October 1st, 2023
As we head into the final two weeks of the 2023 Atlantic Salmon season, we are welcoming many returning guests and a few new comers from all around the world including England, Switzerland, The US (Maine, New Mexico and Massachusetts, Oregon and more) and Canada (Nova Scotia & New Brunswick). It’s truly remarkable to see what Atlantic Salmon mean to anglers around the world and it’s such an important fishery for our local and provincial economy too! While the majority of our anglers this past week had success landing some beautiful salmon, a few were left still looking for the big take! Even though not all anglers had success landing a fish this past week rebookings for next year remain high as folks know eventually their casting efforts will meet with success!
The beginning of last week started out slow and folks weren’t seeing any fish showing but by the back half of the week, our anglers had landed 21 salmon which brought alot of smiles around the lodge. The mornings seemed to be when most of the fish were being landed which was interesting given that the prior week it was mainly evenings. These fish and their behaviour are always a mystery and which I guess is why salmon anglers are always struggling to figure out these remarkable fish!
We always have amazing guests return each year but some stand out such as is the case with the Mosher brothers and their friend Robert, Charlie is 94 years old, Bob is 84 years old and the youngster in the group, Rob, is 74 years young! But all of them were still up for the challenge of the Atlantic Salmon and with Charlie’s great jokes and his stories, he kept the guides and and the kitchen staff well entertained! The result was loads of laughter and it is always such a pleasure having them return each season. travelling all the way from New Mexico.
Water heights are shaping up rather nice on the Miramichi tributaries - the Cains, Renous and Dungarvon Rivers as well as on the lower end of the Main Southwest although that may still be a tad high for holding fish. This seems to sum up our 2023 season, having seen more high water events than ever before, resulting in alot of fish running right through sections of river where they would have otherwise paused for a rest. News from other outfitters and locals alike is that they are starting to see fresher fish coming in the last few days including some with sea lice which everyone loves to see at this time of season!
The last week in September has always been known for decent salmon fishing as well as the annual 5 day New Brunswick moose hunt! This year we were able to receive a moose tag for the lodge and one of our guests, Steve Veres, was successful harvesting a nice bull on the first morning! In addition, the same week, he also hooked numerous salmon during his 5 day stay while enjoying quality time with his son. The majority of fish were caught on purple and pink marabou flies, Ally Cascades and the infamous white tail green machine!
As the last two weeks of the fall season kick off on the Miramichi, the weather is looking favourable and no doubt it will be beautiful as the fall colours start to reflect the shorter days and cooler nights. This is a wonderful time to get out on the river, to enjoy the angling and all that Mother Nature provides and we wish everyone success as we head into the end of the season! Tight Lines from all of us at Country Haven Miramichi!
