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The West Branch
of the Ausable River, NY (Page 1 of 3)
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| West Branch of the
Ausable River Because of its natural
beauty and high fish populations, the
West Branch of the Ausable River ranks
among the premier trout streams in the
country. In a 1996 Cornell University
study, anglers gave the West Branch
the highest angler satisfaction rating
of all New York waters in the survey.
Browns are the most prevalent species
here, but opportunities also exist for
nice rainbows and even brook trout in
the upper stretches. Because of its
large size and impressive hatches, the
West Branch is excellent for fly fishing,
especially for skilled waders who want
to tackle pocket water. Spawned in the
shadow of Mount Marcy, the highest peak
in the Adirondack Mountains, this splendid
river runs independently for about 30
miles before linking up with the East
Branch at Au Sable Forks. Along the
way it undergoes many changes in character...everything
from flowing quietly and gently through
fertile mountain meadows to raging whitewater
squeezed between austere mountain cliffs.
Every trout habitat imaginable can be
found in its path, earning the West
Branch its reputation as one of the
prime trout streams in the Northeast.
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The Fishing:
Brook trout of up to 14 inches occupy
the wilderness portion of the river
a few miles south of the village of
Lake Placid. In addition, a few lunker
speckled trout, refugees from the numerous
tiny feeders, are caught each year in
other sections of the river. The West
Branch is loaded with browns and rainbows
from the Olympic ski jumps towering
over the south side of Lake Placid village
all the way to Au Sable Forks. A combination
of plentiful cover (boulder fields,
blowdowns, undercut banks), cool water
temperatures (maintained by cold mountain
springs, shady banks, and sun-blocking
cliffs), and a good food supply (abundant
populations of aquatic and terrestrial
insects, crayfish, and minnows) conspire
to make the river ideal trout habitat.
Fish between 12 and 16 inches are common
and browns and rainbows tipping the
scale at slightly more than 8 pounds
are caught each year. SPECIAL REGULATIONS:
From the mouth of Holcomb Pond outlet
on Riverside Drive downstream to the
marked boundary 2.2 miles downstream
of Monument Falls on route 86, anglers
must use artificial lures only. There
is a "no kill" stretch that is open
year-round.
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Adirondack
Mountain Region:
Spread over 6,000,000 acres, nearly
20% of the state, the Adirondack Park
is the largest preserve totally contained
within the borders of a single state
in the lower forty-eight states. One
of the earth's oldest mountain ranges,
experts claim its peaks towered more
than 25,000 feet when the Earth was
young. While its summits have been worn
smooth by the ages, forty-three of them
tired old granite, and 100,000 acres
of ancient forest crown its expansive
new growth. Best of all, this fabulous
marriage of public and private forests
offers anglers roughly 2,800 lakes and
ponds, 1,500 miles of rivers and 30,000
miles of brooks and streams on which
to cast your dreams. One of the most
popular areas is the Lake Placid/Wilmington
area.
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