Kings weigh 15-30 pounds and move upstream late summer through October. Coho average 12-15 pounds and are aggressive. Book September and October dates early.
Walk-in trips cover the river on foot, working the runs and holding lies. This is the best way to learn, as I can coach you through every cast and drift. Bring your waders and studded boots.
My 17-foot Willie drift boat covers miles, fishes the best spots, and acts as a taxi away from crowds. Floats excel when fish are spread out or flows are high, allowing you to see more of the river.
Tell me your dates and what you want out of the trip, and I’ll steer you right.
Salmon River trips include a daily access pass to the Douglaston Salmon Run, the private stretch of the lower river near where it meets Lake Ontario. Because it sits low in the system, it holds fresh fish straight from the lake all season, and access is limited, so it fishes a lot less crowded than the public water upstream. The DSR charges its own per-person daily access fee on top of the trip rate, and I’ll walk you through that when you book.
Salmon River trips inSpey casting is my specialty and my favorite thing to teach. I’ve instructed at the Orvis Spey Casting School, and I’ve spent 25 years putting anglers onto Salmon River steelhead with a two-handed rod. If you’ve watched videos of anglers swinging flies and wanted to learn it yourself, this river is the place, and I’ll get you there.
We can build a whole trip around instruction, or fold casting into a regular guided day. Either way, you’ll leave understanding how to load a two-handed rod, manage your line, and swing a fly through a run the way it’s meant to be fished. New to it entirely, or looking to clean up a cast you already have? I meet you where you are and keep it patient and pressure-free, start to finish.
You don’t need your own gear. I’ll set you up with spey rods, reels, and lines, and you can try a few setups to feel the difference before you ever buy oneclude a daily access pass to the Douglaston Salmon Run, the private stretch of the lower river near where it meets Lake Ontario. Because it sits low in the system, it holds fresh fish straight from the lake all season, and access is limited, so it fishes a lot less crowded than the public water upstream. The DSR charges its own per-person daily access fee on top of the trip rate, and I’ll walk you through that when you book.
Check open dates, or call or text me at 518-495-2965. Fall salmon dates go early, so don’t wait.
