It’s difficult for me to believe that 25 years have passed since Atlantic salmon in Maine were designated an endangered species and all state rivers were closed to fishing for this elite quarry. Not being able to seek this king of freshwater gamefish has been a prolonged vexation for many New England anglers.
Worse yet, consider the current generation of fly casters who may never know the thrill of a boiling strike and the rod-bending, reel-buzzing tug of war of a “silver leaper.”
Russia, Scotland, Iceland, Ireland and England all have multiple rivers with annual natural Atlantic salmon runs, but time, distant travel and the expense to fish private pools are excessive. Canadian provinces also boast dozens of salmon rivers, and New Brunswick and Quebec are the best answer to a prospective Maine salmon angler’s prayer. A great number of regional fly casters afflicted with salmon fever each spring, myself included, take full advantage of nearby Canadian Atlantic salmon rivers.
For centuries Atlantic salmon fishing has been referred to as the sport of kings, mostly because royal families owned most of the prime waterways all those decades ago. I perceive the phrase to mean an angler needs to be as rich as a king to afford salmon fishing.
Since many sectors of the best salmon rivers are still privately or government owned,, the average fisherman would have to put a second mortgage on their house to buy fishing rights for a week. The costs of a guide, boat, accommodations, meals and the right to cast for bright, fresh-run Atlantic salmon on private pools during the summer runs upwards of $1,500 a day or more.
New England salmon enthusiasts, especially Mainers, have a far less expensive option known as black salmon fishing. Black salmon are Atlantic salmon that moved from the ocean into their home river to spawn during late summer and fall, and then spent the winter in that river or its feeder lake. As soon as the rivers are free of ice, these fish, often referred to as kelts, slinks or runners, begin returning to salt water, and the fly fishing is fabulous for a month or so.
During the winter the salmon have lost up to a third of their weight and they are ravenous, so will take flies readily during late April and May as they retreat back to the ocean. A far different response to their wariness and reluctance to strike flies during the summer months.
It’s possible to catch half a dozen salmon a day, and totals over a dozen fish daily aren’t unknown, unlike during the warm weather months when the salmon are far more finicky and many fishless days occur. Despite black salmon being thinner, contrary to popular belief, they will still jump frequently and fight doggedly. The high, fast water levels of the river give the fish extra leverage during the arduous fight that follows a strike. Some black salmon run 36 to 48 inches and exceed 20 pounds, which translates to a lot of action at the end of a fly rod.
The most dependable black salmon rivers are the Miramachi and its tributaries in New Brunswick, and the Restigouche and Matapedia rivers in Quebec. A 2 1/2-hour drive from the end of I-95 near Houlton and the nearby border crossing will have anglers at any camp or outfitter’s lodge on these waterways. Daily prices for spring salmon fishing are very agreeable, especially with over a 30 percent exchange rate on American money.
Guides are required on most rivers, and they have sturdy, safe boats or canoes, smooth running motors and plenty of knowledge of their local waterways. Most guides also have a box of surefire flies to land rookie anglers their first fish, just in case their patterns don’t work.
A 9-foot, 9- or 10-weight rod and reel and a sturdy drag system that will hold 200 yards of backing are a must. A full sinking line or a sinking tip line with a lead-core, weighted tippet and 20-pound test leader material will get the fly down deep in the fast water. Colorful flies and smelt patterns with lots of silver and some crystal flash, on huge 2/0 to 5/0 hooks are the perfect size for enticing, hooking and holding spring salmon.
Precision casting and long, delicate casts aren’t necessary for black salmon. These fish aren’t spooky or line shy as they often are during summer runs. For best results the fly needs to swing near the fish, since they won’t travel far to strike in the dingy, cold water, thus the need for heavy lines and large patterns to keep flies swimming near bottom.
Even the private pools on these famous salmon rivers are open to everyone for spring black salmon fishing, and the guides know the pools well and anchor the boat to allow moderate length casts and the best line swing in the current. Even novice salmon anglers will generally experience good fishing, which often isn’t the case with bright fish.
Bright fly patterns produce excellent results on spring fish. Mickey Finn, red and white, rose of New England, rainbow, Renous special, and a governor are proven colorful patterns for dirty, debris filled rivers. A gray ghost, silver rider, Herb Johnson special or smelt streamer, all of which imitate smelt or bait fish are top-rate flies as well.
Atlantic salmon are king of the freshwater game fish, and any devout fly fisherman who hasn’t cast for salmon in a cedar canoe floating a tree-lined waterway has a hole in their angling resume.
Under current rules, black salmon fishing may have to fit the bill for a while, but be assured you won’t be disappointed. The Canadian rivers are fairly close, the price is certainly fair and the fish take flies fast and furious from mid-April through May, so make some plans now.
It may be your first black salmon trip, but I’m betting it won’t be your last.
