Atlantic salmon
Salmo salar
The fish of a thousand casts: sea-run, powerful, and hard-won.
Also known as: Estonian lõhe, Finnish lohi, Norwegian laks, Swedish lax.
- Typical size
- 3 to 8 kg on a river run
- A big one
- Over 15 kg for a big multi-sea-winter fish
- Where it lives
- Rivers running to the sea, plus large lakes and the Baltic
- Best time
- The summer and autumn river runs
- Common methods
- Fly, spinners, and trolling in open water
About the atlantic salmon
Atlantic salmon are born in rivers, grow at sea, and return upstream to spawn, and anglers time their year around those runs. They are strong, they are famously hard to tempt, and a fresh-run fish silver from the sea is one of the great prizes in fishing. Many rivers are catch and release to protect the stock.
Catching atlantic salmon
Timing and water height matter more than anything, a run of fresh fish on a falling spate is the moment. Cover water methodically and keep the fly or lure working at the right depth. Know the rules on your beat, tackle, bait and release are often tightly regulated.
Before you fish: closed seasons, minimum sizes and catch limits differ by country and by water, and they change. Always check the current local rules and buy any licence you need before you go.
Log your atlantic salmon in FishandBeer
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