For serious fly fishermen seeking the ultimate in freshwater angling - the Atlantic Salmon - there's no better destination than Silver Mountain Lodge.

Here in splendid isolation, but also just a short helicopter ride from a major airport, one of the longest and healthiest salmon runs in North America can be found literally at the front door.

Located at the base of Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula on the upper section of the Humber River, a storied salmon stream fished by royalty, presidents, and prime ministers, Silver Mountian provides anglers with a wide variety of possibilities.

They can wade to the edge of fast water, or fish deep runs from the comfort of a boat. They can work the main pool in front of the lodge, or work up and down the river for miles, where pristine waters await.

Your hosts and guides, Don and Rod Stowe, with more than half a century of experience between them fishing the river, will provide all the help you need with techniques, tackle, and strategies for landing the fish of a lifetime.

And there are plenty of them. From the late June through the end of August, the river a Silver Mountain plays host to a consistent salmon run, ranging from acrobatic grilse in the five pound range, to some of the Humber's elusive and renowned trophy fish, in excess of 25 pounds. Anyone who can cast a fly and spends time at Silver Mountain Lodge will have a real chance to hook an Atlantic Salmon, to feel its power and experience the thrill of watching its silvery form leaping again and again into the air.

Guests at Silver Mountain Lodge fly into Deer Lake (Newfoundland) Airport, which has direct service from Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, and St. John's. There they transfer directly to a helicopter for the short ride up river, ariving at a place far from the nearest road, never mind the nearest city light. Moose, caribou, black bear and a wide variety of bird species including bald eagles make their home in the deep woods surrounding the lodge.

But here remote dosen't mean roughing it. The Lodge, built in 1997, features comfortable double rooms, each with its own bathroom, and a large common room, where guests can relax around a huge stone fireplace. A chef prepares an array of fine foods featuring local ingredients, and once the sun sets, there's time for relaxation, for fly tying demonstrations, and for a chance to relive the day's fishing adventures.

You can go farther afield. You can spend a whole lot more. But if catching Atlantic Salmon is your goal, Silver Mountain is tough to beat.