And so it begins... Salmon River report - Labor Day 2013

Labor Day is the unofficial start of the salmon run here on the Salmon River and it appears that this year it may be the official start.  The release is 750cfs till 9pm tomorrow, Sunday Sept 1and it is running at 824cfs at the Pineville gauge.  The fish have been staging off the mouth of the river and this push of water has started to bring them into the river in fairly good numbers for this time of the year.  As of this posting you will find salmon up into the river between Pulaski and 2a bridge.  This water release will be cut back to 335cfs tomorrow night and should stay there for awhile, ensuring a steady run of salmon into the river.

Here in Camden we're starting to get a glimps of fall

The season is beginning to move from summer into fall, the trees are starting to show some color now for the past week or two, nothing major yet, but fall is upon us here in salmon country.  The last few mornings on the river have been cooler with fairly heavy fog over the river, I love that.  I feel anticipation rising as I think of what is coming over the next 6 weeks. 

September 1988, the year I started guiding here on the Salmon River doesn't seem that long ago but this September will mark my 25th anniversary of guiding, a milestone in my life.  I have spent almost half of the 57 years I have been alive working as a guide.  This experince has been full of great memories of many days spent on this river with all kinds of clients under all kinds of conditions.  I've seem major changes take place here that to this point have affected the fishery in mostly positive ways.  Our salmon fishery is world-class and the steelhead fishery, outside of the west coast, is in a league of it's own.  Dispite the negative press about crowded conditions, the Salmon River does, over most of it's course, offer an angler solitude and excellent fishing.  If a person complains about fishing in crowded conditions it's  because they have chosen to fish where it is crowded, there are other options on the river.

I am still fishing the local trout streams and will for another week or so.  There is an excellent Hex and White Fly hatch every evening right now, I can't seem to get enough of those big browns.

I will post again soon.  Have a good season and if you see me on the river give me a shout.

Tight lines.

Pre-season news letter, August 2013

The summer is moving towards fall and the recent change in temperature, getting cooler, has thoughts looking towards salmon fishing.  I just put together my late summer news letter for my client mailing list, sort of a pre-season prognastication of the fishing for the upcoming fall.  I am copying it here also this time.  Hope you enjoy it.

 

Late summer news letter

 

Hi folks,

 

I hope you’re having a great summer. 

 

It’s hard to believe that in about 6 weeks we’ll be chasing salmon around the river again.  After a wet summer the reservoir at Redfield is in good shape at full pool as I write this.  Things have cooled down temperature wise here in the Salmon River area and this has everyone here thinking of salmon fishing. 

 

Salmon Fishing

 

A nice Salmon River King from early October, 2012

As far as Lake Ontario fishing goes reports are that the fish haven’t set up yet due to the different wind directions over the past few weeks.  Without a steady wind (west wind preferably) the lake water is constantly turned over and mixed with no thermo-cline which means the fish are scattered.  This doesn’t mean they are not catching fish, actually there are some nice fish being taken now, they’re just not staging yet.  Reports from the lake do suggest that this fall’s salmon run should be another incredible run.

Last 2 years have seen a good mix of hatchery and wild salmon in the creel census and this fall should be no different.  These wild fish definitely help keep the salmon run strong and has established the fishery here as ‘world class’.  This fall is going to be awesome, again.  I have some prime date open the last week of September through October. I have excellent mid-week dates in early October open, including as of this writing October 13 and 14, the Sunday and Monday of Columbus Day weekend.  If you’d like to plan a trip with your son or daughter who will be off school these days contact me as soon as you can, these dates will book.  As you would expect, at this point most of my Saturdays are booked through to the end of the year.

Fall Steelhead fishing

 

16 pound Salmon River Steelhead
caught early November, 2012

I am very excited, looking forward to the steelhead fishing this fall.  Last season (2012/13) we netted some BIG steelhead.  The river was in prime condition for steelhead fishing and the fish were happy to cooperate.  Around here the general feeling among the guides is for another exceptional fall for steelhead fishing.  We are looking at good numbers of steelhead to return and if it’s like last year’s class of fish, we should see quite a few in the 14-18 lb. range, let’s hope so.  I have excellent dates open for fall steelhead fishing October thru December, again with the exception of most Saturdays.  Contact me and let’s work out a date for steelhead fishing this fall.  If you want to bring a group of 3-4 I have a very good guide who will work with us.

A few notes

 

I am working to update my web site so look for some changes soon.  Another change in my guide service this year is that I now have a card reader for my phone. You can pay the balance on your trip by credit card if you want.  You’ll still need to pay the deposit by check or MO.

 

 In closing

 

I have had some great times fishing with you over the years and some of the memories are unforgettable. The past few seasons have seen the fishery pass everyone’s expectations as to the potential this fishery could reach.  The techniques and fishery here has changed dramatically over the years and if you have not been here for a while I would be happy to re-acquaint you with this great resource.  I look forward to seeing you this fall.

 

Tight lines,