Our fall salmon run

The beautiful fall colors are coming into affect on the Miramichi River and so are our fall salmon run. The last few days we have saw several fish moving throughout the river system. River levels are about perfect for fishing and boating from pool to pool when required. And even with the few warm days the river temperatures stayed very good around 60 (F) and is almost perfect for Miramichi salmon fishing.

Some good size hook bills are being caught throughout the river. And many anglers are happy to see the fresh fish or at least have the fish moving again. The past couple weeks the fish seem to stop taking the fly and us fishermen call it lockjaw when this happens. Well this week they seemed to open there mouths or eyes and started taking some of the flies we threw at them. I was thinking it was my fly tying that was the problem for a moment; thank the fish Gods for getting them on the take again.

          In the Doaktown area we have saw many fish moving though out the river. The pools at The Ledges Inn are full of fish. You can look down or up the river as far as you can see in some places and see fish jumping, what a sight. Jay and Carol Fargher of Sarnia, Ontario had some great fishing. Carol landed a few grilse and a huge hook bill weighing 16lbs. Jay landed several fish too and one weighing close to 20lbs. Todd Youmans landed a nice 16 to 18lb hook bill. Dr Ed Baker landed a few grilse and a salmon this past week at the Ledges pools. I hooked 4 salmon in the Home Pool of the Ledges Inn and landed two of them for the first ever landed in the Home Pool, something great to remember. I fished with Dr Scott Bolie this week for an evening that had landed a salmon on Tuesday with head guide Derek Munn of the Ledges Inn. Total fish for Tuesday was 16 hooked and 12 landed at the lodge, pretty good after some hard fishing the past couple weeks. For photos of these fish check out our new Facebook page The Ledges Inn.

             In the Boistown area at Tuck-away Lodge Gary Tanner had a good week landing a 37 inch 20lb salmon, a 12lb and a 10lb using his new pattern the Celtic Beauty. 

             Cains River is still fishing well as my father Gary Colford is hooking and landing fish almost every day at Moore’s Pool near Shinnickburn. Richard Lac of Connecticut landed 2 grilse on Monday and Tuesday with a white tail green machine at Moore’s Pool. The River is getting very low on the Cains and we need a little rain to improve the fishing for the rest of the season and get some monster fish up there.

           Fishermen near the Quarryville Pool are still seeing lots of fish and hooking a few too. There are a few hookbills being seen one fisherman told me and still lots of grilse. Anglers are hooking a few on the Renous River the past few days. Country Haven Lodge had been hooking some almost everyday on the Renous, Cains and Dungarvan Rivers.

             Pool 66 is fishing very well as Zachery Colford landed 3 this week on dry flies. Damir Sehic landed a few also on wet and dry flies. The pool was getting to be a perfect level and some big fish were there.

            Weather the next week is looking good for fishing as some rain on the weekend should bring 15 to 20ml if we’re lucky enough to get it and bring the river up a little. The Cains River really needs a raise to get a few more fish up and have good water levels the remainder of the season.

             Well if you’re planning to get out on the water the last few weeks of the season now could be the time. Fish are in the river, levels are good, temperatures are good and the weather is great what else could you ask for. I could tell you what kind of flies we are catching the fish on which is a little help for you. Flies of choice is the Christmas tree wet fly the summer version, White Tail Green Machines, Shady Ladies, Tippet Shrimp, Copper Killer (old school fly), Purple Grape and dry flies were Black Bomber with white tails, Orange and black hackle, brown with brown and white ends and the Blue Bomber with white ends.

            Good luck out there fishing this weekend be safe and tight lines and don’t forget to send me your pictures for my blog at www.miramichifishingreports.blogspot.com and a little note about the catch.

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. 

Grilse numbers are huge on the Miramichi

Fishing on the Miramichi over the past week was very good for most anglers up and down the river. Different days we saw fish jumping as we were traveling from pool to pool by boat. And although there was a late decision on closing certain parts of the river to help salmon up and down the system survive the warm water conditions, things worked out very well for most anglers with there decision they made. The weather for the next couple weeks seems to below seasonal temperatures and a couple days rain. If we keep our fingers crossed and temperatures stay low the cold water brooks and pools will stay open.

