bays. Life in different conditions has led to changes in the appearance of individuals living in the open part of the lake and in the backwaters of the aforementioned bays. The backwater chebak is characterized by a brighter coloration and a smaller weight compared to the lake variety.
It mainly feeds on mollusks and algae. An adult chebak reaches a length of 32–35 centimeters and weighs up to 650 grams. It spawns in April-May. During the breeding season, males don a "costume" in the form of a "pearl sprinkle" — small white tubercles that disappear after spawning.
ISSYK-KUL CHEBAK
It received its diminutive name because, while resembling the chebak, it is significantly smaller in size (just over 17 cm, weighing up to 40 g). It can be found both in the lake and in the rivers that flow into it. It is caught like the chebak, although, of course, the tackle and bait must be smaller.
The chebak inhabiting Issyk-Kul is very attractive as a target for amateur fishing, as it bites from May to October. However, during the breeding period, it is advisable not to fish for the chebak.
Fish