Happy Holidays

As we prepare to say goodbye to 2009, we'd like to thank everyone for their friendship, loyalty, guidance and advice during this rather challenging year. We're excited about 2010 - Bigger fish will be swimming, we just know it - and hope you are too!

Please help us make 2010 even better by taking a brief survey on our website, and as always, please subscribe to our mailing list to ensure you stay up-to-the-minute on news, fishing reports, and travel specials shared by MBR.

This Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year, remember to take a few moments to breathe deep and celebrate life's blessings along with the love and reward our families and friends bring us. See you in 2010!

Treasure or Trash? Marketing Giveaway Ideas Needed!

With the Holidays right around the corner, we’ve been working on our plans for the winter and spring fly fishing trade shows we’ll be attending prior to the beginning of fishing season. A question came to mind, and we thought it could be best answered by our faithful readers … what’s the neatest/coolest/most memorable giveaway item you’ve received at a trade show? What did you like about it? What made it “work” for you?

We’ve had drink “koozies,” key chains, mini-flashlights, pens, pencils and bags in the past, and are looking for new ideas for 2010. Email brslodge@westervelt.com or call us at (800) 281-7991 with your feedback. We always enjoy hearing from you!


If you’ll be attending The Fly Fishing Show in Somerset, New Jersey, January 22-24, 2010 or the Maine Sportsman Show April 2-4, 2010, stop by our booth and see our final decision!

If you are looking for the perfect holiday gift for the angler in your life (or yourself!) our pre-season specials  are valid through the end of the year.

Welcome the Olympic flame to New Brunswick!

Vancouver, British Columbia, on Canada’s Pacific coast, will host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, February 12-28, 2010. Following Olympic tradition, a torch relay began on October 30, 2009, in Victoria, British Columbia, and reached New Brunswick on Day 26, and the Miramichi area on Day 29.

"The Olympic Flame arrived at the celebration site at 11:20am and departed at 12:20pm in Miramichi.  The celebration entertainment started at 10am with the torch arriving at 11:20am at the James M. Hill Memorial High School.  Entertainment on the square in Newcastle was provided for those who could not make it to James M. Hill Memorial High School."

What an exciting time to be in the Miramichi River Valley! Follow the torch throughout the rest of its journey through Canada.

Miramichi Book Club: The Americans Are Coming

December began with the first big snowfall on the lodge in New Brunswick, signifying the beginning of winter and several months of modified dormancy in the Maritimes. We think it sounds like a great opportunity to curl up in front of the fire with a good book and, as such, are continuing on with our winter reading list and review.

This week we’re reviewing a book recommended by Linda Gaston, Executive Director of the Atlantic Salmon Museum in Doaktown, New Brunswick.


“The Americans are Coming” by Herb Curtis, a well known writer in the Miramichi River Valley, now includes an afterward by David Adams Richards. The flair of “good ole river tales,” which have been passed down from generation to generation, sets a lively backdrop for showcasing New Brunswick and its unique culture.

Synopsis:

An invasion? For teenagers Dryfly Ramsey and Shadrack Nash, poor and ignorant in the world's terms but rich in the lore of the magical Miramichi, the annual influx of American anglers, with their money, fishing gear, and thirst for salmon seems like one, and it sets the stage for action. A cast of quirky, unforgettable characters - Nutbeam, a large-nosed, floppy-eared hermit; Shirley, Brennan Siding's toothless postmistress and Ramsey family matriarch; and Buck, who appears once a year to sire another child - conspire to capture the imagination in Herb Curtis's now classic novel. And what of the Whooper, that mystical beast whose cries result in amazingly tall tales? In The Americans are Coming, the voices of Brennan Siding ring out in the rich vernacular of New Brunswick's Miramichi region, a world immersed in myth, folklore, and the sulpherous belch of a nearby pulp mill, and where ghosts and demons are as real as the Lone Ranger or the spring run of gaspereaux.

About the Author:

Herb Curtis was nominated for the Stephen Leacock Award for his collection of humourous stories, Luther Corhern's Salmon Camp Chronicles. The Americans Are Coming is the first novel in his acclaimed Brennan Siding trilogy. He has won the Thomas Head Raddall Prize for fiction and been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize (Canada and the Caribbean). Although born near the Dungarvon River, he now lives in Fredericton.


What do you think? We'd love to hear your insight into this, or any other books, we're including on our winter reading list. Leave us a comment here or on the Notes section of our Facebook page.

Seasonal Slideshow

While we're still enjoying warm temperatures in Alabama, our thoughts continue to reflect on the wonderful season we enjoyed in 2009. The 7 months the lodge is open seem to fly by, and we thought you'd enjoy this reflective slideshow as much as we have. Which image is your favorite?

The ASF fund-raiser last week in New York City was certainly a fun affair to attend. It was held at The Plaza - my first time to visit - and the hotel itself is rife with history and tradition: I found it really intriguing as I listened to many guests recount their memories. 

I flew to New York on Veterans Day, and was so proud to see so much camaraderie amongst our veterans. On every flight Veterans were asked to raise their hands, and a round of applause was given to recognize their service. And it’s never too late or inappropriate to say thanks to all who have served in the armed forces for both the United States of America and Canada. We are very thankful of our freedom.

Mr. Stanley Bogdan of The Bogdan Reel (an Atlantic salmon tradition) was the guest of honor, and in his short talk he mentioned his son joining his business just after returning from his tour in Vietnam.  Heavy with humor, Mr. Bogdan said, “Since he joined the business he has been doing all the work, and I’ve been getting the credit for it.”  He did a great job connecting Atlantic salmon fishing - a father/son tradition – with the spirit of patriotism on Veterans Day, to produce a refined, heartfelt speech.

Cache and Conservation

Just because we’re not in the water doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy Atlantic salmon, does it? Of course not, and as this week’s schedule indicates, it’s certain to be both fun and informative. The Atlantic Salmon Federation is having their annual fund-raising dinner this week in New York City at The Plaza. The guest speaker will be world-renowned Bogdan Reel maker, Stanley E. Bogdan.

Proceeds will benefit the ASF, one of North America’s oldest and most respected conservation organizations founded a half century ago by individuals who shared a deep commitment to conservation and abiding respect for a majestic and severely threatened fish and its environment. ASF is a powerful conservation force with seven regional councils and 150 local river-based organizations in eastern Canada and New England, representing a combined membership of more than 40,000 dedicated conservationists.

Miramichi Black Rapids is contributing to the Atlantic Salmon Federation event by donating a 4-3-2 package (4 nights, 3 days, 2 rods) to our lodge in New Brunswick. Maybe we’ll see you in 2010?

A book which dovetails perfectly with this event is Gary Anderson’s “Atlantic Salmon: Fact and Fantasy.” It is a very well illustrated book with lots of details and theories about Atlantic salmon fly-fishing, and I reference it on a regular basis. In fact, I encourage all anglers who visit our lodge to at least thumb through it during their stay.

Like most things that appeal to a distinguished group, it’s not the easiest book to find, but here are two links which should get you started: Amazon.com, and Barnes and Noble.

For other interesting items, visit Angler’s Cache on the Atlantic Salmon Federation website.