On the lower stretches of the river from Quarryville to Howard anglers were catching fresh fish with sea lice. Most anglers were having better luck in early mornings when temps were in the lower 60's through to lunch time. The warmer afternoons did get the river back up to some high levels near 78 to 80 F. Before the water dropped off fisherman were hooking up almost every time down through a pool near the mouth of Cains River area. Green machine in the faster water seemed to be the fly. And in the slower pools almost any dry fly was getting there attention. Fisherman in this stretch of the river that hooked up were Glen Keenan, Donnie Keenan, Raymond Clowater, Dwayne Hollier, Alex, Johnny, Jonathan, Donald, Danny, Merle, Pat, Rick and my son Zachery Colford and myself.

I fished last Tuesday with Norman Perreault and son Nick. They both landed a grilse each by 10:30 am.

I fished this last week on the lower section of the Miramichi around the mouth of Cains river. Bob Rebmann and his good fishing buddy John Baird and myself were fishing. As the first day started things were not looking very good as the water was very dirty. We fished for a couple hours before calling it a day and wait for things to improve. The next morning brought some hope as anglers near the mouth of cains river at pool 66 were into fish on almost every cast. Fisherman on the Islands at the mouth of cains were hooking and rolling fresh sea run grilse with sea lice on them. We were fishing up from the mouth as Bob hooked his first salmon and lost it after a few seconds. I told Bob he would hook up again, and when we get the first one it would not be so hard after that. And it wasn't to hard as he hooked into another one which he

landed. We ended up with 5 fish for the day. The next day we also got into a couple fish, and many other locals hooked and landed fish.

At the end of the week the guys from Tennessee Bob Redmond and Author John Baird hooked 19 fish and only two was a salmon with the rest being grilse, most with sea lice. In front of the camp at the Hogan Pool we were hooking a few fish. Joel Kitchen landed four on a number eight blue charm before telling me I think your fly is falling apart that I got from you. I laughed as I told him there not guaranteed for life, but I will replace the wing just because you took your green machine off and hooked four fish on a different fly pattern. I would think after the four fish hooked, that fly paid for it self for sure as we laughed.

Country Haven had a couple very good days as they limit out on Saturday and Sunday and all pools were fishing very well. Dry flies and green machine seem to be the most popular pattern.

Derek Munn of the Ledges Inn was also into fish on all of there pools. Anglers were reporting seeing several fish in the air almost every time you look down river. They also had a couple 20 pound fish but for the most of the fish they were grilse reported being caught.

Keith Wilson on the Upper Stretches at Wilsons Sporting camps were also hooking several grilse. Most of the fish were taking small black flies and green machines, but for the dry fly enthusiast almost any pattern did the work. Keith also said the water was getting up into the mid 70's so they were hooking most in the mornings.

Fisherman on the Renous were also hooking fish and saw several good sign of fish jumping and rolling. Ronnie Steeve's and his brother Dale and Dale Gildert all hooked up last week. There were great reports of fish in Quarryville at the moth of Renous.

Cains River had reports of fish all the way up to Moore's Pool near Shinnick Burn. Salmon Brook, Cold Brook and the Brophy Pool all had fish in them. Anglers were hooking some on dries and wets. Tyler Coughlan hooked a few on dries at the Brophy Pool and more on the Miramichi.

The river reopening came into effect on Saturday, and includes salmon pools located at the confluences of: Gray Rapids Brook and the Southwest Miramichi River, Salmon Brook and the Cains River, Butty's Brook and the Renous River, Morse Brook and the Southwest Miramichi River, Black Brook and the Southwest Miramichi River, Donnelly Brook and the Southwest Miramichi River, Betts Mills Brook and the Southwest Miramichi River, Porcupine Brook and the Southwest Miramichi River, as well as the Southwest Miramichi River surrounding the pump house.

On the maligned Northwest Miramichi River a policy of hook and release recreational angling remains in place on much of the river system, which recorded startlingly low spawning requirements in 2009.

