Tricos one day / streamers the next

With fall hatches starting to show there presence, fish do not know what to eat first. Water levels are very stable for consistent trico spinner falls in the morning on the Ausable, a good hard rain can change things quick to streamers the next morning though. Grasshoppers becoming more important, and provide a great excuse for a big fish to come off the bottom to engulf these big morsels. On the Saranac finding some Isonychia nymphs becoming more active as days pass.

Saranac water temps 60 f- 65 f

Ausable water temps 56 f - 65 f

On water early/ Off water early/ Big dry flys

With cool days having been more frequent, and a occasional shot of rain, water temps are slowly getting more comfortable for early morning fishing on the Ausable. With the Saranac a better option for catching bass, due to warmer temps. River levels on most waters, are very comfortable for wading.
  Hatches are minimal at the moment. Fish are very responsive at times to big dry flys after having seen many large silhouettes drifting above there head due to the many large stonefly adults, and  grasshoppers that frequent the streamside.

Saranac  68F - 76 f

Ausable  65f - 72f

On the water early / off before noon

With river levels having dropped, water temps have risen, and hatches have thinned out. Water temps are from mid 60's to low 70's, this being a great reason to use the heaviest tippets, and leaders. Under higher warmer temps fighting fish to long can kill them. Fluorocarbon tippets come in very handy this time of the year, allowing me to fish a size larger in tippet, due to it being almost invisible.


Caddis      Pupa/Adult
Stoneflys  Nymph/Adult
White Wulff

Marabou Muddlers
Matukas
Zonkers

Fish very hungry, as Ausable drops water level

Water levels have dropped much in the past 24 hours, fish eating drys again, and are very responsive to  a variety of colors of stonefly nymphs.  Best fishing will be in the morning as water temps slowly creep up as sun rises.

Saranac,    Dangerously high water levels in trout waters


Ausable 
  
Water Temps 62 f - 68 f 

Hot fishin, and high water

At the moment we are getting more rain, the past 24 hour break in the rain was very welcome, as river levels have continued to drop, we will see what next 24 bring. Regardless of past 48 hours water levels, fishing has been very good subsurface, with many big fish awake, and on the prowl. As currents continue to flush a  abundance of caddis pupa in colors of olive, and cream. With stoneflys being poor swimmers, fish are seeing a variety of them getting flushed downstream in the currents. Under the existing conditions you will find most fish close to the bank, with the Ausable being most fishable of regional rivers

Saranac  water temps

62f - 68f

Ausable water temps

61f - 69f

Fishing conditions for Ausable, and Saranac rivers. (WATER LEVEL AT FLOOD STAGE)

After last nights rain, river levels has risen to dangerous levels. As rain ceases the Ausable should drop water levels quickest, we will keep you posted.

Rise and shine

With past week of sporadic rain showers, river levels have been very nice on the Ausable, still a good amount of water in the Saranac. Fishing has been best in the early morning, with drys, nymphs, and streamers all working.  As river hatches slow down in the next couple weeks, fishing bigger drys can often create some great action on top of the surface. Have fun, stay safe, some thunder boomers too watch out for this past week.

64f - 68f  Saranac

64f -70f  Ausable

Golden stones
Green Drake
Sulphurs
Yellow Stone
Muddlers
Buggers
Zonkers

Large dry flys, and large fish

Past few day's river levels on the Ausable have dropped to were fish are comfortable eating dry flys much more often. On the Saranac water is still high, though fish are still very active under the surface with temps in high 50's to low 60's.Many large fish  landed past week in a variety of ways, with the arrival of the some large drys to get some of the bigger fish looking up, this action should continue for at least a couple day's.

The Menu

Drys & Nymphs

Golden Stones
Sulphurs
Green Drakes
Caddis

Assorted Streamer's

Water still high, dropping. Fishing has been very hot, lots of big fish

With the constant site of numerous nymph's in the water column, due to all the high water, fish on the Ausable are very responsive to  nymphs as we speak. No need to get in water or far from the bank, as most fish will move to sides of river and you can easily walk rite on top of them. Saranac is very high and will not drop as quick as the Ausable. We will update you on the Saranac as this river system water levels drops.

Ausable water temps

56 f - 61 f

Water levels going up, and down. Fishing is good!

Past few days fishing has been good, with stonefly nymph's, and streamer's  taking most of the fish. Dry fly fishing has been minimal, due to higher water levels, although when water levels  drop we have seen some nice sulphur hatches on the Ausable. For the dry fly Junkie that just cant wait for water levels to drop, try fishing a  #8 or bigger stimulator active this sometimes can  raise fish to the surface during higher water levels.

Ausable  water temps

50 f - 58 f

Saranac water temps

53 f - 60 f

Sunny, cooler air

With a front having rolled in bringing cooler air, fishing has slowed some, this is changing however as weather stabilizes. We should see some excellent fishing again, as weather stabilizes and river levels continues to drop.

