Saranac River

{
  "id": "dda59228-9055-41d2-ad8b-3c47682cbcfc",
  "name": "Saranac River",
  "slug": "saranac-river",
  "type": "river",
  "status": "minimum",
  "tier": "t2",
  "centroid": {
    "crs": {
      "type": "name",
      "properties": {
        "name": "EPSG:4326"
      }
    },
    "type": "Point",
    "coordinates": [
      -73.4459679,
      44.6997651
    ]
  },
  "parentId": "9f430137-3521-471f-92f4-b04987acf02a",
  "country": "United States",
  "countryCode": "US",
  "stateProvince": "NY",
  "county": "Clinton",
  "timezone": "America/New_York",
  "descriptionShort": "The Saranac River flows through the Adirondack backcountry, delivering consistent smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing alongside native brook trout in its upper reaches and dam-controlled lower sections.",
  "descriptionLong": "The Saranac River drains the central Adirondacks across 125 kilometers of varied water, dropping from alpine headwaters near Scaroon Mountain down to its confluence with the Champlain watershed. The river's character shifts dramatically across this descent: upper sections flow cold and clear through forested valleys, holding native brook trout and the occasional brown trout in pocket water and behind boulders; the middle reaches warm and widen, transitioning to smallmouth bass habitat where the river meanders through mixed forest; the lower sections, controlled by a series of dams, create slower, deeper pools ideal for largemouth bass and continued smallmouth opportunity. The USGS gauge at 04273500 tracks flows that typically run moderate year-round, though spring snowmelt can push the river into marginal conditions. Most visiting anglers focus on the middle and lower Saranac for bass—smallmouth respond well to streamer strips and topwater in summer, while largemouth inhabit the slower, weedier sections. Brook trout fishing in the upper river requires hiking into the backcountry but rewards with solitude and native fish. The river's proximity to the Saranac Lake chain and the broader Adirondack Park means lodging ranges from rustic lakeside cabins to established camps, and local guides know the seasonal rhythms well: spring runoff clears by late May, summer offers consistent bass fishing through September, and fall brings cooler water that pushes fish into deeper pools. Access is straightforward at multiple points along NY Route 3 and via the Saranac Lake outlets, making day trips feasible from regional towns like Saranac Lake village.",
  "imageUrl": null,
  "verticals": [
    "fly_fishing"
  ],
  "waterCharacteristics": [],
  "searchAliases": [
    "Saranac",
    "Saranac River NY",
    "Saranac River Adirondacks"
  ],
  "tags": null,
  "metadata": {
    "prepare": {
      "after": {
        "name": "Saranac River",
        "slug": "saranac-river",
        "type": "river",
        "stateProvince": "NY"
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      "before": {
        "name": "Saranac River",
        "slug": "saranac-river-ny",
        "type": "river",
        "stateProvince": "NY"
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      "issues": [],
      "confidence": "high",
      "searchQuery": "Saranac River NY United States fishing"
    },
    "geminiReasoning": "The Saranac River is a major waterway in the Adirondacks, well-known and popular for fishing various species including trout, salmon, and bass.",
    "geminiConfidence": "high",
    "gnisFeatureClass": "Stream"
  },
  "nhdFeatureId": "129690453",
  "gnisId": "00964483",
  "gnisName": "Saranac River",
  "reachCode": "04300106000244",
  "hucCode": "04300106",
  "nhdPlusId": "60000200057911",
  "streamOrder": 6,
  "nhdFcode": 46006,
  "nhdFtype": 460,
  "drainageAreaSqKm": 1587.18389977,
  "slopePercent": 0.0102317513496932,
  "elevationMin": 30,
  "elevationMax": 468,
  "lengthKm": 124.98473783,
  "areaSqKm": null,
  "nhdGaugeIds": [
    "04273500"
  ],
  "noaaTideStationIds": null,
  "noaaCurrentStationIds": null,
  "censusGeoid": null,
  "censusLsadc": null,
  "areaWaterSqKm": null,
  "seoKeyword": null,
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  "source": "seed",
  "pipelineId": 134810,
  "createdAt": "2026-06-15T17:09:05.524Z",
  "updatedAt": "2026-06-15T17:09:53.356Z",
  "destinationSpecies": [],
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    {
      "slug": "north-america",
      "name": "North America",
      "type": "region_global"
    },
    {
      "slug": "united-states-of-america",
      "name": "United States",
      "type": "country"
    },
    {
      "slug": "new-york",
      "name": "New York",
      "type": "state"
    }
  ]
}