This fall, if you're in search of a unique fishing adventure, you owe it to yourself to try your hand in the Salmon River in NY. No other river in the northeast compares to the Salmon River for raw excitement. From mid-September right through April, the Salmon River between Port Ontario and Pulaski, NY holds more fishing adrenaline than most anglers can handle. And when the salmon stop running up the Salmon River to spawn, the steelhead are just getting their run into full swing. It's pretty common to see wild-eyed fishermen in waders here, barely able to stand after fishing for 10 hours, in a state of exhaustion. But will they quit before they land another 20+ lb. Chinook salmon or 10-lb. steelhead? Not on your life.
      The Salmon River begins in the wild north country near Osceola and makes it's way through Lewis and Oswego counties via two reservoirs and dams. The reservoirs themselves are renowned for their largemouth bass, bullhead and crappie. The river first enters the Upper Salmon Reservoir (also called Redfield Reservoir), a waterway with numerous backsets and submerged timber, and continues to the Lower Salmon Reservoir near Altmar, NY.
      The Salmon River Fish Hatchery is situated on a branch of the river just above Altmar. Since the early 80's, the hatchery has been in operation....collecting male and female salmon, extracting the eggs and sperm from them, and raising salmon fry to fingerling size. After the eggs are fertilized, the eggs are kept under running water at a constant temperature, to simulate the natural water movement of the river. The hatchlings are raised to a length of several inches, then released back into the Salmon River. From there, they make their way back down the river to Lake Ontario, where they will remain until adulthood. When their own spawning urges hit them as they reach adulthood, they will make their way back up the same river where they were spawned, just as thousands of generations of salmon before them.
      In late August and early September, the salmon start to "pile up" at the mouth of the Salmon River. They are staging themselves for their spawning run up the river, after which they will die, their life cycle completed. This is one of the best times for fishermen on Lake Ontario; after the fish begin their spawning run, they will no longer eat. So when the fish are piled up at the mouth, it's the fishermens' last chance to catch a salmon by conventional methods.
      When water levels and temperatures are optimal, the salmon begin their long swim upstream. Since they don't actively eat during the run, their bodies begin to deteriorate, which is most evident in male salmon. Their color slowly darkens and hormones cause their jaws to hook in a grotesque manner. After the run begins, an angler must "float" a lure into these huge jaws in order to hook a salmon, since they will no longer bite on lures, except out of natural aggression.
      On the river, anglers line up side-by-side, jostling for the best spot as the sun begins to rise. At first, one brave soul tosses a line in, then everyone follows suit. Before long, there are several hundred lines floating down the river, shouts of "fish on!" and the sight of huge salmon breaking water in an attempt to shake a lure. In many places, the Salmon River is no more than 50 ft. wide, so tangled lines are quite common, with 200 fishermen jammed into a single fishing pool. Generally, cooler heads prevail, and the anglers untangle each other's lines good-naturedly. 
      Etiquette dictates that if a fisherman hooks a fish, he will make it known to the others in the area by hollering "fish on", followed by an update on which way the fish is headed as it makes it's getaway run. So "fish on...coming up" means it's headed upstream, and of course "coming down" means it's making a beeline downstream. While someone is fighting a fish, the others politely pull their lines in to prevent a tangle until the fish is landed or lost. Don't make the mistake of casting while someone has a fish on; you'll get the full brunt of 100+ pissed-off fishermen. "Fish off" signals the all-clear to resume fishing.
      Snagging with treble hooks is no longer permitted on the river. Back in the early 90's there was an uproar about the methods used to harvest salmon. Some argued that it was inhumane to snag a salmon with treble hooks and "rip" it out of the water. Anyone who's hooked a salmon and felt the power of these fish knows that it's impossible to RIP one out of the water, unless you want to drown as he drags you INTO the river. Personally, I've cut a few lines when I realized I was being pulled into the river as my chest waders filled with water. Once the waders are full of water, you're toast. But back to the issue....even though every one of these salmon will die after they complete their spawning run, enough people protested that the law was changed.
      There are a number of effective ways to catch fish while they're on their spawning run. The most popular way is to use a piece of orange sponge (for visibility) and float it near the salmon's head. As the fish pulls water through it's mouth and out the gills, it sucks the sponge into it's mouth. The rough texture of the sponge prevents it from being spit out so easily, catching on the fish's large teeth, giving the angler a split-second longer to set the hook. This method requires that the fisherman keep a constant "touch" on the line to feel the subtle pickup of the sponge. Others use small salmon-egg imitations made of latex or rubber to float into the salmon's mouth. There is also a catch-and-release-only area above the Rt. 52 bridge in Altmar where only flies are permitted to take salmon.
      The size of the fish taken range from 12 lb. to 40-plus lbs. The Chinook salmon are the larger of the species running up the river, averaging about 24 lbs. The Coho salmon are the smaller, more silvery-colored species, averaging about 12-15 lb.
      As a rule (and of course die-hard salmon anglers will argue) you'll want to use pretty sturdy monofilament line, usually 20+lb. test rated.  Most people use 30 lb. test line now because it's a pretty good compromise....it has good strength and still remains much more supple than heavier lines. A long, sturdy rod is needed to steer these fish to shore, but it needs to be sensitive enough to feel the almost imperceptible pickup of the lure. I see many anglers using noodle rods or the new "Ugly Stick" to catch fish. Better grab a large, sturdy net, too....these fish aren't about to give up easily.
     One of the best fishing areas on the river is near Pulaski, NY. The Salmon River runs right smack through the center of town, and the river underneath the Rt. 13 bridge is a popular spot. Nearby is the Black Hole, a curve on the river where the current has scooped a huge hole. The salmon rest in large holes like this on their run upstream, making it a great spot to find large concentrations of fish. There are also "pay for play" areas of the river; portions that are "family owned" by a powerful NY politician, whose family supposedly owns the rights to the riverbed itself. You'll pay a hefty fee to park your vehicle and fish on that portion of the river, so I recommend avoiding it, just on general principal. If we all played the political game to claim rights that no other landowner in NY enjoys, there would be no public fishing for our kids to get involved in. 
      Like most other towns along the river, Pulaski has built a reputation as a fisherman's paradise. There is no shortage of hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts, and tackle shops. Not to mention the fish cleaning stations, where for a few dollars, you won't even get your hands smelly while you await your salmon filets. Some shops will even filet your female salmon for free if you allow them to keep the eggs that she contains. Salmon roe are one of the best steelhead baits there are, so they preserve them with borax, and tie them into sacs to use as steelhead bait later in the year.
      FYI....steelhead are actually rainbow trout that have migrated to Lake Ontario while they mature. Some refer to them as "lake-run rainbows". Steelhead have a later spawning run than the salmon; they usually start running as the salmon run tails off, and their run continues into early April and sometimes beyond. These steelhead can grow to 12 or 15 lbs ( and bigger) and are notorious for their fighting ability. It's not uncommon for a steelhead to fight to the death.
       So, to sum it up, you can't go wrong by setting aside some time to land a salmon or steelhead in NY's Salmon River. Where else in the New York can you land a huge salmon and enjoy a filet on the grill?