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.

Fresh fish arriving on the Miramichi

With only three weeks remaining here on the Miramichi, anglers still have hope a decent run will arrive in the river in time to hook up. And hope just might be here, as emails were sent out from the Miramichi Salmon Association about an increase in fish numbers this week.

Much better reports from the Miramichi Salmon Association for returns of salmon this week is giving fishermen hope. Nola Chiasson sent out back to back emails letting anglers know that an increase in numbers of fresh sea lice covered salmon were heading up river.

Monday numbers jumped from 0-3 fish to 7 salmon and 3 grilse. Tuesday they put another 8 salmon and 3 grilse at the Millerton counter on the Main South West Miramichi. Nola said it is estimated that 7% of the salmon heading up river go through the trap, which is around 140 fish each of the days.

The Cassilis trap on the North West Miramichi  was not as good as there was zero fish put through each of the days.

The rain we got over the weekend unfortunately only helped the lower stretch of the river and missed the upper parts of the river where we really needed it most. Most of the rain had fallen from the Doaktown area downward to Miramichi city.

Chris Edmunds of C E Guiding and Salmon Flies said most fish he was seeing on the North West had seemed to move with the last rise in water. He only saw a few fish on Wednesday night and normally the pools were having some action everyday.

Cains river was up about a foot or more and was very fish-able on Tuesday and Wednesday. I fished the Cains on Tuesday at Moores Pool but only got a trout about 16 inches and never saw a salmon. More rain was needed to keep the river level up.

Mountain Channel Lodge fished the lower stretch of the Cains and got a few salmon and saw more. Water conditions were very good but had dropped off very fast according to guide Wesley Curtis.

Wilsons Sporting Camps in McNamee said water was low but temperatures were good. They were hooking a few fish each day on a regular basics. They were even getting a few bright fish.

Derek Munn of the Ledges Inn said the water was still low in the Doaktown area and rain would be greatly accepted. Fishing was still not bad for the low water conditions and many guest were hooking fish each day. Doc Boley starting hooking a few fish on a number 16 double Mighty Mite fly. And after he gave the secret fly out several others starting hooking fish on his secret pattern.

Country Haven Fishing Lodge are still landing a few fish regularly. Gary Colford landed a fresh grilse on Monday covered with sea lice. Gary said water levels were good both on the Miramichi and Cains.

Fredericton Outfitters still has three spots available for there Fly Casting Clinic at the Ledges Inn this Sunday in Doaktown. April Vokey of the TV show Fly Nation will be putting on the Casting Clinic. For more information and to sign up please give the shop a call at 506 450 4044.

The weather on the river looks very promising for fishing as more rain is expected for Monday. And with a run of salmon on the way and a little more rain and high tides we could have an amazing end to the season.

Flies of choice for the week were a mixture of patterns ranging from number 2 to 16 in size. Almost worked well in small sizes, green butt bear hair in small sizes, shrimp patterns were very good, undertakers, GP'S and I even had a few that I tied that didn't have names that I got a couple on. Dry flies were still working well too.

So while were patiently awaiting on the Miramichi for a fresh run of salmon as the season gets close to the end, could our prayers finely be answered on the Miramichi. Only time will tell in the next few days as more fishermen get out on the water.

Until next week lets have tight lines and screaming reels as you hook that fish of a lifetime.

Nice steady rain today on the Miramichi

We're getting a nice steady rain on the river today here in New Brunswick. Water temperature is 55 degrees (F) in the river.

Were still hooking a few fish in the Ledges Inn pools. But not seeing any fresh looking fish in the Doaktown area yet. Although down river they are getting a few bright fish everyday I am told from guides at Black Brook.

We are landing some nice fish in the 15 to 20 pound range the last few days. They are taking dry flies, while others are taking a mixture of patterns like green slimes , GP's, red francis and green widows.

I posted a photo of Scott Patrick Carr of Oromocto with his first ever salmon. Scott is new to the sport and was very excited to catch one he could keep. Way to go Scott and hope you catch many more.

Garry Tanner of Vermont landed a nice salmon up in Boistown. Garry has the blog The Rivers Course. I can't wait to read about his fishing trip on the Miramichi at Tuckaway. His fish is posted below too.

