This year, the transition has already occurred. Well, the combination of mild Winter and reduced flows will probably mean warmer river temperatures earlier, and that will probably shorten the time Steelhead linger in the river after spawning. There are still ample fish upstream and spawning continues, although at a lesser rate. As usual, fish and anglers are both pretty common in the Altmar area, fish in Orwell Creek and Trout Brook as well as in the diversions are under less pressure. Successful anglers are using a mixed bag of egg-sacs, egg imitations, Hot Shots, Fireplugs, and Stone Flies.
Color preferences vary according to light conditions.
By the way, spawn-outs also have a healthy appreciation for nightcrawlers for that extra dose of protein to help recover weight from the stress of spawning. Reports from anglers out just this morning also tell of their taking a good number of nice bright Browns in the middle of Pulaski from the Black Hole up to the Ball Park. That's a nice fringe benefit. While the new regs haven't been published, it's now a sure bet that snagging is gone for good. DEC won their appeal and reversed the flaky lower court decision by 5-0 that they had no authority to regulate fishing practices.