Terra Nova River

The Terra Nova drains a long chain of ponds and Terra Nova Lake and comes down past Big Falls to Glovertown, at the head of Alexander Bay, on the east coast. DFO counts the run at the Big Falls fishway, and the lower river below the falls is where most of the fishing is. It is the most closely managed river on this list: its pools alternate between Class 2 water, where you may keep one grilse, and catch-and-release water, with one stretch that opens only on July 10.

Below Big Falls the river runs in pools and steadies to tide at Glovertown, and most of it is wadeable from shore. It is a rain river with lakes behind it, so it holds water a little better than the small west coast rivers. As a rough guide from the Glovertown gauge, it fishes well between about 14 and 55 m³/s and is high over about 95. Grilse take small wet flies in July, and the riffling hitch works on the steadies.

Read the rules before you pick a pool. Class 2, one salmon a season under 63 cm: 800 m below the fishway down to 25 m below Briffett's (Second Steady), and from 25 m above Island Pool to Glovertown, except Morine's Pool (the Bench). Starlight Pool and the water from below the Brown Rock to above Island Pool open on July 10. Catch and release only: the first 800 m below the fishway, Briffett's to Island Pool, Spring Pool to the Brown Rock, and Morine's Pool. The river is closed from 300 m below the Terra Nova Lake dam to 25 m below the fishway. A non-resident needs a licensed guide or a resident relative. Glovertown and Terra Nova National Park have places to stay.