DEC delays Salmon River lower fly-fishing section opening over low flows

The lower fly water at Altmar is not opening on schedule. New York DEC said Sept. 14 that the Salmon River’s lower fly-fishing section — upstream of the Route 52 bridge in Altmar to the Salmon River Fish Hatchery property line — will stay closed past Sept. 15 until hatchery staff collect enough Chinook eggs. About 16 miles of river downstream of Route 52, plus the upper fly water above the hatchery, remain open.

A dry summer left Salmon River Reservoir low. The usual Sept. 1 baseflow bump from 185 to 335 cubic feet per second did not happen because the pool is below the federal-license threshold, and scheduled whitewater releases were canceled. Pushing extra water now would likely pull staging Lake Ontario Chinook into a warm, skinny river and risk stranding fish, including fish trying to reach Beaverdam Brook and the hatchery.

Region 7 Director Dereth Glance’s point is that only a limited quarter-mile segment is delayed, and the delay is to protect egg collection and the next Lake Ontario stocking cycle. Confirm the live DEC notice before you walk in at Altmar.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: New York State DEC — actions to protect fish populations in the Salmon River (distributed Sept. 14, 2026).