Chasing Atlantics on the fly in Miramichi

There is something about the Atlantic salmon that sets it apart from other salmonids. Built for speed and capable of reaching great size, it will still rise to take a dry fly from the surface. It is also a survivor: populations in many parts of the world have plummeted dangerously. Atlantics are native to Lake Ontario but were extirpated by overfishing and habitat loss. Thankfully, the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters (OFAH) and other partners have undertaken a long-term restoration program focused on stocking and habitat rehabilitation. My first Atlantic was a stocked, landlocked fish caught in Lake Superior on a spoon nearly four decades ago. Back then, Minnesota stocked Atlantic salmon, but the fishery never really caught on. In 1997, I fly fished several classic rivers in Nova Scotia, but salmon returns were very low and I never connected. The goal of catching a big Atlantic on the fly resurfaced in earnest after the pandemic. A couple of my social media contacts were fishing the Miramichi in New Brunswick and posting beautiful sea-run salmon caught in late April and May. Going east I traded messages with angler Mike Deloia, the man behind a Facebook group called New England Anglers and an Atlantic salmon enthusiast. Deloia explained that the spring Atlantic fishery was different because the salmon were moving back down-river after spawning the previous fall. These fish, known as kelts, tended to be racier — and hungrier — than the bright silver salmon returning from the ocean in summer. Deloia had been fishing the Miramichi since 2002, and his best salmon measured 46 inches. That got my attention. “How would you like to join us this spring?” he added. “I’ll be fishing with my son and a friend out of Country Haven Lodge, on the Miramichi.” The wheels began to turn and a plan was made. Several months later, on April 30, 2025, I found myself standing on the banks of the Miramichi near Gray Rapids, New Brunswick. It was a 26-hour drive from Thunder Bay, and I was more than ready. The river was spectacular: wide, swift and running clear. It looked about as good as a river can to an Atlantic salmon angler. Our headquarters, Country Haven Lodge, overlooked the river and featured a central dining area, kitchen, lodge rooms and several separate cabins. I met proprietor Byron “Byzie” Coughlan, who greeted me like an old