Saturday October 16th, 2021 River Report.
   It is a cloudy , wet, cool morning here on the Miramichi. Today is the first day of what I often refer to as the Off Season. Yesterday was the last day of the angling season and for most of us I think we would have liked to see another week or two of angling. 
   I often find it difficult writing reports as not everyone has the same angling experiences and depending where you are angling it can determine the success of your experience. So my reports generally focus on the lower section of the Main Southwest Miramichi and its tributaries.
  If I were to sum this season up I would say reports from most guides and outfitters that I talked to commented that it was one of the best seasons in years. We had a good early start. It slowed in August and picked up again around mid September.  We didn't seem to get a large Fall run but there was a trickle of salmon moving upriver and for some anglers they had reasonably good Fall fishing while others had to fish hard to get a hookup.
   Many anglers here on the lower section of the river often comment that our Fall runs are coming in later. Some thoughts are that the Fall runs are coming earlier. This is something that would be nice to have more accurate information on. Maybe angling on the lower section of the river could be extended another week or two. I guess it would be nice to have more accurate research on this topic.
    I feel it important that I give recognition to our conservation groups like the Atlantic Salmon Federation and Miramichi Salmon Association for all the great work they have been doing here on the Miramichi. To often we forget these folks and the importance they play in protecting our precious salmon resource. As a stakeholder in the industry I am very grateful for what they do.
   This will probably be my last post unless something of interest comes up that I want to post on. So, on behalf of Cathy, Norma and I, thank you once again for supporting our tackle shop. We really appreciate your business and also enjoy the friendships we make with our customers. Just send an email or leave a message if there is anything we can help you with during the Off Season. Be safe, and the best of health to you in the off season. Thanks again.

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   Monday October 11th, 2021 River Report.
   Our angling season is winding down here on the Miramichi and I know a few of us are wishing it could be a bit longer. The colors are almost at their peak, river levels are nice for angling, beautiful days, and for those of us who have been spending time on our rivers we certainly will be missing chasing salmon on our favorite streams. I have been hearing from anglers who have been fishing the Renous, Dungarvon, Cains and Miramichi and have been picking up salmon. We still have a few days left, it will be interesting if a large Fall run will start coming in before the end of season.
​  The photos on the top left slideshow are of a few locations and objects I found interesting while angling on the Renous and Dungarvon over the past week or so. One area on the Renous was like a green carpet floor in the forest. The other one that was interesting was the turtle. I don't normally see these this time of year.
   For those who are still angling, enjoy the last few days. Good luck and enjoy the rivers.

​Tuesday October 5th, 2021 River Report.
    A beautiful week so far here on the Miramichi. Cool evenings and nice temperatures during the day. The picture on the right was taken this morning. Always nice to see the early morning fog lifting off the water.
  River levels are dropping and angling will only get better. A few salmon are being hooked and some feel a Fall run is coming in. 
    Colors are improving each day along our rivers. We still have a lot of trees that are quite green so we can enjoy the changes for some time yet. A great time of year to be salmon fishing. Enjoy and be safe.

​Friday October 1st, 2021 River Report.
   Just a quick report going into the weekend. River levels are dropping but the lower section of the Miramichi here in the Blackville area remains high. The tributaries though are a bit more favorable for angling. I was on the Dungarvon today and it was fishable if you are careful. I am hearing the same thing in regards to the Renous and the Cains. It is tough fishing but the odd salmon is being hooked. My friend saw a salmon jump below the Furlong Bridge on the Dungarvon yesterday. Other reports of seeing salmon on the Cains have been coming in. 
      Each day the rivers drop a bit more so hopefully angling will pick up soon. Enjoy the Fall fishing. Be careful. I will report when I hear more. (I am having trouble posting photos to my website so cain't show the changes on the river. Our internet here is ridiculously slow. Hope to get something up soon).

Tuesday September 28th, 2021 River Report.
  Fall is certainly in the air here this week in Salmon Country. Compared to last week the forecast is showing quite a change. The day and evening temperatures are cooling down quite a bit. Colors along our rivers are changing daily now and this is a beautiful time of year to be angling on the Miramichi.
   Angling continues to be slow. We picked up a few salmon last week on the Renous and the Miramichi produced a few salmon but no major Fall runs yet. It seems there is a trickle of fresh salmon coming in but not large numbers. We tend to see better numbers in October anyway. I spent a lot of time last week on the upper stretches of the Bartholomew, Dungarvon, and Renous. Water levels were perfect at that time and there is no doubt in my mind most of our salmon have moved into their spawning areas.
  The top picture on the left was taken yesterday on the Dungarvon. Sundays rain really brought our rivers up and once again will slow things down for a few days. Most of the high waters levels all season saw salmon jumping off the shore so, if we get fresh runs coming in this week that will probably happen again. Quite a few anglers are here on the Miramichi enjoying the Fall fishing. We should hear more over the next few days.
  The second picture down from the top on the left was taken at the Narrows on the Renous. The third picture down on the left was taken at the Falls on the Bartholomew. These are just a few examples of the scenery on the upper stretches of these rivers.  Enjoy the fishing, be safe! I will post when I hear more.


​Sunday September 19th, 2021 River Report.
  River levels continue to be high and not the greatest for wading. I was on the Dungarvon and Renous yesterday and both are quite high for wading. You can fish but crossing back and forth along the river is a bit tricky. We couldn't ask for a better forecast for the upcoming week. It is going to be nice angling with the warm day temperatures and no rain in the forecast. I expect by Wednesday river levels will be much better for wading.
    Just a reminder that this week is the annual moose hunt in N. B and you should have hunters orange if you are angling in the backcountry or outside no hunting posted areas.
     When you look at our rivers right now it is obvious conditions are on the salmon side and they are moving upstream to spawning areas. We generally have a group of hard core salmon fisherman here on the Miramichi in the Fall and this year is no exception. This is home to most of these guys in the Fall season. They are here for weeks and for some months. I have been seeing a few familiar faces around the tackle shop for a couple of weeks now. Quite a few of these anglers are from out of province and country. They aren't just here to enjoy the weather. Most of these anglers are watching the river conditions and spending tremendous amounts of time trying to hook into salmon. There is no doubt in my mind we will soon start hearing of more hook ups and large salmon being caught. 
      This is a great time to be on the Miramichi. Each day you can see a change in the Fall colors and the Fall salmon runs start picking up. I like to spend this week at my cabin so will be away for the week and will not be posting any reports. Get out and enjoy. Hope to see you on the river. Be safe!

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Tuesday September 14th, 2021 River Report.
   The pictures in the top left slideshow are from late Sunday afternoon and as the sun was setting in the evening. The Dungarvon was in great shape. I expect a few salmon were moving upstream in these conditions. My time on the river was very short and I didn't hook into anything. Really hated to leave though as you could tell salmon would be moving. Tomorrow is the last day this stretch of the Dungarvon will be open for angling. It closes above the Furlong bridge after the 15th.
    We are hearing of the odd salmon being hooked on the Miramichi and the Cains. One angler spoke of hooking a bright salmon with sea lice on it. Others are commenting on hooking salmon that are darker in color. These are probably fish that have been in the river from earlier in the season.
   The rivers are dropping and a few salmon are being hooked and angling can only get better. As water levels drop we will probably start hearing more on the Fall runs.
   The weather forecast is calling for another 5mm of rain tomorrow. This shouldn't impact the rivers much. Good weather is in the forecast later in the week and those nice Fall days are coming. A great time of year to be salmon fishing. Enjoy and be safe.

Sunday September 12th, 2021 River Report.
   The high water conditions we are experiencing right now on our rivers is a bit frustrating for those wanting to wade and get some angling in but, looking at the positive side of it we should have good Fall fishing for the rest of the season. It isn't great right now on the lower section of the river here in the Blackville area for wading. The river is just to high. We have been hearing of boats floating down the river because of the high water levels. Generally folks along the river try to rescue these boats and find their owners. Hopefully all gets returned to their owners.     We are seeing more of our friends from south of the border in the last few days arrive to enjoy the Fall fishing here on the Miramichi. Others from various provinces across Canada are also starting to arrive. The high water conditions we are experiencing should start to drop soon and then we can get a better reading on how good the angling will be. Normally as the river starts to drop after a raise like we have it can be quite good fishing.                 
   Because of the river conditions we still don't know if our Fall runs have started coming in yet. So the wait continues. Fall angling season is upon us though. the days are getting shorter, evenings are much cooler, the odd maple is showing color, and another indicator is the hummingbirds have disappeared in this area. I am sure the Fall salmon runs will start soon. We will post when we hear of any changes. Be safe.


​Wednesday September 8th, 2021 River Report.
   I was at my cabin yesterday on the Renous and couldn't help to notice how good of shape the Dungarvon and Renous rivers are in. Both rivers are at a good level and water temperatures are cool and not a concern now at all. The story is the same on the Main Southwest Miramichi.       We have been hearing from some anglers at the tackle shop who are landing salmon but it seems to have slowed down in the last day or so. That doesn't mean the angling is poor it just isn't maybe as good as it was.
    The forecast is showing significant rainfall starting tomorrow afternoon into Friday. That will raise our rivers again and possibly bring in some fresh salmon. The wait is on now for fresh Fall salmon runs to start. We also seem to be back into a weekly cycle of rain again and that will keep our rivers in good shape for the Fall salmon returns. More anglers are getting back on the river and we should hear more in the next few days. I will report as I hear more. Enjoy the rivers and be safe.

​ Sunday September 5th, 2021 River Report.
   I provided a few pictures to show river levels before and after this weeks rain. The first picture of the boat ramp here in the park in Blackville was taken Thursday morning just as a few drops of rain was starting. The second picture of the boat ramp was taken yesterday morning. The third picture is looking down the Bartholomew River from the park in Blackville towards the mouth where it flows into the Miramichi.
   River levels have crested and are probably dropping since yesterday morning. The boat in the picture is mine. I really hated to take it out but thought it best as the water was a good height and I was able to motor right up to the ramp. While loading the boat on the trailer a salmon jumped about 20' off shore. You can only imagine the decision I had to make at that time. After some thought I decided to continue with my original plans. I generally spend more time at my camp on the Renous in the Fall and like fishing the backcountry so decided it best to finish loading the boat and put it in storage.
   River levels are nice and there is no doubt we will have some good Fall fishing in the future. I will report as I hear more.

​ Enjoy the river and be safe.Tuesday August 31st, 2021 River Report.
   Just a quick note that angling on the Miramichi watershed is completely open. All cold water pools are now open and things are back to normal. The forecast is showing cooler days and evenings which will end the warm water protocols for this season.
   We have been getting reports of salmon showing along the river but due to closures we don't know how well the salmon are taking. Getting anglers back on the river will give us a better indicator of conditions and also discourage poaching. Looking forward to seeing everyone again and hearing your angling stories. Enjoy and be safe!

