Prayers being answered for Rain on the Miramichi

The hot topic on the Miramichi river is high water. Anglers were praying for rain all of July, and were their prayers ever answered for August. River levels are very high and leaving many pools barely fish-able for the most part. 

Temperatures are hovering around the 60 to 65 (F) and the clairity is tea like, which is always good color for fishing. 

Evelock Gilks of the Miramichi Salmon Club in Doaktown area said the water was very high and fishing was slow. They only landed 12 salmon with 12 anglers the past week. 

Derek Munn of the Ledges Inn said Miramichi River levels were very good for the month of August. Fishing was very good at the beginning of the week but slowed down the ladder part of the week. Hardy Rep David Bishop fished at the Ledges this week and had very good success using the two handed Hardy Spey Rods. 

Mountain Channel Lodge on the lower stretch of the river had good fishing the past week on both sides of the river. Water was high for the most part but we managed to pick up 3 or 4 salmon per day. We still have lots of openings available at very low special prices. Were only a few minutes from the tide water and fresh fish are always close by, so give a call or email for more information.

Keith Wilson of Wilson Sporting Camps said river levels were 6 inches above normal and was perfect for their section of the river, and they are hooking fish. Keith said don't forget the great deals on for August.

In the Boistown area of the river Dan Bullock of Bullocks Lodge said they hooked 6 salmon last week on the Morrison bug. Water was perfect, but raised another another foot to 18 inches since the weekend. Also raised a few fish on dry flies. We saw a few salmon jump yesterday but river needs to drop a foot to improve.

Byron Coughlan of Country Haven Lodge had some luck this week on a few rivers. Cains River and the SW Miramichi was the place to be for some of his clients as they landed a salmon most days this week. Salmon were up as far as Moores Pool on the Cains River in the Shinnickburn area of the river. Flies of choice were the Francine pattern that looked like a green machine and Red Francis. We only had one salmon with sea lice.

Paul Gillespie of Doaktown had very good luck fishing this week. Paul had some friends fishing with him and hooked well over 20 fish on dry and wet fly patterns. 

I landed a few salmon this week at The Ledges, and a couple had sea lice. Laurent St. Pierre of Montreal landed a 16lber on a glitter bear. I also landed a few on the Jon Olan pattern. Most pools are very high on the river and needs to drop in river levels to improve conditions.

Flies of choice for the past week have been a mix batch of patterns from small to big patterns, and a mix of sizes from number 8 to 1's. The pacasse yellow and orange, Green Spey, Green Machines, Glitter bears, Ally shrimps, GP'S and many bugs and a few bombers. 

Well with lots of water in the system and cool nights started. We should be set up good, going into the back part of the season. And looking like more rain in the forecast the next few days.

 So having your prayers answered for rain the past week its time to get up of your knees and go fishing, because we have enough water at the moment on the Miramichi River and tributaries. But if you decide to ask for bigger runs of fish, please do.

Until next week may your reels be screaming on the river.

Rodney Colford

River up in the Alders on Miramichi

Well if you were fishing on the Miramichi River the past week, you would not have to get in the water to get your feet wet.

Four inches of rain fell and put the river up into the alders. Leaving many anglers going from wading to boating to hook up. Salmon pools that were to low and warm to fish were now to high and dirty with debre to fish.

Just before the river started to raise, fishing was very good. Many anglers were hooking fish and some limiting out with 4 per day.

Byron Coughlan of Country Haven Lodge of the lower stretch of the Miramichi said the river is full of fresh fish since Sunday. Fishermen were having very good luck. Fish seemed to be moving through and the ones they were hooking was close to shore. Water conditions are still high for the lower stretch. Cains river was still to high, the upper Renous was fishable, lower Renous was still to high.

Guides Donald and Eddie Colford of Black Brook Salmon Club said fishing was very good the past week. Many sports limit out on many different patterns of flies. Conditions are still to high for the Mouth of Cains river area but lots of fish moving.

Derek Munn of the Ledges Inn in the Doaktown Area of the river said fishing was good. We landed almost 50 salmon at the lodge this week, one weighing 27 pounds. Conditions seem to slow down yesterday, but rumours of fresh fish down river is great to hear. The river raised Tuesday night about 6 inches. Flies of choice were pacas, green machines, shady ladies and smurfs. At our Mountain Channel Lodge we were picking up 2 or 3 salmon per day.

