Saturday March 15, 2014 from Whitakers Sport Shop
On Saturday we started out with the temperature near 40 degrees, late morning we had scattered wet snow showers and in the afternoon the temperature started dropping. We had increased fishing pressure which is expected on the weekend. We got mixed reports from anglers, some groups did well, while others had a tough day, it all depended on where you fished and experience level. The upper end of the river between Altmar and Pineville is holding the most fish, but is also getting the most fishing pressure. The Lower Fly Zone, Schoolhouse Pool, Wire Hole, Ellis Cove, Bovines, Trestle Pool, Refrigerator, Pineville, Sportsman, Papermill, Staircase/Longbridge and DSR has been producing action on a daily basis. Anglers who are fly fishing have done well with nymphs in black, brown or olive and single egg patterns in pale colors. Anglers who are float fishing or bottom bouncing have done well with egg sacs, beads and pink worms. On Saturday we started out with the temperature near 40 degrees, late morning we had scattered wet snow showers and in the afternoon the temperature started dropping. We had increased fishing pressure which is expected on the weekend. We got mixed reports from anglers, some groups did well, while others had a tough day, it all depended on where you fished and experience level. The upper end of the river between Altmar and Pineville is holding the most fish, but is also getting the most fishing pressure. The Lower Fly Zone, Schoolhouse Pool, Wire Hole, Ellis Cove, Bovines, Trestle Pool, Refrigerator, Pineville, Sportsman, Papermill, Staircase/Longbridge and DSR has been producing action on a daily basis. Anglers who are fly fishing have done well with nymphs in black, brown or olive and single egg patterns in pale colors. Anglers who are float fishing or bottom bouncing have done well with egg sacs, beads and pink worms. On Saturday we started out with the temperature near 40 degrees, late morning we had scattered wet snow showers and in the afternoon the temperature started dropping. We had increased fishing pressure which is expected on the weekend. We got mixed reports from anglers, some groups did well, while others had a tough day, it all depended on where you fished and experience level. The upper end of the river between Altmar and Pineville is holding the most fish, but is also getting the most fishing pressure. The Lower Fly Zone, Schoolhouse Pool, Wire Hole, Ellis Cove, Bovines, Trestle Pool, Refrigerator, Pineville, Sportsman, Papermill, Staircase/Longbridge and DSR has been producing action on a daily basis. Anglers who are fly fishing have done well with nymphs in black, brown or olive and single egg patterns in pale colors. Anglers who are float fishing or bottom bouncing have done well with egg sacs, beads and pink worms.
Tuesday March 11, 2014 from Whitakers Sport Shop
Tuesday was another mild day and it actually felt like spring with the sunny conditions and the temperature reaching into the upper 40's. The majority of anglers we spoke with reported having another good day. The fishing pressure did increase, but that's to be expected with the low water and warm weather. Over the last few days the upper end of the river between Altmar and Pineville is getting the most fishing pressure, but is also holding the most fish. With the low water conditions the fish have been holding in the deeper holes and anglers have been getting into fish throughout the river. Yesterday the Lower Fly Zone, Schoolhouse Pool, Wire Hole, Bovines, Trestle Pool, Refrigerator, Pineville, Sportsmans Pool, Papermill and DSR produced steady action. Anglers who are fly fishing have done well with nymphs in black, brown or olive and single egg patterns in pale colors. Anglers who are float fishing or bottom bouncing have done well with egg sacs, beads and pink worms.
Thursday Sept 26 2013 from Whitakers Sport Shop
Wednesday was another cold start, first thing in the morning the temperature was in the upper 30's, but with blue skies and sunshine the temperature reached into the upper 60's in the afternoon. Our nights have been cold but the day time temperature is expected to improve as we head through the week. The anglers we have staying in the motel who fished the DSR reported having a good day. They landed a mix of kings and cohos and reported that with less anglers on the water mid week it was much better fish movement. Anglers stopping into the shop also reported getting into fish at the 81 Hole, RT2A, Compactor and Pineville. The mid to upper section of the river is not getting as much pressure as the lower end, but anglers have reported fish holding in some of the deeper holes.
