Yep, no fish fish in the SR. This is photoshopped to get you to waste your time and money for fish that don't exist. Lol
I borrowed this photo from a well known guide who's client caught this fish yesterday mid river.

wow  what a block  nice fish  gotta be 20 lbs

Having had boots in the water up there for a part of each of the last four weeks, I can attest that there are some fish in the river, a lot of what are there are big ones, but there are NOT a lot of them.  The boat guides are doing runs from Altmar to 2a, and picking soft spots along shore, 4, 5 drifts with eggs or beads, working hard hunting for the few fish they are getting, or they are parking in the School and the Wire where some fish have concentrated.  It has been mainly VERY slow, and mainly teeners, until the last couple of days when there were some smaller fish that showed up in the wires, and smaller fish reported in DSR.  Unless it warms up significantly, I'm done for this year, the risks of driving the Lake Effect belt are not justified by the action the river has been producing, and the big muddy will fish once it gets cold.  We've spent a fair number of afternoons fishing Pineville the last 4 weeks, and there are not a lot of happy people getting off the boats.  And Guides have been known to recycle photos, Randy Jones is using some that are 10 years old! 

That fish was reportedly 36"/17lbs.  
 

Not doubting it, but it is the exception this year, not the rule.

Lucky13
Not doubting it, but it is the exception this year, not the rule.

Thanks for your honest reports Lucky, I've never fished in my life just for the surroundings.  I fish to catch and if the odds are really low, the appeal diminishes. I really do have a better chance at landing a big brown out of the trophy section of the Battenkill.   Not a steelhead, but a challenge that can be engaged in  3 minutes, not 3 hours.  I hooked one steelhead that was easily in the teens, but had it break off  trying to horse it after several runs and jumps.  
    I just cashed in my points (all my trips west are paid for by my Southwest credit card which all my suppliers  have on file)  and we're flying into Albequerque in April. Up to Utah to  backpack  into some wilderness canyons with ancient dwellings, then back to NM to hit the San Juan for some of the best  trout  catching in the US.  20" fish on a 4 wt. is fine for me.  I may go to the SR at some point, it's just lost it's immediacy for now.  First plowing and shoveling over with. Nothing broke, including my back.  Mud and grass under the snow made it  a challenge. I have some  very long driveways that are dirt. Tricky floating over the grass crowns without excavating.  Hopefully a break for awhile. Happy Holidays to all.

Over the last two weeks I've seen more than a few pictures of big steel both on the SR and the OZ.  What I find confusing is a few short years ago many complained that the fish were all cookie cutters, no big fish around.  Now some big fish are being caught but it's not enough to make the effort while lamenting there are no small fish to target.  
I say take your chances, wet a line and accept whatever might come your way even if it's the skunk.  One thing is certain if you sit on the couch you'll never know what might have been. 
And yes I will be on the river December 2 & 3 as I had the good fortune of winning two drift boat trips in the recent LOTAC Catch & Clean raffle.  Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile. 

I take it your boots are wet?  I have a lot of other places where I can fish and have a better chance of connecting at much lower cost.  There are not a lot of fish around.  I don't recall anyone celebrating a lack of fish any year, and while big fish are nice, seeing no hookups a day everywhere on the river where I observe is not normal.  With a boat you will improve your chances, and by then the fish may be in better, but right now it is the suck up there, at least when the daytime highs are in the 30's and the water temperature is similar, the run that is "normal"  for October never materialized in any numbers, and that is not just me and my experience talking, I hear it from people in DEC as well.  If it gets warmer, I may drive the miles, but in winter conditions there is too much good water in my backyard to contribute more to global warming by putting extra miles on the vehicle.

I'm not for or against anyone who feels it's not worthwhile. Mostly any of my trips now, there or other places are pre planned and unless disaster strikes, I have to roll my dice.
The exception is usually on popular places in crowds.
As some or many, we have caught enough to pick and choose what suits our fancy.
I get the urge and desire dont get me wrong which is why I don't mind kicking down a little extra for a lot more comfort with much fewer trips.
I ain't spendy and know that years ag with 30 plus days on the SR I would never afford what I do now.

Bottom line, Enjoy what you do otherwise it becomes more like a miserable JOB

troutbum21
 
And yes I will be on the river December 2 & 3 as I had the good fortune of winning two drift boat trips in the recent LOTAC Catch & Clean raffle.   

So with all those big fish all over the river, exactly what were the results of the LOTAC tourney?  And the MR Moose Memorial Float was that day, too, at the Altmar at the same time afterwards,. how did all those guys do?