Keith Wilson of Wilsons Sporting Camps said salmon anglers are never ones to complain about a nice raise of water in late July but this is a little much. Heavy rain brought the water up in McNamee app 3 feet and was very dirty. Keith said the MSA reported the best numbers of the season coming through the Millerton trap net this past week, so combined with the big raise in water we should see much improved fishing going into the month of August.

Dan Bullock of Bullocks Lodge in Boistown said they received 4" of rain in past week. Water is high, but very fishable. Probably 2-3 days away from ideal height for our pools.
We did land a few fish last week, including a salmon on the RBM Muddler tied by Renate Bullock. Looking forward to what should be excellent fishing next couple of weeks.

Chris Edmonds of Miramichi Fish and Game Club and C.E.Salmon Flies and Guiding was hooking a few fish. Conditions were very good on the NW and should be awesome by the weekend.

So with lots of water in the system for the Miramichi river and tributaries we should see some great fishing over the next few days as the water drops. River temperatures are in the low 60's (f) which is ideal.

A few flies to try while your out this weekend on the water is green machines, undertakers, smurfs, green highlanders and try some dry flies in this high water. Tight to shore with those dries you'll see, you might just catch a whopper.

Until next week keep those reels screaming on the river.
Rodney Colford

Fresh fish running on Miramichi

Fishing for Monday on the Miramichi is very good even tho the river is high.

Fresh sea liced salmon are on the run. And a very good mixture of grilse amongst the salmon.

Temps are 61 f. And very clear. Water is dropping good and more and more anglers are getting out on the water.

The weekend really picked up with great fishing. Fishing stayed good in the heavy rain, until the river got to high and dirty.

Many fish being landed were grilse and salmon and the odd monster hitting 27lbs.

Flies for the most part is the old favourite the white tail green machine. Shady ladies worked well before the rise in water.

Conditions should be excellent over the next few days, which we will have the reports for you on the river.

Until next time may your reels be screaming on the river.
Rodney Colford

High water slows the fishing for a day or two

Conditions on the Miramichi went from warm and low water conditions to very high and muddy conditions.

As the heavy rain subsided the river raised and raised! Trees, benches and even a few boats were on the free flow in the murky water.

The last couple days before the rise saw the river (SW) have great reports of hook ups. Many fishermen were saying that fresh fish were being landed with sea lice.

Miramichi Salmon Association and Atlantic Salmon Federation both had good comments that good returns are in the rivers.

The river started dropping Saturday evening and a few fish were already reported being landed in the Doaktown area.

Flies for a few were GP'S size #2, yes a fall pattern some would say? But, fish them they will work is what I say!

Well got to get back to reading some more Salmon Country. A Great book if you don't have it by author Doug Underhill. Find his site on my link section and get his amazing book.

Until next time keep your reels screaming on the river!

Rodney Colford

Miramichi Pools reopen and fish on the move

From the banks of the Miramichi River, fishermen are starting to hook a few salmon as some fresh fish are moving into the system.

Pools reopen today 25th July on the Miramichi system. Cooler temps made this possible.

River temperatures are holding steady around 65-68 (F). Which is ideal temps for the Miramichi river for late July.

We had a good steady rain on Tuesday on the mid to lower section of the river, but the upper part only saw 10mm.

Derek Munn of the Ledges Inn said fishing was improving. We landed over 20 fish and they landed one grilse with sea lice. Many of the fish landed over the last week looked to be fresh fish. He said some fish were over 15lbs and many were grilse.

Keith Wilson of Wilson Sporting Camps said fishing is looking up for the next week as weather is improving for fishing. Which means cooler temperatures. His guides are reporting that fish were on the move and moving from the cold water pools. River levels were up about 4 inches yesterday.

Byron Coughlan of Country Haven Lodge said there are lots of fresh fish. Most of the fish that were holding up in the cold water like at the mouth of Bartholomew River were high tailing it up river. River levels were very good on the lower stretch of the river. They were landing a few salmon with sea lice. Byron said with the way temperatures are now and the weather forecast for the next week, the closure of pools should be opened again for fishing.

WW.Doaks and Sons said there were a few fish being hooked. A few reports of fresh fish being landed. Cooler nights with the rain should be good for fishing.

So with a hot spell on the Miramichi river for the second time in two years in July. And having to shut down many pools up and down the river because of warm water. Lets hope the hot weather is behind us and that cooler weather is here for fishing.

Who knows we may have an August to remember for Atlantic salmon on the Miramichi. I have had very good fishing in August before and dry flies will be awesome to use.

Flies of choice over the past week were green machines, silver doc, bear hairs, black bugs and many different bombers.

Until next week may your reels be screaming on the Miramichi river.
Rodney Colford