LOCALadk Magazine
Issue link: https://localadkmagazine.uberflip.com/i/277180
Casting for Trout Story and Photos By Anne Brewer I f you're not ready to fall in love with a new hobby, then don't try fly fishing. It may be the sound of water rushing past your waders as you search for the perfect hole, or the quiet anticipation of a strike as you watch the tippet lay down the fly, gently on the water. Maybe it's the proud moment when you land your first trout, marvel at its beauty and see its stunning colors and patterns up close. Whatever your reason, fly fishing offers an outdoor pastime, with an allure and romance, that can quickly turn into a passionate pursuit. It was a perfect fall day in September when Evan and Caitlin from the Hungry Trout in Wilmington invited me to go fishing with them and to experience the Ausable River first hand. I explained I wanted to better understand the gear involved and to see how easy it could be for someone new to equip herself for fly fishing, yet still have money left to pay the electric bill. The Adirondacks offer many great rivers for fly fishing, but one of the best is the Ausable. The Ausable River is 94 miles long and is known as one of the best eastern trout rivers in the United States. It passes through Lake Placid, Au Sable Forks, and eventually empties into Lake Champlain. There are two distinct branches of the Ausable, the West and East. The East Branch is fed from the Upper and Lower Ausable lakes; the first few miles are scenic and can be easily accessed from trails on either side. The West Branch forms from a combination of the MacIntyre, South Meadow, and Marcy Brooks, and is eventually fed by Lake Placid and the Chubb River. This section offers technical white water paddling during high water levels. We fished a section just below Whiteface Mountain, which is easy to access, but creates a feeling of being alone on the river, miles from civilization. What I liked about this quick access was that it meant there was time to fish and still make it to work on time. Evan and Caitlin gave me a quick tutorial on the gear that I would be using, including waders, fly rod, and a box of flies with cool names such as the Bomber, Haystack, Ugly, and the famous Ausable Wulff created by local legend Fran Betters. Fran passed away in September of 2009, "The Adirondacks offer many great rivers for fly fishing, but one of the best is the Ausable."