Rivernotes Oct. 15. You don’t have to read a word. The fall photos are spectacular
Misty October morning at Wilson’s, Southwest Miramichi. Photo Nathan Wilbur/ASF –
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here have been some wonderful days on salmon rivers in the Maritimes this fall. After that major deluge a few weeks ago the waters receded, and did so slightly faster than many had predicted.
We were left with good conditions, and just enough rain showers since to keep things interesting.
As of today the season ends in many New Brunswick rivers including the Miramichi, but there are still some rivers open till later, such as the Bartibog. As many have noted, the last few days of the season can be a bit tedious with catching more maple leaves on the water than anything else. Perhaps one might might press and frame the largest maple leaf caught on one’s final day of the season – and enjoy the colours on the wall with the memory that it brings. ASF’s Charles Cusson also noted that Atlantic salmon will sometimes “attack” the leaves, another interesting aspect of this charismatic fish’s behaviour.
New Brunswick
Miramichi –
Cains River in mid-October, 2015. Photo Nathan Wilbur/ASF
The last day of the season is bright and sunny, and levels are quite good, so expect there will be many taking a day off work to enjoy one last flit of the fly and watch the river set against a backdrop of bright red and yellow.
The Dungarvon Fence on the Southwest Miramichi was finding movement upstream of salmon with 25 grilse and 14 large salmon for the week ending Oct. 11, giving a total to that date of 207 grilse and 175 large salmon, making a full total of 382. This is slightly more than double the total in 2014 to the same date of 184, made up of 106 grilse and 78 large salmon.
Judy Lutes of the Miramichi Headwaters was reporting that last week they collected their broodstock near Juniper immediately, the great rise of water the previous week causing a major surge of salmon upriver.
Calvin Milbury releases a beautiful salmon on the SW Miramichi on Oct. 9. Photo Paul Milbury
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Nathan Wilbur, ASF’s Director of New Brunswick Programs, writes this on Oct. 14:
Reports have been good from the SW Miramichi and Cains Rivers. The high water seems to have brought in fish and helped fish that were already in the system make their move to get where they want to be for spawning. The good news is that many of the fish being hooked are large females. Of the fish I’ve heard reported and seen pictures of over the past week, over 50% of them are MSW females. Hopefully this is representative of the run and we have a substantial egg deposit this year. Anglers and hunters have been out enjoying the fall splendour and the “cast and blast” season. There’s nothing like being on a river this time of year in New Brunswick surrounded by the fall colours, birds, and salmon. Water levels are perfect.
On the Northwest Miramichi Barrier, the numbers are just not coming up the way many had hoped. To Oct. 11 there have been 254 grilse and 80 large salmon, totalling 334. This is marginally better than the 2014 count of 185 grilse and 65 large salmon, that totalled 250.
Read and see more fabulous images . . .
NOTE: Featured Image is of Miramichi Headwaters Salmon Federation collects broodstock last week near Juniper.
