Saranac River

Saranac River

Main Species present- brown trout,landlocked salmon,steehead, smallmouth bass, northern pike, and rock bass

The Saranac River in New York's Adirondack Mountains offers some of the finest fishing in the Eastern United States. Unlike nearby trout streams like the West Branch of the Ausable and the Boquet, variety is the name of the game on the Saranac. The Saranac certainly does offer fine trout fishing in areas, but it also offers some of New York's best fishing for smallmouth bass, landlocked salmon, steelhead, northern pike, walleye, and panfish.

The Saranac River has two branches and a main stem. The two branches are the South Fork and the North Fork. The South Fork is the larger and the longer of the two branches. It begins below Lake Flower Dam right in the middle of the village of Saranac Lake. There is some good fishing access right in town, and that can be a good spot to catch trout in the spring, and smallmouth and pike through the summer. The "in town" stretch is composed of deep, glassy pools and gentle riffles, and is a very pleasant area to fish. Just below town, the river is closely paralleled by Highway 3 for about two miles, providing easy access. This stretch of river is very slow moving, and almost completely still in most areas. This is ideal northern pike habitat, and there are some good sized smallmouth as well. Trout are few in this slow stretch of river, because it tends to warm easily. After this two mile stretch, the river leaves Highway 3, but instantly is paralled by Highway 18 or "River Road" which keeps the access easy. After about a mile, the river begins to speed up, and finally you come to Permanent Rapids. Permanent Rapid is a class III Rapid well known in kayaking circles, but it also provides the best trout fishing on the South Fork of the Saranac. The fast water tends to stay cooler than the slower water upstream, and there is a good population of brown trout. The trout fishing is very good in the months of May and June, and again in September and October. This is hard area to wade, with heavy currents and incredibly slick rocks, so a wading staff and a cautious attitude is a necessity. High riding dry flies such as the Ausable Wulff work very well here, and large stonefly nymphs can also draw strikes. In the heat of summer, fishing slows, but despite the heavy currents some smallmouth can be caught in the rapids at this time.

Immediately below Permanent Rapids, the Saranac spreads out into Franklin Falls Pond. Franklin Falls Pond is one of the most beautiful lakes in the Adirondacks, crystal clear, with large mountains rising from the lake in all directions. Despite being called a pond, Franklin Falls is a good sized reservoir, and offers notable fishing for smallmouth bass and walleye. Most people use boats, but we have had success for smallmouth bass and perch fishing off the bank. Below Franklin Falls Dam, there is another short stretch of flowing water before it flows into the next lake, Union Falls Flowage. This section of water provides excellent fishing for smallmouth bass, rock bass, and walleye. Trout and Northern Pike can also be caught on occasion. Union Falls Flowage is also an extremely beautiful body of water, and provides similar fishing to Franklin Falls for smallmouth bass and walleye. Below Union Falls Dam, the South Branch is very fast and rocky for a distance before slowing down again. The river flows for about seven more miles before it meets the North Branch to form the Main Saranac River. The final reach of the South Branch offers decent spring fishing for trout, with good summer fishing for the warm-water species

The North Branch of the Saranac is very different from the South Branch. It starts near the village of Loon Lake as a small, spring-fed brook trout stream. The upper reaches stay cold through the summer, and when the trout fishing in the rest of the Saranac Drainage slows down, this is the place to look. Access to the upper reaches can be had where Kushaqua and Alder Brook Road crosses the stream. The trout in the upper reaches are known to be somewhat selective, and imitative dry flies and nymphs are helpful. Soon, the river grows, and becomes more like a small river and less like a spring creek. Access is easier as well in the middle and lower reaches of the river. This portion of the North Branch is primarily a brown trout fishery, and the fishing is best in the spring and fall, although it can be solid throughout the summer. Finally the North Branch meets the main stem near the tiny town of Clayburg.

The first 20 miles of the Saranac River from Clayburg to near the town of Plattsburgh, like the South Branch, offers a mixture of spring trout fishing and summer fishing for smallmouth bass and northern pike. It is a large Adirondack Foothills river, with many deep pools, and wide, shallow riffles. Trout habitat on the main stem is somewhat marginal. By this point, the river is pretty far from its source up in the mountains, and the water really warms up in the summer. So trout fishing is really only a good option during the spring and early summer. The main stem is stocked heavily with brown and rainbow trout each spring, and the fishing can be solid in the early season. But by about mid-June, this is warm-water territory. The main stem of the Saranac offers many miles of world-class fishing for all manner of warm-water fish, although smallmouth, pike, and rock bass are the most popular targets. The deep, slow pools are good pike water, while the faster areas hold the smallmouth bass

Finally just about two miles above its mouth at Lake Champlain, the Saranac flows into the town of Plattsburgh, the largest city in the Adirondacks. You might think that the fishing would decline right in the middle of a town, but it's actually just the opposite. This is center of some of the best fishing on the Saranac. While the bass, pike, and brown trout can still be found here, this area is known primarily for Landlocked Salmon. Landlocked Salmon run in both the spring and fall, and offers some of the best landlocked salmon fishing anywhere in the country. The salmon respond well to live bait as well as wet flies, streamers and nymphs. Steelhead, Lake trout, and Lake-run Brown trout can also be found in the Saranac in the Spring and Fall, and provide interesting targets for anglers. The regulations are very restrictive, and change from year to year, so make sure to check before trying migratory fishery.

So whether you want to catch native brook trout, trophy brown trout, landlocked salmon, steehead, smallmouth bass, or huge northern pike, the Saranac River has what you are looking for. You just can't find variety like that on many other rivers anywhere in the United States.