Great Angling Rivers - Goose Lane Editions
Transcription
Great Angling Rivers - Goose Lane Editions
Preview copy only © copyrighted material Salmon COUNTRY Edited by Jacques Héroux New Brunswick’s Great Angling Rivers Doug Underhill Photographs by André Gallant 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 1 1/11/2011 6:27:42 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Text copyright © 2011 by Doug Underhill. Photographs copyright © 2011 by André Gallant, unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence from the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). To contact Access Copyright, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call 1-800-893-5777. Edited by Rebecca Leaman. Cover photographs by André Gallant. Cover and page design by Jaye Haworth. Art direction by Julie Scriver. Printed in Canada. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Underhill, Doug Salmon country: New Brunswick’s great angling rivers / by Doug Underhill; photographs by André Gallant; edited by Jacques Héroux. Includes index. ISBN 978-0-86492-629-6 1. Salmon fishing — New Brunswick — Pictorial works. 2. New Brunswick — Pictorial works. I. Gallant, André II. Title. SH685.U53 2011 799.17’56097151 C2010-907807-1 Goose Lane Editions acknowledges the financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP), and the New Brunswick Department of Wellness, Culture, and Sport for its publishing activities. Goose Lane Editions Suite 330, 500 Beaverbrook Court Fredericton, New Brunswick CANADA E3B 5X4 www.gooselane.com 629-6_01_FRNT_PRF1.indd 2 1/12/2011 1:25:07 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material & & We dedicate this book to George Routledge for all he has given to the sport of angling and conservation, and for his kindness and support of youth summer camps To all Atlantic salmon anglers, tyers, conservation groups, guides, outfitters, lodge owners and staff, First Nations, writers, photographers, and individuals who work for the conservation, protection, and restoration of wild Atlantic salmon To those whom we meet on the rivers or wherever stories and photos are shared in making The Leaper King of Gamefish 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 3 1/11/2011 6:27:42 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 4 1/11/2011 6:27:45 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material CONTENTS 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 5 7 Foreword 9 Introduction 11 King of the River 13 Atlantic Salmon in New Brunswick Past, Present, and Future 21 Angling for Spring Salmon at Ledges Inn 33 Upper Oxbow Outdoor Adventures 41 Big Hole Camp 51 Quarryville The Miramichi’s MostProductive Salmon Pool 67 The Atlantic Salmon Federation and New Brunswick Salmon Council 75 Conservation and Management Behind the Scenes 85 Hope for the Saint John River System 97 New Brunswick Crown Reserve Waters 105 Larry’s Gulch 117 Cheuters Brook Salmon Lodge 129 Restigouche River Lodge 143 The Sharpe Canoe 153 Pioneer Fly Tyers of New Brunswick 163 Jacques Héroux Modern Fly Tyer 171 Atlantic Salmon Flies of New Brunswick 183 A Day with Rodney Colford 193 Casting Lines at Wilson’s Sporting Camps 203 Fishing Metepenagiag 215 Country Haven 223 A Day on the Nepisiguit River 235 Cains River: The Reel Story 243 The Atlantic Salmon Museum 253 Acknowledgements 255 Index 1/11/2011 6:27:49 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 6 1/11/2011 6:27:49 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Foreword Wild Atlantic salmon and the historic rivers of New Brunswick have enriched my life beyond measure. I cast my first fly for Atlantic salmon in Secord’s Pool on the Kennebecasis River more than thirty years ago. I didn’t know much about Atlantic salmon angling on that first trip, having spent all my fishing time until then chasing brook trout, but I was lucky enough to meet a few local anglers who took me under their wings and pointed me in the right direction. On my first pass through the pool I hooked a lively grilse on a little Brown Buck Bug. I was in a euphoric daze as my salmon ran and jumped about the pool and tore line off my small dragless Hardy Perfect Reel. My heart was in my throat for the five or ten minutes it took me to beach my trophy. I’ve fished a lot of salmon rivers and hooked and released my fair share of salmon since that first happy introduction to this great sport, yet every fishing trip since — every cast and every salmon I’ve been lucky enough to hook — has excited and filled me with as much wonder and reverence as that first little grilse. Since that first experience on Secord’s Pool, I have fished most of New Brunswick’s well-known Atlantic salmon rivers and many of its lesser known but still fine salmon streams as well during the ensuing three decades. We New Brunswickers are blessed with some of the world’s great Atlantic salmon rivers in our own backyards: the Miramichi, and its many wonderful tributaries such as the Northwest, Little Southwest, Dungarvon, Sevogle, Renous, and the sweet little Cains River that flows so seductively through the central New Brunswick wilderness. The mighty Restigouche, one of the great big-fish rivers of the world, has attracted the rich and famous from all corners of the globe and its many productive tributaries, the