The 2020 Fall Salmon Run: ‘Epic, Phenomenal’ on Salmon, Oswego rivers

The annual fall salmon run on Lake Ontario tributaries has peaked and finishing strong – particularly on the Salmon and Oswego Rivers.

All across the south shore, though, clear and low water conditions have impacted the fishing. Everywhere anglers and others continue to say, “We could use more rain.”

Regardless, fish are being caught and many anglers are having fun doing it.

Based on interviews this week with bait shop owners, fishing guides, cleaning station staff and veteran anglers, we’ll again rate the streams on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best fishing.

SALMON RIVER

Words like “phenomenal” and “epic” were voiced by some. However, the water remains extremely low and clear for this time of year.

Reports from the Douglaston Salmon Run continue to be glowingly positive, with anglers landing a number of Chinooks, sizeable brown trout – and more recently, steelhead.

Up the river, anglers are also cashing in.

“Yeah, it would be nice if we had more water in the river. A lot of guys could then fish some of the smaller streams, which are dried out or too low. But they’re catching lots of fish in the main river and the cleaning stations are swamped,” said Rob Ripka, of Fat Nancy’s Tackle Shop in Pulaski.

Anglers are using egg sacs, streamers, artificial flies (chartreuse is the hot color) – particularly single egg patterns like a globug.

The Lower Fly Fishing Only Zone in Altmar near the DEC fish hatchery remains closed due to the lower water conditions and egg collection efforts at the hatchery which are underway.

It’s not going to get much better. The run overall has been decent this year, despite the low water conditions. We keep hearing Chinooks and brown trout appear to be bigger than usual this season.

We’ll give the Salmon River a 10 going into the weekend.

OSWEGO RIVER

Hunter Wojslaw, who runs two fish cleaning stations on the river, when called said he had a line of anglers with 50 fish waiting to be cleaned.

“It continues to be gang busters here,” he said. “I haven’t had a person yet who hasn’t shown up with a limit.”

Wojslaw said things have slowed down along the wall in the downtown, but up at the dam the water “is just packed with fish. The water is low and they’re on top of each other,” he said.

Despite the low water conditions, “you can’t get much better,” he added.

We’ll give the Oswego a 10 going into the weekend.

GENESEE RIVER

Things have slowed down on the Gennie the past couple of days following water releases last week at the Mt. Morris Dam and continued lack of rain this week.

“Other than up by the dam, it’s been slim pickins. It’s been hit or miss lately,” said angler Keith Rawlings, of Rochester. “It’s likely to remain that way, until we get a significant rain event.”

We’ll give this river a 5 going into the weekend.

OAK ORCHARD RIVER

Sharon Narby of Narby’s Superette and Tackle in Kent, said simply, “They’re getting fish,” adding quickly that “there’s an awful lot of people out there trying.”

She reminded anglers at the Archer’s Club area remains closed to anglers, but there’s access to the river along Park Avenue – and of course, up by the dam.

We’ll give this waterway a 6 going into the weekend.

EIGHTEENMILE CREEK

According to this week’s Niagara Falls USA Fishing Forecast, “Burt Dam and Eighteenmile Creek could use a little help in the water flow department ‚but there are salmon and the occasional trout available, according to Karen Evarts at The Boat Doctors in Olcott. Anglers are now being charged for parking at Fisherman’s Park. The piers are also producing some salmon and trout at both Olcott and Wilson.”

We’ll give this waterway a 5 going into the weekend.

LOWER NIAGARA RIVER

According to this week’s Niagara Falls USA Fishing Forecast, “the place to be in the river (for salmon rishing) has been Devil’s Hole – from boat and from the NYPA Fishing Platform according to Lisa Drabczyk of Creek Road Bait and Tackle. Things are starting to slow down a bit for the boat guides. One day they might see 4 or 5 salmon in the boat and the next day it might be 1 or 2. Treated egg skein off three-way rigs is the bait preference for boats. From the Platform, angler Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls prefers to use a No. 4 spinner. Not only does he catch salmon, but he caught 3 steelhead this week in one outing. Yes, steelhead are starting to move into the river.”

“The females (salmon) are in, so we’re almost done,” Drabczyk added.

We’ll give the river a 6 going into the weekend.