Playing of the Ace..

Weds 07/22 was starting with rain, heavier than the norm had been. I'd really been hoping for overcast with minor sprinkles kinda day but how often does a guy get what he wants with weather? You just roll with whats dealt hoping for the best.

Arriving at the river it was already a hood up & zipped proposition. Why even slow down, I just grabbed my stuff and went. The guides were on hand and ready so over the hill we headed. Water looked great yet, didn't appear to have risen much if any since I saw it sunday afternoon. Recent rains seemed to have been just the right amount to sustain levels without increasing them at all. That trend was about to change.

Mike Heally, whom we fished and stayed with in 06 and fished together again in 08, was meeting us here with two of his friends, Dave and Jeff. They had been staying quite a ways upstream at Mikes camp up on Bloomfield Ridge. With many miles between us and no functioning tele we hadn't heard much from them. This is good sized broad water with a large island / gravel bar in the mid, cold water inlet above on the south and generous sized trib on the north bank. All kinds of great fish holding water.

Guide Frankie storey poled us across to the south bank. Fish hungry and looking for the shortest path to connecting I immediatly headed upstream and rigged a small wet, the Shadylady Green. The rain had subsided a bit and there were a few fish showing starting the adrenaline trickle again. It's interesting to see a fish break and try to catgorize. Since meeting them in 06 the guides have been adament that other than the visual theres a fish [which can be huge] seldom are they worthy of covering. The one you want they refer to as a "taking break" or "nice break" which to me looks alot like the lightest sip a trout makes when picking off a midge from the surface. Just a slight dimple, nothing more. I'd seen a couple of these and began wondering if I wasn't making a big mistake fishing wet. Today was best chance for a fish on the dry. 2/3 the way through I get a pull and come up connected. It's a hot Grilse, jumping twice before dropping in and running on the current. He slugs it out a bit then jumps again.. End of the line, he's gone. Finishing the pass I go back up and decide I'd better make the transition if I'm going to. The water looks like it's starting to rise. Frankie has gotten me onto smaller dries, which coming from a Trout fishing background I tend to agree with. Last summer he gave me a sz 8 White Wulff that rose a few fish and he also endorses similar sz of Bomber. MJC [Red Shed] gave me a couple in advance last summer and it's one of these I tie on. Same small Tan W/ White Wing I fished in Quebec. Fishing upstream is pleasant here, it's fairly soft even water with a plenty of submerged rocks/boulders creating seams to target. The rain is coming harder again, tougher to see the fly. As always, when least expected I'm treated to a nice rise. Either a small Salmon or Grilse, the seemingly slow head and shoulders porpoise. As it was starting down I lift into.. nothing.. Telle est la vie! I don't even slow, one false cast to dry and set the fly back down. Frankie comes by and gives me a good szd Brown Bug with Orange hackle and simply states "try this one, it will show up alot better". He's so intuitive I find it amazing.. with eye sight to match. The Orange hackle literally glows out there. About 20 minutes later I hear some commotion way downstream. It's Charles with a bent rod! Finding a grass clump amidst the rock to place my rod I start jogging down there with hopes of a photo opp, and if none maybe razz him a little before coming back up. By the time I arrive the fish is on a short line and Frankie is on stand by with the net. First shot scores a nice Grilse.. congrats are in order, great to see one in hand. It's getting late in the morning. The water is rising and the fish have stopped showing. I resume fishing the run where the rod was left, trying to make it upstream where a good fish showed a few times earlier. Looks like the rise I was gifted may have to be enough. I'm almost up through the run when I hear commotion, it's Charles again! When I make the scene the fish is barely starting to tire.. You watch and wait, praying that things stay together and connected. Fish finally presents an opening and Franky makes the shot. I find myself wondering just how many fish this man has netted over his sixty some years? Very nice Salmon.. I'm a bit envious. It took a Pompier Dbl.

