The Saranac River is a tailwater in New York, listed as Catch and release by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Bureau of Fisheries.
1 USGS gauge on the water reports flow. No guide or shop nearby is listed yet; the nearest destination hub is The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable.
Saranac River is a tailwater in New York. Our destination hub The Adirondacks: Wilmington & the West Branch Ausable is 23 mi away in a straight line and lists it among its waters.
Pick one of its USGS gauges and hear from us when the flow moves into or out of its usual range for the date, or crosses a flow you set. We check the public USGS reading every 2 hours and email only when it crosses, at most once every 6 hours. Flow alone is not a fishing forecast or a safety call.
Signed in: one step. Otherwise we email a confirmation link first. Every alert has one-click links to stop it.
Start from the agency's public access map. Nothing on this page grants or implies access: check the agency map, posted signs and landowner permission before you fish.
Nothing on this page grants or implies access.
Gauges, shops and guides within 40 miles
Map of Saranac River: gauges, shops and guides
Map of Saranac River with 1 USGS gauge.
Restrooms within 2 miles of Saranac River 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.
No restroom mapped within 2 mi yet — add one you know.
Campgrounds, fishing access sites and boat ramps often have one that isn't on the map yet.
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.
Catch and releaseFlume Falls on the West Branch Ausable River, Wilmington, New York. Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
New York · about 32 mi
Wild Trout WaterRepresentative photo · not True BrookThe Mettawee River near Whitehall, New York, from a canoe. Photo: MJPlante1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not True Brook.
New York · about 17 mi
Special-regulation trout waterRepresentative photo · not North Branch Great Chazy RiverThe Battenkill in Arlington, Vermont. Photo: Gplefka, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Not North Branch Great Chazy River.
New York · about 22 mi
Special-regulation trout waterRepresentative photo · not Chateaugay RiverAnglers 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.
New York · about 34 mi
Catch and releaseRepresentative photo · not South Branch Grass RiverThe East Branch Delaware River at its confluence with the Beaverkill, East Branch, New York. Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not South Branch Grass River.
New York · about 74 mi
Special-regulation trout waterRepresentative photo · not Schroon RiverEsopus Creek at Big Indian, New York. Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Schroon River.
New York · about 75 mi
Seasons, limits, special regulations and closures for each reach are on the agency pages below. Read them before you go.
Each comes from the agency's own published list; where the list names a reach it is quoted. A designation applies to the listed reach, not necessarily the whole water. Listed in the finder under trout.
On the Catch and release trout stream reaches (all year, artificial lures only) list (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Bureau of Fisheries, read 2026-10-20). All waters with this designation
On the Trout Stream Management Plan — Stocked-Extended reaches (daily limit 3, 1 over 12 inches) list (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Bureau of Fisheries, read 2026-10-20). All waters with this designation
Measured from the NHDPlus High Resolution (flowlines and waterbodies) (U.S. Geological Survey, read 2026-11-04) for this water’s own mapped feature. Rounded figures; they describe the channel, not today’s conditions.
Areas the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), public access (U.S. Geological Survey, Gap Analysis Project, read 2026-11-05) lists as owned or held in easement and open to the public, crossed by the mapped channel. Boundaries are mapped, not surveyed. Nothing on this page grants or implies access: check the agency map, posted signs and landowner permission before you fish.
22.6 of 75.7 mi on public land
Nothing on this page grants or implies access.
From Public Fishing Rights Parking Areas (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), via data.ny.gov, read 2026-11-04); each site’s own point lies on the mapped water. Trout as the agency lists them for the site. Nothing on this page grants or implies access: check the agency map, posted signs and landowner permission before you fish.
State Route 3 · Saranac · stocked: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
Silver Lake Road · Black Brook · stocked: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
Silver Lake Road · Black Brook · stocked: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
From the agency’s own records (Fish Stocking Lists (Actual): Beginning 2011, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), via data.ny.gov, read 2026-11-04), listed as Saranac River (Clinton County); Saranac River (Franklin County). Check the agency for this season.
Past stockings, not a schedule
2025: Brown Trout, Landlocked Salmon, Rainbow Trout in Mar, Apr, May, Jun (25 stockings, 160,480 fish).
2024: Brown Trout, Landlocked Salmon, Rainbow Trout in Apr, May, Jun (24 stockings, 145,992 fish).
2023: Brown Trout, Landlocked Salmon, Rainbow Trout in Mar, Apr, May, Jun (24 stockings, 147,160 fish).
Listings marked Unclaimed are built from open map records and the business's own website: confirm licensing, rates, dates and hours directly.
