Big Salmon Pool is part of the nine mile river that runs into Shad bay.
I used to go there all the time before the stuck a dump next to it (otter lake landfill).
In any case, the system has nice trout, and sea-run trout too. It's quite beautiful back there.
I used to go in there from the 103, hike an old trail to otter lack, and then use my compass to go through the woods to the river. I'd take a pack and fish my way down to big salmon pool, where I would then spend the night, and fish my way back the next day. Sometimes I'd stay even longer. It was really nice back there then.
Of course, back then, there were no roads, and only crazy people like me would hike in there like that, so it was fairly pristine. It's much more accessible now due to the roads they built for the dump, so who knows what its like now.
Anyway, for me the best fishing is all of those beautiful rapids above big salmon pool.
I remember the first time I went there - May 19th, 1994. I hiked into otter lake (there was a very rough trail that went that far), and then using my compass, went straight through the woods to find the river.
I remember hearing the water through the trees, and knowing that I'd found it, and that I'd read the map well in terms of determining the best route to take. When I got tot he river, it was beautiful. Dark black water flowing amongst granite rocks. I saw an eddy on the other side of the river, chose a good spinner (read beaded spinner), popped it right into that eddy and BANG!! a 13 incher exploded out of the water.
I went back there every year after that until 1997 when I left the province - that was also right about the time they began building that dump. Breaks my heart to think about it. I guess the story of Big Hubley is even sadder.
