North Branch Saranac River fishing

Fishing at North Branch Saranac River is on a river section, stocked with Brook Trout, Brown Trout, and Rainbow Trout. It is stocked about 3.7 times a year since 2011, most often in April and May. Species guides list dawn, day, and dusk for Brook Trout and Brown Trout and dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout.

Last stocked

April 1, 2025

Plants on record

56

Since 2011

Species recorded

2

Average size

9.9 in

Elevation

1,105 ft

Access and facts

Water type
river section
Nearest town
Clayburg
Shore access
Yes

Best fishing runs between Oregon Brook and Clayburg, where the river crosses from Clinton into Franklin County; the stretch from the mouth of Cold Brook up to Alder Brook holds the largest fish and is artificial-lures-only.

Sources: access , shore_notes , nearest_town , speciesFound , fishing_notes , watch_outs

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How North Branch Saranac River is stocked

The first plant of the year usually falls in the first week of April. In 2025 it was April 1, 2025, about when it usually is.

Taylor Pond (7.7 mi) and Fern Lake (9.5 mi) were stocked more recently.

Fish at North Branch Saranac River

Fishing North Branch Saranac River is most likely to be for Brown Trout. Brown Trout accounts for 31 of 56 plants on record, ahead of Brook Trout.

Brown Trout 31 plants
Plants
31 of 56
Last stocked
April 1, 2025
Average length
11 in

Seasons and rigs are on the Brown Trout guide.

Brook Trout 25 plants
Plants
25 of 56
Last stocked
April 1, 2025
Average length
8.4 in

Seasons and rigs are on the Brook Trout guide.

Fishing North Branch Saranac River

The North Branch of the Saranac River is a great quality fishing location for trout in the Adirondacks. Anglers will find decent populations of brown trout, brook trout, and rainbow trout. The biggest fish will be in the section from the mouth of Cold Brook upstream to Alder Brook. The best access spots are between Oregon Brook and Clayburg, which is the section that flows from Clinton to Franklin County.

Sources: adirondack.net

What to watch for

Anglers must use artificial lures here though.

Fish stocked per year

  • 6,5302011
  • 6,7202012
  • 6,1452013
  • 6,9502014
  • 6,1802015
  • 5,7302016
  • 6,9002017
  • 6,9402018
  • 6,9502019
  • 6,1802020
  • 5,1402021
  • 5,1402022
  • 5,1402023
  • 5,1602024
  • 4,9302025

Stocking history

Showing 15 of 56 plants Showing 56 plants

Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
April 1, 2025 Brook Trout 1,010 9.4 in report
April 1, 2025 Brown Trout 3,530 8.2 in report
April 1, 2025 Brown Trout 390 12.8 in report
April 1, 2024 Brook Trout 1,410 9.2 in report
April 1, 2024 Brown Trout 3,360 9.5 in report
April 1, 2024 Brown Trout 390 13.1 in report
April 1, 2023 Brook Trout 1,410 9 in report
April 1, 2023 Brown Trout 370 9.2 in report
April 1, 2023 Brown Trout 3,360 13.2 in report
April 1, 2022 Brook Trout 1,410 9 in report
April 1, 2022 Brown Trout 370 13.5 in report
April 1, 2022 Brown Trout 3,360 9 in report
April 1, 2021 Brook Trout 1,410 8.8 in report
April 1, 2021 Brown Trout 3,360 9.1 in report
April 1, 2021 Brown Trout 370 13.5 in report
April 1, 2020 Brook Trout 850 7.8 in report
April 1, 2020 Brown Trout 250 13.1 in report
April 1, 2020 Brown Trout 630 8.7 in report
April 1, 2020 Brook Trout 4,450 8.2 in report
May 1, 2019 Brook Trout 1,350 8 in report
May 1, 2019 Brown Trout 250 13 in report
May 1, 2019 Brown Trout 750 8.9 in report
April 1, 2019 Brook Trout 4,600 8.3 in report
May 1, 2018 Brown Trout 250 13.2 in report
May 1, 2018 Brown Trout 740 8.1 in report
April 1, 2018 Brook Trout 1,350 8 in report
April 1, 2018 Brook Trout 4,600 8.1 in report
May 1, 2017 Brown Trout 250 13.2 in report
May 1, 2017 Brown Trout 700 9.1 in report
April 1, 2017 Brook Trout 1,350 8.1 in report
April 1, 2017 Brook Trout 4,600 8.1 in report
May 1, 2016 Brown Trout 250 13.4 in report
May 1, 2016 Brown Trout 730 8.5 in report
April 1, 2016 Brook Trout 1,080 8.1 in report
April 1, 2016 Brook Trout 3,670 8.2 in report
May 1, 2015 Brook Trout 1,180 8.9 in report
May 1, 2015 Brown Trout 250 13.1 in report
May 1, 2015 Brown Trout 730 7.9 in report
April 1, 2015 Brook Trout 4,020 8.2 in report
May 1, 2014 Brook Trout 1,350 8.3 in report
May 1, 2014 Brown Trout 190 13.7 in report
May 1, 2014 Brown Trout 60 9.2 in report
May 1, 2014 Brown Trout 750 8.7 in report
April 1, 2014 Brook Trout 4,600 8.5 in report
May 1, 2013 Brook Trout 675 8 in report
May 1, 2013 Brown Trout 250 13.2 in report
May 1, 2013 Brown Trout 620 8.5 in report
April 1, 2013 Brook Trout 4,600 8 in report
May 1, 2012 Brook Trout 1,300 8.1 in report
May 1, 2012 Brown Trout 250 13.8 in report
May 1, 2012 Brown Trout 750 9 in report
April 1, 2012 Brook Trout 4,420 8.2 in report
June 1, 2011 Brown Trout 250 13.9 in report
May 1, 2011 Brown Trout 720 9.7 in report
April 1, 2011 Brook Trout 1,260 8.9 in report
April 1, 2011 Brook Trout 4,300 9.3 in report
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Species found here

Confirmed present independent of the stocking records above, not from a stocking event.

Species stocked here

Depth-by-season, top lures, and bait notes for each species stocked here are on its own species guide, linked above.

Nearest lakes