OSWEGO COUNTY – With the first hint of cooler air drifting in from the deep outlying waters of Lake Ontario, salmon anglers begin to make plans to visit Northern Oswego County and the tributaries that feed the lake.
Another salmon season begins, and as the circle of life for the much sought after fish comes to a close, their return to the waters of their birth signals a time of great excitement for anglers all over the northeast. After spending the summer deep in the cold core waters of the massive lake, the hefty salmonids will make their way to shore and then upstream, seeking to carry on as a species, and giving visiting sportsmen a chance to land a huge fish after a lengthy tug of war.
Local business owners have their fingers crossed, hoping that the effects of the coronavirus pandemic will not place a great strain on their seasonal incomes. Will the anglers show up in great numbers, or will the fear of transmitting the virus keep visitors away? With crossed fingers, guides, tackle shop owners, hoteliers and restauranteurs watch for a subtle change to the foliage, and listen for the sound of tails slapping the water.
Don Gregory, a 28 year employee of All Seasons Sport Shop, a tackle shop located on Route 13 in Pulaski, recently observed, “there are not as many people here yet, but the fish are still way out in the lake.”
The slightly warmer and drier summer has elevated the lake temperature, keeping the fish far offshore.
“The recent rains might help bring the fish a little closer to the river,” Gregory said.
Robert Adamski, who owns Pulaski’s Whittaker’s Sports Shop with his son, said the state of the fishing all comes down to the releases of water from the Upper Salmon River Reservoir in Redfield.
“We are hoping for a release of water over Labor Day weekend, and the rain we have been receiving could help with this,” Adamski said. “The lake is still really warm, keeping the fish at least 100 feet down.”
Whittaker’s also offers lodging to visiting fishermen, a portion of the business that has been affected by the pandemic.
“Our usual customers from Canada have had to cancel their reservations due to the closing of the border, and we have had fishermen from Texas cancel their trips due to the quarantine regulations,” Adamski said.
Local drinking and dining establishments have also been keeping a watchful eye on the weather and the influx of visitors appearing in the area.
“Our business is dependent on the six to eight weeks of salmon season,” said Ray Archer, proprietor of Archer’s End Zone, an established Pulaski bar and grill. “I think our season is going to be highly influenced by what the government will allow people to do.”
The current requirement for patrons to wear a mask while in dining establishments is playing a large role in the economic picture for these businesspeople.
Residents of the Salmon River Corridor are hopeful that a strong showing by the fish and anglers will help buoy the local economy and provide for an economic upturn in the last quarter of 2020. Weather certainly plays a role in this tradition, and those invested in the fishing industry are looking to the skies and tuning in to the long range forecasts, hoping for a stretch of seasonably cool weather, punctuated by regular rainfall to allow for consistent releases of water from upstream.
The fish are out there, just waiting for Mother Natures’ signal to race back to the waters of their birth, bringing in a few extra dollars to the region as they swim.
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