Upsalquitch, Little Main, Kedgwick and Patapedia rivers. But there are many other salmon streams as well, like the Kennebecasis where I caught my first grilse and others like the Big Salmon, Tobique, and the great Saint John River, once one of the most prolific salmon rivers on the planet, which have all seen their wild Atlantic salmon runs decline from robust to threatened during my lifetime. The Atlantic Salmon Federation, our New Brunswick Salmon Council, and many dedicated volunteer groups are working hard to conserve, protect, and restore all of our province’s precious salmon runs and the rivers they depend upon for survival. Salmon Country: New Brunswick’s Great Angling Rivers is a fine tribute in prose and pictures to New Brunswick’s rich Atlantic salmon angling heritage. Between the beautiful covers of this attractive book, are the rivers, pools, lodges, anglers, guides, fly tyers, and men and women who have devoted so much of their lives to safeguarding the King of Fish, and our beautiful salmon rivers, irreplaceable treasures that contribute so much to our rural economies, communities, and quality of life. Jacques Héroux and his team, well-known outdoor writer Doug Underhill and talented photographer André Gallant, have put together a terrific book. Salmon Country will be enjoyed by anglers, fly tyers, conservationists, and anyone interested in the King of Fish and the Picture Province. Bill Taylor President, Atlantic Salmon Federation Saint Andrews, New Brunswick 7 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 7 1/11/2011 6:27:49 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 8 1/11/2011 6:27:49 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Introduction The pursuit of the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, in New Brunswick, Canada, has a long and storied history. For centuries, the province has been a popular destination for fishermen worldwide who are interested in fly-fishing and the opportunity to hook the “King of Game Fish.” To augment this pursuit, the idea for a book on salmon fishing had been percolating in my head for quite some time. The challenge, however, was not to write a book but to create one that did not duplicate what had already been published in this field. Finally, I made a choice. Firstly, the book would be about the experiences of salmon fishing. Secondly, all people, anglers, stories, lodges, and flies included had to be found within New Brunswick, Canada, as there was no book that covered all of these subjects strictly within our province. Thirdly, besides text, there had to be lots of photographs. Thus was born the general framework for Salmon Country: New Brunswick’s Great Angling Rivers. The distinguishing features settled, I needed a reputable team with which to work as I am neither a writer nor photographer! I also needed a good publisher. To find one of the best writers on Atlantic salmon fishing was easy. It took me five minutes to convince Doug Underhill to jump aboard! Doug is a retired high school literature teacher, the author of eleven books, a long-time writer about Atlantic salmon fishing, and an avid fly fisherman. Next I began to look for a publishing house. Doug suggested I contact Goose Lane Editions with my idea. So I did and soon received an email from the publisher Susanne Alexander telling me that they were very interested in our project. This could not have turned out better. Goose Lane Editions has an excellent reputation, is based in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and is Canada’s oldest independent publisher. To complete this book, I needed the best outdoor photographer available. I received some names from the publisher and decided to contact André Gallant from Saint John, New Brunswick. André is a freelance photographer who travels the world taking expressive photographs. He is the author of numerous books and recipient of two National Magazine Awards for his photography. I contacted him, and he, too, readily agreed to come on board. Now the team was assembled and ready to work. Our assignment was not a “how to” book on salmon fishing, but one that would capture the ambience of all the experiences within the sport of angling for salmon. This necessarily included not only the angling aspect, but also some of the sport’s history, the organizations that protect and conserve our rivers, the pioneer fly tyers, the various lodges and fishing spots on both private and open water, the Atlantic Salmon Museum, the Sharpe Canoe, and most importantly, what one experiences while fishing the various rivers. In short, this would be a book about people, places, rivers, canoes, and salmon flies created in New Brunswick and by New Brunswickers. It took us three years to travel the Province of New Brunswick capturing these special moments on the rivers, and we honestly think that we did it with success. Amazingly, Doug’s pen and André’s camera always seemed focused exactly on the same perspective of our task. They worked together as one mind, 9 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 9 1/11/2011 6:27:49 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material presenting a unified piece of art so that its beauty could be appreciated. Not only did we work together excellently, but we had a lot of fun in the process. We also enjoyed so