Identifying the Atlantic Salmon
Atlantic salmon in the ocean tend to be silvery with white undersides. However, freshwater Atlantic salmon tend to be much darker and lack the silvery color. Upon sexual maturity and as spawning time nears, the fish become bronze and/or dark brown, and they may have some reddish spots on the head and body. It can be difficult to distinguish the spawning Atlantic salmon from the brown trout. The spawning males develop an elongated head and a large, hooked lower jaw. After spawning, males and females both take on even darker colors.
Look for:
-Few (2 or 3) large spots on gill cover
-No red/orange on adipose fin (brown trouts do have this red/orange)
-No radiating rows of black spots on tail fin, which is usually entirely
without spots
-Reddish brown spots on sides of body except in large lake-run individuals
-More than 19 whitish gill rakers on inside of first gill arch (the red
gill filaments are on the outside of the arch)
-Fewer than 120 scales in lateral line (brown trouts have more)
-Spots on head and body dark and light background
-Pelvic and anal fins usually without white leading (front) edges
-Nine rays in anal fin
Complete atlantic salmon profile | Main trouts and salmons page
Sources: "Fishes of Isle Royale," by K.F. Lagler
and C. R. Goldman, Isle Royale Natural History Association, 1982.
Fishes of Wisconsin, by George C. Becker, University of Wisconsin Press,
1983.
Freshwater Fishes of Canada, by W.B. Scott and E.J. Crossman, Fisheries
Research Board of Canada, 1973.
copyright 2001 University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute
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