Salmonid smolt/parr

Hello,

On my way from Illinois to Ohio, I decided to stop in northwestern Indiana and do some flyfishing. I figured I'd try a few of the tributaries to Lake Michigan in Indiana that receive yearly stockings of steelhead, chinook salmon, and coho salmon. I was fishing in the upper part of Salt Creek in Porter Co. when I started catching a number of parr/smolt salmonids. Prior to this, I've never really come across young fish of these species, nor do I feel I have seen a very good guide to differentiating parr/smolt of these species.

Here's a few pictures of the fish;




I think I can eliminate steelhead from the group. There appears to be too many parr marks on these fish and the shape of the marks also looks incorrect for these fish to be steelhead. I'm leaning towards coho salmon, although I'm a bit unclear about the differences between the parr/smolt coho and chinook. When they're adults, there are a number of characteristics that make it much simpler to tease apart these two species, however, at this size...I could use some help.

Any thoughts?

-Nate

Tail has a pretty deep fork.
Coho/silver, maybe lake trout?

Rick

I am not much help here, but the tail does appear more deeply forked than a steelhead. I do not think it is a char, so I would rule out lake trout. It is not a brown trout, so I am guessing some type of salmon as well.

My uneducated fishermen's take;
Lake trout is a char - dark barkground/light spots.
Not sure if this is 100% reliable but every rainbow I've ever seen had spots on the tail and dorsal - usually lots. Don't look at all like browns...
That would leave the salmons. Good luck with that. My guess you need to count teeth or gill rakers.

I think it's teeth on tongue or no teeth on tongue between browns and atlantic salmon smolt. forget which is which.

Thank you for your responses. I'm convinced that these fish are coho salmon.