Insect activity                                                                        

Dragon fly      nymph                                                          
Golden stonefly          nymph/dry           
Little yellow stonefly         nymph/dry                                     
March Brown          nymph/dry
Sulphur's              dry                                                                                                             
Olive caddis        pupa/dry
Zug Bug's


Streamer's

Black Ghost
White Zonker
White Marabou Muddler


Saranac water temps

56 f  - 61 f

Ausable water temps

52 f  -  58 f

A quick update

 Heavy rain and, thunderstorms rolled in last night, and left many river's such as the a Ausable very high. Fishing has been excellent the last two day's, and hopefully continues to be very good as river levels drop.

 Ausable water temps
  
   56 f - 64 f


Saranac water temps

58 f- 65 f

Finally a dry spell.

Water temps are very good, with no rain lately, and river levels dropping fishing opportunity's on some water's could blossom this weekend.

   Water temp's for the Saranac
     57 f-62 f

    Water temp's for the Ausable
       52 f- 60 f

 Fly choice's
 fly's should be fished very deep

March Brown nymph's
Large black, and golden stonefly nymph's

Large streamer's with lots of movement, and not too much flash
 Color's of olive, orange and black

Stay tuned

Very high water,

River levels are very high, unsafe, and I expect this to be the case till rain stops for a good while. We will keep you posted.

Have a great Memorial weekend

Air temps have dipped into the 40's, water levels are high, and water has been off color some. Regardless of the drastic change in air temp, fishing has been good. Till these conditions change some, dry fly fishing will be very slow.

 Under these conditions black, olive, orange, large streamers or nymphs fished very deep, have been very productive. Stonefly nymph's can be a excellent option, during or after a high water period, due too there poor swimming ability they are very vulnerable struggling in the heavy water flows.

A quick update

After hard rain,thunderstorm's last night, most regional river's are cloudy and high. River's such as the Ausable will drop and clear very quick. When levels drop, water clears, you will see most of the  rising fish on the Saranac, and lower Ausable. Water temp's are in the the high 50's too low 60's.

Stir it up with a streamer

River levels have stabilized, weather is cloudy with occasional shower's, and water temp's on the lower river, and the Saranac are back in the high 50's. Most of the rising fish on the Ausable will be found downstream of the Wilmington dam. The insect menu  consist of yellow stonefly's, caddis, Hendrickson's, March Brown's, and Gray Fox.

When nothing else has produced, the streamer has worked well, and produced the biggest fish. It is important when fishing streamer's to cover a lot of water in a short time.

Setting up for a nice fishing weekend

River levels have dropped, and water temps are climbing back up. As water temps have reached back into the 50's, fish are responding to current insect activity. On the Ausable you will find many Hendrickson's, Little Yellow Stonefly's, the Saranac will be slightly ahead as March Brown's, caddis, and Little Yellow Stonefly's fill out the meal plan.

My best fishing has been subsurface this past week, with streamer's being most productive last 3 day's.

Sunny, dry, and much colder

  Last 24 hours air temp's have dropped twenty five degree's at least, water temp's have gone from low 50's to low 40's, and it feels like it is going to snow. Water levels on the Ausable have dropped much compared to the swift waters of yesterday. Over last few day's fishing has been good. Fish were rising sporadically on the entire Ausable for first time this year. With river's having a little more water than normal, many active nymph's were being swept into the water column making them very vulnerable, this made nymph fishing a very productive method.We are finding a good deal of holdover fish, a sign of  good winter survival.

Spring in the Adirondacks

Every were you look it is so alive roaming moose, black fly's, mating mallard's, this is spring in the Adirondacks.

With past 48 hours throwing some scattered rain shower's, Ausable river levels are going up, and down some, with just enough water to absorb the shock of the anglers presence. Starting to see some increased Hendrickson activity in the air on all of the Ausable, water temp's still in 50's on the Ausable.  Hendrickson nymphs are crawling all over the bottom of the Ausable, the water is becoming more alive everyday. Saranac systems will be in high 50's to low 60's, with a little more adult insect activity, and good fishing. Overall fishing is good on most river's with subsurface fishing most productive, ideal water temp will be mid day on most regional river's. The scattered showers have bought warm rain's with some humidity, these are my favorite conditions for subsurface fishing.

The Hendrickson

With many plant's, animal's, insect's, coming to life. It is the arrival of the fish eating bugs off the surface for many can hardly wait.Warm sun has raised water temp's on water's such as the Saranac, and lower  Ausable into the high 50's to low 60's by mid afternoon. These conditions have spawned  the arrival of the Hendrickson mayfly, with some fish looking up to eat them on the Saranac.

