Beautiful spring weather on tap for today and throughout this weekend. The river levels are high but temps are warming into the fifties and even one report of a 60 degree reading above the monuments. Still not much bug activity but warmer temps have fish moving for the fly. Runoff is the culprit for the higher levels as we haven't had any rain and the woods are dry and fire danger remains at a high level. Wildflowers are popping, buds are swelling, the first black fly bite of the year can't be far behind. Actually, all right on schedule. Enjoy... Continue reading

The Ausable is at a high level as the runoff from rain and snow melt has begun to work its way out of the mountains. The Ice cover is still complete on all but the most shallow backwaters and waters that have current moving through them. The ice has darkened nicely and perhaps this weekend we will have some open ponds to wet a line in. There is still snow in the woods, especially on the north facing slopes and the frost is not out of the ground but we are definitely headed in the right direction. Ice out between... Continue reading

Well on Monday I said the river was at a resonable level, well, it was. Tuesday and Wednesday brought warmer temps and above freezing nights and added quite a bit of water to the volume. It cranked right up to 2000 CFS. It has cooled back down and seems to have started to fall. Today we are expecting a cooling trend with some freezing rain and snow tonight and tomorrow. This is getting old! Continue reading

Opening day was officially last Monday but today feels more like it. Night time temps have warmed to around the freezing mark finally. The West Branch is at a reasonable level but is on its way up with the warming temps. Expect the cycle of daily raises to continue as we go through this week. At least the day time temps will be in the upper forties and low fiftes. Stone fly nymphs and bead head caddis accounted for some fish from hearty anglers who were out over the weekend. Mid to late day is the time to get out... Continue reading

Saturday March 23rd, marks the return of the Fly Fishing Film Tour to Lake Placid. This annual event is a fund raiser for the Tri Lakes Chapter of Trout Unlimited. It is a great chance to see some exciting new films, catch up with friends or meet some new ones and get ready for the upcoming season. There will be great prizes donated by area business available for raffle. Tickets are available for $12.00 in advance of $15.00 at the door. They are for sale at the shop or you can purchase them online. For more info check out this... Continue reading

We have been finalizing a few trips for early spring, and planning the calendar for the season ahead. The winter has been, well, winter but its been a good one for the trout and allows us to look forward to a more normal spring. The steelhead trip has been planned for March as well as our fly tying classes, For more info check out the pages for each on our blog. Stay tuned as we finalize the dates for our fly fishing schools and our free fly fishing 101 classes. We are also working on a goose hunt/ salmon, steelhead... Continue reading

Well it has been a busy month since my last post. The trout season has closed with the exception of the catch and release areas and several area lakes. The water remains on the low side but today is a dandy and very worth your while if you can get out. Overall a good season with the summer proving difficult due to low water and warm temps. The fall was a bit of a throw back to more normal fall conditions. Cold and rainy but hey thats what fall is supposed to be like, I think we have gotten used... Continue reading

Fifty five for a high today and a hard freeze warning for tonight. Talk about a cool down. The river is at a low level but better than it was a few weeks ago. Isonychias and olives are on the menu and streamer fishing should produce as well. Seventies on Monday but this cool down hopefully sets us for good conditions for the rest of the season. Continue reading

Yesterday we recieved several inches of rain and it brought the West Branch up from 250 cfs to almost 5000 cfs. It will make things tough for a few days but as it drops it will move the fish around and recharge the river. It bodes well for the next few weeks. What to do today? Well the ponds and lakes remain a good option and if you like it, the smallmouth fishing has been good to great. The seasons are changing and the colors are really starting to show. With the dry summer we've had I don't know what... Continue reading

The heat has broken somewhat and the river temps have dropped into the sixties. Fishing has picked up on the West Branch. Tricos in the am with isonychias taking over the later day action. Hoppers and other terrestrials are working and the flying ants are sure to be on the menu soon. Lake trout fishing is still pretty good and the bass action is as good as it gets, no matter how you are fishing for them. The conditions should continue to improve so get out there! Continue reading

Almost ninety as I type this mid day Saturday. Some rain is expected tomorrow and hopefully a little heat relief. Go early or don't go at all while the heat persists but if you do go, tricos and olives are pretty consistant or if you would prefer to see the flies you're fishing with give an Isonychia nymph a swim. Luckily we have other options and the bass fishing has been steady. The lakers continue to eat as well and just this morning eight were hooked on a 2 hour trip. Continue reading

Great event coming up in August! Make time to visit this exhibit and consider signing up for the decoy carving class! LPCA SPECIAL WORKSHOP: Decoy Carving Lake Placid Center for the Arts will host a Decoy Carving Workshop with Decoy Artist William D. Sarni in conjunction with the gallery exhibit In The Air And On The Water – The Magic World Of Bird And Wildfowl Art. Participants will create a traditional style yellowlegs shorebird decoy. Decoys will be in the style used along New England’s coasts, marshes and lakes in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. They will be carved... Continue reading

