On Saturday we were in Calf Holes, which is 5km north of Horton in Ribblesdale at an altitude of 350m in the Yorkshire Dales. 

Whilst down there we saw a fish 75m in from the entrance.  It was 25cm long, shaped like a Dog Fish.  It was brown, with small black spots (3mm in diameter) on it, spaced about3cm apart.  Around the spots the skin was light for a diameter of 8mm.  Does anyone know what type of fish it was and are they common.

Cheers, BJJ Biker.

I can't imaging it being anything other than a brown trout with the spots you describe, and the location - when you mention it was shaped like a dogfish (which are shaped like a shark) was this a plan or elevation?

In my time I've done quite a bit of SCUBA diving and have come into contact with Dog Fish on at least 10 occasions.  The shape of the fish in the bottom of Calf Holes was the classic tear drop shape; wide mouth and gill area, the tailing off to a longer thinner tail.  At its widest point we say it was 4cm wide.  We didn't touch it so we can't tell you what the skin was like (smooth brown trout, rough Dog Fish).  We saw the fish from all angles, from a distance of about 50cm for approximately 30 seconds.  It was in a little puddle (one of many linked puddles) not much bigger than itself.

I've just brought up images on the computer and showed them to my son who spotted the fish.  He looked at the brown trout and sat there and didn't say anything.  I showed him the picture of a Dog Fish and he said, 'that's exactly it; the shape, the mouth, eyes and fins'.  I agree with all he says.

However, the detail of the spots (dark against a lighter background) is more like a brown trout.  Thanks for the information.

The fish you're describing sounds like the Common Bullhead - Cottus gobio. I've seen it in some Dales sumps before but not in open streamway. Your fish sounds a bit big though....

Dan.

Worth remembering that starved/underfed fish do tend to look 'all head' from above.

Not likely to be a Bullhead at 10 inches, also more camouflage stripes than spots.

From my Angling experience aren't Dog Fish salt water fish?

Id go for a trout that had been well fed over the wet winter/spring and is now a bit starved over the last month or so (as droid said, big head small body). Also I have seen trout in there on a couple of occasions

What you guys say about a starved Brown Trout makes sense, and fits in with what we saw.  I can rest easy now.  Thanks for you answers, really appreciate them.
Cheers, BJJ Biker.

Have just got your PM and will send you a proper email this evening.

Hi all, I was in the same cave Friday on a staff training trip
Saw same fish ( I guess) yep looked like a very small / young
Dog fish, but it was a very young under fed brown trout,
I had a good ( non contact ) look to make sure, hope that helps,
Jez