Highlands & Islands, Scotland

Atlantic Salmon

Salmo salar

The classic fly-rod salmon of Atlantic Canada and New England rivers. Atlantic salmon do not feed in fresh water, yet take swung and riffling flies with explosive surface strikes and long, leaping runs.

Brown Trout

Salmo trutta

A wary, largely nocturnal trout introduced from Europe, now established in Great Lakes tributaries and scattered western waters. Browns eat streamers, spinners and dry flies, with the biggest fish feeding after dark.

Pollack

Pollachius pollachius

IMPORTANT NAME NOTE: in German this species is called 'Pollack' — but the English 'pollock' in this guide is its cousin Pollachius virens, whose German name is Seelachs. The two names are false friends across the Channel, so check the Latin name, not the sound-alike word. Pollack itself is a kelp, cliff and wreck fish of the Atlantic coasts. Lieu jaune in French.

Ling

Molva molva

THREE-WAY NAME TRAP: this ling is a true cod-family fish of deep Atlantic wrecks and Norwegian fjords — it is NOT the New Zealand ling (Genypterus blacodes, a cusk-eel) and NOT the Pacific lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus, a greenling). Always check the Latin name Molva molva. Lange in Norwegian.

Whiting

Merlangius merlangus

The winter staple of North Sea piers and boats — a slender silver cod-family fish that arrives inshore in big hungry shoals as the water cools. It bites freely after dark on simple bottom rigs, which makes it a first sea fish for many beginners, and fresh whiting is mild and sweet despite its modest size.

Monkfish

Lophius piscatorius

The great flattened ambush predator of European shelf bottoms, burying in sand and luring fish with the fleshy flap on its fishing-rod illicium right in front of its enormous mouth. Only the muscular tail is eaten. Its inward-angled sharp teeth mean careful handling after landing — never reach near the mouth.