Species Identification

[its_porkchop]

When trying to identify this fish, understand that its tail is obviously beat-up.

Department of IF&W.

The most obvious difference between salmon and brown trout may be found in the head and tail areas. Knowing them may help the angler release a fish more quickly when certain creel and size restrictions apply. On salmon, the vomerine teeth are small and arranged in single row on shaft, few to none on vomerine head. On the Brown Trout, the vomerine teeth are well-developed on both vomerine head and shaft, arranged in a zig-zag row on shaft. On salmon, the caudal fin may be slightly forked and on the brown trout, the caudal fin is square and unforked.

Usually coloration is light brown or tawny with pronounced black spots on the back, sides, and head. Spots are often surrounded with a redish halo, along redish spots on the sides. Color is highly variable, and browns are occasionally confused with landlocked salmon.

Myself and my fishing buddy believe this to be a brown trout notice the red spots and yellow coloration. But it seems that many folks think it could be either a salmon or brown. This is from Lake St. George.



If you do believe this to be a salmon, please post a reply with photo of a male salmon with similar coloration.

Thanks 

[Joser06]

These are two salmon caught on the same day from Lake St George. the bottom is a female and the top is a male


Also notice the fin clip. They fin clip the salmon that go into this lake

[_FLAG_]

Oh here we go again!!!
No offense.... We go thru this every year on here, and I doubt you will ever have the correct answer
Call it what you want

[its_porkchop]

Oh here we go again!!!
No offense.... We go thru this every year on here, and I doubt you will ever have the correct answer
Call it what you want

This is true, I wish I didn't throw away the head after gutting and I could just check its teeth.

[_FLAG_]

This is true, I wish I didn't throw away the head after gutting and I could just check its teeth.

That would have been the easiest way to tell.
If you search the Maine board from last year we had a debate that lasted 3 months on here over a pic pretty similar to yours

[Fishalot]

 Lake St.George doesn't have brown trout in it.

[TommyT]

Here is a salmon from a lake in eastern maine that contains no brown trout. It was very brown in color and had some red-ish spots. Much different from the other salmon we caught that day.

[smeltslayer]

Here's one from this summer out of Rangeley that had red dots on it. No browns in there.

[tbtool]

Look at the teeth marking in the law book.  Thats the only sure way to tell.

[hardwatergrampa]

Oh here we go again!!!
No offense.... We go thru this every year on here, and I doubt you will ever have the correct answer
Call it what you want

ya but we had alot of fun with it  oh by the way ,  thats a sal the one last year was a brown flag richard sent me some pictures that he wanted you  see on how hes done this year

[Bugman1964]

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/species/identification/index.htm


Male salmon hooked jaw after spawning.

[pegasus]

These are two salmon caught on the same day from Lake St George. the bottom is a female and the top is a male
(Image removed from quote.)

Also notice the fin clip. They fin clip the salmon that go into this lake

I think there is a prickrel in the wood pile on the string salmon top picture.

[herbc69]

they clip fins on salmon havent seen any clips on a brown any brown ive caught had a square tail