Adirondack Mountain Fishing Guides

Finding Help to Catch Ausable River Brown Trout

Veteran Adirondack fly-fishing guide, Ken Khalil, educated our group on how to fish muddy, fast-rising water in the Ausable under conditions when most anglers would have opted for extra coffee over a long, late breakfast.

A top priority of many baby boomer, wanna-be trout anglers is to keep up with that ever-aging bucket list as we age.  Among my priorities is to fish more with a fly rod and learn about what many fly rod anglers all seem to say and share, “fly fishing is so relaxing- once you’ve tried it, you’ll never go back!” So when some fishing friends wanted to make a trip to the Adirondack Mountains to fish the infamous Ausable River for brown trout, I was all ears.

Amidst the majestic mountains and winding roads above the quaint Adirondack Olympic village of Lake Placid, site of the world famous 1980 USA-Russia hockey game known as the “Miracle On Ice”, we met up during an evening rainstorm. Over a few local microbrews, we discussed our hopeful plan to fish the morning.

Since we had never fished here before, hiring a guide was a logical choice for day one and that turned out to be a great decision.  We met with Ken Khalil, a local guide of over 20 years experience and this artist of the stream showed us how to catch brown trout in high muddy water conditions.  This was on a day that all of us thought we would be relishing a late breakfast due to the weather.  Guides that know what they are doing are a pleasure to fish with and learn from.

There were four of us and step one was to go over everyone’s gear and that included the rod, reel, line, leaders, knots, waders, wading staff and fly assortment.  I had brought along a rod that I had made myself some 40 years ago from a yellow-color fiberglass Fenwick FL90-6 blank (90 inches long made for a 6-weight line).  It has a soft action, is limber and is only gently loaded with level 5-weight line and an 8-foot leader.  While most of the world has switched to more modern materials, our guide saw my “different” rod and was immediately attracted to ask some questions about it.

With a humble, inquiring voice, he finally asked if he could try it out.  Of course, I agreed, he could show me how to use it!  We never stop learning.  After 15 minutes or so, explaining to all of us how we would start fishing, he directed us to take a spot on the stream then came over to me to say, “I am so impressed with your rod, I love the action, the delivery, the usability of the rod in general.” I felt like a million bucks!  He explained the difference between some of the very expensive graphite models sold in many stores today and the old action.  Special old-gear moments are priceless and never to be forgotten, especially when on a famous trout stream with a world class guide!

Ausable River brown trout are handsome and beautiful, notice the secret streamer-nymph style fly in the jaw of this fish that fooled so many trout on this day.

With the fast-flowing, muddy water, no one expected to catch anything.  We praised the courage of our guide for even attempting to bring our group to the stream.  Little did we know, Ken Khalil was an expert with fast-rising, off-color (muddy) water on the Ausable.  Between the four of us, we landed and released 11 trout in less than three hours!

When a guide expert shares his techniques and talents during extreme conditions, you tend to remember that fellow for all time.  Khalil is one of those who instructed us individually within our own capable performance, adjusting leaders and fly types and sizes until he fine-tuned all of us to be effective.  Go figure!  All this for less than $200 each.

The lighthearted Khalil provided my skill-set and aging, but never-used fly rod, with a custom-made Matuka fly that he ties up for his guests.  I dubbed it the ruby-throated Khalil Matuka and got him to give us all a very funny laugh in the light rain.  “It’s a pattern some others use too, I didn’t invent the name of the fly, but now you’ve made it unique Forrest!” He replied with a confident grin.

The design he offered allowed the fly to flutter and wiggle as we stripped it back after casting cross-current.  It looked alive and like something between a minnow or other bait fish, such as perhaps, a sculpin, but also, several terrestrial-looking critters too.  It worked well since the fish only got to see this for a quick moment, or there goes lunch!  The fish struck at the fly instinctively and with a ferocious wallop.  What fun we had!

I was instructed to cast about 10 feet upstream of a quickly forming eddy current area and then retrieve in stripping fashion, quickly, across the meddle of the reversing riff.  Wham!  Happened several times.

The secret fly to catching Ausable brown trout in muddy water when most anglers cannot see three inches under the surface and one would consider that the fish would not see it as well. The fish could find this fly!

While fishing on an evening trip, we were fortunate to see much wildlife also found in the area along Route 86.  This included three curious deer who watched me and my attempt at a fly casting demonstration, which admittedly, was not very good.  During the same trip, we were amazed by a large 30-pound beaver that worked on building his dam a bit higher.  We watched a beautiful Osprey soar from high overhead to latch onto a three-pound brown trout, then rise rapidly, screeching his usual call, an eerie sound amidst the gentle trickle sound of the river.  Several good reminders that the Adirondack’s are still a very rugged and wild area that now also enjoy moose and black bear populations on the rise.

For more information on fishing the Ausable River or Sarnac River area of the Adirondacks, contact one of the following folks that we met there:

  1. Jones Outfitters, located right in Lake Placid Village, 2419 Main Street, Lake Placid, NY, contact proprietor Chris Williamson, 518) 523-3468
  2. Expert guide, Ken Kalil, email: ken@adkwildlife.com, phone (518) 524-2697 or website: http://www.adkwildlife.com/Home_Page.php.

For the latest river conditions and fishing reported a frequently updated link can be found here:  http://www.orvis.com/fishing_report.aspx?locationid=5998.  The New York State inland trout fishing season opens April 1, but much of the Ausable is open all year long and is a catch and release stream, so be sure you know where you are.  Check the game syllabus. We released all of our fish.

Lastly, guess what?  They were right!  I’m officially hooked on the fun memory of learning new things about fishing with a fly rod in my hand and the peacefulness we enjoyed on this trip.  None of us can wait to get back there again!

Wishing tight lines to all.