Brad Burns Fishing

Fishing Friends: Summer is getting a little long in the tooth.  This past Wednesday morning we were forecast to see scattered frosts around New Brunswick.  That was common 20 years ago, and frankly it feels right to me now.  Not that August has been all that warm a month this year anyway.   Thanks to MSA life-member Albert Putnam, I’ve now learned that water temperatures are now again available on the Blackville gauge.  Scroll down, …Read More →

Fishing Friends: The jury is still very much out on what has been so far a very strange season on the Miramichi.  Water levels have been persistently high all season with only the last week or so getting under 1 meter on the Blackville gauge, and then just barely.  You can refer to my early season Miramichi Salmon Blog on my Brad Burns Fishing website for more info on the June and early July, …Read More →

Fishing Friends: I’m recently back from a month on the SW Miramichi in Blackville.  I never missed either a morning or evening session for 30 straight days, and even my hands are sore from repetitive casting.  The lowest water that we experienced during the entire time was 1.1 M on the Blackville gauge which is still relatively high water.  Far more often the level was 1.5M or more.  I’ve seen much higher levels after, …Read More →

  In retrospect there was mixed news on the Miramichi spring fishing this year.  On the good side were reports of solid numbers of large salmon – something that I can vouch for myself – and that speaks well for last fall’s spawning.  There were also better numbers of 1 to 3 pound sea run brook trout than in most recent springs. Byron Coughlan of Country Haven reported the increased catches and said that, …Read More →

Fishing Friends: This is a really exciting time to be a Miramichi fisherman.  Spring salmon fishing is over for another year, but it is already early enough to be fishing for bright salmon.  Last year, Colin Gilks of the Miramichi Salmon Club in Blissfield, landed the first bright salmon of the season.  It was a real beauty: tiny head, thick powerful shoulders, a terrific specimen.  Colin’s fish would make the season for most experienced, …Read More →

  Fishing Friends: I’ve got a number of salmon news items today that I hope you’ll find interesting.  First of all is a report on the Miramichi spring salmon season.  The word is now getting out that 2023 was the best spring salmon season in some years.  I’ve been in touch with Country Haven, The Ledges, Upper Oxbow Adventures, Black Brook Salmon Club, Wilson’s plus individual fishermen, and they all report limit catches, often, …Read More →

Fishing Friends: It’s the best spring salmon season in some years according to Eddie Colford, the manager and head guide of the Black Brook Salmon Club.  I saw Eddie and his son Alex out on the river this last weekend, with their sports, BBSC member Frank Harrington, and his guest Ken Blomquist who had recently caught a 43.5-inch salmon. I also spoke with Rick Cunjak PhD who had been helping his UNB/CRI University of, …Read More →

  Fishing Friends:  The salmon season on the Miramichi River opened on April 15.   Ice out has been a bit unusual as there had been no rain.  Warm weather this past week after a long stretch of cold and snowy spring weather softened the river ice and sent a lot of snow melt into the river.  The Miramichi rose about 6 feet in the last week or so and was very milky on opening, …Read More →

Fishing Friends The salmon season opens April 15 on the Miramichi.  I just bought my annual catch and release license.  It will sure be great to be out on the river fishing at the beginning of a new season.  So how are things looking today, April 5th?  First, here is a shot from the MSA webcam of Bullock’s Pool in Boiestown, then here is a photo sent in by Eddy Colford of the Black Brook, …Read More →

Fishing Friends – On Jan 13 I wrote a letter to two Canadian ministers complaining about DFO’s failure to effectively manage the Miramichi’s salmon population. Many of you did the same.  Most specifically my letter faulted them for not controlling the outrageous growth in the overly protected striped bass population, and failing to follow its federal mandates by not working with citizens and First Nations people to protect the salmon fishery.    On March 2nd, …Read More →