Satellite Image from approximately 14,000 feet
Description of the Pools
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.