​Monday August 30th, 2021 River Report.
   I was away on the weekend so just getting a chance to comment on river conditions. It started raining overnight and has been raining here in the Blackville area most of the day but really hard between 3:30 PM and 5:00 PM. We can use the rain. Water levels have dropped and a good soaking would help a lot. I measured water temperatures this morning around 10:00 and my thermometer was showing 67F - 68F. These are the kind of temperatures we were expecting now that the cooler days and evenings are upon us. The forecast is for cooler days and evenings this week so a further drop in temperatures can be expected. 
    The rivers are now open for angling again but the cold water pools are still closed. That should change soon. I had an interesting conversation with an older gentleman today regarding dog days and all the attention now on the river during this time of the summer. He was commenting how years ago the outfits and salmon fisherman didn't fish during this time of the season. It was just something you didn't do. Now days we have warm water protocols and all kinds of attention on the rivers when they warm up. He understands how we have global warming but said that the rivers always warmed up in August but it was just common practice to put the rods up until late august and early September. I personally remember those days. My parents didn't want me around the river during dog days. They always said to wait for things to cool down. This practice is still followed by locals and the older generation of salmon anglers. There are many habits among salmon anglers and this is one that nature seemed to take its course with. 
   Fall fishing is just around the corner. You can see the early signs of Fall now as the odd Maple is turning color in some areas especially those on the edge of wetlands.  I will post as things change. Enjoy and  be safe!

​Thursday August 26th, 2021 River Report.
  I took the two pictures in the slideshow to the left yesterday afternoon at the park here in Blackville. As you can see the river is at a nice height for fishing. We generally see a raise in river levels here on the lower section 12 hours after a rain. When river levels are flowing along the edge of the grass on the shore it is a good sign.  Quite a few reports came in yesterday of seeing salmon jumping along the river. Salmon may be on the move.
   While taking the pictures I set my thermometer in the water to get a reading. Mind you it was on the edge of the shore in 3" of water. The thermometer showed 74F. It was warm yesterday afternoon and the forecast is for warmer temperatures today. I expect it may warm up more but with the cooler run off it may hold pretty good. The good news is temperatures are changing tomorrow and it will be much cooler during the coming days and even more so in the evenings. It doesn't take long when temperatures are in the low 20's and 10C at night to change river temperatures. With luck we may see things opening on the weekend. I know of a lot of anglers who are hoping to see the river open soon. Lets hope for good news on that in the near future. Be safe.

​Tuesday August 24th, 2021 River Report.
   While at the river today to bail my boat out I took a couple of pictures. As you can see the river is low now and the rain we got last night and today will be a big help. Most of our boats were up on the shore as the river dropped quite a bit in the last two weeks. The first picture is looking up the Bartholomew from the Miramichi. The second is looking downriver. You can see the boat on the shore. The third picture I took on the Dungarvon this past Saturday.
   The water temperatures surprised me as my thermometer was showing 73F. So the river temperatures have dropped. We probably won't see a raise in river levels until tomorrow. Not sure how much rain we did get in total but I had a good amount in my boat and it rained again this afternoon. 
   The forecast is showing warm weather for tomorrow and Thursday and a change coming Friday. Going into the weekend will be much cooler and most anglers I am talking to are hoping to see the rivers open for angling soon. We really need to get anglers back on the river again as the level of poaching is increasing. Salmon are laying in cold water pools at the mouths of brooks and are very easy to poach using spin gear and gill nets. We have been hearing of poaching happening over the past couple of years and this year it seems to have increased quite a bit. This culture of poaching once started is very hard to stop. I always felt anglers on the river was one of the best ways to help keep it controlled.
  Looking forward to cooler weather. This humid heat wave is getting a bit old. I will report when I hear more.

​ Friday August 20th, 2021 River Report.
  I just saw on the MSA website that DFO will be shutting down the Miramichi watershed for all angling starting tomorrow. Although the weather is showing lower temperatures in the forecast tonight and going into next week they feel the salmon are under enough stress and it is better to let them rest until water temperatures return to normal. I will post when I hear more.
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   Wednesday August 18th, 2021 River Report.
  Temperatures continue to be warm here in the Miramichi Valley and water temperatures are not reaching levels yet to lift warm water protocols. Today DFO made notice that they will be adding no fishing between 11:00AM to 6:00AM. This is normal practice for this time of year. The forecast is showing warm temperatures until the weekend and then we are looking at cooler temperatures next week.
   Ideally cooler temperatures and more rain would help open things up again. We are looking at that possibly happening next week. Still getting reports from canoers and customers coming into the tackle shop of seeing salmon jumping here in the lower section of the river.
   Yesterday our conservation groups applied rotenone to the area around Miramichi Lake and a section of the river that Smallmouth Bass are in. This is a huge effort by our conservation groups in a remote area that is very difficult to work in. Hats off to the folks up there. We haven't been seeing our friends from these conservation groups this summer at all as the resources it has been taking to make this effort possible is huge. You guys deserve a medal for making this happen. Looking forward to seeing you soon.
    I will report as I hear more. Be safe.

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Saturday August 14th, 2021 River Report.
  The pictures in the top left slideshow were taken yesterday on the Dungarvon at Red Pine Landing and upriver and downriver from Mitchell Brook. With brook closures throughout the watershed I was curious to see how the Dungarvon was looking. We were able to make it into Mitchell Brook on the ATV's. This heat wave is not comfortable for angling or doing much of anything. As you can see from the pictures we can use rain but I am surprised at how good of shape this river is in. We also noticed the wet areas and brooks had a good flow. They are holding well and if this heatwave ends soon some of our rivers may be fishable within a short time.
    We certainly need rain and a good amount but I have seen it much drier and lower for this time of year. Very little rain is in the forecast. It seems our weekly cycle of rain has ended and our typical dog days are upon us for this time of year. The temperatures are dropping tomorrow and the humidity with it. It will still continue to be warm though for the next week or so. It is looking like another week will pass before we see cooler evenings and day temperatures. 
      I have been meeting quite a few salmon fisherman from south of the border in the last few days. It is great to see the old familiar faces we have missed since covid started. You have to take your hat off to these guys who chose to be here on the Miramichi regardless of the heatwave and brook closures. I often mention the small salmon fishing community we belong to and this is an example of the dedication and the lure that brings us to the Miramichi. Glad to have you folks back on the banks of the Miramichi. Enjoy! I will report when I hear of any changes.

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    Thursday August 12th, 2021 River Report.
  This heat wave has really warmed the Miramichi river system up in the last few days. DFO has put warm water protocol in place for various brooks and sections of our rivers. These locations will be closed until water temperatures drop again. Check the DFO website to find the specific locations. In the mean time be safe in this heat wave. I will report when I hear more.

​Monday August 9th, 2021 River Report.
  Top priority for the salmon angling community along the Miramichi today is seeing our friends from south of the border. Hopefully all will go well and there will be no problems at the border.  I am sure some of the early travelers will get it figured out and be able to pass on any help to make things easier for those to follow. Really looking forward to seeing you folks.
  I have been running into some problems posting pictures on my website lately so be patient until I can get that figured out. The two top pictures were taken Saturday morning at the mouth of Bartholomew here in Blackville. Fridays rain did bring the river up a couple of inches and it is holding quite well for this time of year. Temperatures are starting to raise though and for some pools it is slowing the number of hookups. This is not the case everywhere as some pools are producing quite well for this time of year. We have to remember, most years we would be well into the early stages of dog days here on the river. The weekly rainfall and cooler evenings have made for an exceptional angling season so far.
  So for those early salmon anglers coming to the Miramichi here is what you are coming to in regards to the river. At 9:30 Saturday morning I measured the river temperatures and my thermometer showed 70F. Keep in mind I am referring to the lower section of the river in the Blackville area. The river came up 3-4 inches and is really at a nice level for angling most low water pools now. Salmon are holding here in the lower section and most anglers and canoers are reporting seeing salmon jumping all along the river. I had canoers on the river Saturday and they saw salmon from Blissfield to Blackville. One of the local outfitters reported salmon showing in every pool they fished in Saturday morning.
   This morning the temperatures dropped to 10C and should have helped bring the water temperatures down a bit. The forecast for this week though is warm weather. We will have to see how that shapes up. I just talked to an angler who came into the tackle shop and reported seeing lots of salmon and he was hurrying to get back to the river. That is generally a very good sign.
     Enjoy the river. I will report when I hear more. Good luck at the border to our southern friends.

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Thursday August 5th, 2021 River Report.
  I have been using the boat ramp at the park in Blackville quite often to give you an idea of river levels as I generally go there to take water temperatures and check on the Coughlan Bar. As you can see from the picture on the top left the bar is starting to show quite well and the ramp is now high and dry. When river levels are at this height salmon tend to hold in the pools here on the lower section of the river. Water temperatures were 72F last night. They generally drop by the morning as the evening temperatures will bring it down a few degrees.
  The second picture below the first on the top left I took to show the foam in the river. It was a beautiful evening last night to be casting a line as the winds were down and the air was cooling after a warm day. A perfect time to start angling for salmon and watch the sun set in the background.
   Lots of pictures and comments from anglers over the past weekend who were hooking salmon on the fly. It seems some of the pools are doing quite well while others are showing salmon but they seem to not be interested in the fly.
    More rain in the forecast for today into tonight which should bring the river up and possibly encourage the salmon to take even better. I will post as I hear more. Be safe, enjoy the river.

​         Wednesday July 28th, 2021 River Report.
  Here is a mid week report to give those who are considering angling on the Miramichi something to gauge your decisions on. The top left photo was taken at 9:30 this morning here at the Municipal Park in Blackville. Water temperatures were 68F and as you can see the river levels are very good. When it is up to the grass along the edge of the river you have nice angling waters on this stretch of the river. I haven't seen such good river conditions this time of year for a very long time.
  Normally salmon fisherman would be angling in the morning and evenings this time of year but the conditions right now are producing salmon at any time during the day. At least that is what we are hearing from anglers coming into the tackle shop.
  Last weeks rain brought the river up and Friday the fishing was good off the shoreline. One angler I was talking to had broke his rod on a salmon he estimated around 30lbs and told me they caught 4 large salmon already in the morning and this was about 10:00AM. 
   I think a good run of salmon came in over the weekend. We had great river levels and temperatures were down to 62F Friday and on top of that we had a full moon. I am hearing from anglers that salmon are starting to hold here on the lower section of the river at mouths of brooks and tributaries. All the rivers, Renous, Dungarvon, Bartholomew and Cains have been producing salmon on the fly.
  Last nights air temperatures went down to 10C and the forecast for tonight is air temperatures to go down to 9C. The forecast is also including a significant amount of rain for this coming Friday. So, great conditions for the end of July and looking very good going into August. I will report as I hear more. Enjoy the angling here in Salmon Country. Be safe.

