When do salmon run in Lake Ontario? NY tributaries

Last checked 2026-10-29. Short answer from NYSDEC: Chinook and coho salmon often peak in the tributaries in the first two weeks of October, steelhead runs build by mid-October with late October through November among the best fishing, and brown trout run in the fall. Timing differs by stream and by species. This page is a timing guide, not a catch report.

Chinook and coho salmon

NYSDEC's Pacific salmon page covers Chinook and coho. It says:

• Fish begin to gather off river mouths from mid-to-late August.
• Some fish usually begin moving into the tributaries by early September.
• The peak is often in the first two weeks of October. DEC calls it a rather short four-week period.

DEC also splits the timing by type of stream:

• Rivers controlled by hydropower: the peak normally runs from mid-September through mid-October. DEC names the Salmon River and the Oswego River as hydropower-controlled.
• Other streams: salmon enter somewhat later, with the peak in mid-October.

A 2021 DEC bulletin gave quality fishing for Chinook and coho "from now through early-November" and put the typical peak in the first two weeks of October. That bulletin is from 2021, so treat it as background.

For more on the fish, see our king salmon page.

Steelhead

NYSDEC's steelhead page for Lake Ontario tributaries says:

• Steelhead begin to enter tributaries in small numbers as early as mid-September.
• Runs intensify by mid-October once stream temperatures reach the optimum range.
• Late October through November, before water temperatures drop below 40 F, is typically among the best times to fish.
• Warming periods bring new fish in during January and February.
• Spawning runs from mid-March through late April.
• Some tributaries offer excellent fishing for post-spawn fish into mid-May.

Orleans County Tourism says steelhead begin their runs up the tributaries and continue until the first of May.

Brown trout

DEC's salmon and steelhead pages say nothing about brown trout. The 2021 DEC bulletin expected brown trout peak fishing in November and December. Orleans County Tourism says browns come along with the Chinook, with the Oak Orchard area highlighted, and that the brown and salmon runs taper off toward the end of November. These two sources differ, so check current DEC notices.

What shifts the timing

Sources name these factors:

• Water temperature. DEC gives 45 to 58 F as the optimum for steelhead migration. The run slows considerably in the 30s F.
• Flow. DEC says steelhead tend to move upstream as water rises or falls, and they hold in place when flows are low or flooding.
• Rainfall. On streams not controlled by hydropower, DEC says the timing of the runs depends more on rainfall.
• Hydropower control. DEC says the peak on hydropower-controlled rivers normally runs mid-September through mid-October, earlier than on other streams.

Tributary notes

• Salmon River. DEC calls it the most famous New York stream for Pacific salmon fishing. It is hydropower-controlled, so DEC's mid-September through mid-October peak applies. At the Salmon River Hatchery, DEC says Pacific salmon egg take runs mid- through late October and steelhead egg take runs late March through early April. For access and rules, see our Salmon River page.
• Oswego River. DEC lists it as hydropower-controlled.
• Oak Orchard, Eighteen Mile Creek and the Genesee River. DEC names these waters but gives no stream-specific timing for them.

Conditions change year to year

Conditions change year to year. DEC's pages carry no update date, so we note when we read them: 2026-10-29. Rain, flow and water temperature can move a run earlier or later than the windows above. Check DEC for current notices before you go.

Sources

• NYSDEC Pacific salmon fishing
• NYSDEC steelhead fishing in Lake Ontario tributaries
• NYSDEC bulletin, 10/01/2021
• NYSDEC Salmon River Hatchery
• Orleans County Tourism fishing resources

Last checked 2026-10-29. Conditions change year to year. Check DEC before you go.