|
The Boquet River, located in Northeastern New York, is
not known for its trout population, but for its Atlantic
Salmon runs. Flowing into Lake Champlain, and with the
construction of the fish ladder in Willsboro, these acrobatic
salmon can migrate up the Boquet some 12 miles to the
falls at Wadhams. This fishery gives anglers the opportunity
to catch landlocked Atlantic Salmon as large as 10 pounds.
Fish close to 14 pounds have been caught here, although
the average size is two to four pounds. Brown trout and
steelhead also migrate upriver from the lake, presenting
more opportunities for anglers. There is an exception
to the General Angling Regulations for trout.Here,
we will be focusing on the salmon fishing, since it's
the reason most people venture to the Boquet.
Flowing northeast after leaving its source, the Boquet
winds for more than 40 miles before entering Lake Champlain.
This is a fast-moving, tumbling river with pockets
and hard-pushing classic salmon pools, normally found
in a New Brunswick or Quebec river. The river is moderately
wide and deep, making wading tough in spots, so be
sure you bring along a wading staff if you're not very
sure-footed. |
|
 |
CLICK FOR MAP
|
There are two annual salmon runs up the Boquet, in the
spring and the fall. The salmon migrate up the Boquet
in the spring when ice-out occurs, which is usually from
mid-March to mid-April. When this happens, warmer river
water sends a message to the awaiting salmon that it's
time to feed. The abundance of food being washed into
the lake sends the salmon racing upriver. This time of
year, the fish are there only to feed, and it's fairly
easy to find willing participants. On average, the fish
are a little smaller-sized in the spring than in the
fall (about two to four pounds). By late May, the fish
are back in the lake for the rest of the summer. |
|
By late September when the water temperatures in the
river drop and the fall rains come down, the salmon once
again begin to migrate upriver. These fish are usually
quite larger than the springtime salmon. In the fall,
the fish average four to six pounds; most are not smaller
than four pounds and can potentially weigh up to 10 pounds.
Unfortunately, these fall salmon are much harder to catch
than the springtime fish. It's because they are there
to spawn and usually require repeated presentation of
your fly before they're provoked into striking. The good
news is that this is the time to catch a trophy.
A good way to learn the river is to start from the
falls at Waldhams. Here, you can park and work your
way downstream. There are many places to park along
Route 22 where it crosses the river. As you head downriver,
you'll find numerous admirable pools and will be enticed
to stop frequently, anticipating all of the fish that
are there for the taking.
Several miles downstream from Waldhams, the river
meets the North Branch. The North Branch provides anglers
with a few more miles of river to fish; however, the
fish are more scarce, and so are the people. This is
a good section to look for and spot fish to target
cast to. From the junction, the river flows for a few
miles until it hits Lake Champlain.
The river is closed from the Route 22 Bridge to the
bottom of Willsboro Falls to protect the falls area
and give the salmon a chance to rest. At the base of
the falls, you'll find one of the better pools on the
river. The fish stack up here before venturing up the
ladder to proceed upstream. Some choice flies include Muddler
Minnows, Gray and Black
Ghosts, other streamers, large nymphs, and even
dries. Hair-Wing Atlantic Salmon flies such as Rusty
Rats, and Coburns will work. Yellows and oranges
are ideal colors, especially in off-color water. When
the water clears up, tippets need to be lighter, and
more subtle colors, such as light blue, can work well.
Having a spare spool or two can also aid your approach.
A floating and sinking line is almost a must, and two
different speed-sinking lines are preferable. It's
a good idea to take your time in your approach and
study the different currents and seams to locate likely
holding spots. Sometimes, salmon will use different
lies than trout. They enjoy hard-pushing water over
their heads, and more often than not, will lie in front
of a submerged rock instead of behind one. Someday
you should visit the Boquet River to witness the mighty
landlocked Atlantic
Salmon. |
|
|
