Ausable River

About Ausable River

The Ausable River drains the high peaks of the Adirondack Mountains, split into three distinct fisheries: the East Branch, the West Branch, and the Main branch. Each section runs with clear, highly oxygenated water that benefits from relatively constant mountain temperatures. Anglers navigate the river corridor primarily along NYS Route 86 near Wilmington, which provides direct road access to the river's most productive stretches. Along this route, you will also find dedicated handicap-accessible fishing sites designed for easier entry to the water. The riverbed varies from massive freestone boulders to gravel bars, requiring careful wading but offering classic pocket-water targets at every turn. On the West Branch, the river shifts character rapidly, transitioning from long, glassy flats to churning pocket water and deep, slow-moving pools. Boulder-strewn runs demand quick, accurate casts to target the soft seams behind heavy mid-river obstructions. Further down, the river drops over a 100-foot waterfall at High Falls, a major geological landmark that breaks up the gradient and creates heavy plunges and deep resting water below. Visually, the clear mountain water allows you to read the bottom easily, spotting deep slots, tailouts, and the foam lines where trout wait for food. This variety in river structure means you can fish tight pocket water in the morning and switch to slow-water flats by afternoon. The species mix in the Ausable River is diverse, holding brown trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass, walleye, muskie, salmon, and steelhead. The West Branch specifically is highly regarded for producing large brown trout that thrive in the cold, oxygenated mountain currents. Food sources are abundant, and the river is famous for producing massive hatches where the emerging insects run one to two sizes larger than what you see on most other regional waters. Because of this, you should upsize your fly selections, tying on larger-profile dry flies and nymphs to match the native insect sizes. This insect size advantage means you can often fish heavier tippets than normal, which helps when trying to land strong fish in fast water. This river accommodates both walk-and-wade anglers and those planning to use river float trips to cover more ground. When wading the pocket water, use a high-stick nymphing technique or a tight-line setup to keep your line off the conflicting currents. For the deep runs and the plunge pools below High Falls, you need to get your flies down quickly, using heavy split shot or weighted nymphs to reach the bottom where the larger brown trout and steelhead sit. If you are floating, focus your casts on the bankside woody debris and the leading edges of the deep pools. Watch your footing on the slick, water-worn Adirondack boulders, and consider using a wading staff to stay stable in the swift, high-volume flows.