Fly Fishing Atlantic SalmonLiving in New Brunswick, Canada I’m extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to fish for ‘the fish of a thousand casts’. This summer, from most accounts, has been a good year for Atlantic salmon in terms of numbers but the fishing has been difficult with the rivers running high and fast for the better part of July. Each summer myself, my brother, father and grandfather (86 years young) travel to the Miramichi in early July. It rained the entire first week of July, the rivers rose quickly and we were heading into our stretch for 3 days of fishing. The log book didn’t give us much hope as the 3 previous groups didn’t get much fishing in due to the high water. When we finally set up and waded into the river we found that we were able to at least cast to where the fish should be holding. My brother and I helped my grandfather set up and watched him cast as if he were in his 30’s again, anxious to feel the tug of a bright fish. Unfortunately he didn’t hook into one this year but as he said “I’ve caught plenty of fish in my lifetime, I’m just happy to make the trip”. My brother and I headed up river to check out some other pools and found a decent spot to cast. My brother was the first to catch a fish, caught on a dead drifting bomber, the 12lb salmon broke the surface and was off tearing out line and down into the backing. 25 min later and a picture in hand the fish was back swimming freely in the northwest Miramichi. We let the pool rest then I threw out a bomber in the exact spot my brother caught his and smash, a grilse tore my fly down river tail walking almost into my backing. After lots of whooping and hollering I had her back in the water and released my fist salmon of the year. This would prove to be the best trip for me ever. The second day I limited out, 4 fish caught and released 3 of them in different pools, the last of the day came at 8:30pm, another bomber dead drift and a 14lb salmon crushed my fly, I hesitated, set the hook fought for a brief second and then was gone… S@#T! Going against all salmon common sense I immediately threw my fly out to the exact spot and SMASH… hesitate… set the hook… and the reel started screaming. The salmon came out of the water 7 times, took me to my backing twice and after 20 min I had her reviving in the calm water to be released. Not in my dreams would I have thought this day possible, high water and after 3 days I had 6 fish caught and released. Of all those fish caught and released and screaming reels and whooping and hollering, what rings clearest in my mind now as I sit in the office dreaming of the next trip are my grandfathers’ words… “I’m just happy to make the trip”.