How to distinguise between sea trout and brown trout?

[Wind Knot]

It's my first season on the Teifi (LlAA) and I require some assistance in determining if I have caught a sea trout or brown trout. I know that a fresh run sea trout looks like a gleaming bar of silver, however, what if it has been in the river for a period of time? Does the sea trout start to get a brown tinge to it's belly and begin to slightly resemble a brownie (especially in torch light)? The best info I can find is that they do lose their silver colour in proportion to the amount of time they have been in the river and may have very few or no orange spots. Please advise.

[Teifi-Terrorist]

It's my first season on the Teifi (LlAA) and I require some assistance in determining if I have caught a sea trout or brown trout. I know that a fresh run sea trout looks like a gleaming bar of silver, however, what if it has been in the river for a period of time? Does the sea trout start to get a brown tinge to it's belly and begin to slightly resemble a brownie (especially in torch light)? The best info I can find is that they do lose their silver colour in proportion to the amount of time they have been in the river and may have very few or no orange spots. Please advise.

A tough one WK, but well done on asking in the first place as it's important to be able to distinguish between them.

After you've caught a few it's actually relatively easy to tell the difference. However, a tell-tale sign of a stale sewin would usually a mottling effect on the belly - a heavy spotting of brown. Whereas the brown trout would usually be more yellow in the area and a solid colour rather than spotting or mottling.

Also, as you note, they would rarely if ever have any red spots on them, unlike a brown trout. Also, brown trout sometimes have some blue spots on the gill plate that a sewin would not - not a stale one anyway.

A tough one, but if ever in doubt take a photo and post it on here. Also, if in doubt, always best to release the fish, obviously, as you do not want to end up killing a stale sewin or even a brown trout of any size on LlAA waters for that matter.

TT.

[Wind Knot]

Thanks for the sage advice TT |\. I obviously need to catch a few more, gain some experience and post pictures of any doubtful specimens landed. I have practised 100% catch and release to date due to the ambiguity of my identification. TIGHT LINES!