Wednesday Sept. 25 from Whitakers Sport Shop
On Tuesday we started out in the 30's but with plenty of sunshine the temperature reached into the 60's in the afternoon. Our nights have been cold but the day time temperature is expected to improve as we head through the week. Yesterday the majority of anglers we spoke with who fished the DSR reported having a slow day. A few anglers did get into some fish, but overall it was a tough day for most of the anglers we spoke with. Anglers staying in the motel reported having a good day at the 81 Hole, Papermill, RT2A, Sportsman and Pineville with a mix of kings and cohos. The mid to upper section of the river is not getting as much pressure as the lower end, but anglers have reported fish holding in some of the deeper holes.
SUGGESTED FLY PATTERNS: Black egg sucking leeches with red, orange chart head in size 2 - 6. Bunny Leeches in black, olive, pink or purple in size 2 - 6. Comets in white, chart, pink and blue in size 2. Woolly Buggers in black, olive and white in size 2 - 6. Estaz eggs in blue, chart, pink and orange in size 4 - 8. Nuclear Egg in pink/chart, orange/chart, size 6. Black Flashback Nymph, size 6. Green Butt Skunk in size 4. Starlite leeches in black, pink or purple, size 4. Glo bugs in pink, chart, orange, size 6.
Sept 23, 2013
From Whitakers Sport Shop feedback@whitakers.com
Monday was a cold day, we started out in the 30's and even with plenty of sunshine the temperature only reached into the low 50's. Our nights have been cold but the day time temperature is expected to improve as we head through the week. On Monday the majority of anglers we spoke with who fished the DSR reported having a slow day with not much fish movement. A few anglers did get into some fish, but overall it was a tough day for most of the anglers we spoke with. Anglers staying in the motel reported having a good day at the Staircase, Longbridge and RT2A with a mix of kings and cohos. The mid to upper section of the river is not getting as much pressure as the lower end, but anglers have reported fish holding in some of the deeper holes.
SUGGESTED FLY PATTERNS: Black egg sucking leeches with red, orange chart head in size 2 - 6. Bunny Leeches in black, olive, pink or purple in size 2 - 6. Comets in white, chart, pink and blue in size 2. Woolly Buggers in black, olive and white in size 2 - 6. Estaz eggs in blue, chart, pink and orange in size 4 - 8. Nuclear Egg in pink/chart, orange/chart, size 6. Black Flashback Nymph, size 6. Green Butt Skunk in size 4. Starlite leeches in black, pink or purple, size 4. Glo bugs in pink, chart, orange, size 6.
January 31, 2012
Steelhead fishing on the Salmon River has been very good for us lately. Plenty of action to keep everyone quite happy:)
Float fishing beads and egg sacks has been working great. The Salmon River has been running at higher then normal flows and that certainly is nice when drifting the river. We have been covering lots of water which always help production.
Salmon River Guide
Jaclyn & Shane Thomas http://www.theriverguide.com
October 25
Still salmon mid to upper river spawning in gravel. The most action for fresh steelhead is in the lower river. Plenty of leaves in the water now and the flow has gone up to 1000cfs.
October 6th
Salmon season in full swing. Enough said!
September 13th 8:26am- Fishing is slow this morning, but there are thunderstorms, a west wind and some chillier temps in the future for tonight and tomorrow! Water temp has dropped down to 64 and we're hoping that this “perfect storm“ will bring in some fish overnite!!
Courtesy of Douglaston Salmon Run http://www.douglastonsalmonrun.com
September 6, 2011 Courtesy of the Salmon River Guide http://www.theriverguide.com
Salmon fishing on Lake Ontario was very good over the weekend. Today was tougher but not terrible.
Kings are hanging in 60-100' off the Salmon River. They're biting fly/flasher combos and the usual glow J plugs.
There's some moving up the Salmon River and some in the estuary but nothing really major yet. Night fishing is slowly improving and should be very productive very soon. I'd expect to see better numbers of fish moving up the river very soon as well.
Increased flow and cooler weather should help the salmon get motivated.
Water levels are going up!
From 9:00 PM today until 11:59 PM tomorrow, Wed, 750 CFS
Salmon River Guide
Jaclyn & Shane Thomas
03/19/2011 DAILY REPORT from whitaker's sport shop
Were still dealing with melting snow coming off the Tug Hill which is normal for this time of year. Saturday was a much colder day but we did have plenty of sunshine and the temperature was in the low 30's. The fishing pressure did increase over the weekend and the majority of anglers have been fishing the upper end of the river in Altmar. The reports from anglers have been mixed, some groups got into fish, while others did not. Overall the majority of anglers we spoke with reported working hard for the fish they got. Anglers staying in the motel reported getting into fish in the Lower Fly Fishing Area, Schoolhouse Pool, Wire Hole, DSR and some of the smaller local tributaries.
