Atlantic Salmon Video

It was time for our annual pilgrimage to Nova Scotia to be with friends and family, with a slight twist. This year I was slipping a 5-day fly fishing excursion into the family vacation itinerary. Over the winter a friend and I had bid on and won 3 days fishing for Atlantic salmon in Gaspe Bay at the annual ASF dinner in Halifax. I figured it would make lots of sense to plan the trip to Quebec while in Nova Scotia. My wife would have lots of people to help watch our daughter. Barely even miss me… Right! Not a chance, but she went along with it anyway. So two days into the family vacation she dropped me off at Sean’s so we could set out on our 12-hour journey North. The St. Jean, Dartmouth and York were all in the lineup. We knew it was going to be tough because Gaspe Bay had been one of the only places on the entire Northeast side of the continent that had received very little rain since May. Tons of Atlantic Salmon with very little water. Small dries (using small loosely), # 12 wet flies and light tippet was what the guides were calling for. Our licenses and plans for the following day were waiting for us at the hotel. Half a bottle of Cuban rum, a bit of sleep and a 20-minute car ride later we were on the Wild Rose pool of the St. Jean. We moved up to the head of the pool where there was still some current. Our guide, Mario, used his periscope to spot the holding locations of the Salmon and we began to cover the water. Sean fished a bomber while I put the green machine to work. Second cast, a Salmon makes a violent swipe at my fly. No take. Minutes later, Sean raises a big Salmon with his Labatt’s Blue. No take. And so it continued all day on the St Jean and the following day on the Dartmouth. Casting over hundreds of Atlantic Salmon (some over 40 lbs) and unable to convince one to actually eat the fly. Upon returning to the hotel our guide, Dave, picked up our papers for the final day. “York – Sector 9. This is very good!” He says. Good enough to get me fired up to fly fish another day on some of the most amazing water imaginable. Low water or not, these rivers are definitely something to be seen. It would be an even earlier start after our third night eating finely prepared meals of Moose and Venison in our hotel room. We would start at the Montagnard (aka Hermit Pool). It was one of two pools that would hold fish in this sector and fortunately for us all the other rods in this sector chose the Keg pool. 15 minute exclusive rotations are the norm on these rivers so we would have the pleasure of fishing how, when and where without the added pressure of having a peanut gallery. Immediately we were able to spot Salmon holding throughout the pool. Sean took the head with a wet fly and I moved in below with a bomber. Each cast the guide would say, “he’s coming… he’s coming… Oooh!” No take!” A fish moved on each of my first 10 casts. Dave decided to head up to see how Sean was making out. “Fish on!” Just as he stopped watching, a fish came up to sip my bomber off the surface. Our guide quickly pointed out that I had tied on 6 lb tippet. A friendly reminder that would typically be the kiss of death for me. Three jumps and a quick run to the head of the pool with no major malfunctions and the battle continued. I gingerly played the fish, as he held strong at the head of the pool. A short time later our guide was able to help me bring the fish to net. A nicely colored female Atlantic Salmon weighing about 12 lbs. Certainly not a trophy on these rivers but it as my first Atlantic Salmon on a dry fly, it will provide me with many hours of enjoyment reliving that brief moment in time as I continue my search for willing Atlantic Salmon.