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This species has several names in Siberia. Some anglers know it as the sculpin or the stone loach. If you take fishing trips to the Putorana Plateau, you'll learn many more names for this small representative of Siberian waters.
Locals may call the sculpin "lakhaa" or "bydyar balyk," which, translated from Yakut, can mean "fish with a broad forehead." In the Turukhansk region, where this fish is abundant, it has a certain value.
Small specimens of this species make excellent bait for catching taimen, the master of Siberian rivers. They also make excellent bait when fishing for burbot in the Yenisei, Ob, and Irtysh rivers of Siberia.
What does a sculpin look like?
Large specimens don't grow very large. Live bait (such as broad carp and stone loach) ideal for trophy fishing weighs only about 25 grams and reaches a maximum length of 12-15 cm.
The captured predator trophies have the following characteristics:
Bullheads differ from their relatives living outside Siberian waters. They lack dark stripes across their bodies. Their ventral fins are larger, extending all the way to the anus.
This fish has numerous spines on its body. One of them is well-developed and curved inward, while the others cover its head, sides, and back.
· The fish's body color is gray with small dark specks.
· The broadhead has dark stripes on its fins.
Its large head has small eyes and a large mouth filled with needle-sharp teeth. Three more sharp spikes are located at its base.
In its parameters and appearance, the bullhead resembles the common ruff, but their differences are significant.
Where does the little predator live?
This species has a fairly large habitat. The Siberian sculpin inhabits a vast territory, from the Arctic Ocean to the major rivers and lakes of Siberia.
The only exception is Lake Baikal. For unknown reasons, the broad-browed bullhead does not inhabit it. This is most likely because the population is small and they simply cannot survive in Lake Baikal's conditions. There are already plenty of other fish there.
Interesting facts about sculpin fishing
It's well known that this small predator is used as bait for other bloodthirsty fish, but how and what to use to catch this interesting fish is a mystery. The fact is that sculpins are very shy, and landing one with a rod can be an unexpected surprise.
At the slightest rustle or splash, the broad-browed trout will try to hide in some secluded spot, somewhere under rocks. But it's still possible to catch it. To do so, you'll need to wait until nightfall, when the predator emerges from its lair and begins hunting.
A common earthworm can be used as bait. If you're specifically targeting this underwater creature, remember that you can only catch a sculpin at nightfall.
