Rudd

{
  "id": "2f94afe8-01bb-4bfe-ab75-494a74a62655",
  "commonName": "Rudd",
  "scientificName": "Scardinius erythrophthalmus",
  "slug": "rudd",
  "category": "freshwater",
  "aliases": [
    "Redfin",
    "Redeye",
    "Shoal",
    "Golden Rudd",
    "Pearl Rudd",
    "Rosette"
  ],
  "description": "The rudd is a beautiful and often underrated European freshwater cyprinid. Its body is deep and laterally compressed, giving it a distinctive 'high-backed' silhouette in the water. Reaching lengths up to 45 cm and weights over 2 kg, a good-sized rudd is a solid fish. Its most striking feature is its brilliant, burnished bronze or golden flanks, which flash copper and green in the light. The tell-tale field marks for an angler are its blood-red fins – particularly the pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins – and its eye, which has a prominent golden iris above a red lower half. Its mouth is distinctly upturned, a perfect adaptation for surface feeding. In hand, it can be confused with the roach, but the rudd's dorsal fin is set further back, aligning with the pelvic fins, and its lower lip protrudes slightly.",
  "imageUrl": "https://media.meridiaoutdoors.com/media/species/rudd/main.webp",
  "hero": {
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    "altText": "Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) watercolor",
    "caption": "The rudd is a beautiful and often underrated European freshwater cyprinid.",
    "width": 2400,
    "height": 1340
  },
  "phases": [
    {
      "id": "f8cc060e-baa3-4cec-aa87-581bd456be9d",
      "name": "Adult",
      "slug": "adult",
      "description": "The adult rudd is a classic sight in weedy lakes and slow rivers, where it forms loose shoals and feeds avidly on insects, plants, and surface prey. This is the fish anglers target throughout the warmer months, a beautiful and spirited fighter that often refuses to give up until it's in the net.",
      "appearance": "Body is deep and laterally compressed with a distinctive 'high-backed' silhouette. Flanks are a brilliant, burnished bronze or golden base, flashing metallic copper and olive-green in sunlight. The belly is a bright, silvery-white. All fins are a vivid blood-red, most intense on the pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins. The dorsal fin is set noticeably back, aligning with the pelvic fins. The eye has a large, golden iris above a crimson-red lower half. The mouth is distinctly upturned. Typical size range is 20-35 cm, with exceptional specimens reaching 45 cm. The lower lip protrudes slightly.",
      "triggers": null,
      "habitat": "Weedy, still or slow-moving freshwater: lakes, ponds, canals, and sluggish river margins. Prefers areas with abundant surface vegetation like lily pads.",
      "anglersNote": "This is the primary target phase for anglers. A beautiful, hard-fighting fish best targeted with float-fished baits, surface flies, or small lures around weed beds.",
      "displayOrder": 0,
      "imageUrl": null,
      "media": null
    },
    {
      "id": "83b339c4-8901-465d-ba4b-bfafe5aaa203",
      "name": "Spawning Phase",
      "slug": "spawning-phase",
      "description": "During the spring spawn, rudd gather in large, active shoals in very shallow, weedy margins. Males become more aggressive and conspicuous as they chase females, their colors intensifying dramatically in the process. This activity can make them vulnerable to sight-fishing tactics.",
      "appearance": "All colors become supercharged. The golden-bronze flanks take on a deeper, richer, almost coppery hue. The blood-red fins become an even more intense, vivid scarlet. Males, in particular, develop numerous small, rough tubercles (breeding pearls) on the head and sometimes the pectoral fins. The body shape remains deep and compressed.",
      "triggers": "Rising water temperatures in late spring trigger spawning readiness and hormonal changes.",
      "habitat": "Extremely shallow, sun-warmed margins with dense submerged or emergent vegetation, often in water less than 1 meter deep.",
      "anglersNote": "Fish are concentrated and visible but often preoccupied. Ethical anglers often practice catch-and-release during this vulnerable period to protect the fishery.",
      "displayOrder": 1,
      "imageUrl": null,
      "media": null
    }
  ],
  "contentUpdatedAt": "2026-05-09T22:31:12.817Z"
}

[]

[]

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  "title": null,
  "description": "Rudd, or Redfin, are European freshwater fish with golden flanks and blood-red fins. Learn how to identify and catch this spirited fighter.",
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