Upstate New York could use a soaking rain to help move more fish into the Tributaries of Lake Ontario.  Salmon carcasses now litter rocks and the browns have started to move into the lower stretches of creeks.  Most browns can’t go very far w/ the low water.  There are also a few steelhead mixed in.  A good friend reported a 33″ plus bright steelhead mixed in with a few salmon, below a local waterfall.  I’ve fished a few times the past week and am finding scattered browns in the deepest holes, and they are easily spooked.  The steelhead are much more aggressive and more likely to pounce on a fly.  With this clear water, try scaling down the size of your fly, presenting a more natural (less flashy) offering and consider avoiding split shot altogether.  It’s uncanny how a large, lake run fish can take in a tiny nymph or pea sized or smaller egg pattern.

This afternoon I fished the Genny for the second time this season, targeting steelhead.  No angling pressure at all on the Eastern side of the River and we only saw salmon.  The DEC was on the Maplewood Park side netting salmon for sampling.  I liked the conditions (dropping water/decent visibility/salmon present/no pressure/security watching the Seth Green Parking Lot/DEC patrolling our side, etc).  That said, I couldn’t locate a fish and bailed out after nearly two hours.  This is my second trip to the Genny w/ no success.  To save the day, we scooted over to a small Monroe County trib and target browns, with the odd steelhead.  Spooky fish, but nice to see them take a fly or two in the low water.   Here are pictures of two of the fish that we landed today.