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Miramichi - 7/17-21 Report

2K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Smolt 
#1 · (Edited)
My two sons, two friends (one of whom was “shotgunner” from this board), and I fished the Miramichi near Doaktown last week from July 17 through July 21. It was the best and most interesting five days of Atlantic salmon fishing in which I have ever participated.

The pool we were fishing is limited to four rods. Four of us fished on Monday and Tuesday, but, since my sons had to leave after Tuesday’s fishing, only three of us fished on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. We caught over 40 fish – salmon and grilse at about a 1:3 ratio, which ratio is pretty standard for July on the Miramichi. All the fish were bright. All but two were very hot. The largest salmon landed was estimated at 20 pounds, with four others between 15 and 18 pounds. These were guide estimates, so they could be on the high side, but seemed pretty accurate to me. The fellow who caught the 20-pounder lost a fish, which I saw when it made its first jump, which was even larger.

One of my sons had never used a fly rod before, and the other has not fished with a fly rod for over 16 years. Even so, they landed 6 and 7 fish, respectively, in their two days of fishing. I was the only fellow who didn’t catch at least one fish each day – skunked on Thursday – and I was the most experienced salmon fisherman of the group.

The hot flies were the Green Machine with a white tail; a black Buc Bug with black hackle, red and green tag, and pearl or blue crystal flash tail; and the Shady Lady with an orange butt. Sizes were from 6 to 10. No one caught a fish on a dry fly.

Even though we fished from 8 until 12 in the morning and from about 6 until 10 in the evening (except on Friday when we fished all day rather than in the evening), most fish were caught between 9:30 and 11:30AM and 8:30 and 10:00PM. The guides seemed to know, within 10 minutes of when things happened, when the fish were going to move into the pool from downriver and what their movements within the pool would be. Many times you could actually see the fish moving into the pool. It was truly a wondrous sight to behold.

I have not checked this report out with Shotgunner and invite him to make any corrections or additions he thinks are needed. We had five cameras (or more) at work up there, but, as I write this, I only have access to the pictures from one of them. I am not very good with attaching pictures to posts, so I hope Shotgunner will do so.

I plan to make this an annual event, though I would be very pleasantly surprised if the fishing quality repeats itself.

CK
 
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#4 ·
a few pics

smolt, thanks so much for the invite to accompany you to NB this trip. your careful research, planning & prep paid out huge! i'm still blown away with our success.... when my first fish hooked shook off i was sick.. i thought it very well could have been my only taste of an atlantic salmon for the week. i feel very fortunate to have taken part in such an outstanding trip.

your sons are great guys and ones any father would be proud of.









 
#7 ·
Thanks for the kind words Shotgunner, and posting the pictures. The picture of me holding the fish is about as close to a smile as I get when concerned about getting it back into the water. For some reason I always look like I am in pain when salmon fishing -- the agony and the ecstasy. I am still waiting for pictures from Andrew, Frankie, and Dickey.
 
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