​  Friday July 23rd, 2021 River Report.
  I am adding comments from quite a few anglers who were coming into the tackle shop this morning and almost all of them are reporting hooking salmon or seeing salmon jumping along the shore of the river here in the Blackville area. One guy mentioned that they released 4 salmon this morning. Most of the salmon being caught or seen are within 10' - 30' from shore. I wanted to update my mornings report as it seems to be relatively good angling along the shore of the river..
Just a quick update showing river conditions after this weeks rain. The two pictures in the slideshow to the left show it all. I took these pictures Thursday morning. The river was still coming up. As you can see the boat below the ramp is now floating and previous to the rain it was high and dry. The water temperatures yesterday morning were 62F here in Blackville. It was cool last night and the air temperatures this morning was 13C here in Blackville so I bet the river is even cooler today.
  I expect the water levels will start dropping today. We should have good canoeing for the next few days on the main river and tributaries in this area. I have been using the boat ramp here at the park in Blackville as a reference as most people are familiar with that location. We are also on the lower section of the river and sometimes see higher conditions after a rain.
  With the river levels up and cooler water temperatures it will be interesting to see how the fishing shapes up for the coming weekend. I will report when I hear more. Enjoy the coming weekend and be safe.

​Wednesday July 21st, 2021 River Report.
  River conditions continue to be quite good here in Salmon Country, especially on the SW Miramichi. Lots of anglers coming into the shop reporting hooking and losing salmon. River levels are now at a point where the holding pools are producing salmon. In some cases significant numbers are being hooked and released. I measured the water temperatures yesterday in early afternoon and my thermometer was showing 69F. Not bad for the third week of July.
   I had an interesting conversation a couple of days ago with an older salmon fisherman and guide. He said, "we generally get salmon in good numbers on the Miramichi if we have the rain to keep our river up and water temperatures cool. When we don't get rain they won't come in. The salmon tend to wait for the right conditions which could be later in the season before coming in from the Bay." Another person who joined in the conversation then asked the question a lot of us involved in the river have been wandering for years. Could it be possible during warmer Summers that our salmon returns do not come in until after counting fences are removed? We have no science based evidence that this is happening but many  lodge owners, cottage owners, guides and local residents mention how many salmon and grilse they see jumping in the river later in the Fall long after counting fences are removed.
   The picture on the top left shows the boat ramp here in the park in Blackville. I wanted to make a correction from my estimates of how high the river came up in the last big rain. My previous report on water levels were off a bit. If you stand now at the waters edge and look up the ramp to the edge of the pavement the water levels would have been somewhere between 8' - 10' higher than they are now. I had estimated 5'- 6' but it was much higher.
  Rain is in the forecast and cooler temperatures to follow. We should see a bump in river levels again which will be good for the river. I hope this cycle of weekly rain continues. The steady run of salmon coming upriver has been ongoing now for weeks and the fishing has been better than we have seen in years. In fact some of our guides are claiming they haven't seen salmon returns like this in two decades. The numbers of first time salmon anglers hooking into salmon are proof to that. Looking forward to seeing the results of this forecasted rain. Will report when I hear more. Enjoy and be safe.

​Friday July 16th, 2021 River Report.
​  Just a quick report going into the weekend. This is what I have experienced and have been hearing at the tackle shop from our customers here on the lower section of the Miramichi in the Blackville area. River levels are continuing to drop and are getting much better for angling. We are noticing more anglers reporting hookups each day. River temperatures yesterday in Howards above Blackville was 68F. Some of the low water pools are starting to fish again. It seems a steady run of salmon are coming in and if this keeps up we should have good angling over the weekend. Quite a few grilse and salmon are being hooked.
  The pictures in the slideshow on top left were taken on the Renous Wednesday night. The third photo of two anglers fishing salmon was taken in Howards just above Blackville. River levels couldn't be better and water temperatures were also good. The Dungarvon is also at a nice height and salmon should be moving in those rivers. 
   It is nice to see salmon fisherman from out of province again. Certainly feeling more normal but we definitely are missing our friends from south of the border.  It sure would be nice to share this great season with you again. Enjoy and be safe. Have a good weekend. Will report when I hear more.

​Tuesday July 13th, 2021 River Report.
  The pictures in the slideshow to the left are from a run I made upriver from Blackville in the Jon boat Sunday morning. It was a beautiful day, the river was clearing and starting to drop so I picked up Brennan and we packed a lunch and headed to the river. These were not normal conditions that we are used to for July.
   It was interesting seeing the old farms along the way. As we passed through Keenans, the old Curtis homestead and across from it the Hallihan place, up further to the Connors Farm then the Upper Blackville bridge, I got the itch to go further. We passed Donnely Brook, the old Morehouse homestead, Mercury Island, The Dean and Wasson Bar, then up through to the mill in Doaktown past the route 8 bridge, Big Hole Brook, the Taylor Farm and finally to Nelson Hollow where the old covered bridge is above Doaktown. We saw a salmon jump in close to shore along the way and the Bald Eagles, ducks and Geese were everywhere. On the way downriver we met a few more boats below the mouth of Cains. After getting back to Blackville we decided to go up the Bartholomew River and managed to get up almost to the old Burns Farm.
      I have seen these locations in the Spring of the year from a boat but never at this time of year in July. The river was high along the banks, into the grass and alders. River temperatures were 65F and felt cold holding the thermometer in the water. We didn't fish, it was just nice enjoying the rivers from a boat.
       Prior to the heavy rain Friday and Friday night we heard from quite a few people of salmon jumping between Miramichi City and Derby. I witness salmon jumping Saturday in Blackville even though the river was full of debris and running brown with silt. I talked to a friend who was down in the Bay Sunday fishing for Striper Bass and here is what he told me. As he was fishing for Bass his girlfriend noticed a large number of fish move past the boat. She asked what they were. My friend said they were salmon and they watched them for awhile and they gradually disappeared upriver. Shortly after they noticed the water turned black and for quite a ways out from the boat. When they checked the fish finder it was a large school of fish. Watching closer they realized it was salmon and they were moving up further into the estuary. We have had a steady run of salmon for about 4 weeks now and by these sightings we will be continuing to get more bright salmon for some time.
     River levels are dropping but a bit high for most pools. Salmon are being sighted throughout the river system especially below Blackville. In a day to two days we should be hearing of anglers hooking into salmon again. Be careful when wading, enjoy the angling, and be safe.

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    Monday July 12th, 2021 River Report.
   The top two pictures at the left give you an idea of how high the river came up after Friday and early Saturday mornings rain. These pictures were taken Friday morning and then again Sunday Morning. A friend and I were practicing our Spey casting Saturday morning at this location and while there the river was still coming up. We initially saw a lot of grass, sticks, and beaver chewings coming down the river. Within half an hour the debris got much larger and we were seeing logs. Then within another half hour we were seeing full trees floating down the river.  The river was brown and coming up as we were standing in the water. 
    The bottom picture is the very bottom of the ramp on Friday. The top picture is showing the water level above the lower cement , above the square cement blockings and then the edge of the pavement, taken Sunday morning. I can only predict how high the river really came up but it was at least 5' here at the park in Blackville and quite possibly more.
   What is interesting though is that we actually saw two salmon jump Saturday morning. The first salmon was within 15' of the shoreline on the other side of the river. The second salmon that jumped was just a few feet up the river beyond us at the back of a Seadoo that a couple of young people were anchoring on the river edge. It amazed all of us. These salmon were moving upriver in these conditions.
   We had quite a few people make contact with us regarding finding docks, canoes, and boats floating down the river. It is a great feeling to see how thoughtfull our local community along the river can be and how they are willing to take the risk to bring in a capsized canoe or boat and try to save it. Hats off to you folks for your kindness.
     I have more pictures of a boat run I took yesterday going upriver that I will be posting later. The river is gradually dropping, we are getting reports of salmon being caught already but the conditions should be quite good in another day or two. Enjoy and be safe.



​Wednesday July 7th, 2021 River Report.
   The pictures in the slideshow to the left are from this evening on the river with a father and his two sons. It is always interesting how things will change as the sunsets behind the trees on the river. You lose the glare off the water, the wind dies down, and things seem to come alive. Just before we called it a night and headed off the river a salmon surfaced. I bet they were going to move upriver. We would have stayed longer but with the Habs into game 5 we had a priority to get home for the game. While driving home we saw a large cow moose. It certainly left us with a nice memory of our evening on the river.
  A number of anglers have been reporting hooking into salmon since my last report. Although it is hit and miss it seems that some waters that aren't always the big producing pools are enjoying pretty good fishing. What is encouraging though is the comments from guys who  spend a lot of time on the river and are continually seeing salmon moving upriver. I want to focus on this in my evening report tonight as I know these guys and trust their comments.  These  gentleman in particular spend a lot of time on the river reading the water and they see things a lot of anglers won't see. It is pretty hard to fool some of our local boys when it comes to the river. This is their life, they are never far from the river. If Randall Connors talks about seeing a V in the river or Danny Stewart mentions a swirl, or Tyler Coughlan sees a flash, it isn't their imagination. They know salmon. I must mention that I used the previous names as these are guys I have been talking to and hearing comments from recently. There are many more along our river who can point out similar signs. My point is though, when you hear comments like these from these kind of riverman, you can be assured there are salmon moving upriver and in better numbers than we have had in quite awhile. Many of us aren't catching salmon but it isn't because they aren't there. Timing means a lot and fish that are moving upriver sometimes seem to have what locals will refer to as lock jaw. Why they take in some pools or stretches of the river is the mystery that makes salmon fishing so challenging. This is a tough sport for those who are used to instant gratification. Many salmon fisherman have made a life long study of this sport. Personally, I have learned to enjoy the river, its surroundings, and when that hook up comes along that is the bonus.
   The forecast is for more rain tomorrow night and Friday. Water temperatures Monday were 65F and tonight were showing 70F, quite good for this time of year. Tonight the air temperatures are going down to 10C. So lower evening temperatures and more rain in the forecast will continue to bring good salmon fishing conditions. I will report as I hear more. Enjoy and be safe,


are Sunday July 4th, 2021 River Report.
  Just getting back from picking up a group who were on a two day run canoeing the Miramichi. It is great to see river levels up like this in early July. We have had quite a week. Lots of rain, cloud cover, and wind. It certainly has cooled our rivers down and brought them up. Our group spotted a few salmon and enjoyed the weekend though the weather in no way followed the forecast.
  We are getting a few reports from some anglers of hooking salmon especially in the good holding pools. I suspect though that as things clear up and river levels start to drop we will hear of more salmon caught on the fly.
     An old friend and I loaded up the Honda Pioneer side x side yesterday and spent the day fishing the Dungarvon. We were curious how the conditions were and wanted to check out some of the pools in the backcountry. I wish we had of had more time. The pools looked great but our time was limited as we left later in the day and it took quite awhile getting further upriver as our plan was to fish the pools coming back down. I hooked a nice trout and we know salmon were there but didn't entice any to take. I am sure more time spent on some of these waters would have been productive though. Be assured we are heading back in very soon. I must confess, I absolutely hated to leave this river. The challenges of determining the best way to fish the waters takes a bit of time and that for me is what I enjoy. Unfortunately we didn't have time on our side. Darkness was coming upon us and we had a good hike back to the Honda. A lot of the pools were a bit of a hike and getting back to the Honda took some time. The pictures in the slideshow on the top left are from some of the runs we were fishing. All and all it was a great day fishing the outback in Salmon Country.
   The mosquitoes are still present but didn't seem to be as bad as they have been. You can now have a campfire if camping. The tributaries are in great shape for angling. We should be hearing of more hookups soon. I  will post as I hear more. Enjoy the angling and be safe.



