I was on duty. The fish was a tiny bit thin, but I didn't sense anything out of the ordinary. When the fish are thin their heads, including the gill plates, are out of proportion to the rest of the body.

About seven years ago I took a fish, about 4 lbs off one of our piers and it was a real screamer, spending most of its time in the air, tail-walking and taking long, arcing jumps. It was absolutely silver with a black back and a strong Salmon look to it. However, there was the slightest vertical hint of rainbow hue on the gill plate only which I'd never seen before.

I wasn't sure what I had and some of the old hands said it was a Trout/Salmon hybrid, which they say occurs. First time I heard the term and I researched it., finding it was a strain from Skamania Washington. This you can all find courtesy Mr. Google.

To this day, I can't say with certainty what I had that day it was damned fun and nothing like it since.

Inquiries to the ministry revealed the following. Skamania had been planted and discontinued some years before I caught that fish. Success was limited due to the fact that these fish spawn in mid-August. Natural reproduction continued on a declining curve.

That was a fine pair of fish by the way. I was pretty impressed with the number of Rainbow vs others we weighed in on the morning shift in Kincardine.

Mine were casual, personal inquiries and perhaps there is better learning available from some of you.