For another week of fishing on the Miramichi lets hope next will be as good as the last. Once again until next week keep your rods up and your reels screeching.

Rodney Colford

Times & Transcript

Salmon fishing improves

With water levels being very low over the past week on the upper stretches, the lower stretch from the Mouth of Cains River down to Quarryville had perfect fishing conditions.

The river temperatures were from 62 Fahrenheit (16.6 Celsius) in the morning to 74F (23.3C) in the evening and featured some of the longest days of the year for fishing.

With last week being a good week for fish coming into the system, this week had even more fish showing up and many more being hooked.

On the lower stretches of the Main Southwest Miramichi River, we had over a foot raise in the water level on Monday from the rain. And there was a great run of fish on the move from it. A lot of anglers were hooking grilse and salmon up and down the river. Marty Marshall's 10-year-old boy hooked two grilse below the Mouth of Cains River on dry flies.

Glen Keenan landed his first salmon of the season, Ed Colford and his son Alex were catching fish, Lester Vickers landed a nice salmon, Louis Cormier landed a salmon and his buddy Tommy landed his first after a two-year drought and notice I did not mention his last name!

Joel Kitchen landed a couple of salmon and a couple of grilse, Lanny Burke landed an 18-pounder, Darren Sullivan

landed a grilse, Bliss Arbeau and a few other local anglers landed some grilse in the Upper Blackville bridge pool.

I also landed a grilse and lost another on a Green Bomber with orange hackle and white tails.

On the upper stretches of the Southwest Miramichi this past week from Wilson's Sporting Camps: We had several fish on but very slow takes under these conditions. There seems to be a decent number of big salmon on the move and of course with a rise in water last night and cooler temps we are expecting good fishing this week.

Reports from the Cains River said the fishing was slow on the lower stretches of the river. Renous River anglers are hooking a few fish and with the rise in water it should produce some better fishing this weekend.

The Northwest Miramichi had a good number of fish in the system this week with anglers hooking a few grilse and salmon. On the Little Southwest few fish were showing.

With a little rain in the forecast for today and some mild temperatures in the lower 20's for the rest of the week we should start seeing more fish and more anglers. I would recommend green machines, undertakers, moose hairs and some bombers.

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

Salmon Rolling Like In A Dream

Colfords Miramichi Fishing Reports for the middle of June. Fish are in the rivers! Oh yes, Fresh Atlantic Salmon!

I started out fishing the week on the SW Miramichi with a good friend of mine Damir Sehic of Fredericton. We fished a while and saw a salmon jump near the mouth of Cains River. That was the only one we saw there as we decided to motor upstream to Blissfield area and fish our way back in public & private water pools.

On our way we stopped and talked to guide Kenny Vickers. They saw 3 fish at the Brophy Pool and also a few fish this morning and things were looking better.

As we headed upstream we saw a few geese around and some ducks and ducklings, and pair of Eagles soaring over head in search of dinner. We then talked to a couple anglers from Salor Haven Salmon club and they saw a couple fish but had none hooked at that point. Also meeting up with Bob Burgen and his son, and they had not saw a fish all morning.

As the day went on we fished several pools and nothing was showing. I saw several shad scouting from under the boat as we passed down stream and hoping they were salmon!

After fishing several pools on our way back we tried pool 66 and saw 3 salmon jump again. Daryl Wylie and his buddy was also fishing there. We all fished for a couple hours and things happened like you would only dream off! The pool was on fire with fish! The run was here! beautiful salmon jumping and rolling everywhere.

And then Daryl from Harcourt hooked into a beautiful salmon on a dry fly, his first on a dry fly. We joked telling him that it was a shad and not a salmon! ha ha! we knew and he knew because when it jumped and took line of the reel that it was no shad! It was as chrome as a bumper on a 57 Chevy! Must of been 20lbs we figured, man a nice salmon as he released it on his way.

