But really, about those Adirondacks...

[Manfred]

This strikes me as interesting:

On the evening of Tuesday 5 August, I made two postings in two new flyfishing threads. The first was about fishing lakes for brook trout in August. The second was a report and a question about recent fishing experiences in the Adirondacks. The posts were made within minutes of one other.

As of a moment ago, the August Brook Trout posting had 128 views and 4 replies; the Adirondacks posting had 54 views and 0 replies.

I have factored in my mis-spelling of Adiorondacks / Adirondaks / Adirondacks (Wiki advises that the last two are both good). I have factored in my unseemly gushing about Ironwomen in Lake Placid. I accept that the guys who post here tend to have a proclivity for Calabogie and the Ottawa vicinity, but I have a hard time accepting that this proclivity fully explains the relative interest here in the two regions.

The last couple times I went down to the Adirondacks (by which I was loosely referring to the Salmon, Chateagay, and Au Sable Rivers, plus West Canada Creek), I had a blast. It has been a couple of weeks since I went, and I am already starting to get that sick filling of withdrawal that often hits in December.

For me, it has much to do with the trout and more to do with the moving water. I have been thinking of going out to one of the OFFS Tuesday night fishes to at least scratch the moving water itch. I must admit, though, that when I read about last night's planned outing, my first thought was to worry that, if I ended up with a catfish on my line, it might end up with the spectacle of me throwing down my rod and running away, screaming like a girl.

Even if I steel myself to the risk of Ottawa catfish, I don't know if I can wait for the Iso hatch before going back to the Adirondacks. I am getting more jittery by the day.

So seriously, fellow posters, has nobody here actually gone down the the Adirondacks lately? If not, why?

[beachburger]

So seriously, fellow posters, has nobody here actually gone down the the Adirondacks lately?

I've never been to the Adirondacks.

If not, why?

Not too many people can go on weekdays (Mon - Thu).

A spirited tussle with an Ottawa River kitty sounds like fun. I hope I catch one someday.....

[northernfly]

I agree with you that New York is a great place to fish - at least based on my experience.

The extent of my fishing has been the Ausable and surrounding area. Normally I get down there a couple times a year but so far nothing for this year. This is more a factor of general busyness than a case of fishing other regions. I hope to correct that soon.

I don't have experience with the Salmon or Chateaguay but would like to change that. I expect that to happen in the next week or so.

As for OFS fishing last night - there was lots of moving water (an understatement) and I don't think anyone landed a catfish.

Dennis

[Little Fox]

Personnaly I love the area. I've been spending at least 1 week of my annual vacation for the last 15 years there. I'm not an experienced fisherman, so my luck hasn't been the greatest, but the State ensures good stocking of most lakes and streams. It's a great place to fish.

I can't wait to go back ( hopefully in September).

[Salar]

So seriously, fellow posters, has nobody here actually gone down the the Adirondacks lately?

No, unfortunately.

If not, why?

I was planning on going down to NY this week but I've ended up guiding this whole week up at Mont Tremblant. Might make it down to NY this weekend but it depends when I get back home. Sitting in the library here in St. Jovite using their computers right now.

Cheers,

Salar

[Todd B.]

Ah yes...the ISO hatch!

Unfortunately I haven't been able to get down yet this season. I'm hoping to get down soon though.

[ganman]

Manfred, as much as I like fishing the streams of the northern Daks, living here in the 1000 Islands its actually the streams on the western side I am closest to and most familiar with......the Black River, West Canada...Fish Creek on Tug Hill and the remote headwaters of THE Salmon River east of Pulaski.

The West Canada has suffered a bit in recent years with negligent water releases but a few years back it was....I will state unequivically a better river than the Ausable, for that matter so was the Black.

Despite being called a creek, West Canada and the Black are very big trout streams. West Canada is a tailwater, it is colder than the Black but the Black has better hatches.

The East Branch of the Salmon reminds me of Vermonts Battenkill but more remote and seeing another angler is rare. It is lightly stocked and is one of the few streams in Northern NY where you can catch wild rainbows.

The same remoteness can be said of the East Branch of Fish Creek too. There is a monumental effort to get Atlantic Salmon re-introduced into this river going on right now.

[ganman]

It is too early yet for Isonychias. Look towards September. Right now you will see mostly caddis, yellow sallies and as the months progress white flies. There is a mayfly that hatches in the evening about now...sz 16 yellowish olive body-light grey wing. In the morning it is Tricos on most streams and during the day terrestials. NNY is on some sort of migration route for flying ants....they swarm and if some days you see trout going crazy feeding yet see no hatch this is what is going on.......trout love ANTS!

The fishing is difficult the ants are tiny 18,20,22 and smaller.....and unlike commerially tied ants the natural ants do not land spread winged like a spinner.....no. These flies have been tied by someone who has never seen a flying ant on the water. The ants lie on there side....so put a wing on one side of your fly only! OR clip off one wing on a commercial product. It makes a huge difference trust me.

The white fly hatch is the biggy hatch though. They are on the Malone Salmon but absent from the Ausable. The Black is the place to go for them and so is West Canada but nearer the end of August. By that time the Isonychias may start but if it stays warm it'll be a near dusk thing for them. Best Isonychia fishing is late in September after it has cooled off. They hatch all afternoon then. But if you're not wearing a jacket by then it is too warm. Many of them hatch on logs and streamside boulders like stoneflies but they are big flies and poor fliers and whenit is windy many end up back in the stream and the trout watch for them. When the Iso's are about fish a sz 10 dark nymph like a streamer. The nymph is a good swimmer.....like a small minnow.

[ganman]

My favourite Iso' flies to use in September are a sz 10 Leadwing Coachman wetfly, Sz 10 Zug Bug.......and a good ole #12 Dun Variant tied like the old master Art Flick did. Perfectly imitates a fluttering natural and if it is the spinner the trout want just trim the bottom.

Fish these flies with a 3X tippet. Fish the wetfly and nymph with short quick strips.......the trout will hit HARD that is why the 3x. The Variants while effective can twist lighter tippets.

The trout won't care about the 3x.

[midstate]

Ganman you are spot on! I'm from Syracuse and generally fish the Delaware but i have a buddy who want's to fish the white fly hatch badly. I've seen a prolific hatch on fish creek near McConnelsville but i don't want to waste a drive out there without better info on the timeing. Is the Black a better bet? When would you say is the peak of the hatch? Any suggestions would be appreciated. ............. also, i've had some pretty tough days trying to fool the delaware river trout when they're eating ants. I've Spent a few hours standing in the river clipping wings off my midge/trico/flies trying anything in desperation. I'll have to try a few one wing jobs.