Miramichi Fishing Report for Week of August 11, 2016

Warm weather and lack of rain have kept the salmon cold-water pools closed and pretty much the same for all other river stretches where salmon are involved. We need rain and lots of it for angling to get back to normal.

Although fishing is extremely slow and very few fish moving, one gentleman I talked to this week claimed there was a great run of salmon on, and he knew it for a fact. He said two salmon were pounding on his front door, begging for a drink or water so they could head up river.

CLOSURES: Salmon angling on the Miramichi River
Moncton – July 25, 2016 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada wishes to inform the public that the following 25 salmon fishing pools will be closed to angling for all species of fish, for cause of high water temperature and low water levels. These changes are effective as of Tuesday, July 26, 2016:

Confluence of Wildcat Brook and Northwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Wildcat Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth;
Confluence of Trout Brook and Northwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Trout Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth;
Confluence of Harris Brook and the Little Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Harris Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth;
Confluence of Parks Brook and the Little Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Parks Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth;
Confluence of Gray Rapids Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Gray Rapids upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to Route 118, an area locally known as Pete’s Brook;
Confluence of Hudson Brook and the Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Hudson Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth;
Confluence of the Bartholomew River and the Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of the Bartholomew River upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to the Highway # 8 bridge;
Confluence of Mersereau Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Mersereau Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth;
Confluence of Morse Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Morse Brook upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to Howard Road;
Confluence of McKenzie Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of McKenzie Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth;
Confluence of Black Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Black Brook upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to South Cains River Road;
Confluence of Donnelly Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Donnelly Brook upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to the South Road Bridge;
Confluence of Mill Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Mill Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth.
Confluence of Big Hole Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Big Hole Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth;
Confluence of Betts Mills Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Betts Mills Brook upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to Highway # 8;
Confluence of Porcupine Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Porcupine Brook upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to Story Town Road;
Waters of the Renous River surrounding the pump house located at N 46.86483, W 65.67698 (WGS 84);
Confluence of Butty’s Brook and Renous River, and the waters of Butty’s Brook from its confluence with the Renous River to South Renous Road, an area locally known as Duffy’s Brook;
Confluence of Otter Brook and Cains River, including the waters of Otter Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth. An area locally known as Brophy’s Place;
Confluence of Cold Brook and Cains River, including the waters of Cold Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth;
Confluence of Salmon Brook and Cains River, including the waters of Salmon Brook upstream from its confluence with the Cains River to South Cains River Road;
Confluence of Muzroll Brook and Cains River, including the waters of Muzroll Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth;
Confluence of Six Mile Brook and Cains River, including the waters of Six Mile Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth;
Confluence of Doak Brook and Southwest Miramichi River in Doaktown, including the waters of Doak Brook 50 m upstream of its mouth;
Confluence of Pat’s Brook and Northwest Miramichi River in Wayerton, including the waters of Pat’s Brook 50 m upstream from its mouth.

Please note that the following salmon pools will remain closed until December 31, 2016:

Confluence of Sutherland Brook and Northwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Sutherland Brook upstream to the Highway 420;
Waters of the Southwest Miramichi River in Quarryville, 300 m upstream and 300 m downstream of the Quarryville Bridge, including Indian Town Brook from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River, upstream to Highway 108 bridge;
Confluence of Wilson Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Wilson Brook 100 m upstream of its mouth, an area locally known as the Bear Den;

To report any suspicious fishing activity, please contact the nearest Conservation and Protection detachment in the Gulf Region or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

For more information on this fishery, please contact:
Frédéric Butruille, A/Senior Advisor, Recreational Fisheries, Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Gulf Region, Moncton, NB
506- 851-7358

Doug White’s Tammerack Sports Fly Shop in Juniper said angling was about the same as last week, only less. The river is very low and warm without any relief in sight. He hadn’t heard of anyone even venturing out this week. Sorry about the doom and gloom but everything depends on the weather now.

More Flies of HOPE to conclude White’s special series of patterns: The Hurricane and The Drencher. (Maybe he can be persuaded to tie all six of this group to be purchased as gift sets.)

W. W. Doak and Sons in Doaktown said angling has been quiet this week, but cooler nights at least have some fish moving around, with a few taking early in the morning, before the water warms. Generally, the water is low. One camp reported good fishing, but it seemed the exception.

Flies of choice were Bombers (No. 6 hooks) and small wets such as Same-Thing-Murrays, Undertakers and Bear Hairs on nos. 8 & 10 hooks.

