If you’ve been waiting for the fall salmon run, the wait is over. The Salmon River in Pulaski is running hot with king and coho salmon right now, according to longtime drift-boat guide Randy Jones of the Yankee Angler, whose October 5 update reports “very good numbers” of fish entering and running the river.
One note before the details: the Salmon River is in Oswego County, about an hour south of Watertown — outside our usual tri-county coverage. But it’s the closest world-class salmon fishery to the North Country, and plenty of Jefferson County anglers make the drive every fall. Worth knowing about when the run is this good.
What’s happening on the river
The run kicked off in mid-September — Jones flagged a major push of kings around September 14 — and it has been building since. His October 3 update reported good numbers of kings and cohos moving in, and the October 5 update upgraded that to very good numbers.
The lower river has been the hottest stretch, with fish filtering into the upper river as well. The pools are fishing best, and salmon are spread top to bottom in fishable numbers. In short: it’s on.
If you’re thinking of going
This is peak season. The king and coho run typically peaks in late September through October. What you’re seeing now is the main event, not the warmup.
Mid-week beats the weekend. Pulaski draws crowds on fall weekends — if your schedule allows it, a Tuesday or Wednesday trip means less competition for the good water.
Steelhead are next. Once the salmon run winds down, steelhead start entering the river in late October and fish through winter and spring. If you miss the kings, the steelhead season is your second act.
Check conditions before you drive. River flows on the Salmon River are managed releases, and they can change. It’s worth checking the current flow and the latest fishing reports before making the trip down I-81.
For the detailed day-by-day, Jones keeps his Salmon River fishing report updated through the season.