Fishing Wales: Identifying Salmon - Fishing Visit Wales

Fishing Wales, Environment Agency Wales and Wales Tourist Board providing detailed information to all who want to go fishing in Wales, Game, sea, coarse, carp angling in Wales. Tides, Tidal information for Wales, Weather, river levels, flies, baits for fishing, where to fish, where to stay, where to eat. Holiday angling in Wales. Charter Boats, angling clubs, private fisheries. Rivers, the Sea, lakes, reservoirs, canals, Fishing Guiding and Tuition
Skip to Main Content
HOME | FISHING SEARCH | RIVER LEVELS | FAQ'S | LINKS | SIGN UP | ACCOMMODATION | NEWS | EVENTS | CONTACT

GAME
Wales is a game fishers paradise
SEA
Sea Fishing in Wales is the best in Britain
COARSE
Wales has super coarse angling opportunities



Main page navigation

Home | Events | News | Game | Sea | Coarse | FAQs | Links | Help | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Statement | Copyright Visit Wales 2008 | Accommodation | Fishery Fact File | Fishing Wales Tshirts


The difference between Salmon and Sea trout

ATLANTIC SALMON FACTS - RECOGNITION

What should fishermen look out for particularly in connection with any salmon they catch?

Biologists who work with salmon often mark the fish that pass through their hands in any of the ways depicted below. Capture of a marked salmon should be reported at once to the appropriate fishery authority. Frequently the address is on the tag or mark. Usually the information required is: date, place and method of capture; length, weight and sex of fish and a sample of scales taken from between the dorsal and anal fins at above the lateral line.

How do you tell the difference between salmon and sea trout?

Salmon Sea Trout
General appearance Slender and streamlined More round and thickset
Head Pointed More round
Position of Eye Maxilla (bony plate usually alongside mouth) does not extend beyond rear rear of eye Maxilla extends beyond eye
Colour Relatively few spots Often heavily spotted
Scale count
(number from adipose fin to lateral line)		 10-13 13-16
Fork of tail Usually forked Usually square or convex
Wrist of tail Slender Broader
Handling Easy to pick up by Tail Tail slips through hand
How to tell a salmon from a sea trout

How to tell a salmon from a sea trout
  1. TAIL FIN - When extended salmon have a concave tail. The sea trout's tail is convex or straight edged (when extended).
  2. WRIST OF TAIL - Salmon have a narrow wrist with distinct broadening on the tail side of the wrist. Sea trout have a relatively broad tail. This is particularly prominent in multi-sea winter salmon.
  3. MARKINGS - Salmon have relitively few dark spots below the lateral line. Sea trout have numerous dark spots.
  4. MOUTH - The jaw of a salmon extends no further than the rear edge of the eye. The upper jaw of a sea trout extends beyond the rear edge of the eye.

All links will open in a popup window.