Also over the past week we have saw lots of rain hit us! The Main SW Miramichi River was dirty and very high to fish on the lower stretch. But the upper stretches were taking advantage of the higher levels and Guide Derek Munn of the Ledges Inn netted a nice salmon for his client and saw a few other fish.

Down river near the Mouth of Renous at the Quarryville Pool anglers were saying there was some fish around and 5 or 6 were caught.

Up the Renous anglers were seeing some fish and the odd one being hooked. Rod Hallihan hooked a salmon and had it on for a few minutes before he came loose or quick release we say! Ranger Kenny Louis saw some fish at the mouth of Renous. He also saw several Stripe Bass being hooked in the 4 to 6 pound range.

Daryl Wylie and his salmon in this photo.

Zlacko and Bruno of Toronto fishing the high water on the SW Miramichi last week. They enjoyed some lobster and steak after the long day fishing in the high water.

Ian Fortune was fishing the Bartholomew River and was still catching trout in the 1/2 pound to 4 pound range using bombers in the fast water as he striped the fly through the current.

On the North West Miramichi last week we had great water conditions before the rain hit and Yes! we saw a few fish and also with a fish being caught here and there. Some fisherman were catching a few trout in the 10 to 12 inch range and said that the big run of sea trout had gone through. Dale Steeves had a salmon on for a few seconds and he was gone. Dale also hooked another salmon and again lost it on Saturday! Dale said he saw a few fish rolling and some moving through the pool. He said there were lots of fisherman about and one other guy had landed a salmon. Dale Gildert landed a few trout in the 12 to 14 inch range.

Chris Edmond's tried the Quarryville Pool the other night and saw one pushing 25lbs he said. He said he missed 2 fish at the Wayerton Bridge Pool on the North West with a Colburn Special on Monday and he also saw one at the Allison Pool on Tuesday, and he then said the wind picked up so bad he could not fish anymore. he said there are a few fish around but nothing major, he figured another week or two.

Jim Steeves fished the Sevogle and said the water was low. He had rolled a few in front of his camp on the Main SW but no hook up. He was using Black Ghost, Undertaker, and Green Machine.

Norma & Brock of Curtis Miramichi River Outfitters of the SW Miramichi said there seem to be a lot of fish around but not taking very good. Lanny Burke of the Rapids landed a grilse with a Sugarman Shrimp and saw a lot of grilse jumping. Lester Vickers of Cains River landed a grilse at the mouth of Cains on a Green Machine. Also saying the water is a very good height and very good for canoeing. Norma said there does not seem to be much rain in the forecast.

Flies of choice were bombers, white tail green machines, undertakers and Sugarman Shrimp.

This report is now in the Times & Transcript news paper every Thursday.

So with a pretty good week all in all and fish in the system this is Guide Rodney Colford with your fishing reports for the Miramichi River & Tributaries.

Silver Salmon Arriving In Big Numbers on the Miramichi

Miramichi Fishing Reports for Colfords Atlantic Salmon Fishing by guide Rod Colford. Over the past week there has been some great changes on the rivers of the Miramichi System. Anglers have been catching and seeing hundreds of salmon and grilse pushing through the pools and most covered with sea lice fresh from the bay.


The 2009 salmon classic started off very good this year with several anglers hooking fish. Paul Daigle landed 3 grilse and a huge salmon around 25 pound. This is a photo of Gary Tanner with a nice salmon on Wednesday morning fishing in the 2009 salmon classic on the North West Miramichi. There were several others that hooked up during the event. Anglers from all over North America attended the classic for the fourth year in a row.



After the classic on Wednesday the fish really seemed to be all over the place on the Main South West Miramichi. As I traveled up and down stream to and from the pools I saw several schools of fish moving up river. It was not long before arriving to the first pool that Zlacko hooked into a nice salmon around 12 to 14 pounds, using a brown bomber while skating it across the fast current.

We raised many more fish Wednesday evening but did not hook into anymore until the next day. We also saw fisherman and fisher women landing fish up and down the river on all different fly patterns.


After a long day on the water we headed back to camp for an amazing dinner at the lodge. Rick Archibald and Jim Dunn decided to put together a dinner that one would never forget! As you can see in the photo it was a very good meal! and so was the wine!







