Miramichi Fishing Report

With just one sleep away from the opening day of the Atlantic Salmon season on the Miramichi River and tributaries, we are seeing 75% of the river still jammed up with ice on several locations.

The lower stretch of Main South West Miramichi River is open from the mouth of Cains River down to the lower end of the White Rapids.

This is a picture of some boats on the water today below the Mouth of Cains River on the Miramichi in front of Colfords Guiding.


Quarryville still has ice frozen but there is some breaking below the bridge. And with the Renous River being still jammed up, it is not helping with the break up in Quarryville section of the river.


Also above the Mouth of Cains River on the Miramichi to Boistown we are seeing several ice jams with open stretches here and there.

As you can see in the below picture taken by the Upper Blackville bridge today this stretch is open down to the turn. But above the bridge you will see lots of ice breaking up and making its way to becoming ice jams.

And with these ice jams also comes some dangerous fishing over the next few days! That's why its good to have a experienced Guide or Fisherman with you on the water until the ice jams clear out of the rivers. Give a call or email if you need a guides.

While fishing take that extra eye watching up river when your anchored. And when you see the ice jams coming have your buddy help you get out of the river and out of its way until it clears up.

If your fishing by the Mouth of Cains River you will be able to pull up in the Cains and be safe. Also down by the Bartholomew River will give you a chance to get out of the way where these rivers are clear of ice jams already.

This photo is above the Upper Blackville Bridge.



With the ice out of the Cains River we are seeing some damage to the Cains River road in by the School House Pool up to the ford at Moores Pool. With over a mile of ice piled up on the road it will take a bulldozer to remove these massive ice cakes of 2 feet thick or more piled some 3 to 6 feet high.





Besides the fact that the ice is piled up on the shores it does seem that if your looking for that spot tomorrow to be safe on the water it will be the Cains River for that number 1 place to be. So if your in the Miramichi River area check out the Cains River its the place to be fishing.





With loads of fish that went up last year you will have no problem hooking into fish on the Cains. The water is clear and at a perfect height to be motoring on the lower stretches of this river.

With weather staying cold over the next week it does look like we will be dodging ice on the Miramichi. And the temperatures will not make it to double digits according to the weather forecast. 4C to 7C for the highs until next Tuesday, so bundle up out there.

Curtis Fly Shop still has last years pricing on waders and some other gear so please check them out for the great deals before prices go up. They are also putting a book at the shop for fish catches if you would like to find out more about it please drop in. Or drop in with a fish that you can record in the book, even better!

Fredericton Outfitters & Anglers are having there first big spring sale. Up to 40% off all Hunting and fishing gear left over form last year. Brand names such as Orvis, Irish Setter boots, Underarmour, Tilly Clothing, Hunter's Specialty, Duck hunting supplies, gun cleaning kits and much more. Sale will go on from April 9th to April 15th. Or until supplies last. For more information check the site at http://www.frederictonoutfitters.com


With my ups and downs for this report please fish safe if your planning on being on the water the next few days. I will be out there tomorrow trying to hook up on a few or just one would be good for starters after a long winter. And I will be on the Cains River playing it safe with a Golden Eagle or a Maribu. I also have openings for spring days and more for summer fishing if your interested give a shout anytime.

Tight Lines,
Rodney Colford
Colfords Atlantic Salmon Fishing Ltd.
Web Site: www.colfordsguiding.com

Lower Miramichi River Ice Conditions

For the Lower Stretches of South West Miramichi River for April 11th ice Out Conditions. With ice still remaining in several spots in the upper parts of the Miramichi River the lower stretches are looking good for the opening day on the 15th.

Areas from the mouth of Cains River down are fishable but still very muddy with ice floating down. Over the last couple days the water must have dropped 6 feet or more in the lower stretches. With so many jams up river I would think a lot of water is being held back by the ice jams.

Even though the river looks good on the lower stretches its always a nerve wrecking place to be with ice jams up river to keep watching for.


Snow Fall Warning For the Miramichi Area
The weather is calling for some snow tomorrow which doesn't help with the spring thaw. If that was rain it sure would be great. Below is from the weather report for the Miramichi.

SNOWFALL WARNING: Miramichi and area Issued at 8:51 PM ADT SATURDAY 11 APRIL 2009

15 TO 25 CENTIMETRES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED FOR EASTERN NEW BRUNSWICK EASTER SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. THIS IS A WARNING THAT SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED IN THIS REGIONS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS..LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS.
A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SOUTH OF NEW YORK WILL TRACK TOWARD THE MARITIMES TO LIE OVER THE GULF OF ST LAWRENCE BY SUNDAY EVENING. A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE OVER TO SNOW TONIGHT AND CONTINUE EASTER SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. A TOTAL OF 15 TO 25 CENTIMETRES IS EXPECTED OVER EASTERN NEW BRUNSWICK. THE SNOWFALL COMBINED WITH GUSTY WINDS MAY OCCASIONALLY REDUCE VISIBILITY IN BLOWING SNOW OVER EXPOSED AREAS.

Newsletter
I also added a newsletter sign-up from my blog for the fishing reports if your interested in signing up please do. Some have already added from the web site and I will transfer them and you may get a email to confirm.