  • Salmonid 21C
    Salmonid 21C is an initiative to develop agreement on how we manage and conserve wild salmon, trout and sea trout stocks in the UK and Ireland in the twenty first century
  • Ceredigion's 'Anglers Welcome'
    Ceredigion's 'Anglers Welcome' initiative provides anglers with a choice of quality accommodation - all inspected by the Wales Tourist Board and committed to welcoming anglers. Use Anglers Welcome accommodation bases whilst enjoying the whole range of angling offered within Ceredigion, including sea trout fishing on the Teifi, coarse fishing in stillwater fisheries, sea angling trips from Aberystwyth and beachcasting from the environs of beautiful Cardigan Bay beaches
  • Atlantic Salmon Trust
    The Atlantic Salmon Trust was set up in 1967, at a time when stocks were beginning to start their steady decline and many salmon fishers felt the need for directed practical research into the problems that were becoming apparent
  • Anglers' Conservation Association
    The official site of the Anglers' Conservation Association known by most British anglers simply as the A-C-A.
  • Ceredigion's 'Anglers Welcome'
    Ceredigion's 'Anglers Welcome' initiative provides anglers with a choice of quality accommodation.
  • Federation of Fly Fishers Europe
    FFF-Europe represents the voluntary European Flycasting Instructor Certification Program for FFF organizations in Europe which was founded in 1995 by a group of well known European flycasting experts.
  • Valley dam Fishery
    Information on a super fishery in Mid Wales
  • Dolgellau AA
    The Website of Dolgellau Angling Association, some of the Finest Sea Trout Fishing in the world is superbly managed by this forward looking Association.
  • Sea Trout Fishing
    Recently revamped and is an essential site if you have any interest in sea trout fishing. A super forum where all your questions about fishing for Sea Trout can be answered by experts.
  • The River Ogmore
    A comprehensive informative site on the River Ogmore, super content and info to the visiting angler.
  • Seiont,Gwyrfai and Llyfni Association
    A cracking little site of an angling club based in North Wales who manages a wealth of fishing for Salmon, Sea Trout, Trout and Char.
  • Aberystwyth Angling Association
    Website of an angling club which manages some super Sea trout fishing in Mid Wales and fantastic wild brown trout stillwater fisheries.
  • Angling Wales
    Website with information on fishing in North Wales looking at Sea Trout fishing in particular.
  • Environment Agency Wales – Rod License
    A quick and easy way to purchase your Rod licence online.
  • Teifi Trout Association
    Excellent web site about the river Teifi – the club manage over 25 miles of the best Sea trout and Salmon Water on the Teifi - look at their information on catch and release.
  • Sea Trout Fisher
    General information on sea trout fishing, useful before travelling.
  • Simple Flies for Simple Fishermen
    As the web site address suggests - useful. Tie rather than buy using patterns from this site.
  • Celtic Fly Craft
    Flies, fly-tying materials, equipment and tackle. Will advise you on what flies are needed to fish in Wales.
  • Coch y Bonddu Books
    Fishing and sporting, new and second hand books from Machynlleth
  • Gliffaes Hotel
    A lovely fishing hotel with water on the Usk
  • National Federation of Anglers
    The governing body for freshwater anglers in the UK
  • Tour of the Teifi
    A virtual trip from source to sea, following one of Wales’s most beautiful rivers.
  • Tour of the Tywi
    Source to sea following the Tywi.
  • Where to fish in Wales
    As the name suggests more ideas on where to catch fish.
  • The Wye and Usk Foundation
    A charitable trust set up to look after and manage two of Wales’ most majestic rivers.
  • Float Tubing Association
    Representing the interests of Float tube enthusiasts in the UK
  • River to River
    River to River provide a unique opportunity to fish specially selected stretches of private waters on some of the finest rivers that weave their way through the beautiful heartland of West Wales.
  • North Wales Fly Fishing School
    With 50 years total fishing, tuition, guiding, and tournament casting under our belts we hope to pass on the benefits derived from both our backgrounds and hard work and disciplines we have achieved over this period of time.
  • Dream Streams
    Learn to fish for Salmon, Sea trout, and Wild Brown trout in West Wales.
  • Fishing in Wales
    A super site containing loads of info on all types of fishing in Wales.
  • Cymdeithas Pysgota Tregaron Angling Association
    Fantastic Website of a mid / west Wales angling club offering fantastic wild fishing on the upper Teifi and in several beautiful lakes in the Cambrian Mountains.
  • The Severn Vyrnwy Project
    The past 12 months has seen the start of a revitalising and innovative new land management scheme called the Severn Vyrnwy Project. It is working with the rural community in a move towards sustainable land management.
  • Anglers Conservation Association
    As the name suggests, representing the conservation side of angling.
  • Flymail
    Mail order Fishing Flies.
  • Aberystwyth Directory
    List of Welsh Rivers and contacts
  • Derek Turner Fly Fishing Instructor
    Derek is based in North Wales and offers Fly fishing tuition.
  • The Fly Shack
    A shop and online store which cater for all the angler’s needs based in Llanelli in West Wales
  • Graiglwyd Springs
    A super small stillwater venue in Penmaenmawr north Wales. Regular catches of double figure Rainbow trout happen at the venue.

News Articles

Welsh Fly Fair
02/02/2012
RNLI Annual Fishing Open
02/02/2012
North Wales Fisheries Newsletter
02/02/2012
VIEW MORE HEADLINES
design & build S8080 Limited © Fishing Visit Wales 2012