Salmon River Update 12 November 2015

Fishing conditions are continuing to be challenging lately here on the Salmon River. But that is why it’s called fishing; not catching. For this time of year, the fishing is still considered to be slow to moderate compared to what we have seen over recent years. Spots of the rivers are full with anglers up and down throwing a mix bag of flies, looking for that one or two Steelhead. The crowd size is what we typically expect during the main run of the Salmon season. Anglers throughout the river system are reporting a few hook-ups throughout the day, but they have been spending a lot of time walking the river trying to find fish. We have seen a few Steelhead making their initial push through the Douglaston Salmon Run throughout the week, but just small groups of two or three. These Steelhead and some Browns are being caught at the DSR. The King Salmon numbers are dwindling as the days go on.

Fishing the upper section of the river is still a game of chance. Holes from the Upper Fly and down seem to be holding fish one day, but then are dry the next. Anglers fishing the upper part of the river system have been reporting hook-ups of Steelhead, Brown Trout, Cohos, and a few Kings that are still hanging in. Fish in the upper section of the river are becoming line shy with the number of anglers they are passing as they move through Altmar. This will always make fishing tough and anglers go very light on tackle.

Mother Nature has been trying to help us over the past week with our low water level situation. The reservoir levels are still low and not on the rise. The low level is preventing an increase in the river’s flow, which is required to help bring in staged fish that would like to enter the water system. Forecast calls for sun and clouds with temperatures in the 40-50s. The current Salmon River conditions in Pineville, NY are 460 CFS and 48 degrees.