Iron Duke

It definitely was !! You had to make sure when you got the bite you got it to the boat!! We lost 2 majors that would of helped us out tremendously .. The fish we got were barely hooked and think they were more reaction strikes than feeding strikes but it was a awesome tournament and was proud to be a part of it.. Tom Allen and Crew definitely put on a classy show...We can't wait til next year already. . Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Nice job Joe!! Some awesome fish there!! Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Results Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Thank Aaron.. Cayuga has been a stellar fishery so far this year... I hear ya.. Will be on ontario myself quite a bit in this upcoming month of August.. Not sure if your fishing Fairhaven Challenge but if you are see you there.. Good luck Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Way to go and nice report! ! First bait pod pic is extremely interesting. .. Don't know if I have ever seen one in a formation like that before... Love that lowrance unit.. Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Thanks guys definitely was a few fun and eventful days... Fishing has been really good this past month both Seneca and Cayuga. .. I hate to say it but think I might just be a Seneca North ender now lol!! That was for you Les... Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Way to go!! Nice report Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Awesome job !! Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Cayuga, Ontario 7-31-15 Well the plan was to go to Ontario Friday morning but looking at wind we decide for plan B and that was Deans cove... We ran to a spot that has been producing good numbers of Lakers and decent off fish and set up shop pulling cores riggers wires and coppers... We had my friend Matt's sister with us who hasn't fished in years and even told us that she wasn't sure why she agreed to go because as a kid she hated trolling lol... Well we changed her mind quickly getting many lakers to the net on the 263'wires and 55' rigger... Then we had the sun come up and a slight ripple on the water and the rainbows and salmon decided to play, boated many landlocks and few bows and lakers til 10 and look at my weather report and get a few texts from a captain up on Ontario and we decide to pull rods and make the jump to the big pond... Well after a flat tire on boat trailer and 20 minute fix we arrive in Fairhaven and out the shoot we go.. Before arriving was sent some good info so ran to those numbers and set up... And after figuring out the current and that the kings were real deep we had hook up after hook up but dropped 3 then had 2 straighten trebles out and lost 1 to the kicker prop but oh well it was a blast just getting to fight a few.... Cayuga 8-2-15 Launched out of Deans again with my boat and my Friend Josh and his sister and father aboard. . We ran right back to the spot that i had fished Friday running the same program and well the lakers were still there but not as many silvers but did manage to boat over 20 fish so another great day overall.. The water color is like bright turquoise right now and is absolutely beautiful. .. Weeds and fleas are there but manageable , both days 55' spoon rigger pulling Flt Iron Duke and chicken feed spoon and 263' wire dipsy's pulling Spinny and A-tom-mik flys were on fire.. Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

After those responses I wrote a response asking if they were aware of any Chinook ever actually being caught or on record in the Finger Lakes before and they sent me this response which definitely tells me there are some at Dec that believe we may have caught something special possibly a once in a lifetime thing. .. I would love for someone to hook up with that fish down the road and because it was released there's always a chance just like there is a chance this fish was a Chinook. . Thanks for all the replies guys .. We have not come to a conclusion but we all sure had a whole lot of fun discussing this... here's Brad Hammers email back to me this afternoon Mike, This fish has definitely made for some interesting discussions. Both R7 and R8 staff initially came to the consensus that it was an odd looking rainbow trout. Some others have since observed the photos and think it may be a chinook. Unfortunately the picture angle and the inability to view all of the fins as well as the overall shape and coloration of the entire fish, definitely leave room for some subjective ID interpretation. Without having the actual fish in our hands we will never know for any certainty. We do know that chinook salmon have never been stocked into the Finger Lakes region and it is extremely unlikely that they were introduced inadvertently when stocking Atlantic salmon as these fish are raised at different facilities. It is also unlikely that this fish traversed the myriad of obstacles on the way from Lake Ontario to Cayuga Lake. I am unaware of reports of any “Pacific salmon†being caught in any of the Finger Lakes after the introduction of these salmon into Lake Ontario by either anglers or DEC staff during sampling. I am forwarding this message to R7 to see if they have ever had any such reports. With that being said, I have learned to be very careful when saying the word “neverâ€. If in fact it was a chinook salmon, the most likely scenario is that it was stocked by an angler to see what could happen by stocking Pacific salmon into a Finger Lake. The source would likely be Lake Ontario. Illegal introductions of fish species, unfortunately with all of the negative publicity, still occur. So, the bottom line is we may never know. Both you and Matt had the best look at the fish and would therefore have the best chance at determining what it was. Maybe if someone out there is lucky enough to catch it again, we could potentially solve the mystery. If you have any other questions or concerns, please let me know! Hope you continue to have some great fishing out on the Finger Lakes! Brad Brad Hammers Aquatic Biologist, Division of Fish, Wildlife, and Marine Resources New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 6274 East Avon-Lima Rd, Avon, NY 14144 P: 585-226-5344 | F: 585-226-6323 | [email protected] Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Well the verdict is in but I'm not sure the jury is 100% sure either.. Here are the emails we received back this morning. . Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Big Ole tank!! Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Good look Les I honestly didn't even notice that... Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

One other I might add and I'm not sure exactly how the hatchery are clipping now but no clipped fins either. . Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

1st pic zoomed in pic Rainbow caught the same day within a hour of the other "Fish" 2nd pic zoomed of fish in question.. black gums large teeth Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

I agree with ya Les ... This fish hit we new it hit.. We immediately reeled the fish in got a quick couple pics and released to fight another day... It could be anything but holding the fish personally in my hands to me definitely not a true rainbow.. Could possibly be a cross bread but like you said I'm still waiting on the experts to give me their opinions Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

I respect your opinion but I didn't want to kill it.. Just think if it was, someone might get a chance at it again when it's a bit bigger and man would that be a pretty cool suprise.. Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Not that I'm aware of but doesn't mean it's not possible. . Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

I can promise you its not a true finger lakes rainbow, not saying it maybe half rainbow but if I had to make the call I'm saying king all the way... We have an email in with pics but have no response as of yet... Thanks Nautitroller but les probably has a few more than me and I would respect anything about fishing he would tell me... But I can promise you this is not a rainbow. ..Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Way to go guys!! RESPECT THE KING!! MIKE Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Thanks guys!! Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Oh it can get crazy at times John but for the most part we fare pretty well.. Once you get a system in place and get use to it but their are those occasional big boys that will ride along like just another average fish and then once at the boat try to give ya few suprises but all you can do is your best and hope it all comes together in the end... Mike Sent from my SM-N910V using Lake Ontario United mobile app