Good fishing on the Miramichi

Salmon fishing on the Miramichi seems to be off limits on weekends

as it rains just about every weekend. And this was not just any storm that hit the Miramichi River; it raised the river at least 5 feet. The river was just starting to get to normal conditions to see the pools and getting dumped with the rain set our fishing back a few days that’s for sure.

But that was last weekend and now the fish are biting and jumping again. The river temperatures are perfect and we can`t complain there is no water in the river. So with no excuses have a look at some reports from the Miramichi? And don`t forget to give us a call or email for more up to date reports.

Or drop into your fly shops on the river like WW Doaks, Curtis Miramichi River Outfitters, Georges Fly Shop, Herbs Fly Shop, Trout Brook Fly Shop, Fredericton Outfitters and Anglers to name a few for fishing and river reports.

Head guide Derek Munn at the Ledges hooked a few fish over the past week and said with all the rain and the big rise in water it should be very good fishing on the Upper Stretches of the SW Miramichi as the fish will be up there in record time. There were also a few fish taken at Mountain Channel Pool during the past week on the Lower Stretch of the river and a lower pool of the Ledges.

I started guiding last weekend for the Ledges Inn in Doaktown and Derek Munn the head guide showed me around to their pools. I was not long noticing the beautiful salmon pools of the Ledges Inn. My client was Dr. Palmer of Fredericton and long time salmon fishermen. We had a great time fishing over the three days but all we could do was roll them as salmon leaped in the pools near our flies.

Wilsons Sporting Camps said there is another flood on the Miramichi as we got hit with severe thunderstorms up river. Keith expected fishing to pick up Tuesday or Wednesday of this week after the rise in water.

Valerie O’Donnell of O’Donnell Cottages had a few canoe rentals in last weekend and the odd salmon fisherman.

McCormack Outdoor Adventures in Boistown said water was high for tubing for the most part but said by the weekend the river should be good for tubing. They had some cabins available for renting if you’re from out of town and need a place while fishing or tubing.

Salmon fishing near the mouth of Cains River was slow for a few days but as the water cleared the fish started to show and I was after them. Tuesday I hooked four and landed a salmon and a grilse. I hooked a few of the fish on a very new fly pattern that Tyler Storey created called the Glitter Tot. It`s a green fly with some very good style to it, Tyler said he was a long time getting the fly to where he wanted it to be. I would think he nailed it as it worked very well for me in this high water. I was doing mostly boat fishing and fishing high water pools for the most of the time this week.

Depending we don`t get a rise in water fishing should be very good on the weekend. I saw many fish jumping on the lower stretches of the Cains River so salmon are in the river there too. There are lots of fish running on the Main SW Miramichi.

The North West Miramichi is starting to fish again as Chris Edmonds hooked a grilse on the Sevolge River a branch of the NW on Tuesday. A few other fishermen told me they were going to fish the North West Miramichi on the weekend as they thought the water would be down and fishable.

I also heard that there were a couple fish hooked on the lower stretch of the Renous River on Monday.

The Salmon fishing on the Miramichi should get very good over the next week or two as late June and July runs will be starting to fill the river. So give us a call and we will get you out on the water and catch a salmon of a lifetime.

Keep your reels screeching and your lines tight on the Miramichi River.

Tight Lines, Rodney

Boat & Motor Found

Boat and Motor found near Quarryville this morning. If you can identify it it's yours the guy that found it said. So give a shout to 506 743 7744.

Conditions almost perfect on stretches of river

There have been steady reports of fish being hooked on the Miramichi over the past week. The Main South West Miramichi River was hit hard with heavy rains and thunder and lightning storms on the upper, middle and lower stretches of the river and the water raised about 3 feet last Thursday and Friday. Since the rise in water things are now starting to get back to where it was. The middle stretches of the river from Boistown to Doaktown was almost back to perfect conditions on Tuesday, so by the weekend and without anymore heavy rains it should be awesome fishing in that area of the river. The lower stretches of the river from lower Blissfield to Quarryville area is still very high and could use another 2 feet of a drop if not 3 to be ideal conditions. Temperatures the past week were from the mid 50’s to high 60’s degree F.

On the North West Miramichi the past week anglers were still reporting lots of fish in the river but could use some rain anytime. Many fishermen are telling me they are seeing both salmon and lots of grilse in the river and tributaries of the North West Miramichi. Most anglers this week were hooking there fish on small flies size number 6 and 8. Water temperatures were much the same as the South West.