Derek Munn of Ledges Inn in Doaktown and Mountain Channel in the Rapids area said angling was slow and the water low, but they were picking up an odd fish, maybe one or two a day, and a few fresh fish, but it slowed as this week progressed. Water temperatures were better this week than last, especially in the early mornings.

Flies of choice were Bombers on nos. 6 & 8 hooks, and small wet flies such as White-tailed Green Machines and Shady Ladies on nos. 8 & 10 hooks.

Herb Barry Sr. of Herb’s Fly Shop on the Station Road in Blackville said fishing was very quiet with no fish around and low and warm water. A good rain is badly needed. He suggested people go on a “veggie” diet

Flies of choice were Bombers, Killer Whiskers and small dark wet flies on no. 8 hooks.

Curtis Miramichi River Outfitting in Blackville said angling was very quiet and the water very low, especially on the Cains River. Water temperatures were better this week in the early mornings, but once the day got on they heated up quickly. Generally, there was not a lot of fish movement.

Flies of choice were Carter’s Bugs and Bombers (no. 6 hooks) and White-tailed Green Machines on no. 10 hooks.

Jim Laws of Miramichi Hunting and Fishing in Newcastle, Miramichi reported angling as very quiet with low and warm water, and not very many anglers even out. Even with better early morning temperatures, the water heated quickly as the day went on.

Flies of choice were Bombers and very small dark flies.

Syd Matchett of Trout Brook Fly Shop on the Northwest Miramichi said a good day’s rain was badly needed as the water was very low and warm. There was hardly anyone on the rivers. There were fish in some pools, but one had to try them very early or it was a waste of time. Some Crown Reserve parties were beginning to cancel.

Flies of choice were Bombers (no. 6 hooks) and small dark flies such as Shady Ladies, darker Green Machines, Undertakers and Bear Hairs on no. 8 hooks.

Debbie Norton of Upper Oxbow Outdoor Adventures on the Little Southwest Miramichi said last week was slow, but they did scare up three fish with the military group, and one angler from Pennsylvania also hooked three. However, this week they had no one fishing as the water was very low and warm, even though temperatures were better this week. A good rain is needed badly.

Flies of choice were Bear Hairs with purple butts and no. 10 Butterflies.

So pray for rain both for the fish and the anglers, and then we can get back “on the water”.

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Thought for the Week:
“What do fighters and fishermen have in common?”
“Both attempt to land a hook in the jaw”
The World’s Best Fishing Jokes

Atlantic Salmon Federation News for Friday, August 5, 2016

ASF RIVERNOTES at the Height of Summer
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We have passed into August, and information from the end of July is now available that makes interesting reading. Also, we have some great photos to check out.
http://asf.ca/asf-rivernotes-aug-5-2016.html

Restigouche Salmon Swims 2,000KM in 90 days
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ASF Biologist Graham Chafe shares information on a “pop-off” satellite tag that was attached to a Restigouche salmon on May 2 – and was transmitting Monday off Greenland. A great story.
http://asf.ca/research-in-the-field.html

More Concerns with Grieg Project in NL’s Placentia Bay
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Newfoundland’s Federation of Agriculture is yet another organization raising concerns about the massive Placentia Bay salmon farm project.
http://asf.ca/more-concerns-about-grieg-aquaculture-project.html

€1.7M for Irish Researchers of Farmed – Wild Salmon Interactions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Researchers based at University College Cork have received a major grant to implement new approaches to studying the interaction of salmon farm escapees with wild Atlantic salmon.
http://asf.ca/-1-7m-for-irish-research-into-wild-farmed-salmon-interactio.html

Salmon Stream Brought Back from Oblivion in NL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is now interest in having Corner Brook Stream designated a Scheduled Salmon River. Conservation efforts have now resulted in 139 salmon passing through the counting facility so far this year.
http://asf.ca/spawn-wants-corner-brook-stream-a-scheduled-river.html

Medieval Water Power Started Salmon Decline in Europe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A new study has concluded that the development of mills in the Middle Ages played an important role in declining salmon runs.
http://asf.ca/medieval-water-power-started-salmon-decline.html

Anyone wishing to report suspicious fishing activity anonymously is asked to contact the nearest Fisheries and Oceans Canada office or to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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Until next week
TIGHT LINES
DOUG