NATIVE LAKE TROUT, NATIVE BROOK TROUT, TROPHY RAINBOW TROUT, SMALLMOUTH BASS, LARGEMOUTH BASS, LANDLOCKED SALMON, PIKE, WALLEYE AND PANFISH ALL AWAIT YOU IN THE ADIRONDACKS

The Lake Placid Retreat is footsteps away from some of the the best freshwater fishing in the East. Here's a sampling of locations and techniques you can try in our waters:

 Lake Placid Lake and Mirror Lake: right out the backdoor of the Lake Placid Retreat, both of these lakes offer excellent fishing.  You can rent a boat just down the hill from the house at Captain Marney's boat rental on Lake Placid. You can also rent canoes and paddle boats on Mirror Lake just down the hill from the house in the park next to the Brown Dog Deli on Main Street. The most common fishing on Lake Placid and Mirror Lake is to troll with flies or worms at dawn or dusk for the lakes' lovely rainbow trout.  There are both stocked fish and also a naturally reproducing population.  In the early spring and late fall lake trout can be found in both lakes.  Jigging and casting with small spoons at dawn and dusk is the most common method.  Smallmouth bass can also be caught by casting bait and plugs throughout the summer.  If you have little kids and want to introduce them to fishing in the most painless way possible, best bet is to rent a canoe on Mirror Lake and fish with worms for perch and sunfish in the weed beds off the lake's shore.  If you decide to hire a guide, we recommend Terry Watson at 518 523 2280

River Fishing: Your nearest and best bet is the West Branch of the famous Ausable River. The most accessible water is designated no-kill flyfishing only.  The no-kill section begins just past monument falls (about 5 miles outside of town) and ends about 3 miles later.  Flyfishing is the thing to do on this river.  The Ausable is famous in large part because of its robust and diverse mayfly hatches that occur throughout the year.  Jones Outfitters on Main Street in Lake Placid can tell you when which varieties of mayflies are hatching so you can "match the hatch."  The Saranac River is also noted for its excellent fishing and the Boquet River leading into Lake Champlain actually has a spring and fall salmon run.

The Saranac Lakes: These are good lakes to try when the weather gets hot.  The lakes (especially Middle Saranac Lake) have a lot of weed beds that hide big pike and bass.  The area is a 20 minute drive from the Lake Placid Retreat. Green spinner baits and live crayfish are the most effective for the pike and bass that prowl the shores.  You can also try live crayfish.

Mountain Ponds: There are hundreds of smaller ponds at higher altitudes all over the region.  There are too many to list.  Good ponds are Black Pond, Cascade Lake, Chapel Pond and Long Pond.  The main attraction of these lakes is brook trout and a lake trout/brook trout hybrid called a splake.  Some of these ponds support native brook trout populations. 

Lake Champlain and Lake George: These are big lakes that hold big fish.   You have to troll deep to get 'em most of the year.  These lakes also hold bass and pike.   You really need a charter boat or a guide to make it worth your while.  We recommend Justy Joe Charters if you want to try this kind of fishing: (518) 798-0336.

Here's a chart of what's biting when and where:

Reservations: TEL 646 239 2114 / EMAIL reservations@lakeplacidretreat.com
To see if a particular date is available please visit our reservation calendar


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