RG,
 
They are not coming in elsewhere either.  The Genesee has been extremely slow in relation to past falls.  We'll hopefully see some more fish when it comes  down the next time (it blew out to 4000cfs in the last 2 days), but there was not the large run that 5 weeks of 6000-10000 cfs should have brought when it finally came down the last time.  But there has been plenty of water for the fish to work with in the Genny, and they are not there in numbers.  Word from the Erie tribs is disappointing and the Region 9 Biologists are not denying it, they see the trend as well, and are puzzled. And although there is a lot of chatter on the PA and Ohio streams, the general tone would indicate less fish there as well, so indications are it is level or flow related not hatchery problems.  I feel bad because I cut back for years due to the poor returns for a while there, and then could not get out much the last few when reports were great, and this year I made the time, and the runs got poor again.  So maybe I need to quit fishing again, but with retirement a distinct possibility in the next year, I'm not likely to fish less.
 
L13

Lucky-
 Its perplexing. One would think if some could get up in low conditions they all could.    We wondered bout the 02 thing but that turned out to likely NOT be an issue.
    Kinda wondering if the lower conditions have something to do with the fish being able to implant correctly on the places they should be going to to reproduce but then why some and not many.
 The ' many'  seems not to be the issue here IMHO due to the higher than normal lake reports. Would indicate the fish are out there but just not showing.
  Way past my education cause I would think they 'gotta' come to breed- guess there will be some biological explanation at some point- cant wait to find out. Interesting stuff.
  Hey- good luck with the retirement -its great. Ya stop worrying bout numbers cause ya can get out more and -just fish.

RG-
 
If you could get $45.00 a day to have people walk all the way down river on the hope of some chrome, do you think you would tell the folks that the fish were not running through there.  I'll trust the reports from Clint when he fishes the long bridge or the stairs as being an accurate picture of the river, but I am not inclined to believe that the senator's son is going to post that there are no fish on the estate.  And with the stocking differential in the SR it is possible that there will always be a few fish around down there while other tribs see nothing.  The SR gets about 10 x's the steelhead of most other tribs.
 
I am really hoping to get out this upcoming year, but I have a couple of projects that may keep me around a while longer.  The frustration for me is that even though I may have more time, my back will only handle so much casting.  I have been carrying a one hand 8 weight and a spey, which is necessary for quite a few spots on the Genesee, but, IMHO, overkill for most of the Salmon River, and I switch off so I am stressing different muscles, but I can really hurt myself in an 8 hour day on the river, unless I get the occasional break from casting, which it is preferrable if brought about by playing a fish.  This getting old is not what it was cracked up to be, but as I told 2 bob this year, it is definitely preferrable to the alternative.
 
L13

I forgot to mention I did see some lighter fish to go along with a few very dark ones.  No chromers though.
 
Although I can't "really"   cannot comment on #'s due to this being my second year of fishing for steel hard I too think the #'s are down.  I saw WAY less Ho's and less steel in the tribs up north.   I almost find myself asking was it an EPIC year or due to lower water were there just more fish seen and caught and a slightly above  normal year.   There was literally only 1/3 of the water we usually see during salmon season.    I know there were a  HUGE runs and Dime hit a few of them, but many of the Epic stories came from the DSR and down low where the fish were fresh and concentrated.  I fished from Pineville up this year for the most part and saw alot of fish, but I saw them and that's the difference.    In 500 or 750 most of the fish I saw would  have been invisible.     
 
Back to the steel.   I personally think there may be a fewer #'s of steel than this time last year and the ones in the river have been cast at harassed and ripped upon.   I have frequented Melinda's a few times in the last couple of weeks and the old timers in there have been complaining every time I went in.  
 
L13   yes getting old does suck but it is WAY better than the alternative.   I have a bad disk in the neck and it causes shoulder pain and arm weakness.  I can usually power through, but pay the next day.   It especially hurts after fighting a fish, but the pain is worth it.
 

Don't know how bad the neck in Clint but look into surgey if it persists.
I had it done last year after mine got to the point of not being able to lift my right arm over my head and slewep became impossible.
While I still have some issues (there was much more damage than they thought) the overall improvement is spectacular.
As the #s.
It was definately a very good year for salmon.
I was there for the first big runs when low water was the norm and 3 weeks in a row this year matched up with the best of those runs.
Steelhead I saw several very good mornings but after that it seeems to have dwindled rapidly for some reason that is above my pay level to comprehend.
Or I suck and just didn't do what it took to hook up .

TB being in the physical therapy field I have looked into all the possibilities for the neck.  Neuro surgery wants to to do the surgery through the front of the neck, but I am not there yet.  Most day's it is OK some days a bit worse.  Surprising  enough casting does not bother it that bad.  I am way better than I was a year ago, so for now chiropractic, PT exercises and a daily anti inflammatory get the job done.

Hey Clint and Bob-
 I agree with your upriver/downriver observations. I most always fish up between the Tressel and Wire. This year I didnt really see any more King action than a normal/good year up there.
 When I finally moved down river between 2a and 81 the fish were in very large numbers.
  I started many days up above Tressel and then moved down and consistently found that difference over several trips.
    As the season progressed they were spawning heavily in mid river and normal amounts of beds were seen up. Actually less because of the low conditions and many bedding areas were dry.
  Hos were spawning mid river too but before the Kings.
  I would have to believe that pretty much from Pineville up was more like just a normal/good year. Yea some probably caught some pods moving up but generally like a good year up there - not EPIC like lower.
 Of course a gazillion fish got removed lower too.

Clint S

TB being in the physical therapy field I have looked into all the possibilities for the neck.  Neuro surgery wants to to do the surgery through the front of the neck, but I am not there yet.  Most day's it is OK some days a bit worse.  Surprising  enough casting does not bother it that bad.  I am way better than I was a year ago, so for now chiropractic, PT exercises and a daily anti inflammatory get the job done.

I was there for a decade Clint.
I understand.
They went in through the front on me also since they have to cut fewer muscles that way.
Have you at least had a MRI to show what's really going on.
Mine just blew up 2 summers ago on vacation one day fine the next agony.
Good luck with yours.

I hadn't salmon fished in more than 20 years until last year but I will say I saw more salmon on ropes than I ever had before due to the HUGE increase of people "fishing" for them.
Steel was the same since it was the same slamon fishers catching them .
If they didn't have a full rope the steelhead went on it to fill it out.

TB have had a few MRI's and the latest has shown it is better than the first.  There is no protrusion into the spinal canal, just irritation at the nerve root.   C 5 C 6 is the culprit and it is the most common one as it holds the most pressure in everyone.   I have already decided to get it done when and if it starts to impact my life in a way I cannot do things I  want to do.  Right now I have very little pain 95% of the time. When I usually do have pain it only lasts a little while.