SUGGESTED PATTERNS:
- Rusher Steelhead Nymph in blue, chart or red, size 10.
- Bead Head Stonefly in black or brown, size 12.
- Steelhead Hammer in red, black or chart, size 12.
- Sucker spawn in pink, chart, cerise, blue, oregon cheese, egg, cream, size 10.
- Estaz eggs in chart, pink, blue, purple, orange, size 10.
- Glo bugs in chart, oregon cheese, pink, blue, clown, orange, size 10.
- Green caddis size 12.
- Steak-n-eggs in orange, pink or chart, size 10.
- Marabou Spey Tube Fly in pink/white, pink/purple, blue/black or black/purple.
11/17/2010 Daily Report from Whitaker's Sport Shop
Please check the waterline for the latest update. Tuesday was another mild day with scattered rain showers late in the day. We got mixed reports from anglers, but overall the majority of anglers we spoke with reported having a slow day. Over the last few days the upper section of river between Altmar and Pineville has produced the most action but is also getting the most pressure. The mid to lower section of river would be a good choice if your looking for fresh fish and less pressure. Anglers having the most success are covering lots of water while swinging spey flies, using egg patterns and nymphs under a strike indicator or float fishing with egg sacs, trout beads or pink worms. The Upper and Lower Fly Fishing area, below the Altmar bridge, Schoolhouse, Frazier's Run, Trestle, Refrigerator, Sportsman, RT2A, Town Pool, Longbridge and DSR have all produced action on a daily basis.
SUGGESTED PATTERNS:
- Flesh fly in size 4-8.
- Black egg sucking leech with orange or chart beadhead in size 6.
- Sucker spawn in pink, chart, cerise, blue, oregon cheese, egg, cream, size 8.
- Steelhead candy in white, chart, orange, size 8.
- Estaz eggs in chart, pink, blue, purple, orange, size 10.
- Glo bugs in chart, oregon cheese, pink, blue, clown, orange, size 10.
- Bear's crystal egg in chart, peach, orange, size 8.
- Rusher Steelhead Nymph in blue, purple, red, size 10.
Over all steelhead fishing on the Salmon River remains decent. We have certainly been working harder for them lately. The big crowds over the extended holiday weekend made fitting in tough at times. Beads under floats, bottom bouncing egg sacks and back trolling lures has all been working. I think changing up tactics has been helping our over all success. Water levels have been reduced to 335cfs. We have plenty of fall, winter and spring drift boat dates available for steelhead fishing.
Salmon River Guide
Jackie & Shane Thomas
Daily Report from Whitaker's Sport Shop
Please check the waterline for the latest update. On Saturday we had plenty of sunshine and the temperature reached into the 60's. The river is no longer at flood stage and anglers were fishing in the Lower Fly Fishing Area, Schoolhouse Pool, Ellis Cove, Trestle Pool, Sportsman Pool, Ballpark, Town Pool and Longbridge. The river was still high but a huge improvement over the previous day. The DSR is going to be open on Sunday, so please check the DSR website so you understand the rules they have put in place for your safety. With the higher water the majority of anglers have been fishing Trout Brook, Orwell Brook and the tributaries up north. The fishing pressure has increased on these smaller tributaries but anglers are getting into salmon.
SUGGESTED PATTERNS:
- Black hot bead buggers with orange or chart beadhead in size 2 - 6.
- Olive, black or brown conehead or beadhead woolly buggers in size 2 - 6.
- Black egg sucking leech with pink head or purple egg sucking leech with pink head in size 4.
- Comets in chart, pink, blue, purple, orange, black, size 2.
- Salmon Special in pink, purple, orange, size 4.
- Estaz eggs in chart, pink, blue, purple, orange, size 6.
- Glo bugs in chart, oregon cheese, pink, blue, clown, orange, size 6.