Finally, some rain, not enough to make much of a difference but it was welcome all the same. The conditions on area rivers remain the same, low and warm. Early morning has been the only realistic time to try and fish for trout. The heat looks to break by mid week and hopefully we can return to more normal temps. Big numbers of tricos hatching last few days, btw. The bass fishing has been good all over and we have still managed to take a laker or two on the early morning trips on Lake Placid. If you look beyond... Continue reading

The West Branch has come up a bit with the rains and a little off color today but it should clear and settle soon. The upside is the cooler temps have cranked up the trout activity and we are set up for the warmer weather expected later this week. Hexs are popping on Placid and Mirror as well as other area ponds. Pike and bass fishing remains hot too. Life is good ! Continue reading

Already eighty degrees at 9:30 AM, it's going to be really warm these next two days but it should cool back down for the weekend. Consider limiting your fishing to the early part of the day... for the fishes sake. We have been seeing cahills, sulfurs, tons of stones and some caddis. Bass fishing has been quite good in many lakes and we are still catching good lakers in Placid and lately Mirror Lake as well. Continue reading

The West branch is at a very nice medium level with temps in the low sixties, in other words pretty terrific conditions. Try sulphurs,yellow sallies, stimulators and white wulffs on top and a variety of nymphs and streamers are working as well. Lake Placid continues to be very productive with recent morning trips producing 20 plus fly rod caught rainbows. Get out there! Continue reading

Conditions are setting up for a very good weekend of fishing. The West Branch is at an excellent level with temps in the low sixties. Hendricksons, March Browns, caddis and stones all popping and fish rising to take your dry fly. That said the streamer and nymph fishing is pretty good too ! Enjoy the three day weekend and go fishing. Continue reading

Here is a dandy that Zac caught last week on Lake Placid. 38" long, still swimming some where out there. Continue reading

Things are shaping up nicely around here. The West Branch of the Ausable has warmed into the fifties and the bugs and fish have responded. Hendricksons, tan caddis and yellow sallies are making up the dietary concerns for the trout and angler alike. We had a good rain yesterday and the river levls are on the high side right now. The forecast is for clear, warmer weather so unless we get hit with some thunderstorms today the fishing should be really good this weekend. Keep two things in mind, one Rte 73 is closed in the Cascade lakes area so... Continue reading

After a week with temps in the sixties and seventies things have sure changed. This weekend saw snow and temps in the thirties for highs. Today we awoke to several wet inches of snow and a river that has certainly gone way up. While last week the levels were low, today it is raging. A classic case of be careful what you wish for. While the river action may be on hold, the pond and lake action continues to be strong as our area lakes have undergone a gradual warm up. Brookies and lakers, salmon and rainbows all can had... Continue reading

Opening Day !! The West Branch of the Ausable is at a very nice level and water temps rose to 41 degrees yesterday afternoon at the iron bridge. Early stones were in the air and caddis larva were seen in abundance. The night time temps are dipping into the teens and we have a little skim ice on some waters in the morning but Mirror Lake was at 42 degrees surface temp this AM. Conditions are decent considering how early it is. I think it bodes well for some very good fishing in the upcoming weeks. Continue reading

Winter is truly losing it's grip and this week the temps are in the mid fifties. Snow is melting and it looks like we just might get that early spring everyone has been looking for. So let's start the season this weekend with The Fly Fishing Film Tour which will make it's annual stop in Lake Placid this Saturday night, March 17th. This is the fourth year that the show has been put on by the Tri Lakes Chapter of Trout Unlimited. The doors open at six and the films start at seven. Tickets are available at the shop or... Continue reading

Join us this weekend for Lake Placid's Village Stroll. We will be offering a sample of wild game treats throughout the event. It's a great time to do some shopping and enjoy some of the bounty of the season. We hope to see you at the shop this weekend. Continue reading

The weather today and tomorrow is a lot more spring like than fall like and nice enough to get you to think about calling in sick so you can get one last day on the water. The Ausable is at a very nice level and water temps are in the low forties but today's air temps should have it on the rise. We have seen olives and rising fish the past two days and I expect the same for today and tomorrow. Who knows, the ten day forecast has temps in fifties for 9 of the ten days. Quite a... Continue reading

The river is high today to close out the epic season of high water. Today is the last day of the trout season statewide but keep in mind that several area waters are open to year round fishing including seven miles of the Ausable! We have been busy around here wrapping up the season while trying to issue as many "Migration Cancellations" as possible. Check out some updated photos in The Fall 2011 photo album. Continue reading