Sunday June 27th, 2021 River Report.
  River levels are slowly dropping from the raise in river levels we got early in the week. It is still nice wading levels though and angling for salmon continues to be consistent in those pools where salmon are taking. I have been around the tackle shop prepping the front of the building for painting so been able to talk to quite a few anglers. All are seeing salmon. This is consistent among our customers and has been for a couple of weeks. While not everyone is landing salmon most are seeing salmon and there are quite a few who have had a lot of hook ups over the past couple of weeks.
  The weather has been quite good this week and it is what a lot of us would call, "salmon fishing weather". Nice cloud cover, a fine mist and at times a good rain. In checking the forecast for this coming week we are in for some significant rain. I find we don't always get what is forecasted as it changes from day to day. So we will have to wait and see.
  While waiting last night at a take out point for a group of canoers I had on the river I was able to have a discussion with some older Rivermen who were sitting enjoying the river and watching a couple of anglers in the pool. We must have seen 3 or 4 salmon roll and jump while talking about the river. I always enjoy discussing the Miramichi with these older gentleman. Getting their views of the changes on the river and what should be done to ensure a healthy river and salmon stocks into the future is quite interesting. Most of our local river people are never consulted when changes are made to angling regulations. They feel that they have never been consulted and no conservation group represents them. Although they have spent more time on the river than most people they have had no say in the decisions made that would impact their lifestyle and culture. I always walk away from these discussions wandering what can be done to give them some input. The take away from these discussions and it is always the same, keeping in mind these guys worked their whole life as woodsman and guides. The one thing they firmly believe is we need to increase our buffer zones which will help hold river levels after a rain and have a cooling impact on the river during warm periods in the Summer. Why this isn't a priority among the government departments and conservation groups is something they find hard to understand. For me, I am starting to see the wisdom of these guys and wander if we will ever see the day when this will become a priority. Healthy rivers first could mean healthy salmon stocks into the future. Just wanted to mention the thoughts of a large group of river people who have never been heard.
     Enjoy the angling, be safe, and tight lines.

​Wednesday June 23rd, 2021 River Report.
  The pictures in the slide show to the left are from the Upper Blackville Bridge and the Park here in Blackville. We had rain last night and the river is coming up. Hopefully the pictures can give you an idea of river height and wading conditions. I was hoping for more rain last night but we may have got enough to keep our rivers up for a few days. Brennan and I were fishing from my boat tonight here in Blackville and I would say the river is still raising. 
   I had a good tug tonight but that was it. We didn't see anything other than 3 Otter, 1 beaver, and various ducks. Another friend below us also had a salmon on but for just a brief moment. We continue to hear from anglers of seeing salmon moving upriver and the odd salmon is being hooked. One thing that is very noticeable this year is the number of anglers we are talking to who are losing salmon. The barbless hook is taking some getting used to.
  The common thought going into the next few days is that the river is raising and with a full moon we could quite possibly see more runs of salmon coming in.
   While taking pictures of the river Sunday at the Upper Blackville Bridge a friend and I counted 20 grilse in one group and another 12 in another group all within about 15 minutes. They seemed to be moving upriver. I think we have had a good number of salmon coming into our river system in the last 2 weeks and maybe this will continue with a raise in river levels and the full moon. I will post when I hear more. Enjoy and be safe.

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  Sunday June 20th, 2021 River Report.
   It was quite an exciting week here on the lower section of the Miramichi with many anglers commenting on hooking into salmon, shad, and the odd bass. The difference though is the focus for many anglers is salmon. We are seeing the familiar faces of salmon fisherman who enjoy the challenge of salmon and being on the river.
    My talks with some of the guides and outfitters seem to indicate a good run of salmon has been coming in and they have been seeing fresh fish on a daily bases this week. One thing among most of the anglers I have been talking to is the difference the barbless hook is making in landing salmon. Quite a few salmon are being lost due to no barb. This is a change for us and we will have to get used to it. 
    I have fished a few nights this week and while fishing salmon from my boat here in Blackville I saw quite a few salmon jumping and rolling but they were not takers. There is no doubt those salmon were moving through but, though I haven't hooked and landed any yet it is nice to see the fresh runs coming in. We also were able to see the shad moving downriver.
    So, good fishing for some, frustrating for others who are losing salmon on barbless hooks, and then there are those who haven't been able to see any fresh salmon yet. They are there as I can say I am seeing them almost daily. Lets see how this coming week shapes up. Get out and enjoy. Be safe.

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     Wednesday Evening Report in addition to my mornings report, Wednesday June 16th, 2021 River Report.
   Reports have been coming in all day of salmon being caught here in the Blackville area. I wanted to update my mornings report as so many reports were coming in throughout the day of anglers hooking salmon. In particular an old friend in the Upper Blackville area who was fishing his family farm pool caught a salmon, lost a salmon, and hooked two grilse. More reports of salmon being hooked at the mouth of Cains and other reports below Blackville all seem to indicate a fairly good run of salmon. The river continues to raise with recent rain so we should have good salmon fishing for the next couple of days.
 Wednesday June 16th, 2021 River Report.
  The pictures in the upper slideshow to the left are showing river levels here in Blackville at the mouth of Bartholomew and around Doctors Island. They were taken this morning while I was bailing my boat out. The rain yesterday and today has the river raising to nice angling levels. As one angler said, " this is nice salmon fishing weather." It is cooler and the cloud cover makes for nice angling.
   For a couple of weeks now we have been getting reports from anglers who were seeing bright salmon jumping here on the lower section of the Miramichi. There have been a few hook ups. We heard that Jason Curtis hooked and landed a couple of salmon last week and we are hearing of others who have landed salmon this week.     It is definitely picking up and we will start to see more salmon anglers now on the river. Most of the lodges and clubs are just starting to open for salmon fishing. It looks like covid restrictions will be changing soon for the better and with that we hope to see our out of province friends back on the river. It has been a long time coming and will sure be nice to see the cottages and clubs active again.
   Anglers are still hooking nice trout especially on the tributaries. Others are going for shad and now with a raise in river levels we will see more early run salmon along the river. While at the river this morning I couldn't help but to notice the wild strawberries ripe for picking. There were also numerous mosquitoes to contend with. It is that time of year, a beautiful time to be enjoying the outdoors canoeing and angling here on the Miramichi. Enjoy and be safe.

Thursday June 10th, 2021 River Report.
   I received this information from a very reliable source today who lives on the banks of the Miramichi. He was seeing the wakes from Salmon going upriver and decided to give it a try. He did hook into a nice Salmon but was not able to land it. That seems to be the case as another angler reported the same experience. One of the brooks is holding Salmon so it won't be long and we will see a picture of one landed.
   Temperatures are really dropping. It had a Fall feel in the air today. Quite cool actually compared to the last couple of days. The forecast is for frost in some areas tonight. This should really cool the river down and make angling good.
    We have been hearing for a while now of people seeing Salmon jump along the river but these reports are coming in from seasoned Salmon anglers who are hooking and losing Salmon. I feel confident now knowing our early runs are coming in. We should be hearing more in the next few days. I will report as we hear of any changes on the river. Enjoy and be safe.


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   Tuesday June 8th, 2021 River Report.
   The pictures in the top slideshow to the left were taken upriver on the Cains and at the Mouth of the Cains with two thrown in of Black Brook. You can see the nice water levels and how advanced the vegetation is. Reports from canoers camping on the various tributaries was of good trout fishing and average trout fishing. Many reported seeing lots of trout rising to hatches.
   No reports yet from anyone landing a bright salmon although there are reports of seeing them.
   Fly fishing is now the primary method of angling as spin casting has been closed since the end of May on the tributaries. With Gaspereau, Shad, Striper Bass, Trout , and possibly the odd bright Salmon in the river it is always fun to see the anglers who prefer a fly rod back on the river. Some are really enjoying the Shad fishing on the fly rod. Others have been having fun hooking into Bass and one angler experimented with streamers and Bass flies only to find they had an appetite for them all.
​    The heat wave we are experiencing will raise our water temperatures and possibly impact the angling for a few days. Tomorrow the forecast is for the heat wave to end and lower temperatures later in the week.
    This is one of my favorite times of year to be on our rivers here on the Miramichi. Everything is so healthy looking. Not only is the vegetation coming alive but the hatches are improving each day. A lot of our birds are nesting and their eggs are hatching. We are watching at one pool here in Blackville an Eagles chicks learning to fly. I cain't imagine a better place to be.
    If you are planning an overnight camping experience keep in mind there are fire restrictions right now in this area. Enjoy and be safe. I will report as I hear more.
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Tuesday June 1st, 2021 River Report.
   I just came back from bailing my boat out on the river here in Blackville. Judging by the amount of water in the boat we should see a nice raise in river levels. It is coming up but will need more time to crest. The river is nice right now for angling and I think I will give it a try tonight. You cain't help to think June Salmon are in the river system. That being said, we are getting reports from locals seeing bright Salmon here in the Blackville area. These are early Salmon and a joy to hook into.
  The pictures in the slideshow to the left are of the Main Dungarvon and the North Dungarvon from this past Saturday. You can see river levels have been dropping limiting canoeing but very nice for wading. My friend and I always enjoy trout fishing these rivers at this time of year.  The young Moose was feeding along the road as we approached it. He didn't seem to be to scared and allowed us to get a picture. I added a picture of the squirrel that entertains us at my parents house. He seems to think he is a bird.
    I have a feeling we will hear of bright salmon being hooked soon. The river conditions after this rain may very well bring in a nice run of salmon. It is also showing more rain in the forecast for later in the week. This will help to maintain river levels for those wanting to canoe the tributaries. I will report more later in the week if I hear anything new. Get out, enjoy, and be safe.