much hospitality from everyone we encountered, and we made many friends. The result is a book that captures all the wonderful experiences and memories from our fishing trips in New Brunswick. It was a great privilege for us to do this, and one that we will never forget. Finally, a special thanks to our sponsors who offered financial support: L. G. Fly & Rods, the Dieppe Fly Tying Club, Groupe Savoie, G. Loomis, and Torrent, and to Bill Taylor, president and CEO of the Atlantic Salmon Federation for writing the preface to this book. Jacques Héroux Dieppe, New Brunswick 10 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 10 1/11/2011 6:27:49 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material King of the River Sunlight dances through morning mist as we make our way down a winding path to the river’s edge. Waders squitch-squitch, knocking dew from low over-hanging bushes. The air sharp but infused with sweet smells of an early June morning with its hundred shades of green. Birds chirping. A doe ahead on the path turns, eyes deep and dark as the pool to which we are heading. She watches, sniffs, twitches tail, then the white flag as she bounds into forest. Our senses alive before we even step into the cool morning water of the Miramichi in pursuit of the King of the River. Our rods assembled in anticipation, lines threaded through guides, clear leader pinched and drawn through the eye of the hook and tied, loose end clenched by teeth, an extra yank for security, and clipped close to the knot. Then line pulled off the reel like a favourite dream we love to live again and again. Gray shore-rocks rattle under foot as we make our way to the water. We are ready. The first cast, a glinting silver arc over the head of the pool, fly snapped gently as it drops to the surface and is grabbed by current. The line swings, heart beats loudly in the ears. Fly skidding across pool, eyes watching it cover every inch of its swing, breath held until it reaches slack water. Nothing. Step forward. Repeat. Only the quiet gurgle of river over rocks. Cast again. A swirl! A moment of paused time, muscles tense. The fly floats by. The line cast again, waiting, waiting, . . . and then a splash of fury as water erupts, line taut, rod almost pulled from hand. The reel squeals as line cuts water and is ripped, downriver. A jump, silversides flashing, heart pounding, a splash as the King of Fish lands back into the water. Another jump as it tail-walks across the pool, head shaking, water slapped as it drops back into the current. This is as good as it gets. Line retrieved, gently, but firmly, keeping tension on the hook. One cannot hurry, or pull too hard, or the dream is lost. Another run, or two, maybe another jump, and finally the salmon is brought ashore. Hook removed. Then the release, nose into current, gentle cradling of belly, hand around tail fin, back and forth, back and forth, oxygen through gills. Patience, patience, then a powerful tail-snap, white splash, a dark back snakeing to deeper water, journey continued, to spawn in the fall. There are high-fives. The day perfect. The magic of a Miramichi salmon made real. The story melds, is told, and retold, of the King of the River! Doug Underhill Miramichi, New Brunswick 11 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 11 1/11/2011 6:27:49 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Kouchibouguac Village sign with a Cosseboom salmon fly. Help salmon by purchasing a conservation licence plate. 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 12 NEED CAPTION 1/11/2011 6:28:00 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Atlantic Salmon in New Brunswick Past, Present, and Future The Atlantic salmon has been a much sought after species since earliest times. It was certainly one of the food staples for First Nations peoples, and during the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries became the target of commercial fisheries. Many companies in Miramichi and around the province of New Brunswick, Canada, bought the salmon catches and shipped them to international markets. Until the mid-1950s, it was common to see numerous salmon stands with gill nets erected along most rivers of the province. Fishermen in boats plied the waters of Chaleur Bay, Miramichi Bay, the Bay of Fundy, and along most coastal communities in search of salmon catches. Salmon was essentially a food fishery, and the philosophy of the time was to catch as many as possible with little thought about the future of the species. Even as late as the mid-1950s, many local people would net a night or two in the fall to get their winter’s supply of fish. They would then salt them and keep them in a barrel full of brine to have over the course of the winter. 