Fishermen are back for big salmon, trout in local tributaries

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 October 2026 at 9:42 am

Visitor spending in Orleans County sees steady increases

Photos by Tom Rivers

CARLTON – Donte Bovani, left, and his friend Dillon Williams both made the 5-hour drive from Scranton, Pa. on Sunday to fish in the Oak Orchard River.

The area is seeing its annual influx of visitors to the local Lake Ontario tributaries to try to catch big brown trout and Chinook salmon.

Fishing is the county’s top tourism draw. The county is seeing a steady increase in spending from visitors.

Donte Bovani and Dillon Williams could see the trout and salmon swimming updtream in the Oak Orchard River on Sunday.

Visitor spending in Orleans County

2025 – $44.7 million
2024 – $43.3 million
2023 – $41.9 million
2022 – $37.4 million
2021 – $30.9 million
2020 – $23.9 million

Source: Tourism Economics. Revenue from lodging, recreation, food & beverage, retail & service stations, transportation, and second homes.

The $44.7 million in tourism revenue breaks out to $2.7 million spent on lodging /accommodations; $7.9M spent on recreation/entertainment; $15.2 million spent on food & beverage; $5.9 million spent on retail goods and services; $800,000 on local transportation; and $12.1 million spent on vacation property/second homes, according to Tourism Economics.

This angler hopes for a bite from a Chinook salmon in the Oak Orchard River.

Chris Washington caught this brown trout on Sunday. He said the fish was foul-hooked on its side so he let it go.

Washington traveled five hours with his father and four of their friends from Mansfield, Ohio. They are spending the week in the county, trying to catch trout and salmon.

They have been coming here for 10 years.

“It’s relaxing,” Washington said.

Chris Washington has a Chinook on the line at the Waterport Dam.

Here are some more photos of the action at the Waterport Dam, one of the popular spots for the fishermen.