​ Friday May 28th, 2021 River Report.
   This has been an interesting week weather wise. We didn't get the rain originally predicted. One day was in the high 20'sC and then to top it off we had frost advisories. Every day seemed to produce high winds in the afternoons making it difficult for casting.
    Hatches...........yes, lots of black flies and mosquitoes, making it a bit more challenging for camping and angling. Lots of anglers around, with many catching trout and a few still fishing for bass. It seems to have slowed down on the N.W Miramichi but we are still catching bass here in the Quarryville area. Even today anglers are reporting catching nice bass on the fly in Quarryville. Nothing new on bright salmon this week. Other than some rumors last week of bright salmon we aren't hearing anything from our local sources. That being said, it could happen any day now.
       We certainly are approaching that time when things will shift and salmon anglers will be the majority on our rivers. I look forward to the time when we hear of a Rocky Brook salmon being caught, then we know the brights are in. It always seems like this is a very select group who have the opportunity to hook into one of these fish. The news is we may see our salmon angling friends to the south this season. We certainly miss these salmon anglers and cain't wait to see them back on the Miramichi.
       The forecast is for cooler temperatures over the weekend. If you are camping and canoeing our tributaries be aware of campfire bans in this area. Prepare for the bugs, they are quite numerous right now. A section of river on the N.W Miramichi is closed for fishing due to bass spawning. Get out and enjoy. Be safe.

​Monday May 24th, 2021 River Report.
   The pictures in the slideshow to the left were all taken this past Saturday on the Dungarvon. I wanted to show how advanced the vegetation is in this area for this time of year. I have seen years where it was not this advanced until the second week of June.
   River levels aren't bad for canoeing and are certainly quite good for trout fishing. Reports coming back from all the canoers we had on the various tributaries are saying they had pretty good trout fishing. Some even reported hooking into sea run trout.
   The videos and reports of the striper bass situation on the North West Miramichi can only be summed up as ridiculous. It is absolutely crazy the numbers of bass right now. I am talking to people who do not feel comfortable in a boat in that area because the bass are so numerous. There are lots of videos online to show how many bass are in our river right now. We are also seeing things pick up here on the Main South West Miramichi in regards to bass. Over the weekend they were catching them as far up as Keenans.
    If you made plans to canoe a tributary in this area you may want to book it soon. Unless we get more rain it may be difficult to canoe them. I know a lot of us tend to wait for late May or early June but things are at least 2 weeks early right now and if we don't get good amounts of rain each week they will drop below good canoeing levels.
   Get out and enjoy. Be safe. I will report when I hear more.


​Friday May21st 2021, River Report.
   This is one of my favorite times of year. It is hard to live along the Miramichi and not be around the river at this time. River levels are dropping for motoring but most of the tributaries are pretty good for canoeing. The vegetation has really come alive this week. You will see a noticeable difference. Along with that the black flies and a few mosquitoes are also making an appearance.
  We are hearing of a few bright salmon being caught. I need to say that this is not coming from our regular early salmon anglers. We have a couple of local salmon anglers who usually are on the river and hook into brights. These guys are my go to for information of this sort. The odd black salmon is being caught but very few now. The bass have even slowed down in Quarryville this week. Reports of trout being caught on the tributaries are trickling in and a number of large trout on the lower section below Blackville have been caught. 
   Fiddle heads are still coming up for those interested in adding those to your meal. Everything is shaping up to be a nice long weekend. Though rain is in the forecast the temperatures will be in the low 20C range so it won't be that bad on the river. Get out and enjoy. Be safe. I will report when I hear more.

​Saturday May 15th, 2021 River Report.
   Beautiful weather is in the forecast for the next few days. River levels are dropping but we can still motor down to Quarryville from Blackville in our boats. We continue to get reports of the black salmon being caught along with the odd good sized trout and of course the bass fishing is also doing very well.
   We had a report of a bright salmon hooked this week but haven't been able to confirm it. With everything being early this year it wouldn't surprise me. It won't be long though as we are approaching that time when they normally start moving into the river system. 
   Not a lot happening yet with trout on the tributaries either but once again, it is that time when things could change any day now.
    With warmer weather in the forecast and we are into mid May, I expect we will soon see a change in the fishing where bright salmon and trout will be more active. It will be nice on the river this weekend. Get out and enjoy. I will report when I hear more.


Sunday May 9th, 2021 river Report.
   Today is cloudy with a few rain showers. A bit warmer than yesterday but the wind is keeping things cool. I just got back from Shinnickburn on the Cains. Water levels are great on the tributaries and we had to pick up canoes as we had a group of fathers and daughters up there for the weekend camping and canoeing. These guys have been doing this run for a few years now. Really nice to see them again and it is great that they are enjoying the outdoors with their daughters.
    Yesterday Brennan and I took the jon boat and motored down to Quarryville from Blackville to try our hand at bass fishing with fly rods. (Pictures in slideshow to right).It was no more than 7C with wind and showers. I really could have stayed home but he wanted to go so I gave in and took him down. It was a good thing we dressed warm as it was not a nice day to be on the river. The water surface was choppy and the wind made it cold. I was quite surprised when he got his first hit on a Christmas Tree streamer within 5-10 minutes after throwing the fly in the water. He wasn't hooking up well at first and we lost at least half a dozen fish before landing his first bass. It was a keeper and while we had the line reeled in I decided to put a Blue Smelt on. Back out we went and after losing a couple more he hooked another keeper so we called it a day. On the way back upriver he suggested we make fish and chips. When you consider what he learned about bass fishing, how to fish them with a fly rod, how to land them, how to clean and make batter, then cook it , it was a pretty good day. With full bellies we sat back and watched the Leafs and Habs hockey game. A great way to end a day on the river.
        There are still a few salmon around and the bass fishing is great. The rain is keeping our rivers up so fishing should be good for awhile. Not a lot happening in regards to trout fishing on the tributaries yet. It is still early so that will change soon. Water levels are high, be careful and enjoy the rivers.
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Thursday May 6th, 2021 River Report.
    We seem to be in a nice weather cycle here on the Miramichi. Each week we have been getting a good amount of rain which has been keeping our rivers up quite well. It started raining late yesterday and this morning we have a mix of rain and snow. Although the snow will be disappointing for some it will very quickly green things up and generally we will see a major difference in the growth of vegetation. 
     The grass and trees are already showing signs of growth. The buds on some trees are sprouting into leaves and the grass in our lawns is ready for mowing. Fiddle heads are out and I saw some trilliums last weekend. While all of these changes are becoming more and more noticeable the fish in the river are also improving. We have a smelt run on right now, the bass are up to Quarryville, trout are being caught and quite a few kelts are still here in the Blackville area. 
     This rain and snow will give the river another bump in height and should make for good fishing in another day or two after the river clears, especially for those who want to fish from a boat. Temperatures are showing single digits and low teens so dressing warm will be necessary.
      Looking forward to the weekend. Conditions should be pretty good by then. Get out and enjoy. Be safe.


​ Friday April 30th, 2021 River Report.
    I had to bale my boat out yesterday and while doing it thought, maybe I should take a run up the river. The temperatures were in the 18C range and it was really to nice not to be on the river. I didn't take a rod with me, it was just nice to motor around and check out river heights and the mouths of the Bartholomew and Cains rivers. Water levels are dropping but still passable if you keep an eye out for the low spots. I managed to get up to Upper Blackville and even went up the Cains a ways.
   Things are coming to life quite fast on the Miramichi. Two of the pictures in the slideshow to the left are on the Cains River and you can see the buds and leaves sprouting on the Red Maples. I saw all kids of birds especially Ducks and Geese. A large Kelt (Black Salmon) jumped at the butment where the old walking bridge was at Keenan's. You have to work at it but anglers continue to enjoy hooking into the odd salmon and quite a few large trout are being caught too.
   We need rain and that is coming today. We have a significant amount of rain in the forecast which will raise the river and hopefully maintain good salmon and trout fishing. To be honest, I wish I had my rod with me yesterday with a floating line. I would have enjoyed trying for some trout . It is early for that but the conditions make it very tempting. 
    It should be a nice weekend to be on the river, water levels will probably crest and start dropping making for another few days of good boating and fishing. Enjoy and be safe.


​ Monday April 26th, 2021 River Report.
    Water levels crested Friday and started dropping Saturday. By Sunday it had dropped approximately 2'. There were lots of local anglers out on the river. Some were fishing from the shore, others were wading, the majority were angling from boats. While out in the boat we saw quite a few anglers with salmon on. It was windy and cold Saturday but Sunday couldn't have been any better for fishing. It was warm and the wind wasn't bad at all. While some anglers were landing quite a few salmon and trout others were not so lucky. It all seemed to depend on what part of the river you were fishing. Quite a few anglers are starting to hook into nice trout.
      My friend and I took our grandsons out in our boats Saturday and Sunday. One of the boys hooked a really nice trout at the mouth of Renous in the 4lb range. In the slideshow at the top left you will see Brennan in my boat. The first picture shows him watching his rod and line. The next picture shows him fighting a salmon. The third picture is after I brought the boat to shore and he was able to land it on shore. The fourth picture is of he and Danny holding the salmon. This is his first salmon landed. He did everything right and is one happy 14 year old. There is an old saying here on the Miramichi among salmon fisherman and that is, " who really got hooked here?" I know he wanted to get back out Saturday night and then again Sunday so that might answer the question. Ha! Ha!. We had a great weekend of fishing and he is already preparing for next weekend. Guess I found myself a fishing buddy.
         It rained hard last night and again today. We need the rain to maintain good river levels. The forecast is showing more rain later in the week so our rivers may maintain a nice height for the rest of the week. Salmon are still in the river but will start getting pickier about how they take on a hook. For some of us we will be concentrating on the Brookies and salmon will be a bonus. Enjoy and be safe.

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 Friday April 23rd, 2021 River Report.
    The pictures in the slideshow on the left are of water levels today in Blackville. This is just below the mouth of the Bartholomew River. While prepping our boats for tomorrows fishing I took these pictures to show the water levels.
     Heavy rain Wednesday into Thursday really brought the river up. It seems to have peeked today and should be quite good fishing over the weekend.
    April always brings all kinds of weather and this week is an example. Early week we saw 18C, by Wednesday it was pouring rain , then in the evening and yesterday we saw snow with a few flakes again today. It never fails to amaze me though what a good rain can do for the environment this time of year. Yesterday the buds were showing on some of the hardwoods and some were even sprouting into leaves. The grass in some areas is turning green. Subtle changes but noticeable to those who spend time in the outdoors.
      This should be a nice weekend to be angling on the river. The temperatures are warming up tomorrow and Sunday with sunny skies in the forecast. Enjoy the fishing and be safe.