13 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 13 1/11/2011 6:28:04 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material During this same period rivers were used for economic development with forestry and hydroelectric interests given priority for the water’s use. During each spring of the first half of the twentieth century, many rivers carried logs to mills. From the 1950s onward, hydroelectric dams became a common sight along the Saint John River. Mining operations and large mills spewed industrial pollution into the water, and rivers were the septic systems of communities. People seemed to take for granted that salmon would always be here, until stocks began to dwindle and the fishing industries suffered. Gradually, the emphasis turned to a conservation-orientated approach. Commercial fishing was banned within territorial waters during the second half of the twentieth century, and more emphasis was placed on scientific research and environmental concerns. While this transition from commerce to conservation evolved, the sport of angling for Atlantic salmon was slowly beginning to establish itself. This is not to say that angling for salmon was never done prior to the emergence of conservation, because it certainly was, but the art of angling with a fly was not common to most anglers. It was mostly the “sports” from away that used them. Most local people went to the rivers with the purpose of bringing home fish for food. Bait and tackle was more apt to catch the fish than a fly. However, about the mid-1950s, more and more anglers began to use flies for fishing salmon. Edward Weeks wrote in The Miramichi Fish & Game Club: A History (1984): In the last half of the nineteenth century it was game rather than fish which attracted sportsmen from Ne w York and Ne w England to the Northwest Miramichi in New Brunswick. The tundra and forests were then alive with caribou and moose; a moosehead with a fine spread was a valued trophy to be hung in one’s billiard room, proof of the hunter’s virility, if not his aim, as the moose is the largest animal in North America and on its favourite feeding grounds, swamps and shallow lake shore, presents a favourite target. When the rivers of New England, and some in Europe ceased to have an abundant supply of salmon, “sports” began to turn to New Brunswick as a destination for Atlantic salmon. As early as the 1870s, those who could afford it bought or leased large tracts of land and water from the provincial government and built private camps. People “from away” also began to buy up private property that had belonged to local residents. Many of these pieces of land came with riparian rights when land was granted to the early settlers. During tough times for both farmers and woodsmen, when taxes drained meager incomes, they were happy to sell land and water rights. Today, many of these properties are literally worth millions of dollars. Throughout the twentieth century, the provincial government had been leasing particular stretches of water to the highest bidders who would then control these stretches for periods of ten to twenty years. In the last few years, stipulations have increased upon these leases. For instance, successful bidders must now employ a certain number of people and must have a warden to patrol the waters. During the mid to late twentieth century, the provincial government also began to set aside stretches of water that became known as Crown Reserve sections. These were, and still are, granted only to residents on a lottery basis for a few days. To advance conservation efforts, in the last twenty years some rivers became designated as “Fly-Fishing Only.” As well, daily and season bag limits reducing the number of fish caught and retained were put in place. A tagging system came into use whereby anglers were given a fixed number of tags for the season. Any fish retained had to have one of these tags attached or it was considered illegal. Once the allotment of tags for the season was used, anglers were not allowed to fish for grilse until the next season. Gradually, the number of tags was reduced, and as of the printing of this book, the maximum for a season is eight. At one time anglers had very few limits on the number of fish that could be hooked and/or retained in a day or for the season. Catch limits went from ten daily to six, to two, and in the past decade or so, to one per day. As a further conservation measure, anglers may choose to buy 14 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 14 1/11/2011 6:28:04 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Restigouche Sam: a 28-foot (8.5-meter) stainless steel statue in Campbellton, New Brunswick, honours the Atlantic salmon heritage of the Restigouche River. “Hook and Release” licenses which means that they receive no tags as they do not plan to retain a fish. Another conservation measure required the release of all salmon that were approximately 24 ¾ inches (over 63 centimeters) fork length. This measurement, taken from the tip of the nose to the middle of the fork in the tail, meant that only grilse could be retained by anglers. This allowed the larger females to proceed upriver to the spawning grounds. Although there may be exceptions, the average female grilse will have 2,500 eggs, while a mature female would have about 8,000 eggs. Each river’s salmon may have a slightly different egg count, but a rule of thumb for determining egg counts on the Miramichi system is 650 eggs per 1 pound (0.45 kilogram) of fish. As a rule, the bigger the female, the bigger the eggs. The bigger the egg, the more protein it has and thus a bigger hatchling with a greater chance of survival. Ultimately, the more eggs we can get into the rivers, the greater possibility of more salmon in the long run. Some stretches of rivers also became designated as “Live Release Only,” allowing both salmon and grilse the opportunity to spawn. Even the spring salmon season changed in terms of the number of fish allowed to be hooked in a day. From basically no limit, the number of fish landed and released was set at ten a day. Included in this limit was the fact that all salmon had to be released. If an angler kept a grilse, fishing was over for the day for that individual. This regulation results in less stress on the salmon that have spawned the previous fall and wintered over before going back to the ocean. If fewer are injured or killed, the odds increase that more of these fish will return to spawn again. 