Fishing

Photo Gallery: Steelhead Bonanza!

By Outdoor Life Online Editor

Posted on Jan 14, 2021 4:00 AM EST

2 minute read

By James Gigliotti Fishing the Salmon in late April is a crapshoot. The water levels vary greatly depending on temperature, the snow pack on the Tug Hill plateau, and a number of other unpredictable factors. We hired a guide on the first day to help us dissect the river, then spent the next few days on our own. It proved a good plan; the water was high, but with our guide's help we immediately started hooking fish on back-trolled plugs. The rest of the trip was even better. If you go: Salmon River Guide 1354 County Route 48 Lacona, NY 13083 (315) 298 "" 4530info@theriverguide.com Outdoor Life Online Editor

httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2007legacyoutdoorgallerysteelhead_bonanza1.jpg
This is Shane Thomas (our Salmon River guide). Steelhead are not big fans of Shane because no matter how hard they try to hide, Shane always finds them. Outdoor Life Online Editor
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2007legacyoutdoorgallerysteelhead_bonanza2.jpg
Shane's vehicle of choice for the Salmon River is the Camo-Caddy. At 19' in length, it really smoothes out the bumps on those big water days. Outdoor Life Online Editor
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2007legacyoutdoorgallerysteelhead_bonanza3.jpg
Our guide put us on steelhead in every area we fished. We used center-pin rigs, fly rods, and spinning gear (with plugs), all successfully. Outdoor Life Online Editor
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2007legacyoutdoorgallerysteelhead_bonanza4.jpg
The Salmon River information super highway. Shane checks up on the action. Outdoor Life Online Editor
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2007legacyoutdoorgallerysteelhead_bonanza5.jpg
The drift boat during high water (3600 CFS) allows you to wade-fish areas that bank anglers cannot access safely. This little spot on the upper end of the river produced several fish, but was impossible to access via the banks even though it was a mere 15 feet from them. The anglers in the picture are John Yanzek and Dave Petrowski (from left to right). Outdoor Life Online Editor
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2007legacyoutdoorgallerysteelhead_bonanza6.jpg
This fish came from one of those areas bank anglers were unable to access. The fish was easy to spot as it was laying in just about enough water to cover its back. Outdoor Life Online Editor
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2007legacyoutdoorgallerysteelhead_bonanza6a.jpg
For the next three days we found fish in the river on pretty much every current break. Outdoor Life Online Editor
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2007legacyoutdoorgallerysteelhead_bonanza7.jpg
This fish came from a diversion ditch that shall remain unnamed. There were so many fish in some of the many near Pulaski diversions that you could practically have walked across their backs in some areas. Some of those diversions were barely 5 feet across, but because of the high water held incredible numbers of fish. Outdoor Life Online Editor
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2007legacyoutdoorgallerysteelhead_bonanza9.jpg
One of the many hundreds of fish we saw in the diversions. Outdoor Life Online Editor
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2007legacyoutdoorgallerysteelhead_bonanza8.jpg
Fish on! Outdoor Life Online Editor
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2007legacyoutdoorgallerysteelhead_bonanza8.jpg
Fish on! Outdoor Life Online Editor

One of our sales guys just sent us photos from his recent steelhead trip to New York’s Salmon River. The trip was epic; four days, three anglers, 80 fish caught. He’s been grinning for weeks. We’ve posted the pictures here.