In need of ADK guidance ASAP!

[mtthwnvk]

So here's the back story: been planning a trip to the ADK's for some fly fishing and film making. We secured a cabin way up north on a larger river, but guide calls today and say this week's weather is gonna wash us out and chances of getting on fish with temps and flows is not looking good.

due to a few reason the trip cannot be canceled so we decided to take a different approach and try to travel around the park and target the smaller waters and maybe some ponds. Cool. Not cool that I don't know much anything about the area than what I see on topo maps and read online.

looking for any advice (not spot burning) more along the lines of: are the ponds still iced over? Are there any sections we should flat out avoid? Was generally keyed on the pharaoh lake area as those leanto shelters look pretty cool and there a lot of streams around that area.

anyways, thanks for any help anyone can offer, really looking forward to getting into the park and experiencing what it has to offer.

 

[sunsignarcher]

I inquired about ice out in the Siamese ponds wilderness with the dec on the 10th. I'll paste the reply I got for ya:

I received your email inquiring about ice-out in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness and can offer the following:

I am in the Saranac Lake area and it is still more Winter than Spring here. We were on a local pond two weeks ago and there was 18 inches of very solid ice. In addition, there is still a fair amount of snow in the wooded areas and I expect that the conditions in the Siamese Ponds are the same. Conditions are certainly improving, but the lake surfaces usually darken a couple of weeks before ice-out and that has not begun yet. Personally, I usually don’t plan a trip before May 1, but that typically leaves about three weeks before the black flies emerge.

My recommendation would be to call our Warrensburg office (518-623-1200) in 10 – 14 days to get an update. They are much closer to the Siamese Ponds than I and should have a better assessment of the conditions. Another factor to consider in any early season Adirondack trip is that some of the access roads may not have opened yet. Many towns or municipalities restrict vehicle access to protect the roads from damage as the frost leaves the road.

Good luck,

Tom

Tom Shanahan
Aquatic Biologist
DEC Region 5 Fisheries
Ray Brook, NY

 

[sh4ne87]

...i think i follow you on instagram. i was at lake george this past weekend and they said there was ice up until last thursday. i havent fished much around that area but I would key in on small wild trout streams.

 

[MikeValla]

I live a short distance from the ADK's, here in New York. My cabin was 20 minutes from Warrensburg. And have fished the ponds and streams since 1975. To give you a perspective, I don't think I've ever seen the season delayed this long up here. Maybe it's been worse in years past, but I don't recall such conditions as we have now, this year.

The rivers and streams are so high I decided, on Sunday, to trek into a favorite remote pond. Just a recon trek, without any fishing gear. A muddy, messy wet trek.

**It's still winter up there. There's still snow on the ground and the pond, a quite large pond, was still totally frozen in.The brook trout are still sleeping.

You don't really need a Guide to fish the ADK's, and I'm still scratching my head why some feel they need a Guide. This isn't Alaska.

Anyway, I'll try to keep folks posted on conditions. But for now, it's still winter.

MV

-I'm also itching

 

[mtthwnvk]

Thanks for the info, I'll be sure to call. That wilderness area was marked off on my map as a place we mind land, who knows though, I'll let you know what I find up there.

 

[mtthwnvk]

...i think i follow you on instagram. i was at lake george this past weekend and they said there was ice up until last thursday. i havent fished much around that area but I would key in on small wild trout streams.

yeah I think that's gonna have to be the plan. Glad I invested in the park topo map...

What's your IG handle?

 

[mtthwnvk]

I live a short distance from the ADK's, here in New York. My cabin was 20 minutes from Warrensburg. And have fished the ponds and streams since 1975. To give you a perspective, I don't think I've ever seen the season delayed this long up here. Maybe it's been worse in years past, but I don't recall such conditions as we have now, this year.

The rivers and streams are so high I decided, on Sunday, to trek into a favorite remote pond. Just a recon trek, without any fishing gear. A muddy, messy wet trek.

**It's still winter up there. There's still snow on the ground and the pond, a quite large pond, was still totally frozen in.The brook trout are still sleeping.

You don't really need a Guide to fish the ADK's, and I'm still scratching my head why some feel they need a Guide. This isn't Alaska.

Anyway, I'll try to keep folks posted on conditions. But for now, it's still winter.

MV

-I'm also itching

Man. I hate winter.

Thanks for the info, its helpful at least for managing expectations. I agree with the guide sentiment if it were just a camping/fishing trip I'd be fine getting skunked or exploring but when your making a fly about fly fishing getting zeros doesn't tell much of a compelling story so I always feel like a local guide is like a hired gun.

I'm hopeful we'll be able to get something on the line over the weekend, probably not much and probably a lot of work. But in the spirit of adventure, we'll make it work!

 

[Thursthouse]

sounds like a cool endeavor...what is the premise of the film?

 

[mtthwnvk]

sounds like a cool endeavor...what is the premise of the film?

I think it will be less story driven than the last one in terms of premise. Just some friends getting together to fish and get out. The plan was cabin, north river, private waters big browns, but it looks like its going to take on a life of its own as these things mostly do and I think the film will likely highlight how awesome the ADKs are and chronicle our journey through the park looking for small creeks and beautiful brookies.

I'm also making about ten pounds of beans and fresh ham so it might just be a film about 4 dudes who can't find a bathroom.

 

[MikeValla]

Just as a suggestion. While the Region 5 fisheries guys are good people, in their roles, I wouldn't ask them about remote pond conditions in the ADKs. At least the ponds I've written about. Your better bet is the Forest Rangers for that region. They routinely trek in to those places, to check on things, and they have a much better handle on trail and pond conditions. Sometimes even fishing reports. They often encounter foolish fly guys, like me, who trek way back in to those place. Whenever I encounter a Ranger, I always fill him in on my fishing results, etc.

Back in the days Vic Sasse was the Ranger (he retired in the early 90's) he used to walk in EVERY DAY to remote ponds in his region. He could give very updated reports (I think I may have mentioned him in one of my magazine pieces?).

Anyway, the Region Rangers have a better handle on situations in the backcountry, not the biologists.

-MV
MV

 

[Trout Nazi]

So here's the back story: been planning a trip to the ADK's for some fly fishing and film making. We secured a cabin way up north on a larger river, but guide calls today and say this week's weather is gonna wash us out and chances of getting on fish with temps and flows is not looking good.

due to a few reason the trip cannot be canceled so we decided to take a different approach and try to travel around the park and target the smaller waters and maybe some ponds. Cool. Not cool that I don't know much anything about the area than what I see on topo maps and read online.

looking for any advice (not spot burning) more along the lines of: are the ponds still iced over? Are there any sections we should flat out avoid? Was generally keyed on the pharaoh lake area as those leanto shelters look pretty cool and there a lot of streams around that area.

anyways, thanks for any help anyone can offer, really looking forward to getting into the park and experiencing what it has to offer.

Who was your guide? I know a pretty good guy, IM me.

 

[jack1266]

I can send you some info for where to get some good recon. PM me.

 

[emoussa]

I plan on spending a few weekends up there later this spring and summer. Let us know how you do.

 

[mtthwnvk]

I plan on spending a few weekends up there later this spring and summer. Let us know how you do.

Not sure where you're going to end up, but this was my first time in the ADKs and I have to say it was near overwhelming how much water there is. Its awesome. The general consensus from locals was that we were there a week early, which proved in the fishing. We got on 'em one day in one spot but that was about it.

If you're there later in the season in the same area I was in (Rt. 8 near Johnsburg) the hardest problem you'll have is figuring out which spot to hike to to fish