Bonaventure River, The Gaspe: Atlantic Salmon

My brother John is probably already there snoring in a snug little cabin and dreaming about walking out in the misty morning to a river full of Atlantics. I hope it's raining right now, a soothing drumming on the cabin roof. He says the river has been low, but rains are predicted this week, making conditions right for the fish to be moving.

John's a Mainer, so it's like me fishing Oregon, except that the Gaspe Peninsula is in another country where they speak another language. Come to think of it that's still like me fishing Oregon.

This won't be his first trip there. He sent some photos recently from his trip last year, looking through them, I suspect, to enrich his anticipation and put images to his dreams. He's hungry for this. He's landed Atlantics before, but I think it's been awhile since the last one.

It's a beautiful, beautiful river, but on that last trip he had to be content with a grilse.

 A friend of John's, just before things went wrong

and he went swimming with the fishes. Those cobble bottoms...

What John calls "gin-clear water, if gin can be green."

His grilse. Like a beginner fish. I say this as a loving brother.

Well, John, here's a wish for the best of luck. You're due. Hope you land one even bigger than this fish taken on the Bonaventure by someone else. May the fish that swims in your dreams in the coming year be the one, not that you hope you'll catch, but the one you caught.

Photo: Camp Bonaventure Lodge.

You might want to check this out. I don't think John is staying there, and I'm not shilling for them,

but if you want to see what a high end trip to an Atlantic Salmon river would be like, here it is.
What do I mean by "high end?" Just check out their "Packages and Rates" page. Whoo boy.

(By the way, I would be glad to go with anyone who has the funds

but just needs someone to go along and fish with you.

Fishing Buddy, that's me.)

Norfork River Report: Thanks, John

I'm lucky to have a fly fishing brother. John is his name. Though younger than I, he has been fly fishing longer than I have, and has been my teacher and mentor. He is also "in the business," so I have benefited from his connections and discounts more than once. So has he; he knows people. The following report is made possible by "my guy at Wapsi."

John lives in Maine, but a couple of weeks ago after some family business in Kansas (aging parents) he stopped off at the Norfork River in Arkansas. The Norfork is the North Fork of the White River, famed for its big tailwater trout. He sent me these photos and an emailed report. I certainly didn't get his permission to post them, but then that was implicit in my request. At least that's what my attorney says regarding a possible intellectual property lawsuit. And, as any judge would uphold, we're all one big happy family here, so these are for you, too.

Thanks, John. I'm jealous.

arkansas was great.  did fish tuesday afternoon and most of the day wednesday.  tues was beautiful and pleasant; wed was 40, windy, and rainy, and i was pretty much bone-chilled the whole time.  but there are lots of fish in that river.  pretty much used strike indicator and scud/swobugs the whole time, although did entice a few (missed) takes with little emergers in the film.  best fish was female pushing 19-20" and ripe full of eggs, many of which she squirted into my net.  so, plunked her quickly and unceremoniously back into the water without attempts at photo.  most fish were 14-16" range, with couple in 17-18" range.  caught browns, mostly rainbows, and one cutthroat.  I did try to take some pictures.  they suck, but i'll try to send along what i can at some point.

 
the key to that whole endeavor is that my guy at Wapsi gave me access to prime section of river via his private land, and on wednesday told me where to fish right up at the Norfork Dam since the rest of the river was pretty muddy from all the rain during the night.   i'd have struck out completely otherwise, i think.