​Tuesday April 20th, 2021 River Report.
     Another beautiful day on the river today. Temperatures are pushing 17C and 18C here at the tackle shop. Lots of anglers around and most are commenting that it is still pretty good fishing. I checked the river levels yesterday and they are dropping and quite clear. A few comments about being a bit more careful running a boat in some areas but most aren't complaining about the water levels being to low yet. Rain is in the forecast for the next couple of days so we should see a raise in river levels. Not a lot of snow left. So most of the melt is behind us. The Golden Eagle, Renous Special, Black Ghost, and Blue Smelt are the popular flies we seem to be selling the most of. It will be nice to see the rain tomorrow. We need it to keep our rivers at a nice level. So, the salmon are there, get out and enjoy. Be careful on the river and protect our salmon.

​ Friday April 16th, 2021 River Report.
     The first day of angling season was a major success here on the Miramichi. Our concern about salmon numbers can be put to rest. We had a very busy day yesterday at the tackle shop and everyone we talked to were catching salmon. Young or old there were lots of fish stories and smiles on peoples faces.
     Opening season is always a time here on the Miramichi that we look forward too. It brings a lot of families and angling buddies together for an early salmon angling experience. We continue to miss our friends from south of the border. It just isn't normal not having these salmon fisherman in our communities and on the river. Lets hope that things will change in the near future.
     Reports from anglers coming into the tackle shop are interesting. Some are trolling and others are casting but all seem to be catching salmon regardless of the technique used. To catch salmon from the shoreline is good fishing and that is happening all over the river. It is hard to say what fly was most popular but one seemed to stand out on a particular section of the river and it was the Blue Smelt. Almost everything was working though.
     So lots of smiles, great experiences and another great opening day. Be safe, enjoy the fishing, and handle our salmon carefully. Enjoy!!


Tuesday April 13th, 2021 River Report.
   We are experiencing cold wet weather here on the Miramichi. It really isn't unusual for this time of year. Today we open our Tackle Shop for the season and these are normal weather conditions. River levels though are much lower this year than what they normally would be.
  The question a lot of people are asking is, will there be any salmon left in the river? With the river ice going out so early and river levels dropping ,it is much earlier than most years. Our experience at the tackle shop over the years in discussions with guides and salmon anglers leads us to believe there will be salmon around to angle. Water levels definitely play a part but we tend to believe water temperatures also play a part in their journey downriver. 
    I have included a couple of pictures on the left of how the river looks. These were taken this past Friday. The top picture shows snow on the Dungarvon Road above the Furlong Bridge here in Blackville approximately 12 miles from the village. The middle picture was taken at Red Pine Landing or the old Prison Farm site. The third picture is of the boat ramp here in the park in Blackville. You will notice very little ice or snow along the rivers. That has disappeared in the past week. Even the snow in the woods is melting quite fast. I thought I would include the picture though of the amount of snow still remaining in Dungarvon.
     We won't know what the angling will be like for another two days. It will be interesting to see what happens Thursday. Many of us are quite curious how the fishing will be. I will report as I hear more. Enjoy the river and be safe.

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   Tuesday April 6th, 2021 River Report.
   Our weather has been a bit of a roller coaster since my last report. Warm temperatures followed by cooler evenings, sunny days then cloud cover with rain and snow. Sunday we received about 3" of snow and it is mostly gone now. Typical April weather here in the Miramichi valley. Our rivers seem to have levelled off and are dropping. They also seem to be clearing quite well. I haven't heard any boats on the water yet but expect that to happen quite soon.
     Other changes I noticed over the weekend was the first signs of Summer birds showing up in the area. Geese being the most noticeable. I woke this morning around 6:30 AM to the sounds of birds. It is the first time this year that has happened and that will be the norm for the season now. It is spotty but you can also see the buds showing on some of the hardwoods in certain areas.             
​     The snow continues to melt and most open areas are melting off and the grass is showing. We do have lots of snow remaining in parts of our wooded areas. This is not a bad thing as it will help keep our rivers at a nice level longer.
      So things are looking much different in the short time since my last report. One week can make quite a difference. The count down is on as we wait for our fresh water angling season to open. I am already hearing and seeing pictures of nice Stripers being caught in the tidewater. It won't be long. I will post as I hear more.


Sunday March 28th ,2021 River Report.
   We are experiencing an early breakup here on the Miramichi this Spring. Mid week I noticed lots of open water in the Doaktown and Boiestown areas. Yesterday the ice started moving here in the Upper Blackville and Blackville areas. The Bartholomew River here in Blackville is also running with ice and high water.
   The pictures on the left are from the boat ramp here in the Blackville park and from the Pineville bridge on the Renous. I have also seen pictures of ice flowing and open water on the Little South West Miramichi and the upper part of the North West Miramichi. 
     We still have quite a bit of snow in our forests and fields. It is melting but will take awhile. We are well on our way to having clear rivers this year for Spring Kelt fishing. In fact, I am seeing the odd boat appearing in peoples driveways and passing through Blackville.
    From the calls and emails we are getting through the Tackle Shop we can tell people are anxious to get on the river. Generally our snowmobile season runs up to April 15th and then we switch to Angling but, this year we will be boating much earlier. I am sure covid is a factor in the locals wanting to get out and enjoy our local rivers more. Last year was the same. Hopefully our covid bubble will be expanded to the Maritimes soon but it isn't looking good for our neighbors to the south. We miss you folks and hope all is well south of the border. Lets hope for an end to covid and an abundance of salmon returns for 2021. Take care, be safe.

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     Monday February 15th, 2021 River Report.
   It doesn't get much more scenic than this when snowmobiling the backcountry here on the Miramichi. I realize this isn't about fly fishing but it gives some people an idea what things look like here on the river at various times of year. We spent 3 days at a friends cabin running the backcountry this past weekend. The pictures were taken at the mouth of The Sisters and Falls Brook Falls Brooks. The pictures give you and idea what it looks like  with a view looking upriver and downriver from each of the brooks. We broke a trail up to the Falls but my battery decided to die on me so couldn't get a picture of the Falls frozen in. The river is freezing in up there but not as much as it normally would be for this time of year. Our winter hasn't been as cold as it normally gets this year. This area we were snowmobiling in would be a good 80 - 90 miles or more above Blackville through the backcountry to get to these brooks. Much of it in the highlands.

Monday February 8th, 2021 River Report.
   Some off trail riding on our ski doo's. I have access to this area by ski doo so thought I would take a few pictures. As you can see in the slideshow to the left, the river is freezing in quite well on most sections of the river. This is the Dungarvon River , I spend quite a bit of my time between the Dungarvon and Renous Rivers. We were in the area of both today but I only had time to take pictures along the Dungarvon.
    The Renous tends to freeze in more and would not have as much open water. That area is just a bit higher and in more of a snow belt. If you like the outback in the winter the scenery along the rivers in this area is quite spectacular. In one of the pictures you can see tracks along the edge of the ice. Down river from this picture is fresh tracks and they look like Lynx tracks. Lots of game sign along the rivers. Moose, Deer, Fox, Coyote, Lynx, etc. 
​     Covid is still a concern here in N.B. We think of our friends from out of province all the time and hope everyone is well. Be safe and take care.


Sunday December 20th, 2020 River Report.
   I took this picture of the Dungarvon River Friday. It gives you an idea how quickly things can change on the watershed. When I was up that way a week ago Saturday, there was no ice at all showing along the river. In less than a week this particular part of the river is almost frozen in. It will freeze and thaw like this for another week or two then things become more permanent.

Sunday December 13th, 2020 River Report.
   The pictures in the slideshow to the left were taken yesterday along the Dungarvon River. While doing trail work for the snowmobile club I had a chance to take some pictures in this area. River levels are down to normal now. After previous rains they were quite high. You can also see how the brooks are up and some of the wetland areas are starting to accumulate water again. These wet areas were completely dry well into the Fall.
    There is much more snow up there than in the Blackville area. We did get snow last night though and this morning the ground is completely covered here in Blackville with a couple of inches of snow. Yesterday was possibly the last time I will be able to get up in that area on my Honda UTV. We are getting our trails ready now for snowmobiling.
     Colder weather with highs in the single digits are in the forecast for this coming week. Winter is settling in quite fast now and our rivers will take on a whole new beauty. It was encouraging to see normal river levels before freeze up. It is possible the next time I get any pictures in there will be from a snowmobile. It may be awhile before I get more pictures. In the mean time be safe, Merry Christmas, and all the best in the New Year.


​Wednesday December 2nd, 2020 River Report.
   I took these pictures today (slide show to the left)on my walk to the park here in Blackville. One of the pictures is from the N.B Trail bridge looking down the Bartholomew river towards the Miramichi. The other picture is from the boat ramp in the park of the Miramichi River.
    It sort of felt like back in April, a week or two after the ice went out. You wouldn't believe the difference in two days. Our long wait is finally over to see a good flushing of the river. It will be interesting now to see how long this holds. Our rivers seem to raise and lower so fast after rains now.
    As I reflect back on the weather we had this Fall and the pictures of our rivers you can tell how inconsistent our weather was in this area. Some pictures show low water conditions, while others show ice build up, and then thawing with low water and now high water levels. It seems to have been a warmer Fall with less Fall rain until now, which is late. Normally we see more rain throughout the Fall.
     This warmer weather will probably change soon though ,and things will continuously freeze with cooler temperatures each passing week. Most people prefer not to see this transition into Winter but, sometimes the ice with snow brings us some very scenic pictures along our rivers and streams. I will try to post some in the coming months. 
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Monday November 23rd, River Report.
   This is an off season report for those who are interested in seeing the changes during the Fall season on our rivers. The pictures in the left slide show are of the Dungarvon and Renous Rivers. Two of the pictures are from the front veranda of my cabin looking upriver at the island and downriver at the bend in the river. I spent the last 4 days up there enjoying the outdoors. As you can see the rivers are still quite low, there is a freezing and thawing taking place now, and the leaves are completely gone on most trees. I added a picture of a moose scrape as we were seeing all kinds of sign like this.
     One of the things I enjoy the most about this time of year is the visibility through the woods. Our local bald eagle made an appearance Friday. We enjoy lots of northern birds up there like Grey Jays, Blue Jays, and Black Capped Chickadees. Other than a few camp chores most of our time was spent looking for wildlife from the Honda side x side. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a picture of the Martin we saw . They don't hang around very long when humans are around.
      We really concentrated on seeing salmon redds but didn't have much success. Most of the time it was cloudy and the visibility wasn't there. Those areas I expected to see them they were not there. I am wandering if the low water levels may have something to do with that? In fact I was quite surprised at how low the river levels are for this time of year. Almost everyone we met along our travels felt the same way. We also noted the amount of dried up water courses and Springs. Out of 5 springs around my camp 4 of them are completely dry and one is producing a trickle of water. If I ever remember 2020 it will be for the small amounts of rain we received. Normally our rivers would be running quite high right now.
   Something I will definitely take away from 2020 angling season is the need to see water as a resource that needs to be protected. In fact, if this continues to be the trend our focus with conservation groups may be that water becomes the priority above all else. Some of the old guides and rivermen here on the watershed have been saying it for years. Throughout the watershed people are drilling more wells to replace old ones than ever before and camps with springs supplying their water are going dry. The day may come when our provincial government will be forced to be more engaged in a resource that has been neglected for to long. This is a conversation that is becoming the norm in this area and people are going to want their water source protected. I hope it doesn't take our government to long to figure out. Global warming is becoming more of a reality and industrial practices cain't continue as they are. As an old friend who worked in the forestry industry all his life said "we need common sense now more than anything. Our government has to start protecting our water source"...........and I have to say" I couldn't agree more with what he said".
     We should have snow soon. I will try to get some pictures to reflect future changes.

