Plate X
Nase
Chondrostoma nasus
The nase is a sociable shoaling fish of the fast-flowing, oxygen-rich stretches over stony, gravelly bottoms. With its sharp-edged horny lip it grazes the film of algae off stones and thereby plays an important role in the river ecosystem. In the Franconian Saale it lives close to the bottom in the current channels of the barbel and grayling zone, often alongside barbel, grayling and chub.
How to identify it
The give-aways are the protruding, nose-like snout and the strongly inferior mouth with its transverse, sharp-edged horny lower lip. When gutted, the deep-black peritoneum also stands out at once – an almost unmistakable feature.
Look-alikes
The barbel has four barbels and soft, fleshy lips, whereas the nase has no barbels and a hard transverse lip; the chub has a large, terminal mouth instead of the inferior one. When in doubt, the black peritoneum, which both of them lack, settles it.
Local note: Population under threat; locally the nase is protected more strictly than required by law – the permit is binding.
Tip
As a bony, rather bland fish that is severely endangered in Bavaria, the nase is above all a catch of angling and ecological value that is best released gently; if targeted, small bunches of maggots are considered the top bait, while sweetish flavours tend to put it off.
This profile is provided without guarantee; biological details and especially closed season / minimum size must be checked against the current AVBayFiG and your permit before relying on them. Rules & closed seasons.