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Is This Fish the New World-Record Landlocked Atlantic Salmon or a Trophy-Class Brown Trout?
Is This Fish the New World-Record Landlocked Atlantic Salmon or a Trophy-Class Brown Trout?
On Tuesday, March 9, 2010, Ken May of Williamsburg, Michigan, reeled in a 29-pound 11-ounce fish, genus Salmo, from Torch Lake in Northern Michigan. When he first caught the fish, which was bright silver and covered in x-shaped spots, he thought he had landed the new all-tackle world record for landlocked Atlantic salmon. There was just one problem: Another Salmo species lurks in Torch Lake – Salmo trutta, the brown trout. These two species have so many overlapping characteristics, especially in big-lake specimens, even trained fisheries biologists can have a hard time distinguishing one from the other.
Such was the case with this fish. After closely examining its remains (the fish was filleted soon after it was weighed) Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment biologists Todd Kalish and Mark Tonello were unable to determine if it was a landlocked Atlantic salmon or a trophy big-lake brown trout. They are now shipping these remains to Michigan State University for DNA testing.
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Photo Gallery Comments (44)
It's a Brown!
I don't know, usually those big browns have a couple red spots that give them away. Will be interesting to see what comes back from the DNA testing--
I think its brown, just my gut.
Well, if the biologists don't know ... who am I to say? Beautiful fish, though.
When stream run fish, like the browns, get into the lakes they just take on such different characteristics. I'm not 100% at identifying them.
salmon
"(the fish was filleted soon after it was weighed)"
-- that's my favorite part of the story!
This is the same lake that monster Musky F&S highlighted last year (http://www.fieldandstream.com/photos/gallery/fishing/2009/09/new-michiga...). There must be something in the water!
Big Ole Brown
The square tail would make me guess brown. But either way, nice fish. Torch lake is quickly making a name for itself beyond those of us who fish on it often. 50lb Muskies, 30lb trout/salmon, 6lb smallmouth. Yeah, I'd say its a decent fishing lake.
I live in NW WA. and the shape of the head and tail look like a Chinook. Id say its a Salmon of some kind. Maybe a cross bread.
Great Lakes Brown Trout. Big clear water makes them more silver in color.
SQUARETAIL! Brown for sure....
I live in SW Washington. Anything that big out here is a Salmon.
But the proportions ain't right.
Mouth too small.
Looks like a trout.
But it looks like a beautiful place with a cool climate.
Nice fish, too.
Have a feeling it is a brown. Sure would be great if it were a salmon though! Awesome fish either way!
Very nice fish. What I don't understand is. If you have a potential record, why in the world would you fillet it?
Looks like a brown to me also... and why would you fillet it? To EAT it of course!
This is one brute of a fish i beliuve it is a brown trout
And how would you like that TROPHY RECORD FISH, steaked or fillets? what a shame....
I like the shout out to MSU in here!
The spots along the body behind the gills makes me think it's a Brown!
I had to comment about the MSU part also, GO GREEN :)
I couldn't be more proud to be part of this wonderful Fisheries and Wildlife program here at MSU
Lake Superior Fisherman: Its a brown trout. Look at the peduncle - its short for a brown and lengthy for salmon. I'm talking distance in front of tail to adipose fin. Cold water browns are silver this time of year and confused with Atlantic's. Never give up!
What color was the meat? Salmon is red to light pink, trout is white. I agree with blackdawgz about the mouth. I have never seen a salmon with a mouth that small, even a hens mouth comes to the front of the eye ball.
They must have been really hungery! Seriously fillet it? I know they taste good in all but this is a monster. Great catch though on an beautiful lake in a great part of Michigan.
Sounds more like it's a "dinner" trout now.
Go white!
Lots of people here seem like they're comparing it to Pacific salmon (not everyone though.) Gotta remember, Atlantic salmon, especially landlocked or Sebago salmon, have shorter mouths and heads than other salmon. I do think it's a brown, but as the article said, there's too many overlapping characteristics to make a determination without the DNA tests. Think it's a brown, hope its a salmon!
HI,Nice Brown.
It could very well be a hybrid too.
Phenotypic Plasticity does not dictate in this case;DNA results will(I believe)determine that this is indeed a Brown. Sex may well be a determining factor as well;it's size-a "triploid hen" often exhibits proportions of this nature.
It's a brown. If it were a salmon it would have a small fork in the tail and would have black in it's mouth. I have caught a number of browns from Lake Ontario and Lake Erie in deep water that look similar to this one in color.
hybrid pretty sure thats possible
My grandpa and I fished Torch for years an never saw anything like that - Congrats! Glad Torch is getting known for fishing again, maybe it will deter some of the jet-ski idiots just a little. Go Green, Go White!
Awsome awsome fish!!!!
check the teeth! the brown trout's teeth are aranged differently than a salmon's. good luck!
It kinda looks like a brown in the head but salmon in the body
the easiest way to tell would be to look at the tail, if it was more forked, it would be a landlocked. If it was square (like it is) then its a brown.
Any updates on this?
We ate some of this fish last Tuesday night 3-30-2010 and the meat was nice and pink we all thought it was salmon before ken told us about the DNA test which hasn't came back yet.
As of April 8, 2010, the DNA test MSU is doing on this fish has not been finished. (There's a BIG difference in the amount of time test results take between "CSI Las Vegas" and real life...)
Yeah and pretty expensive. I have run the protein analysis before and that is pretty quick but I doubt it is conclusive between such similar fish.
no hookjaw, no trout
SALMON
As a follow up: DNA testing provided by Michigan State University’s Dr. Kim Scribner on the 29-pound 11-ounce fish, genus Salmo, reeled in from Antrim County’s Torch Lake this past spring has confirmed the fish a behemoth brown trout (Salmo trutta) and not a world-record landlocked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) as hoped by the angler.