Saturday November 14th, 2020 River Report.
   Tomorrow will be a month since the angling season closed here on the Miramichi watershed. This past week was unusually warm and any signs of winter are gone. In fact, we broke records this week in some parts of the province for the warmest days ever recorded at this time.
   The picture below the video is fr

Saturday June 22nd, 2019 River Report.
                             I put a group of canoers in the river yesterday afternoon around 3:00PM. Though it was raining this group were not deterred from making their annual run on the Miramichi. The river looked good and water temperatures were quite cold to the touch. The rain Thursday night and Friday has brought a nice change to the river. One text this morning from a guide and pool owner in the Upper Blackville area suggests it should make for nice salmon fishing. While river levels were on the rise last night one of his anglers hooked a large salmon but unfortunately didn't land it. Although the grilse seem to be outnumbering the salmon in the river right now the salmon we are seeing are big fish. These are not always easy to land. Some just seem to have a mind of their own and cooperating with the angler isn't it.
                             Other reports from Thursday indicate salmon, grilse, and shad being caught here in the Blackville area. Actually, there is quite a few shad in the Blackville and Upper Blackville area right now and for those who angle them they can be a lot of fun. Not as much fight as a salmon but still a nice fight for that first run. Another bonus is you can keep a shad.
                                  The river levels should start dropping today and with that we sometimes see salmon taking better on the fly. This is a beautiful time to be fishing our rivers right now. Most of the anglers we are talking to coming through the tackle shop are commenting on how healthy things look along the river. The trees and foliage have those rich colours only seen this time of year. Not to mention a river with an abundance of bass, good salmon returns, and a nice run of shad all for the angling.
                                       I took Brennan our 12 year old grandson out trout fishing Monday night. He has been showing an interest for the past couple of weeks so I took him to a trout hole I tend to fish not far from our house. We spent some time going over the fly rod and the basics of casting on the grass before going to the river. His first cast he hooked a 6" trout. Before the evening was over, and we only spent 2 hours on the river ,we had hooked 3 trout . Tuesday night his bicycle was here at the house and the trout rod was gone. I noticed this around 3:00 PM shortly after school would be out. He couldn't wait to get to the river. I am telling this story because we are seeing a number of parents this season who are getting their kids out on the river. We tend to see this generation engaged in cell phones, computers, etc and not interested in the river and fishing. For those parents who stopped fishing after hook and release was mandated for salmon angling they are finding it quite enjoyable to be back on the river. I guess we have to ask ourselves, just because we cain't keep a salmon, should we stop angling even though we have some of the best fishing for bass, trout and shad which we can keep? This generation of kids want to fish. Lets get them on our rivers. You soon will find out our old values may not be that important to them at all. These kids are much more aware of our environment than most of us are. Lets give them the chance to be future Stewarts of our rivers.
                                       I am off to the cabin on the Renous for the weekend. Will not be reporting for a few days. As we get back next week I will get back to my updates. Enjoy the weekend.


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                    Monday June 17th, 2019 River Report.
                             I was able to do a follow up today on whether the Shad are this far upriver. I was curious as some anglers enjoy these fish and like to know when they are in the Blackville and Upper Blackville area. Normally I will confirm this information from a couple of guys upriver, and Randall Connors had called me to join him at his farm for a morning of fishing so I took him up on it. He brought along his 5 year old son Ivan who is a very fortunate youngster. Ivan can already run the boat motor and fish using a fly rod. Of course growing up on the banks of the river is a bit of incentive.
                           We left the farm and headed down river to Randalls lower pool. It was a beautiful morning with the sun out and very little cloud cover. The first thing we saw on an island to our left was a Bald Eagle. Then on river right we saw another Bald Eagle. Both were large mature birds who much like us were looking for fish. Randall claims there is a Bald Eagle about every 4-5 miles along the river now.
                            As we reached the pool and kitted up to fish for Salmon Randall pointed out how the island had changed and the run was much faster on his side of the river, all to his advantage. Saturday night was the last time a bright salmon was hooked in his pool and he was anxious to see if there were more in the pool. He was telling me how these bright salmon haven't been showing at all but are there. He also noticed how they will lie in the pool and not show any interest at times in a fly. That seemed to be the case this morning. We were really there to see if any shad was this far up the river so after a few passes through the pool we motored upriver and did a float down through the pool. Sure enough, we counted 8-10 salmon and grilse and lots of shad. Excited to see the pool again we did another pass and counted more shad. Once we verified there were shad in the area we decide to motor as far up as the Upper Blackville bridge and float down through the different pools. The bridge pool showed 1 grilse and lots of shad. Further downriver at Randalls upper pool we couldn't count the shad. There was just to many.
                    To top the morning off we also watched a groundhog swimming across the river. He was not a very fast swimmer and we discussed how they must make prey for the Bald Eagles.
                      After talking to anglers today at the shop we know they are also catching the odd bright salmon upriver in Doaktown and further up towards Boiestown. For whatever reason they aren't showing a whole lot at this time and in Randalls case his pool seems to be producing more in the evenings as they hooked 3 the other evening. The river is up due to last weeks rain and the water temperatures today around noon were in the mid 60's. 
                           I really enjoy this stretch of the river. It is easy wading and your back cast is free of any obstacles. It is always a pleasure to spend the best part of a day on the river with locals like Randall. They grew up on the banks of the river and have farmed its shores for generations. This local knowledge is a very valuable asset as they understand how any change in the river, temperatures, water levels, etc can impact the fishing. Thanks again Randall. Really appreciate hanging out on the river with you and your son Ivan. 



 Saturday June 15th, 2019 River Report.
                           For two weeks now or a little better we have been hearing of early bright Salmon being caught mainly on the lower section here of the Miramichi. Generally it is spotty as this time of year the only people on the river fishing are those select anglers who want to hook into a Rocky Brook Salmon or bright June Salmon. With few anglers around the reports are few. Things always tend to change quite fast though around mid June and as the lodges and clubs start opening we get more reports of Salmon being hooked.
                     Yesterday, I heard of a number of Salmon being hooked below Blackville. This morning I received a call from an old friend in the Upper Blackville area to tell me they are doing quite well in his pool. Last night they hooked into 3 bright Salmon. All large Salmon and what a joy the anglers had bringing them in. Prior to last nights catch they have been watching a good number of Salmon lying in the pool but wouldn't take. These are early bright Salmon just coming in from a long migration from Greenland. We are also hearing from people who are on the river of quite a few Salmon jumping as they move upriver.
                               From the reports I am getting there seems to be a healthy run of Salmon on at this time. This is good news for the Miramichi and maybe the work of our conservation groups with Greenland is finally paying off. 
                       River levels are good for wading in most pools, the water temperatures are cool, and with Salmon showing like they are we should have  good reports over the next few days.
                               There has also been a report on Shad here in the Blackville area. I have a local guy that I need to see who will verify that for me.
                               So, things are shaping up to be good fishing for the next while, we can only hope this will be early signs of a great season here on the Miramichi. Time to get your rods out and get on the river. Enjoy the angling.




​Tuesday June 11th ,2019 River Report.
                           I had the pleasure last week to spend some time with and old friend canoeing the Miramichi from Halfmoon to the Norrad Bridge in Boiestown. The last part of the week I spent on the Renous. Lots of river time. I have to comment that this old friend absolutely loves to fish and be on the river. He spends a lot of time on the river salmon fishing and is considered one of the best salmon fisherman in our area. We had a trip of a lifetime. Water levels were dropping so we spent most of our time paddling to get down river to better river levels. The upper part is quite fast and with the river dropping we wanted to get below Push Be Damn.
                       Lots of hatches and we could see trout coming to the top feeding within minutes of putting in at Halfmoon. The pollen was plentiful and the shoreline in places was completely yellow. Bald Eagles and Hawks along with Kingfishers kept us company all along the river. This time of year is always alive with wildlife along our local rivers.
                            Although salmon and sea run trout have been caught in the lower section of the river we didn't see much on the upper section. It was like they haven't made it up that far yet. We talked to one club caretaker and he said they will be opening for this weekend and they generally start fishing around mid June. So we may have been a bit early.
                          Here on the lower section of the river there has been word of salmon being caught in Quarryville and also salmon showing in the Upper Blackville area.
                        I also talked to a couple of Bass fisherman who were doing quite well. They said they quit fishing after landing 100 Bass between the two of them.
                        More anglers are starting to get their kits ready to start salmon fishing for the season so as we get more people on the river the reports will start coming in about salmon being caught. It is a bit early but things are going to change fast.


