World Famous Salmon River’s Lower Fly Zone closed down amidst low flows to protect fish returns as egg harvest nears

ALTMAR, NY- The Lower Fly Zone on the World Famous Salmon River is closed down until further notice, due to low water flows.

As summer turns to fall, thousands of King and Coho Salmon begin migrating to their home streams across the Great Lakes to spawn. Located along the Eastern shores of Lake Ontario, the Salmon River has been a world destination for anglers each fall during the annual salmon run.

However, despite a very wet spring, the New York State DEC says a hot and dry summer has resulted in a very low Redfield Reservoir, which is the main watershed that feeds into the Salmon River.

As hundreds and thousands of salmon work their way upstream to spawn, the Lower Fly Zone, located approximately 10-miles from the estuary in Altmar, NY, serves as a staging area as fish migrate into the Salmon River Fish Hatchery, which is just upstream from the LFZ boundary line.

There is another fly fishing only stretch, called the Upper Fly Zone, which is just above the hatchery. Unlike the rest of the river downstream from the Altmar bridge, both of these designated fishing areas are strictly catch and release.

With that said, the DEC says unseasonably warm weather and low water flows make it more stressful for salmon and to ensure they are protected for egg harvests in October, the Lower Fly Zone has been closed to angling until further notice.

“New York State’s Salmon River waterway boasts world class fall salmon and trout runs,” said Region 7 Director Dereth Glance. 

“The modified water releases and delayed opening of the lower fly fishing section are necessary to ensure a successful egg collection at the hatchery to continue New York State’s legacy of a thriving Lake Ontario salmonid fishery.”

To reiterate, the rest of the Salmon River downstream from the Lower Fly Zone to the Douglaston Salmon Run property line and to the estuary remains open to regular angling.

The Upper Fly Zone also remains open.

Image courtesy via I LOVE NY.