River dropped nearly 8 inches overnight, still high, a few fish showing but most traveling right through and spread all over the river. Rest of the week calling for sun/clouds/some rain, the water level may not drop to pre-storm level by this weekend.
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
The river was whipped into a froth today with all least 2-4 rods on it depending on the time of day. Lots of effort and little success other than one briefly hooked. We had a full day of heavy rain and the water started rising, fish continued to show but no takers. Forecast is for a hurricane headed this way and heavy rain tomorrow night so we can expect another rise in water and will see what happens from there.
Friends dropped in after dark, the road was covered with frogs, so we went searching with a flashlight and sure enough, "Frogs” everywhere even on the walk, so what is this all about ?
Our local moose hunters got their moose.
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
Magic Hour plus 10 minutes. 10-00 – 11:10 hr, (1) salmon, (2) grilse on a Shady Lady w/crystal flash. I hear they are successfully using something similar with a red butt at Ponds. Forget the ones in the air, by the time your brain processes that jump they are 6 ft. up river and in some cases the processing is much slowerJ. Go after the fins on the surface, drop a fly a foot or two above then hold on.
We had problems releasing the salmon it kept coming back to shore, honest.
For those people finding our site through Kijiji, sorry that Tourism lost us again this year, very frustrating, last year we were in
Query today from ATVers wanting to use the cottage, no problem we have tons of woods roads to travel but you should be aware;
a) It’s hunting season, wear the required red clothing and duck often,
b) The Trans Canada Trail is close but off limits to ATVers at this time and heavily patrolled by the Province,
c) Keep the noise to a minimum around the cottages and residents in the area.
d) Bear and moose have the right-of-way.
We now have at least (2) black bear and a chipmunk in the vicinity of the cottage, tis apple time and they like apples.
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
Made a run into the Dungarvon Counting Station, 860 salmon in the holding
pool, largest around 30 lb.
75 trout some in 3.5 - 4 lb range. Well over twice 2007 count, normally
they open the gates the first of moose season but will be holding for a few
days yet this year.
This year they have 2500 fingerlings to release and saw the first of their
reared Salmon return which is very positive as they were concerned with no
previous returns.
Still a great day to be alive on the Miramichi. Our guest's comment were a
bad day onb the river is better than a good day at the office.
At this point we still have some dates in October available.
Lots of fish, taking poorly, several hits in the evening on a Shady Lady,
all short, clipped the tail of the fly which solved the hitting short
problem, no more strikes. Right now the entertainment is in watching the
aerobatics.
Another beautiful day on the Miramichi. The salmon are not showing as much this morning, however did pick up (3) grisle between 10:00 – 11:00 hr on a Shady Lady w/crystal flash. Rounded things off in the evening with a nice salmon, on a brand new Shady Lady, the other one went up river with a salmon, when will I learn to re tie a fly after playing several fish.
Any way the salmon was about a 7-8 lb hook bill, didn't even give much of a fight, he wasn't even the smartest fish I've met. After I got the fly out and went to release him I noticed the leader was wrapped around his lower jaw and he wouldn't open his mouth, so I had tucked the rod under my arm and was bent over trying to get everything untangled when a grisle came after the fly by my leg. That's not the fly I lost, that one went up river earlier in the evening with another salmon.
I played around with a bomber in the slow water and sure enough the trout are still there :)
Of (2 doz). Shady Ladies with crystal flash I tied in July, I have (2) left
We have a party of (2) in tomorrow and another (2) joining them the next day, will see how they make out.
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
Our clients slept in so decided to warm the pool up for them, by 10:30 had
taken (5) and lost (2), raised another 1/2 doz. All on a very beaten up
Shady Lady. This is the type of dream fishing to remember that helps get a
fisherman through a long cold winter and the days not over :
A strong West wind came up in the morning and lasted all day with light gusts towards dusk. Rob hooked into his first Salmon; he has asked anyone up river landing a fish with a White Butterfly to please return it to him. With the wind the fish were not showing as much as normal but they were there. Lika hooked a grilse and landed another, I landed another all on a Shady Lady We kept bringing fish up with Bombers but they would just nudge or sink them, interested but not stupid is my guess. The “brook trout” are definitely back in the river as we all took a number of very nice trout and they all had to go back.
Took in the Doaktown Salmon Museum this afternoon, it’s very well done and would be of interest to Miramichi Valley Anglers and visitors alike – take time to stop and have a gander
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
At one point I threw down the rod, gabbed a paddle and started swinging, there were so many fish in the air I was hitting them on the fore and back stroke. I saw some swimming backwards so they would fit in the pile better. Around 5 PM the river was absolutely alive with fish, hooked into one, raised another, had him come back twice and had a number of good butts, tried nearly everything they seem to favour a green/white bomber but not too anxious about that fly either. Did pick up a nice 2 ½ pound trout, course the season closed a few days ago and he told me so, back he went.
