How and when to Fly Fish in Lake Ontario's Salmon River

Lake Ontario's Salmon River has become a world-class trout and salmon fishery. The fall runs of these fish in the Salmon River provide anglers the chance to catch a fish of a lifetime. For fly fishermen in the east (like myself) it is almost an annual ritual to head to this Lake Ontario tributary in pursuit of these goliaths. This river does receive heavy pressure and the fish can become very selective, but knowing how and when to fish will improve your catch rate.

The fall runs of trout and salmon is the most impressive, although there are winter, spring and even summer runs the largest run occurs in the fall. The peak run of the salmon usually runs from September through the middle of October. The peak run of trout usually runs from October through November. While the salmon (except the Atlantic Salmon) die off after they spawn, most of the trout don't die and often stay in the river after they spawn. Most Brown Trout stay in the river into December (they spawn in the fall) but the majority of the Steelhead will stay until May (they spawn in the spring). This gives anglers a large window to fish but October and November are the prime times.

Many fishermen arrive at the river early and for good reason. Arrive at the river as early as possible (check the New York State regulations for this) to try and get a good spot. Early morning fishing is also the most productive fishing. Fresh fish move into the river through the night (it is illegal to fish at night) and will be much more aggressive than fish that have been in the river for a while. Most spawning also occurs overnight, which produces fresh eggs for the fish to feed on. The trout will be more active with more food in the water, which makes them easier to catch. During the middle of the day there is often a downswing in the feeding of the fish. My suggestion is to refuel during the midday, take a break and eat something, and get ready for the afternoon fishing when fish activity picks up again.

Glo-bugs are the preferred pattern to imitate the fish eggs. Sizes and colors vary, but it is hard to beat a pinkish or orange pattern on a size 10 or 12 hook. Look for trout holding in areas behind the salmon. They often stage behind spawning salmon to eat the eggs as they are released into the water. Don't overweight your fly, this is often the biggest mistake anglers make on the Salmon River. You want your egg pattern to look natural, that means it should move freely near the bottom not sink straight to the bottom. Good drag free drifts near the bottom will produce the most consistent results. Egg sucking leaches are also a very productive pattern during this period with either a pink, orange or chartreuse head. These flies provide an angler with a wider variety of fishing techniques. They can be drifted drag free near the bottom, swung across the river, or even stripped in like a streamer. The past few seasons swinging an egg sucking leach has been my most productive method of fishing. If you choose to fish this way be prepared for incredible strikes. Fish often take the fly very aggressively and can easily break you off.

Lake Ontario's Salmon River attracts angler from around the world. It truly is a special fishery that annually yields 40lb King Salmon, Brown Trout up to 30lbs and Steelhead up to 20lbs. Even the average fish in the Salmon River is often a trophy to most anglers. For fly fishermen it is a must to visit this monster fish-producing river. Landing just one of these fish is often enough to satisfy an angler for a lifetime.