On Saturday, 4th November, CZU Forests (Lesy ČZU) is organizing a traditional fish harvest at Vyžlovka pond (Vyžlovský rybník). Visitors can expect an exciting spectacle and the possibility of buying fresh fish and entertainment for the whole family.
The program for the public and the sale of fish will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., while the fish harvest itself will start at dawn. So, it is worth getting up for those who do not want to miss an exciting spectacle. In addition to watching skilled fishermen, visitors can enjoy a varied program designed for all age categories - forest pedagogy, game cooking demonstrations, a band, commented fish harvest, and traditional fisherman accolades. On the pond's beach, there will be a number of stalls selling fish, university game or university wine, and good refreshments from the castle kitchen.
Preparations for a fish harvest of a pond, such as the Vyžlovka one, take place well in advance, especially regarding logistics and the program for the public. The fishermen themselves have to provide enough hunters, functional aids, tools, and machines, and that is why they start preparing for the harvest as early as September. There are approximately 60 people around the harvest, including students from our university's Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences and external helpers. It takes at least two weeks to "set up the pond," i.e., prepare it for the harvest and drain the water.
The stock of the pond is varied - the main fish is carp (about two-thirds of the stock), which is renowned for its quality and has delicious and fragrant meat due to the sandy bottom of the pond. It will also be possible to buy grass carp, walleye, white fish (bream, roach) or tench at the stalls in the pond itself and, last but not least, predatory fish, i.e., pike, zander, perch or catfish, even eel may also appear in the stock. Smaller fish will remain in the fishing grounds, the pond will be filled, and they will not be harvested until next year.
We expect the total catch from Vyžlovka pond to be around 200 quintals of fish. From this amount, approximately 80 quintals will be sold during the fish harvest. The remaining fish will go to the fish boxes, and customers can buy them during the Christmas fish sale at the Forest Administration of the CZU Forests in Jevany. From 4th December, we will offer Christmas trees, and from 19th December, a Christmas fish sale will also occur at the castle in Kostelec nad Černými lesy and the CZU campus in Prague. Detailed information can be found on the website and Facebook page of CZU Forests.
https://www.facebook.com/lesyczu
