Thursday, September 12, 2013

A Few Fall Salmon on the Move

Reports are coming in with what looks to be a few fall fish making their way up the Miramichi River around the Quarryville to Blackville area on Tuesday. Not a massive run of fish yet, but this could be the start of a September run.

Durck Dewinter
Starting at the lower section of the Miramichi with Byron Coughlan of Country Haven Lodge. Byron said they picked up a few fish this past week. Byron also saw some fish on the tides on Monday and Tuesday which were jumping in front of the Lodge and were making their way up river. Gary Colford hooked 3 salmon on the Cains on a undertaker on Tuesday.

Salmon fishing near the mouth of Cains River has been fair with the odd fish landed. Black Brook Salmon Club were landing a few salmon each day and hooking a few on their pools on the Cains.
Cliff Marr

The Miramichi Salmon Club landed some salmon on Monday in their pools on green butt bear hairs. And had a few more at Big Hole Brook on Tuesday. Guide Dickie Story of Big Hole Brook said they landed 3 on Monday and saw a few more fish around.

At the Ledges Inn the Past week we had a few fish landed but overall it was very slow fishing. Durck Dewinter and Cliff Marr of Sussex hooked into a double header that had me running with the net. Both fish were very fresh, Durck took his on a black slime pattern and Cliff used a white tail green machine. We saw a few fish over the weekend in the Doaktown area, but it slowed down on Monday and Tuesday and was very slow. Derek Munn's client landed a 16 pound hook bill Tuesday evening and a few local fishermen were hooking up.

Also in the Doaktown area Doctor Peter Dowling lost a salmon on Monday. Tuesday Manny Lyons landed a salmon and lost another on a Ally Shrimp. Keven Lyons landed a grilse on a bomber on Tuesday.
Lloyd Lyons & Muddler Allen MacNutt

Dan Bullock of Bullocks Lodge said it was a slow week with spring like conditions. Saturday evening did produce some action with a hookup on an RBM and 4 other fish hitting the Green Butt Bear and RBM muddler. Hoping for stabilized dropping water in the coming days. Water temp hit 50 F Monday morning in the Boistown area.

Keith Wilson of Wilson's Sporting Camps said they are still hooking a few fish but are older fish. Keith said water conditions were high but no complaints on this end as we need the water to set up a good fall season. We landed a fiesty grilse at Dudley Saturday morning with a #10 green machine. I would never have thought a #10 would work in the high water, so it goes to show one never knows what will work.

A little news on the Stripe Bass in the Miramichi Rivers system. David Whyte said apparently the bass have started back up our river system for their wintering ritual. Unfortunately, the second season which was opened to appease the coastal region was a flop. It was actually 2 to 3 weeks too early. A person may not find very many striped bass on the North West side of the river this time of year but in the brackish water on the South West side around Strawberry Marsh. One should again do fairly well within the next few weeks. Remember it is a catch and release only.

Flies of choice the past week were Ally Shrimps, Tippet Shrimps, Green machines, Undertakers, Black Slimes and Green Butt Bear Hairs. River temperatures are awesome in the low 60's and even got down to 50's (F) on Monday morning.

Even though conditions are not as good as we would like to have it here on the Miramichi River going into September. Just being on the water where the chance of hooking an Atlantic Salmon can make that trip an everlasting memory. So many anglers will tell you it's not always about the catch, as much as being there doing what you love to do with friends.

So come out and throw a line this fall on the Miramichi River and enjoy the beautiful scenery we have to offer. We see several eagles, ospreys, ducks, geese, moose and deer along the river valley while were fishing. Also over the next few weeks our Fall Foliage will be amazing with red, orange, yellow and mixed with our dark green softwoods that make it breathtaking.

Tight Lines.
Rodney Colford

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