After viewing a variety of stonefly nymph, mayfly nymph, and caddis pupa on the bottom. I can tell you great things are to come. Stay tuned.

Knee shaking

The trout Lillie's are coming up through the ground, a good sign we should see some Hendrickson mayfly's coming around soon. This weeks weather has been very dry, sunny, water temp's are in mid 50's, with river's having no lack of water thanks to runoff. With temp's comfortable for feeding, streamer fishing has been most productive, with aggressive strike's making  you shake down to your knee's. Some big fish showing themselves this week, a sign of good winter survival.

Mighty water's, and mighty fish

Warmer temp's in the past couple of day's have been nice, and should help continue to rise water temp's out of low to mid 40's. Wading levels are very comfortable again making it easier to get your fly down to the bottom were it seems to be most productive.

I have found my most productive fishing in the Saranac this past week. The mighty Saranac can catch you off guard, often while chasing trout, salmon, steelhead, I have hooked up with bass, perch, and a variety of other fishy character's. On both the Saranac, and Ausable a little more nymph movement on the bottom with # 12 stonefly nymph's being most active. Fishing on bottom with big fly's in color's of white, and yellow have been most productive this past week. As these condition's change we will keep you posted.

On the rite track

 With past few day's mild temp's there is plenty of option's for fishing, many pond's, and lake's are open now. River levels have dropped to a much more comfortable wading level since the weekend, and water temp's are climbing.

For those who enjoy chasing landlock salmon, and steelhead give some of the Lake Champlain tributaries a try. River's such as the Saranac, Boquet, and Ausable you will find lake run steelhead, with landlock salmon chasing smelt from river mouth's upstream now.

Bitter cold, high water

Good hard rain's last night, rivers are rolling very high, with wind and cooler air temp's making it feel very cold. Better day for whitewater kayak's than river angling. The Ausable should drop its water level the fastest of most major river's in the region. I did hear this am a few pond's, and lake's in region started to open a good bit, however after today's cool air they should lock back up some. We are gaining ground here, and will have much open water soon.

We will keep you posted as more option's become available to the angler.

Warm and no snow in day's

With past couple day's river levels jumping up, and down due to evening rain, melting snow, water temp's are slowly climbing into mid 40's on some water's. Many fishing option's will open up to the angler in the next couple week's, with many lake's, and pond's ready to ice out quick. For now I have had some nice fishing in the Saranac river system's, and also lower elevation brook trout stream's. Rivers north such as the Salmon, and chateaugay can be a good option though no hatches, yet these rivers insect activity is a little ahead of the Saranac with the Ausable being last in line.

Ice box

Waking up to a sheet of ice, fishing today for me will be short, and sweet, followed by a lot of fly tying. River levels have dropped, wading in many waters this weekend will be comfortable as long as weather is not too wet, and warm. Pond's, and lake's are still locked frozen  for another weekend. Brook trout in small stream's is a very good option now, with a Proffesor wet fly a great choice for a fly. We will keep you posted on the salmon situation for Lake Champlain tributaries, and other regional water's.


Note,
 
Use caution when wading, there are still many big ice chunks floating downstream that have the potential to knock you into the water, not a fun swim with water temps in the 30 's.

Fishing conditions for Ausable, Saranac, and regional water's

With rain no longer falling river levels are falling, and so are air temps.  Pond's, and lake's are still frozen tight, the cool air temp's will prolong these conditions.

Brook trout in many small stream's can be a great option's this time of the year, and has not been a bad option lately.

Fisshing conditions

 With past days being warmer on the average, water temps are still holding between 30 f and 40 f on both the Saranac, and Ausable rivers.Warm rains today rise rivers, and also my hopes of  lake run steelhead. Many angling opportunities will continue to open up in the days ahead, one of them being landlocked salmon following smelt upstream, landlock's will stuff there belly's full with these bait fish. More recently I  have found the most active trout to be in the Saranac river system's, this river system run's a little warmer than the Ausable. Streamers or very big nymph's fished on the bottom are the most productive fly's. Be sure to let your fly swing all the way straight at the end of your drift, this will definatley increase hookups all year on the Saranac.


Note:
 
    You are not on the bottom until you start to lose fly's.

First day of NY Trout season

For all those heading out on the water tomorrow stay safe, as water temps range in the mid to high 30s .  For those wading the Ausable, and other rivers keep a eye peeled upstream, for big floating ice chunk's, these can knock you into the river.

 For those fishing the Ausable, the river is a good level as we speak, and temps are 37 f to 40 f.
Slow deep pools and big flies fished on the bottom, with very little action, being my favorite presentation. A sink tip with a fast sinking head is very handy this time of the year. Zonkers, Wooly buggers, Zoo Cougars in size's # 2 and # 4 are my choices for fly's.

Many of the biggest Brown Trout I see come out of the Ausable, come out of the river this time of the year