This is last weeks report sorry for the late post!
With less than a month remaining in our season mother nature is trying hard to bring us better fishing conditions for the Miramichi. Cooler temperatures and rain is getting the fish in the taking mood up and down the river. River temperatures are in the high 50's to low 60's (F) for the most part of the day.
Fishing reports from local fisherman the past week has picked up considerably since heavy rains hit us. And with the showers the past few days we are expecting fresh fish to begin coming in from the estuary very soon. There are lots of fish in the river both salmon and grilse but they are mostly old fish. There was a lady at Black Brook pool that landed a 32 pounder this week, that should be the start to many fall fish.
Another fisher-lady that is no longer fish-less is Shirley Smith of Moncton. She landed a 31 inch salmon on a white tail green machine at Pool 66 on Monday evening. Her husband Steve also hooked into a few fish.
Roland Krause of Fredericton hooked and landed his first grilse while being coached by his son Michael. Brother in-law James Wood hooked a grilse and raised a few more. I landed a salmon about 15 lb's on a blue bomber. The bridge pool in Upper Blackville was producing while many local fisherman were hooking up and seeing lots of fish in the pool. There was several fish near the Stop Sign pool as Ron Falusy, Clark Hallman and Bill Moore each landed a grilse on Tuesday using copper killer's and alley shrimps. My father Gary Colford was guiding for Country Haven Lodge this week and hooked a few fish in the Doaktown area.Damir Sehic of Fredericton landed 6 fish and 1 weighing 25 lb. Jim and Matt Martin both landed salmon at pool 66.
I fished Saturday with Jacques Heroux on the Cains and saw nothing for the couple hours we fished. Jacques then went fishing at Pool 66 and had great fishing saturday night...released 1 grisle and 1 salmon both on same thing Murray.
I fished Monday also on the Cains at Shinickburn and saw no fish all day. Other fisherman said they saw fish at Salmon Brook and Buttermilk Brook pools. Peter Beresford landed a grilse at the Sabbies Pool on a copper killer. Another angler said he fished the Dungarvan and saw fish by the Furlong bridge pool.
Solar Haven Club in Upper Blackville had good reports of fish being hooked. Al Bridges of Bangor said he hooked a few salmon. Larry Vanperson and Johny Vickery also from Bangor landed 23 salmon in 4 1/2 days on the river. Flies of choice were Rod's bombers.
Wilson's Sporting Camps on the main SW said conditions were very good and water levels are perfect height and with a good temperature. Many fish holding in there pools and no sign of any fresh fish yet. Green machine with a white calf tail is the fly of choice this week.
Fisherman on the North West Miramichi said fishing had improved. There were a few fisherman hooking fish at the Wayerton Bridge pool. Water temperatures was very good in the low 60's F and with the past rain things did improve for the better. All was needed was the fall run to start.
Also don't forget the Dieppe Fly Fishing Forum March 26th and 27th, 2011. This trade show is beginning to be the number one show for Atlantic salmon fishing in Eastern Canada. Contact the Fly Fishing Forum for more information on this event or Jacques Héroux.
Let me know of that fish of your dreams caught on the beautiful Miramichi. So keep your rods high and your reels screeching until next week have tight lines.
* Rodney Colford is a third generation salmon-fishing guide on the Miramichi River and has been guiding fishermen ranging from greenhorns to some of the finest fly-fishermen in the world for 27 years. His fishing reports appear every Thursday in the Times & Transcript.