I will be back tomorrow with photos for you and a better look at the conditions of the ice up river and down to Quarryville on the main South West Miramichi River.

From Colfords Guiding this is Rodney Colford

Ice jams on the Miramichi River

Over the past week we saw a massive change in the river conditions with ice out. For those who thought the there would be a late spring season think again.

With a week before opening day it looks like the season should be right on schedule for a great start with lots of water and it should be cleared up by then, which will make it awesome for the fishing.

The ice is jamming up on the Miramichi River today with jams in several places along the river.

Cains River has let go and pushed the main part of the Miramichi down for about a mile from the mouth. This photo was taken yesterday at the School House pool.
This photo was taken yesterday as well on the Cains River at Moores Pool and you can see the water is very close to the road.

Bartholomew has let go as well and has pushed that section down river. This is a photo of a small jam by the old train bridge with the water almost up to it.
This photo is looking at the old train bridge now the walking trail through the park. And you can see the jam on the Bartholomew river.

Taxes River in Boistown let go yesterday as well and should start and get that section of the Miramichi River moving.




This photo is looking up at Doctors Island today on the Lower Section of Miramichi.
This photo taken from the Howard Road this morning at the Moorhouse front.
Also from the Howard Road at the Moorhouse front, up river view.
Hogans Pool on the lower stretches of the Miramichi River.

Hogans Pool today before dark with a ice jam just below and up the other side of the river. Later you will see where the ice jam lets go and pushes towards the camp.
this photo you will see a large junk of ice ready to break free, in the next few photos you will see the result.

The ice coming in towards the camp.

This photo shows the difference from the above photos just 15 minutes apart. Also in the summer you can walk to the middle of this pool with your shoes without getting wet.
You can see in this photo just within 15 minutes there was a change in the ice and it pushed the small yellow birch down on the camp and ice was pushing in towards the camp making loud noises and cracking the trees in front of the camp.
You can see there is about 2 to 3 feet of bank left and that bank is about 15 feet to the bottom.
Fredericton Outfitters & Anglers are having there first big spring sale. Up to 40% off all Hunting and fishing gear left over form last year. Brand names such as Orvis, Irish Setter boots, Underarmour, Tilly Clothing, Hunter's Specialty, Duck hunting supplies, gun cleaning kits and much more. Sale will go on from April 9th to April 15th. Or until supplies last. For more information check the site at http://www.frederictonoutfitters.com

Hope you enjoy the photos of the ice conditions from around the Miramichi River.

Tight Lines,
Rodney Colford

High water on the Miramichi

High Water On The Miramichi River

I can almost here the engines roaring from the Miramichi river boats as the river is rising and the ice is moving and starting its routine of breaking up. Next thing you will hear is your buddy or sport saying lets try that spot where we got them last year, you no that spot? We all have them lucky spots that we know we will here that reel screech for the first time out fishing. Get ready its almost here!

The Miramichi has been rising over the past few days and with the rise we are seeing some changes with the ice conditions. The river must be up 5 to 6 feet from where it was last week and ice is starting to break up or crack. Looks like we should have a opening day for the 15th of April.

First photo looking out the camp window which looks high in front of the camp.

Second photo looking up river from the camp.Third photo and a view of the Hershey Camp across the way.
Fourth looking up at Doctors Island.
5th photo looking downriver from the Blackville bridge towards the mouth of Bartholomew River.
6th photo looking up from the Upper Blackville bridge.
7th photo looking down from the Upper Blackville Bridge.
8th photo looking at the Miramichi from the Howard Road of the Moorhouse front.
9th photo from the Howard Road and looking down river from the 8th photo.
I will be back in the next day or two for another update of the ice out conditions plus a report of the Cains River conditions.
For Colfords Atlantic Salmon Fishing tight lines Rodney Colford

River Ice Conditions

April 04th 2009.

Ice Out Conditions for the Main SW Miramichi River. For the last few days we have seen the ice getting worse with the mild weather were having. Fog and Rain have been taking most of the snow and the river is rising with the run offs of the melting. Looks like there may be a early ice out after all. I was chatting with a couple older fellows today under the bridge in Doaktown and I asked when the ice would be out, they said it will be out next week! And they also said there should be great fishing! With the water raising and the ice very thin I would say there going to be right on the money for predicting the ice out.

This photo is looking up from the Blackville bridge where you can see Doctors Island and you can see that the shores are very poor.
This photo is looking up from the Upper Blackville bridge with the shores bad as well.
This photo taken down by the old rail way bridge now the walking bridge in Doaktown.
And this picture was took looking up river from the walking bridge, and showing that the water level has risen which with a little more of a rise it should start breaking up.
The Saint John River is open in the city of Fredericton and the Nashwaak is breaking up today with jams on several different places.

The first picture below is a long the Nashwaak River off route 8 highway.

The second picture is the Saint John River in the city of Fredericton. Also chances of flooding in that area and more down river.


Back in a few days with a few more photos for you of the ice out conditions. I will be sending out the newsletter once a week for those that has signed up for it. Also there will be posting in between newsletters so please keep checking the site.

Tight lines,
Rodney Colford of Colfords Atlantic Salmon Fishing