15 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 15 1/11/2011 6:28:07 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 16 1/11/2011 6:28:11 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 17 1/11/2011 6:28:15 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Badge worn by licensed New Brunswick guides with the year of issue. Angling for bright grilse and salmon (those that enter the rivers from late May to October) was also limited to four a day with live release, or one a day if a grilse is retained, which meant the angler was finished for the day. All salmon still had to be released and were counted in the allotted four-a-day number landed. Many of the outfitters and camp owners have moved toward strictly “Live Release” angling and advertise as such. Anglers who do retain a fish are being encouraged to release female grilse in an effort to increase the number of spawners in the system. A move to use more barbless hooks has also worked its way into conservation strategies. A barbless (or pinched barb) causes less damage to a fish that is to be released and therefore increases its chance of survival. All spring salmon angling now requires barbless hooks, and some stretches of water are also designated as “barbless” for the entire season. Over the years, government and conservation groups have steadily expanded their conservation efforts. The provincial government has finally started to impose more environmental requirements on industry, particularly in terms of leaving a buffer zone of trees near rivers to prevent silt run-off, as well as more stringent regulations for changing any brooks or feeder streams. Environmental impact studies are now required for many development projects, so progress is being made. The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has been conducting more and more scientific research regarding all aspects of the Atlantic salmon. Charitable organizations such as the Atlantic Salmon Federation and New Brunswick Salmon Council, together with many local associations, have been heavily involved in conservation projects from habitat restoration, enhancement, and preservation, to stocking and research. There are now trap nets, hatcheries, and counting fences to facilitate data collection. Work has been done to have First Nations people involved in many of these projects. The Pabineau First Nation, who operate the counting fence on the Nepisiguit River, are a prime example of successful co-operation in efforts to restore and conserve salmon populations. The economic spinoffs of salmon angling are literally in the millions of dollars, and gradually, federal and provincial governments are coming to realize just how important the sport fishery has become. Still, more has to be done. The Atlantic salmon is a vital resource and more effort has to be taken to protect it. Tying salmon flies has steadily become an integral part of the sport of angling. At one time, there were a very limited number of tyers who performed their art for tackle shops. Now the formation of local clubs is on the rise. A good example is the Dieppe Fly Tying Club, which encourages and teaches the art of tying. People like Jacques Héroux and many dedicated club members have begun an annual Fly Fishing Forum that takes place at the end of March/first of April. Held on the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) Dieppe Campus, it is now a two-day affair that attracts thousands of interested anglers and a host of various exhibitors. As interest grows, so does the drive to protect and enhance the numbers of salmon within our rivers. For a period of time in the latter half of the twentieth century, salmon stocks were at an all time low. Of late, there has been encouraging progress, and numbers seem to be on the rise. It is fragile progress, but progress just the same. Many salmon protection groups are now working internationally. There are 18 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 18 1/11/2011 6:28:20 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material As American poet and angler A. O. Hill once said: “A man has to believe in something. I believe I’ll go fishing” ASF salmon conclaves and groups such as North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) that have many countries from North America and Europe formulating policy and conducting research toward a common goal. For about twenty years, I wrote a weekly fishing column for both local and provincial newspapers. When that job ended in 2008, I began a weekly online fishing report. Already, there are over 1,000 subscribers, not to mention a high volume of online traffic. Subscribers include many New Brunswickers, as well as people from most provinces of Canada, the New England States, and beyond. I mention this only to illustrate how the sport of angling for Atlantic salmon is growing both locally and internationally. Huge efforts are taking place to build up stocks and to restock rivers that once boasted fine salmon runs. By working together, there is hope for a brighter future for the Atlantic salmon. It is time for the King of Fish to again rule the waters of our province and beyond! Wild Atlantic salmon populations in different streams are genetically distinct from each other. 