Now with the river up a little from the last rain, let's hope this boost it up a little more and get some fresh fish up river further in the system.

A little tip for the fall fishing is just try any fly in your box big or small! I do and it works.

I hope this quick update will help you out some and get your reels screaming out on the river.

Tight lines,
Rodney

A few fresh fish in the system

Your weekly angling report for the Miramichi river. Yesterday we finally got some more rain in the Miramichi river valley. Was it enough to get some fresh fish into the system, we will have to wait and see. 

 Nola Chiasson of the MSA (Miramichi Salmon Association) said even though there only putting a few fish through the trap, the ones they are putting through are fresh salmon from the bay with sea lice and not ones that have been laying about. 

There have been some bright fish hooked on the lower stretch of the river that have sea lice. And where the MSA only counts a small percentage of the fish that goes up the river each day. Perhaps a bit more fish are moving upstream than we all know about.

River temperatures are very good and seem to be averaging in the low 60's (F) and even down into the high 50's most days. River levels are still very low. Hopefully we get another raise in water from what rain we got yesterday. 

The lower stretch of the main SW Miramichi is at a pretty good level for fishing. The Middle and Upper stretches are low but with a little boost in water from this storm we should be fishing some pools that were not fish-able all season. 

Temperatures on the NW Miramichi are about the same degrees as the Main SW. Chris Edmunds of CE Salmon Flies and Guiding said he was hooking a few fish every trip out and most pools he fished had fish showing. Flies of choice were Same-thing Murray, peach bomber (crevette) and yellow wing butterfly.

Mountain Channel Fishing Lodge finally started seeing some fish this week. After a long run of only seeing a few fish weekly, they were seeing upwards of 15 to 20 fish per day. Boyd Curtis landed a grilse yesterday, but said it was a dark looking fish. Boyd said he saw a few fish jumping that were very silver looking and said they had to be fresh fish coming in from the bay.

Country Haven Lodge on the lower stretch of the SW Miramichi was having not bad fishing. The past few days they were seeing fish in most pools. Ken Vickers landed a 28lb salmon that was a bar of silver and covered with sea lice. It took a peach coloured bomber. Gary Colford was on the NW Miramichi and landed a salmon and saw a few more fish on Monday. Pete Randall caught a salmon on the Cains River and saw several more fish. Conditions were very low for the Cains and rain was badly needed.

For us at The Ledges Inn we are having a little luck. We only saw a couple fish that looked fresh. So know sign of any sea lice on a fish for us yet. We are hooking mostly salmon with the odd grilse the past week. We had a couple 20 lber's and many in the 15lb range. Hopefully this rain will give a little raise and get more fresh fish up from the bay. Flies of choice were christmas tree bombers, blue smurfs, green Widows and black ghost.

Sutters Salmon Club were also hooking a few fish this week in the Doaktown to Boistown area. Shawn Betts and clients were hooking many on dry flies. Daryl O'Donald and client hooked a 21lb salmon on a smurf pattern. Other flies that was working was christmas tree bombers, blue bomber and brown bombers.

Fishing near the Mouth of Cains River was also pretty good this week. Zachery Colford landed a grilse on a orange bomber. Merle Colford landed a huge salmon that had sea lice on the tail. Jamie Colford landed a grilse on a undertaker.

Donald Colford guide at Black Brook Salmon Club said fishing was not bad as some days they landed 9 fish. Many fish they were catching was high up in the pool and was a good sign that the fish were moving upstream. Donald said fish were taking many flies from big to small. Green slime patterns were working well as Dave Ledley hooked several on it. Many fall patterns were working and bombers of different styles. 

I expect after this rain we will see more fish coming into the system. Over the years we usually get a good fall run somewhere around the third week of September, so I'm thinking positive here and asking the fish Gods to bring them in. 

For those of you that are waiting for the season to turn around maybe this is the time to get back on the water. Be optimistic and catch some fish. There might not be as many as last year or the year before, but there is fish about in the rivers if your on the water fishing them. 
So with a much better report than previous weeks for you, tight lines from the Miramichi River.