The Salmon River has been seeing good runs of kings and cohos the last few days. We had a decent amount of rain early in the week and that sparked a new run of fish through the lower Salmon River. The upper section has improved as well with a lot of salmon actively spawning. Water levels are increasing to 1500cfs tonight. With all the rain expected it should be up for a few days. We still have a few guides with open dates including Oct 9 and 10.
Salmon River Guide
Jackie & Shane Thomas
Sept, 29 2010 Daily Report From Whitaker's
Please check the waterline for the latest update. On Wednesday we had scattered rain showers in the morning but it cleared in the afternoon and the temperature reached into the upper 60's. The majority of anglers we spoke with who fished the DSR reported having another good day with a steady push of kings along with some cohos and steelhead in the mix. We also got reports of anglers getting into fish in the Staircase, Town Pool and Ballpark. In the upper end of the river the deeper holes such as Sportsman Pool, Trestle Pool and Schoolhouse continue to produce action on a daily basis. Anglers who fished the Upper and Lower Fly Fishing Area reported a mix of kings, cohos and steelhead.
Past Reports
Sept 20, 2010
Whitaker's Sport Shop Daily Report: On Monday the nice weather continued with blue skies, plenty of sunshine and the temperature reached into the 70's. The majority of anglers we spoke with who fished the DSR reported having a good day. Anglers who fished the DSR reported a steady push of kings and cohos throughout the...... run. I guided a father and his 2 sons at the DSR for a half day. Walter, Luke and Jonathan were first timers and they all landed a mix of big kings and bright silver cohos. In the lower end of the river we also got good reports from the Town Pool area, Ballpark and Papermill. The anglers we spoke with who the upper end of the river reported getting into a few fish, but nothing like the lower end of the river. Most productive patterns were estaz eggs, comets, egg sucking leeches, bunny leeches and estaz stones.
August 12, 2010
Salmon fishing continues to improve on the eastern end of Lake Ontario. More an more king salmon are heading east to stage off the Salmon River. The fall migration is right around the corner and the fish will be stacking up in front of the river. Salmon are being taken in 150-160' of water. Spin drs and flies off the dipsys and down riggers have been work well run out 250-300' on dipsies, 110-130' off riggers. Trout fishing has slowed some but is still OK. We still have a lot of dates left for the next month of charter boat fishing salmon on Lake Ontario.
Salmon River Guide
Jackie and Shane Thomas
Report Courtesy of http://www.theriverguide.com/
August 7, 2010
Salmon are starting to show up on the eastern end of Lake Ontario off the Salmon River. Most charter boats out of the Salmon River got into some king salmon today. Brown trout are still around in good numbers as well. Each day should show better numbers of salmon moving closer to Salmon River. Most kings were taken from 100-120 feet down over 110-150'. Michigan Stinger spoons and dodger fly combos were taking fish equally well. We still have a lot of dates open this month - email or call for hot salmon action!
Salmon River Guide
Jackie and Shane Thomas
Report Courtesy of http://www.theriverguide.com/
May 24, 2010
Outdoorsmen and women flock to the Eastern Shore of Lake Ontario in the fall, winter and spring to experience world class salmon and steelhead fishing in this Great Lake's tributaries. And the salmon run on the Salmon River is the best in the East!! Our steelhead are tops in both number and size!!
Often overlooked is the quality, variety and abundance our summer season has to offer the outdoor enthusiast. Those in the know will fish Lake Ontario for trophy walleye, brown trout, lake trout, salmon and steelhead. Close by Oneida Lake is prime water for walleye and largemouth bass. Our local waters team with warm water species including bass, pike, crappie, carp and all the panfish.
And there is the Salmon River. Summer means no crowds together with the opportunity to land our native atlantic salmon as well as summer spawning, skamania steelhead. Our river is also prime habitat for trophy smallmout bass. So summer is the perfect time to explore this wonderfull river either from the bank or from a kayak. Bring yours or rent one of ours and we will put you in and take you out.
So consider a trip or two to the Eastern Shore this summer and enjoy all we have to offer.
Lodgekeeper
May 22, 2010
The Brown Trout fishing on Lady O has been slow to non-existent since last weekend. We had offshore winds most of the week and that pushes the warmer, stained water away from the shoreline and spreads the fish out, making it very difficult to find any number of browns. This being the case, we decided to fish deeper water on the bottom for Lake Trout. It was a smart move. Once again the lake gives us an option. What a great place. We also decided to try for Salmon and Steelhead over the deeper water, and had some success with that. The Brown Trout fishing will improve, but till then…Lakers Rock! Early Salmon and Steelies too.