19 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 19 1/11/2011 6:28:24 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Chef Luc Schofield prepares a hearty midday meal. 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 20 1/11/2011 6:28:27 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Angling for Spring Salmon at Ledges Inn Since childhood, we have heard the familiar refrain, “wish upon a star” for something special we desired. Anglers can now try wishing on “four and a half stars” for their special experience on the river as this is the rating for Ledges Inn, located at 30 Ledges Inn Lane at the western edge of the village of Doaktown, New Brunswick, that awaits Jacques, André, and me as we meet for an early May day of spring fishing. Ledges Inn where dreams come true. 21 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 21 1/11/2011 6:28:31 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material New Brunswick fiddleheads, a spring delicacy to complement fresh salmon. Guide Derek Munn (left) and Jacques (right) cast for spring salmon on Main Southwest Miramichi, while Doug (middle) waits his turn. I turn down the unpaved L-shaped Ledges Inn Lane, where I drive past rows of raspberry plants ready to bud for another season and last season’s sunflowers, their heads black and bowed like a group of mourners. Last fall they could have been a natural Vincent Van Gogh painting, their riot of yellow faces worshipping the sun. I park my truck in front of the inn itself, a three-story structure of pine-coloured wood, fitting beautifully into its natural surroundings. Verandas and staired balconies ring the lodge like fine jewelry. The front entrance has a small patio with inviting chairs. There is a guest/meeting building very close by. Bird feeders are busy. Flat sandstone steps welcome visitors to the water’s edge where the Main Southwest Miramichi flows lazily through the village. This day we will be angling for spring salmon, 22 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 22 1/11/2011 6:28:35 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material which are locally also known as “black salmon” or “kelts.” Some even refer to them as “slinks.” These are last year’s salmon that have entered the river any time between late May and late October. They spawned last fall and now are dropping back to head out to the ocean where they will stay for a year and then return again, and hopefully, several more times. Angling for spring salmon that have wintered under the ice and are now heading back to the ocean is almost the opposite of angling for bright salmon, which enter our rivers any time between late May and late October. One fishes for spring salmon in eddies and slack water. Flies used for them are large and known as “streamers.” Some favourites are the Black Ghost, Mickey Finn, Renous River Special, Golden Eagle, Miramichi Smelt, Blue Smelt, and a variety of Marabou patterns. 23 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 23 1/11/2011 6:28:38 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material 24 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 24 1/11/2011 6:28:39 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material The ledges Inn Guest Room: A home away from home at Ledges Inn. The Ledges Inn: Ledges Inn Lodge overlooks the Main Southwest Miramichi River. 25 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 25 1/11/2011 6:28:43 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Guide Lloyd Lyons prepares to push off in search of spring salmon. 26 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 26 1/11/2011 6:28:46 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Need caption We meet our guides Derek Munn and Lloyd Lyons. Jacques and I go with head guide Derek who has been guiding here for eight years, with a few years on the river before this. André shares a canoe with Lloyd who has been a guide for forty-two years, having worked at Wilson’s twenty years before joining Ledges. “I come from a fishing family,” says Lyons. “My brothers used to take me fishing when I was small, so I learned about the river early, and guiding came naturally. I have handled a lot of big fish over the years, one as big as thirty-six pounds. The biggest I have ever caught was thirty-two pounds.” The day is cloudy when we start out. The bow of the canoe plows white waves as we head upriver. Two common mergansers with pointed bills swim away to a safer distance from us. We drop anchor at Flo’s Pool. A hairy woodpecker pounds a pole in the distance. The water is flat, flecked with silver. Derek points out legendary baseball player and angler Ted Williams’s first Miramichi fishing camp along the shore. I put on a Black Marabou streamer and fish longline from