I think 2012 was much less water in the reservoir as well as 2013 compared to this years reservoir level. I think 2013 was 14 feet below at this point. In the past I noticed low water would usually hold most fish below the joss hole or wall pool and commonly fish would run up and go back down. Of course stragglers would go through. Last year was not that case. As for egg take at the hatchery, I never did and never will judge a salmon season off of the that info based on my findings through the years... Was it 07 when they fell short of eggd??? I think it was... That year was 100 cfs til middle November... And yes, in a quick assumption, there were 10 fold the amount of salmon in 07 than there was last year

Yes db, 2007 was a super low water but we hit a mother load of fish in the DSR on many days. I was still working the system then . While you said it seemed like more salmon the the worst year ever last season , I agree to a point .
It was a phenomenal season in the DSR due to the fact the water was super low and the fish packed in the lower river and stayed put . It really was the only game I. Town to fish down there which seemed like ( and it was ) crazy with fish everywhere .
I just don't see how the fishery is going to rebound so quickly in 1 year to make this season a " better " one.
I feel there is going to be a huge change and swing in the Great Lake . You will see LOT s of lake trout again in the rivers in the fall. I believe the state & Feds are working very hard to establish a full blown laker fishery again in efforts on goby control as well as natural reproduction which in turn reduces stocking costs in the future. Think about it , salmon live 2-4 years and do nothing to control the goby. Lakers live 10 plus and are just gorging themselves on the goby .
Oh well time will tell and we will still be scratching our heads trying to figure out their answers

I agree tuna... 99/2000 were breaking points for many guides and businesses... Many left town saying the salmon are too small and not enough...but it did come back... Took some time but it did come back better than ever.

In reference to last season, I don't/can't say it was the worse severe... But it was the worst I ever saw in 26 seasons...

The laker program comes from a desire to reestablish the native predator, same for Atlantics.  There are some at the Federal level that would encourage abandonment of the Pacific program if it would mean better survival and recruitment of the lakers; be thankful that NYSDEC is holding to a "we can have both" policy.  All this is detailed in the Fish Community Objectives on the DEC website.  I know the year that the lakers took over the last couple of holes in DSR, they were a nice diversion from fruitlessly casting for the one or two steelies coming through each day; this was back when Mike and Connie were still around.  We rarely encounter a laker in the fall in the Genny, and the smaller tribs I fish are too far from the lake when they get the fishable flows.

My objective out here in the 5 year program will be figuring out the laker fishery on the lake . Some guys say its easy , I think they are easy on lake George on ice .
The DEC , Great Lakes association are not going to let the Pacific's wane , they ( IMO ) are trying to come up with a sustain program right now . Lakers are fed $$$ , salmon is state . Invasive are state issues from the Feds .
I just want to catch a fish in the big sea

Lucky, they took over Altmar in 97!!! Loved the mike and Connie days. Wish is was still like that down there

97 was when the Steel was way down, and due to work and family, I was pretty well out.  And as long as Mike and Connie were down below, and the Senator was still honoring what we were told in the beginning of DSR, that access to a publicly created fishery would remain reasonable in price, I was paying for the day ticket, so I didn't really see Altmar back then.    Hindsight being 20-20, I should have kept a journal, but I thought my "steel trap" memory would remain sharp forever.  2soon old,2 late shmart!

Lucky I'm right with ya. Wish I had been keeping a journal all of these years. 97 really shaped me in to steelhead fishing looking back. Lakers were everywhere and I was often fishing 4-6 different spots a day in search of chrome. 17 and innocent I was. Old '84 bronco 2... Death runs on Saturday nights to fish all day Sunday and come home. Those were the days. Put many steel on the bank that year. Kept my 2nd trout from the system ever ...12 pound brown I put on the wall. Kept my first steel back in 92 but was strictly catch and release after that