How to Tell a Salmon.

Southland Times, Issue 16075, 28 June 1902, Page 1 (Supplement)

How to Tell a Salmon.

As the difference between a trout nd a salmon has frequently exerised the minds of atiglers in Southed we make the following extract com the annual report of the Nelson Lcclimatisation Society :— During the trout season of 1000-01 everal fish strongly resembling *salaon, in the smolt stage, were le»orted to have been captured in the laitai river, and Sir James Hector leclared to be such one forwarded to dm for inspection. No similar capiures were, however, reported c'.urng the past season. It may be interesting to state that a great salnon authority has declared that Lrout that visit salt water, frejuently gradually begin to develop the appearance and characteristics of the salmon. If such be the case, and is for reason of the short length of our New Zealand rivers a great number of our trout habituate the salt water, the trout will in the course of time develop still closer resemblance to the salmon. There is no doutt but that the. vast majority of our large trout live in the sea, and near the mouths of rivers, during 7 or 8 months of the year.say from July, when the spawning season is over, until March, when they ascend the rivers to spawn again. The clean, beautiful appearance, and the superiority of the flesh of the saltwater trout, is patent to everyone who has seen and eaten these fish. The following directions should help one to distinguish young salmon from trout :■— (1) Look where the red spots aie. Along the fish, running from the gillcover to the tail, is a line called the lateral line ; if any red spots are below the line it is more than probable that it is a young salmon. (2) Next look at the gill-cover. If there be only one, or, at most, three spots on the fisji it is probably a samlet. The gill-cover of a trout is covered with spots ; the samlet has but few. (3) Next look at the finger-marks or black dabs along the side of the fish ; they are now pronounced on the salmon, and if very well developed the fish is a samlet: (4) Look at the large black or dorsal fin., In the trout the spots are in rows between each fin ray ; in the salmon they arc 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 fin, while if spread out the shape is quite different. The salmon's goes to a point ; the trout's is rounded. 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. (6) The -gill-cover of the trout and of the salmon are differently formed. Place a piece of string 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.