renting a cabin...

...next week very close to the SR. I have a boat and will go chase silver in the lake when the waves permit. That said, I used to live in Syracuse and never once chased smallies on the SR (never seemed to be something that got a lot of pub). If a guy were to fish the river looking for smallies, what would you suggest and how far up would be the farthest you would target them. Would the river even rate as a quality smallie fishery this time of year? I know, get out and explore ... I have no problem with that and I can always shoot down to Oneida or any other number of areas, just curious as to what the SR might have in store for a traveller. Thanks, Griffon.

DB, Thanks for the follow up and the advise. I don't know how much I will make it over to the SR, but it is nice to have options. I do enjoy it when you pickin' them on muddlers and buggers, but if I can whack them on a cork bodied popper, that is even better... Griffon. Who knows, I may see you on the river.

Thanks metal, kind of my thought and if the surf on the big O gets crazy I may just do that... If nothing else I can vertically jig walleyes at the same time and catch dinner.

   Like to fish Smallies in the warm months after doing yard work during midday. Always hit the big dark pools with garden hackle. Not a lot of fish that time of day but enough to make me happy. Letem go like most everything else too.
  Have been doin that ever since buying up there and really enjoy it. It is one of the few things ya can do on the river and have it mostly to yourself.
     Evenings of course are for the fly rod and bigger prey. ( at least I catch the smallmouth once in a while)
       Great way of monitoring the water snake population too.

griffon, keep in mind things are pretty loose here; its great to hear from you being a guy that has much knowledge and respect for the area.... it is a beautiful area in my opinion despite what many label it as... great people too; too many people throw a label on rural areas and the people who live in them like the tug/north country... its all BS to me... IMO, there are many different types of god's country for different reasons; i consider it gods country for my own reasons... not completely for the fishing; but it is pretty heavenly when you land a nice pink cheeked chromer on a cold winters day with no one in sight with wind blown snow banks... or just like hitting smallies with my son this past summer; the only thing that disrupted us was the monster blue heron and the hawk that swooped down to grab a bass... feel free to pm me if you're in the area fishing...