Report Courtesy of Strikezone Charters
May 11, 2010
Trolling for walleye on the Lake Ontario shoreline has been pretty good so far this season. A few nights were tough due to strong winds making it next to impossible to even fish.
The brown trout fishing remains decent for charters during the day. A few salmon are being taken out deeper as well. There were some impressive results in the Spring LOC derby- two 32 pound +Kings, 12 pound + Walleye, 27 pound Laker, 16 pound + Brown Trout- I would say the good old days are back! I would expect to see 40 pounds in the fall LOC.
For more reports become a fan of Salmon River Guide on Facebook.
Salmon River Guide
Jackie and Shane Thomas
March 29,2010
From NY GUIDE SERVICE...”Good Times are coming, we have fish dropping back to the lake, fish on the redds, and fresh fish still coming up. It is a great time to get on the river!!!.....
March 23, 2010
Well, here is the latest and greatest of upstate NY and all it has to offer this time of year and it’s a diverse time of year at that! Let’s start with the fishing, so here is what the Salmon River is producing! To say the Steelhead fishing is turning on is an understatement, it’s been a great winter and now that spring is here it’s really heating up! Fish are scattered from top to bottom and a good mix of fresh and spawning fish along with dropbacks are here in good numbers! Don’t pass up any spots as they are in every nook and cranny of water. Look for places that aren’t heavily pressured and you will find active fish. Not only is the river fishing well, but also the small streams are heating up so keep an eye on the rains as they need a little push of water to get the big runs. The lack of ice left on the shores of Lake Ontario has let the inshore brown trout fishing kick off early and although the numbers aren’t there yet they will show soon! As the creeks start warming up it will draw the browns to river mouths and shallow bays to feed. Fish in the 5 to 10 pound range are common and if your persistent with a little luck you could find one up in the teens to a possible 20 pounder!!! Along with brown trout the perch fishing is on fire along with bluegills and crappies! The night bite has started on the bullheads and should last for 3 to 5 weeks so if you’ve got the itch to fish you’ve come to the right place! For those who are wondering how the Snow Goose hunting is going, well let’s say WOW! Since the first day it’s been easy limits and lots of shooting and the birds are still coming! Light rains and the lack of mud, has made for enjoyable days in the layout blinds and minimal decoy cleaning! Were out for another week and should have plenty of birds to keep us occupied so if you want in on the action give us a shout! As for the spring turkey hunting things look great. An easy winter has left us with a ton of birds, we see them every day and still in huge flocks. Don’t forget that we do a great cast n blast in May for turkeys in the AM and Trout in the afternoon so check with us for availability! Good luck in your next adventure and hope we can accommodate you! We have what the sportsman and sportswoman need for the outdoor fix!
March 14, 2010
After a long winter and cold temps we’re back in the saddle and, might I add, we’re alive and kickin! During the cold spell we did get in a few days of great floats and produced some nice catches of both Steelhead and Brown Trout. As usual we had some slow days as well but proud to say we never boated less than a couple on every trip. As always we fished the Ice for Walleye, Northerns and Perch and did well with some nice results! The Ice set up early and lasted up until this past weekend which is about the average time. So now the weather is breaking and the Salmon River along with other tributaries are starting to heat up! Now that the snow is melting and the Steelhead are showing up, look for the water levels to climb and water temps to slowly rise as well. The fish are in spawn mode and some are already done and starting to drop back. Fishermen are doing well with beads and spawn sacks in natural colors and stone flies are working well as the air temps are slowly creeping up. We’re starting to catch fish back trolling with diving lures such as hot shots and as the water rises and murks up we will start producing more fish on lures. Look for fish on the edges and in slack current. Many fish will be tight to shore and behind structure during high water. Be careful wading and watch for debris as large trees can become uprooted and float downstream! For the latest conditions check us out on facebook and when arriving in town stop at the local tackle shops for conditions and water levels. If interested in a spring drift trip or lake trip we still have openings so don’t hesitate to call for details. Were also doing spring turkey hunts the month of May and snow goose hunts which start March 15th and will continue thru the end of the month! Check back later in the week for updates on the fishing and on the goose hunts. Be safe, fish hard and don’t forget to take a kid fishing, we need our future generation involved in this great sport!
