Salmon rely on cover and structure less than most other gamefish. They go where they must to find food and a comfortable water temperature.
In the Great Lakes, salmon schools are scattered during spring and early summer. Their search for 53° to 57°F temperatures may take them miles from shore or within casting distance of piers. Although fishing is excellent on some days, catching salmon consistently is difficult. But as spawning time nears, salmon gather near the mouths of spawning streams where finding and catching them becomes easier.
Stream fishing for salmon in Great Lakes tributaries begins in September and continues into October. Along the Pacific Coast, some fish enter rivers and streams as early as April, but the majority of the runs take place from June through September. Atlantic salmon return to fresh water from May through October, with some rivers having both spring and fall runs. Once salmon enter spawning rivers and streams, you’ll find them in the same kinds of lies favored by trout.