For decades New England anglers have braved miserable weather, high water conditions, and flowing ice chunks to spring fish for Atlantic salmon in New Brunswick.

Even when the Penobscot, Narraguagus, Machias, and Dennys rivers were in their prime, Pine Tree fishermen crossed the border in flocks to revel in the fast fishing of ice- out black-salmon runs on the world famous Miramichi River and its tributaries.

Salmon fishing in Maine is currently nothing more than a pleasant memory, but within a few hours’ drive, the real thing can be enjoyed at a reasonable price, and this spring’s run is just getting under way.

Silver and black

Silver or bright salmon are the chrome-sided beauties that are returning from the ocean to their river of birth. These fish begin showing up in late May and early June, and runs continue to arrive through September, depending on tides, river conditions, and moon phases. Viable Atlantic salmon rivers are in limited numbers throughout the world, and the best pools on prime waterways are very difficult to procure time on.

Fly casting for salmon has been referred to as the sport of kings in past centuries; now, unfortunately, it takes a king’s fortune to afford a few days at a private salmon camp. The finest stretches of most Canadian salmon rivers are either owned or leased by clubs, well-to-do individuals, or the government. Waiting lists are long to even spend one day on these world-renowned waters, and fees are far too lavish for most sportsmen.

It wasn’t always this bad, but in the last 30 years open water has become far more scarce and private water far more expensive. Five hundred to a thousand dollars a day isn’t considered outlandish to cast a fly for the king of game fish, and even at that price there’s no guarantee of hooking an elusive silver leaper, let alone landing it.

Having said this, let me state unequivocally, and any veteran Atlantic salmon angler will verify this, that once you hook, play, and land an Atlantic salmon of 20 pounds or more, you’ll pretty much be ruined for life as far as other freshwater fishing is concerned. No thrill compares with the long surging runs, acrobatic leaps, aerobatic somersaults and twists, and dogged, determined head-shaking fight of a bright Atlantic salmon.

Fear not however, for those of us who can’t mortgage the house or lease a child into servitude for a day of fishing, there is an alternative. Black salmon fishing is the sport of the common man, a readily available, moderately priced spring outing with more action than summer anglers could ever hope for.

Salmon that spawn in the fall and remain in the river throughout the winter, rather than returning immediately to the sea, are called black salmon. As soon as the river frees of ice, usually about mid-April, salmon will begin their mass exodus to the ocean. There are so many fish along the full length of the Miramichi and its tributaries that salmon continue to exit throughout May.

Spring Atlantics are referred to as blacks because they have lost much of their silver salt-water sheen due to several months in fresh water. Some folks refer to them as slinks since the salmon have lost weight over the winter and are a slim version of a fat fall fish. A few anglers offer disparaging remarks about the fighting ability of black salmon, but I’ve never been disappointed. Cold water will inhibit any fish a bit, but usually the heavy spring current more than makes up for it.

Contrary to some stories, spring fish do leap, often several times, and as the water warms and levels drop, salmon are more apt to strike flies near the surface, just as a summer fish will. Despite the loss of up to a third of their original weight, spring salmon still strike solidly and are tenacious battlers. Best of all, unlike summer fishing where a fish a day is above average, it’s not uncommon to hook and release a dozen black salmon a day. When the fish are really on the move, 20-fish days are possible and that’s a memorable outing for any sportsman.

Gearing up

A nine-weight outfit is perfect for strong fish in heavy water; in fact if a full sinking line is to be cast, a 10-weight rod is a good idea. Since it’s smart to have at least 100 yards of backing, perhaps 200, as well as the fly line, a fairly large reel will be required.

A Pflueger Medalist is popular and fairly inexpensive at about $35 for larger models. Scientific Anglers System 2 reels offer a far better drag system, smooth retrieve due to top-rate machining, and a protective coating, but precision is expensive at approximately $150 for the nine-weight reel.

Fly line choice will have a big effect on spring salmon success. Since the fish lay near bottom in slow-moving water 3-6 feet in depth – right along shore, in eddies, and below islands, for example – it’s imperative to get the fly right on bottom. Water conditions make the salmon lethargic, and until the rivers recede and warm in late May, the fish won’t travel far to strike a fly. Drifting the large flies right in the salmon’s face is crucial to consistent action.

