Copyright 2011 James Marsh
Fly Fishing The Oswego River New York
The Oswego River is a tributary of Lake Ontario is one
of New York's better steelhead, salmon, rainbow, and
brown trout streams. The stream below the dam is a
short one of only a mile in length, but it's also very wide,
averaging four to five hundred feet in width. Even so, it
has huge runs of salmon and steelhead, and brown
trout and actually has more fish at any one time than
any of the other tributaries of the Great Lakes.
Its steelhead fishing is the prime attraction. These large
fish, averaging between five and twenty pounds, start
coming into the river in the early part of October and run
throughout the Winter into early Spring.
The Oswego River also has good runs of Chinook
salmon that enter the river between late August and
October. Coho salmon, averaging from six to twenty
pounds, also show up at this time of the year. The large
brown trout, averaging four to over fifteen pounds, enter
the river in September and can be caught from then until
early Winter. Brown trout fishing is best from mid
October until the end of November.
Wading can be difficult below the dam for the first
quarter of a mile. The water consist of deep pockets and
pools with runs mixed in between them. It's a shale
bottom that requires cleats on your wading boots.
Beware of sudden rises in the water level. There's a
warning siren but you should continously check the
levels visually. The upper part of the river has large
walls and a concrete channel. This area is mostly fished
by anglers using spinning and casting gear.
Below the section of the river with walls, you will find an
area that is suited for fly fishing with runs and some
pools. This is just above the Route #104 Bridge. Below
the bridge the river gets larger and slower due to its
confluence with Lake Ontario. This section of the river
has a coble bottom and/or large rocks. It shouldn't be
waded on higher flows.
There is a suitable fly fishing section on the north side of
the Oswego River that's directly across from the walled
section. This section is just below the Varick Dam locks.
Fly fishing the Oswego River is usually done using a
floating fly line, long leader and weighted fly. Sink tip
lines and a short leader can also be used. Much of the
fly fishing is done using the traditional wet fly swing.
The river is usually crowded with salmon anglers during
the early Fall season. These are meat fishing anglers
that are lined side by side at times.
Fly fishing the Oswego River can be very productive at
times, especially when one fines the fish concentrated in
a certain area. It's not uncommon to hook several
steelhead and brown trout in a good day of fly fishing.
Seasons:
The steelhead season runs from September to mid May.
Spring:
Steelhead fishing continues into the Spring months until
as late as the first of May.
Summer:
During the Summer, the water is too low and warm for
trout or steelhead.
Fall:
Brown trout fishing is best from early October to the end
of November. Chinook and Coho Salmon run in the Fall.
Steelhead follow them.
Winter:
All but the very coldest days of Winter is good for
steelhead.
Fly Fishing Gear, Tackle, Steelhead, Salmon and
Trout Flies
The Oswego River is a tributary of Lake Ontario is one
of New York's better steelhead, salmon, rainbow, and
brown trout streams. The stream below the dam is a
short one of only a mile in length, but it's also very wide,
averaging four to five hundred feet in width. Even so, it
has huge runs of salmon and steelhead, and brown
trout and actually has more fish at any one time than
any of the other tributaries of the Great Lakes.
Its steelhead fishing is the prime attraction. These large
fish, averaging between five and twenty pounds, start
coming into the river in the early part of October and run
throughout the Winter into early Spring.
The Oswego River also has good runs of Chinook
salmon that enter the river between late August and
October. Coho salmon, averaging from six to twenty
pounds, also show up at this time of the year. The large
brown trout, averaging four to over fifteen pounds, enter
the river in September and can be caught from then until
early Winter. Brown trout fishing is best from mid
October until the end of November.
Wading can be difficult below the dam for the first
quarter of a mile. The water consist of deep pockets and
pools with runs mixed in between them. It's a shale
bottom that requires cleats on your wading boots.
Beware of sudden rises in the water level. There's a
warning siren but you should continously check the
levels visually. The upper part of the river has large
walls and a concrete channel. This area is mostly fished
by anglers using spinning and casting gear.
Below the section of the river with walls, you will find an
area that is suited for fly fishing with runs and some
pools. This is just above the Route #104 Bridge. Below
the bridge the river gets larger and slower due to its
confluence with Lake Ontario. This section of the river
has a coble bottom and/or large rocks. It shouldn't be
waded on higher flows.
There is a suitable fly fishing section on the north side of
the Oswego River that's directly across from the walled
section. This section is just below the Varick Dam locks.
Fly fishing the Oswego River is usually done using a
floating fly line, long leader and weighted fly. Sink tip
lines and a short leader can also be used. Much of the
fly fishing is done using the traditional wet fly swing.
The river is usually crowded with salmon anglers during
the early Fall season. These are meat fishing anglers
that are lined side by side at times.
Fly fishing the Oswego River can be very productive at
times, especially when one fines the fish concentrated in
a certain area. It's not uncommon to hook several
steelhead and brown trout in a good day of fly fishing.
Seasons:
The steelhead season runs from September to mid May.
Spring:
Steelhead fishing continues into the Spring months until
as late as the first of May.
Summer:
During the Summer, the water is too low and warm for
trout or steelhead.
Fall:
Brown trout fishing is best from early October to the end
of November. Chinook and Coho Salmon run in the Fall.
Steelhead follow them.
Winter:
All but the very coldest days of Winter is good for
steelhead.
Fly Fishing Gear, Tackle, Steelhead, Salmon and
Trout Flies
| Type of Stream Freestone Species Brown Trout Rainbow Trout Steelhead Coho Salmon Chinook Salmon Size Large in width, short in length Location North Central New York Nearest Town Oswego Season Species Dependent Access: Good Special Regulations Yes, check for current regulations Non-Resident License State of New York Weather National Weather Service Link USGS Stream Flow data Fly Fishing Gear, Tackle, Steelhead, Salmon and Trout Flies |
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| Options For Selecting Flies: 1. Email us with the dates you will be fishing this stream and we will send you a list of our fly suggestions. Please allow up to 24 hours for a response. 2. Call us 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide which flies you need. 3. Call or email us with a budget for flies and we will select them and get them to you in time for your trip. Shipping is free in the U. S. Orders over $50 are shipped Priority Mail. |