Thursday was a very good day with loads of fish moving through and covered again with sea lice fresh from the sea. My clients Zlacko and Carlos landed 4 out of 5 grilse. We had a grilse within sight that we were working and it kept coming for different flies! and sometimes it only moved in the water a foot or so, until I tied on a Almost pattern number 10 single and we could see the fish zoom after it, and he was hooked up. We decided to keep this for dinner that evening.




This is Zlacko releasing a grilse on the lower stretches of the miramichi river. We were using an preacher number 6.


Friday started out slow hooking fish but again the fish were all over the place! There were fisherman getting fish by the mouth of Cains River even though we were not. My grandfather landed a grilse and was his first of the year. Don Roy and several members of the club he belongs to was hooking fish. Warrens bar had anglers fishing and were hooked up as well.


After lunch Carlos decided to get more serious and hooked into his first salmon around 10 pounds. He thought his trip was over when this fish was landed. Not knowing what tomorrow would bring! He hooked the fish on an Almost number 8 double. A Almost is a black bodied fly with a black wing and a bit of golden pheasant on the tail. It works better in low water conditions or smaller hooks in very clear water.

Saturday was great fishing for Colfords Atlantic Salmon Fishing at the home pool. Carlos was on the lower section of Hogans Pool when he hooked a another salmon around 15 pounds on a Almost again. My son Zachery age 11 hooked a 15 pounder or better on a brown bomber, and was his first of the season. He also lost another one that was said to be close to 20 pounds, but that old saying is the big one got away! Caleb Dunn up in his 80's landed a 15 pound salmon using a green butt bear hair. His great grandson hooked his first ever salmon age 7 also on a bear hair.




Joel Kitchen landed a 10 pound salmon at the lower end of the Hogan pool on a Almost. I landed a grilse on a brown bomber on the lower section as well.








And then Carlos goes out to the section of the pool where he found a rock to cast that extra 5 feet to hook a fish of his dreams! This fish had to be 30 plus pounds! And smashed the brown bomber I tied that Joel gave him to try. Carlos is around 6-5 tall and makes the fish look smaller than the actually size. This fish was twice out into the backing and after several jumps I snuck the net in front of this whopper of a fish and he almost took me for a ride! I told Carlos that there is guys that fished here for years and are still awaiting a trophy like this Silver.

There was so many fish hooked this week up and down the river. I am sorry if I do not mention your names. To name a few guys and girls that hooked fish on the lower section of the river were Danny Stewart, Ed Colford, Larry Vanperson, Al Bridges, Stan Tropze, Rick Colford, Damir Sehic, Malcolm McCormack, Pat DeWolfe, John Colford, Peter Dioron, Ron Steeves, Jim Steeves, and Jackie Girouard to name a few.

There was also fish being hooked at the Bridge Pool in Upper Blackville, the foot bridge pool in Upper Blackville and Keenans Siding. Cains River was fishing on the lower stretches near salmon brook, butter milk brook, brophy pool and the admiral camp pool all reported of seeing fish moving through.



This is a photo of us putting a new 28 foot Sharp Canoe in the water and Barry Sharp himself delivering it. We then put it to work and got some scales on the ribs of the canoe. This is one of the many cadilacs of canoes that Barry Sharp produces at his shop.





The end of the day today Saturday the 18th we were still seeing several big fish jumping. The ones we landed were covered in sea lice. There was the odd time we saw some grilse that seemed to be moving through.

We also picked up a beautiful fish today that was on his last breath? We tried to revive him but he was in bad shape and looked to be released from up stream. It also had marks on him like he was netted. He also was swimming right to shore and this is something they do when when you see them having trouble. He had a tag on his back so we managed to take a picture of him for you to see and a scale for the DFO to tell us where he was tagged at. I will keep you posted on the results in the future reports.



All for tonight and I hope tomorrow will be half as good as what we had in the past week on the Mighty Miramichi in New Brunswick Canada. This is Rodney Colford saying tight lines and may your reel scream tomorrow.