Great thoughts

The greatest achievement is selflessness. The greatest worth is self-mastery. The greatest quality is seeking to serve others. The greatest precept is continual awareness. The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything. The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways. The greatest magic is transmuting the passions. The greatest generosity is non-attachment. The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind. The greatest patience is humility. The greatest effort is not concerned with results. The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go. The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances. - Atisha ...

Read more on salmon

Fish migration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Miramichi catch and release efforts.

Fishermen on the Nor-west, Cains, Main South West all the way to Juniper is picking up some salmon. The number are down over previous years and I blame the netting, greed and poor government relations resulting in disrespect for laws. Not only that but the catch and release efforts are not working.

If you ask somebody that knows the ways of the salmon like most of the old fishermen that has been sitting on the banks for more than 50 years, they will tell you that many fish that are being release are dying. As we know, we are allowed 8 griles. The grilse are the fish that are returning to the river for the first time since they were hatched. They are no more than 25 inches long and they are about 5 pounds. The large salmon must be released. That is a problem because many released salmon die after their lengthy fight. Different times 15 pound salmon are seen floating down the river dead. Some killed by nets and some of exhaustion from being played by sportsmen for to long. Many old fishermen say rules should be whatever you catch tag. Once your 8 tags are gone than no more salmon fishing. This would stop the fishermen from catching 10 big salmon a year, releasing them and having seven of them die then tagging 8 more smaller salmon.

Many sportsmen are fed up with rules that don't work. The situation is a bit out of control because they say the percentage of fish being killed by fly fishermen is low compared to the thousands killed by netting. I believe this to be true but speaking as a fly fishing sportsmen there are things we can do to help. One thing is either use an 8 or 10 pound test and pull the salmon in fast. No big salmon should be played with my more than 15 minutes. Bryan Freement, the owner of Escape Anglers and other great sportsmen caught lots of 30 pound salmon in 10 to 13 minutes. The quick release help insure their survival.

Another method is use a 2 or 3 pound test and bend the barb of the hook. After hooking a fish, get a couple of runs and jumps out of them then break them off. The hook will be out of their mouth in less then 2 hours. For the salmon, I suppose it would be something like getting your ear pierced. Perhaps they even brag a little to other salmon about their lip ring. lol.. Not likely but I say with a great amount of certainty that the exhaustion from the lengthy fight kills the fish not the hook being lodged in their lip for 2 hours. Did I mention what in hell is netting off a river all about and why is it allow to continue.

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Fishing Albert County, New Brunswick

I just talked to a fishing buddy of mine. This after noon I believe we are going to hit some spots in Albert County. It is raining and the rivers may be to high but we are going anyway. I believe we will be fishing in the Fundy Park area.

Cabot Trail

For those of you who traveled the Cabot Trail knows just how beautiful it is. Here is a few items off the beaten trail.

Fishing Albert County, NewBrunswick, Canada

There has been some decent bass and trout fishing in the Petitcodiac System. Some trout and bass are moving into the tributaries of the Peticodiac. The fishermen I have talked to seem to believe that the schedule for migration is a bit off but there are some bass and trout being picked up in the lower parts of some of the tributaries.

For more information visit my web-site at www.lostcaper.com

Miramichi

Unlike the Nor-west Miramichi, the Main Southwest Miramichi is doing
well. The Trout are gone by Querryvillle and has been reported as being
far up river. The main flow of salmon has not yet hit Querryville. Down
stream from Querryville there is some salmon being picked up.

For more information visit my web-site at www.lostcaper.com

The Poor Nor-West

This past week I fished different parts of the Miramichi. There was hardly a sole fishing and little wonder. Where the fish was suppose to be in the Nor-West there was not a one. Story has it the nets downstream completely cut of the Nor-West. If this is true them I am very disappointed. You see the nor-west Miramichi is one of the great rivers that produce good numbers of salmon for its size. There is not many like it left in the world and this will come to an end if it continues to be abused. What a loss it will be especially for the welfare of the salmon, the fishermen and the guides who make their living.

Anybody I talked to is not confident that the government will do anything about it this massive taking of fish. Don't go getting careless thou. Make sure you carefully measure the salmon you take because if it is an inch to long then you just may loose your car,boat and face a large fine.

I release just about everything I catch but I believe this practice is going to fall by the wayside because how can the Department of Natural Resource preach catch and release and have anybody take them seriously when they sit watching the huge amounts of salmon being netted.

I believe it is time we all start being fare to everyone involved including the salmon. If somebody has to give up a bit so be it but we have to make it fare to all. If we don't go through the pain of making it better now then will go through the pain of the loss later. Salmon this time then what is next. Perhaps drinking water rights? I just wish the government would get of their lazy avoiding fat ass and do something constructive.

Last week on the Miramichi

Last week on the Miramichi was eventfull. Fresh salmon are in parts of the system and the trout fishing picking up as well. I will be writing more on this. Stay tuned. Good luck with the coming season.

The Pollett River Run 2008

Pollett River Run 2008.

I was looking forward to the Pollett River Run this year. George, an experienced canoe man, with two of his friends wanted to hit the Pollett. Brianna being 16 years old, I felt that she was old enough to experience the Pollett River Run for the first time. The last Saturday of April arrived, which for the past 25 years, is the day of the Pollett River run. The timing was good because the river was high, it was 10 degrees, and I was recovered enough from the cold I was battling to make the trip.

