Maine Fly Fish
Here is whats going on up north!
We had a couple of warm days over the weekend that made conditions better for canoeing and swimming than fishing, but still cool enough to keep the fish moving, as they continue to enter the system daily. As this week improved each day, the cold water pools were reopened again yesterday, making for some very happy fishermen along the river – especally those who depend more on their cold water fishing spots. Fishermen were picking up some fish yesterday at different locations on the Main River, Cains and Renous. All our anglers landed fish yesterday and at Black Brook they hooked 20 in the morning. The Upper stretch of the Main River and the Renous could use a good rain to freshen things up but the Cains is still in good shape due to the 40 ML of rain it received last week when other rivers received very little, if any. The pools on the Lower stretches of the Main River from Quarryville to the mouth of the Cains are still a bit high for holding fish as most fish are still moving with the good conditions this week. As August arrives and the water falls, we expect some of our better fishing will be in locations in the lower stretches of the river.
There is not a lot of rain in the forecast until after another warm weekend but it is looking like we will need rain by then. Conditions have always played a big part of Salmon fishing but over the past few years – with water rising and falling so quickly – due mostly to poor forestry practices – it seems conditions have become even more important than ever in how the fishing will be – so rain is never a bad thing when it comes to summer fishing.
Guests from around the world visit us almost daily from April 15th to Oct 15th and each season we meet so many interesting people from all walks of life. They tell different stories, different paths taken and different reasons as to why they have traveled from around the world to fish for what the great baseball player Ted Williams called “The Greatest Game fish of them All – the Wild Atlantic Salmon”. After 20 years in business and 40 years working with traveling fishermen, it never ceases to amaze us how important the Atlantic Salmon and the Miramichi River are to some people. Whether it’s the 50 year returning fishing veterans of the river who stand looking at the river upon returning each time – as if it’s their first visit – some being 70, 80 and 90 year olds’ whose eyes have never lost that excitement to finally be back on the Miramichi once again. No matter where they are from in the world, many say it’s like coming back home, or for first timers who may have traveled by train, plane or automobile to reach us – like recent guests Eugenia and her granddaughter Analiese Walker from Memphis, TN and Jackson, Mississippi – did this week. Eugenia said growing up in Memphis she was told – at a young age – that Elvis was the King of Rock & Roll and the Miramichi River was famous for the King of the Game Fish, the Wild Atlantic Salmon. Although Eugenia did not catch a salmon on her first visit, she witnessed her granddaughter who is a hunter and an angler with a southern drawl that most southerners would die for, with more determination than most seasoned fishermen can only wish for – at the early age of 10, catch her first Atlantic Salmon on her very first day on the River. Someone once said “dreams are fulfilled and memories are made on the Miramichi”.
With conditions now quite good again and fishermen enjoying catches let’s hope the weekend’s warmer weather forecast doesn’t hang around too long. The flies of choice this Week were the Peach Carter Bug Dry and #8 Undertaker, White Tail Green Machine on the Upper river pools and on the Lower River pools , #6 and #8 Green Butt Bear Hair.
In this coming week we are happy to be working with the MVHS Fly Fishing Club – along with others – in hosting the ASCSN 2019 Fishing trip with 21 students from Canada, the USA and Scotland participating, to enjoy the Miramichi and all it has to offer. We hope they have a great time fishing our waters and visiting the Miramichi.
“Tight lines” and “Happy Fishing”.
Byron
