There is something special about learning a new skill in the remote, dense forest of a country you are just barely beginning to get a feel for. Especially when you’re with a good friend who doubles as your guide. My recent fly fishing trip, near the Western Coast of Newfoundland, was exactly that kind of experience. Despite the hot weather and warm water, which usually don’t bode well for salmon fishing, we had an unforgettable day on the river.

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Setting Out with Low Expectations

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Given the conditions, we tempered our expectations and set out for a long day of disappointment. After dragging the canoe 100 meters up a muddy trail and into the truck bed, we then dragged it down a much muddier bog another 100 meters to launch from the point of the lake. After getting swamped up to our waists in concerningly hot mud, we took a quick dip in the water and set across the lake towards the mouth of the river. Our gear for the day, along with three full grown men packed onto a two-person canoe, was a great start to this long day on the water.

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The Early Struggle

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We started the day using nymphs with little to no luck or even sight of a fish. As we carried on, confidence in getting any action dwindled and we began to accept the fact that there probably weren’t any fish to be caught that day. Even if there were, they didn’t want anything to do with our flies in these hot conditions.  While they didn’t seem to attract much attention at first, we kept at it. Persistence is key, and sometimes, it’s all about finding the right spot.

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Hitting the Money Spot

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As we almost accepted defeat, we moved on up the river to an opening with a big flat rock perfect to fit all three of us as we each put back a beer and a few handfuls of trail mix. Desperation set in, and we threw on a dry fly in a last resort to catch something. This was where the adventure truly began. Switching to fly turned the day around entirely. With each cast, there was action. Most of it was Brook Trout, no complaints coming from me as these types of trout do not inhabit my neck of the woods, but the rest weren’t satisfied. Before you knew it, Atlantic Salmon were surfacing left and right and before long, we hooked into one.

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That first salmon we hooked was far from the last as we had found ourselves in the middle of a run. Salmon jumped all over the place with the warm sun baking on our backs, making for a picture perfect day on the river. Over the course of the afternoon, I personally hooked into a couple of salmon, which was more than I could have asked for. We managed to bring in two magnificent Atlantic Salmon, and to top it off, we hooked over a dozen beautiful Brook Trout. The feel of reeling in those fish, surrounded by the breathtaking landscape of Newfoundland, is something I won’t soon forget.

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Reflections on the Trip

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This trip was a powerful reminder of why we venture into the great outdoors. It’s not about the catch at all, but about the experience, the camaraderie, and the surprises nature has in store. Every time I return from a trip into the outdoors, I come back with a profound feeling of humbleness and gratitude towards the land that serves me and everyone else on this earth.

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