Salmon fishing & fly tying on the Miramichi...

Monday 28 May 2012

COSTCO, Safeway & Loblaws: We Don't Want to Eat Salmon Flu or Heart Viruses



Saturday 26 May 2012

Fishing with Jason and John..

2 years ago or so I was out with a couple good old buddies fishing for bass up in South Oromocto river. Jay and John were spin fishing and I was using the trusty old 7wt with a wooly bugger. It was a good day that we'll have to do again sometime!




















I don't know how many we caught that day but my arm was sore by the end of it! Make sure you pass this link along to John for me Jay. And if you want to see some nice black salmon pics go back to the April blog entries on the right.. or you can search 'atlantic salmon'.

Anyways, it was good talking to you Jay and I'll get those flies tied that you wanted.

Salmon Fishing season 'Delayed' in Nova Scotia..

I received this disturbing email last night from Larry Shortt as did many other members of various NS based salmon & conservation groups. He explains what has happened to the NS Salmon fishing season as a result of a First Nations power grab...

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Delay in Nova Scotia Salmon Angling Season opening
Date: Fri, 25 May 2012 22:03:07 -0300
From: Larry Shortt <lshortt@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: NSSA Larry Shortt <lshortt@ns.sympatico.ca>


To: NSSA Board; NSSA Members; NSSA Affiliates; Flies & Lies List
Hi Folks,


We have been informed by the Department of Fisheries & Oceans (DFO) that there will be a delay in the opening of the Nova Scotia Recreational Salmon Angling Season which was scheduled to open on June 1.


A variation order is now being drawn up to indicate this. DFO has been in consultations with the First Nations Kwilmu'kw Maw-klusuaqn (KMK), also known as Mi'kmaq Rights Initiative, and another meeting is in the planning stage.


This will impact salmon angling on the Margaree, North and North Aspey Rivers which normally open on June 1st.


DFO is unable to provide a date when salmon angling will be permitted for recreational anglers.


Regrets,


Larry Shortt
NSSA

This obvious power grab has many passionate and dedicated conservationist, salmon anglers up in arms over this situation and I have to wonder how long before the First Nations attempt the same ransom scheme here in New Brunswick... this situation is truly pathetic and does nothing for Atlantic Salmon - in fact, with fewer salmon anglers on the rivers this will do more harm than good as poachers can now go about their business unchecked....
Here is an excellent letter written and sent to the Halifax Herald today by Mr. Mike Bardsley, a former NSSA director:

"I AM FISHING ILLEGALLY"


On June 1st, I’m going fishing. Illegally.


I’ll have my salmon rod – the one I carefully chose and lovingly care for.
The two boxes of salmon flies that I’ve meticulously tied and traded – with patterns that are top secret, that have been successful, rumored successful, or just might work.
I’ll visit the same stores, sleep in the same beds, and support the same restaurants that have dotted the landscape along Nova Scotia’s greatest rivers and have depended on anglers like me for generations.
And, I will catch fish. We will battle and I will land them with care, releasing them unharmed to complete their primeval journey.
The mighty Atlantic Salmon will be no worse for wear, yet I will be a more complete person for having spent the time and effort to be connected to this incredible creature in some of natures most incredible settings.


The Canadian Government and it’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans have informed anglers that our season is suspended indefinitely. They, who invest heavily in all of the factors that contribute to the decline and potential extinction of one of Atlantic Canada’s most remarkable, historic and important species. This announcement comes on the heels of closing all of Nova Scotia’s mainland rivers in 2010 and allowing the unique salmon strains of over 70 Nova Scotian rivers become extinct.


On June 1st, I will fish Illegally because I know that keeping conservation minded anglers on every river where salmon swim is their only hope for survival. We are their guardians against government, politics, poaching, pollution and harvest.


Responsible anglers are the only group that pours hours, energy, sweat and tears back into the river - instead of pollution, dams, disease, aquaculture, clear-cutting and development - the killing of watersheds in the name of mis-guided economic progress.


Yes, I am fishing illegally because I am terrified that if I don’t, Atlantic Salmon may never swim in any of our rivers ever again.


Mike Bardsley
Former Nova Scotia Salmon Association Director

Salmon Anglers need to be on the rivers, plain and simple...

Friday 25 May 2012

Home this weekend....

I was talking to my cousin Doug this evening who was talking to his buddy and guide whose been either watching the rivers all week or out on the rivers all week and he said things are slooooooww... a lot of the reports out now are overly optimistic so staying home is the sound decision for this weekend. Next week, on the other hand, will be full bore balls to the wall salar chasing and you can be sure i'll be in a river somewhere 3 hours north of here!

I haven't tied much this week as I've been fighting with a finnicky network card and windows 7 on one of my home PC's... it's working great now but what a battle to get 'er fixed! I'd go crazy if I were in IT... you can have it, Bill!

I've also been car shopping and that's a tricky, confusing P.I.T.A. process... we have a few ideas in mind and might be a bit closer but nothing definite... fuel economy is going to be THE deciding factor in any purchase/lease. One thing for sure, the big gas guzzling 4x4 V8 is soon to be a thing of the past.

Anyways, i'll be happy to get a few flies tied and get out for a fish sometime this weekend on the Hammond.

Paul, what do you think? NW, next weekend?


(Freddie, this was a great day! I will remember it for a long time! Chief Needabeh!)

Monday 21 May 2012

A few #10 trout treats...

Now, where should I wet these??


The Hammond, perhaps?

May long weekend at the Den

Dad, Ethan, Brad and our very special friend and moose hunting guide Tom Lindsay headed up to the camp on Friday for a weekend of fishing, boating and canoeing.

Tom checking out the scenery.


Brad playing a few tunes..



Somehow a hatchet just makes things sound better!


Obligatory campfire



After a few refreshments and many laughs we headed to bed as Saturday was to be a full day of boating for Dad, Tom & Ethan and a canoe run for Brad and I.

I've been wanting to do a run down the Cains for a long time as each time i've fished it I've been awestruck by it's meandering beauty... this river truly is a jewel of New Brunswick.

Our plan was to put in at Buttermilk and fish our way down to the Den - I estimated 18km as the river flows for the run.




Our first stop for a stretch and a quick fish:



This video is a bit long, nothing really exciting happens but I was just learning how to operate Brad's GoPro... what a great rig they are! Now that I've figured out how to swicth it to HD I'll be sure to have some cool videos from the 2012 fishing season.


On down the river we go







Mouth of the Cains where it meets the Main Southwest Miramichi river.


The old home pool area



The trip summary - not bad on my estimate. I was really surprised how quickly it went - with good water like we had I wouldn't hesitate to put in much higher.



A final thought on Shale Gas and Hydraulic Fracking - let's hope the market remains flooded with natural gas and keeps the price of shale gas low so it doesn't get developed!


It was a great weekend with warm temps, lots of sun and tons of bugs. The company was second to none and we all had a great time with lots of laughs. Fishing was definitely in the in between stages on the Cains and the Main Southwest but I heard good things were starting to happen in the tidal areas and on the Northwest. I even heard of a few brights being hooked. Another week or so and those rumours will be a reality, no doubt! We managed a couple trout, a bunch of fiddleheads and memories and pictures we'll have for a lifetime. I can't wait to get back up there!

Friday 18 May 2012

Dad, Tom, Ethan, Brad and I sitting around the campfire...

It's great to be here, weather is beautiful, bugs are mild and there are a few trout around. Fiddleheads too. I just got a call from Doug - he fished quarryville this evening, the sea trout are starting up - he hooked 2 nice ones and he also heard of a bright grilse hooked in front of Sammy's..... Gentlemen, start your engines!