January 14, 2010
Hello to all those anglers out there that have the winter blues! Cabin fever has set in for most of us but good news, looks like we have a little warm weather coming in that will bring us some sun and more pleasant temps!!! The week forecast for upstate NY shows temps hitting the upper 30s which is a welcome sight after last weeks lows hitting -15 and barely getting above 0 for a high!
The water levels continue to be low and dont expect that to change anytime soon as everything will stay frozen and the snow will just settle. With the low flows the amount of fresh Steelhead entering the river is very low and the fish that are already in are being finicky! Try getting away from the crowds and be very stealthy with your approach which means light leaders and small baits! The mid and lower river has been pretty much unfishable due to shelf ice, slush and anchor ice but with higher temps those conditions should improve. The upper river has been fishing well and those who put their time in have been rewarded with a decent catch so pack the waders, tell the boss you've got the steel bug and let the loved ones fend for themselves!!! This warm spell wont last forever so dont procrastinate and try winter Steelheading at its best!
As for the ice fishing the ice is plenty thick in most areas but as always please take caution and check with the local shops before heading out and watch to see where the crowds are venturing! Weve got first hand knowledge that Sandy Pond has good ice and the Perch and Northern Pike are biting well most days while Henderson Harbor has good ice and the Perch are starting to show up in decent numbers! Oneida Lake and Chaumont have marginal ice out in the open areas but have decent ice in close and in the bays, havent heard any great reports on the fishing but im sure there are hungry fish there as well. There are many derbies coming up in February and for more info contact the Oswego county tourism office as they have a full list!
Dont forget to take a kid fishing, its how memories are made! Thanks for looking and tight lines!
December 8, 2009
Hold on to your hat, here it comes!!! Wow we've been very lucky with our weather, well up until now!!! November was seasonably mild and what a great month of fishing it was! December is another story. Started out with our first snowfall of the season and the weather man says its gonna get worse before it gets better!!! Today is the 8th and forecasts for the remainder of the week are for cold temps, high winds and SNOW, possibly lots of SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As for the fishing, well its been out of control, lots of fish and some real monsters. The last day of November brought up George and Tammy Kaiser who are long time customers that hit the lottery with a pair of Steelhead tipping the scales at 17 and 19 pounds! Pics will follow soon of these two monsters and as for the rest of the lodgers, well lets just leave it at amazing seems to be the word of the year!
The fish continue to trickle in and there are fish from top to bottom, they are hungry and eating almost everything so grab a rod, some warm clothes and give it a whirl! Come up and enjoy the winter wonderland, its worth the cold feet and the runny nose when you feel the first head shake of the mighty Steel!
Good luck, Happy holidays, and dont forget to take a kid fishing(bring lots of hot cocoa)
November 25, 2009
And the beat goes on!!! Its coming down to the end of the month and the Steelhead fishing is proving itself to be nothing short of spectacular again this year! We continue to have excellent catches each and every day, some better than others but still the slow days are better than our best days from years past! Why you say? Well, better stocking techniques, healthy brood stock, weather, and oh yes the one fish limit! Yes, were only allowed one steelhead per day and that along with many anglers practicing catch and release has stocked every pool from rt 3 to Altmar with hungry fish for everyone to catch! The Steelhead are here in good numbers and new fish are ariving every day, along with them come a fare number of Browns that are starting to show. The Steelhead continue to stay in the faster runs due to warm water temps and low flows, the Browns are in the pools recovering from their spawning and are becoming hungry! Egg sack in white and blue, beads in glow roe and molted, the dreaded pink worm, wolly buggers, stone flies and egg imitations are all producing! Its far from over and we predict that the best is yet to come, why? well the water flows are low and a lot of fish are yet to come so if you havent had the chance to get up yet there is still plenty of time to make it!
To all the hunters out there that are wondering what happened to the rut, well warm temps and clear skies kept things on the slow side and long range forecasts dont show any relief! Hope that your quest for the big one is going better than mine and that you find one for the freezer! Southern Zone deer opened Saturday in New York and were waiting to see numbers from the opener, due to the weather its predicted to be down!
