wANT TO PREPARE EARLY FOR FALL OR SPRING SALMON FISHING TRIP!!

1. Whats the best time for active fish, They run at night and a little during the day, it is hit and miss unless you are in a pool that is fairly deep.

2. What is the pressure like, is it a zoo or carnival, AKA like walnut creek in PA It is a freaking zoo in places and not so much in others. To be safe and make like you are actually "fishing and catching them" go to douglastown run. It costs but not crazy.

3. Rods required. Med action noodle with 12 lb test. Flyrod 12wt at least or will a 8/9 cut it. check forums it all depends on what you like to use, these fish average around 15# to 30# so be prepared to hang on "FISH ON"

4. Best flys or sponge to use. My opinion nothing matters unless you are an avid fly fisherman. Use any color and get lucky like everyone else.

5. Best cheap dive to stay in as long as it is clean etc. Do the camp ground thing, much better experience. I go to Browns camp ground , the walk to the river is 5 to 6 minutes.

6. best locations to fish, would be driving 400 mile one way, don't want to be guessing at locations, riding around all day. No riding. look for parking lots and cars. where there are people there are fish. best time is I say last week in sept to end of oct.

If it's your first time going there, I would recommend using a guide. It will cut your learning curve dramatically. Good luck!

ORIGINAL: nysteelieguy

You will never be able to guess when the best time to go is. A very cool spell with good rain can happen any time. It can also be very warm and dry into October like in 2007.

If you want fresh fish, try Douglaston. There have been some massive coho runs in mid September the last few years. Being a first-timer, set your expectations low, that way when you get skunked for several days, you won't be disappointed.

These two things are very important. The Salmon River is nothing like Walnut Creek--shooting fish in a barrel. It's a man's river and it seems like you would be very out-classed there.

Most importantly, sponge is for snaggers. Do yourself a favor and stay home til the steelies run in Erie.

thats harsh man

oh yeah tribs... sandy creeks (either of the three), grindstone, orwell, catfish... but they are not rivers to plan on. they are hit or miss. if you are traveling so far for only one trip in one year, you should concentrate on the salmon river. oh yeah there is oswego, which gets great brown rainbows and steelies, but that is an interesting river. spin fishing only, and most spots are fishing off of a wall... good luck

ORIGINAL: nysteelieguy

ORIGINAL: Kokanee Killer

ORIGINAL: nysteelieguy

You will never be able to guess when the best time to go is. A very cool spell with good rain can happen any time. It can also be very warm and dry into October like in 2007.

If you want fresh fish, try Douglaston. There have been some massive coho runs in mid September the last few years. Being a first-timer, set your expectations low, that way when you get skunked for several days, you won't be disappointed.

These two things are very important. The Salmon River is nothing like Walnut Creek--shooting fish in a barrel. It's a man's river and it seems like you would be very out-classed there.

Most importantly, sponge is for snaggers. Do yourself a favor and stay home til the steelies run in Erie.

thats harsh man

You know what they say. The truth hurts.

yeah you sure hit the nail in the head but i will take the salmon river any day too

i guess nysteelie is a classy guy. look out for him...

Silver, have you ever gone out on the lake for the critters? Personally, I like it a lot more. The river get's jammed up with a lot of people, fish get skiddish. (I won't pay to fish Doug.)
 
Boat fishing gives you an open lake, more room, fresh fish. The fish don't just go up or down stream. Kings can go in any direction on the boat. Up, down, overhere, overthere. Screaming drags hundred yrds at a clip. I my opinion, much more exciting. Throw in a few doubles or even triple and you got a real party going on in the boat.
 
Charters my not be cheap, but if you get some good friends to split costs, it's worth a try. Having some good friends with lake boats is even better.

Your missing out on a great time. Get out once, have a great trip, and you'll be hooked!
 
How's the fishing up on the river? Any luck?

Hey silverman, I get up there quite alot will let you know whens a good time. I personally start going up and looking for salmon in mid august, its always hit or miss, if its been a hot summer and theres no water Ill wait for rain or the kyackers release then fish the next day, any little fluctation in the water will bring fish in early, usually cohos early kings hold out a little longer, which I think is better, wish they would do away with king stockings and only stock cohos, but that is another story. As for rods I use an eight weight and swing lightly weighted olive wolly bugers. As for spots to fish, I wouldnt give the douglaston run a quarter, but in my opion mid river is has the best spots to fish,not gonna be two exact but mid river always a good starting spot. Fish On!!

