Salmon River - Steelhead fishing report

Current water flow is 1200cfs released with 1390cfs on the gauge at Pineville, NY.  With the increase in flow it goes without saying that you need to exercise caution when wading.  The current water temperature is 34/35 F  degrees and a dunk in these temps can be a bad thing.  Fish with a partner and wear some sort or wading cleat, korkers or a studded wading boot.  If you feel the need to move around in the water use a wading staff, they're not for sissies.

The steelhead fishing is fair to good.  The colder water temps as well as the fluctuating flows have been keeping the steelhead in a constant state of flux.  Colder temperatures slow the fish down making them conserve energy.  This means that they are not going to move very far to pick up a bait and they tend to prefer smaller offerings this time of year. They are still in their typical winter holding areas, Schoolhouse, Trestle, Pineville, Ace, Sportsman, Birdhouse, Compactor, etc...  You will need to have patience and work these areas thoroughly, and work them deep. 

The steelhead get stressed easily under these conditions so getting them released as soon as possible should be the goal if you are not keeping the fish.  Use your drag.  Alot of anglers are so afraid of loosing the fish they go with too light of a drag, this can kill the fish as it unnecessarily prolongs the fight.  If you are using 6-8lb test you can go fairly heavy on the drag.  Also, work the fish out of heavy current as quickly as you can.  This is done by rod handling.  Pull the rod downstream and into the shore, keep the pressure there and lower the rod to parallel or slightly below parallel to the river surface.  Giving the fish a 'rod up' fight does not give you much control over the fish.

Photo-ops are great, even I as a guide try to get good photos of my client's catch.  In these conditions, however, even a quick fight will stress a fish so here are some suggestions.  Use a net or a 'Michigan Mit' to help keep the fish safe and calm once you land it.  Beaching a steelhead is fairly easy to do but having a fish flop around on the shore and then having your buddy pin it down against frozen rocks or bank does not help the fish at all.  Try to handle the steelhead as little as possible, meaning get set up to take the picture before you handle the fish.  Getting set up to take the picture means deciding how you'll hold it, what you want for a back ground, who's taking the picture and how many shots do you want. 

With the higher water level, if they are sustained, the steelhead should begin to become more active spawning.  I have noticed a few spawn beds in a few areas but things will begin to heat up soon.  With more spawning gravel covered by higher flows we will see more activity in these traditional areas and in the diversions.  The basic instinct to procreate is a strong thing in these fish and soon it will be their primary focus. 

Hope you have had a chance to get up here this winter or are making plans to fish here this spring.  It is shaping up to be a good spring for steelhead as there are excellent numbers in the river now.  It will only get better. 

Tight lines.

Salmon River report - February 2013

Since I last posted to the blog the Salmon River has gone from one extreme to the other.  Both in weather and in water flow the river has 'seen it all' in the last month or so.  The flows have been relatively high with flows approaching 2000cfs as recent as two to three days ago and is now dropped to a current flow at Pineville of 460cfs at a 285cfs release.  We may see this bump up some in the next few days as the tempuratures are going to climb into the mid 30s for most of this week, with temps hitting mid 40s tomorrow with some rain forecast. This will be a nice break as recently the temperatures have struggled to climb into the low 20s for the last 3 or 4 days. 

The steelhead fishing has been very good so far this winter.  Dispite some brutal temperatures and a few days fishing in heavy lake snows, this winter has been a good one for catching steelhead.

Three stone fly patterns that are working well.  The top pattern is
the dbl bead thorax.  The lower is a rubber leg stone that gets
attention too.
 

A majority of our fish are taken on the fly rod fishing indies.  Seems most of the time we have been dealing with flows in the 600cfs - 900 cfs range so we've been bulk shotting to get the flies down fast.  I have been setting up a dropper fly, usually running a Copper John, caddis pupae or an egg pattern in 12-14 on the bottom followed by a golden stone in size 10.  The particular stone fly pattern I am using is a double gold bead thorax and probably 45% of our hook-ups are coming on the stone fly dropper with the balance of hook-ups on the bottom nymph.


We have been doing some spin fishing as well and this is always productive.  I've been using nymphs, trout beads and salmon eggs, with the salmon eggs producing the better of the three.  Three to 4 eggs in a sac working the best and anise scent helps a bit too.  The 10mm trout beads are working better the the 8mm and a few guys seem to be doing good on 12mm beads.  With the beads we are drifting the under a float but the eggs and nymph we are working on the bottom and this seems to be the way the steelies want these. 



A good selection of nymphs.

We still have a few good months left to fish steelhead and traditionally mid February is when things start to heat up.  Spawning activity is beginning and soon will be in full swing.  If you are interested in fishing a few days on the river I'd give you the thumbs-up to go ahead and make your plans.  If you would like to work a guided float trip into your arrangements give me a shout and I'll see what I can do to accomodate you.  Looking forward to an excellent spring, hope to see you here. 

Tight lines.