Smolt, Parr or Trout?

 

 

 

 

Smolt

 

 

 

 

Parr

 

Trout

 

 

To avoid immature salmon being destroyed by those unable to distinguish between young salmon and young trout, the above pictures and the following information will provide positive identification so that there can be no doubt whatsoever what must be returned to the river unharmed. (If you are unable to remove the hook from the fish without damage, the line should be cut as near to the end of the snout as possible and the fish returned gently to the water to ensure that the fish has the maximum chance of survival.)

An immature salmon means a salmon which is of a length of less than 12 inches (30 cms.), measured from the tip of the snout to the fork or cleft of the tail.

Members of the TTA are encouraged to return all salmon parr and smolts, no matter what size. They get bigger.

Also, as a reminder, the size limit for trout is seven inches and for sea trout ten inches.

Salmon Parr

Body. More slightly built and torpedo shaped, very slender about the tail.
Tail. Distinctly forked and with more pointed wings.
Head. Forepart shorter, gill covers comparatively long.
Eyes. Comparatively larger and set more forward in the head. A perpendicular line drawn from the back of the eye will not touch the maxillary bone.
Mouth. Comparatively small, measured to the back of the maxillary bone nearly twice the diameter of the eye.
Pectoral or Breast Fin. Longer, more slender and pointed, when laid back will generally reach to the front of the dorsal (back) fin.
Adipose Fin. No red colour.
Finger Marks. 8 to 12, smoky blue in colour, even in width, well defined and regularly placed along the sides.
Spots. 1 to 4 black spots on the gill covers. No spots below the median line and not so many above. Usually one red spot between each finger mark and a few, if any, elsewhere.

Salmon Smolts

When the salmon begin to migrate to the sea, usually in March, April and May, they gradually become more silvery in colour and the spots and finger marks disappear, except the spots on the gill covers. They then become smolts.

Trout
Body. Thicker, clumsier looking, and especially so about the tail.
Tail. Comparatively shorter. The wings when spread out, are nearly square and the points are more rounded.
Head. Forepart longer and head deeper and less pointed.
Eyes. Smaller in proportion to size of head and set further back. A perpendicular line drawn from the back of the eye will pass through or touch the maxillary bone.
Mouth. Comparatively large, measured to the back of the maxillary bone, 2½ to 3 times the diameter of the eye.
Pectoral or Breast Fin. Shorter and blunter, whenlaid back will not reach so far.

Adipose Fin. Generally coloured with orange or red.
Finger Marks. Not so numerous, more irregular in size, less defined and irregularly placed along the sides and lower part of the back.
Spots. Usually more than 4 brownish black spots on the gill covers. Numerous spots above and below the median line. Red spots irregularly placed on various parts of the back and sides.