East Coast Advice?

[coolspiderdude]

Hi gang,

taking the family for a 10 day trip (mostly camping) to east coast, including NB, PEI, NS. Any advice that you can offer? Casting from shore into the salt? or stick with fresh once I am there, also gear and technique advice would be appreciated. When I was on the west coast we chucked alot of buzzbombs and various hardware for Coho's etc. at river mouths, maybe same approach?

[Pints]

My suggestion would be to go on line and do a search for the fishing regs for each prov. Atlantic Salmon is a well managed resource in the maritimes and usually have their own tags and licence requirements. I know, you can only use flies in NS.

[Colin_M]

Some advice from an old Maritimer, check provincial fishing regulations very, very carefully, especially if you plan on fishing for Atlantic salmon and have all the necessary licences and tags (for salmon). Fishing in tidal waters typically does not require a licence, except when fishing for salmon, but you need to check each province's regulations. Definitely no tackle when fishing salmon, only wet or dry flies.

Here are some links to regulations, fishing web sites and discussion groups for NB & NS.

Best of luck,
Colin

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Fishing in New Brunswick:

New Brunswick Fishing (regulations, licences, :

http://www.gnb.ca/0254/index-e.asp

Concerning Salmon fishing in NB, note that:

http://www.gnb.ca/0254/non-residents-e.asp

• No person shall be in possession of an Atlantic salmon (grilse) that is not properly tagged.
•You must have a licensed guide if fishing any species on Atlantic Salmon Waters in salmon season.
•You do not need a guide if fishing other species in other waters.

NB Angling Methods:

http://www.gnb.ca/0078/publications/Fis ... =bookmarks

• No person shall fish for sea-run Atlantic salmon except by angling with an artificial fly.
• Anglers may cast or troll using unweighted artificial flies that have single or double hooks.
• Treble hooks are not permitted.

New Brunswick Fishing.com (discussion group - you're sure to get some good advice from the local boys):

http://www.newbrunswickfishing.com/forum/default.asp


Fishing in Nova Scotia:

Fishing Licences:

http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/paal/fish/paal190.asp

Fishing Atlantic Salmon in NS:

http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/paal/fish/paal191.asp

http://www.novascotiafishing.com/

Best Places to Fish in Nova Scotia:

http://www.novascotiafishing.com/bestplace/

[coolspiderdude]

thanks guys, yes I have been reading my regs, appears that if I just want to chuck some gear into the salt (not for salmon, maybe rock bass, etc?) then no licence and I would catch and release anyways, mostly want to take the kids and have some fun. Much thanks!

[Colin_M]

Oh, forgot to mention that you can catch sculpin and (my favorite) mackerel and, sometimes, flounder (flatfish) fishing off wharfs/piers/rockey points with spinning or bait cast gear. We usually use spinners, large streamers, jiggs or worms/hunks of fish on bare hooks. For mackerel, best bet is to cast out and reel in. My favorite location is the tour boat wharf in Saint Andrews (Bay of Fundy close to the NB/Maine border).

If you catch a sculpin, be very careful of the spines on the edges of the fins - get poked and it will feel like a bee has stung you. Oh yes, there is usually quite a bit of growth of kelp/sea weed around wharfs and rocks - if you are fishing straight down, be prepared for plenty of lost tackle.

As for stripped bass, while I haven't fished them before, I have been reading up in preparation for 2 weeks back home in September. Apparently, there is good fishing for them off the banks of the Saint John River (New Brunswick) at the Reversing Falls in Saint John and as far upriver as Grand Lake. From a web site:

http://www.gov.ns.ca/fish/sportfishing/ ... tbas.shtml

The striped bass is becoming a popular sportfish in Canadian waters and can be caught by casting, trolling, jigging, and fly fishing. They are fished in the surf or along estuaries wherever schools of small food fishes are found and best fishing is often in the evening at high tide. Striped bass can be fished with live bait, lures (bucktails or Rapalas), plugs, and poppers (skipping bugs). Bait success depends on the location and feeding habits of bass at the time but gaspereau eels and worms are popular.

Wish you all the best - we'll need to swap photos and stories when both our trips are over.

Cheers,
Colin

[zum]

Southwestern N.S. has alot of smallies and chain pickeral(not walleye).
If you go towards Cape Breton it's supposed to be all trout/salmon BUT some real stuipd people released some bass and pickeral into a few lakes a couple years ago...anyways.
Be careful if your on wharfs or around the salt...the tides run fast in some spots and the waters cold.Bluefish and stripers could be running when you get here.
Make a post at the novascotiafishing.com,,,pretty sure someone will give you some advise.