Good luck to all those in pursuit of "the big one" and enjoy our mild weather while it lasts!
November 13, 2009
Its the middle of November, Steelhead, Perch, Musky and Browns oh my!!!!!!!!!!!!! The fishing in Oswego county cant be beat this time of year, and its proving itself once again. Despite the low water and mild temperatures the fishing on the Salmon river is as good as it gets! Good numbers and big fish is where its at and the Steelhead continue to replenish every day! Brown trout seem to be off a little, but are starting to show up in limited numbers. Most of the fish are still in the fast water, look in the heads and tails of runs and around structure. Eggs sacks, trout beads and flies in egg imitation, stone and woolys are all working well so grab a rod and fish your favorite spot! Everyone please pray for rain as we need it real bad the river is low and forget the smaller tribs as they are nothing more than a trickle!
To all of the deer hunters out there all I can say is slow, warm temps and coming off the full moon seems to have the rut in a stall pattern. As I write this the moon is decreasing and the temps seem to be coming back to normal fall temps. Look for things to heat up and the bucks to leave their hiding spots to chase does and become a little less concerned with their surroundings!
Good luck in your next adventure and dont forget, take a kid with you and show them the outdoors and all its beauty!
November 2, 2009
Sorry folks for the lack of reports, fishermen dont make good computer tecnicians!!! We've had some disagreements between the computer and the guide! Well enough said lets get down to the nitty gritty and with that lets look back at the last half of October! All I can say is wow, what a sudden halt in fresh Salmon and what an incredible early run of Steelhead. I would like to send out a big thanks to Joe and his employees for some great days on the river, we got the chance to break in some newbies to steelhead fishing and had some great catches (even Joe got in on the action!) Fish are scattered from top to bottom and biting anything you throw at em, well leave the kitchen sink at home!!! The water levels have been low, 335 and holding steady, in spite of the heavy rains we've had. Hopefully the water will go up soon and color up a little as the low clear flow has them a little hawky! Stay back from them and give careful presentation with light leader and minimal weight, this will better your success and allow the fish to feel more comfortable! The Oswego is fishing well with lots of fish and most of the tribs have a few fish but are very low and not worth the trouble, concentrate on the uncharted parts of the river and leave the crowds in Altmar to look for unmolested fish in other areas! November is a great month for fresh run Steelhead and also for some monster browns, cold temps and rain will bring these feisty fish in for us to enjoy and they will stay in the river until mid to late May so come up and take part in the fantastic fishing!
Dont forget that its Deer season and the rut is coming into full swing in the northeast, colder temps and the chance for snow should realy kick things into high gear! Plenty of state land opportunity close by that has light or no pressure with a good population of whitetails makes for a great opportunity to come and catch trophy fish and bag a trophy deer in the same trip!
Remember we are a full service lodge and that if you feel your chances of success may be higher with some helpful knowlege than ask about our guided trips, we can help better your chances at that trophy of a lifetime!
Tight lines and good luck in your quest!
October 17, 2009
Chrome and more chrome!!!! Steelhead season has begun and it's about 2 weeks early! We have seen more steelhead in the last few days than all of last October! Great for those who want to catch steelhead and also for salmon fisherman due to the fact that fewer guys are fishing for salmon and fishing steelhead.
Remember that the salmon are still here in good numbers if you want to fish for them, but they are up on gravel and most have left the deep holes. Look for the fish to be on gravel and in full spawn mode and look for steelheads to be behind the kings that are spawning and in the fast water in heads and tails of runs. Best salmon baits have been what ever you bring or the local sport shops recommend and the best steelhead baits have been beads in glow roe, orange, molted, and of course egg sacks! Dont rule out using flies in egg patterns, stone flies and wolly buggers!
Look for Steelhead to move up through out the river in large numbers in the next few weeks and watch the kings diminish at the same speed! It has been a great season so far and have had great catches all year thanks to our lodgers and guided clients! We appreciate everyone who comes to visit and we look forward to seeing you all again in the near future! Good luck to all that have been up and to all those who will be visiting in the near future along with all those who are looking forward to their local hunting seasons that are quickly approaching!
Tight lines and God speed!
