The Ausable River tumbles out of the High Peaks wilderness of the Adirondack Mountains in a spectacular series of cascades, gorges, and boulder-studded pocket water pools that define the classic northeastern trout stream experience. Flowing 70 miles from the flanks of the highest mountains in New York State to Lake Champlain, the Ausable and its two main branches — the West Branch and East Branch — offer some of the most diverse and beautiful wild trout fishing in the Northeast. This is Adirondack fly fishing at its finest.
The West Branch of the Ausable, flowing through Wilmington Notch past the famous Flume and into the town of Wilmington, is the most celebrated stretch of the entire river system. The Notch — a dramatic granite gorge carved by glaciers — creates a series of powerful plunge pools, hydraulic pockets, and boulder gardens that demand precise casting and aggressive wading. The fish here are wild, strong, and acrobatic — browns and rainbows that have learned to hold in the hydraulic cushions behind boulders and in the foaming pocket water edges where food concentrates. Catching a 16-inch wild rainbow in the West Branch Notch is an experience that stays with you.
The Ausable is known for outstanding Hendrickson fishing in April and May — the river's freestone nature and cold Adirondack waters push the hatch a few weeks later than the Catskills, so anglers can experience consecutive Hendrickson hatches by fishing the Catskills in late April and the Ausable in mid-May. The Hendrickson hatch on the Ausable's flat pools above Wilmington is particularly good, with fish rising freely during the afternoon emergence.
The East Branch Ausable provides a counterpart to the West Branch's dramatic pocket water — a broader, more pastoral stream flowing through the Jay and Keene valley with long riffles, gravel flats, and classic pool fishing. The East Branch holds good populations of wild browns and is more accessible to anglers who prefer open casting room over the tight quarters of the Notch.
The Ausable River Association (ARA) has been active in preserving and improving the river's fishery through habitat restoration, water quality monitoring, and angler education. Their managed stretch from the North Elba-Wilmington town line downstream provides some of the best-managed wild trout water in the Adirondacks.
