In short. The Saint John River runs the length of the province, so one base rarely covers all of it. Choose the stretch first. Fresh water here needs a New Brunswick licence.
Rules change. Seasons, closures and limits change often and can change mid-season. We link to the official pages rather than repeat them, so check them before every trip.
Licences and rules
- Fresh water: managed by the Province. See the Go Fishing page for licences and species, and the Fish Book (summary of regulations).
- Licences: see Available Licences and Draws for the licences and draws offered.
- Atlantic salmon: Fisheries and Oceans Canada publishes the Atlantic salmon recreational fishing notice for the Gulf Region, which names the Miramichi and Restigouche. Check it for the river you plan to fish.
- Moving boats and gear: clean, drain and dry your boat and gear between waters, and check the province's rules on moving bait and fish.
Choose your fishing area
- Upper Saint John River: Edmundston to Woodstock
- Lower Saint John River: Mactaquac to Saint John
- Hampton, Sussex and the Kennebecasis
Fish named for this region: Bass, Muskie, Trout, Yellow perch. Read the species guide.
Upper Saint John River: Edmundston to Woodstock
- Northwest and western New Brunswick
- Smallmouth bass, muskie and trout (named for the Saint John system)
The upper river valley runs from Edmundston on the Quebec border down through Grand Falls, Perth-Andover and Woodstock. Tourism New Brunswick names the Saint John system for smallmouth bass, muskie, rainbow trout, sturgeon and chain pickerel, and says the fishing around Fredericton runs for muskie and striped bass from June to November.
We list 10 campgrounds and camp sites in this area. Compare RV campgrounds near Edmundston.
Camping Saint-Basile
Private · near Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska
Riverside RV Park & Campground
Private · near Edmundston
Lower Saint John River: Mactaquac to Saint John
- Central and southern New Brunswick
- Smallmouth bass, muskie and trout (named for the Saint John system)
From Mactaquac down to the Bay of Fundy at Saint John, the river widens into lakes and reaches. Fredericton, which our listings do not cover directly, sits in the middle of this stretch.
We list 8 campgrounds and camp sites in this area. Browse the regional campground directory.
Hampton, Sussex and the Kennebecasis
- Southern New Brunswick
- Brook trout and shad in the tidal river in spring (named by Tourism New Brunswick)
Tourism New Brunswick names the tidal Kennebecasis in spring for brook trout and shad. Hampton and Sussex are the nearest towns in our listings.
We list 5 campgrounds and camp sites in this area. Browse the regional campground directory.
Gear for this water
- River & fly-fishing kit. A rod/reel combination suited to the planned method. Search on Amazon
- Rain, sun & wet-weather gear. Rain layers that fit over your fishing clothing. Search on Amazon
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