Fly Fishing the West Branch of the Ausable River. Tom Conway

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      24 . West Branch Ausable River

       Location: Northeast New York, about a 5-hour ride from New York City; a 2½-hour ride from Albany, New York; a 2½-hour ride from Burlington, Vermont; and a 2-hour ride from Montreal, Quebec. Full-service airports are available in all four cities.

      The West Branch of the Ausable River begins in the Adirondack Mountains High Peaks region, at 4,000 feet above sea level. Its headwaters are near Lake Placid, the site of two Winter Olympics. The river flows for roughly 30 miles before merging with the East Branch to form the Ausable proper. The latter terminates at Lake Champlain.

      The Ausable River is considered one of the finest trout streams in the East. It is a freestone river known for prolific hatches and great fly fishing. There are native brook trout, along with rainbow trout and brown trout. It is also one of the most scenic rivers in the East.

      The Ausable is rich in fly-fishing tradition. It was home to the renowned Francis Betters—a member of the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame—who invented the Ausable Wulff, the Haystack, and the Usual, fly patterns still used today. Born in 1931, Betters fished the Ausable with his father, an Adirondack guide, and his friends, including Red Wilbur and Ray Bergman, who authored the classic fishing guide Trout in 1938. For almost five decades, anglers visiting the Adirondacks stopped by Mr. Betters’s Adirondack Sport Shop. His passing in 2009 was a heartfelt loss to the community.

      The Ausable has diverse habitat, with waterfalls, deep pools, riffles, runs, pocketwater,

      and slow glides. The river is clean and rich in minerals. It is well-oxygenated as a result of the numerous springs and feeder streams. These also help maintain cool temperatures throughout the season. A heavy canopy of trees borders most of the stream, providing shelter from the sun, and good habitat for insects. The streambed consists of sand, gravel, rocks, and boulders, which provides ideal habitat for trout and insects.