Salmon-Chateaguay Reports June 2008

[Manfred]

I had a couple of great days of fishing on the Salmon and the Chateaguay in late May that I never got around to writing about. I also had a fine time on the Salmon on Tuesday 3 June.

Today, [from about 2:00 p.m. to about 6:30 p.m. Friday 6 June] however, was a different story. The Salmon from about Cargin Road down was pretty much blown out and very muddy. (I did not check higher). The Chateaugay was not quite blown out and less muddy, but I did not fish it.

A few fellows I met at a few places were getting a few fish, but the fish seemed scarce and it did not seem like much fun to fish in the high muddy water.

I fished very little today. I used my time to look at new places along both rivers and came home early.

Since the water level was not especially high on Tuesday, I checked the precipitation for Malone (Fort Covington) on the Weather Underground website when I returned this evening:

Mon 2 June: 0.3 in / 7.6 mm
Tue 3 June: 0.22 in / 5.6 mm
Wed 4 June: 0.62 in / 15.7 mm
Thu 4 June: 0.1 in / 2.5 mm
Fri 6 June: 0.25 in / 6.3 mm (to c. 9:00 p.m.)

I set out the weather history here because I would like to know how much rain it takes to blow out the Salmon or the Chateaugay.

More importantly, I would like to know how long it takes them to go back to a "normal" level.

Any input would be appreciated.

By the way, temperatures on the Salmon on both Tuesday afternoon and this afternoon were between 60 F and 61 F.

How long until I can fish the Salmon again?

[Salar]

Salmon was fishable Sunday. PM Sent.

[Manfred]

I get the impression that a lot of us are fishing the Salmon and Chateaugay now and are satisfied enough with our situations that we see little need to post either reports or inquiries.

I went down yesterday afternoon with the intention of fishing the afternoon and evening, camping down there, and fishing in the early morning. I caught fish consistently enough from the first spot I tried on the Salmon that I did not move until about 6:30 p.m. The water temperature was either 65.5 F or 67.5 F.

I dined at Colonel Saunder's and went over to the Chateaugay about 7:30. I looked at one spot and recognized a Green Drake hatch for the first time. I drove to a second, walked in, saw no rises, and went back to the first. No rises, but I walked down to the hole where I was 3-for-5 on big browns at night. By about midnight, no dice. I'm down to 3-for-6. I tried a sinking line (intermediate) for the first time. Upon consulting Joe Humphrey's book today, it appears that I can attribute my big brown failure to a bright moon.

By then, I was too tired to set up a tent and get up a few hours later to fish at dawn. Besides, I was starting to get a sore throat. I drove home.

The water levels were somewhat higher than they were much of last year, which might mean that they were normal.

It's funny how lots of smaller trout do not leave one with the same satisfaction of one great big brown. By this afternoon, I wanted to go back, but it may be several days before that happens.

[Todd B.]

Manfred,

Reports are always great. If the big browns are anything like the ones on the West branch, try throwing something big, as in the size of fly you'd be tossing to big LM bass. It's not unheard of to hear of guys tossing size 2/0 flies at night for the browns on the West Branch.

[Salar]

Manfred,

We definitely appreciate the reports. Keep them coming.

On a side note, I fished the Salmon last Sunday feeling healthy in the morning, by the end of the day my throat was sore and I could barely talk. I've been sick all week now. Maybe something in the air down there?

[northernfly]

Manfred,

I echo Todd's comments. Your reports are very informative. I know very little about these two rivers but hope to get down there this summer.

Thanks,
Dennis

[Manfred]

I have made a few trips without writing about them. I went again yesterday (Friday 27 June). The water is starting to warm up. It was between 66F and 69F on stretches of the Salmon and the Chateaugay. I caught a fair number of fish, although it was slower than on Tuesday. One spot that seemed to produce a fish on every couple of drifts on Tuesday was down to a small fraction of the number.

I have been puzzled by the lack of trout rising to the surface compared to the same couple of weeks last year. I have been looking for hatches in the afternoons and evenings, but have not seen too many in the last couple of weeks.

I have not done well is finding rises where I could fish dry flies.

Does anyone else have anything to add about the hatches or lack thereof at this time of year?

[Salar]

You don't necessarily have to find rising fish to fish dries. Put something meaty enough above them and they'll come up. I have found on the Salmon that the trout are more than willing to come up for a big dry.