Small mountain streams
7′6″–8′6″ rod, 3–4 weight, floating line · Brook, cutthroat, rainbow and brown trout
Open checklist
The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable
Wilmington sits below Whiteface Mountain in the northern Adirondacks, on the West Branch of the Ausable River, which comes down from Lake Placid through Wilmington Notch.
- New York · East
- 4 waters
- 11 guides nearby
- 5 shops nearby
- SLK airport · 19 mi
Photo credit
Monument Falls on the West Branch Ausable River between Lake Placid and Wilmington, Adirondacks, New York. Photo: Christian Collins, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
More about The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable
Wilmington sits below Whiteface Mountain in the northern Adirondacks, on the West Branch of the Ausable River, which comes down from Lake Placid through Wilmington Notch; the East Branch runs through Keene and Jay, and the Saranac River flows north-east from Saranac Lake toward Plattsburgh.
Waters around Wilmington
About this
Tap a water for its live flow, access map, regulations and hatches.
Catch and releasePhoto credit
Flume Falls on the West Branch Ausable River, Wilmington, New York. Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
West Branch Ausable River
New York · 5 mi from Wilmington
Catch and releaseRepresentative photo · not Saranac RiverPhoto credit
The Mettawee River near Whitehall, New York, from a canoe. Photo: MJPlante1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Saranac River.
Saranac River
New York · 23 mi from Wilmington
Wild Trout WaterRepresentative photo · not True BrookPhoto credit
The Battenkill in Arlington, Vermont. Photo: Gplefka, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Not True Brook.
True Brook
New York · 17 mi from Wilmington
Special-regulation trout waterRepresentative photo · not Chateaugay RiverPhoto credit
Anglers on the lower Salmon River near Port Ontario, New York, in October. Photo: Bill Blevins, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Chateaugay River.
Chateaugay River
New York · 32 mi from Wilmington
Distances and official pages
The rivers, lakes or flats this hub is organised around, each with its straight-line distance from Wilmington. Within 40 miles a water's own page names this hub as near; a farther one shows its distance instead. Where a nearby guide names a water on its own website, we say how many do. Access, seasons and special regulations differ by reach: check the agency pages under license and rules.
- West Branch Ausable River5 mi from Wilmington in a straight line
- Saranac River23 mi from Wilmington in a straight line
- True Brook17 mi from Wilmington in a straight line
- Chateaugay River32 mi from Wilmington in a straight line
All gauge readings
The first USGS gauge on each water: the latest reading, how it compares with that gauge's record for today's date, the 24-hour trend and the NWS flood stage. Open a water for what the level means.
Reading the gauges around Wilmington…
Meet local guides
About this
11 guide listings within 60 miles (1 fly-focused), fly-focused first. Unclaimed listings say so on their page: confirm licensing, rates and dates with the outfitter.
Jeffs Lake George Fishing Charters
Bolton Landing, NY · 58 mi
Map listing: trips not confirmed
- Unclaimed
Fly shops nearby
About this
5 shop listings in the towns around Wilmington, fly shops first. Confirm hours with the shop before you go.
Fish around Wilmington
Agency species and seasons (5 waters)
Taken from the state agency pages of 5 waters around Wilmington, each on its own water page with the agency link. Seasons are quoted word for word and apply to the water named.
“From the Route 86 bridge at The Flume upstream to the Whiteface Ski Center bridge (Catch and Release) All year, Catch and Release only, Artificial lures only”
West Branch Ausable River · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, read 2026-10-14
“From DEC sign 2.2 miles downstream of Monument Falls upstream to confluence with Holcomb Pond Outlet (Catch and Release) All year, Catch and Release only, Artificial lures only”
West Branch Ausable River · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, read 2026-10-14
Species guides mention (8)
Counted from the species each guide lists on its own site. This is what guides advertise, not an agency species list or a promise of what you will catch. We hold no agency species page for this hub yet.
- Northern pike6
- Lake trout4
- Smallmouth bass4
- Brook trout3
- Largemouth bass3
- Rainbow trout3
- Walleye3
- Brown trout2
Things to know
Fishing license: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Fees on the agency page.
Getting there
SLK Adirondack Regional Airport · 19 mi
Regulations and access
Seasons, limits and access: agency pages.
Official license and rules pages
Buy the license from the agency and read its current regulations before you go. These links are the authoritative pages; nothing on this page grants or implies access to any water, and fees are only shown when read from the agency page on a stated date.
Nothing here grants or implies access to any water.
Veteran-owned and veteran programs
About this
Near The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable. Each fact comes from the business's own website, an official register or an approved claim; the listing page links the source.
- Irish Raider OutfittersGuide · Plattsburgh · 28 miMilitary discount · from their website
- Hungry Trout Fly ShopFly shop · WilmingtonAccessible or adaptive · from their website
- Wiley's FliesFly shop · North ElbaMilitary discount · from their website
The The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable area
About this
The circle is the 60-mile area this page covers, around Wilmington. Tap a water for its page. Shops and guides appear where they publish a street address on their own website; all of them are listed above.
Map of the The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable area: its waters, shops and guides
Map of The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable: the 60-mile area this page covers, its waters, and shops and guides with an exact address.
Restrooms near The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable
Restrooms near The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable
Restrooms within 5 miles of the centre of The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable in a straight line, nearest first, with what anglers found when they went. The map says a restroom is there, not whether it is clean or open today.
Map of 8 restrooms near The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable
Skip the map; every place is in the list belowMap of 8 restrooms near The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable, numbered as in the list, with the town centre marked.
