Salmon Fishing Winding Down on the Miramichi

Fall salmon fishing is winding down for its last few days of fishing on the Miramichi River for 2012. Its been a season of many cast, and a season where every cast had to count. With one of the driest summers in years which kept many salmon from coming into our low and warm river.

Derek Munn of The Ledges Inn said water levels are perfect for the Doaktown area but the fish numbers just are not here for this time of year. We are hooking a few fish and most are salmon the ones we do hook. We have our wingshooters flushing very good numbers of both woodcock and grouse. So with the cast and blast the fishermen and hunters are doing not too bad.

Byron Coughlan of Country Haven said fishing was much slower than other years but anglers were picking up a few fish on the SW Miramichi, North West, Renous and the Cains. Overall the past week they did have 20 fish landed and all salmon with no grilse. Flies of choice were a mixture but best results were on the Red Francis and the Ally Shrimp.

Salmon fishing near Black Brook Salmon Club has slowed down considerably since last week. Many fish has seemed to move upstream or are holding to the bottom of the pools. Few anglers were hooking a few on the Green Slime.

Keith Wilson of Wilson's Sporting Camps said river conditions were good and has cleared up very good since the rise in water. There were a few leaves floating and anglers were hooking up on them. Anglers were hooking a few under the tough conditions. The ones that were showing themselves were real monsters.

Anglers in Quarryville were not seeing many fish and very few anglers were out over the past week at the mouth of Renous.

Numbers from the Miramichi Salmon Association were out on Tuesday which had a few fish through the counters. Nola Chiasson said numbers were up and down over the weekend at the Millerton and Cassilis traps. Millerton saw 31 salmon 22 grilse over the 4 day long weekend. And Cassilis saw 7 salmon and 3 grilse.

Not the numbers we were expecting to see to finish off the season. But there is still the weekend left and would be nice to hook up one more time. It was an honour again this year to send out my angling report to all my readers and for the help of many Lodges and anglers who gave their information on the section of the river they fish. At times it was very difficult finding something to report other than low water, too hot and no rain. But also the fishing was tough for you. I hope next year when I send out a report of the river that lines will be tight, and yes your lines on the river that is.

Until next season Tight Lines, Rodney Colford

Autumn Salmon fishing on the Miramichi

Autumn Salmon fishing on the Miramichi, what more could we ask for. The nights are cool, river levels are now perfect, visibility is very good, a few leafs falling from the trees but nothing out of the ordinary. We are finally getting the odd fresh fish that is heading up stream. What more could we ask for. The salmon could take better one would suggest, but would we like it if they did. Many say no and most of you enjoy the mighty quest in trying to hook into the King of the Atlantic.

River conditions for the most part is still high on the lower stretch (Quarryville to Upper Blackville) of the Main SW Miramichi. Anglers are seeing a mixture of fresh and dark fish. Fall colours I like to say with nice looking hook-bills and huge fat hens.

Conditions from Upper Blackville on up stream are getting to be very good levels. Most pools are showing good structure and some fish jumping and rolling about throughout the area.

Cains River levels are also very good and a few salmon are showing themselves. Many of the fish holding in the Main River should be trying to head up the Cains in this raise in water. That is the ones that are Cains River fish.

Chris Edmonds of CE Salmon Flies and Guiding said the North West Miramichi was at a perfect height with very good visibility. Chris said he is hooking a few fish and also seeing fish in most pools. That is great news for anglers wanting to try the Nor-West.

Gloria Fraser with a fresh grilse

Salmon fishing in the Doaktown area at The Ledges Inn was very fair the past week. We had very good fishing before the rise in water Derek Munn said. Over the last week we landed 40 fish and most salmon with only 8 grilse. Dr. Scott Boley landed 7 salmon and lost a few more over the past week. Most of his fish were taken on his Mighty Mite number 16 double hook. Dr. Ed Baker landed a few nice salmon and his son Charlie Baker with a grilse. Bob Lauer landed mostly all salmon out of his 7 with only 1 grilse. David Wilson a grilse and a 14lb salmon. Gloria Fraser landed a fresh sea lice covered grilse. George Fraser landed 2 salmon. Flies of choice was a mixture of patterns and all sorts of colors.

Country Haven Lodge said fishing was good overall and they landed 27 fish last week. Byron Coughlan said there was a mixture of dark and fresh fish in the system. They were catching fish on the North West Miramichi, Cains River and most on the lower stretch of the Main Southwest Miramichi. He said water was high but dropping good.

Wilsons Sporting Camps said fishing conditions were good with great river temperatures. The river height was perfect for the section of the river and there high water pools were fishing good. The traditional fall patterns seem to be working best. The Upper Stretch of the Cains River from RT 123 to Duffy Brook levels were very good but know sightings of any salmon but salmon should be here very soon.

25 lb salmon Larry Vanperson

Anglers near the mouth of Cains River were having very good fishing just before the rise in water levels. Pool 66 picked up several big salmon some being very fresh. Larry VanPearson of Bangor landed a huge fish weighing about 25 lbs.

In the same area Black Brook Salmon Club was having an extraordinary week with a few days of 30 plus fish landed. Most fish were taking green slimes and dark flies.

The Miramichi Salmon Association (MSA) said numbers at the traps were low with only 2 salmon put through Millerton on Tuesday and 3 salmon and 2 grilse at Cassilis.  But some good news from the Millerton trap - Wednesday's catch in Millerton included 11 salmon and 17 grilse. There were also 90 bass so there was a big movement of fish last night. Cassilis remained steady with 2 salmon and 4 grilse being caught.

The barriers are still not showing big numbers but perhaps this week will make the difference. Click here to visit our website and view the barrier reports as of September 30^th.

Nola 

Here's a little visitor I had on Sunday fishing. Click here to view video.

With better fishing levels and not so bad a news on salmon fishing its great to finally be giving you some information you like to hear. Fishing conditions are very fishable and the only way to hook up is to have your fly in the water. Try using sink tips this time of year, just a little difference in water levels can find you thinking you're stuck on bottom but actually a whopper of a salmon has your fly. So just maybe a different level with the sink tip can attract the fish to your fly. Just a suggestion for you to try I hope it works.

Tight Lines from the Miramichi.