Miramichi Fishing Report for Thursday, August 3, 2017
COLD-WATER POOL CLOSURES:
Hi,
This message is to inform you that as of Thursday August 3, 26 additional cold water pools will be closed to fishing on the Miramichi River system. A variation order was just issued today to this effect, and a notice to anglers will be published tomorrow morning on the regional DFO Internet at http://www.inter.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Gulf/FAM/Recreational-Fisheries (under the ‘salmon’ headline).
Please note that one additional pool was included to the list of 26 pools closed under such circumstances, following the completion of cold water habitat improvement at these two locations:
• Confluence of Otter Brook and Little southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Otter Brook 50 upstream from its mouth.
Thanks for your support, and for passing the message to your contacts.
Bonjour,
Ce message est pour vous informer qu’à compter de jeudi le 3 août, 26 fosses à saumon additionnelles seront fermées à la pêche dans le système de la rivière Miramichi. Une ordonnance de modification vient d’être émise aujourd’hui à cet effet (voir attachement), et un avis aux pêcheurs récréatifs sera publié demain matin sur le site Internet régional du MPO à http://www.inter.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Golfe/GPA/Peches-recreatives (sous le titre ‘saumon’).
Veuillez noter qu’une fosse additionnelle a été incluse à la liste des 25 fosses habituellement fermées dans ces circonstances, suite à la complétion de travaux d’amélioration de l’habitat froid à ces deux endroits :
• Confluence du ruisseau Otter et de la rivière Petite Miramichi Sud-Ouest, incluant les eaux du ruisseau Otter jusqu’à 50 m en amont de son embouchure.
Merci de votre support, et merci de passer ce message à vos contacts.
Cécile Lavoie
A/Senior Advisor, Resource Management (Groundfish)
Fisheries and Oceans Canada / Government of Canada
/ Tel: 506-851-2033 / Fax: 506-851-7732
Conseillère principale p.i., Gestion de la ressource (poisson de fond)
Pêches et Océans Canada / Gouvernement du Canada
/ Tél: 506-851-2033 / Fax: 506-851-7732
From our archives: David Bishop from Cascapedia Quebec with one of 3 salmon he hooked
MIRAMICHI – Fishing has been “hot and cold”. It has been hot in the mornings when the temperatures have been cold, and cold in the afternoons/evenings when the temperatures are hot. How is that for a mixed review?
Generally the water is getting quite low and warm, especially as it rises during the day. There are some fish around, but with the warm and low conditions, they are not taking well. Flies are either bombers or small darker flies on nos. 8 & 10 hooks.
If anyone knows a good rain-dance, please do it!
W. W. Doak and Sons in Doaktown said fishing improved last week with cooler temperatures, particularly during the night. Cooler mornings were producing the best with temps averaging mid 60S Fahrenheit, but afternoons were up to mid 70s. The further up-river you go, generally the better the fishing.
Flies of choice were dry flies, bombers and bus and small dark wets in nos. 8 & 10.
Andrew Anthony of Ledges Inn in Doaktown and Mountain Channel in the Rapids area said last week with cooler temperatures, Mountain Channel had probably its best fishing this year, but the water levels in Doaktown were getting desperately low, with a good day’s rain badly needed. They did catch two grilse at Ledges Wednesday morning. The only saving grace this week is the cooler nights.
Flies of choice were Blue Bombers on no.8 hooks, and Christmas Trees and Black Bugs with white tails on no. 10 hooks in wet flies.
Herb Barry Sr. of Herb’s Fly Shop on the Station Road in Blackville said angling was very quiet with very few anglers out. They were seeing fish, but they were not taking well in the low and warm water. He did not see much changing until we get a good soaking rain.
Flies of choice were bombers and dry flies, if you didn’t catch the fish when they were walking up river.
Curtis Miramichi River Outfitting in Blackville said there were some fresh fish late last week, but this week is spotty catching, although they were seeing some. With low and warm water fish were not taking.
Flies of choice were Blue Smurfs, Green Smurfs, White-tailed Green Machines, Bear Hairs and Undertakers. On nos. 8 & 10 hooks.
Jim Laws of Miramichi Hunting and Fishing in Newcastle, Miramichi reported quiet angling with few anglers out and only an odd fish being hooked here and there. The water was low and warm and in need of a good drenching.
Flies of choice were dry flies and bombers along with small dark wets in nos. 8 & 10.
Syd Matchett of Trout Brook Fly Shop on the Northwest Miramichi said there was an odd fish being hooked. One angler from England hooked one on Monday and one Tuesday. But there were few other reports. The only saving grace is the cooler night temperatures as the water is desperate low and warms quickly when the sun hits the water and rocks.
If you are considering fishing the Northwest, it is best to check with Syd to find out which day to come as the river is so low it is only running every second day. Syd has also taken a break from his fly-tying as he is working on designing small wheels to be put on salmon bellies so they can roll up over the rocks on their way to the headwaters.
Flies of choice were Green-butt Bear Hairs and Brown Bombers.
Debbie Norton of Upper Oxbow Outdoor Adventures on the Little Southwest Miramichi said they were catching a few fish here and there. Paul Sonier of California caught a 14-pound salmon and there were a few others with a grilse. Most of the fish were on the dark side from having been in the system for a while. Cooler nights were helping the morning temperatures, but a good day of rain is needed. Over all, considering how hot it is, one would have to say that fishing is OK.
Norton said the MSA and other groups are doing electro-seining and still working on eradicating small mouth bass from Miramichi Lake.
Flies of choice were Butterflies, White-tailed Green Machines and Black Ghosts on nos. 8 & 10 hooks.
