Miramichi Salmon Fishing Off To Hot Start

Miramichi River Reports From Guide Rodney Colford on the Banks of the Famous Miramichi River.

Well anglers are well underway on the Miramichi Salmon Fishing and off to a hot start with huge numbers being hooked and landed up and down the river. What ever method of fly fishing you prefer you are hooking up said guides on the river. If you decide on casting from shore or casting from the boat, long lining or trolling they are taking the fly.




Peter Beresford





The Miramichi River still has a bit of ice floating and a lot on the shore lines. Water color is a sandy but the fish don't seem to mind taking the fly.With all the ice on the shore line there is some making its way into the water and boaters should be cautious and always on the watch for it while fishing or boating. With such a drop in the water conditions there is room to fish from the shore lines now as well so get out and fish. And if your in the Blackville area don't forget to drop by the Curtis Fly Shop and give your catch report today.




Zach Colford









I have this report from Jamie Keenan for the 16th April:
My father Alley and I were on the river late morning till supper. We landed 6 in our boat and lost a few. Other people in the area had their limit in 2 hours. A great day on the river in Keenan's siding. I have been checking with Jamie and they are still catching fish on that part of the river.






Colfords Guiding
The last few days for Colfords Atlantic Salmon Fishing its been great fishing. High numbers of fish being caught. With the barbless hooks makes releasing them so much easier! The numbers are good for salmon and grilse and a lot of fish in the 30 to 36 inch range so far. This is Ronnie Steeves and Shelly Gildert of Moncton area at Colfords guiding. The both ended up catching there limit of 10 fish each.


The water is very low for this time of year and some rain or warm weather would be nice to see.



Weather
The weather for the next week looks very good with warm temperatures and rain for Tuesday. Highs of 4C to 13C with 10 to 20mm of rain.

This is a photo of Ron Falusy landing all grilse today for a total of 6 and a trout.Pat Colford and John Cost landed 5 and 2 of them were caught up the Cains at Weasel Brook. Zachery Colford age 11 Landed 2 yesterday both on the Cains, 1 at the mouth and 1 at the School House Pool usung his own fly he tyed. Peter Bersford was out with me on the 16th and he landed 6 fish and I landed 8 and 5 trout of about 10 to 14 inches.


Looking for Reports from Upper to Lower Miramichi River areas!

I am looking for reports from you up and down the river system to help get the word out about the fishing conditions. If you want to post your report just email the details to me at miramichifishingreports@hotmail.com and I will try my best to add them for you for the Miramichi area. Guides, Fisherman, Fisher-Women and Outfitters up and down the river. Outfitters please send a link to your report if you have a web site and I will copy a paragraph and the link to your River Reports.

Fly Shops
Just a suggestion to all fly shops in the areas all over NB to try and have a link for all river reports for fishing in New Brunswick. I know some already have done this but lets keep this information available for all.

Special Links:
http://www.asf.ca
www.miramichisalmon.ca
http://www.atlanticsalmonmuseum.com

From the Banks Of The Mighty Miramichi Tight Lines.

Rodney Colford
www.colfordsguiding.com

Great Opening Day On The Miramichi River

Miramichi Fishing Reports

Even though ice jams were in on the upper stretches of the river it did not stop some anglers on the lower stretches of the Miramichi River System. Anglers from the mouth of Cains River down to the white rapids were fishing and catching fish. It was a great opening day on the Miramichi River for some fisherman.


There was not any ice flowing for the best part of the day on the lower stretches until 7:00pm this evening. Then it all broke loose from up river with a huge jam that took the best part of 2 hours moving through. I expect there still is a great lot more to come down though!

All the boats I talked to today said it was a great day for the start of the season and even though they could not get very far on the Miramichi they were just happy to be out there and catching fish.

Boats at the mouth of Cains river were hooking fish on several different fly patterns. Daryl Wylie walked down and fished along the shore line and made only a few cast before catching his first springer of the season. The photo below of Allan McCormack who came down from Boistown to fish and his friend both landed there limit of 10 fish each. Herb Colford was catching fish and keeping busy netting his buddies as well! Stewart Smith and son was catching fish everywhere from the mouth of Cains River down to Wades shore.





