Norwegian record Three-spined stickleback: 11 g

About Three-spined stickleback

The three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is a small fish instantly recognised by the three separate spines in front of its dorsal fin. Sea-living fish reach about 11 cm, while freshwater fish tend to stay smaller. It copes with salt, brackish and fresh water: some populations spend their whole lives in lakes, while others migrate from the sea into rivers and streams to breed. It is common in Norwegian fresh waters, especially near the coast, and occurs across much of the Northern Hemisphere. In spring and summer the male develops a red throat and belly, builds a nest from plant material on the bottom, courts females and guards the eggs and fry. It feeds on small crustaceans, insect larvae and other tiny prey. Because lake populations evolved so quickly after the Ice Age, it is a favourite subject in evolutionary research. Anglers mostly know it as food for trout and perch. Norwegian Red List 2021: Least Concern (LC).

Sources: Artsdatabanken, Store norske leksikon, Wikipedia

• Habitat: Ferskvann
• Best month: Juli

See the species guide

Biggest Three-spined stickleback in FishComp

1 g (9 % of the record) by Dag Rune Kvittem. See the catch

How to register a Norwegian record

1. Norwegian sport-fishing records are registered with Villmarksliv, not with FishComp. Read the rules before you do anything else with the fish.
2. Records are based on weight and approved by a jury. You give the weight and length, where it was caught, the gear you used and any witnesses.
3. Keep your photos and notes from the catch. Logging it in FishComp does not register a record.