Sea Trout Identification

Sea trout, or Salmo trutta, are a migratory variety of brown trout, which spend their juvenile phase growing and feeding in the ocean, returning to rivers and lakes to spawn. Native to Europe, from United Kingdom waters south to Portugal, they are not widely known in the United States or reared commercially. Sea trout are no close relation of the spotted seatrout, found along the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico.

  1. Position of the Eyes

    • One method used to identify sea trout is noting the position of the fish's eyes in relation to its mouth. A sea trout's eye extends beyond the end of its large and long mouth.

    Position of Body Markings

    • The position of spotted body markings along the length of sea trout can also be used to tell one fish species from another. Sea trout can be identified by the large amount of black spotted markings below their lateral line.

    Tail Shape

    • Sea trout can be identified by the shape of their tails. Sea trout possess square tails, sometimes concave, although immature sea trout can have concave tails. They have a wide tail base and no obvious wrist.

    Other Identifying Characteristics

    • Sea trout can also be identified by counting its scales tail end of its adipose fin, the soft fleshy fin found at the fish's back behind the dorsal fin, down to its lateral line, which is a sensory organ visible as a faint line running from near the gills to the base of the tail. Sea trout have 13 to 16 scales. Mature sea trout can average around 8.5 lbs. Though uncommon, sea trout can weigh more than 22 lbs.