How to Fish the Legendary Salmon River in New York

One of the best places to fish for trout and salmon in the northeastern United States is the Salmon River in New York. Every year, fisherman from all over the country come to this river to catch big king salmon, steelhead, brown trout, and other fish. You need special skills and gear to fish the Salmon River, but if you do it right, you can catch some of the biggest freshwater fish in the world. I’ll tell you everything you need to know to start fishing for salmon and steelhead on the Salmon River in this full guide.

The Salmon River is located in Oswego County in upstate New York It flows northward for over 20 miles before emptying into eastern Lake Ontario near the town of Pulaski.

This river earned its name from its once prolific runs of Atlantic salmon. By the late 1800s Atlantic salmon in the river system were wiped out due to overfishing pollution and habitat loss. Beginning in the 1960s, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation began an aggressive stocking program of Pacific salmon and steelhead to restore a sport fishery.

Today, the Salmon River is stocked with over 1.5 million Chinook salmon each year. It also receives plants of coho salmon, brown trout and two strains of steelhead. The river provides world-class fishing for truly giant salmonids from September through April.

While Atlantic salmon are gone, the Pacific imports have helped restore the Salmon River’s legendary status. A 47 lb Chinook was caught here in 1991, along with a 33 lb coho in 1998. These are massive fish!

In addition to its great fishing, the river also boasts excellent public access. The NYSDEC has secured public fishing rights along the majority of the river, so finding a spot to wet a line is no problem.

When to Fish the Salmon River

The fishing on the Salmon River depends on the seasonal runs of migratory salmon and trout. Here’s a quick overview of what you can target and when:

• September – October: King salmon enter the river in early September and peak by October. Some coho and steelhead also begin to show up at this time. This is the most popular fishing period.

• October through December: October is the best time to fish for steelhead because the salmon are dying off. Brown trout also enter the river during the fall months.

• December through April: Steelhead run best in the winter and into early spring. Pressure is lower during the cold months.

• May – August: Some lake-run brown trout provide summer fishing. Skamania steelhead and Atlantic salmon also provide occasional targets.

While runs are seasonal, salmon and steelhead can be found in the river nearly year-round. September through April are the prime months for most anglers.

Salmon River Fishing Techniques

The Salmon River fishes best with drifting techniques, whether float fishing or back bouncing/drift bobber fishing. The river is large and swift, making the presentation of a drifting bait or lure ideal.

Most anglers fish the Salmon River using one of two techniques:

Float Fishing

This involves casting upstream and allowing the float and bait to drift down through a run or pool. The bait drifts drag-free with the river’s current, bouncing along the bottom. Float fishing allows covering a lot of water to find where salmon and steelhead are holding.

Effective baits for float fishing include egg sacs, beads, woolly buggers and streamers. Spin anglers use bobbers and fly anglers use strike indicators. You can also add split shot to get the bait down. Target the heads and tails of pools, seams between fast and slow water, and undercut banks.

Back Bouncing

Back bouncing involves casting directly downstream and bouncing the bait along the bottom as you retrieve. This technique allows keeping the bait constantly moving into new strike zones. Drift bobbers, beads and jigs all work well for back bouncing.

While retrieving upstream, make sure to take a couple steps downstream after each cast. This allows the bait to sink as the line drifts downstream. Let the bait bounce along bottom, keeping the line tight.

In addition to drifting techniques, casting large spinners is a great technique for covering water to find active salmon.

Best Salmon River Lures and Baits

The Salmon River sees a lot of artificial lures and baits cast over the course of a season. Here are some of the top producers:

• Egg sacs – Salmon eggs cured in membrane sacks. Natural colors like orange, pink, yellow work best.

• Beads – Plastic beads in egg and grub shapes. Add a peg float for drift fishing.

• Streamers – Large profile streamers like Woolly Buggers in black, olive or brown patterns.

• Spinners – Large Vibrax or Mepps spinners in 3/8 to 1 oz sizes. Gold, silver, chartreuse, orange and firetiger patterns.

• Jigs – Leadhead jigs like Marabou Jigs and Twister Tails. Natural colors and white/chartreuse.

• Drift Bobbers – Cured salmon eggs threaded onto the hook shank so they float off bottom. Excellent for back bouncing.

• Worms – Large nightcrawlers work well in higher or dirtier water.

Make sure to use stout rods and reels for Salmon River salmon and steelhead. Line strength from 10-15 lb test is recommended, with leaders testing 8-12 pounds. The fish are too big and powerful for light trout tackle.

Prime Salmon River Fishing Locations

The Salmon River is fishable for over 20 miles from Lake Ontario to the Lighthouse Hill Reservoir. However, there are a few areas that tend to hold more fish:

• The Douglaston Run – This stretch near the mouth holds salmon early in runs. It’s also the only portion of the river requiring a separate permit.

• Pineville to Altmar – Some of the best shore fishing access on the river. Deep runs and pools hold salmon and trout.

• Beaver Dam Area – Lots of creek mouths that attract spawning salmon. Good numbers of fish push through this area.

• Between Altmar and Pine Grove – More great shore fishing opportunities with a fast current and pockets to hold fish.

There’s excellent trout and salmon fishing along the entire river. Look for deeper pools and runs, especially around creek mouths. Outside bends and undercut banks are other great spots.

Additional Salmon River Fishing Tips

Here are a few more tips to help you achieve success on this excellent fishery:

• Check flows – salmon move with changes in flows. Watch for surges that bring in fresh fish.

• Go low and slow – fishing beneath indicators and tight to bottom is most effective. Make long, controlled drifts.

• Try different baits – switch colors and offerings until you find what’s working each day.

• Use enough weight – split shot or pencil lead is needed to reach bottom. Add/remove weight to match speed of drift to river flow.

• Fish the edges – target shoreline structure. Fish hold in pools, pockets and out of main current.

• Watch your step – use caution wading and wear cleats or spikes for traction on the gravel bottom.

• Find fishy water – focus on spots with food and ambush cover to intercept migrating fish. Nearby creeks are hotspots.

• Check regs – parts of the river have special regulations. Know the law and carry your license.

The Salmon River offers outstanding fishing for trophy salmon and trout. Following these tips and techniques will help you get in on the action. With a little luck, you may land the fish of a lifetime on this iconic river.