Salmon River - 9/14 and 15.  Much success.  Many Cohoes and Kings caught and it seems that it's just getting started.  

Irisheyeball
Salmon River - 9/14 and 15.  Much success.  Many Cohoes and Kings caught and it seems that it's just getting started.  

 
When I was stationed at Fort Drum I would fish that river every chance I got in the fall and winter. 

CTKsnowman

Irisheyeball
Salmon River - 9/14 and 15.  Much success.  Many Cohoes and Kings caught and it seems that it's just getting started.  

 
When I was stationed at Fort Drum I would fish that river every chance I got in the fall and winter. 

There were also a few browns caught.  I tied into a monster, looked to be 14 -15#, but didn't land it.  No steelhead.  I usually only make 1 salmon trip a year but might go up again this year.  I fished down low in the DSR but after this week the week the whole river should be good. 

Made it up to kinzua this weekend. Camped at willow bay Fri-Sun, bought the 3 day Seneca reservation license to fish NY water.

The lake is crazy low right now, I’d guess maybe 15’ below normal pool for this time of year and the water has a pretty heavy algae bloom. I’m used to kinzua being relatively clear, but it looked like Arthur. Maybe 2’ - 3’ of visibility tops in most places.

It can be a tough lake to fish but I think we did alright. We got into some bass this time. Lots of dinks and a few pigs here and there. When we found fish it was like you either got bit every other cast for 30 minutes straight but they were all 10” and under, or you got one hit in half an hour but it was a tank.

Everything seemed to be relating to these huge schools of really small baitfish that were, I guess, eating something in the algae? Lots surface action with bass chasing baitfish too. Pretty much every fish we put in the boat hit some kind of small, flashy paddletail.

Beautiful weather tho. The campground was basically deserted and pleasure boat traffic wasn’t too bad. Pretty great trip overall.

Irisheyeball
Salmon River - 9/14 and 15.  Much success.  Many Cohoes and Kings caught and it seems that it's just getting started.  

That sounds like quite a trip.

Put the boat in at the Harmar launch Sunday morning, and chucked jig's at the dam. Fishing was decent till about 9 AM, lots of smallmouths and a few walleye's. 

MyWar
Made it up to kinzua this weekend. Camped at willow bay Fri-Sun, bought the 3 day Seneca reservation license to fish NY water.

Is the reservation license sufficient or do you also need the New York state license?
 
Are you saying that the reservoir is just low or did the Corps already let it down to winter pool?
 
What's the closest place to Willow Grove to get a reservation license?
 
What's the daily camping fee at the 'Grove campground? If I recall it was $6.00 per night clear back in the early '80s.

We got the reservation licenses at Bells Meat and Poultry in Kane. Its right on the way up from pittsburgh so it’s an easy stop if you are coming from the south. I think you can get them up in Salamanca NY too but that’s kind of out of the way. You might be able to find other spots that sell them in like Bradford or Warren if you ask around.

The 3 day license was $25. And from what I was able to find out, you only need the reservation license to fish NY water, you don’t need a NY state license.

The Willow Bay tent campsite was I think $56 for two nights. You can reserve them online. Might be a little less $$ if you just drive up.

I don’t know exactly why the reservoir was so low but I’m guessing it’s because there hasn't been enough rain in the northern parts of the watershed. I don’t think the water was drawn down intentionally.

I know it’s not unusual for the water to be a little bit lower at the end of a dry summer but this was kind of crazy. There was only one segment of dock in water at the willow bay launch, and the Webb’s ferry dock looked like it was completely out of the water. Pretty much all of the private docks that we saw across the state line on the NY side were sitting out of the water too. All of the fish cribs and habitat structures along the willow bay shoreline were on dry land, and I believe those are normally in 10’ - 15’ of water.

A little too rich for my blood, but thanks for that info. I never knew you could get a reservation license in Pa. Wonder if you can buy the NY state non-resident license there too? Just wishful thinking on my part 'cause I don't think I'll make it to Chautauqua, Olcott or the Orchard this year, but compared to Pa., a full year NY license was a bargain for around $50.00.

You can probably just buy the NY state license online? I buy my PA license online, I’d imagine you can get most state licenses that way.