Few
fish capture the hearts of anglers like the Atlantic salmon. Here in the
northeast, scientists and volunteers from conservation organizations are trying
to restore runs of these majestic fish. While these efforts have met with
varying degrees of success, there is still hope for restoring Atlantic Salmon to
the areas where they were historically present, and to greater numbers. Until
this happens, there is one way anglers can enjoy some great fishing for Atlantic
Salmon without an expensive fishing trip. Another version of the Atlantic salmon
has all of the characteristics of its sea-run cousins, although it never spends
any time in saltwater. Landlocked salmon are common to many lakes and rivers in
the northeast and are highly prized for their fighting abilities, in particular
the way they love to go airborne when hooked.

Landlocked
salmon are found in many waters in the northeast. Here in New York State they
can be found in at least two dozen waters, including Lake Ontario, the Finger
Lakes, Lake Champlian, Lake George and in the Catskills at the Neversink
Reservoir. In Maine, landlocked salmon are common in the Moosehead Lake area,
Sebago Lake, and the Rangely/Mooselookmeuntic lakes. In New Hampshire, look for
landlocks in Winnepesaukee, Connecticut Lakes, and in Lake Francis. In Vermont,
the Vermont side of Lake Champlain and Lake Mephremagog are good salmon waters.
These are but a few areas in each of these states. Contacting the fisheries
office for each state and doing a little research will yield more destinations
where salmon can be found.

Fly fishing for landlocked salmon can take two forms in the spring. One
method to use after the lakes lose their winter ice, is flatlining. This
technique involves trolling streamers behind some sort of boat with a sinking
line, so that they run somewhere near the surface. During the spring months,
lake-bound landlocks chase after schools of densely packed baitfish, usually
smelt, and are easy targets for streamers trolled near the surface.

Flatlining
is best during the month or so after the ice has left a lake. Tandem streamers
are commonly used, and there are a variety of patterns that date back to the
1800’s that work well. Most of them are smelt imitations. Patterns like the Gray
Ghost, Black Ghost, Nine-Three, Supervisor, Red Gray Ghost, Red and White, and
Mickey Finn, all tied in tandem versions, are successful trolling patterns for
spring salmon.

While flatlining works well, and an angler can cover a lot of water with it,
I like casting a fly rod. One way to get more casting in the game is to fish
from a float tube, and concentrate on the areas of the lake where baitfish will
concentrate in the spring. The mouths of small streams that get smelt runs are
the best areas to fish.

If wading a nice stream is your bag, read on, because the salmon chase
spawning smelt up the lake tributaries each spring. The lower reaches of streams
that receive a good run of smelt in the spring also receive runs of hungry
salmon pursuing their favorite meal. The typical stream here in New York is a
mid to large sized river and in addition to a run of salmon, it is not uncommon
to catch lake-run browns, rainbows, and even the occasional lake trout that has
chased the bait into these waters.

The
best method to fish for landlocks in smelt spawning streams is with a streamer.
This time, single hook versions of the flies that are trolled in lakes during
the spring will produce. There are many flies out there that do a good job of
mimicking smelt, and all of the patterns listed above will work when tied on
size 4-6 hooks. Rods in the 6-7 weight range, equipped with a good quality fly
reel and plenty of backing will perform well for spring salmon fishing. Sink-tip
lines are usually required to get the flies down to the level of the fish. This
type of salmon fishing is very similar to the fall fishing for spawning
landlocks. Probe all of the likely holding areas with a streamer.

One
often overlooked feature of the spring landlocked salmon runs is that these fish
can stay in the smelt spawning streams for up to a month or so. After the smelt
have done their spawning and leave the streams, the salmon often hang around for
a while, behaving much like trout. I have caught them on attractor patterns of
dry flies while casting for rainbows.

If salmon are still in a stream, they are very susceptible to an attractor
pattern like my favorite, the Ausable Wulff. Casting the fly and achieving a
drag free drift in good holding areas can produce a nice trout, or a 5 pound
landlocked salmon just as easily. Good areas to try are pockets of foaming water
like below the tailraces of dams and turbulent areas below rocks. I often have
caught salmon below the dam on the Schroon River with this method.

The
salmon can also become selective, just like trout do during a good hatch. The
early season caddis and mayfly hatches can be fed upon by any fish remaining in
spawning streams. Nymphs and wet flies also produce salmon under these
conditions.

I would love to save up some money and spend a week on a stream where there
are true, sea-run Atlantic salmon. They are at the top of the list when it comes
to the grandeur of fly fishing. Until that happens though, most of us here in
the northeast have close access to the landlocked cousin of the Atlantic salmon,
and we can enjoy fishing for them during both the spring and the fall.