Spring time Atlantic salmon fishing on the Miramichi River during the early years was referred to as “Black Salmon Fishing” . This picture of fish taken during that era clearly shows the fish with very dark colored sides and more slinky in appearance . As you can see from previous pics of fish landed this year they are much more silver now . This is more typical of our “Spring Salmon” of this decade . Why is this ? Are the fall fish coming in later, is there less time of heavy ice cover in the river these days , is the river water cleaner now ? For example during the earlier years it was common practice to store the logs along the river and feeder stream banks all winter then float (“Drive”) the logs down the river to the lumber mills at the mouth of the Miramichi . Maybe all the logs in the water all winter caused the river water to be stained or something . Just a question , not necessarily my theory on the subject but for some reason our “Spring Salmon” are in general much better shape now .