I was fishing with Ron Steeves of Salisbury this morning. We started fishing around 9:30 am and with my 2nd cast I hooked up.I landed 8 fish and lost a few more. Ron had a very heavy line and was catching bottom just about every cast he made. So I traded rods and he made only a few cast before hooking into 1 of his own. After changing lines for the afternoon Ron landed 9 more and 1 trout.

Flies for the day were Renous Specials, Christmas Tree's and a Maribu pattern.





Curtis Miramichi River Outfitters have started a journal called The
Catch of The Day Inviting anglers to come in and log there catch, salmon or trout. Stop in and check out the store and log your catch of the day!!


Tight Lines,
Rodney Colford
Web Site: www.colfordsguiding.com

Miramichi Fishing Report

With just one sleep away from the opening day of the Atlantic Salmon season on the Miramichi River and tributaries, we are seeing 75% of the river still jammed up with ice on several locations.

The lower stretch of Main South West Miramichi River is open from the mouth of Cains River down to the lower end of the White Rapids.

This is a picture of some boats on the water today below the Mouth of Cains River on the Miramichi in front of Colfords Guiding.


Quarryville still has ice frozen but there is some breaking below the bridge. And with the Renous River being still jammed up, it is not helping with the break up in Quarryville section of the river.


Also above the Mouth of Cains River on the Miramichi to Boistown we are seeing several ice jams with open stretches here and there.

As you can see in the below picture taken by the Upper Blackville bridge today this stretch is open down to the turn. But above the bridge you will see lots of ice breaking up and making its way to becoming ice jams.

And with these ice jams also comes some dangerous fishing over the next few days! That's why its good to have a experienced Guide or Fisherman with you on the water until the ice jams clear out of the rivers. Give a call or email if you need a guides.

While fishing take that extra eye watching up river when your anchored. And when you see the ice jams coming have your buddy help you get out of the river and out of its way until it clears up.

If your fishing by the Mouth of Cains River you will be able to pull up in the Cains and be safe. Also down by the Bartholomew River will give you a chance to get out of the way where these rivers are clear of ice jams already.

This photo is above the Upper Blackville Bridge.



With the ice out of the Cains River we are seeing some damage to the Cains River road in by the School House Pool up to the ford at Moores Pool. With over a mile of ice piled up on the road it will take a bulldozer to remove these massive ice cakes of 2 feet thick or more piled some 3 to 6 feet high.





Besides the fact that the ice is piled up on the shores it does seem that if your looking for that spot tomorrow to be safe on the water it will be the Cains River for that number 1 place to be. So if your in the Miramichi River area check out the Cains River its the place to be fishing.





With loads of fish that went up last year you will have no problem hooking into fish on the Cains. The water is clear and at a perfect height to be motoring on the lower stretches of this river.

With weather staying cold over the next week it does look like we will be dodging ice on the Miramichi. And the temperatures will not make it to double digits according to the weather forecast. 4C to 7C for the highs until next Tuesday, so bundle up out there.

Curtis Fly Shop still has last years pricing on waders and some other gear so please check them out for the great deals before prices go up. They are also putting a book at the shop for fish catches if you would like to find out more about it please drop in. Or drop in with a fish that you can record in the book, even better!

Fredericton Outfitters & Anglers are having there first big spring sale. Up to 40% off all Hunting and fishing gear left over form last year. Brand names such as Orvis, Irish Setter boots, Underarmour, Tilly Clothing, Hunter's Specialty, Duck hunting supplies, gun cleaning kits and much more. Sale will go on from April 9th to April 15th. Or until supplies last. For more information check the site at http://www.frederictonoutfitters.com


With my ups and downs for this report please fish safe if your planning on being on the water the next few days. I will be out there tomorrow trying to hook up on a few or just one would be good for starters after a long winter. And I will be on the Cains River playing it safe with a Golden Eagle or a Maribu. I also have openings for spring days and more for summer fishing if your interested give a shout anytime.

Tight Lines,
Rodney Colford
Colfords Atlantic Salmon Fishing Ltd.
Web Site: www.colfordsguiding.com

Lower Miramichi River Ice Conditions

For the Lower Stretches of South West Miramichi River for April 11th ice Out Conditions. With ice still remaining in several spots in the upper parts of the Miramichi River the lower stretches are looking good for the opening day on the 15th.

