British Columbia - Steelhead Fever
The steelhead is perhaps the most striking and spectacular of all the migratory fish. One so unusual that even today it eludes strict classification. Deemed by scientists to be a variety of Pacific salmon yet it is unlike the other species - one that does not invariably die after spawning.
Endowed with legendary fighting ability, at 27 miles per hour the steelhead is also the fastest of the migratory species. A fish with attitude, yet one which is often wary of commitment, preferring to take a good look at the fly when first presented.
Any guide will insist that a steelhead is a sea-run rainbow, just as a sea trout is a brown that has developed migratory instincts. What is the attraction? Is it the fish themselves, the solitude afforded in their pursuit, or the splendour of their natal streams? The Copper River on a clear October day, running over myriads of pink and grey, and white and black stones, through a canvas of spruce and hemlock is a stunning sight. Perhaps it is a blend of all three. What is certain is that once smitten the affliction is eternal and there is no cure.
Losing one’s steelhead innocence is a definitive moment. It happened to me back in 1999 on a late September evening. The sun was slipping silently down in the far corner of a pale blue British Columbian sky. I was staying at Steelhead Valhalla Lodge, situated on the Sustut close to its confluence with the Skeena, some eighty miles from the nearest civilisation at Smithers. Access is by charter plane, and fishing the first day had been limited to an evening session. Mid way down the last run, mellow feelings prevailed. The fall colours were at their peak, and the occasional chipmunk could be seen scampering up and down the riverside cottonwoods, standing resplendent in their glorious yellow.
The river was pale translucent green with just a hint of milky white, enough to give its denizens a degree of comfort. Quiet content was dashed in an instant as a silver streak flashed through the surface. A chrome hen leapt into the air, then raced upstream, and it took a moment to register that she had actually grabbed the fly. True to form this fish jumped several times, and ran up, then across and down river. Feistier than the bucks, even 270 miles from the sea it was easy to understand how their reputation had been earned. Ten minutes later, the beautiful 10lb fish was safely released, sulky yet free again, full of the indomitable spirit which had brought her here, hundreds of miles from her oceanic feeding grounds. That first week yielded a dozen fish to 20lbs in weight, but that first evening is still the abiding memory.
It has long been a source of intrigue as to why so few British have yet been seduced by British Columbia. Access is easy, as Vancouver is a nine and a half hour direct flight from London. The connecting flight to Smithers or Terrace is another hour and three quarters. Journey time is comfortably quicker than to the Kola in Russia, Alaska or Argentina. In many cases it is no more than one day’s travel from departure to destination.
While the rivers in B.C. are open to the public, all fishing is subject to the purchase of a licence. Some rivers, such as the Sustut and Babine, are difficult to access except by boat or air, so that angling pressure is largely limited to the lodges themselves. Moreover, many of the rivers are classified, which restricts guided fishing to those with the appropriate licences. This ensures that for the most part fishing is on an exclusive basis.
Spring fishing generally has more stable weather, albeit wet and windy on occasion. Steelhead respond to change in water conditions and temperature, and a frosty March morning may warm up towards mid-day and suddenly bring a river to life. In the Autumn heavy rains can cause spate conditions, and a sudden increase in temperature can lead to glacial melt. Lake fed rivers are generally free from this problem, while others have good recovery times. An added and proven insurance policy is to fish more than one system during the course of a single trip. As in Spring, the most active parts of the day are generally from mid-morning to mid-afternoon.
Autumn fishing has made British Columbia famous, and September and October are the best months. November can be good, but on average every three or four years it will turn wintry cold overnight. August will produce the hottest, meanest fish, but they are travelling with the other five species of Pacific salmon and are therefore harder to target. Most Atlantic salmon enthusiasts will have finished their annual pilgrimages to Scotland, Iceland and Norway by September, so there is no conflict of choice. Various lodges, some of them world famous, offer weekly packages on rivers such as the Babine and Sustut, Bulkley and Kispiox. Access to these is from Smithers. These are generally from late August through to the end of October. In Terrace, lodges generally have more variable options, enabling an angler to fish two or three different rivers. 200 miles further north, there is a five week season on the Bell-Irving and float fishing on the Upper Nass, beginning mid-September.
What are the statistics? For those used to prolific fishing on rivers like the Ponoi or Varzuga in Russia, it must be stressed that steelheading is rewarding in other ways. Strictly a catch-and-release business, it is one of quality rather than quantity. There are anglers lucky enough to hit a fresh run of fish on certain rivers, giving them double digit days. Persistence may be rewarded with days of four to six fish, but again they are exceptional, and would be on most salmon and sea trout rivers. Even allowing for an optimum degree of luck and skill, one to two hook ups per day is a good long term average.
It could be argued that steelhead and Atlantic salmon are closer than any other species. Perhaps cousins would be the best description. Thus the style and equipment necessary is much the same. Steelhead will, on certain rivers, at conducive water temperatures, take a surface skated fly. When it is cold, sink tips prevail. In either case spey rods are increasingly used. Where the steelhead differs is that, despite its aggressive reputation, it often likes a good look at the fly. Hence the initial cast is much squarer than when salmon fishing, and generally followed by an enthusiastic upstream mend. Here spey rods are invaluable as they can control line speed much more effectively. A slow drift is essential. It is beneficial to let the fly hang on the dangle for ten or fifteen seconds at the end of each cast, and then strip in slowly. This tactic is often rewarded.
You throw out another perfect single spey, square across, and mend, just as you have already done hundreds of times that day. The black leech turns over, and the line begins to swing round, slowly, so slowly. The feeling is just coming back into the hands, the painful bit, and you squeeze your fingers. Suddenly the line goes tight. That magical moment, when yet another ‘rock fish’ turns out to be the real deal. Strike! FISH ON!!!
Then it is back to the lodge, to be rejuvenated by a hot shower and a roaring fire. At the bar talk reverts, inevitably, to the day’s drama and tomorrow’s hopes and expectations. While sipping the Sleeman ale or enjoying the Okanagan claret, attention is inevitably drawn to the trophy replicas mounted on the wall, some weighing in excess of 30lbs. Every year yields more leviathans of similar stature. Perhaps one of them will have your name on it…
This pristine wilderness can be reached in the same day by a flight from London to Vancouver followed by a quick hop to either Smithers or Terrace. Aardvark McLeod will be offering a wide variety of options next season on the Bell, Sustut, Kispiox, Skeena, Kalum and many others for those fishermen looking to tangle with this incredibly powerful migratory species.
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