George left his van at the takeout on the Sanatorium road. My jeep and the blazer carried us and our gear to the put in at Elgin

We skipped the traditional breakfast at the community hall and opted for an early start. We set sail around 09:30 A.M.

George has a loud voice that carried half way down the river. He told joke after joke to people 150 yards away. Brianna and I laugh our heads off for many hours of this day. George kept us entertained for sure.

George was not only a good joke teller and canoe-men, he was good at rescuing. One guy about 50 years old in a rubber boat hit a tree that was leaning across the river. He found himself in fast deep water holding on to the tree not wanting to let go. George got out a throw line and after a second attempt landed the line near enough for the poor man to grab hold and pull himself to shore. He was almost crying in fear and that he lost everything. This was a bad way to start the trip because this tree is only about 5 minutes down from the put in. This tree caught many people off guard especially the rafts that could not manipulate around this outreached tree.

About 2 hours into the run, I forced Brianna to take the stern. With a little teaching and practice, she quickly learned the tricks of the trade and guided us through the rapids, around rocks and bridges like a pro. We never did flip and she save our ass by having her paddle in the water. We hit a side current which nearly knocked me out of the canoe and nearly flipping us but she had her paddle in the water and I felt the force or her counter action stable the canoe. I though for sure we were going for a swim. I had people upstream say “ooooooo close one”

After about three or four stops along the way we came to a water falls on the river right. We pulled the canoe in on river left for lunch. This was a great spot for lunch for there was a big dry field sheltered from the wind. The sun without the wind felt warm and we enjoyed many laughs with these first time canoe partners. George proved himself to be a great outdoor cook as well as a canoe men, joke teller and rescuer. The salmon he cooked was incredible.

After lunch we nosed our bows into the current and headed down river. We stopped at a camp where many people were socializing. A canoe came down the river and didn’t make the turn. It hit a rock and dumped its cargo and passengers into the cold water. One girl had trouble getting to shore. Brianna had to go help drag her in. After looking at the injury, it appeared her leg was broken. After getting her comfortable and knowing there were many good people there to help, we once again pushed our canoe to the rapids and continued our trip.

Brianna navigated her way down stream to the takeout on the Sanatorium road. At the takeout, there were about 1000 people partying. The major event was the mud bogging. Big truck and 4 wheelers cracked their engines wide opened through the deep mud holes. Much of the field was muddy so there were drunken people slipping and doing face plants.

It was about 07:45 P.M. when we finally got back to Riverview. We unpacked and sorted the gear and bid farewell to our canoing partners.

Brianna missed her soccer tryouts but she had a good time and was tired so she jumped in the shower and shortly thereafter headed to bed.

It was Brianna’s first voyage of type. Hopefully there will be many more and hopefully she will cherish these trips like I do.

Pre fishing season thoughts

I sit on dinner break at work. We are experience the end of another one of our many snow storms this winter. Damien and I never got together to go fishing last summer. We are both so busy that cooridinating the time is not easy. Our day is coming old boy. Don't you worry! Until then I will just keep tying flies and will make sure I won't sell them all.

The salmon are holding in their winter homes under the ice of the upper reaches of various Maritime rivers including the Miramichi. The salmon have their privacy spawning this winter. The ice and snow is protecting them from most preditors. With the incredible amount of snow this winter, it certainly looks like we are going to have high water levels for the early part of the coming season. Time will tell.

Canoe Flipping

In early summer of 2001 a three day canoing/fishing trip was the cure for the long ache of a cold wet spring. The canoes we used for most of our upper Miramichi fishing trips were 21 foot freighters. They were stable and we grew to trust them. Marvin, Damien and Scott were in one canoe floating over a deep hole. Damien spotted some big trout and when the other two inexperience canoe men decided to lean over the same side to see the fish, the canoe flipped. Denis and I were upstream about 200 yards. We had a good view of their pitiful faces as we glided passed. A site for sore eyes alright. They sat in the canoe filled with water, their fishing rods and gear floating around. They were wet, cold and Damien’s pride was hurt. He repeatedly commented on how he never flipped a canoe in 20 years. I suppose some would say it was crewel of Denny and I to start laughing at them. After we recovered our breath from laughter, we helped dump the water out of the canoe and gather the gear and beer. Damien’s two week old cell phone which he bought at a cost of $500.00 was sitting on the river's bottom. I am not sure where all the fishing tackle came from but there seemed to be a fair amount of it floating down the river.

Salmon

When the leaves fall from the trees in fall, the salmon settle into their winter home on the upper reaches of the salmon rivers. They spawn and house themselves under the shield of the winter’s ice. In spring the adults head down river to the ocean and feed for the summer. Some make their way to the coast of Green Land then back to the very spot where they were hatched. On the way down the river these fish are easier to catch because they are hungry and feeding at every opportunity. They are referred to as black salmon or slinks, etc... because they are dark in color due to water staining and skinny because of the lack of winter food supply and their spawning ritual. These black salmon heading down river do not fight as good as a salmon that just returned from the sea because the black salmon are worn out. If you decide to fish these worn out salmon I highly recommend you try to capture the salmon quickly, take a picture and release it back in its realm as quickly as possible. A speedy capture and speedy release helps ensure the fish’s survival; they are already in a week state so a lengthy fight on the end of a line will surely be it's death. A quick capture and release gives it a chance to survive and maybe next year you will catch it again after it gains 15 pounds.