Fall fishing is starting

Fall fishing is starting to be fun and very colourful once again on the Miramichi and tributaries. As the river is starting to get back to normal levels and temperatures perfect for salmon fishing, the fish are still not very interested in taking the fly on the perfect cast. Every now and then one manages to hook a fish or roll a few but there has yet to be any great fall run of salmon for the month of September. One has to think that just maybe after such a great season they all have come in already or let’s hope there late for the fall season perhaps.

The North West Miramichi River is still having some good fishing as water and temperatures are great. Anglers are hooking a few big hook-bills and some grilse. Flies of choice are ally shrimps, GP’s and LT Specials.

The past week on the Sevogle Troy Adams of Dieppe had very good fishing as he released 6 grilse at Squirrel Falls. He hooked them on some bombers he got from me he told me, and some wet flies like the blue smurf pattern.

Renous River is still fishing well too as guide Gary Colford of Country Haven landed a grilse and lost a salmon in the middle stretch of the Renous River. Flies of choice were the shady ladies and Red Francis.

Cains River is very low as it did not get the big raise in water like the Miramichi did. Cains was fishing very good the last week as we had very good luck at Moores Pool. There were days we would hook 6 fish and land 3 while other days land only 1. Most days we did not see many fish but as most fishermen know about the Cains is you usually don’t see them until they hit your fly and run you out into your backing. My father Gary Colford landed several fish this week on the Cains the same fly the shady lady.

The lower stretches of the Miramichi is still a little slow but there is a few fish being caught in pools like the public areas like Grey Rapids and Mods Pool. There are a lot of fish near the Mouth of Cains and Black Brook area but seem to be old fish that have been around for awhile as they are very dark in color. Pool 66 fishermen are landing the odd one and having some fish roll for their flies.

In the Middle Stretches of the River around Doaktown fishermen are hooking the odd one. At the Ledges Inn we are only hooking a few per day and not seeing many fish the past week since the big raise in water. I lost 2 in our Home Pool and raised several more while the water was up on a green machine with white tail. Irishman Terry Coleman landed a 20lb salmon the past week with us. He also landed a few more and some were on tube flies such as the Willy Gun pattern. Andrew Anthony and his client broke our camp record with their 18lb salmon putting us at the time to 797 fish landed this season. The same day head guide Derek Munn and his clients had very good fishing on the Cains. The flies we were using the past week were Green Butt Bear Hair with jungle cock eyes, Undertakers, Red Francis, GP’S, Comet Tube Fly and a Orange Bug that looks like the Green machine.

Upstream a bit near Sutters Salmon Club head Guide Shawn Betts and clients were also hooking a few fish. They had a few spey casters in and were enjoying their day on the river.

So the past week of fishing was not so bad on our Great River. The color of the trees on the hill sides is very beautiful while fishing and to be fishing in the frosty mornings with the fog lifting from the water is Priceless. So get out on the water somewhere before the season ends on October 15^th and give it a try you will be shocked of the scenery in your back yard of New Brunswick Rivers.

You can leave me a comment on my blog at miramichifishingreports.blogspot.com and send me your photos of your great salmon catch. Until next week tight lines.

Fish still seem to have lock jaw

Salmon fishing on the Miramichi the past week is still a little slow. Fish still seem to have lock jaw most days but there are the few that take the fly. The weather is staying very good and river levels are starting to get down to better fishing conditions. The water temperatures are staying in the low 60’s (F) and even down in the 50’s (F). You would think with the conditions we have that we would be landing lots of fish, but I have saw this before and if you know salmon fishing they will only take when the salmon decides to take the fly.

At the Ledges Inn this week we had many fish in most of our pools but yet again the fish were very selective to what they wanted. We had one evening where my client hooked a fish on a LT Special and across the river another client with Derek Munn hooked one on a purple marabou and another on a tippet shrimp. Andrew Anthony and clients were using very opposite patterns and more summer like flies, like the undertaker and a Conrad pattern I tied with jungle-cock eyes. Andrew had one salmon almost 20 pounds this week. We are also hooking and rolling some on bombers.

Mountain Channel in the Blackville area is seeing a few fresh fish but water is still very high for the most part. They have been fishing the Cains River and the far side of the river.

Country Haven Lodge is also hooking a few fish both on the Miramichi and the Cains River. Country Haven was landing fish almost every day in the Shinnick Burn area at Moore’s Pool. Alley Shrimps seems to be working best Kenny Vickers said. Gary Colford fished a couple days also this week and clients landed a salmon and grilse. Gary said he saw a lot of hook bills jumping all over the river the last couple days and said the fall season is here.

For more up to date reports check out the Fly Shops at Curtis Miramichi River Outfitters in Blackville and W.W.Doaks and Sons in Doaktown or on my blog at www.miramichifishingreports.blogspot.com. 

Heavy rains hit the river

Fishing on the Miramichi River over the past week has gotten to be a challenge on many parts of the river. Heavy rains are becoming to be a well mentioned topic on my river reports as once again we were hit by lots of rain to raise the water to like spring levels. And with a 2 to 3 foot rise in water on top of which was high water to begin with really put the pressure on guides and fisherman to hook up with the king of sport fish “The Atlantic Salmon”.

Many fishermen were turning to larger flies and sinking tips, many have to use boats as most pools are just too high to wade at this height with so much water. Fishermen are also starting to use a mixture of patterns and the fall patterns are being mentioned more and more.

