Salmon River, New York
Salmon River Pulaski Fishing Report: October 15, 2026
The Salmon River holds steady near 224 cfs with king salmon distributed throughout the open section and very good fishing reported; rain arrives tonight with a significant frontal drop over the weekend.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- stable
- Best window
- First light through late morning
- Best methods
- streamers, egg patterns, nymphs
Quick Summary
The Salmon River is holding near 224 cfs at Pineville with stable flows. King salmon are distributed from top to bottom with coho and some steelhead also in the system. Whitakers Sports Store reports very good fishing over recent days with action from surface to bottom. Water temperature is around 56 F. Conditions are partly sunny today with a high near 58 F. Rain moves in tonight with a significant cold front arriving Friday, which will raise flows and push temperatures down sharply over the weekend. Start early, work open travel lanes, and stay clear of the lower Altmar closure.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good. Fish are distributed through open water and conditions are steady; rain tonight and Friday will change the game |
| Flow | 224 cfs at Pineville |
| Water Temp | 56.0 F per Whitakers Sports Store observation |
| Clarity | Not reported; expect stable conditions today, potential decline after tonight's rain |
| Trend | Stable. Holding near 224 cfs; rain tonight and Friday will raise flows |
| Best Window | First light through late morning |
| Best Method | Egg patterns in travel lanes; sparse streamers, leeches, and stonefly nymphs |
| Wadeability | Good at established crossings in open water; do not enter the closed lower Altmar section |
Weather
The National Weather Service forecast for Pulaski calls for partly sunny skies with a high near 58 F. Northeast wind 2 to 6 mph. No chance of precipitation today. Tonight brings mostly cloudy skies with periods of rain starting around midnight, with a low around 46 F and temperatures rising to around 52 F overnight. Southeast wind 3 to 14 mph. The chance of precipitation is 100%, with new rainfall amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch possible. Friday will be wet with periods of rain and a slight chance of thunderstorms before 5pm, high near 69 F, and a 99% chance of precipitation with three-quarters to an inch of rain possible. A sharp cold front arrives Saturday with highs near 45 F and strong northwest winds.
River Notes
Pineville is holding near 224 cfs, stable from the last check. The Whitakers Sports Store daily report from October 15 described very good fishing with plenty of action from top to bottom, and angler reports confirmed another excellent day. Kings, cohos, and some steelhead are all present in the system.
The New York State DEC emergency closure of the lower fly-fishing section in Altmar remains in effect through October 31, extending from the Route 52 bridge upstream to the hatchery property boundary. Do not enter this section under any circumstances.
Today is the last clear day before a significant weather change. The half-inch-plus of rain tonight combined with another three-quarters to an inch on Friday will raise flows substantially. The cold front Saturday will drop temperatures into the 30s with strong winds. Plan to fish the Salmon River today while conditions are favorable, and expect the river to rise and darken over the next 48 hours.
Live USGS gauge data was not returned in today's automated fetch. Flow values are from the USGS station 04250200 (Salmon River at Pineville) as reported by Whitakers Sports Store.
Hatch Activity
This is a salmon-run report, so fish movement and forage matter more than a trout hatch list.
| Activity | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chinook movement | Not reported | Whitakers October 15 describes kings from top to bottom |
| Coho presence | Not reported | Cohos remain part of the current river-wide mix |
| Steelhead presence | Not reported | Some steelhead are included in the current report |
| Stonefly nymphs | 8-12 | A searching choice around pockets and seams |
| Eggs | 6-10 mm | Keep colors natural and presentations sparse in stable water |
| Baitfish and leech profile | 4-8 | Cover deeper slots, shaded seams, and pool tails |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streamer | Comet, Boss, or sparse salmon streamer | 4-8 | Swing through pool heads and tails at first light |
| Streamer | Egg-sucking leech, Woolly Bugger, or rabbit strip leech | 4-8 | Fish deeper slots and shaded seams with a controlled swing |
| Nymph | Black Stonefly, Prince Nymph, or Hare's Ear | 8-12 | Search pockets without dragging through resting fish |
| Egg | Single egg, sucker spawn, or estaz egg | 6-10 mm | Lead with a sparse natural presentation and avoid lining fish |
Tactics
Start at first light in an open travel lane, or walk beyond crowded pools to find quieter water. Stay outside the closed lower fly-fishing section in Altmar. Cover the head, inside seam, and tail before changing locations. Use enough weight to reach the lane without dragging across salmon. Use tackle strong enough to shorten fights, keep landed fish in the water, avoid redds, and leave room for anglers to rotate. Today is the last day before the weather changes significantly; plan to fish the Salmon River while conditions are still favorable and flow levels are steady. Tonight's heavy rain and Friday's additional downpour will push flows higher and reduce clarity. If you are out on Friday, be prepared to shift to subsurface patterns that can work in rising, stained water, or consider waiting for the cold front to clear on Saturday.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| SALMON RIVER AT PINEVILLE NY | 224 cfs | 56.0 F | USGS 04250200 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS station 04250200, the National Weather Service forecast and active alert feed for the Pulaski, NY area, the September 14 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation closure notice, and the Whitakers Sports Store daily report for October 15, 2026. Live USGS gauge data was not returned in today's automated fetch; flow and temperature values are from the Whitakers Sports Store observation and USGS monitoring.