the middle of the boat, while Jacques casts from the bow. About twenty minutes in, I hook a salmon and pass my rod to Jacques to play it, while André and Lloyd close in for photos. Unfortunately, the salmon gets free before we can get it close enough for some good pictures. I tease Jacques for losing my fish! There are no more takers, so we pull anchor and continue upriver, picking our way over Kelly Bar and through Kelly Channel where a man-made rock wall protects against erosion. Large deadwoods lay on top like beached walruses, and exposed roots of fallen elms stretch skyward with long, eerie fingers. We stop off Hardy’s Shore at an unnamed pool I suggest be named “Derek’s Pool” in honour of our guide. Red-winged blackbirds cackle from the hedges. We hear the distant drumming of a male grouse. This is spring mating season and the shores echo with a medley of birdsong. But there is no Song of the Reel to tempt us to linger so we head further upriver to Sutter’s Pond. The river is low for the time of year as we have had an unusually early spring with ice-out in early April, well before opening day on the fifteenth. As the canoe skims along, the water is a dark mystery except for places where the sun breaks through, illuminating the bottom. We see fish shadows darting away from the canoe. We drop anchor once again and the canoe is pulled taut as the rope gnaws gently back and forth. We cast toward an outcropping of shale guarding the shore. There are good numbers of fish here, but we soon learn they are not in a taking mood. André and Lloyd go ashore across from us to take photos. They discover several small four- to six-inch (ten- to fifteencentimeter) black lamprey eels in puddles along the water’s edge. 27 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 27 1/11/2011 6:28:49 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Guide Lloyd Lyons casts for spring salmon on the Main Southwest Miramichi River. Following this, we decide to return to the lodge for lunch. As we make our way downriver, we see two canoes nosing shore as other anglers enjoy a shore lunch. There are bright green shoots of skunk cabbage along the banks. We pass Norm Betts’s camp. Derek notes that Norm has his own line of canoes known as Oak Ledge Canoes. We reach the inn where Derek eases the canoe to shore and holds it steady as we head to the lodge for dinner. Chef Luc Schofield has prepared hot bowls of fish chowder followed by tender steak with vegetables. The meal is topped off with a blueberry dessert with blueberry sauce drizzled over it. After this excellent meal, we examine a perfectly canoe-shaped coffee table and a preserved ruffed grouse that add to the décor and atmosphere. We are shown around the inside of the premises, which includes a conference room for up to fifteen people, and eleven bedrooms. Ledges Inn has seven private pools on the Main Southwest and four private lakes for trout angling. They also have a 200-acre (80-hectare) pheasant reserve and take bookings for upland bird hunting and woodcock, as well as some waterfowl during the fall, providing the opportunity for a little “Blast ’n Cast.” They are open year-round with hiking trails and in 28 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 28 1/11/2011 6:28:53 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material the winter with snowmobile trails. At one time they even offered a spring pheasant hunt to go with early angling. This was unique as there had never been a hunt in springtime. They have a wine cellar and their own private chef. Recently they have added Mountain Channel, a classic 1930s lodge with private angling waters below Blackville, New Brunswick. Following the tour, we head back into the canoes which have dozed along the shore to head for Russell Rapids for an afternoon fish. We hear the grating screet, screet of a belted kingfisher and the spring mating calls of the male pheasant. On the shore there are bleachedgray chunks of poplar that have been chewed by beavers. The fishing is great, but the catching is another story. Just as we are about to pack it in for the day, I get a tug but come up empty. Shortly, a salmon jumps just beyond the stern of our canoe. Derek manoeuvres the canoe to within casting distance. I tell him to go ahead and cast as he is closest to where we saw the fish. Two casts later, the line goes tight and the battle is on. He passes the rod to me, but I give Jacques a second chance at redemption, passing the rod back to him. André and Lloyd have brought their canoe close in hope of some photo ops. The salmon makes a couple of leaps before Jacques gradually brings it toward our canoe, head shaking and pulling, taking out line only to be reeled in again. There is splashing, a silver swirl and a dorsal fin cutting the water as the salmon is drawn closer to the canoe. Derek stands ready with the scoop-net, which seems a pale gray curtain lifting the fish from its element. Guide Lloyd Lyons prepares to pinch the barb of the hook for easier release of spring salmon. 29 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 29 1/11/2011 6:28:58 PM Preview copy only © copyrighted material Perfect ending to a day’s angling: Derek Munn holds spring salmon as Doug (middle) and Jacques (left) share the moment. 30 629-6_Salmon_Book 1.indb 30 1/11/2011 6:29:07 PM