Also called Silvers · facts last verified
Coho Salmon on Lake America
Coho Salmon (Silvers) on Lake America (Lake Ontario), NY: current NY DEC regulations, stocking and seasonal pattern, each linked to its source.
Live conditions
Olcott
via West Lake America
Rochester
via East Lake America
Oswego
via Oswego Nearshore
Cape Vincent
Overview
- DEC: "Mature coho salmon return to spawn as age 2 fish and will average 8-10 pounds." Coho are "stocked as pre-smolt fall fingerlings or 6-inch yearlings". [dec.ny.gov]
- DEC: "Cohos tend to be found higher in the water column than kings". Temperature preference 52-58°F, optimum 53°F. [dec.ny.gov]
Current regulations (quoted from NY DEC)
- DEC seasons and limits for Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and tributaries: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout (including Steelhead), Coho Salmon and Chinook Salmon are open "All year", minimum length 15", "except for Rainbow Trout or Steelhead: 21" in the lake and 25" in tributaries". Daily limit: "3 in combination, not to include more than 2 Rainbow Trout (or Steelhead) in the lake, and not to include more than 1 Rainbow Trout (or Steelhead) and 1 Brown Trout in the tributaries". [dec.ny.gov]
Seasonal pattern
- DEC: "Cohos, however, are usually caught earlier in the spring than the kings" and "return to river mouths in late summer". [dec.ny.gov]
- DEC: tributary fishing for Chinook and coho salmon "begins in early-September and runs through early-November, with the peak often occurring during the first two weeks of October." [dec.ny.gov]
Stocking
- DEC 2023 annual report: 115,225 coho stocked against a target of 135,000; coho and rainbow trout were the two species that missed targets, "due to poor fish health in summer 2022 at Salmon River hatchery". [dec.ny.gov]
- 2022-2026 stocking strategy annual coho target: 135,000 (Salmon River 90,000; Olcott and Oak Orchard 22,500 each). [extapps.dec.ny.gov]
Charters targeting coho salmon
No listed captains target coho salmon yet. See the charter directory →
Sources
Every statement on this page comes from one of these primary sources. Last verified . Regulations change: confirm on the linked DEC page before you fish.
- https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/freshwater-fishing/places-to-fish/great-lakes-niagara-river-st-lawrence-river/pacific-salmon-fishing (verified 2026-10-05)
- https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/freshwater-fishing/places-to-fish/great-lakes-niagara-river-st-lawrence-river/trolling-lake-ontario-trout-salmon (verified 2026-10-05)
- https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/freshwater-fishing/regulations/great-lakes-tributaries (verified 2026-10-05)
- https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2025-02/lakeontarioannualreport.pdf (verified 2026-10-05)
- https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/lostockingstrategy.pdf (verified 2026-10-05)
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