Identify your catch - salmon or sewin?

It’s extremely important that you should be able to distinguish between a salmon and a sewin, particularly earlier on in the season when all salmon have to be returned.The following pictures give a definitive guide to identifying your catch.

1) Any angler catching a salmon before the 16th June in the West Wales Fisheries District region must return it with the minimum of injury.

2) Angling for salmon before 16th June can only be with artificial fly or artificial lure.

If you have any doubt whether the fish you have landed is a salmon or a sea trout, it must be returned. To help you to spot the difference, Robin Ade has kindly allowed the TTA to reproduce specimen drawings of salmon and sea trout and these checks can all be undertaken while the fish is being allowed to recover prior to release. We hope the following information will prove to be valuable to you sometime in the future.

Identifying characteristics of the salmon

Tail fin
When extended, salmon have a concave tail.

Wrist of tail
Salmon have a narrow wrist with distinct broadening on the tail side of the wrist.

  Markings
Salmon have relatively few spots below the lateral line.

Mouth
The jaw of a salmon extends no further than the rear edge of the eye.

 

Identifying characteristics of the sea trout

Tail fin
When extended, sea trout have a convex tail.

Wrist of tail
Sea trout have a relatively broad wrist.

Markings
Sea trout have numerous dark spots even below the lateral line. 

Mouth
The upper jaw of a sea trout extends beyond the rear edge of the eye.

 

 

Click here for a guide to the differences between smolts, parr and trout