Warm June Taking Its Toll On Miramichi Salmon Fishing

Rod, Ernie & Andrew of the Ledges Inn
photo taken by Rick Whorwood.

Salmon fishing on the Miramichi is just not in the way we would like to see it for the month of June. I would love to say fishermen's reels are screeching out into the backing. And thirty pound Chrome Bumpers of Salmon that are so silver they are Leaping through the air. But warm weather is taking its toll on the river as river temperatures hit over 21 degrees Celsius (70.F) this week.

Looking up river from the Bridge Pool in Ludlow.
Some fishermen that hooked up this week:

 A few salmon and grilse that are in the river are already starting to lay at the mouth's of cold brooks to get out of the warmer river conditions from midday to late evenings. Some fish that were laying in certain pools during the day moved upstream by the next morning. So it seems they are travelling more at night to beat this heat and to get over the shallow gravel bars.



Derek Munn of the Ledges Inn said his guest Galen Knowles landed a grilse and lost one, Nate Holyoke hooked and lost one at Mountain Channel Pool.
Miramichi Salmon Club hooked a few salmon in the Blissfield area this week.

Looking down river at the Bridge Pool.

Damir Sehic landed a 15lb salmon using a black bomber. Chris Edmonds reported hooking a 10 to 12lb salmon with one of his clients. John Colford hooked a salmon at the mouth of Cains River on Tuesday.


Miramichi and surrounding tributaries are in need of rain and cooler temperatures to improve the fishing. Many anglers are already complaining about the late run of salmon to the river and now with this heat anglers are getting very discouraged. One thing to look at is maybe the salmon knew something we didn't, and being late to arrive this summer may be a good thing with the warm water conditions we are having. Lets hope they are waiting in the estuary for a change in the system and big schools of fish ready to run into our rivers.

At the trout lakes having dinner.

There have been a few small runs of fish make there way in so far this season and a few lucky anglers hooked up. But it has been a slow start to the season and with the warm dry conditions we are having, anglers will have to be patient and wait for the rain to come to cool the rivers down.


The weekend is starting to look better for the fish and the fishermen as some rain is in the forecast and cooler weather for next week. Thunder showers for Friday and Saturday and rain Monday and Tuesday are expected and will be nice to see for the Atlantic Salmon Fishing.

Fishing at the trout lakes at the Ledges Inn.

Reports are low and warm on all the tributaries and anglers should practice safe fishing for the fish. When river conditions are warm try fishing early mornings. In these conditions in warm weather get out on the river early and beat the heat and you may be rewarded. Also remember to drink lots of water and have sunscreen lotion on, or get raccoon eyes like mine and a few other guides I know.

Lets hope we get some rain and the weather stays cooler next week for fishing salmon not only on the Miramichi but all of New Brunswick rivers.

Boats at the lake.

Tight Lines from the banks of the Miramichi.
Rodney Colford

We're fortunate to fish for salmon

Who would think Eastern Canada would be the hottest spot for Atlantic salmon fishing in all of North America.

Fishermen from all over the world travel to our eastern rivers for our Atlantic salmon. And yes, New Brunswick is the place to be from April 15 to Oct. 15.

Only 176 days until we get out our fly rods. And who would be counting the days for a fresh new season of fresh silver salmon and hearing that old Hardy reel screeching? Readers like you I hope? How lucky we are to live near the Miramichi River.

Salmon fishing officially ended today in all of New Brunswick for 2010 season.

The Nepisiguit River was the only river that had an extra week of fishing this fall.

I had a chance to give it a try this week, but had to say no to a wonderful offer from Ron Godin. Sorry to hear he did not have very good luck as the water was too high and the weather was cold and windy.

The last few days of the season on the Miramichi were very tough as heavy winds made it hard to cast. Cristian Stathis and I only had four fish for the last week and did not see many fish. Most fish we saw seem to be very dark in colour.

I also fished with Country Haven Lodge last week with guest Willy Wood and Richard of Maine. We landed three salmon and lost another fish at the Sabbies pool using Ally Shrimps.

Country Haven said they had a pretty good season under the extreme hot weather conditions this summer.

Trout Brook Fly Shop owner Syd Matchett said the last couple weeks on the North West Miramichi was not too bad. One lad hooked five fish at Blacks and Allison Pool on an Ally Shrimp and a Copper Killer. Syd said there were not many fishermen about as the weather stayed cold the last week.

Curtis Fly Shop said they had a good year and sold a lot of flies and gear. There were not many reports of big hook bills being caught, or none with proof with a picture.

They will open up the shop for anyone at Christmas time. It would be best to call ahead if travelling a great distance.

Have you ever wondered how many fish are hooked and landed each season in our rivers?

I have and I hope someday we will be able to go to a website and check out the numbers of fish hooked, landed and tagged each day.

Many rivers in Scotland (if not all) can tell you their salmon counts per season. What pools produce and which ones will have the best chance at hooking up. Just something for our new government of New Brunswick to think about for future seasons.

They do it for deer, moose and bear why not for our famous Atlantic salmon? Let me know what you think of this idea.

I almost forgot to tell you the story of the grilse that was in the net and found a hole to squeeze through to get back into the Cains River again.

Louis Cormier is from Memramcook and a fly fisherman that is a victim of the netter of Sabbies. We saw many fish at the Sabbies pool whilst there had to be 15 rods fishing on both sides of the river each of the last two days.

* 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 Thursday in the Times &Transcript.