The Margaree is famous for its big fall run of Atlantic salmon. Although it is not as well known outside of Nova Scotia, the river also hosts a good run of summer fish. Generally the first arrivals, mostly large females, start showing up by late June followed by mostly male grilse in July. The runs build from there, improving steadily through August, September and October. In the early season salmon are often accompanied by pods of silvery, sea-run brook trout that quickly race up the river and into the headwaters. Here today and gone tomorrow, these beautifully colored native char can grow to over 5 pounds and are a pleasant addition to early run salmon fishing. Salmon numbers in the river fluctuate with each raise of water throughout the season, ascending the river at a more leisurely pace than their brook trout cousins. New fish will arrive with each raise of water, while others move upriver towards the headwaters. By early July, you can be sure that there will be fish in the river - somewhere. You just have to find them and show them the right fly.

Summer fishing on the Margaree, like elsewhere, is highly dependent on rainfall. The river valley is steep and narrow. When it rains, the water level can come up fast - even to the point of being treacherous to wade. After a hard rain the Margaree will generally clear within a day or two and will hold for nicely for about a week before it begins to get low. When it does, even in the heat of the summer, the river remains relatively cool and comfortable for the salmon. Thousands of underground springs feed the Northeast Margaree along its length. The forest carpet, peat bogs and ponds in the upper highlands slowly release water into and over a rocky and fractured landscape. Water seeps through fissures and cracks in the rock to become cold, clean groundwater which percolates up on the valley floor. Fishing is best a day or two after a good rainfall although skilled anglers can take still take fish during low water periods. The water is exceptionally clear during normal flow but will turn dark with peat stain after a hard rain, particularly below the forks.

Fall is considered by many to be prime fishing time in Nova Scotia. Thunderheads roll out from central Canada and the American Midwest, moving east. Hurricanes that batter the Caribbean and southern U.S. swing north, subsiding into tropical storms as they run up the coastline. When these fronts reach the Maritimes they release their watery cargo and the rivers swell to capacity. This is the time that anglers in Nova Scotia--and well beyond--wait for all year. The fall salmon run begins about mid-September and continues through to the end of the season on October 31st. And there is no better place to be than in the magnificent Margaree Valley. The hardwood hills are ablaze with color and the fall spates bring home some of the biggest fish of the year. Besides the mainstem Northeast Margaree, the smaller Southwest river is also a good bet in the fall. It hosts its own unique strain of salmon that run the river to Lake Ainslie in October

Although sink-tip lines of medium density are used in the fall on some of the bigger pools and in high-water conditions, deep-water dredging or upstream nymph-style fishing with sinking lines is heavily frowned upon here. Vehement communal scorn awaits the unfortunate angler who foul-hooks a salmon on the Margaree. Unlike bottom-hugging winter steelhead, these Atlantics are quite surface-conscious. If they want your fly, they will take it. Floating lines remain popular in the fall as well, particularly on smaller pools and runs where not spooking the fish can make all the difference. In either case, the standard downstream quarter-cast is employed, mending line to control the speed of the fly's drift. Presentation, as always, is key. When the water is cold they seem to prefer a slow, even drift, often following the fly lazily for some distance before taking it. At other times they will absolutely smash a fast-swinging wet fly. The males in particular are very territorial at this time of year and will often go out of their way to hammer any fly that looks like a smaller fish horning in on their turf. Mickey Finns, Muddlers and other streamer-style flies can be deadly.

Margaree fish are educated fish - the same way the trout of the Bow River are educated: by seeing a lot of flies. There are some favorite patterns that seem to consistently outperform most others year after year. But showing them something new or unusual after they've been in the river a while is often the winning trick. Large flies are very effective in the early summer, again in the fall, and any time in high water. Favorites include traditional Green Highlanders, Mickey Finns, Cossebooms and Ross Specials. Dry flies and small wets are your best bet in summer. Highly recommended are white-winged Bomber bugs tied LeFran¨ois style, Brown-Hackle Bombers and the all-time Nova Scotia favorite, the Orange-Hackle Bomber. These spun-deer-hair dry flies are of the Reverend Elmer Smith design and should not be confused with the historical wet fly patterns of Joe Aucoin invented and the Margaree in the 1930s. From the same ancestry, the Green Machine, so loved on the Miramichi, is equally effective here. During normal and low flows the river is exceptionally clear so presentation becomes very important. It is also worth mentioning that during occasional periods of extended low water, Margaree fish will often show a distinct preference for the color black. Some locals swear that the only thing they'll look at sometimes is a very small, very sparse black fly.

Large wet flies are generally the rule of thumb in the fall. Bright marabou flies in various colors have gained popularity over the last decade, but classic hairwings and featherwings are still in regular use. Jock Scotts and Durham Rangers, Blue Charms and Silver Doctors all compete for the salmon's attention with new upstarts like the Grape and Lester the Lobster (an East Coast variation of the Squamish Poacher). As on western steelhead rivers, traditional spey-style flies have also made a big comeback and are now widely used in the fall, as are modern marabou spey variations.

A good tip if you're planning a trip to the area for the first time is to hire one of the many reputable local guides for a couple days. Exploring on your own is great fun, but your chances to catch fish will increase exponentially if you first spend time with someone who knows the river intimately. Because there is no mandatory-guide regulation, these professionals have earned their chops and are some of the very best you'll meet. Day in and day out, these guys know what's going on on the river and they really work hard to get you into fish. Once you've visited a few pools with a veteran, you'll feel a great deal more confident as you explore the rest of the river. And by then you will probably have a salmon or two under your belt. For further information on fishing and guide recommendations call Fishing Fever Fly & Tackle Shop in Halifax (902-454-2244) or Strathdee's Fly Shop in Margaree (902-248-2076).