Timing Is The Key Factor For Atlantic Salmon Success

Most of us have busy lives with responsibilities that dictate the timing of an angling adventure.  Family, work and money are the key culprits.  The timing of the river has it's own beat and we do our best to jump on board as often as possible.  The beginning of August is my timing for visiting the Matane.  Sometimes the river is not in agreement.

Each and every Salmon River has it's own tempo.  Some start very early before spring has taken hold and others wait until the last of October to blossom.  Salar has a way to protect the overall species by spreading out their time at sea as well as in the home river.  This past week I experienced the difference of what a day can do to make or break a trip.  It's not a new happening, but one that has happened again.

To look at this photo it might seem that the 30 salmon sitting in the middle of the pool would be easy to take.  Even though we stayed all the way back on the bank, as stealth as possible, we only received one look.  Dry flies, wet flies, dead drift, stripped, you name it we did it from 4:30 am till 9am.  The pool even looks like there is enough water but what you are looking at is Fosse Le Cage, pool #78 on the River Matane at the lowest level in modern times.  The weather man said it was going to rain but hot and sun filled the day.  The absolute worst weather imaginable to the pêcheur de saumon.

All of the Maritime Providences have been plagued with low and slow water for a good part of the season. The Marimachi has even set it's available hours to 6am to 10am each day. This has been the reality and waiting for rain becomes the game.

On Saturday, we needed to be on the road toward home. You know, that responsibility thing. The rain had started the night before and was filling the river nicely. We made the big mistake to make a last stop at Le Tomogodi and watched one of the local anglers land a 12 pound fish to a size 8 Silver Rat double. The next week is going to be off the charts as at least one thousand new fish will be running the river. The biologists are saying that the mouth of the river was carpeted with fish waiting for their time to ascend the sweet flow.

We wait and have all the knowledge from experience to know when it's right. So if you do not have a schedule to keep and can run today then do so now. Don't wait for this river can run spate and be low and slow in a weeks time. If you arrived there today, August 12, 2012 then your timing is much better than mine.

Chaque année je voyage dans la Rivière Matane, parce que la beauté des terres de la rivière et des personnes ne peut pas correspondre. J'aime être à Rene de Matane et ne peuvent pas attendre pour le moment juste une fois de plus. Merci pour votre hospitalité.