The Lizzard Lounge and the Kamikaze Shrimp

As I speed up the highway north toward salmon country, my mind slips to images of standing knee deep in the cool fall water. The water was just raised by rainfall graciously received a few days prior. As the wind parts around my helmet, thoughts of school leave my mind. The cold fall winds cut through my motorcycle jacket and bring me back to reality; a 2 hour drive from Fredericton to Sunny Corner, New Brunswick has just started. Making my way off of the wide highway into narrow two lane curves where once thriving communitiey still stand ; McGivney, Astle and Boisetown to name a few. I arrive at Doaktown , where I am to meet with Kyle Price for a lend of some waders (mine are still in transit from Montana, for the second time). I pull into Tim Horton's, get the waders, have a quick say with Kyle and order a large double double to warm me up.

Journey to the Lizzard Lounge

After about 6 dollars in gas, I cross the Doaktown Bridge and the urge to toss a line is peaking. As I roll into Blackville, I decide to make a stop to see my friend Cathy Colford-Mehiltz at Curtis Miramichi Outfitters for another visit almost two weeks after my first. A half hour visit ends with a new hat, some killer flies and a friendly farewell. It is always so nice to meet up with Facebook friends throughout my travels, a personal connection is much more enjoyable than some words exchanged over the internet.

 I hop on my bike again and continue North, taking the Warwick Settlement exit past the Renous-Plaster Rock highway. A few more corners, turn offs and a bridge or two and I land at the Lizzard Lounge (Paul and Steph's home away from home), to end my journey. Paul and Stephanie are there to greet me, it's been much too long since I have had the honour to see them both. I get inside just long enough to warm up in front of the wood fire and unload what little I could take with me. Paul was ready to go fishing, a quick fish before dark couldn't hurt!

We drove up the road, and walked to the banks of the Northwest Miramichi. Crossing the river a gorgeous looking pool lies downstream of a swift run. The pool was dotted with holding rocks, perfect for fish coming up after the bump of rain. Paul like a great host offers me first pass at the fish. Wading out into the pool wielding my 7wt 11ft switch with my yet to be named shrimp pattern tied the night before "turle knotted" to the end of my line.  I felt confident in the swing I was presenting, but the usual swing was not getting the job done. As I worked near the bottom of the flat pool, the swing slowed and I decided a well bowed line may speed the fly up just enough to get a fish to take.

Kamikaze Shrimp

A few bowed lines later and a weight was on the end of my line I lifted my rod and the fight was on. The fish was not big, but a fish just the same. During the fight the species changed from chub to brook trout, then finally with a jump at the end of the fight. A grilse Atlantic was the culprit of the less than exciting battle. The leader entered the eye a few feet, and with a few head-shakes the fly was in the air, and fish back to his lie. Paul comes over to shake my hand, laughing as the kamikaze grilse was just caught. I sat on the round river rock and let it all sink in. It was so rewarding after a long journey to hook up on a fly for an instance like this. Needless to say, the fly had named itself and the Kamikaze Shrimp was born. After a few more passes before dark to no avail, we left the river and ended up back in front of the fire for a beer and some grub. An early night was in order; but the alarm came early.

Saturday morning rolls around with a bang on the door,  a quick cup of tea and some french toast whipped up by the lovely Steph! The cold waders and boots go on, and we are on our way. We roll up river to fish an amazing pool with a jagged bedrock cliff over looking the holding water. We emerge from the trail to see two salmon anglers are just about to give up with their attempt at a tight line. They hinted at some fish in the pool, so we were quite confident that we may have some luck. Stephanie went down through the pool with a small Pompier, and a few casts in a rising fish caught our attention as the sun burned the fog from the water.  As she worked to where the fish rose, the fish took with unexpected force. The rod was bent and with a few head shakes the fish was gone. We joked that she "ruined" the pool, but all jokes aside we didn't see anything else move except for a few trout Paul had enticed out of the shadow of the rock face. The kamikaze grilse struck again...

Moving downstream into a busy pool with active fish, the water seemed to be producing well for other anglers. A few passes couldn't hurt we thought, so Stephanie went through and hooked a beauty buttery female on a Cutty Sark tied by Mr. Gary Tanner. We found some more love when Paul went through and hooked a gem of a fish on a modified hair wing- too sacred to even grace the text of this blog. What an amazing pool, fish and day- one not to be forgotten. I'll save the photo posting for their respective owners.  Needless to say we had to go back to that pool before the weekend was out.

We then went back to the Lizzard Lounge for lunch. I met Paul's good friend Brandon over a few drinks, and some very delicious food. All four of us headed to find new water; we passed by the Little Southwest as anglers tried their luck along it's banks. But the water was much too low for our liking. We continued on to the Renous, the water was low but we thought it was worth a flick. I love fishing new water, even if it is unsuccessful. At least Brandon and I both caught a good buzz, Paul and Steph didn't have the luck we had. Again we had a few more drinks at the Lizzard Lounge and went to bed, a bit big headed..

The beautiful Renous River

The bang on the door came again around 7 am, another quick tea and we donned our cold waders and boots in the almost-freezing temperatures.It was last morning on the Miramichi watershed chasing salmon for the weekend, and I was determined to hook up. We went back to the successful pool of yesterday, and were greeted by and empty bank. This gives us first crack at any new fish entering the pool over night. Brandon offered the pool to me first as he'd be there for the rest of the week. Like a good Canadian I didn't take it without remorse, and I fished down through in front of him. A few rotations had passed and still no sign of company; fish or other anglers. Paul had just started down through the pool and a nice fish came up to look at his offering... But to no avail.

A few fish had been moving around the pool, and we all tried various flies over them. Large fall patterns to small summer patterns and no tugs.. I walked out of the bottom of the pool and sat on the chair watching my friends work the water. Meanwhile I was thinking like a fish, I changed my setup and grabbed the fly I thought would get the job done. I start down through the top, and within a few casts and strips I was into a big fish. My rod doubled as the fish ran down deep in the pool, and before Paul could get his line out of the water, it was jumping over it. My J.W. Young Beaudex was screaming, and the fish was making his rounds through the pool. My knees were buckling and with a big smile I fought my biggest salmon in my career. After about a 10 minute fight the fish was tailed by Mr. Elson, I was so happy to have hooked and landed such a fish with my good friend to tail it. Thanks Paul, you're the man... Paul is rocking the nsflyguy.ca hat, which is a nostalgic token from a lot of work and effort put in by all, especially my man, Mr. Mark Willigar...

Still shaking over this girl

Stephanie's artsy fartsy photo

We continued fishing after I came out of the pool, and after a few more turns through by Paul, Brandon and Steph, I step in and go through the pool again. This time with a large down-eyed glasso infused spey fly. I got to the bottom and hooked, and lost a wee grilse at hand and burned another fish. No more love from any of our offerings sent us home for lunch. Some more friends had been awaiting our arrival, awaiting fish stories from the morning. I finished off my weekend by talking fishing, fly tying and beer drinking with my good friends Howie, Bill and Mr. Gary Tanner himself- our first time meeting. I wanted to stay but I had to come back to the real world of books and studying. A not so cold drive back to Fredericton capped off a great weekend with some amazing fisher people!

A fall coloured dry offering...

I wish I could return, but school is just too busy... I really appreciate the accommodations and food, and especially the fishing. I was meaning to do this for a long time, and it was so worth the wait..

Thanks again... and Taylor if you are reading this, clean up your mess haha ;)

Tight lines.