3fan your posts are too funny... In a light hearted way..

aside from a Labor day at the beach I will for the first time in 34 years not par-take in fishing Salmon in 2010.. Just find myself moving in another direction this fall.

To answer some of the original questions through my experience.

1. After a rise in water level (example 335 to 500 or 750) or heavy rains you will find active fish. A rise will trigger fish to move & stage and those fish will be most active.. This could happen most any time around the last week in August.. Last year the Sat of Labor day weekend we had aprox, 1,000 salmon come through DSR.. Sunday aprox. 2,000 fish.
After that it shut down for a few weeks then it became a steady flow & eb of fish up until the first week in Oct.. By the end of first week in Oct more trout came in then salmon..

2.Pressure.. Ah the pressure.. Yes It gets a TON... Avoid sucker holes, those slow deep pools where everyone is shoulder to shoulder trying to shoot fish in a barrel.. Fish below pools in broken flowing water.. Concentrate on staging > holding spots .. Most times fewer fish but less pressure..

3. Rods...
9' 8 or 9 wt.. with a SOLID reel holding 100 yards 30# backing. And yes WFF fly line..
although I don't use spinning gear a 10' noodle rod with 10# line will be fine..
I start with 12# tippet and never find need to ever use less then 10#

4. Flies..
Yup Buggers & comets .. .. cant go wrong with brown ,olive or black Krystal buggers. My comets are simple.. Pink or Chartreuse.. Both size # 4 salmon hook.
I weight 25% of my streamers and they are used with no other added weight. If weight is needed it will be very minimal, this is not ice fishing.. Swinging fly gets active fish to move.. bottom bouncing does not, water temps dont put salmon down, lead does..

5. Lodging..
Camping galore.. Selkirk Shores has cabins and plenty of campgrounds in the area.. As for rooms.. Whitakers is hard to beat but I'm sure booked solid.. Brenda’s motel is cheap . There are just lots of places but they do fill .

6. Best Location
Funny...
These are migratory fish and move through the river system.. Here today gone tomorrow..
I always only "salmon" fished DSR..(first wade able water to fish) But will not re-new my pass.
It's great water ( in terms of water) and at times fantastic fishing.. BUT it can also be dead water if fish are not coming in and have already moved through.. A tough pill to swallow if you pay $45.00 per day..
Obviously the "free" water will have the most pressure (that word again) .. Start low and work up..

7.Spring run..
Steelhead..

8. Tribs..
North & south sandy & yes they get hit as well. They are also as are the tribs rain dependant.
The feeders to the Salmon also get large amounts of salmon but I "myself" find no sport in trying to hook salmon in those small tribs..

9..
Useless Info..
I have never found salmon to take a fly in flat water.
I have found 2 ways to get salmon take flies.. Staging while on the move or spawning.. I prefer the first.
I have never caught a moving fish..
I have never caught a salmon on a size #10 black stonefly..

see ya all in november..

by the way tuna, what are you targeting this fall. you don't have to tell me spots or states or any regions; but what type of fish are you targeting?

Yea dime, that is why I start mid august, I took my then little brother up for his first salmon river trip, he was 15 then. We parked down in the spots reserved for rescue bye the staircase now you cant park there. Got there 530 walked down to the staircase was no one else around, I told him not to expect anything, just enjoy the day, but we were greeted by fish, alot of fish. Bye 9 we both had landed 5+ and were hooting and holaring and haveing a blast, were seen by some locals walking the bridge and bye 11 there was about 10-15 of use just haveing a riot. We left about 2 in the afternoon dragging our arms, soar from fighting fish. We hooked up 75 times and landed between the two of us 25 fish, and as you stated never have saw another year like it yet. My buddy was running salmon acres lodge for a few years and I would go up and fish clarke falls early and have had very good days early in aug. Ill bet our paths have crossed at least once on the water, hopefully not our lines though!

I'm ready to fish. No more 24 hour Hell days. Boycott Super 8.

If I lived closer I would opt for a season pass also (yeah- I know there's a waiting list).

I am looking for a double hander. It's time to open another chapter in my fishing.

Has anyone fished the Grand? I love it! Many fish, few people. You have to watch for the posted signs though, a lot of private land but what a great river.