Areas from the mouth of Cains River down are fishable but still very muddy with ice floating down. Over the last couple days the water must have dropped 6 feet or more in the lower stretches. With so many jams up river I would think a lot of water is being held back by the ice jams.

Even though the river looks good on the lower stretches its always a nerve wrecking place to be with ice jams up river to keep watching for.


Snow Fall Warning For the Miramichi Area
The weather is calling for some snow tomorrow which doesn't help with the spring thaw. If that was rain it sure would be great. Below is from the weather report for the Miramichi.

SNOWFALL WARNING: Miramichi and area Issued at 8:51 PM ADT SATURDAY 11 APRIL 2009

15 TO 25 CENTIMETRES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED FOR EASTERN NEW BRUNSWICK EASTER SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. THIS IS A WARNING THAT SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED IN THIS REGIONS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS..LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS.
A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SOUTH OF NEW YORK WILL TRACK TOWARD THE MARITIMES TO LIE OVER THE GULF OF ST LAWRENCE BY SUNDAY EVENING. A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE OVER TO SNOW TONIGHT AND CONTINUE EASTER SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. A TOTAL OF 15 TO 25 CENTIMETRES IS EXPECTED OVER EASTERN NEW BRUNSWICK. THE SNOWFALL COMBINED WITH GUSTY WINDS MAY OCCASIONALLY REDUCE VISIBILITY IN BLOWING SNOW OVER EXPOSED AREAS.

Newsletter
I also added a newsletter sign-up from my blog for the fishing reports if your interested in signing up please do. Some have already added from the web site and I will transfer them and you may get a email to confirm.

I will be back tomorrow with photos for you and a better look at the conditions of the ice up river and down to Quarryville on the main South West Miramichi River.

From Colfords Guiding this is Rodney Colford

Ice jams on the Miramichi River

Over the past week we saw a massive change in the river conditions with ice out. For those who thought the there would be a late spring season think again.

With a week before opening day it looks like the season should be right on schedule for a great start with lots of water and it should be cleared up by then, which will make it awesome for the fishing.

The ice is jamming up on the Miramichi River today with jams in several places along the river.

Cains River has let go and pushed the main part of the Miramichi down for about a mile from the mouth. This photo was taken yesterday at the School House pool.
This photo was taken yesterday as well on the Cains River at Moores Pool and you can see the water is very close to the road.

Bartholomew has let go as well and has pushed that section down river. This is a photo of a small jam by the old train bridge with the water almost up to it.
This photo is looking at the old train bridge now the walking trail through the park. And you can see the jam on the Bartholomew river.

Taxes River in Boistown let go yesterday as well and should start and get that section of the Miramichi River moving.




This photo is looking up at Doctors Island today on the Lower Section of Miramichi.
This photo taken from the Howard Road this morning at the Moorhouse front.
Also from the Howard Road at the Moorhouse front, up river view.
Hogans Pool on the lower stretches of the Miramichi River.

Hogans Pool today before dark with a ice jam just below and up the other side of the river. Later you will see where the ice jam lets go and pushes towards the camp.
this photo you will see a large junk of ice ready to break free, in the next few photos you will see the result.

The ice coming in towards the camp.

This photo shows the difference from the above photos just 15 minutes apart. Also in the summer you can walk to the middle of this pool with your shoes without getting wet.
You can see in this photo just within 15 minutes there was a change in the ice and it pushed the small yellow birch down on the camp and ice was pushing in towards the camp making loud noises and cracking the trees in front of the camp.
You can see there is about 2 to 3 feet of bank left and that bank is about 15 feet to the bottom.
Fredericton Outfitters & Anglers are having there first big spring sale. Up to 40% off all Hunting and fishing gear left over form last year. Brand names such as Orvis, Irish Setter boots, Underarmour, Tilly Clothing, Hunter's Specialty, Duck hunting supplies, gun cleaning kits and much more. Sale will go on from April 9th to April 15th. Or until supplies last. For more information check the site at http://www.frederictonoutfitters.com

Hope you enjoy the photos of the ice conditions from around the Miramichi River.

Tight Lines,
Rodney Colford