TO DISTINGUISH YOUNG SALMON FROM TROUT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 268, 20 November 1901, Page 4

TO DISTINGUISH YOUNG SALMON FROM TROUT.

TO THE EDITOR OF " THE EVENING MAIL."

gi ri _Very few anglers are able to distinguish a young salmon from a trout, and as there are strong reasons to believe that we have salmon in our Nelson rivers the following guide should be of use : —

Look where the red spots are. Along the fish, running from the gillcover to the lail. is a line calltd the la.eial line ; if any red spots are below that line it is more than probable that it i» a young salmon. (2) Next look at the gill-cover. If there be only o^e, or, at most, three spots on the fish it ia probably a samlet. The gill-cover of a trout is covered with spots . the samlet haß but few. (3) Next look at the finger-marks or black dabs along the side of the fish j they are more pronounced on the salmon, and if very well developed the fish is a samlet. ( 1) Look at the largd black or dorsal fin. In the trout the spots are in rows between each fin ray ; in the salmon they are here and there only. (5) A more decisive test than all is that of the pectoral or breast fin. in the salmon it is far longer than in the trout, and reaches more than half-way down to the next, the ventral tin, while if spread out the shape is quite different. The salmon's goes to a point ; the trout's ie roundtd. The same remark applies to the next fin— the ventral. That of the samlet ends in a point ; that of the trout is rounded off. The tail of the salmon is also more forked than that of the trout. (7) The gill-cover of the trout and of the salmon are differently formed Place a piece of strong on the outside of the gill-cover, draw a straight line from the snout : if it passes over (not above) the eye it is a trout ; if below a samlet. This is a good test, I am, etc., J. R MA.CDONA.LD. Nelson, 19th Nov., 1901,