No guide within 40 miles yet.
No shop nearby yet.
The hatch and season chart for this water's region.
8 hatches charted for the region, not measured on this water. From Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission.
Blue Quill (April) · Hendrickson (April) · Quill Gordon (April) · Green drake (May) · Mayflies (best hatches) (May) · Mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies (June to September) · and 2 more on the chart
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.
Destination hub · 23 mi away in a straight line
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.
7′6″–8′6″ rod, 3–4 weight, floating line · Brook, cutthroat, rainbow and brown trout
Open the checklistSeams, shelves and soft water, shown on real rivers.
Public YouTube videos from established channels, chosen by us to support this page. Not sponsored; the creators are not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear.
Not sponsored All videos on reading water
Indicator rigs, depth and detecting the take.
Public YouTube videos from established channels, chosen by us to support this page. Not sponsored; the creators are not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear.
Not sponsored All videos on nymphing
Trip stories anglers chose to share publicly and tagged with Saranac River.
No stories from here yet.
Not a statement of access, fish presence or conditions.
A water page organises discovery. It does not assert public access, legal access, current fish presence, guide availability or fishing conditions.
Flows, gauge statistics and flood stages come from USGS and the National Weather Service when the page is shown. Regulations, stocking, species and season statements link to the agency that publishes them; this page copies only the species names and the quoted sentences. Guide and shop listings come from the Legendary directories. Position: the USGS gauge SARANAC RIVER AT PLATTSBURGH NY. Water type is our own classification.
Limited data: Normal flow for the date: no water temperature here
No water temperature here.
At SARANAC RIVER AT PLATTSBURGH NY (USGS 04273500) Provisional USGS data
USGS 04273500 · NWS PBGN6
What the agencies suggest
Carry a pocket thermometer to monitor water temperatureNational Park Service
General guidance from the readings and the published lines named above, not a fishing forecast. Local rules and closures come first.
Reading Nov 5, 5:30 PM EST · provisional USGS data
Normal for Nov 5 Falling · 24 h Below NWS action stage
Discharge, last 7 days: 168 readings from Oct 29, 7:30 PM EDT to Nov 5, 5:30 PM EST; ranging 244 to 831 ft³/s; latest 450 ft³/s.
USGS provisional data may be revised. Source: USGS instantaneous values.
| Time | Discharge (ft³/s) | Gauge height (ft) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 5:30 PM EST | 450 | 3.21 |
| Nov 5, 4:30 PM EST | 475 | 3.26 |
| Nov 5, 3:30 PM EST | 491 | 3.3 |
| Nov 5, 2:30 PM EST | 485 | 3.29 |
| Nov 5, 1:30 PM EST | 517 | 3.35 |
| Nov 5, 12:30 PM EST | 533 | 3.38 |
| Nov 5, 11:30 AM EST | 528 | 3.37 |
| Nov 5, 10:30 AM EST | 550 | 3.41 |
| Nov 5, 9:30 AM EST | 578 | 3.46 |
| Nov 5, 8:30 AM EST | 578 | 3.46 |
| Nov 5, 7:30 AM EST | 578 | 3.46 |
| Nov 5, 6:30 AM EST | 606 | 3.52 |
| Nov 5, 5:30 AM EST | 601 | 3.5 |
| Nov 5, 4:30 AM EST | 578 | 3.46 |
| Nov 5, 3:30 AM EST | 566 | 3.44 |
| Nov 5, 2:30 AM EST | 566 | 3.44 |
| Nov 5, 1:30 AM EST | 550 | 3.41 |
| Nov 5, 12:30 AM EST | 533 | 3.38 |
| Nov 4, 11:30 PM EST | 539 | 3.39 |
| Nov 4, 10:30 PM EST | 583 | 3.47 |
| Nov 4, 9:30 PM EST | 578 | 3.46 |
| Nov 4, 8:30 PM EST | 578 | 3.46 |
| Nov 4, 7:30 PM EST | 595 | 3.49 |
| Nov 4, 6:30 PM EST | 589 | 3.48 |
| Nov 4, 5:30 PM EST | 512 | 3.34 |
| Nov 4, 4:30 PM EST | 475 | 3.26 |
| Nov 4, 3:30 PM EST | 491 | 3.3 |
| Nov 4, 2:30 PM EST | 491 | 3.3 |
| Nov 4, 1:30 PM EST | 480 | 3.27 |
| Nov 4, 12:30 PM EST | 522 | 3.36 |
| Nov 4, 11:30 AM EST | 517 | 3.35 |
| Nov 4, 10:30 AM EST | 496 | 3.31 |
| Nov 4, 9:30 AM EST | 561 | 3.43 |
| Nov 4, 8:30 AM EST | 756 | 3.77 |
| Nov 4, 7:30 AM EST | 804 | 3.84 |
| Nov 4, 6:30 AM EST | 460 | 3.23 |
| Nov 4, 5:30 AM EST | 475 | 3.26 |
| Nov 4, 4:30 AM EST | 517 | 3.35 |
| Nov 4, 3:30 AM EST | 555 | 3.42 |
| Nov 4, 2:30 AM EST | 566 | 3.44 |
| Nov 4, 1:30 AM EST | 544 | 3.4 |
| Nov 4, 12:30 AM EST | 506 | 3.33 |
| Nov 3, 11:30 PM EST | 455 | 3.22 |
| Nov 3, 10:30 PM EST | 380 | 3.06 |
| Nov 3, 9:30 PM EST | 302 | 2.86 |
| Nov 3, 8:30 PM EST | 261 | 2.75 |
| Nov 3, 7:30 PM EST | 265 | 2.76 |
| Nov 3, 6:30 PM EST | 307 | 2.88 |
| Nov 3, 5:30 PM EST | 414 | 3.13 |
| Nov 3, 4:30 PM EST | 435 | 3.18 |
| Nov 3, 3:30 PM EST | 455 | 3.22 |
| Nov 3, 2:30 PM EST | 420 | 3.15 |
| Nov 3, 1:30 PM EST | 353 | 2.99 |
| Nov 3, 12:30 PM EST | 435 | 3.18 |
| Nov 3, 11:30 AM EST | 561 | 3.43 |
| Nov 3, 10:30 AM EST | 698 | 3.67 |
| Nov 3, 9:30 AM EST | 811 | 3.85 |
| Nov 3, 8:30 AM EST | 831 | 3.88 |
| Nov 3, 7:30 AM EST | 711 | 3.69 |
| Nov 3, 6:30 AM EST | 589 | 3.48 |
| Nov 3, 5:30 AM EST | 578 | 3.46 |
| Nov 3, 4:30 AM EST | 566 | 3.44 |
| Nov 3, 3:30 AM EST | 550 | 3.41 |
| Nov 3, 2:30 AM EST | 522 | 3.36 |
| Nov 3, 1:30 AM EST | 491 | 3.3 |
| Nov 3, 12:30 AM EST | 455 | 3.22 |
| Nov 2, 11:30 PM EST | 408 | 3.12 |
| Nov 2, 10:30 PM EST | 380 | 3.06 |
| Nov 2, 9:30 PM EST | 369 | 3.03 |
| Nov 2, 8:30 PM EST | 358 | 3.01 |
| Nov 2, 7:30 PM EST | 348 | 2.98 |
| Nov 2, 6:30 PM EST | 332 | 2.94 |
| Nov 2, 5:30 PM EST | 317 | 2.9 |
| Nov 2, 4:30 PM EST | 307 | 2.88 |
| Nov 2, 3:30 PM EST | 298 | 2.85 |
| Nov 2, 2:30 PM EST | 279 | 2.8 |
| Nov 2, 1:30 PM EST | 268 | 2.77 |
| Nov 2, 12:30 PM EST | 317 | 2.9 |
| Nov 2, 11:30 AM EST | 435 | 3.18 |
| Nov 2, 10:30 AM EST | 460 | 3.23 |
| Nov 2, 9:30 AM EST | 512 | 3.34 |
| Nov 2, 8:30 AM EST | 612 | 3.53 |
| Nov 2, 7:30 AM EST | 661 | 3.61 |
| Nov 2, 6:30 AM EST | 380 | 3.06 |
| Nov 2, 5:30 AM EST | 375 | 3.04 |
| Nov 2, 4:30 AM EST | 375 | 3.04 |
| Nov 2, 3:30 AM EST | 375 | 3.04 |
| Nov 2, 2:30 AM EST | 369 | 3.03 |
| Nov 2, 1:30 AM EST | 375 | 3.04 |
| Nov 2, 12:30 AM EST | 375 | 3.04 |
| Nov 1, 11:30 PM EST | 380 | 3.06 |
| Nov 1, 10:30 PM EST | 380 | 3.06 |
| Nov 1, 9:30 PM EST | 380 | 3.06 |
| Nov 1, 8:30 PM EST | 380 | 3.06 |
| Nov 1, 7:30 PM EST | 375 | 3.04 |
| Nov 1, 6:30 PM EST | 375 | 3.04 |
| Nov 1, 5:30 PM EST | 369 | 3.03 |
| Nov 1, 4:30 PM EST | 369 | 3.03 |
| Nov 1, 3:30 PM EST | 353 | 2.99 |
| Nov 1, 2:30 PM EST | 332 | 2.94 |
| Nov 1, 1:30 PM EST | 307 | 2.88 |
| Nov 1, 12:30 PM EST | 283 | 2.81 |
| Nov 1, 11:30 AM EST | 265 | 2.76 |
| Nov 1, 10:30 AM EST | 251 | 2.72 |
| Nov 1, 9:30 AM EST | 244 | 2.7 |
| Nov 1, 8:30 AM EST | 258 | 2.74 |
| Nov 1, 7:30 AM EST | 283 | 2.81 |
| Nov 1, 6:30 AM EST | 364 | 3.02 |
| Nov 1, 5:30 AM EST | 460 | 3.23 |
| Nov 1, 4:30 AM EST | 517 | 3.35 |
| Nov 1, 3:30 AM EST | 555 | 3.42 |
| Nov 1, 2:30 AM EST | 485 | 3.29 |
| Nov 1, 1:30 AM EST | 485 | 3.29 |
| Nov 1, 1:30 AM EDT | 572 | 3.45 |
| Nov 1, 12:30 AM EDT | 583 | 3.47 |
| Oct 31, 11:30 PM EDT | 475 | 3.26 |
| Oct 31, 10:30 PM EDT | 450 | 3.21 |
| Oct 31, 9:30 PM EDT | 455 | 3.22 |
| Oct 31, 8:30 PM EDT | 491 | 3.3 |
| Oct 31, 7:30 PM EDT | 555 | 3.42 |
| Oct 31, 6:30 PM EDT | 512 | 3.34 |
| Oct 31, 5:30 PM EDT | 460 | 3.23 |
| Oct 31, 4:30 PM EDT | 512 | 3.34 |
| Oct 31, 3:30 PM EDT | 642 | 3.58 |
| Oct 31, 2:30 PM EDT | 618 | 3.54 |
| Oct 31, 1:30 PM EDT | 512 | 3.34 |
| Oct 31, 12:30 PM EDT | 578 | 3.46 |
| Oct 31, 11:30 AM EDT | 698 | 3.67 |
| Oct 31, 10:30 AM EDT | 636 | 3.57 |
| Oct 31, 9:30 AM EDT | 583 | 3.47 |
| Oct 31, 8:30 AM EDT | 673 | 3.63 |
| Oct 31, 7:30 AM EDT | 717 | 3.7 |
| Oct 31, 6:30 AM EDT | 661 | 3.61 |
| Oct 31, 5:30 AM EDT | 601 | 3.5 |
| Oct 31, 4:30 AM EDT | 673 | 3.63 |
| Oct 31, 3:30 AM EDT | 711 | 3.69 |
| Oct 31, 2:30 AM EDT | 636 | 3.57 |
| Oct 31, 1:30 AM EDT | 572 | 3.45 |
| Oct 31, 12:30 AM EDT | 654 | 3.6 |
| Oct 30, 11:30 PM EDT | 698 | 3.67 |
| Oct 30, 10:30 PM EDT | 606 | 3.52 |
| Oct 30, 9:30 PM EDT | 583 | 3.47 |
| Oct 30, 8:30 PM EDT | 667 | 3.62 |
| Oct 30, 7:30 PM EDT | 642 | 3.58 |
| Oct 30, 6:30 PM EDT | 550 | 3.41 |
| Oct 30, 5:30 PM EDT | 583 | 3.47 |
| Oct 30, 4:30 PM EDT | 583 | 3.47 |
| Oct 30, 3:30 PM EDT | 512 | 3.34 |
| Oct 30, 2:30 PM EDT | 455 | 3.22 |
| Oct 30, 1:30 PM EDT | 455 | 3.22 |
| Oct 30, 12:30 PM EDT | 485 | 3.29 |
| Oct 30, 11:30 AM EDT | 566 | 3.44 |
| Oct 30, 10:30 AM EDT | 589 | 3.48 |
| Oct 30, 9:30 AM EDT | 491 | 3.3 |
| Oct 30, 8:30 AM EDT | 578 | 3.46 |
| Oct 30, 7:30 AM EDT | 636 | 3.57 |
| Oct 30, 6:30 AM EDT | 533 | 3.38 |
| Oct 30, 5:30 AM EDT | 566 | 3.44 |
| Oct 30, 4:30 AM EDT | 648 | 3.59 |
| Oct 30, 3:30 AM EDT | 555 | 3.42 |
| Oct 30, 2:30 AM EDT | 496 | 3.31 |
| Oct 30, 1:30 AM EDT | 612 | 3.53 |
| Oct 30, 12:30 AM EDT | 578 | 3.46 |
| Oct 29, 11:30 PM EDT | 506 | 3.33 |
| Oct 29, 10:30 PM EDT | 595 | 3.49 |
| Oct 29, 9:30 PM EDT | 618 | 3.54 |
| Oct 29, 8:30 PM EDT | 561 | 3.43 |
| Oct 29, 7:30 PM EDT | 618 | 3.54 |
Normal for Nov 5: 424–977 ft³/s (middle half of 110 years of record). Now: 450 ft³/s, normal.
Normal for this date. 450 ft³/s is between the 25th and 75th percentiles of daily mean flow for Nov 5 at this gauge over 110 years of record (1904–2026): 10th 338, 25th 424, median 625, 75th 977, 90th 1,350 ft³/s.
Daily means on record for Nov 5: lowest 176 ft³/s, highest 1,930 ft³/s.
Classes as USGS labels them (hyswap: flow categories (WDFN_stats schema) (U.S. Geological Survey) ); percentiles from the USGS daily statistics (U.S. Geological Survey) (approved daily means; the reading is provisional and instantaneous).
Falling over 24 hours: discharge down 12.1%, from 512 to 450 ft³/s. Rising or falling means a change of more than 10% in discharge (or 0.2 ft of gauge height) over 24 hours; our rule of thumb, not a USGS class.
Below NWS action stage. The National Weather Service reports this gauge below its action stage. That is not a statement that wading is safe.
NWS observed 3.26 ft stage, 473 ft³/s at Nov 5, 4:30 PM EST (NWS gauge PBGN6; its stage datum can differ from the USGS gauge height).
NWS river forecast forecast issued Nov 5, 10:32 AM EST. Highest point: 3.4 ft, 544 ft³/s on Nov 5, 1:00 PM EST (Below NWS action stage).
| Day | Stage | Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Nov 5 | 3.4 ft | 544 ft³/s |
| Fri, Nov 6 | 3.3 ft | 493 ft³/s |
| Sat, Nov 7 | 3.2 ft | 444 ft³/s |
| Sun, Nov 8 | 3.3 ft | 493 ft³/s |
Open the NWS gauge page · What the categories mean (National Weather Service)
No current water-temperature reading at this gauge, so no temperature guidance is given. Take a stream thermometer: the trout lines New York DEC uses are 70°F.
This gauge is on our page for Saranac River, but no agency page we read lists its species.
Below NWS action stage. The National Weather Service reports this gauge below its action stage. That is not a statement that wading is safe.
Flood categories: action stage, minor, moderate and major flooding (National Weather Service)Turn Around Don't Drown. “A mere 6 inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult.” No flow number makes a crossing safe; if in doubt, stay out.
Turn Around Don't Drown (National Weather Service)Guidance from the readings above and the published thresholds named with each line; not a fishing forecast, a safety guarantee or a statement about access. Local rules and closures come first.
Checked Nov 5, 6:18 PM EST; readings refresh at most every 15 minutes and statistics daily. Provisional USGS data can be revised. Conditions change: re-check before you go. This is general guidance, not a fishing forecast, a safety guarantee or a statement about access.
Catch and releaseFlume Falls on the West Branch Ausable River, Wilmington, New York. Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
New York · about 32 mi
Wild Trout WaterRepresentative photo · not True BrookThe Mettawee River near Whitehall, New York, from a canoe. Photo: MJPlante1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not True Brook.
New York · about 17 mi
Special-regulation trout waterRepresentative photo · not North Branch Great Chazy RiverThe Battenkill in Arlington, Vermont. Photo: Gplefka, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Not North Branch Great Chazy River.
New York · about 22 mi
Special-regulation trout waterRepresentative photo · not Chateaugay RiverAnglers 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.
New York · about 34 mi
Catch and releaseRepresentative photo · not South Branch Grass RiverThe East Branch Delaware River at its confluence with the Beaverkill, East Branch, New York. Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not South Branch Grass River.
New York · about 74 mi
Special-regulation trout waterRepresentative photo · not Schroon RiverEsopus Creek at Big Indian, New York. Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Schroon River.
New York · about 75 mi
Plattsburgh, New York
River cabins · 4.4 mi
Grand Isle, Vermont
River cabins · 8.1 mi
