2012 revisited????

If I remember correctly, and it's very likely I don't, there wasn't ridiculous crowds that year, and there was occasionally spots you could fish.  More like last year with lots more fish. I was very happy with last year, have to see what this year brings.  A quick early trip looks likely. 

I wouldn't be jumping to get up there this week, the next three days are forecast to be near or above 90 in NYS, and a lot of those early darkies could belly right up.  Good numbers are likely for the fall, however, this is the last year of pre-stocking-cuts returns, with the wild fish wildcard also looking strong.  I would plan on being elbow to elbow, however, unless the LI to NJ coast gets a massive slam of fish, since the hurricane disrupted the fall fishing, a lot of those salt water fishers have been heading north.  Pulaski is the new New Jersey!

As to less crowded conditions, from the 2017 LO Unit report (Section 14):
"October remained the most intensively fished month on the Salmon River accounting for 361,464 angler hours in 2017, and 55% of the total estimated fall effort (Table 2). The September 2017 effort estimate was the highest for that month amongst recent surveys at 227,934 estimated hours, well above the next highest
value of 148,389 in 2011 (Table 2). The first week in October had the highest weekly estimate of any week in the surveys completed since 2005, with an estimated 152,009 angler hours (Table 2).
The morning car count conducted on 7 October 2017 yielded 1,398 vehicles at the access locations. Each year the effort increases during September with a peak in either the first or second week in October. By the fourth week in October the effort drops substantially as spawning activities diminish. The trend in fishing effort
over time for the Salmon River appears similar to that observed in the open lake boat fishery (Lantry and Eckert 2018), with a peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s (Table 3). Observed declines from peak effort were of similar magnitude (approximately 50%) for both the tributary and open lake fisheries. However,
Salmon River angler effort returned to historic levels beginning in 2010. "
If you have a "secret spot" where it is not crowded, keep it under your hat!
 

Wow 3 posts in 1 day. Welcome back L-13. Always enjoyed your information for us lazy people like me.
Hopefully my boring useless posts about gardening, food , hunting and sometimes fishing dont deter you again .
You know my thoughts about the tribs. I'm burned out on the fish and people so I'm a serious part timer.
A few trips suit me fine, the colder the better although not necessarily the fish in a stream feel the same.
2012 ? Maybe my last year at dsr? I can't remember. I do remember a drought year 2007 ? That was crazy with fish but they were not moving up river. I remember a year maybe 98 or 99 that the secret spot was loaded 3rd week in August.
I'd surly love to explore the river about now, used to be in my blood. Sadly the news is out already and goons follow the news.
As one of my favorite artists wrote a new song, " turn off the news " , build a garden.
Do things on your own and take adventures. Exactly what I will do on the psychotic holiday weekend. I will be high on a mountain top without another soul except family and friends.

You guys here are really my only connect to the fishing up there. I do troll a bit but it's just gibberish towards acquiring fish, no desire to share that water.
Columbus day weekend will put me back in fishing mode on the Ausable. Great time , all the far north and south people are peeping leaves or treaking a hill. Keene valley will be packed but the river will be void.
Just got done with chores. It's hot and sticky. Made HUGE mistake canning tomato sauce. Put cold sauce in hot jars. Burst a jar, dumb azz. Got 12 more lbs of last tomatoes i picked to make more salsa tomorrow.

Hope you get to hunting this season. I love the swamps and state forest tracts up there. Don't know how pressured they get but it's on my long 6 year term bucket list to try them . Southern zone areas, xbow, xbow, xbow. I struggle with an actual draw string but I'm sold on a xbow,. Honestly and not getting into a gun debate but I wouldn't mind taking guns outta the woods, mostly idiots..

So what flies should I tie for these late Sept up high salmon 😁

r3g3
Yea---getting harder and harder to pull a bow back.--X  in the future??

Trevor, they are deadly accurate. I can William Tell an apple every shot. Unlike a gun where you prepare for the recoil. I'm not a regular gun shooter so I tense.
As for the penetration, amazing. If its a good vital shot , way less destructive and it will lead to an easy harvest.
I prefer ( not that it's an issue where I hunt) not hearing a BANG in the woods.

I used to hunt but as I got older I did n't enjoy the "kill" anymore,I started feeling sorry for the animal so I quit hunting,I enjoy being out there but not killing what roams the woods.Sooooo it's fishing for me and I can't wait to get on the river and feel the pull of the huge fish on the SR.I'm looking for a great "cool temps." dance now.............. which is the best one guys?

pafisher
Even with this heat the DSR is reporting good fish movement today,when it finally cools they will come!

They will come Jack.
Gotta be pretty nasty right now with this heat.
I like the M-n-M dancer. Think he will being on the cool temps

Jack, thanks for putting some  enthusiasm in your posts. I'm not burnt out and blase,  nor have the knowledge of a guide or a professor. I just look forward to fishing. See ya there.