Hi,

Last year my dad saw a show on TV where they mentioned "the Don Pool", but he didn't catch the river. He knew it was in Pictou County though. For the longest time, we kept talking about the "Don Pool" as if it were Brigadoon, and wondered when and where it would finally appear. But then, sure enough, we finally came across it when out to explore fishing the West River for just below the bridge, was the Don Pool in all it's glory!

On that first trip We saw some large sea trout rising, so the draw was there and we've been drawn back a few times. The photo's below are from the first trip.

On my last trip, Jimo (my brother in law) and I went out. He brought along some of the Hardy Bamboo Rods that his great Uncle left him (he used to run a fishing lodge in the 20s). They are in beautiful shape, and once Jim gets more confident in his casting he will probably fish some of them.

Anyway, on our way up we spotted a doe and her fawn on the cottage road. When we arrived at the pool, a bald eagle decided we were cramping his style and took off from his perch overhead. A few fish were rising, and Jimo quickly got a strike from one of the sea trout we had spotted on an earlier trip, but it busted him off immediately.

After that, things were pretty quite. There were fish rising, but no takers. I eventually moved down stream, to where the river "ends" in the photo of my dad and myself below (taken on an earlier trip).



At that spot there's a nice riffle that ends in a right hand bend with another great pool, though smaller than the now infamous Don Pool. I had tied on a green and brown spider, a yellow water cricket, and at the point a black gnat. Almost immediately I had a strike, then another, and finally I pulled an 8.5 inch (21 cm) brook trout to hand on the water cricket. Shortly after that the black gnat took a similar sized brown and another brookie.

I called Jimo down and we switched spots. Up at the bridge I got an adrenaline rush as a monster splash and grab was made at one of the flies, but no hook up. After that, all was quiet for the rest of the morning.

Below are photo's of two small (20 cm/ 8 inch) browns that Vanessa and I caught on our first outing. It wasn't until examining the photo's that I realised they weren't brookies! I just assumed they were before. Must pay closer attention.


My brown:


Vanessa's brown:


Will be back to give it another try to see if we can tempt some of those sea run trout. We're getting close, and I've just about replaced all my flies claimed by the trees! Oh, did I forget to mention that part? Silly me.

- Jeff