It's nearly 5 miles from Gilmore Island to the tailout
of Lower Grindstone. The pools are grouped into 5 beats for each 2 anglers. Anglers rotate downstream, moving down
one beat each morning and afternoon. The pool groupings can vary depending on water levels, but are usually as
follows 1) Gilmore to Irvings Rock, 2) Sideboard to Two Brooks, 3) Home, 4) Diamond to Little Diamond, 5) The Pot
to Lower Grindstone. In all but very low water conditions, these beats provide more water than 2 anglers can cover
in a 4-hour fishing session.
Gilmore Island: A medium to high water - short pool - only about 4 drops, best fished from the boat, but
wadeable from the island side. Gilmore was ignored for years until on a hunch, a guide took a client up and he
landed a 40 pounder. Since, the pool has produced a number of fish over 30 pounds.
Looking Glass: A classic bar pool and a beautiful wading pool in all but highest water. Mentioned by name
in Dean Sage, "The Ristigouche and its Salmon Fishing". The pool takes its name from the mirror like
flat shards of mica imbedded in rock wall on the right bank.
Irving's Rock: A good medium to high water run, wades well as the fish hold tight to left (Quebec) bank
in high water above the rock. Also a beautiful and productive wade in medium height water on the right bank beginning
50 yards below the rock (the "New Pot?"). Irvings has given up 40 pounders.
Sideboard: An
inigma! Some anglers love this pool, though many years lightly fished. Wadeable for deep wade-long line anglers.
Two Brooks: A
huge pool that can produce in a number spots throughout its length - right to the rapids into Home Pool. Glorious
wade from 100 yards above the top brook down past the old warden's camp. The pool at the lower brook gets slow
to get a good swing in low water but still holds fish right through the summer. A dry fly or a little hand twist
will do the job in low water.
Home Pool: Another
huge pool that produces in various water levels and areas. The top fishes well in medium to low, and is wadeable
much of the way down. The middle produces very big fish in high water, and the tail can be extremely productive
in medium high flows.
Diamond: One
of the most beautiful and mysterious pools in our stretch. A good wade in medium to low water from the NB side.
Spey casters can cover excellent holding water from the Quebec side in high water. A "rain pool" - if
it starts to rain in the morning and the river starts to rise around 4:00 pm, I envy the fisherman who's got Diamond
that night!
Little Diamond: Another "sleeper" that often goes unfished. But Little Diamond has produced a
47 pounder in recent years!
The Pot: This
run along the Quebec shore was rarely fished in years past but ice jams in the late 90's altered the run creating
what became one of our most productive pools for a number of years. The "Pot" proper has filled in the
past few years and isn't the surefire honey hole it was for 7 or 8 years, but the entire run still produces and
is a great wade in all but highest water.
Upper & Lower Grindstone: Historically one of our most productive, this stretch offers an excellent
wade for about 200 yards down to the top brook on the right bank. Good left bank wade from just below the brook
across from Tent Rock. Lower Grindstone produces very big fish in high water, especially just above the 2nd brook.
Be sure to check the shallow tail out of this pool as well. It's an enormous pool and taking fish can be found
throughout.