Darn big brown trout, though, don't ya think?
if you think that is an atlantic salmon... you dont know much about atlantic salmon or brown trout.... its clearly a brown trout... it doesnt even look like an atlantic salmon... body shape... tail... looks like a normal big brown to me... shouldnt even of been a question.... ive seen 100's of atlantics and browns... they can be dark or silver... but are very distinguishable... can't believe this article exists
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It's a Brown!
Well, if the biologists don't know ... who am I to say? Beautiful fish, though.
When stream run fish, like the browns, get into the lakes they just take on such different characteristics. I'm not 100% at identifying them.
"(the fish was filleted soon after it was weighed)"
-- that's my favorite part of the story!
Big Ole Brown
I don't know, usually those big browns have a couple red spots that give them away. Will be interesting to see what comes back from the DNA testing--
I think its brown, just my gut.
This is the same lake that monster Musky F&S highlighted last year (http://www.fieldandstream.com/photos/gallery/fishing/2009/09/new-michiga...). There must be something in the water!
The square tail would make me guess brown. But either way, nice fish. Torch lake is quickly making a name for itself beyond those of us who fish on it often. 50lb Muskies, 30lb trout/salmon, 6lb smallmouth. Yeah, I'd say its a decent fishing lake.
I live in SW Washington. Anything that big out here is a Salmon.
But the proportions ain't right.
Mouth too small.
Looks like a trout.
But it looks like a beautiful place with a cool climate.
Nice fish, too.
Lake Superior Fisherman: Its a brown trout. Look at the peduncle - its short for a brown and lengthy for salmon. I'm talking distance in front of tail to adipose fin. Cold water browns are silver this time of year and confused with Atlantic's. Never give up!
Lots of people here seem like they're comparing it to Pacific salmon (not everyone though.) Gotta remember, Atlantic salmon, especially landlocked or Sebago salmon, have shorter mouths and heads than other salmon. I do think it's a brown, but as the article said, there's too many overlapping characteristics to make a determination without the DNA tests. Think it's a brown, hope its a salmon!
HI,Nice Brown.
It could very well be a hybrid too.
Phenotypic Plasticity does not dictate in this case;DNA results will(I believe)determine that this is indeed a Brown. Sex may well be a determining factor as well;it's size-a "triploid hen" often exhibits proportions of this nature.
It's a brown. If it were a salmon it would have a small fork in the tail and would have black in it's mouth. I have caught a number of browns from Lake Ontario and Lake Erie in deep water that look similar to this one in color.
My grandpa and I fished Torch for years an never saw anything like that - Congrats! Glad Torch is getting known for fishing again, maybe it will deter some of the jet-ski idiots just a little. Go Green, Go White!
Great Lakes Brown Trout. Big clear water makes them more silver in color.
SQUARETAIL! Brown for sure....
Have a feeling it is a brown. Sure would be great if it were a salmon though! Awesome fish either way!
Very nice fish. What I don't understand is. If you have a potential record, why in the world would you fillet it?
Looks like a brown to me also... and why would you fillet it? To EAT it of course!
This is one brute of a fish i beliuve it is a brown trout
And how would you like that TROPHY RECORD FISH, steaked or fillets? what a shame....
I like the shout out to MSU in here!
The spots along the body behind the gills makes me think it's a Brown!
I had to comment about the MSU part also, GO GREEN :)
I couldn't be more proud to be part of this wonderful Fisheries and Wildlife program here at MSU
What color was the meat? Salmon is red to light pink, trout is white. I agree with blackdawgz about the mouth. I have never seen a salmon with a mouth that small, even a hens mouth comes to the front of the eye ball.
They must have been really hungery! Seriously fillet it? I know they taste good in all but this is a monster. Great catch though on an beautiful lake in a great part of Michigan.
Sounds more like it's a "dinner" trout now.
Go white!
hybrid pretty sure thats possible
Awsome awsome fish!!!!
check the teeth! the brown trout's teeth are aranged differently than a salmon's. good luck!
It kinda looks like a brown in the head but salmon in the body
the easiest way to tell would be to look at the tail, if it was more forked, it would be a landlocked. If it was square (like it is) then its a brown.
Any updates on this?
We ate some of this fish last Tuesday night 3-30-2010 and the meat was nice and pink we all thought it was salmon before ken told us about the DNA test which hasn't came back yet.
As of April 8, 2010, the DNA test MSU is doing on this fish has not been finished. (There's a BIG difference in the amount of time test results take between "CSI Las Vegas" and real life...)
Yeah and pretty expensive. I have run the protein analysis before and that is pretty quick but I doubt it is conclusive between such similar fish.
no hookjaw, no trout
SALMON
As a follow up: DNA testing provided by Michigan State University’s Dr. Kim Scribner on the 29-pound 11-ounce fish, genus Salmo, reeled in from Antrim County’s Torch Lake this past spring has confirmed the fish a behemoth brown trout (Salmo trutta) and not a world-record landlocked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) as hoped by the angler.
Darn big brown trout, though, don't ya think?
if you think that is an atlantic salmon... you dont know much about atlantic salmon or brown trout.... its clearly a brown trout... it doesnt even look like an atlantic salmon... body shape... tail... looks like a normal big brown to me... shouldnt even of been a question.... ive seen 100's of atlantics and browns... they can be dark or silver... but are very distinguishable... can't believe this article exists
salmon
I live in NW WA. and the shape of the head and tail look like a Chinook. Id say its a Salmon of some kind. Maybe a cross bread.
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