Trip Report, Salmon River Oct 19-22

[Regan Burmeister]

Well, I ended up going Oct 19 – 22.  There was a big rain storm that arrived Friday and blew out the river for Saturday, 2300 cfs at Pineville on Sat. We came home Sat., yesterday, due to these conditions.

Fishing was tough.  I ended up only getting one grab from a salmon, briefly on the hook, with my two hand rig, swinging flies.  I learned that swinging flies for king salmon is a low probability event for success. I went expecting some success, like a few grabs per day, but I am now schooled.  I talked to a few folks on the river and in a couple shops.  Swinging flies much more suited to steelhead in Nov.  My education continues.

Beautiful fall colors.  We tent camped at Fox Hollow Lodge, which worked well, but probably the last weekend for warm temperatures.  Fishing below Fox Hollow, that was new territory, tough to get to otherwise without access from the lodge.

Spent one day on Douglaston Salmon Run, Friday, unfortunately the day of our reservation with the heavy rain and rising water (1300 cfs and climbing). We left early and heard later that it was closed due to high water.

Consider going over to the Oswego, but blown out with +10,000 cfs (1000 cfs is safe water)

New breakfast place in Pulaski called Steph’s, just across from Ace Hardware.  Excellent food, reasonable prices.

All in all, given the education, lots of two hand casting practice, and the company of a good friend, it was good trip.

Regan

 

[TurbineBlade]

I give you respect for posting a tough report; that doesn't happen often on this forum.  

I literally only have 1 experience fishing for steelhead, and it was in November up off Erie.  If you ignore that centre-pin guys, most everyone there was fishing either a DH rig with some kind of streamer, or a SH rig with a streamer or nymph.  I used a teeny t-200 and a streamer for a while and didn't catch a thing.  Later, I went to an indicator rig and my wife and I caught several fish (missed others) dead drift.  It was far, far more effective.  

In true fly fishing fashion, a segment of folks up there have (apparently) selected DH streamer swinging as the highly-specific, "only way to do it" method, similarly to how some guys will stand in a spring creek and proclaim "If nothing rises to a dry, I'm just going to stand here for 6 hours and then drive 5 hours back home".  

DH streamer fishing did appear to be fun, I have to admit.  And one of the guys up there who was quite good at it and knew the river well was very friendly to us.  Nice guy.  Of course, with a wide strip of river with a somewhat even flow all the way across, it's easy to see the appeal of long roll casts and line mending.  

Good report!  We had the same scenario, with heavy rain after a perfect first day and a rush to locate water that wasn't blown out.  We only found a Horton's though -- no fancy breakfast joint.  Still....

I don't know if your experience was the same, but we found rain in W. New York to be hauntingly depressing somehow.  

Gene

[Yambag Nelson]

I know this year was a weird year up there, but if you want to swing flies for salmon your best bet is much earlier in the year and down low (douglaston).  This late in the year the fish have been in the river for awhile and have been pounded on so badly that there is no way they are going to hit anything, much less a swung fly.  

If you don't mind taking a chance, go up there in early sepetember and fish douglaston.  If there are any fish they will be fresh and there will be relatively few people so you have a much better chance at finding active players.  It can be a feast or famine type deal, and with the long drive you are really taking your chances. 

On Sunday, October 23, 2016 at 7:17:39 AM UTC-4, Regan Burmeister wrote: