West Branch of The Ausable River, NY

[EJS]

I just returned from a trip to the West Branch of The Ausable River in NY. The back story to this trip, our original destination was the Elk River in WV. Mother nature decided otherwise, see the following flow charts.

https://plus.google.com/photos/10811...64311825954341

The flows hit 17,000CFM on a river where optimal river conditions are 500CFM. With some quick research we found the Ausable. Water there come up fast but drops equally as fast!

We drove 5hrs Sunday and arrived at 1:30pm. By 3:30pm we were scouting the river. We hit the two local fly shops, Two Flies Ausable Fly Shop and Hungry Trout Fly Shop. River maps in hand and some local adivice we hit the river, CFM was 4700 and the fishing was pocket water behind structure and boulders. Some small browns but not what were were after.

https://plus.google.com/photos/10811...64311825954341

Monday brought some overcast skies and lower flows, in the 2000-3000 range. We fished two holes in the morning, it was hit and miss. We change locations and went further up stream in the lake Placid direction. Hiher elevations, less feeder streams, narrower waters. Not mush surface activity, some Blue Wing Olives and smaller Dark Hendrickson size 18. The water temp was mid 40's so suface activity was a few hits over a few hours. I switched to streamer and bugger, that's when the fishing got serious.

https://plus.google.com/photos/10811...64311825954341

Next cast, I ripped a streamer under a fallen tree.... start of a 30 minute battle. I fish light tackle, 4wt 7'-6" G-Lommis East Fork, WFF 5wt line, 7X to 5X tippet. I went into my backing 3 times, 4 jumps and destroyed a leader(pig-tailed 3' of leader), but landed this brown.

https://plus.google.com/photos/10811...64311825954341

https://plus.google.com/photos/10811...64311825954341

After landing the brown I decided it was time to set up the GoPro and just shoot video. I have 42GB of video to now edit and grab stills. I ghave my arm a rest and help a friend who just started fly fishing this year. I wanted to help him get his first trut on a fly. With A-LOT of coaching from casting to through the fight, he landed a real nice Rainbow. Honestly, too nice for his first trout on a fly rod!

https://plus.google.com/photos/10811...64311825954341

With everyone in the group landing a nice Trout I went back to fishing. In all, I landed 13 Trout all over 20" and two native Brook Trout, & a dozen trout between 9' and 17".

The day we left, another storm hit the region, so Dark Hendrickson hatches should be coming off in clouds this week on the Ausable. If you like fishing pocket water and shoots, this is a great river to fish!