Afternoon arrival finds us with -you guessed it- more rain. Mike wanted to fish the Brook mouth so I went back across on the south bank. The Brook mouth is such an interesting place to work a fly.. Theres a very defined seam well out into the pool proper. 20' depths scoured out of bed rock by glaciers and the ice from countless spring runoffs. Fish will hold from it's start to where it can't even be defined by eye. They know it's there though. It's a great place to fish a long line in a probing fashion. Get near, in, or the best ..if you can make it.. across the seam. Pull a few short smooth quick paced strips then pick it up and do it again. All the time holding your breath with anticipation. I'd took my first memorable Salmon there July [24?] 06 late on our last day.. after giving up. My casting had completely fell apart, steadily worsening all afternoon. Guide Dickie Storey goaded me into a final attempt before calling the trip quits. Poling me back across to the mouth he started quietly coaching me, it really helped. Within a few minutes it had started to come back around decent.. About then I got a light pull that lifted into a strong fish. Dickie kept up the easy banter and coaching, really helping to keep my mental as well as physical state in check.. I was exploding inside! We could hear light noise on the stairs and I made some comment about an audience, which can create apprehensions for me. The fish was on a short line now, all but whipped. One more snubbed charge and he was netted. Instant rush of relief! I turn and look behind and there are about a dozen and a half guys there! Turns out they were on a leg of a ASF Salmon tour covering the Maritime Provinces, what are the odds? One of them shot the only couple pics I have. That single event has done more to drive the fact home than any other, or others combined, NEVER ever give up. Stay strong and keep faith to the last breath.

By now I'm about 45 minutes in and halfway down the run when I feel life again. Another vibrant Grilse on a long line. You can't imagine the fight in these fish. Pound for pound they fight harder than MSW adults. Vibrant and bright with thich shoulders that are testement to supreme health. Two jumps and some give and take wrestling and he's netted. Edit: Got the pic Dave, Thanks! Starting back up in the head I get back into the easy relaxing rhythm of swing fishing a fly. SO much less intensive than fishing the dry.. a flowing pattern you can lose yourself in until.. you get hit again! Another Grilse dancing on the end of the leader. If the fish returned no larger I'd still come to fish over them. They are a true treat to play with. By now its starting to darken and I'm midway down the south bank. Kinda no-mans land between the two defined/named pieces of water. The wind has been a significant factor all day and refuses to be ignored, often it destroys a cast. Slight lull and decent shot goes out, just as the fly is turning a fish takes. This feels heavier, a few more seconds and that thought is confirmed! A nice Salmon clears water.. all I can think is my new 'Light dry Rod' is too light for fish like this. The more I play it the better it seems to feel though, just different. As the fish is worked in close Dickie readies. The last couple short charges and just as he starts to lower the net, before it even touches the surface, sickeningly the rod springs straight. My first tippit loop failure over countless hours on the water. Adding insult to injury I'd looked at it earlier and knew it would be cheap insurance to replace it. And so I got bit in the ass.

Theres not much time left now but I'm going to go out fishing rather than licking my wounds. Re-tying and starting just good spitting distance above where I'd hooked up I resumed. Casts were sailing out nice. In just shy of ten I hook up again for an unreal gift from above. This fish jumps and throws a bit of the spook factor in.. it's clearly bigger than the last. Fortunately I've got a better feel for the light rod after the last go around and things are going well. Still she's a hot handfull and I'm running the bank trying to keep the line short as possible. Starting to tire.. both of us. Not far from the beached boat now and I try to hold her up. Dickie starts to make a go and she'll have none of it, shooting back out. Now she's right in with the boat making me pretty nervous but a couple assertive lifts and she's clear of the outboard. One more snubbed run attempt and Dickie nabs her. How incredibly fortunate.

It was a great day on the water. Worthy of celebrating Charles 25 years of fishing the local. Through thick and thin.



Charles and I fished the camp water thurs 07/23 but it was pretty barren. The water had risen 18" minimum and what fish were holding fled upstream with nothing fresh arriving to replace them. Jeff and Dave took two Grilse up at Mike's camp which we were glad to hear.