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While the Miramichi River is well known for its salmon fishing, the Dimestore Fishermen's Jim Hoey wants to shine a spotlight on communities on its banks, including the city itself.

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"[It's] not just necessarily with the fishing, but also the community itself, to give people an understanding of ... what makes this place special," said Hoey, who is the host and producer of the fishing program.

This is the show's second visit to the Miramichi, with the crew fishing and filming at Pond's Resort in Ludlow and staying at Park Inn and Suites.

They spent most of three days fishing there over the past weekend. Around the Miramichi, they also turned their cameras on Metepenagiag Heritage Park, several sites of the Miramichi Open River Ecomuseum, Ritchie Wharf, Station Wharf and various other Miramichi landmarks.

Hoey said he was impressed with the river the second time around, noting that he knew people who were prepared to come to the river from far and wide to fish and take in the scenery, including celebrities such as actor Robert Duvall and baseball legend Ted Williams.

He said the fishing segment of the program was the lead into the wider culture of the region.

"The attitude here is, it's a fishery ..." he said. "How about, ‘This is the Acadian people, the people of eastern Canada. This is the life source of this country?'"

The show's cinematographer, Warren Korzinski, who has been fishing for much of his life, said travelling across the country filming was a great chance to connect with other fishing enthusiasts.

"They don't have musky here, and we have them back home, but they have Atlantic Salmon, and we don't have them back home, so it's kind of a nice way to trade stories on different types of fishing," said Korzinski, who hails from northern Ontario.

Miramichi economic development officer Jeff MacTavish said he was pleased to have the Dimestore Fishermen back in town, noting further exposure of the area was a good thing for local business.

Although numerous fishing lodges dot the banks of the Miramichi river, there are none in the city itself. MacTavish hopes the focus on the city in addition to the rural lodges can help spread the word among tourists of the other options in the area, aside from fishing.

"When we bring them to the Miramichi, if the wife or husband wants to go out and salmon fish, that's there. But while you're here, there's other things you can do," he said.

"And with the opening of the Miramichi Open River Ecomuseum, and the World Acadian Congress [in 2009], we're trying to position the Miramichi in the best possible situation for people to realize why it's a good idea to come here."

Pond's Resort owner Keith Pond said the fishing was good while the film crew was on the river, but it was not the first time he has seen such film crews.

"We've had them a lot over the years ... ESPN, TSN, video companies making instructional videos," he said. "I don't mean we've had hundreds, but we've probably had 10 or so in the last 12 years."

The Miramichi episode of the Dimestore Fishermen will air during the show's upcoming 11th season on NTV and Wild TV in Canada.