Chinook salmon spend most of their time in deep open water. They feed on the vast schools of alewives and smelt found in Lake Ontario. A mature salmon will be 3 to 5 years old. Not all fish will mature at the same age. A fish pushing 40 pounds is probably a 4 year old fish. Most fish will return to spawn after 3 years in the big lake. The salmon have a genetic imprint that makes them return to the river in which they were born. This means each year the Salmon river receives a very large run of king salmon from Lake Ontario.

  September heralds the earliest run of fish into the Lake Ontario tributaries. October brings on the main run of fish with spawning becoming completed by early November. Then after spawning is complete the salmon will die off completing their life cycle.

  Once the fish start to return to the river they may be enticed to hit a variety of baits. Egg sacs or plastic imitation eggs are among the most common used. Sponge in various colors can also be very productive. Artificial flies and streamers will also entice fish to strike. The longer the fish are in the river the more interested in spawning they become. A fresh run fish is more likely to hit your fly or egg sac. Major Lake Ontario tributaries having Chinook salmon runs include the Salmon River, Oswego River, Genesee River, Black River, Niagara River, Oak Orchard Creek and Eighteen Mile Creek.

  The Salmon River flows from the Tug Hill Plateau and pools into a man-made reservoir. The River gets its start at the Lighthouse Hill Reservoir near Altmar. From here the river has a 12 mile stretch that is open to the public for fishing for Atlantic Salmon, Brown Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, and Steelhead. The river passes through the middle of Pulaski NY making it the salmon capital of the world. From there it flows into Lake Ontario at Port Ontario.

  The Salmon River can be fished by anglers from shore, by wading, or by driftboat. If wading the river be sure to use corkers these are metal cleats that attach to your boots. The rocks on the bottom of the river at flat and very slippery. Water levels are prone to rise quickly since its waters are used to generate hydro electricity. Be prepared to exit the river if water rises quickly.

  Fishing the Salmon River is a experience of a lifetime. The river holds the NY state record for Chinook Salmon. This fish was caught by Kurtis L. Killian on a orange fly from the Salmon River September 07, 1991 this awesome fish weighed an amazing 47 lb. and 13oz. The river is also known to give up many steelhead over 20 pounds each year.

  All of this fantastic fishing is made possible by the Salmon River Hatchery, located in the Village of Altmar in Oswego County. It is here that the DEC will collect the eggs of the migrating Atlantic Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Brown Trout, and Steelhead. The Salmon River Hatchery produces about four million trout and salmon each year. These fish are stocked across the state at various locations and are the source of the successful pen rearing projects that have helped to return fall salmon fishing to the streams of the western end of Lake Ontario. This project was started because the fish had become so imprinted on the Salmon River that all the fish were returning here. By raising the salmon in the pens in other streams for a few months they are able to imprint on that stream and will return back there in the fall creating more fishing opportunities for NY fisherman.

  The Salmon River Hatchery is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week from March 15 to November 30. In the fall a trip through the Salmon River Hatchery should be combined with a scenic trip to see the fall foliage making for an exciting outing for the whole family. At the hatchery there are informative exhibits, including mounted and live fish exhibits.

  The Salmon River is alive and well and is a wonderful resource that all New Yorkers should be able to share and be proud of. This world class fishery has become world famous and has drawn people from around the globe to enjoy its scenic beauty and wonderful sport fishing.

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