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How to catch Belica

Leucaspius delineatus (Heckel, 1843)

About Belica fishing

The belica is a tiny freshwater fish belonging to the minnow family Leuciscidae, typically measuring between four and six centimetres in length with a slender, tapered body and an upward-turned mouth. It features large, loosely attached silvery scales and an intense reflective band running along each side of the flank. Inhabiting shallow lowland waters such as oxbows, quiet drainage ditches, ponds, and densely vegetated marginal zones, this pelagic species stays close to the surface in large schools. It feeds primarily on phytoplankton, zooplankton, and small flying insects that land on the water. Spawning takes place among aquatic plants during the warmer spring and summer months, where adhesive eggs are deposited on vegetation. Due to its miniature size and restricted distribution, it is rarely targeted as a game fish but serves as an important prey component for larger predatory fish and waterbirds in wetland ecosystems.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    6 cm TL

  • Habitat

    Freshwater, Brackish

  • Season

    Spring, Summer, Autumn

  • Also known as

    Foy, Rain-bleak, Sunbleak, Verkhovka, White aspe

Belica

Superior mouth

Mouth turns upwards, diagnostic of this surface feeder.

Forked caudal shape

Caudal fin is deeply forked for fast open water swimming.

Silvery side band

Inconspicuous intense silvery lateral band runs along each flank.

Belica fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    6 cm TL (max 9 cm SL )

  • Typical weight

    0.2 kg (max 0 kg )

  • Depth

    1 m

  • Longevity

    2 years

  • Body shape

    Fusiform / Normal

  • Vulnerability score

    29.5

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Low

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Peak

  • Midday

    High sun

    Active

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Peak

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Low

  • Night

    After dark

    Low

When to fish for Belica

01
January
02
February
03
March
04
April
05
May
06
June
07
July
08
August
09
September
10 Now
October
11
November
12
December

How to catch Belica

Tips for catching Belica

Target this surface-oriented schooling fish by setting your rig very shallow in calm margins, sheltered oxbows, or slow-moving canals where vegetation thrives. Because they feed heavily on zooplankton and surface insects, ultra-light tackle equipped with fine hollow or stick floats paired with tiny hooks baited with small maggots or tiny bits of bread yields the best results. Approach the swim quietly and feed lightly with a fine cloud groundbait to keep the school close to the surface without overfeeding them.

Other names for Belica

Local and alternate names anglers use for Belica.

  • Belica
  • White aspe
  • Verkhovka
  • Sunbleak
  • Rain-bleak
  • Foy

Best equipment to catch Belica

Compare fishing methods for Belica — sized kit for each technique.

Note: Typical fish is 0.2 kg Our algorithm will suggest the best equipment for you based on this weight.

Best lures and baits for Belica

Ranked lures and natural baits from every method, best first.

How Belica migrates — Potamodromous

Migrates within rivers and lakes only. Fish upstream runs and seasonal lake movements, not saltwater.

How Belica migrates — Potamodromous 1. Eggs: Laid on gravel or weed upstream or in flooded shallows. 2. Larvae: Fry drift or swim down to slower water. 3. Adults: Feed in the main river or lake. 4. Spawners: Move upstream or into the shallows to spawn.
Upstream Main river or lake

1 Eggs

Upstream

Laid on gravel or weed upstream or in flooded shallows.

2 Larvae

→ Main river or lake

Fry drift or swim down to slower water.

3 Adults

Main river or lake

Feed in the main river or lake.

4 Spawners

→ Upstream

Move upstream or into the shallows to spawn.

The whole cycle stays in fresh water.

Hover or tap a number to read each stage.

Diet and behavior of Belica

  • Diet

    Carnivore

  • Feeds by

    Mixed feeder

  • Hunts

    Morning · Afternoon

  • Main prey

    Baitfish

Prey and predators of Belica

Prey is what Belica eats. Predators are the animals that eat it.

That is how it feeds, and how it is hunted.

Prey

What it eats

Baitfish

  • Capoeta capoeta eggs
  • Leucaspius delineatus eggs
  • Leucaspius delineatus larvae
  • midges larvae

Predators

What hunts it

Where Belica lives

Open-water fish in the main water column, away from the bottom.

Habitats
Freshwater, Brackish
Depth zone
Down to 1 m
Water column
Open water
Does not use the seabed

Where this species lives