Then, for nearly a decade, the better angling was later in the month. Now, early July has staged a comeback. Not exclusively of course, but salmon seem readier to take dries when daytime temperatures are higher. The tail of a pool in the evening is a sound bet. Miramichi summers are magic.
Long days offer extended hours of angling.
Nights are cool regardless of daytime temperatures. Salmon are on the move. From the veranda of Miramichi Gray Rapids Lodge, as early July evenings yield to the night, I often watch the river's slick surface betray pods of salmon working upriver as schools of shad drop down. Regardless of the day's luck, this reaffirmation of the river's eternal cycle buoys the spirit for the morrow. Now the salmon push forward, almost disregarding water levels.