The World's Best Atlantic Salmon Fishing
"Top trip of a lifetime."
"A river for all seasons."
"The world's greatest Atlantic salmon
producer."
Anglers - and angling authors - long ago
ran out of superlatives to describe the
thrill of Atlantic salmon fishing on the
Miramichi. For over a hundred years, fishing
connoisseurs from around the world have
been singing the praises of the river's
legendary runs, thick with silvery grilse,
and bulging with trophy-sized salmon - some
reaching 25 -30 kilograms in weight. Since
the 19th century, the river has drawn the
rich and the famous, eager to find refuge
from hectic paces and prying eyes in the
solitude and tranquility of a MIramichi
salmon pool. With almost 1,300 kilometres
of angling water in its spidery system of
main rivers, tributaries and creeks - all
of them claiming at least one distinctive
salmon run -the Miramichi is the gold standard
when it comes to angling for the "King
of Gamefish."
Feast
on Salmon and Fiddleheads
If you're a food fan - and a fun
lover - plan to attend the Doaktown
Salmon and Fiddlehead Homecoming
Festival in early August. Salmon
suppers, a Woodsmen Competition
and a Tall Tales Storytelling
Content at the town's Atlantic
Salmon Museum are all part of
the annual festival. Doaktown
is located on the Southwest Miramichi
River, about halfway between Fredericton
and the City of Miramichi.
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Sport fishing on the Miramichi has been
heavily influenced by riparian traditions
that originated in the Atlantic salmon rivers
of Scotland. Many stretches of the main
rivers and tributaries are privately owned
or leased by fishing clubs and camps, and
well-established outfitters and guides.
Guiding is a time-honoured tradition on
the Miramichi, and a profession which is
much in demand: anglers from outside the
province of New Brunswick are required by
law to be accompanied by a guide.
Planning Your Miramichi Fishing Vacation:
The MIramichi River system is enormous,
draining much of the heartland of New Brunswick.
The salmon sport fishing guiding and outfitting
industry is also substantial, giving you
a wide assortment of fishing camps, lodges
and resorts to choose from. Shore accommodations
range from rustic to refined, and often
feature home-baked breakfasts, crackling
fires and candlelight dinners of succulent
salmon and fresh fiddleheads. Many outfitters
maintain private pools, and some offer excursions
to secluded wilderness camps. Vacation packages
can include hunting for grouse, pheasant,
ducks and deer, and eco-adventure side trips
such as whale watching, sea kayaking, birdwatching,
and canoe excursions. Some outfitters specialize
in re-creating the ambience and charm of
the legendary fishing camps of the 1920's
and 1930's.
Choose Your Season: With
an angling season that runs from mid-April
to mid-October, the Miramichi offers anglers
a very flexible schedule. "Spring salmon,"
fished from April 15 to the end of May,
are hungry and aggressive; early-morning
anglers can expect to hook up to 15 fish
a day. (Some outfitters specialize in spring
salmon boat fishing; check for local listings.)
The summer and fall season extends from
mid-June to the October 15, as run after
run of silvery "bright" salmon
begin their stop-and-go upriver journey.
In September, some of the largest, trophy-sized
multi-sea-winter salmon arrive, thrilling
fly-fishers with weights that range from
13 - 30 kilograms.
| Take
a Stroll on New Brunswick's
Oldest Covered Bridge
The leafy, rural setting of
Mill Brook No. 1 Covered Bridge,
spanning Betts Mill Brook at
Nelson Hollow, just west
of Doaktown, may not have looked
much different in 1870, when
the bridge - New Brunswick's
oldest - was first constructed.
The 24-metre-long structure,
with an unusual hip, or cottage
roof, was re-built in 1899,
and restored again in 1977.
It is one of 64 surviving New
Brunswick covered bridges. The
bridge is closed to vehicles,
but open to walking traffic.
Swing
and Sway on the McNamee/Priceville
Suspended Footbridge
As you sway your way across
this spectacular 190-metre-long
footbridge, spanning the Miramichi
River near Doaktown, you can
recall the tragedy of 1939,
when the original swing bridge
collapsed, sending 3 local men
to their drowning deaths. The
current structure was soundly
and securely constructed in
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Laws and Limits: Bag limits and
catch-and-release regulations pertaining
to Miramichi salmon are based on annual
counts of returning spawners. Expect to
release all large salmon and keep only a
limited number of smaller grilse. Check
with your guide for up to date fishing regulations.
Bonus Fishing: In late May and early
June, the Miramichi also supports a healthy
run of sea-run brook trout. Fish
for "brookies" that measure up
to 55 centimetres and weight up to 2.25
kilograms. For a change of pace, add some
salt water and deep sea fishing
to your freshwater fishing trip.
Hike the Miramichi
Trail
The Miramichi Trail, built on an abandoned
rail line, is part of the New Brunswick
Sentier Trail system. Now consisting of
about 75 kilometres of continuous trail,
the route is expected to extend to 200 kilometres
when completed.
• By foot, or hybrid/mountain bike,
start your Miramichi Trail hike at the community
of Astle, on the bluffs above the
Taxis River.
• Wind your way through boreal forest
to the confluence of the Taxis and Southwest
Miramichi Rivers, at the logging town of
Boiestown (visit the Central New
Brunswick Woodmen's Museum, located
at the geographic centre of New Brunswick).
• Follow the Miramichi River northeast
to Quarryville, passing by the suspended
footbridge at Priceville, and through
the historic sites of Doaktown (visit
the Atlantic Salmon Museum.)
• Just past Quarryville, the City
of Miramichi offers a further network
of paths and trails, including 5 kilometres
of hiking trails and a 10-kilometre mountain
biking trail at French Fort Cove
Nature Park in west Miramichi.
• At Miramichi, the trail joins the
Acadian Coastal Trail.
• Camping sites are available at private
campgrounds in Boisetown and Newcastle (City
of Miramichi).
Lazy-River
Paddles and Leisurely Float Trips
Head to the lush mid-river stretches
of the Southwest Miramichi area
for a river vacation that combines
canoeing or kayaking with sightseeing,
shore lunches, overnight stays
in riverside log cabins, or retro-style,
2 - 5 day "float trips."
Several outfitters in the Doaktown
- Blackville area, southeast
of the City of Miramichi, offer
equipment rentals, shuttle services,
and guided trips and comfortable
riverside accommodation. The Priceville
Swinging Bridge at McNamee is
a popular put-in spot for canoeists
and kayakers planning to spend
half a day paddling downriver
to Doaktown.
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