Salmon River - Pineville - New York
Fly Fishing River Report & Conditions
Trip planning summary
Salmon River – Pineville fly fishing at a glance
Use this page to check rules, flow, access, hatch notes, flies, and tactics before planning a trip.
Rules first
Check the current rule before fishing. Seasons, limits, methods, and closures can change.
Open rulesFlow check
Open the gauge or source context before wading, floating, or driving to the river.
Open gaugeAccess plan
Use legal public access and confirm posted, park, tribal, or private boundaries.
Open access sourceReport status
Sources checked May 23, 2026. Fly notes are planning guidance; current rules control.
Salmon River – Pineville - Water Flow Chart
Salmon River – Pineville - Weather report & radar
Salmon River – Pineville - General hatch chart
| Season | Source-supported timing note | Fishing caution |
|---|---|---|
| Late August – October | DEC notes Chinook and coho stage near the river mouth in late August, salmon usually enter around Labor Day, and the peak spawning run is generally late September into early October. | Check Lake Ontario tributary and Salmon River special regulations for night-fishing, hook, leader, weight, and reach-specific rules. |
| Late October – Spring | DEC notes steelhead begin entering in late October and continue through spring; spawning usually occurs from mid-March through early April. | Flows, ice, and seasonal tackle rules can change practical and legal fishing conditions. |
| Mid-September – Mid-November | DEC notes brown trout enter during their spawning run and often feed on salmon eggs. | Avoid disturbing active redds and confirm current limits before harvesting fish. |
| Fly sections | DEC lists Lower Fly and Upper Fly catch-and-release sections with different seasons. | Traditional fly tackle, release, leader, fly, and supplemental-weight rules apply. |
Salmon River – Pineville Access Points
Official DEC access information should be used before traveling. The Salmon River has Public Fishing Rights and DEC parking/access points, but not every bank is public and some areas have special regulations.
- Pineville / Route 48: DEC-listed parking and drift boat launch near Pineville.
- Compactor Pool / County Route 2A: DEC-listed parking and drift boat launch.
- Sportsman Pool North / Centerville Road: DEC-listed parking.
- Sportsman Pool South / Route 13: DEC-listed parking.
- Trestle Pool North / Sheepskin Road and Trestle Pool South / Route 13: DEC-listed parking.
- Lower Fly / Upper Fly: DEC-listed access points with fly-fishing catch-and-release rules. Confirm seasonal open dates before fishing.
Use DEC Public Fishing Rights maps and posted signs to stay within legal access areas.
Salmon River – Pineville Fishing Spots
Use named locations on the Salmon River as access and orientation references, not as guarantees of catch rates. DEC lists many access points and special regulation areas; always check the current Lake Ontario tributary and Salmon River rules before fishing.
- Pineville – Route 48: DEC lists Pineville on Route 48 with parking and a drift boat launch.
- Sportsman Pool North / South: DEC lists Sportsman Pool North at Centerville Road and Sportsman Pool South at Route 13, both with parking.
- Trestle Pool North / South: DEC lists Trestle Pool North at Sheepskin Road and Trestle Pool South at Route 13, both with parking.
- Ballpark / Pulaski area: DEC lists Ballpark at Route 11 in Pulaski with parking.
- Lower and Upper Fly Sections: These are special catch-and-release fly fishing areas with specific seasons, hours, tackle restrictions, and required release rules.
Removed unsourced claims about beginner suitability, “excellent catch,” deep pockets, and fish concentrations.
Salmon River – Pineville Local Fish Species
- Chinook salmon: DEC identifies Chinook as a major Salmon River species and lists annual stocking as part of the Lake Ontario salmonid fishery.
- Coho salmon: DEC identifies coho in the Salmon River and notes the world-record coho salmon was caught there.
- Atlantic salmon: DEC lists Atlantic salmon, also called landlocked salmon, as a Salmon River species.
- Steelhead / rainbow trout: DEC lists steelhead as rainbow trout and describes the run from late October through spring.
- Brown trout: DEC lists brown trout and describes their mid-September to mid-November spawning run.
- Other listed fish: DEC also lists smallmouth bass, rock bass, fallfish, shorthead redhorse, and white sucker.
This page omits species that were previously listed without support from the DEC Salmon River page.
About the Salmon River – Pineville
The Salmon River near Pineville is part of the Oswego County, New York Salmon River fishery. DEC describes the river as running 17 miles from Lighthouse Hill Reservoir in Altmar to Lake Ontario at Port Ontario, with 12 miles of Public Fishing Rights along the river.
DEC manages the Salmon River as a premier Lake Ontario tributary fishery with seasonal runs of Chinook salmon, coho salmon, Atlantic salmon, steelhead, and brown trout. The Salmon River Fish Hatchery and natural reproduction both contribute to the fishery.
- Regulation-sensitive water: Lake Ontario tributary rules and Salmon River special regulations apply, including seasonal night-fishing, hook, leader, weight, and fly-section restrictions.
- Public access: DEC lists Pineville, Sportsman Pool, Trestle Pool, Ballpark, Lower Fly, Upper Fly, and other access points, and publishes a Salmon River Public Fishing Rights map.
- Water quality note: DEC’s 2025 waterbody assessment lists the lower Salmon River segment as impaired for fishing due to Mirex and PCBs, so anglers should check current consumption advisories where relevant.
Sources checked
Source-reviewed river report
This report was checked against listed source material on May 23, 2026.
- Official regulations: official source
- Access or closures: official source
- Flow or gauge: official source
- Species or habitat: official source
Fly and hatch guidance is practical planning context. Regulations, access, flow, and species/handling details were checked against official sources.
Community Contributions
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No updates submitted for this river.