Fishing and catching the past week was good as Ken Macleod, Paul Hammond and myself were into some nice fish just after the heavy thunderstorm on last Thursday evening. We managed to hook five and land a grilse and a salmon using a fly called a King Rat. We also had one take a brown bomber on a dead drift and skating the fly. Monday evening Ken Macleod and Rick hooked two fish and lost both on a King Rat pattern. Then on Tuesday evening after an all day heavy wind we saw some fish below jump and not long after Rick was into his first grilse of the week on a number four green machine. After landing the grilse, Ken made his way through the pool and raised a grilse on a black cossaboom number 2/0 which on the 2^nd rise struck the fish. Then about 5 minutes later he had a nice salmon take the fly before he spit the hook.

Derek Munn of Ledges Inn landed a salmon on Monday using a Will Taylor Special pattern. Derek said that the water was about a foot higher than it should be on Tuesday when I was up looking at the beautiful pools of the Ledges Inn. I told him it was like a kid in a candy store as he showed me all the great looking pools they had at the Ledges Inn. Derek said fishing should be good by the weekend. There is plenty of space available if you’re looking to get out on the river, give them a call to fish the middle and lower sections of the Main SW Miramichi River.

Other reports up and down the river are anglers at the Upper Blackville Bridge Pool were hooking up several times this week. And the Sullivan Pool below the bridge was also having good luck as a few anglers from Country Haven Lodge were fishing it. There were also some fishermen between the Upper Blackville Bridge and the Mouth of Cains River hooking a few on white tail green machines. Down near Keenan`s Siding anglers were also hooking a few fish as Alley and Johnny Keenan both got into a couple salmon. There Brother Donnie landed a grilse and their fly of choice was the green machine white tail. In the Blackville Pool some local fishermen were hooking a few as Jamie Gillespie landed his first grilse of the season.

For more day to day reports check with your local fly shops in the area as they are always on hand to give you advise on the river conditions. Shops like W.W.Doak in the Doaktown area.Curtis Miramichi River Outfitters in the Blackville area and along with Herb`s Fly Shop in the Blackville area. George`s Fly Shop in Renous/Quarryville area. And in Miramichi check out Miramichi City Surplus for your fly fishing reports. And if you’re heading up the North West a must place to stop or call is Trout Brook Fly Shop for some great tips and advice. And you can always drop me an email anytime for a report of the river.

Until next week keep your lines tight and your reels screeching on the Miramichi.

Fishing wonderful on the Miramichi

Salmon fishing on the Miramichi was wonderful the past week as hundreds of big silver salmon and grilse are running up the rivers. Most anglers are finding it very unusual to see this many grilse so early in the season. Others small rivers like the Sevogle, Little South West Miramichi and the Renous are also producing fish.

The past week I fished on both the North West and the South West Miramichi River and had very good luck. We landed 8 salmon and grilse and 2 striped bass. We lost another 6 fish that were very close to the net. There were many anglers on the North West Miramichi hooking fish and most said they saw lots of fish in the river. Flies were green machine, black ghost, green highlander and some bombers.

The Upper stretches of the Main South West Miramichi near Boistown is starting to see more signs of salmon in the river along with some sea trout the past week. Down near Doaktown Anglers were having very good luck hooking trout and salmon over the past week and some fish hitting the 25 pound range.

On the lower stretches near Upper Blackville to Quarryville fishermen were also having very good luck and one fish I heard being landed between Blackville and the Mouth of Cains River weighing over 30 pounds. Anglers were landing a few salmon on green machines, undertakers, green butt moose hairs and bombers.

If you’re looking to get out over the weekend fishing you’re best chances should be the North West Miramichi or the Upper Stretches of the Main South West Miramichi as the river levels are almost perfect conditions and with water temperatures being in the high 50’s to low 60’s (F) chances are very good to hook up. Flies of choice should be number 2 or number 4 brown bombers with white tails and some wet flies like the green machine, undertakers, black ghost and green highlanders of all different sizes from number 6 to number 2.

Until next week keep your lines tight and your reels screeching on the Miramichi.

*Rodney Colford is a third-generation salmon guide on the Miramichi River. He has been guiding fishermen for the past 28 years. His column appears every Thursday.