Oneida County local trout streams report, late September 2017

It's tough to make decisions right now for the angler who lives in the northern Oneida County area right now, salmon fishing or trout fishing.  It may seem like a no-brainer, salmon fishing hands down, but it's not that easy when the trout fishing is producing the biggest brown trout of the year.  On any given evening right now in the last half hour of daylight and into twilight you can find big browns eating on the surface.

Nice 18"-20" browns like this one are frequenting my net right now.

For the past 5-6 weeks I have been fishing local streams that are producing heavy Ephron and Iso hatches, like clock work.  No need to show up streamside more than 45 minutes before dark.  The last 1/2 hour of daylight brings these hatches on and the big browns are right on them.  Areas of the stream where the riffles meet the calm water at the head of the pool is where they set up to feed.  Some takes, most takes, are aggressive and noisy, but the biggest trout I have taken have gulped the fly, nothing splashy or brutal, just nose out of the surface film and gulp.

Only fly you need, Parachute Adams #16.

The most interesting thing about all this is that every outing for the past 5-6 weeks I have used one fly pattern exclusively, same pattern, same size every time.  It has been so consistently producing these big trout that I don't even think of trying something different, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'.  The magical fly, parachute Adams #16.  As a side note, I am using my 9' 4wt Loomis Trilogy, (my go to fly rod for these local streams) with a WF4F Rio trout line with 9-10' leader and 6X tippet.

One more thing.  Notice the fly is barbless, since I fish C&R I either mash the barbs on my flies or tie on barbless hooks.  Make releasing these fish fast and no damage to the fish, even those hooked back in the roof of the mouth or at the base of the tongue.  Also, use forceps, they're smaller than you thumb and index finger.

Guiding for salmon is starting to demand most of my time (and energy) so I don't fore see too many more outings for these big browns.  Hope you take advantage of the spectacular trout fishing that happens on your local stream every fall.

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Salmon River report , early fall 2017

Early season, early morning salmon.

September is coming to a close and the salmon fishing is ramping up.  We have had very good fishing on the river pretty much since Labor Day.  Everyday is seeing a steady push of fish up the river and the upper reaches between Altmar and Pineville have had fish bedding now for the last week and a half.  The release is at 335 cfs. with the gauge at Pineville reading 409 cfs. as I write this.  I have been fishing for the last week or so with clients and it has been very good, especially in the dawn to 10 a.m. time frame.  We have had unusually hot weather and fish start holding up in deeper water about 10ish.  Today is the first break in the temperatures in a week, things are more seasonable and we are expecting a little rain in the next day or two.  This should help the fish move throughout the day.

Tried and true pattern for the Salmon River.

We have been chasing them with the fly rod. Bead or cone head buggers are working well as are zonker-type streamers.  I tie these mostly in size 4-6.  I add weight to the zonkers to eliminate as much weight being added to the leader.

Salmon fishing will be peaking for the next few weeks.   Make sure you take the time to fish the run, it only happens once a year. 

I have about five date open for salmon through the first 3 weeks of October, one of which is Columbus Day, so bring you kid up and give me a call, let's book the day and fish together.  Neither of you will forget it.

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Trout fishing report - Central New York

Sometimes when you walk up to the stream you know it's going to be very good.  This evening was one of these. 

I got to the stream about 7 this evening and knew that I had about an hour of daylight left.  I approached the creek in a blizzard of Ephoron mixed with some Hex spinners flying upstream to the head of the riffles. I knew right then it was going to be a very good evening.

Over the past few weeks I have fished an #18 Adams parachute so I started off with the same fly, first drift and was on to a nice 13" brown.  The fish hit hard in these hatches and each fish 'killed' the fly.  After about 20 minutes and 7-8 trout later I switched to an Adams parachute in #12, anticipating the Hex spinners that would soon be floating down stream past my position.  From then to dark I landed another 7-8 browns with 2 big fish, one about 18" and the largest pushing 20" easily.

I was going to go to the Salmon River this evening, as there is some pretty darn good salmon fishing right now, but I opted for the trout stream.  Was a good choice.  I will be working on the Salmon River for the next few months so trout fishing right now is to be taken advantage of while I have time left for it.

Hope you are enjoying these later summer days, actually feels more like the middle of October than the first of September.

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Lake Ontario Fisheries meeting to be held

Anglers interested in the current state of Lake Ontario's trout and salmon population should plan to attend one of the three meetings to be held at the following locations:

September 11, 2017
Donald Schleiter Lodge and Pavillion, 199 East Manitou Road in Braddock Bay Park, Rochester, NY

September 12, 2017
Pulaski High School, 4624 Salina Street, Pulaski, NY

September 13, 2017
Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4487 Lake Avenue, Lockport, NY

DEC staff will be providing an update on the status of the alewife population in the lake and the actions they intend to take to keep the lake's trout and salmon population in balance with their primary prey fish.  Background information can be found on the DEC website.  Those unable to attend the meeting can email their comments or questions.

The time of these meetings is from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm.

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Salmon River report and local trout streams

As I write this the Salmon River flow is 810 cfs. at 500 cfs. release.  This is scheduled to run till Saturday evening.  The recent release over Labor Day saw salmon pushing into the river, Kings mainly with a few Coho in the mix.  The current increased flow can only encourage fish to continue to enter the river.  Another plus is the temperatures over night have been hovering in the 50's this past week or so, all good.  Most reports are focusing on the river from Pulaski down to the Douglaston, however, with the flows we have you will find decent numbers in any of the bigger pools from Sportsman down stream.  My moneys on the Birdhouse.  Tomorrow's full moon (Sept 8) means that the next full moon will see the salmon run peaking and will stay there for the week of October 8th.

18" Fish Creek brown trout.

Local streams are prime right now for big trout.  I have been spending a couple evenings a week on local streams and prior to dark the fishing is explosive.  I have been fishing only 1 fly for the past 2 weeks, size #18 Adams parachute and have been 'killing' them (not literally).  I have been landing 10- 12 trout in 30-40 minutes of fishing and loosing as many.  4-5 browns per outing are in the 16"-18" range.

Now is the time to make your way up here for salmon or trout.  Have a good season.

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