Up around Doaktown at the Ledges Inn we are starting to hook a few fish again. Tuesday was a bad day as we did not hook a fish. Yesterday Wednesday we fished again from boats and landed a few. I was guiding Steven and Tami Gross from Atlanta and they hooked their 3^rd grilse using a night hawk. Head guide Derek Munn hooked his 2 salmon on a GP. Before the raise in water we were having very good fishing landing in double digits on some days.

Canoe Missing: This time a 18 foot cranberry red chestnut poling canoe. If anyone has saw the canoe please contact the Ledges Inn at 506 365 0168.

Fishing is starting to pick up again in the Blackville area as a few fish were hooked near the mouth of Cains River and Pool 66.

Cains River is starting to fish again with a few fresh fish moving through. We have landed a few at Moores Pool up near Shinnick Burn on the Cains. There were also a few landed at the Brophy Pool on the lower end of the Cains.

The next week is looking good for fishing with a little less rain in the forecast. Be safe fishing in the high water this fall.

Tight Lines,

Fishing going good on Miramichi

Well we got lots of water for fishing and canoeing on the Miramichi River after Hurricane Irene dumped heavy rains on the Miramichi and raising the river up several feet the first of the week. It is dropping off fast as it dropped about 4 feet on Tuesday night on the lower stretches of the Miramichi. The river is very clear but still spring high and very dangerous for wading, so be careful when you’re out there fishing.

If you’re trying to find a place to fish in the high water take advantage of the smaller rivers like the Renous, Dungarvon, Bartholomew and the Cains River where you can find places to fish and with the high water will make it good for fishing salmon.

The fish started taking again on Tuesday on different stretches of the river.

The Doaktown area of the Miramichi was starting to fish again on Tuesday. Derek Munn of the Ledges Inn said they were hooking some out of boats and the river had dropped about 2 feet. He also said this should bring some new fish in and gets the fall run coming. Bill Ensor hooked a few fish while at the Ledges and when I was fishing with him he hooked one on a number 4 stone fly. The Ledges Inn also done there web site over and it looks very good so check it out.

Wilsons Sporting Camps above Doaktown said the water was too high and looks like a bust for the week or so. Things should pick up by the first of the week.

The lower stretch near the Mouth of Cains River had been fishing very well just before the raise in water and now that the water dropped down it is starting to fish again. Some anglers are starting to hook up again on the lower stretches of the Cains too.

We had great fishing at pool 66 before the raise in water. My son Zachery Colford and myself hooked a few nice salmon. And Damir Sehic of Fredericton landed a salmon. John Vickery and Larry Vanpeurson both landed several salmon. All our fish were mostly hooked on bombers but a few were hooked on wets too.

The weather looks good until Sunday as it looks like another storm is going to hit us with more heavy rain. We don’t need any more rain at this time as fishing would be wiped out for several days if we get what there predicting and there predicting 40 to 70 ml over 3 days.

I am still looking for more reports on the different river areas everyone fishes. Please get the word out to anyone you know and email me the reports and I will gladly post them for you. Thanks again for the reports I received so far.

Tight lines,

Rodney

August fishing is usually low and warm

Could conditions be much better for the month of August this summer for salmon fishing on the Miramichi.  All I can say is the fish are here and the water is too and what more can one ask for after June and July fishing was some of the best we have ever saw on the Miramichi. August fishing is usually low and warm and were complaining wishing we had water well it’s not the case this season.

It’s been a tough season for the lower stretch of the Main South West Miramichi where they need low water for best results. But anglers still have hooked their fair share of fish in the high water conditions. Many fish are still being hooked from the mouth of Cains River down to Quarryville this week.

With reports of a few fresh fish in the system and many old fish hanging around some pools most fisherman were saying. Ken Macloud and Rick Law had excellent fishing as the green and blue bombers seem to be the fly for them. Ken had one 18lber and saw some in the 25 to 30 pound range jumping. Steven Moody also was hooking a few fish on bombers. Lester Vickers was fishing with him and also had some luck.

In the Doaktown area local fisherman are hooking a few but are not seeing many fresh fish around.

The Ledges Inn is seeing a good number of fish in most all their pools. Water conditions are great with temperatures being in the low 60,s (F). After the good rise in water Tuesday and hooking 20 salmon later was a very good day. Wednesday morning was also very good yesterday morning as they hooked 12. Flies of choice were samething murray, green butt and coosebooms.

Cains River was fishing very well from Sabbies down to the mouth of Cains. I hooked 2 on GP,s and 1 on an Alley shrimp and several on dry.

Local fly shops in the area are always on top of the fish reports like WW.Doak & sons and ask for Matt or Bruce. Fredericton Outfitters are always in the scoop with conditions on all rivers in NB and the Miramichi. Curtis River outfitters and George Routledge at Georges Fly Shop will have the gear and advice you are looking for. And if your coming from Saint John and passing through Minto stop in and checkout Ralph Goodwin’s fly shop where he has all the gear too.

And if you’re looking to canoe, kayak or tube the Miramichi River there are several places to check out and to name a few like McCormack Outdoor Adventures if you’re close to Boistown area and in Doaktown there is O’Donnell’s Cottages that are very well known for their canoeing. And if you’re over on the North West area check out Stewarts Tubing on the Little South West Miramichi.
These pictures of our fish were landed on Wednesday.

River conditions should be very good for the weekend so get out of the office and grab your fishing gear and hook up this weekend.

Tight Lines, Rodney Colford