We had a West wind all day didn’t drop to around 6PM which didn’t help. But if you stay at it long enough there is the odd salmon around that is going to take. We some clients in for the next few days so will see if some dedicated fishing will produce anything. By the way we are getting a lot of short notice bookings which is really frustrating for us as we want to please potential clients. The September weekend special rate ($239.99) with complimentary wine has been a success and we may try it again in the future.
If anyone is considering a Christmas in the Country, or any snowmobile clubs looking for bookings, let us know early, we are considering closing the cottage December to March 2009 if we don’t have bookings lined up.
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
Took a moment this evening to throw a line around, beautiful evening, no wind, nice sunset, good water level and a river full of fish. In less than an hour I counted 28 in the air and saw 8 - 10 on the surface. Tried several flies, no response, put on a green/white bomber dropped into slower water and a salmon struck it on the second cast. It gave a nice fight which took me to dusk and that was it for the evening. I half expected to see it was a bright fish due to the fight, lots of tail walking but no, it was dark. I have yet to see any of these bright I’m hearing about.
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
07:30 AM, the dog and I are sitting on the deck having our morning coffee, he was on his second cup, and watching the fish jump. One of the truckers dropped in and was telling us of a close call on the Holtville Road. He was coming around a turn loaded and just off the pavement met a run of small grisle hiking back to the
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
Fishing on the Miramichi – YES – THAT EARLY Fall Run just keeps on coming, score today, (1) grilse, Wendy (1) salmon, (2) hooked into by JR including a nice size salmon and no one put in any more than a couple of hours. I can’t believe that it’s September and we have no one in fishing and there is fishing. We checked in at O’Donnell’s Cottages in Storytown, lots of fish jumping in their pool, at Big Hole Brook an angler was playing a salmon so there are more down river to come.
While we were talking to Valerie O’Donnell, Jackie her husband, pointed out a whopper of a salmon cruising through the pool this thing was so big it’s tail was 10 inches above water, a discussion ensued where we wondered how fast a salmon would work it’s way up river in good water conditions as we currently have. As we were just headed that way ourselves enroute back to the cottage and this fish was so obvious in size we thought why not pace it with the old truck, catching glimpses where there was a break in the trees and you could see the river. When we arrived at Big Hole Brook, we just caught a glimpse of it’s tail, that fish was moving. I floored the old Ford and we got up to 30 mph maybe 35 coming down the hill into Priceville. We left the truck and checked the water at the Footbridge that thing was just coming past Buttermilk, of course not a fish stopped at Porcupine all summer so we have been told, I figured this one wouldn’t either. I swear as we were standing on the foot bridge that thing grinned at us on the way by and sped up. Most of Priceville Road is down hill to our place and no fish can do 40 mph not even this one so we beat it to Porter Cove warned Keith and Doddie and headed for our place. Wendy wanted to make a try for it and as she was going down the steps that thing went by, the wash from it left a grisle flopping on the shore, when it went through the rapids there were rocks flying in every direction. You know that fish was playing with us cause it made a complete circle of
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
Nice Fall day, a bit of frost in the morning, sunshine all day fish jumping in the river, fresh garden produce and after about 15 minutes on the water at dusk Wendy landed a nice grilse on a “White Butter Fly,” some big salmon moving around tonight with a few playing on the surface in the slow water pool.
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
Miramichi has peaked from the rain and has started dropping, water very dark but not a bad height. Salmon are not showing a lot but are definitely moving through. Picked up a grilse in the evening on a “white butterfly.”
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
Heavy rain Sunday brought the
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
Early fall fishing on the Miramichi. The most accurate report I can provide at this time is that there are plenty of fish, as the water remains a decent level and the water temperature in the high 60’s the salmon are constantly moving and not pooling. We are seeing runs of single and small schools of salmon quickly working though the pools with more showing in the morning. In the afternoon and evening you will see one, two or three fish showing in close proximity about every 15 minutes. We have thrown everything at them including small flys on 18 foot leaders with little success since last Tuesday although they did show a little interest when presented with small black trout dry fly’s by sinking them L
All the fish we are seeing are dark. It will be interesting to see if this continues for the next few weeks. We should be seeing more trout drop out of the streams back into the main river, may be the only fishing left unless a fresher run of salmon enter the river. I have not previously seen a similar salmon run pattern.
Had some friends return from the Dungarvon Friday afternoon, reported seeing lots of fish and tying into two. One of them (Earl) fell in, cell phone and all J
Manny, if you read this, life is still better on the Miramichi than in
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca
The Miramichi Fall Fish Run came in 2 to 3 weeks early compared to previous years. Salmon are not showing as much as a few days ago however large salmon are among those showing.
Wendy & Shane
Moonshadowcottage.ca