Restroom
0.5 mi away in a straight line- Flush toilet (mapped)
- Public (mapped)
- Wheelchair accessible (mapped)
Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? · free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
- Free?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom
3.0 mi away in a straight line- Free (mapped)
Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? · flush or vault? · open to everyone? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
- Flush or vault?
- Open to everyone?
- Step-free?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom
3.3 mi away in a straight line- Free (mapped)
Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? · flush or vault? · open to everyone? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
- Flush or vault?
- Open to everyone?
- Step-free?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom
3.4 mi away in a straight lineRun by Wilmington Notch Campground (as mapped)
- Flush toilet (mapped)
- Public (mapped)
- Free (mapped)
- Not wheelchair accessible (mapped)
- Open 24/7 (mapped)
Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom
3.4 mi away in a straight lineRun by Wilmington Notch Campground (as mapped)
- Flush toilet (mapped)
- Public (mapped)
- Free (mapped)
- Wheelchair accessible (mapped)
- Open 24/7 (mapped)
Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Wilmington Notch Campground
3.4 mi away in a straight lineAt a campground
Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? · flush or vault? · free? · open to everyone? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
- Flush or vault?
- Free?
- Open to everyone?
- Step-free?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom
3.5 mi away in a straight lineRun by Wilmington Notch Campground (as mapped)
- Flush toilet (mapped)
- Public (mapped)
- Free (mapped)
- Wheelchair accessible (mapped)
- Open 24/7 (mapped)
Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom
4.2 mi away in a straight lineNot rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? · flush or vault? · free? · open to everyone? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
- Flush or vault?
- Free?
- Open to everyone?
- Step-free?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom locations and map details: © OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database License, read Oct 24, 2026. Ratings, answers and photos are members' own; who shared them is never shown, and every photo is reviewed before it appears. Visits older than 18 months no longer count. Distances are straight-line miles, not driving. Nothing here grants access to private land. Community guidelines.
Base yourself nearby
About this
Wilmington and Lake Placid are the towns on the West Branch; Jay and Keene sit on the East Branch, and Saranac Lake is the larger village to the west. We do not list or price properties. The search opens an outside site.
Nearest airports
About this
Distances are straight-line from the town centre, computed from OurAirports open data; distances by road are longer. Fares are never estimated here.
- SLK Adirondack Regional AirportSaranac Lake, NY · 19 mi · regionalSearch flights
- PBG Plattsburgh International AirportPlattsburgh, NY · 25 mi · regionalSearch flights
- BTV Patrick Leahy Burlington International AirportBurlington, VT · 33 mi · regionalSearch flights
- ALB Albany International AirportAlbany, NY · 113 mi · major hubSearch flights
Rough out the trip
About this
Set nights, anglers and guided days. Each line says where its figure comes from, and anything we cannot source honestly (guide rates, fares, license fees not read from the agency page) stays a link rather than a number.
Estimates, not quotes
- Fishing licenseSee sourceAgency page
Source
One per angler (2 anglers). Fees are set by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; see the agency page.
Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Guided days7 rates pagesUncle Jammers Guide ServiceAdirondack-Champlain Guide ServiceiFishLake Champlain ChartersCedar Mountain Fishing
Source
1 guided day for 2 anglers. We do not copy guide rates: 7 guides near here publish a rates page on their own website.
Source: Guide websites (rates pages linked, never copied) - Find lodgingSee sourceSearch lodging
Source
Search places to stay near the destination. We do not list or price properties.
Source: Lodging search link - FlightsSee sourceSearch flights
Source
Fares are not estimated here. Search flights to SLK (Adirondack Regional Airport).
Source: Flight search link (no fares quoted)
No priced itemsUse the links for real figures.
How we estimate
Estimates, not quotes. Nothing here is a price from a guide, a property or an airline; confirm every cost with the provider before you book. No placeholder lodging range is configured for this region, and licenses, guided days and flights are never priced here.
Parks, forests and visitor offices
About this
For the non-fishing days, or the people traveling with you. Official sources only; what to do there is for their pages to say.
Gear checklist
About this
A practical checklist for fly fishing small mountain trout streams: a short 3–4 weight rod, light line, a few buoyant dries and simple wet-wading gear, with estimated prices and where to buy.
Watch: fishing small mountain streams
About this
Short rods, short casts and brushy water.
Public YouTube videos from established channels, chosen by us to support this page. Not sponsored; the creators are not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear.
Fly Fishing Small StreamsEmbedded from YouTube · Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube How To Fly Fish In An Overgrown River - S5 E10Embedded from YouTube · RIO Products · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube Small Creek Fly Fishing | HOW TOEmbedded from YouTube · The New Fly Fisher · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube
Not sponsored All videos on small streams
Stories from New York
About this
Trip stories anglers chose to share publicly, tagged with a water in New York.
No New York stories yet.
Sources for this page
All 8 sources
Guide and shop listings come from the Legendary directories (open map records checked against each business’s own website). Everything else links to the publisher below; this page copies none of their text. A destination hub organises discovery; it does not assert public access, current fish presence, guide availability or fishing conditions.
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: fishing licensesNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- New York freshwater fishing regulationsNew York State DEC
- Places to fish in New York (public fishing rights and access)New York State DEC
- New York State DEC places to go (Adirondack Park)New York State DEC
- Lake Placid AdirondacksRegional Office of Sustainable Tourism (official tourism office)
- I Love NYNew York State Division of Tourism
- OurAirports open data (airport locations)OurAirports, public domain
- Overture Maps places (guide and shop map records)Overture Maps Foundation, CDLA-Permissive 2.0
Links checked 22 Oct 2026. Not a claim of access or conditions.