A sinking tip line will work late in the season, but for the first few weeks a full sinking line is the answer. Since sinking lines have various sink rates, select a fairly fast sinking model. I favor a Scientific Anglers Mastery series, Uniform Sink Plus, Type III, for 5- to 10-foot depths on moderate speed runs. If you only own a floating line, by adding a 9- to 12-foot section of lead core trolling line to the tip, it can be made to work, although casting ease dwindles. In any case, casting deep-running lines is difficult and most of the line must be retrieved after each drift to properly load the rod and shoot the line and fly a fair distance.

Leaders should match the length of the rod, but no shorter than 9 feet. Due to heavy water, strong fish, and debris and obstacles in the water, a strong leader is a must. Start with a 3-foot 30-pound butt section, attach 3 feet of 25-pound test and then finish with 15- to 20-pound test for a tippet. A heavy leader with a heavy line helps a large fly lay out with a nice controlled curl.

Practical patterns

Black salmon leaving a river for a return trip to the sea are generally very hungry and fairly nonselective about fly patterns. However, certain styles are annual favorites, with gaudy bucktail wings topping the list. Colorful flies predominate, probably because they show up better in the dingy, debris-strewn water. Size matters as well for spring salmon flies, and hooks should range from 1/0 to 5/0 depending on water levels.

Brightly hued attractor patterns for every box should include a Renous Special, Rose of New England, Red Eagle, Golden Eagle, Cock Robin, and Mickey Finn. Streamer flies for spring salmon that resemble smelt and are very productive include a silver rider, Cascapedia, Herb Johnson special, Magog smelt, and tiger ghost.

Tactics and techniques

Since sportsmen fishing black salmon in New Brunswick are required to utilize a guide, his experience on the river will be invaluable in selecting locations to fish, methods, and the better sizes and patterns of flies. Novice anglers will fare well during spring salmon fishing since the long, precision casting and delicate line handling needed for bright salmon success aren’t required.

Once anchored, the drill is pretty simple. Start with a short line, cast to one side at a 45- to 90-degree angle, let the line sink and drift until it’s straight below the boat, then jiggle the rod tip for a few seconds. If no strike occurs, cast to the other side of the boat and repeat the procedure. Then pull out 2 or 3 feet of line and cast to each side again, and continue until you’ve reached optimum length. At that point, the guide will move the boat downstream a few lengths, reanchor, and the process begins again, hopefully interrupted by hooking, playing, and landing a salmon or two.

Although some days will be comfortable, in all likelihood you will fish in some pretty uncomfortable spring conditions. Sleet, snow, and very cold temperatures are common, so take plenty of warm clothes, long underwear, at least two sets of gloves, and a hat that won’t easily be blown off your head. Calf-high, waterproof warm boots are a plus. You can always strip a layer off, but you can’t wear what you don’t have with you.

Plan a trip

Outfitters, small fishing camps, and individual guides abound all along the Miramichi, and it only takes a phone call to set up an outing for a couple of days. As a time frame, a five-hour drive from Bangor will have you at most any camp along the river, so subtract or add time depending on your proximity to Bangor. A vast number of Maine anglers visit the Miramichi annually, so locating a guide or outfitter or learning about the sport is often just a matter of asking questions at a local sporting goods store, fish and game club meeting, or at the local salmon club.

For current fishing conditions and in-depth information on area guides and camps from Canadian people in the know, call W.W. Doak Fly Fishing Shop at 506-365-7828 in Doaktown or visit their Web site at wwdoak.com. Another contact for regional information is the Department of Natural Resources and Energy in Doaktown.

This is where visiting anglers will purchase licenses, and the rangers on hand are very familiar with the river, fishing conditions, and all the local guides. A three-day license is $40.25 and has two tags, a seven-day is $80.50 with four tags, and a season permit comes with eight tags at $149.50, all prices are Canadian funds. Considering the current premium on American money, licenses and guide fees are very reasonable, and far, far more affordable than bright salmon fishing.

While spring fishing is a bit slow locally for the next few weeks, and nonexistent for Atlantic salmon, this is a perfect time for a trip over the border to fish salmon on the fabled Miramichi River system. If you’ve never caught an Atlantic salmon, be forewarned it’s a life-changing experience – many call it addicting! It’s unlikely that your first trip will be your last, so check into an outing now because prime time is just getting under way for the spring run.

Outdoor feature writer Bill Graves can be reached via e-mail at bgravesoutdoors@ainop.com