Salmon Fishing the Salmon River with Eric Henderson of Combat Fishing
Megan Plete Postol 10.16.23
The moon was high and the morning still dark blue as I left my house to drive an hour and a half towards the Salmon River in Pulaski. There I met my fishing guide for the day, Eric Henderson, of Combat Fishing. We shimmied into waders and donned headlamps before walking a short distance to the rocky shore stretch of the town pool, located under and near the bridge within the village. When we arrived most of the riverbank had already been claimed by fishermen quicker than us. We exchanged morning greetings with other anglers as we waited for timers to go off, letting us know it was time to cast a line. Then, we waded through thigh-deep water to a nice spot and set up our base.
Fishing Coverage on AllOutdoor
- The Premium Zenon MG-X Spinning Reel from Abu Garcia
- Deep Water, Walleye Candy! NEW Berkley Fishing Deep Hit Stick
- 2023 Gag Grouper Season Closing Early in Federal Gulf of Mexico Waters
- Berkley Releases New Saltwater Hard Baits and Adds Sizes
I perched on a flat rock that protruded from the water and practiced my swing. We switched back and forth from a fly rod to a spinning rod as Henderson narrated the scene around us. Anglers lined the shore with gaps only a few feet between them. They cast in towards the middle, careful to avoid each other’s lines, and then reeled back in. When a hook connected with a fish, a robust yell of “Fish on!” let nearby anglers know to clear the way. The lucky anglers worked down along the shoreline, following the fish while keeping the line tight, hoping to reel in the big one. More often, the fish would leap and twirl out of the water, making a big show before spitting the hook and swimming away.
Fish On!
I hooked my first salmon after a few hours of casting that morning. It took me by surprise, but I was ready, and we made our way slow and steady upstream. I kept the rod high and worked the fish towards shore. When a fellow angler scooped it up into the net, I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The salmon was in and that grueling, adrenaline-fueled process from hook to net was complete. We snapped a couple of photos and then sent it on its way to continue its spawning journey.
Henderson spent more than a decade in the military before returning to Upstate New York. Once he returned, he felt the call of the water and got into fishing. He has been fishing this stretch of the Salmon River for fifteen years. It was his brother Adam that first brought him here. For the first few years at the pool, everyone referred to him as “Adam’s brother.” Henderson’s brother is a fishing guide, too, and has been one for more than twenty years. The two weren’t close as children, but bonded in adulthood over a shared love of fishing.
“Salmon season has brought us together,” he said. “We are closer now than we’ve ever been.”
Henderson quickly grew to love this style of fishing and the atmosphere at the pool.
“As you’ve learned this morning, there’s a learning curve,” Henderson said. “Once I figured it out, I was hooked.”
After finessing his own skills, he decided to take the plunge and get his guiding license. He’s now in his fourth year of guiding clients. Henderson brings clients to the Pulaski town pool because he feels like it gives his clients the full Salmon River experience. A quick Google search for Pulaski salmon fishing usually brings up some photos of the town pool. So, the experience matches his clients’ expectations.
“I love it here,” he said. “Most of the people here are courteous. There’s camaraderie. It gets busy but it’s usually okay. This spot is also centrally located, so folks can grab a nearby lunch or whatever they need.”
These days, what Henderson really loves about salmon fishing is teaching his clients new skills and then witnessing the reward of those efforts.
“Your face when you hooked that fish this morning and were fighting it – priceless,” he said. “The way you felt after you landed it, that’s why I do it. I don’t care if I catch fish at all. As long as my clients are hooking fish, I’m happy. I love it.”
