First canoe/fishing trip to ADK

[tmirrel]

I am new to the NE and am getting into canoeing and fishing. I would like to take a 3-6 day canoe trip in the spring or summer. I have been looking at the Northern Forest Canoe Trail to begin to plan something. The trail is broken into something like 13 sections of which I can buy a map for whichever I chose.

I am in need of some advice as to which section to look into. I live in Amherst, MA, but would drive to any section as I don't think any would be to terribly far away. I enjoy bass fishing and my buddy likes to trout and salmon fish, but we are up for really any type of fishing. I am looking for a section of trail that is fairly remote, scenic, with great fishing. We would like to take our 16' canoe and some basic camping equipment to explore and catch fish.

If anyone has some knowledge or advice on this trip I would greately appreciate to hear from you since I have never done a trip like this before. Thanks in advance!

[Wldrns]

I am new to the NE and am getting into canoeing and fishing. I would like to take a 3-6 day canoe trip in the spring or summer. I have been looking at the Northern Forest Canoe Trail to begin to plan something. The trail is broken into something like 13 sections of which I can buy a map for whichever I chose.

I am in need of some advice as to which section to look into. I live in Amherst, MA, but would drive to any section as I don't think any would be to terribly far away. I enjoy bass fishing and my buddy likes to trout and salmon fish, but we are up for really any type of fishing. I am looking for a section of trail that is fairly remote, scenic, with great fishing. We would like to take our 16' canoe and some basic camping equipment to explore and catch fish.

If anyone has some knowledge or advice on this trip I would greately appreciate to hear from you since I have never done a trip like this before. Thanks in advance!

I paddled/portaged the NFCT NY section last summer from a bit west of Old Forge to Lake Champlain beyond Plattsburgh. It's all a good trip, though little of the NFCT itself is very remote. It's a popular canoe/camping route through the heart of the Adirondacks.

Sections on the Saranac River below the village of Saranac Lake are rather shallow in mid summer even though the water runs at a good clip. Much of it is safely canoeable if you don't mind a lot of bottom scraping on rocks. I don't think many people go through some of the more remote and wilder fast water places there, but you have to be willing to do some frequent portaging. There are a few dangerous places for flatwater canoers. The NFCT guide map will tell you where you must exit and carry. The fishing should be great, but not a place to go in a nice or heavy boat.

You'll find bass, northern pike, and pickerel fishing in most of the NFCT larger lake sections and bays, with lake trout in the deeper holes. Brookies can be found in side feeder streams. I'd bet for your schedule you would most enjoy the mix of lake and river in the section from Long Lake village to Tupper Lake village via the Racquette River. Decent fishing, plenty of campsites, and the River will feel remote enough. There are opportunities for side hiking trips along the way you could do. Get the NFCT map for that route. Note there is one 1.5 mile carry on a trail around Racquette Falls. Enjoy the carry, it builds character.

[tmirrel]

That sounds great! I don't really want to beat up our canoe terribly, but it wasn't very expensive...