  Sunday June 2nd,2019 River Report.
                           I initially did my river report earlier this morning and while having a late breakfast Norma and I were discussing the weeks fishing and changes on the river. After giving it some thought I felt it time to acknowledge a very small group of anglers who are really part of an elite group in my mind. This is a group of anglers that if offered a trip to New York, London, Paris, etc they would have to decline as they could not be anywhere else other than on the Miramichi chasing bright early run salmon and sea run trout. Most of these guys are usually locals but a fair number are camp owners along the river who are lured by the river and its early season angling. It is really interesting how some of them know it is that time of year to be on the river.  Years of running a local tackle shop have given us the opportunity to meet most of these characters and get to know their annual habits. How is it that they know the time is right to start fishing early run salmon? All of a sudden they will show up at the tackle shop for a salmon license, purchase a few flies and other odds and ends and then off they go. Sometimes it may be only hours and other times it may be a few days but then we hear they have hooked into a bright Rocky Brook Salmon. Yes, a very select group of salmon fisherman who I have the utmost respect for and once again tip my hat too. Hats off guys. If you are reading this know that you are being recognized as part of a group of very select salmon fisherman on the Miramichi.
             Getting that out of the way now to the past weeks river report. This is probably one of the most exciting times for some anglers on the Miramichi. There is always that small group who are engaged in the river and are anticipating the return of bright salmon and sea run trout. It is felt by some the ultimate angling experience on the Miramichi is hooking into large sea run trout or an early bright salmon. Some of this small group feel it is time ,while others spend enough time on the river watching the changes in river levels, blossoms on the trees ,insect hatches, etc and know it is the time to get out there. For this group that time has finally arrived. There have been numerous accounts of both sea run trout and bright salmon being caught here on the S.W Miramichi in this past week. We noticed earlier in the week some anglers using dry flies and being successful for sea run trout. These are the best of the best for some anglers and hooking into a Rocky Brook Salmon is the ultimate experience.
                River levels are dropping and we will soon find some of the tributaries will not be as accessible in the near future. Rain will help and hopefully we will be able to get another few weeks of good canoeing in. Our trees in the last week have really come alive. It is hard to believe how fast things will green up in one week.
                If you are spending any amount of time canoeing and fishing it is advisable now to bring fly repellent as the hatches are starting. A great time of year to be on our rivers. Be safe and enjoy.




​Sunday May 26th, 2019 River Report.
                         Reports from anglers around the tackle shop this weekend indicate  changes on the river. We were told a few salmon are still being caught upriver in the Blissfield area but it has slowed down in the Quarryville section of the river. Fewer large trout and hardly any bass are being caught compared to the last couple of weeks. The slow down seemed to start last Thursday and hasn't picked up yet. We did have some great angling for a couple of weeks in this area. There is word that sea run trout are being caught upriver in the Boiestown area.
                          The focus now will be on Sea Run Trout. We are already having anglers asking about them who are out there hoping to get into a big one. No word yet of any bright salmon on the S.W Miramichi. There was mention of one being caught on the N.W Miramichi.
                              River levels remain good for canoeing the tributaries and we had canoers on the Dungarvon who said the fiddle heads were plentiful. We are not hearing of many brookies being caught on the tributaries yet. Most people are canoeing the tributaries and not focusing on the trout fishing. We will soon hear of anglers picking up nice trout as we are approaching that time.
                              A word of caution in regards to camp fires. The woods is really quite dry even though there has been a lot of rain. Things are starting to green up and the leaves are slowly coming out but a lot of underbrush is very dry. This is a time when forest fires can get out of hand very fast.
                                   Enjoy the fishing. This is one of the best times of year to get your gear out and get on the rivers. I will report as I hear more.


​Tuesday May 21st, 2019 River Report.
                        It was an interesting long weekend in that the weather was really not that great for angling, canoeing, camping, etc, but a lot of people enjoyed it anyway. We were quite busy outfitting people with canoes and shuttling them to the drop off and take out points. Our tributaries in this area have perfect river levels at this time for canoeing and quite a few people are taking advantage of the good conditions.
                       Whether canoeing, fishing, or enjoying the abundance of fiddle heads that are available everyone we talked to seemed to be anxious to enjoy the outdoors regardless of the wet, cooler weather.
                         Most of the lodges have seen the last of the sportsman here to chase our Black Salmon. Though there are probably a few late salmon still lingering in the river most of the anglers now are concentrating on the trout and bass. Here is how a typical day looked last week for anglers. Salmon were mainly caught in the mornings while trout were hooked easier in the afternoons, the evenings then produced some extremely good bass fishing. There seems to be mixed reports on the bass fishing but our customers fishing with flies have been very successful. This has been a trend for over a week now. While other areas are not producing very many bass and some say the water is to cold, etc the Main South West Miramichi in the Quarryville area has had what one customer termed "ridiculous fishing". We have seen videos and pictures of the river boiling with bass in this area along with some ear to ear smiles. I guess it is important to know that depending where you are fishing the results can be quite different. Many of our locals find they can put their boats in here at the park in Blackville, enjoy the boat ride to Quarryville, and have great trout and bass fishing for the day. One really cain't complain about that for a day on the river.

​Thursday May 16th, 2019 River Report.
                   Cold, wet, windy conditions haven't kept all anglers off the river. Though conditions haven't been the greatest those who are braving the elements are having some success. Rewards of salmon, good trout, and bass continue to be the talk by those coming into the tackle shop for gear. There seem to be good pockets of time during the day that produce quite well.
                  We continue to hear of salmon still showing upriver and here on the lower section they are being caught in reasonable numbers for this time of year. My impression from anglers and guides are that there is a much better showing of larger trout this year. Almost everyone we talk to who are angling for salmon are quite happy with the trout they are catching. If you are fishing in the Quarryville area the norm now is salmon, trout, and bass on the fly.
                  We have rain in the forecast and a gradual rise in temperatures. Most anglers feel the fishing will continue to be good for awhile yet. For those who like to chase the trout now is a good time to be on the river. Dress warm and enjoy the fishing.


​Tuesday May 14th, 2019 River Report.
               We continue to hear of salmon being caught. Not the large numbers as before but it hasn't been that bad in the last day or so. The odd angler is actually doing quite well. Once again ,this week seems to be showing large numbers of trout being caught while fishing salmon. Quite a few anglers are also hooking into bass in the Quarryville area. In fact it is really good fishing at times.
              The weather is cold and cloudy and tomorrow we have rain and possible snow in the forecast. Dress warm and enjoy the fishing.

​Monday May 6th, 2019 River Report.
              Just a quick update on the river. I did an early morning report yesterday and up to Saturday we were having quite good fishing. Through the day yesterday we were hearing from more anglers coming into the tackles shop that they were catching fewer salmon. Today that trend seems to continue. There are some lucky anglers out there that seem to be doing O.K but others not so good. This seems to be following the up and down trend that we have been experiencing in the past couple of weeks. We still have salmon upriver so there will continue to be salmon coming downriver for some time.
             This is salmon fishing and as things change I will keep my reports updated. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow. Lets see if that will change it up.

​Sunday May 5th 2019 River Report.
           Fishing conditions are quite good at this time. A lot of anglers are catching salmon and we are getting more reports of higher numbers of large trout being hooked. It isn't uncommon to hear from anglers here at the tackle shop who have caught a dozen plus salmon in the morning and were going out again for the afternoon. Lots of fisherman on the river. We did a fly casting course yesterday and would see a minimum of three boats at any given time fishing within our view.
            Water temperatures remain quite cold and the salmon continue to stay low in the river. Those having the most success seem to be fishing with fast sinking lines. We still have a lot of snow in the woods and the melt is keeping the river temperatures cold. Our daily temperatures are getting higher so that can change quite fast. It has been a nice couple of days on the river and we have more in the forecast.
             The buds are becoming more noticeable on the trees and things are changing fast as each day brings change. It is a great time to be on the Miramichi. Looking forward to this week. Everything is coming to life and the fishing couldn't be better. 

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Wednesday May 1st 2019, River Report.
          By Friday of last week the angling was quite good. Rain on Saturday raised the river and by Sunday water levels were high enough to have grass, etc floating down it. The rivers started clearing by Monday and a few salmon were caught. Today the reports were more positive and we seem to be back into good fishing again. Along with salmon being landed we are also hearing of large trout being hooked. The smelts are in at Quarryville and some people are fishing them. The forecast is showing warmer days ahead so angling should continue to be good.
          We are now seeing more of the seasoned salmon fisherman on the river. It is always good to see the guys back for another season. Good weather over the next few days should yield positive results. I will post as I hear more. Enjoy the fishing.

​Friday April 26th, 2019 River Report.
   End of day report.
  It was a good day on the river today. A larger number of anglers are on the river and almost everyone coming into the tackle shop were reporting hooking into salmon. Even this evening trucks are still going into the park here in Blackville to unload boats and get the remaining evening fishing in. One group told of hooking upwards of 19 salmon today, while others are not so lucky, they are hooking salmon. Popular flies are Golden Eagle, Black Ghost, and pink colored flies. I haven't replaced my pictures yet  but hope to get new ones soon. The river is really quite a bit lower now than the existing pictures show. Expect tomorrow to be another good day.

Just a quick morning report. The river continues to drop, in fact it is becoming quite fishable. I am surprised at just how much it has dropped in the last two days. Forcast is for sunny and warm today with rain tomorrow. Expect we will see good fishing today and over the weekend. Will continue to report any updates.

​Thursday April 25th, 2019 River Report
     Addition to todays report - Things are quickly changing on the river. This afternoon we had quite a few anglers in telling of hooking into large salmon. One angler had hooked into 4 himself. Others were telling of hooking and losing salmon. The popular fly at this time is the Golden Eagle. The rivers have been dropping and are low enough now for the salmon to take. As word gets out more anglers will start launching their boats and we will continue to hear stories of hooking into the big ones. I will report as we hear more.

​I checked the river last night at the park here in Blackville and  it is slowly dropping. Both the Bartholomew and the SW Miramichi are showing signs of a gradual drop in water levels. More boaters are starting to get out on the river but still not hearing much yet on salmon being hooked. We need to remember that it usually takes a few days to a week for the river to clear and drop after the ice starts moving. With so much rain and the large amounts of snow in the woods we can expect it will be longer this year for angling conditions to get better. Snow on the ground here this morning. Much better weather in the forcast for tomorrow and weekend. Hopefully the weekend will bring positive angling news.

​Monday April 22nd, 2019 River Report.
    The slideshow contains pictures I took Sunday evening at the park in Blackville and the old train bridge on the Bartholomew River facing down river towards the Miramichi. As you can see the river is quite high. This morning when I looked it was still quite high with no ice or debris that I could see. It is slowly dropping but continues to remain high.We have more rain in the forcast for tomorrow. I wouldn't be surprised to hear of boaters out in the river soon. I will post updates as I hear more.​

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LIVE... ​Webcam from Bullock's Lodge on the Southwest Miramichi near Boisetown

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Real Time Hydrometric Data, DFO, Province of New Brunswick

• Northwest River ​at Trout Brook
• Little Southwest River at Lyttleton
• Catamaran Brook at Repap Road Bridge
• Main Southwest River at Blackville

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Miramichi River Environmental Assessment Committee Flow Data

• ​Southwest Miramichi River at Doaktown
• ​Little Southwest River  at Upper Oxbow
• Northwest Miramichi River at Wayerton