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Upper N.Y State
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:01 pm
by Evan
Does anyone have any recommendations as to where a good place to fish in upper new york state for trout or salmon steelhead. I would like to make a trip whenever the season is open there. I've read about some of the rivers but would like to have some info about where excatly would be a good place as well as recommended accommodations/parking near the river. Unless of coarse anyone is making a trip in the near future and would like company fishing.
Thanks,
Evan - Ottawa
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:09 pm
by Salar
Here are maps to the public fishing rights for the rivers in upper New York State. The New York DEC fisherman's parking lots are marked. Do some exploring down there and you'll find some good fishing.
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/32610.html
It will be a while before fishing is good down there. I've fished during opening day / week and it's hit or miss on catching fish. There's a lot of winterkill on those rivers. It's better to wait till they after they stock the rivers in May or fish the ponds after ice-out.
Cheers,
Salar
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 8:43 pm
by Méchant Malade
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:19 pm
by Salar
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:31 pm
by speyfly
What type of fishing? Small stream flyfishing...theres St.regis falls. Cabins at about $37us a night. AuSable river near Lake placid, Chateauguay NY, Salmon river near malone, Deer river at Dickenson center, Lots of nice trout rivers. Check the DEC website for stocking lists.
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:55 pm
by Manfred
Your question about trout or salmon steelhead covers a lot of ground, water, and fish. Your salmon and steelhead query, as it pertains to Northern New York, is best answered by directing you to the Salmon River that flows through Pulaski, NY, and thence into Lake Ontario. Depending on where you live, Oak Orchard Creek (on the South shore of Lake Ontario) or Cattaraugus Creek (that flows into Lake Erie) are other possibilities. Your trout inquiry can be answered by reference to the better Salmon River that flows through Malone, New York. The Chateauguay and a half dozen others in the area will serve equally well. Several of us wrote about the Salmon and the Chateauguay last season in a few threads that you can find by scrolling down the list within float and fly fishing. The DEC website that has been referred to in this thread is very useful.
Interestingly, the people that hang out here seem to write more about trout than salmon or steelhead. By way of generalizations, the Salmon River through Pulaski seems to be more of an autumn thing and the Ganaraska River flowing through Port Hope, Ontario, seems to be the big ticket for spring steelhead. However, this is written by a guy who has thus far been skunked by steelhead on three different rivers.
Manfred
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 8:05 am
by Todd B.
If you're after exceptional steelhead fishing, make the effort to fish the Lake Erie tribs in western PA. You'll have to keep an eye on the PA bulletin boards, weather, etc in order to hit the rivers at the right time but if you manage to, the results are well worth the effort.

Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:45 am
by ganman
If you can make down to Kingston I am doing a seminar for the Kingston Flyfishers March 31st on trout fishing Northern NY.
If you go early in the season the main Adirondack rivers will have poor fishing until May perhaps almost into June this year. The headwater streams can have good fishing early as long as you find clear water. You have to get a map out and explore.
Pond fishing is best just after ice out but there is no telling how late that will be this year. Early in the season landlocked salmon are in the Saranac and Boquet Rivers near Plattsburgh.
Across the state along Lake Ontario you can get into steelhead in tributary streams. But other than the Salmon River conditions are highly variable. The poster who said they are better in the fall is correct.
Near Syracuse you can find some spring fed trout creeks that are usually very good just after opening day. Limestone, Chittenango and Nine Mile Creeks are the main streams.
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 11:26 am
by Salar
I fished Chittenango Creek last summer. It's a beautiful creek with some nice brown trout. I'm not so sure about fishing it in the spring. I was talking to a local who said he white water kayaks the creek during the high water in the spring.
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:14 pm
by ganman
I've never seen a kayak on any of those streams in April but then I wouldn't be fishing where conditions were good for whitewater kayaking either.
If they kayak it would be on the Chttenango near the falls. Early season fishing is usually done miles downstream near the village in slower warmer water.
Unlike rivers further north there are plenty of trout here on opening day. I like my chances better on rivers that are high/cold with plenty of trout than ones where there are no trout.

Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:57 pm
by Salar
Yes, it was downstream of the falls where he kayaks on the Chittenango. There's some nice pocket water there during lower flows in the summer. When I was fishing it, there was a golden stonefly hatch going on. We were fishing large Chernobyl Ant patterns.
For springtime fishing in the northern New York state, I'd stick to the ponds.
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:07 pm
by ganman
Salar wrote
For springtime fishing in the northern New York state, I'd stick to the ponds
This is what's happening while you're waiting for the ice to go off ponds .
http://www.flyfishtheadirondacks.com/GU ... fault.aspx
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:22 pm
by Salar
I'm well aware that there are opportunities in early spring but its been my experience that around Malone it hasn't been worthwhile fishing the streams / rivers in the aea till after the stockings in May.
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:32 am
by ganman
I know that guide - Rich Garfield. He does most of his early season fishing just south of Malone. Look in your atlas and see all the tributaries. I know the places but frankly I am too old for that kind of slogging anymore.
On opening day I used to go to this spring fed creek 1/2 hr from the 1000 Island bridge. It looks almost the same in April as it does in summer. Lot's of wild brookies. I had many succesful openers there.
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:17 am
by Mike Lennox
Man those are some huuuge wild browns on his site, id love to find that spot. I tied up some ausable uglies and some sirloins to try.
I explored the headwaters of the ausable two years ago while hiking up algonquin peak. There were springs coming in everywhere and the water was crystal clear, unlike the tea stain downstream. Has anyone ever fished it here. Don't think it gets any stocking. I cant wait to explore there more. I cannnot believe i didnt make it there once last year, and I hope I can get there at least 5 times. I love it there