If you’re wondering where the kings are…

[longtimefisherman]

I know from a reliable source.. kings were caught way up the Niagara river earlier this month, kings are up the black river at dexter, and kings are being caught in the salmon river already. What’s up with that? Water temp mid 70s +… very strange!!!

[Gill-T]

Genetics. Kings run in June on West Coast. The naturals have probably evolved away from early runs due to poor spawning success in bath water. Go up to the Altmar hatchery in November- the raceway is full of spawning salmon. Those November fish are  contributing to kings in the lake. The early spawners contribute very little. The best is yet to come. 

[GAMBLER]

East end kings are running due to water flow!  They have received a ton of rain on the East end the past couple of weeks.  The Salmon River was raging a couple weeks ago.  

[Gill-T]

Good point Brian. We have had no rain on the west end lately so it is easy to forget all the storms going up eastern NY might trigger early river entry. 

[wallaholic]

The water temp in the Black is 76 degrees. There were salmon porpoising last weekend. Not a major run by any means. The ones that are there are November black in color. Lots of water, not sure of the exact CFS but if you really want to know it’s not difficult to follow it as well as the Salmon River.


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[Grady95]

Just came back down from Blind Bay.  Went up about a week ago and noticed how busy the Salmon River was in Pulaski.  I could see it just driving up 81.  Coming back, it was even more vigorous.  Sandy Creek even had a good water flow which you rarely see in the dog days of summer.  So it's no surprise that with these water levels, the fish are on the move.  Going to be a busy fall this year!  Saddle up boys, here they come........

[Yankee Troller]

You're seeing stragglers in these systems. It's not where the majority of them are. 99% are still in the Lake. These stagers the last 4-5 years have become lock jawed in August up and down the lake. I'd love to know why. I remember never leaving that inside water the last half of August and pulling some nice full boxes.

[ErieBuck]

Interesting, maybe I won't even waste my time targeting the stagers this weekend

[BreakingBass]

Erie, would it still be worth it if they were in good numbers and you could troll in a tight pattern annoying the heck out of them?

[FishingSkrip27]

They are they, they just aren't biting. Guys are putting miles under them to find kings. When most of the kings are just sitting inside doing nothing. Kings are deep, they are shallow, they are suspended they are on the bottom. A handful of fish always enter the rivers and creeks in mid/late August every year. Its the same thing that always happens. Go chase immature fish out deep or mature kings inside. They aren't gone.

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[ErieBuck]

Erie, would it still be worth it if they were in good numbers and you could troll in a tight pattern annoying the heck out of them?

If they actually bite, yes!


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[Sk8man]

Some will be early some will be late from the main herd. Mother natures way of protecting the species and perhaps different genetics involved.

I remember seeing them in the old days stacked up like cord wood on and near bottom in front of Maxwell Creek for weeks and they wouldn't hit anything.

Edited August 26, 2021 by Sk8man

[Colin]

21 hours ago, Yankee Troller said:

You're seeing stragglers in these systems. It's not where the majority of them are. 99% are still in the Lake. These stagers the last 4-5 years have become lock jawed in August up and down the lake. I'd love to know why. I remember never leaving that inside water the last half of August and pulling some nice full boxes.

You’re right the last few years have been way off from what I remember the last half of august being like.
 

We got them moving a bit yesterday though. Couple mature bites and a bunch of immatures in 4 hours or so, which is how I remember the average days being this time of year. 

[cinnamon fish]

Can you guys tell me, a newbie to fishing for kings, what size is considered mature?

[Yankee Troller]

Mature Salmon aren't a size. Some mature at 2yrs old some mature at 4yrs old. The term "mature" is used very loosely.

[troutman10]

What fishingskrip said...

[ErieBuck]

Mature Salmon aren't a size. Some mature at 2yrs old some mature at 4yrs old. The term "mature" is used very loosely.

So…. Is a “mature” more accurately determined by the fish’s color? I’ve been calling fish with a tan, mature. Obviously that’s dependent on the time of year, that is, you can catch a silver fish earlier in the season that will likely turn color and spawn. For example I caught a couple 20 lb+ fish this May that more than likely would be in spawn mode right now so I called them mature. In late July I caught many upper teens, 20s, that had a bit of a tan and thus called them mature. Am I wrong?


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[Gill-T]

Sounds like you got it Erie. I however… am immature. 

[ErieBuck]

Sounds like you got it Erie. I however… am immature. 

Same!!


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