Salmon River, New York
Salmon River Fishing Report: May 28, 2026
The Salmon River is running higher than the last report at Pineville, with limited wading, no reported water temperature, and a post-steelhead-season focus on remaining lower-river trout and smallmouth water.
- Status
- fair
- Flow trend
- rising
- Best window
- Morning and evening, with lower-river trout and smallmouth water the most practical focus
- Best methods
- streamers, nymphs, egg patterns
Quick Summary
The Salmon River is fishable but mixed, so call it fair today. USGS showed 918 cfs and 6.51 feet at Pineville at 7:15 AM EDT, a clear rise from the last published report, and water temperature was not reported by the gauge. The most current local report checked this morning was from May 26 and described the steelhead season as essentially finished, with the summer fishery shifting toward Lake Ontario and remaining river opportunity focused low in the system. Treat wading as limited at this flow and re-check the gauge before stepping into heavier slots.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Fair |
| Flow | 918 cfs at 7:15 AM EDT |
| Gauge Height | 6.51 feet |
| Water Temp | Not reported |
| Clarity | Not reported |
| Trend | Rising from the last published report |
| Best Window | Morning and evening, with lower-river trout and smallmouth water the most practical focus |
| Best Method | streamers; nymphs; egg patterns |
| Wadeability | Limited; use bank edges, inside seams, and conservative crossings |
Weather
For Pulaski, NY, the National Weather Service forecast calls for a high near 66 F, partly sunny conditions after an isolated morning shower chance, and northwest wind around 9 to 13 mph. There were no active NWS alerts for the checked point at report time.
River Notes
At 918 cfs, the Pineville gauge is not blown out, but it is pushy enough to make casual crossings a poor plan. The river is also in a seasonal transition: the main steelhead run has wound down, and local context points anglers toward remaining dropback fish, lower-river trout, and smallmouth bass rather than a broad steelhead program. Because the official gauge does not report water temperature or clarity, both need to be checked on site before committing to a long session. Rising water can move fish toward softer edges, inside bends, and slower buckets.
Hatch Activity
This report does not have a current river-specific hatch table from an official source. The practical food base is a late-spring mix of stoneflies, caddis, baitfish, eggs around remaining trout, and smallmouth forage in the lower river. Treat hatch detail as limited until you confirm activity at the access.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stoneflies | 8-12 | Use nymphs in defined seams and faster slots where wading is safe |
| Caddis | 14-18 | Possible late-spring trout food along softer edges |
| Baitfish | 2-4 inches | Important for streamer fishing and lower-river smallmouth water |
| Eggs | 8-10 | Useful only around remaining trout holding water; avoid disturbing spawning fish if encountered |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streamer | Woolly Bugger | 4-8 | Swing through softer buckets and lower-river structure |
| Streamer | Zonker | 4-6 | Use around deeper banks when visibility allows |
| Streamer | Small Baitfish Pattern | 2-4 inches | Good crossover choice for remaining trout and smallmouth bass |
| Nymph | Stonefly Nymph | 8-12 | Anchor a nymph rig in defined walking-speed seams |
| Nymph | Caddis Pupa | 14-18 | Use in softer riffle edges if trout are feeding subsurface |
| Egg | Single Egg | 8-10 | Low-profile option for remaining trout; fish cleanly and avoid redds |
Tactics
Start by checking the gauge again and choosing access that does not require crossing heavy current. Fish streamers or heavier nymphs through softer edge lanes, inside bends, and the tailouts below faster water. In the lower river, cover structure with small baitfish patterns if trout activity is quiet and smallmouth are the more realistic target. If clarity is poor from the rising flow, shorten casts, use slightly darker streamers, and focus on water where fish can hold without fighting the main push.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| SALMON RIVER AT PINEVILLE NY | 918 cfs | Not reported | USGS 04250200 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS station 04250200 and the National Weather Service forecast and alerts for the Pulaski, NY area. This report is an original Custom FlyBox summary based on current official gauge and weather data, with local public conditions reports reviewed separately for hatch, access, and method context.