Kelt

[macsalmo]

Seen as I haven't caught a Springer yet this season (I hope),
I thought I'd post this picture of the well mended kelt I caught on Newtyle last Saturday:




If this had been a 8-10lb + fish you could see many a good fisher getting it mistaken for a Springer.

Food for thought

Ps: Grilse kelt or Sea Trout kelt (I think Grilse, the tail )?

Gary

[say]

macsalmo,

What length is that fish..??

Looks like a finnock

SAY

[macsalmo]

Based on my rod handle length it works out at about 22-23".

I guessed about 3lb +

Gary

[jock]

Head looks like seatrout, maxilla looks to be extended beyond eye. While the tail looks forked ,would it be if it were fully extended ? I go for seatrout. Anyway Gary, well done. Is that you outfished springer again?

From the picture the weather looks excellent...no sign of rain or indeed the wind Springer was going on about ;D

See you soon,

Jock

[macsalmo]

;D you are naughty Jock, I thought with the head it was a Sea Trout (and spots) but that tail was forked, even when stretched .

See you very soon ;D

ATB

Gary

[speycaster]

i go for seatrout as well look where the max ;)illary bone ends

[salmonking]

Couldn't be a hybrid by any chance...the tail and the spots that's confusing me.

[elwyman]

Can't be certain, but I'd lean towards a sea trout kelt.

edit:

If you blow the photo up and do a scale count (not easy), I'd guess 13, which would mean it could be a grilse or a sea trout!

If the tail was definitely forked when opened up, I'd lean to grilse.

In other words, I'm confused! ;D

[scottyboy9nro]

if it was me who caught a fish like that only bit bigga a wida chapped it, how dae u know that a kelt? looks fresh tae me? wot dae a look for?

[robmason]

It's a bit skinny and you can look for gill maggots, Jim

[ibm59]

99% certain it's a seatrout kelt. But then again , I've been wrong before.

[exerod]

I think sea trout kelt but then again I've never caught a sea trout kelt! They all seem to have left the rivers by the time we start down here.

Andy

[elwyman]

exerod said:

..........but then again I've never caught a sea trout kelt! They all seem to have left the rivers by the time we start down here.

Andy

Same here Andy, I don't think the welsh sea trout hang about too long after spawning in November.

[pertempledog]

Sea trout kelt (well mended though). Macsalmo you have my sympathy. I've fished 8 days so far this year (should have been nine but I gave up at the end of last week and went doo shooting instead). Most of it on good spring salmon water, for one kelt! I have suffered from the warm weather taking fish beyond the beats that they have traditionally rested in this time of year. Off to try again tomorrow up on the Spey - fingers crossed...

[lomond]

Sea Trout kelt

[bandon]

judging by the forked tail the wrist
i would go for a salmon

[ibrox]

I think seatrout Gary

[dighty]

What a funny looking fish - looks too "clean" to be a well mended kelt but is certainly thin - maybe a hybrid or the first reported "skinny" springer?

[kercock]

Did anyone notice that the Kelt's eyes look downward, some say that ALL kelts eyes look downward and is one sure way to tell if the fish is a kelt or not. Any opinions

[dangler]

If I remember rightly, live fish out of water always look down. Dead fish have the pupils fixed in a central "stare".

Mike