Unfortunately, most of the news this week is not the kind anglers like to hear.  Low water, warm water and closures are the main topics.  Due to lack of rain and warm water temperatures, DFO has had to close a number of cold-water pools to help protect the salmon and grilse. A list of closures […]

After a promising improvement mid last week, angling has dropped off considerably.  There are still fish being hooked along the system, but in no great concentrations.  Water levels are dropping and the water temperatures are creeping up, but we are far from a panic mode.  We do need some rain and cooler nights, but are […]

This week was a more positive one than many so far this season. Early in the week, there were better numbers of fish being reported through out the system. The Trapnet at Cassilis on the Northwest recorded 19 salmon and 21 grilse on Tuesday and 19 grilse and 13 salmon on Wednesday. The Millerton Trapnet saw 29 salmon and 30 grilse Tuesday and 40 salmon and 40 grilse on Wednesday. So this is as close to a “run” as we have had so far, and hope id that these numbers continue. The long hot spell had brought the water levels down to fishable along most of the rivers, but another good rain will soon be in order.

Dave Ingersoll and I had the pleasure of fishing with Sebastion Hope, a columnist with the London Financial Times and Serge Collin of Tourism NB this past Saturday. They were staying at Country Haven Lodge just below Blackville. We were fortunate to be in the very capable and knowledgeable hands of guide Gary Colford who was the icing on the cake of a good day. Sebastion caught a grilse and rolled a couple more. Dave lost a grilse and landed a nice 14-pound salmon and I lost a grilse. We also saw several more fish and thoroughly enjoyed the day and hospitality of Byron (Byzie) Coughlan and his staff.

The group also visited several local fly shops and enjoyed the chats with them and their customers. We also met a group of eight adventurous ladies who were staying and fishing at Ledges Inn in Doaktown. I recognized Hazel LeBlanc, wife of Paul LeBlanc who operates the two-story Orvis Shop in Montreal. Many will remember her and Paul from their annual visits to the Dieppe/Moncton Spring Fishing Forums. Mj from New Jersey was still on a high after landing an 18-pound salmon. (Her photo and fish are part of this week’s column). Mrs. Peter Clark was the group’s organizer, and all were enjoying their time on the river.

Let’s start with the positives. There certainly is no shortage of water, and there are new fish moving into the system in reasonable numbers, and anglers are seeing good numbers, even if they are not taking as well as we might like. However, there is sure a lot more excitement along the system, even if this is not “the run” we have been waiting and hoping for. Perhaps the last couple of years have spoiled us a bit.

The trapnets were up for a couple of days last week due to high water, but started fishing again on Sunday. Sunday there were 13 grilse and one salmon at Millerton, three grilse and two salmon Tuesday and nine grilse and five salmon on Wednesday. Generally the counts at Cassilis were about the same.

To date the cumulative counts at both these sites since the beginning of the season are as follows: At Cassilis, 19 salmon and 108 grilse, while Millerton had 75 salmon and 121 grilse. (See the charts near the end for comparisons)

The two key words this week are “slow” and “low”, and by the weather forecast, we might add “warm”. The traps nets at both Cassilis and Millerton were averaging less than five fish a day. There are small squirts of fish moving through, but in no great numbers. A few were seen jumping on the weekend in the city area. So, we are still in the waiting mode for the June run to begin. However, the fish go by their own calendars and they know water conditions a lot better than we do, so we have to trust them and be patient.

Anglers are starting to pick up a few more fish then last week and are also seeing more. However, there is no concentrated run as of yet. The counting trap at Cassilis on the Northwest was averaging a fish every other day, while Millerton on the Main Southwest was averaging about six a day. A positive is found in an email below about the Penobscot River in Maine.

Generally, angling was slow across the system, with a spattering of bright fish here and there, but no concentrated run. The weather from Sunday on has also been a contributing factor with few anglers out in the cold, windy, rainy and drizzly conditions. The one bright spot was the Juniper area of the Main Southwest, where the sea trout were providing good fishing.

A reminder that as of June 1, 2012, all angling above the Wayerton Bridge on the Northwest Miramichi, above the Square Forks on the Sevogle and above Catamaran Brook on the Little Southwest is catch and release. Hooks can be barbed, but check the regulations for clarification on some of the Crown Reserve Stretches where Hook and Release had been practiced for some time, and required barbless hooks.

As well, with these regulations, anglers are well advised to respect trespassing on private property without permission. Don’t assume you have the right to go where you please. Be courteous.

By Doug Underhill MIRAMICHI– It was a generally quiet week across the Miramichi system, with the exception of sea trout arriving in the juniper area.   Rain this week will bring the rivers up a bit, and it was needed on the Northwest, and several other tributaries.  With the full-moon tides this week, there should be […]

MIRAMICHI – There’s a great run on…..of Black Flies and Mosquitoes. That’s the bad news. Now for the good. The “bright season” is beginning to unfold. There are decent numbers of fresh sea trout and a smattering of bright salmon in the Miramichi system. Rain over Tuesday evening /Wednesday will freshen the rivers. W. W. […]

MIRAMICHI – With the rivers, streams, brooks, ponds and lakes now open, she’s full-tilt once the brights start to enter the system. Already there are reports of a few bright trout on the Northwest and Little Southwest Miramichi Rivers, but generally, angling has reached “in between seasons”.

W. W. Doak and Sons in Doaktown said the water was a bit high and cool, and more rain was expected earlier this week. The river was not quite wade-able, and the pools weren’t identifiable. Angling was generally slow as the spring salmon season was ending and the bright sea trout and salmon had not arrived yet. They felt that realistically, it was still a bit early for bright fish, but they expected sea trout by the end of this week or next. There were also a few fiddleheads being reported, but they should be in full swing next week.