Adopt-A-Salmon

What better way to support Atlantic salmon conservation than the Atlantic Salmon Museum’s Adopt-A-Salmon Program? Miramichi Black Rapids Lodge has adopted a family of salmon parr that have been released into the Miramichi River. Learn more about this worthwhile cause by visiting their website.

Words of Wisdom

American baseball legend Ted Williams mentioned in his book “Fishing the Big Three,” that August conditions were usually the worst for catching fish. From our perspective, his comments were dead-on where 2009 was concerned, mostly due to heat. While clients have certainly caught fish, the runs haven’t been abundant.

That should be changing as we progress into September and begin to see the fall run of salmon. We were happy to have missed the brunt of Hurricane Bill, though we did receive a fair amount of rain which raised the river level - a good thing as we see it.

Other inspirational and interesting bullet points from Williams’ book include:

• He liked “… the water on the build of a moon. The tides are getting higher and the fish move in that water all night and into the mid-morning.” [Note: The tides from the Miramichi Bay bring the fish to the Southwest Miramichi River.]
• He mentioned “ … the good runs are all gravel and rock bottomed. Fish lay below the bars in the shallow, gravelly places three to six feet deep, depending on the height of the water.”
• His preference was “high water over low water any day, because when the water’s high the fish come.”

We have not forgotten about our non-anglers. The fall season is young, and the spectacular foliage during the leaf change has yet to arrive. With so much to see and do in New Brunswick, we hope you’ll take advantage of our fall specials and visit us very soon.

Shivers and Excitement

Our Miramichi River morning dawned in the high 40’s (8 C), with the crisp fresh air wafting in on a cool breeze and bringing with it the first glints of autumn. For our customers in warmer climates it might be hard to imagine, and even we realize it’s just a temporary front. But it helps us keep our eye on fall fishing and wingshooting, and we can’t help but get excited at the prospect.

Our August 23-26 Parent/Youth Camp with the Miramichi Salmon Association continues to build steam, with Doug Underhill mentioning it today on his River Report, and heralds a dynamic transition to September, when we’re usually booked nicely with outdoorsmen and women who enjoy both angling and wingshooting.

The golden light that shimmers through the vivid fall leaf change can have a surreal quality as you follow a guide and trained pointer on foot to flush some of the best woodcock and grouse covers in the Miramichi River Valley. After a morning in the woods, a famous MBR lunch, (possibly a nap) and an afternoon of casting on the river, the setting is perfect for blending recreation with relaxation.

Don’t forget to follow the salmon and grilse returns, as well as weather conditions, at our site, where booking specials are also available.

Happy New Brunswick Day

Happy New Brunswick Day!

The Southwest Miramichi River below the Black Rapids pool has been high for most of the summer. The river temperature has been consistent for the last week in the low to mid 50's (F), and the springs coming into the river are a surprising 46 degrees.

Have you taken advantage of our summer and fall specials and now you're counting down the days until you travel? Here's a way to whet your appetite for Atlantic salmon fishing even more ... follow the river conditions on our website any time of the day or night. .

Even though the river conditions were not in his favor, a current guest and his guide covered a lot of water, allowing him to catch and release a 9-pound grilse and a really nice 18-pound salmon. Because we're seeing a lot of salmon jumping, we keep trying to determine what they're "hungry for." Seems we're getting good rolls on different flies such as the shady lady, green machine white tail, and of course our time-tested black bear green butt.

With the still young and the river up and running, canoeing and kayaking are fantastic options for non-angling guests. Local New Brunswick tourism is a "must" when traveling to Miramichi Black Rapids Lodge, and we're happy to help you experience as much of our friendly province as possible.