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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
Altmar to the Lake Ontario estuary. The East's great salmon and steelhead river. The river tops out around 8 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Traced from the shoreline, Salmon River runs 205 acres with 26.3 miles of edge. A development index of 13.1 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Call it 10.2 mi long by 1.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Oswego County. The nearest mapped water is South Sandy Pond, 7 mi to the northwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: chinook salmon in 1 to 8 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 8 ft through summer, 2 to 8 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Lowhead weir tailrace, a dam tailrace in the 7 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 90 ft | midday | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
In spring, coho salmon run shallow here, mostly 1 to 8 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 8 ft, and they winter in 2 to 8 ft. Lowhead weir tailrace is the standout, a dam tailrace at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for spring coho salmon. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Spring steelhead on Salmon River hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 1 to 8 ft in summer, 2 to 8 ft once it turns cold. Put Lowhead weir tailrace first on the milk run — a dam tailrace near 7 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with an orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Small spoon or spinner at the mouths, Jig + waxworm under float |
| Summer | 1 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Orange dodger + fly high in the column, Thin spoon off boards |
| Fall | 1 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Spinner (silver/blue), Casting spoon |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Float jig (black/purple), Bead rig |
Early season brown trout use the shallows, holding in 1 to 8 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 8 ft; winter keeps them in 1 to 8 ft. The chart's best answer is Lowhead weir tailrace — dam tailrace, 7 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is after dark and early morning. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 1 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring lake sturgeon on Salmon River hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 8 ft in summer, 2 to 8 ft once it turns cold. Put Lowhead weir tailrace first on the milk run — a dam tailrace near 7 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | dusk & night | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | night & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Town Pool (Pulaski) (7 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 2 to 8 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 8 ft through summer, 2 to 8 ft in winter. The spot to know is Lowhead weir tailrace, a dam tailrace in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Town Pool (Pulaski) (7 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Lowhead weir tailrace (7 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Salmon River also holds walleye (2 to 8 ft in summer), smallmouth bass (2 to 8 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 7 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Town Pool (Pulaski), sits near 7 ft.
Access data: New York State DEC — Boat Launches (FishNY). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | Brown Trout | 470 | ~12" |
| 2026* | Brown Trout | 3,840 | ~9" |
| 2026* | Brown Trout | 560 | ~12" |
| 2026* | Brown Trout | 4,620 | ~9" |
| 2026* | Rainbow Trout | 650 | ~12" |
| 2026* | Rainbow Trout | 5,800 | ~9" |
| 2026* | Rainbow Trout | 420 | ~12" |
| 2026* | Rainbow Trout | 3,760 | ~9" |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: NYSDEC fish-stocking lists, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New York waters are set by the New York DEC — and special regulations can apply to Salmon River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Salmon River is about 8 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead, brown trout, lake sturgeon, rainbow trout, walleye, smallmouth bass on Salmon River.
Lowhead weir tailrace is the top-rated area: a dam tailrace in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For chinook salmon, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per NYSDEC fish-stocking lists records, Salmon River was most recently stocked 2026 with 470 brown trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Salmon River is regulated by the New York DEC. Check the official New York regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
South Sandy Pond 7 mi · Sixtown Pond 20 mi · Lake Ontario - Oswego and Mexico Bay 22 mi · Lake Neatahwanta 24 mi · Oneida Lake 25 mi · Lake Ontario - Henderson Harbor and Golden Crescent 29 mi · Onondaga Lake 32 mi · Green Lake 34 mi · Cross Lake 35 mi · Otter Lake 35 mi · Delta Lake 38 mi · Jamesville Reservoir 39 mi
See how Salmon River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in New York · best walleye lakes in New York · best rainbow trout lakes in New York · best chinook salmon lakes in New York
Browse all New York fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.