Fishing Season: Spring

Salmon River - NY

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

55

Whitakers's Tip of the Week

We are currently at the end of steelhead season and the majority of steelhead have finished spawning and headed back to Lake Ontario for the summer, which is why these fish are often called dropbacks. Your best best to find any remaining steelhead still in the river would be in the lower end of the river. With the water temperature on the rise, smallmouth bass have started showing up in the lower end of the river. With the recent low water level, the deeper holes and larger runs have been producing the best action. For those anglers who are fly fishing, swinging streamers with sinking leaders has produced steady results.

Directions open in app

Map of Salmon River

Water Flow Data

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Tailwater Lodge
Zero Limit Adventures

5-Day Outlook as of 5/5/26

Average tempertures for this time of year.

Techniques & Tips as of 5/5/26

Streamers with sink tips.

Local Species Available Spring

  • Fish Icon

    Steelhead

  • Fish Icon

    Smallmouth bass

Whitakers's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Hot Cone Woolly Bugger black, olive 6
Meg A Egg Sucking Leech purple, black 6
Chuck and Duck Sculpin black, olive 4
Cone Head Marabou Muddler olive, white, brown 4
Steelie omelet cerise, peach, chart 10
rubber legged stone black, brown, olive 8
Bead Head Flash Zonker white, black 6
Zonker black, olive 6
Glo-bugs orange, pink, chart 10
beadhead buggers black, olive, brown 10

Hot Cone Woolly Bugger

Dressed hot to tempt big fish, this woolly bugger fly is doubly seductive.

2.99

Item #63LT

Buy Now

Whitakers's Recommended Gear

Description: About Salmon River

The Salmon River is without a doubt, the most famous salmon and steelhead river in the entire northeast. The salmon river is hydro electrically controlled and the water levels can vary based on rainfall, snow melt or drought. There is 13 miles of public access and 2 miles of privately controlled access where anglers can purchase a daily access pass. Labor Day weekend signals the start of salmon season with a scheduled water release. With the increase in water level the salmon begin their annual migration. Most of the true spawning areas/gravel bars are upstream of the Pineville bridge and that's where the bulk of these fish end up. Chinooks and Coho are fall spawners and they die after spawning. By November they are pretty much gone. Steelhead are spring spawners, but the first of the winter run fish show up with the salmon. November and December see more steelhead entering the river system. These fish will overwinter in the river and provide us with a winter fishery. January and February are reserved for serious fisherman. Lots of snow...dress warm...sleep in a bit longer and carry hand warmers. Spring comes eventually, in March or April. The spawning process begins and can provide plenty of action as the water temperature rises along with the arrival of mild weather. Once these fish have completed spawning, it's like a slow down stream migration as they feed all the way back to Lake Ontario.

Nearest Airport:

Syracuse International Airport (SYR)

Hatches:

Caddis, Stoneflies

Best Time to Fish:

Around mid day.

Best Stretch:

Lower end of the river.

Best Access:

DEC Public fishing access lots off NYS RT13, RT2A, RT52.