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 A Salmon Weekend on the West

 

There’s a saying, “Time flies like the wind, fruit flies like a banana”. Like it or not, salmon fishing for 2010 is nearing an end (October 31).

 

One of my favorite fall salmon streams is the West River, Antigonish County. My first salmon from the West was taken in 1974, at Piper’s Glen. At that time our fishing ended October 15. There were only a few anglers trying this fall fishing, but we were very impressed with the river and its large salmon. Most of us fished the St. Mary’s River in spring and summer, so that had been our training ground. But we were young and eager, gradually learning important differences between fall and summer fishing.

 

As most West River salmon didn’t enter the stream until October, we successfully lobbied DFO for an extension to the salmon season, until October 31. At first this was considered an “experimental” fishery on the section between #7 Hwy bridge and the tide. Within a few years the fishery’s popularity grew and spread to other late fall salmon streams, resulting in an extension of the salmon season for the entire West River system and many others, like the inner Bay of Fundy  and Northumberland Strait rivers, including the famous  Margaree. It seems that anglers throughout the region were having similar thoughts, and a “new” fall fishery was born in Nova Scotia.

 

By 1980, DFO’s public consultations included angling representatives as well as commercial netters, who historically had significant Atlantic salmon landings during the months of June and July in the section of Northumberland Strait from Antigonish County to the northern tip of Cape Breton. Meanwhile, at the urging of the Atlantic Salmon Federation, DFO offered a buy-back program for commercial salmon licenses in Atlantic Canada, with priority given to retiring interception fisheries. So, a fundamental management question arose:  Where were these Northumberland Strait fish going?  Would they wait to enter nearby streams months later, or were they being intercepted on their journey elsewhere?

 

A tag recovery survey collected from the commercial fishery by DFO indicated a mixture of both, but that the largest component of the catch was headed for New Brunswick’s Miramichi system. Thus, the fishery was retired, which also helped the “new” Margaree summer fishery resulting from stocking of early-run salmon from New Brunswick’s Rocky Brook, become firmly established.

 

Since then, we’ve witnessed the demise of Atlantic salmon from our Inner Bay of Fundy streams, including the Stewiacke. DFO refuses to acknowledge the role of salmon farms in this disaster, so our aquaculture industry continues to grow as wild salmon populations shrink. Fortunately, our Northumberland Strait rivers have continued to at least meet “conservation requirements” and the Margaree, thanks primarily to its hatchery program, has become a top producer of Atlantic salmon and an important social and economic benefit to Inverness County.

 

There are, among us, anglers who have a similar vision for other Nova Scotia streams. Good luck to them! Coincident with salmon angling on the West River this weekend is this event:

 

ATLANTIC SALMON BUFFET & AUCTION & FLY TYING CONCLAVE

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2010  

 

MacKay Room, Bloomfield Ctr. St. FX University, Antigonish

Hosts: St. Mary’s River Association

Nova Scotia Salmon Association

Antigonish Town & County Anglers Association

 

EVENING’S AGENDA

 

4:00-6:30 International Fly Tying Conclave

6:30-7:30 Smoked Salmon Reception

7:30  Buffet (Poached Salmon and Herbed chicken)

                                                                           Table wine

Live and Silent Auction, Card Draw, Raffle

Live Entertainment and Cash Bar

 

DINNER TICKETS  $60.00

 

For more information or to reserve tickets

E-mail stmarysriver@ns.sympatico.ca

Or call 902-522-2099

 

This first International Fly Tying Conclave is FREE to the public. This conclave is the inspiration of Bob MacDonald, President of the Mulgrave and Area Lakes Enhancement Association, salmon angler, and fly tyer extraordinaire. Bob’s son, Luke, is the 16 year old who survived a tragic accident in Mulgrave earlier this month that claimed the life of Daniel Cameron, also 16. Luke’s injuries are very serious and his recovery will be lengthy. Needless to say, Bob’s attention has focused on Luke and on Daniel’s family since the accident. The fly-tying conclave will be held as scheduled, but will feature Nova Scotia tyers rather than an international roster. It will donate any proceeds, like sales of flies or donations, to Luke MacDonald’s parents, Bob and Angela Macdonald.

 

Please send comments and suggestions to slim@rivermagic.ca.

 

Please stay on the line …

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