Big-scaled Redfin

Fascinating facts about the Big-scaled Redfin

• In 1877 Albert Günther first described the big-scaled redfin, naming it Leuciscus hakonensis, and six years later Henri Émile Sauvage re-assigned it to the genus Tribolodon as Tribolodon punctatum.
• The species stretches across most of the Sea of Japan, making it the most widely distributed member of its genus Pseudaspius.
• A single big-scaled redfin can weigh up to 2.3 kg (5 lb) and reach 50 cm (20 in), but anglers most often reel in fish around 30 cm (1 ft) and 450 g (1 lb). When a fish tops 40 cm (16 in) and 900 g (2 lb) it’s called a prize catch, illustrating how size expectations shape sport fishing culture.
• The fish serves as a second intermediate host for the trematode Centrocestus armatus and carries the gill-dwelling copepod Ergasilus fidiformis.
• Despite being a popular sport fish prized for its fight and flavor, the big-scaled redfin’s modest size, most catches under a kilogram.

At a glance

About the Big-scaled Redfin

The big-scaled redfin (Pseudaspius hakonensis) is a medium-sized ray-finned fish in the family Leuciscidae that reaches up to 50 cm (20 in) and 2.3 kg (5 lb), though anglers most often encounter individuals around 30 cm (1 ft) and 450 g (1 lb). It serves as a second intermediate host for the trematode Centrocestus armatus and carries the copepod Ergasilus fidiformis on its gills. Anglers prize the big-scaled redfin for its fight and culinary value, using float, lure, and legering techniques, as well as fly fishing with patterns that imitate small fry or invertebrates. Catches exceeding 40 cm (16 in) and 900 g (2 lb) are considered prize specimens, and the species is widely distributed across the Sea of Japan.

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