[Loxiafan]

I know it is a bit of a grey area, some of the ones which have been feeding hard regain quite a lot of their condition. There can be some overlap with the very first of the fresh sea trout entering the river and the last of the kelts leaving.

Cheers min. Maybe they just decide to become Brown Trout again  !   

I did record them as Sea Trout on the ADAA catch return, and tbh if confronted with fish in that condition I would again. I did read reports of very early sea trout on other east coast rivers this year but with this grey area of such well mended fish who knows what any of them are for sure.

It is all very fascinating for sure.
Lindsay

[Ben Dixon]

Cracking fish Iain, well deserved.

Cheers

Ben

[Loxiafan]

River looks like it is dropping a bit if you believe the gauge - I may brave it from 2pm ish today and see what it is like.

Thinking more about the Seat Trout kelt issue. I will take scale samples next time and send them to Jamie that way I will know for sure. Either way not a huge issue as all my fish go back alive but if no fresh fish run the system in March early April then maybe the Sea Trout season shouldn't start on 11th Feb ? Given that no Salmon at all are to be retained before 1st June then all the hooha about Salmon kelts is redundant anyway other than for recording ? Seems it would be better to make anglers aware of Sea Trout kelts/over wintererd Finnock and/or no Sea Trout should be retained before 1st June ( and not at all if I had my way !) to avoid problems. Really, we should be moving to 100% C+R for all trout (and Salmon) at all times.

Cheers,

Lindsay

[Sandy Nelson]

If the scales don't come off on your hands, then you shouldn't even have to bother

Sandy

[Loxiafan]

If the scales don't come off on your hands, then you shouldn't even have to bother

Not sure I follow Sandy, but my hands weren't covered in any scales at all after handling the two ST's so were they fresh or kelts ! ?  

Lindsay

[Loxiafan]

Not sure I follow Sandy, but my hands weren't covered in any scales at all after handling the two ST's so were they fresh or kelts ! ?  

Kelts. Of course, my fish handling technique is exemplary so none of my fish lose scales ! 

L

[Sandy Nelson]

In my experience any fish, fresh from saltwater usually deposit scales everywhere.
The net,rod handle and skin always seem to get a few even when you don't handle them .
Not sure how long they need to be in freshwater before this starts to change, i'm not the biologist.
But i would love to know Jamie
To me the scales are always an obvious indication of a fresh fish , if i don't notice them then i would be less sure i'd got it right even before checking.

Sandy

[Geoff Gill]

Hi all,

just wanted to share the fish of a lifetime for me that i caught at upper parkhill today, guess it to be roughly 4 lb after a quick photo and safe release followed by shaky legs 
Also like to thank forum member Goolager to whom i used his SBS to tie the PTN that i caught it on after attempting flytying at xmas for the first time 
I would attach an image but it says file is too big and i dont know how to resize 

Geoff

[Geoff Gill]

Got it. 

Geoff

[Mike Barrio]

Welcome to the forum Geoff ........ What a cracking trout

Best wishes
Mike

[Loxiafan]

Hi Geoff,

I saw you land it ! I was the guy opposite and up from you on the south bank patiently (stupidly) waiting for a hatch - very well played and netted expertly, very well done !

That thing has got a heid like a dog and will be even more of a beast when it gets a bit of a belly back on it !

Lindsay

[Iain Cameron]

and a tail like a shovel too. nice one geoff!

[Noel Kelly]

That's a cracker geoff

[Loxiafan]

In my experience any fish, fresh from saltwater usually deposit scales everywhere...Not sure how long they need to be in freshwater before this starts to change, i'm not the biologist.

Hi Sandy,

I was joking about my exemplary handling of fish, though I do make a big effort  The weight of argument from anglers more experienced than myself is that they were most likely ST kelts which I can accept - don't want to come across as a dick on this. However, there are are 'well mended' kelts and then there were these things I caught - to me they looked like any river sea trout I have caught before from late April/early May onwards. Don't know about when they stop shedding scales but I have caught what I considered 'fresh' fish and haven't noticed mass descaling so it must ease up ???

I still wonder why the  season is 11th Feb and why it is legal to retain Sea Trout during this period (unlike Salmon).

I have submitted them as 'Sea Trout' in the catch return for ADAA - is this wrong, should they be cancelled  ?

Lindsay

[Sandy Nelson]

Cracking fish Geoff Well done

I have submitted them as 'Sea Trout' in the catch return for ADAA - is this wrong, should they be cancelled  ?

Can't see why its "Wrong" they could well be fresh fish and all we are talking about are a few records which are fairly subjective anyway, given all the fish are returned.

Like you, I am surprised the rules don't call for the same return rules as for Salmon, perhaps this is something the committees should consider over the season.

I'd like to know more about the scales thing, almost all the sea-trout i've caught have been either in or very close to the sea, so if they get tighter over a period of time in freshwater, then it would be interesting to know how this works.

Sandy