Steelhead Lodge
October 12, 2009
Well our Columbus weekend is behind us and it went better than expected!!! High water and lots of rain prior to the weekend helped spread the crowds out among the many spots along the river as well as the many other tributaries that enter the lake. Plenty of fish including lots of trout entered the river due to the high flows and look for them to be spread from top to bottom. Remember that the fish will be on the edges and out of the main flows due to the strong currents so before stepping into the river make sure you survey the water! Plenty of fish and plenty of water should make for a great finish to salmon season and a great start to steelhead season. Get ready for a great steelhead season as we are already seeing large numbers entering the river and plenty of water for them to make their way to your favorite holes!
Good luck and tight lines
Dont forget to call for up to the minute reports and remember to put some back for next time!
October 4, 2009
Well, our first big weekend is behind us and I would put it in the books as a giant success! The lodgers faired well and the clients that took trips on our drift boats did outstanding! Lots of fish from top to bottom, but with fish came fishermen!!! Every hole, parking lot, lodge, motel and restaurant was mobbed and with Columbus Day coming up next weekend look for even larger crowds to be present!
If you are coming just remember that the fish are everywhere and that all you have to do is walk a little to find open water and if your staying at the lodge just walk out back and fish our little piece of heaven! Dont forget that salmon season doesent end after Columbus weekend and the fish dont have a calendar! With that said dont forget that the Steelhead follow the Salmon up to feast on eggs and will continue thru the fall and winter so if your worried about gettin up here in time, you have plenty!
Good luck and tight lines!
September 30, 2009
Its on! The fish are here and in big numbers! Kings, Cohos and the occasional trout are showing up in big numbers. It has been one of the most impressive runs seen in quite a few years. Fish are scattered from top to bottom and in most all of the tribs on the eastern end of the lake! Go to your favorite spot and get ready to do battle as they are bigger than most years and very aggressive! We have been fishing upper and mid river with excellent success and if you need additional information feel free to call or e mail us for up to the minute reports!
If your not up to wading or not familiar with the waters up here and need a little help ask about our fully guided drift trips as we have a few good dates left.
Tight Lines and good fishin!
September 29th 2009
Things are winding down on Lake Ontario and heating up on the Salmon River. Weekend rains and cooler temperatures have sparked an impressive run of Kings and Cohos along with a few browns and steelhead mixed in. Fish are in good numbers from top to bottom with a good trickle moving in daily. This should be the beginning of the major run and fresh fish should show up in good numbers for the next 3 to 4 weeks. Many fish will be scattered thruout the entire river and in all the major pools. Hot baits have been single eggs and egg sacks along with an array of different flies, the hot flies have been large red streamers and also white has been working well. Dont forget Steelhead season is just around the corner and the crowds will dwindle fast so make sure you save some vacation time for November and December!
Lake fishing is over for salmon but the steelhead fishing on the lake will heat up mid October and last thru late November along with great perch fishing in close to shore and in the major bays. Dont forget about deer season and waterfowl, we have some of the best in the northeast and plenty of state land close by with lots of game and light presure!
Good luck and tight lines!
4/15/09
Spring is finally here!!! We Think! The thermometer finally hit 65 and the water temps are slowly creaping up! Fishing is picking up and we have lots of drop back steelies spread thru the entire river. There are still lots of fish at the hatchery and plenty of spawners in the upper stretch of the river! Water levels are still very high as they are releasing 1800 cfs plus runoff so be careful wading and look for the fish to be on the edges and in the slower water! Drift boats are doing well back trolling and also casting egg sacks and flies! Water is still off color so stick to brighter baits especially in deeper runs! As water levels decrease and water temps increase look for fish to move into faster water and become more aggressive! Dont forget that these fish will be around thru the month of May so there is still plenty of opportunity for one last trip! Good luck and tight lines!
4/8/09
Well were expierencing hig water and cold temps here and the forecast is for temps to stay in the 30s and low 40s for the week! Water levels are down from the 5000 earlier in the week but are still hovering around 2500 to 3000 so be careful wading! fishing has been fair to good depending on the day and the drift boats are doing well due to the fact they can get to the spots! Egg sacks in bright colors such as pink, chartruse and orange are working best in the high muddy water. The tribs are fishing well when the conditions are right but this has been changing day to day and they are hard to predict as the weather has been very unstable! Look for things to improve slowly over the next week and lets hope for warmer, more mild weather!
Tight lines and for up to date info please feel free to call us at 315 298 4371
|
