That's a king. It has spots on the anal and belly fins. Coho don't have those spots. Plus the tail has spots from top to bottom while the coho only has spots at the top of the tail.
 
COHO

 
 
CHINOOK or KING

Im with Dano on this one...
 
I heard those chinoho love powerbait and fight like hell...

First picture is a King, no question.
 
Wilburs two pictures are steelhead, also no question...
 
-Tim

Most definitely a king! It is nice to see one hooked in the mouth instead of a fin, the back, stomach etc. like I always see in NY. Congrats on your catch. That is definitely rare for Erie.

Good job Don.
 Bet it was a heck of a fight. Haven,t caught a king in years.

ORIGINAL: MikeThePike

Looks like a king to me but

ORIGINAL: D-nymph
Can Kings and coho's mate?

Yes. Both "world record cohos" caught out of Lake Ontario this summer were Cohook hybrids. Either they are naturally occuring on the tribs or guys at the hatchery are making them and denying it but hybrids are defiantly swimming around in LO

 
Very interesting, thanks.
 
 
 
Mikastorm,
That fish was surprisingly kind of sluggish.  A steelhead of about the same size earlier in the day broke me off in 10 seconds.
 
 
Thanks for all the input guys.  I thought it was a king, but I wasn't certain until now.  It's been 12 years since I caught a king, and those were in Michigan.  My memory of those days may or may not be a little hazy. 

ORIGINAL: D-nymph

ORIGINAL: pafisher

That's a King.....and for all the doubters out there look where the fly is...it's IN the mouth and the fish HIT it....send the picture to the NY boards for all the snaggers/liners to see it.

Which thread?  I'll post it.

 
http://forums.fishusa.com/Quit_Stealing_Our_Money%21/m_124739/tm.htm
 
http://forums.fishusa.com/Salmon_River_Fishing-OCTOBER_2008/m_121227/tm.htm

ORIGINAL: anadromous

I had a couple of kings that just hammered the bait...fair hooked and landed them with the fly in there snout. Not lifted, not snagged....slammed it. They are fun to fight when they lip hooked and you can control their head. I can't imagine the battle if they were fresh as daisies, LETS GET READY TO RUUUUMMMMMBLLLLLEE....

 
I agree, one hooked in the lip is pure fun, a tackle buster for sure ! 

If that fish was 30" or more you can get a "catch & release" award for it.
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/awardapp.pdf

ORIGINAL: Split Shot

Lucky he wasn't holding it! this thread would go on to 12 pages on the correct way to hold it.

Once the "Erie eletists" find this thread they'll blast him for laying the fish on its side, partially out of water, just to take a picture...

ORIGINAL: JEB

If that fish was 30" or more you can get a "catch & release" award for it.
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/awardapp.pdf

 
I didn't measure it, but it's probably in the 30" range, I'd guess.

ORIGINAL: D-nymph

ORIGINAL: Over the Hill

Looks like a king from the spots (top and bottom of the tail). The outside gums are pretty white though like a Coho. Do you have a better picture of the mouth showing the inside?

Makes you wonder about natural reproduction, or was he a good swimmer!

Nice fish no matter what species. Congrats! A day to remember for sure!

I do not have a better mouth picture.  When I got it in, I couldn't believe it was a salmon.  I wanted to make sure I got a bunch of pictures, because of the mouth.  Then it started flipping around a bit, and thought it's best that I release it now, just in case there's any chance at all of it reproducing, you know.

I thought I had a good mouth shot, but don't.  The lower mouth was black, and grey.  But the gums do look more white than black for sure. 

Can Kings and coho's mate?

Stillhead walked right passed me as I was reeling it in.  Should've asked his opinion, but I don't like to bother guides who are with clients.  Stillhead, duud, that well worn Pens hat sticks out like a sore thumb.  You hooked up your guys right below me around noonish, Friday.  I moved up to give you guys some more room, and hooked that fish.  I hadn't landed a fish all day until he showed up, maybe he brought the luck?

 
 
Darn, wish you would have said something, I would have loved to seen that fish in person.  Definitely a King though, without question.  I'm trying to think back and remember where/when that was on Friday.  Was it pocket water?  I think I remember.  Next time say hello.  That run is awesome when the fish are moving, but there didn't seem to be a ton on the move Friday though, water was a little cold from the melting snow I think.  The tails of holes were better.

ORIGINAL: anadromous

I had a couple of kings that just hammered the bait...fair hooked and landed them with the fly in there snout. Not lifted, not snagged....slammed it. They are fun to fight when they lip hooked and you can control their head. I can't imagine the battle if they were fresh as daisies, LETS GET READY TO RUUUUMMMMMBLLLLLEE....

 
      I hooked one that was silver as any steel up in NY a couple weeks ago on our trip... lets just say its like your first serious relationship with a girl that doesnt know exactly how much you fish... only a minute or so but fun while it lasts. But seriously that fish was hooked in the mouth and probably ran in the previous night. It ran back and forth in the run for a minute and I actually though I was going to land it . It then made a run hard and fast enough to make the snot fly out your nose and procceded to break me off. I cant imagine what the rest of the fight would have been like.