Return to Fresh Water

Like salmon, most sea trout tend to return to their native river to spawn using a process called homing. The timing of the main runs of fish into rivers reflects the distribution and character of the juvenile populations that exist in each case.

Some fish begin to return to the river for the first time after just a few weeks or months. The rapid return of immature and maturing post-smolts as 'finnock' or 'whitling' between July and September, so keenly sought after by anglers is an important characteristic of sea trout. However, most adults return as larger maiden fish after 12 to 14 months of marine feeding or more. The return of these larger and older fish usually begins in May and in some areas continues into October.

Migratory behaviour in rivers is highly variable. However, while sea trout do respond to increases in flow, they will move upstream without such a stimulus and are thought to require smaller discharges than do salmon.

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