So pray for rain and cooler temperatures so we can get back “on the water”.
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Thought for the Week: “One thing becomes clearer as one gets older and one’s fishing experiences increases, and that is the paramount importance of fishing companions.” – John Ashley Cooper
Bryant Freeman: ALL THINGS FISHING by Doug Underhill
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or from Doug Underhill
438 McKinnon Road
Miramichi, NB
E1V 6G2
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Shipping to Canada $25.00 (Incl shipping & handling)
To US $30.00 (incl shipping & handling)
The Coalition for Better Salmon Management (CBSM) now has a website at salmonnb.com, which has been expanded and updated. It already has a membership over 1,000 and is a major voice for salmon conservation here in New Brunswick.
Email:
Cumulative counts to date of salmon as of July 31
* indicates fewer than 5 years are available to calculate the mean.
N/A indicates that no values exist for that year, date of operation may vary from year to year.
Cumulative counts to date of grilse as of July 31
* indicates fewer than 5 years are available to calculate the mean.
N/A indicates that no values exist for that year, date of operation may vary from year to year.
SALMONID INVENTORY AT CONTAINMENT/COUNTING FENCE SITES
Department of Natural Resources
Drainage: Northwest Miramichi
Barrier/fence: Northwest Miramichi Barrier
Trap Installed: 2-Jun-17
Upper Barrier Installed: 2-Jun-17
Week of: July 24, 2017 to July 30, 2017
NUMBER OF SALMONIDS REACHING POOL
| Grilse (to 63cm) |
Small Salmon (64-84cm) | Large Salmon (>85cm) | Total Small & Large Salmon | All Atlantic Salmon | Brook Trout | |
| Cumulative Total from Previous Weeks |
67 | 55 | 32 | 87 | 154 | 636 |
| Monday July 24 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Tuesday July 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wednesday July 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Thursday July 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Friday July 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Saturday July 29 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Sunday July 30 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 0 |
| Total to Date | 82 | 60 | 38 | 98 | 180 | 636 |
| Previous Year | 168 | 49 | 21 | 70 | 238 | 311 |
SALMONID INVENTORY AT CONTAINMENT/COUNTING FENCE SITES
Department of Natural Resources
Drainage: Dungarvon River
Barrier/fence: Frying Pan Pool
Trap Installed: 31-May-17
Upper Barrier Installed: 30-May-17
Week of: July 24, 2017 to July 30, 2017
NUMBER OF SALMONIDS REACHING POOL
| Grilse (to 63cm) |
Small Salmon (64-84cm) | Large Salmon (>85cm) | Total Small & Large Salmon | All Atlantic Salmon | Brook Trout | |
| Cumulative Total from Previous Weeks |
75 | 53 | 60 | 113 | 188 | 19 |
| Monday July 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Tuesday July 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Wednesday July 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Thursday July 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Friday July 28 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Saturday July 29 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Sunday July 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total to Date | 82 | 55 | 62 | 117 | 199 | 22 |
| Previous Year | 109 | 30 | 61 | 91 | 200 | 37 |
Atlantic Salmon Federation News
Fri., July 28, 2017
Court Orders Assessment of Massive NL Salmon Aquaculture Project
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Atlantic Salmon Federation has successfully challenged a decision by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador that allowed the proposed Placentia Bay aquaculture project to go ahead without any environmental assessment. Links below include ASF’s press release, where you can download the judge’s decision, and some of the subsequent news coverage.
http://asf.ca/court-orders-assessment-of-massive-nl-aquaculture-project.html
Justice Gillian Butler handed down her decision and it immediately received media coverage from coast to coast.
http://asf.ca/judge-orders-further-environmental-assessment-of-proposed-p.html
National Post
http://asf.ca/newfoundland-supreme-court-orders-assessment-for-major-aqua.html
NTV (with Video)
http://asf.ca/court-orders-more-environmental-review-of-placentia-bay-pro.html
A strong editorial explaining why a FULL environmental assessment was needed appeared in The St. John’s Telegram.
http://asf.ca/sound-judgment-says-telegram-editorial.html
The NL Gov’t position at this moment.
http://asf.ca/government-will-review-supreme-court-order-on-250m-placenti.html
ASF RIVERNOTES has the very latest on returns plus possible NL changes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Great photos from Gaspé, thanks to Ben Carmichael, who was recently on the Ste-Anne River, give an added dimension to this week’s RIVERNOTES. DFO Science has also made public its advice for the rivers of Labrador and Newfoundland.
http://asf.ca/asf-rivernotes-july-28-2017.html
ASF’s Neville Crabbe sets record straight in Newfoundland letter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With DFO considering an end to the retention of Atlantic salmon by anglers for the rest of 2017, misconceptions are in the air. Neville Crabbe, ASF Director of Communications, sets the record straight.
http://asf.ca/forget-alternative-facts-and-stick-to-the-truth.html
On BBC Radio 4 at Noon, Atlantic Time, ASF’s Bill Taylor Pays Tribute to Orri Vigfússon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BBC4’s Program Last Word, broadcasting today at 1600 British time, noon Atlantic time, gives a perspective on Orri Vigfússon, who recently passed away.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qpmv
The program will soon afterward be available as a podcast.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08yrs07
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To keep track of breaking news on wild Atlantic salmon, use the Atlantic Salmon Federation’s presence on Facebook. Log in, search for Atlantic Salmon Federation, and click “like”.
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
Until next week
TIGHT LINES
DOUG
Giv’er Miramichi is about “What’s up, what’s new, what’s happening”. We are focused on building people up, supporting one another and celebrating our successes.