Salmon River steelhead report, local trout fishing

The Salmon River is running at 2290cfs at Pineville gauge at a release of 1650cfs.  Expect levels to continue to go up with constant temperatures now above freezing and rain forcast from now into early next week.  Spring run off is here.  At current conditions the river is fishable, just use common sense when it comes to wading.  Crossing the river right now is not an option, no fishing spot, or fish, is worth your life.

Bitch Creek Nymph

Whether spin, fly or pin fishing, the soft water on a current seam is going to get the best results. Any where two currents converge below a large rock, tree stump or island is also a likely spot to fish for resting fish. Drop back fishing is getting pretty good now and these areas, soft water areas, are likely to produce drop backs, spawning fish are going to do there thing regardless of water flows so if you can fish areas know to hold spawning steelhead you will find fish here.

Montana Stone Fly



In these conditions, drifting egg sacks under a float is without a doubt one of the most productive ways to go after drop backs. Pin or spin, you should see good action with eggs OR night crawlers. Indi fishing soft water or high sticking pocket water with the fly rod is going to produce well too.





Yuk Bug or 'Pepperoni'

Lake Ontario tribs are fishing well too. Pocket fishing with the fly rod has producde well for us and a nice MEATY fly, like a golden or brown stonefly nymph in size 8, has been the most productive this way. Rubber legged stonefly nymphs like the Bitch Creek nymph, Girdle Bug, Montana Stone or Yuk Bug (aka 'pepperoni') in size 8 or10 work very well too.  These flies are fished heavily weighted.

Inland trout season came in here April 1 and the streams have been in good shape, until two days ago.  Water levels have been steadily rising and slightly off colored.  Swinging weighted steamers or scullpin along under-cut banks, mending these to get them as deep as possible works, not the flies I want to fish but they work.  Locally no stocking has been done yet, the DEC usually waits until after the run off from the Tug Hills is done, so all fish taken now are hold-overs from last years stocking.  These trout are nice sized, 16"-18" now and very aggressive.  Here is a scullpin pattern tie by Rick Strolis  that is quite unique, using a weighed 'scullpin helmet' in the pattern.  These are producted and marketed by Flymen Fishing Company .  These guys have some pretty innovative fly tying and fishing products.  Click on their name and check them out.

Thing are changing here as we get deeper into spring.  Hope you get out and enjoy the nice weather.

Tight lines.