September 2009 Old River Lodge, New Brunswick. Canada . We arrived at the river to see the lowest water level in living memory! It hadn't rained since July. Lots of fish in the river but most had their 'sulky' head on. Very hard to tempt. But even in these trickiest conditions the anglers had results that, if it were in Scotland would be a successful week. 

6 anglers caught, in all 19 fish and lost many more. My personal highlight was catching a 14 pounder on the dry fly. In Canada, one of the favourite ways to tempt the salmon is by casting a deerhair bomber over the fish as you would fish a dry fly to a trout. Usually upstream in a 'dead-drift' fashion but also skated across and downstream.

The trick is to get it floating well and have it skating, facing upstream, so many 'mends' are needed to get the correct drift.  This style is popular in Russia and Canada and is probably the most exiting way of fishing for salmon. I spent the best fishing day ever casting my dries to salmon each and every way; popping it here, then there; letting it drift over that one, then this one; trying a smaller one, a green one, even a blue (called Labatt's blue bomber) until the salmon grabbed it!

A surge if adrenaline jarred through my body as a heavy salmon, highlighted by the golden Autumn sun lunged for my fly, slammed into it and turned it's great head back into the pool! A quick lift into it and the battle commenced with a 'whoop' of exhilaration from me and that deep 'sploosh' that a mighty salmon makes when it's intent on taking my fly back to the sea! All using a 9'6" trout rod and #8 floating line and 8lb leader. Listen to that little reel scream! This has to be the ultimate salmon fishing adventure. In the warm September sun and a backdrop of the early fall colours of copper, red and gold, hinting at the season's spectacular show coming in the next week or two, this was salmon heaven.

Why we don't use this in Scottish rivers I don't know. I friend of mine from Labrador used the floating bomber on the River Spey to devastating success, I'm definitely going to try it on the Nith this year. I reckon the water has to be warmer than the air and the salmon willing to rise in the water, but persevere, annoy it, surprise it and it'll grab your fly like it wants to destroy it!

Here are a few pictures to show that a great fishing trip isn't necessarily all about catching fish. Please contact me for details of next years trips to this superb river. The Miramichi, the place to be in 2010. Superlative river, excellent guides, easy wading, short direct flight from London, Gatwick, comfortable lodge with single, private rooms and fantastic meals.  What's better than that?

July 2009:  Atlantic Salmon fishing in New Brunswick, Eastern Canada on the world famous Miramichi River. I have been trying to find some world class salmon fishing at a more realistic price than Russia. I believe I have found it. Fishing from great comfortable lodges on totally private pools, this is 'the new kid on the block' in world class salmon fishing.

This July I had 14 bright silver salmon up to over 30 pounds!email me to discuss options for next year 2010 robwaddington@onetel.com