Steelhead fishing the Skeena system
We headed south on the Saturday, with a detour to The Bear River and the town of Stewart located near the Alaskan border. The Bear River flows from the lake at the base of the Bear Glacier and flows west down a relatively enclosed valley surrounded by stunning peaks.. apparently… as the fog was down and we could not see them. We drove down the length of the river and fished a little which produced one small Coho salmon. A stop for coffee at the store in Stewart produced numerous jokes about “Deliverance” and we left rapidly and continued on our way. The drive from Bell 2 to Terrace is normally about 4 hours. Terrace is a much larger town than Smithers, holding about 20,000 people, and Nicholas Dean Lodge is located 15 minutes drive out to the North west up the Kalum valley. As we drove over the Skeena at Kitwanga and began to travel along its south bank we realised quite how large it was. The Skeena is a large river, and at first look could be perceived as intimidating. At least at this point I know I was. In areas it was over 500 metres across and lumbered westward on its course to the sea. At this point it also began to rain steadily which made us begin to grow uneasy as we had all heard the stories of the tributaries “blowing out” (When dirty high water floods down them and makes them un fishable). After skirting around Terrace and discovering it contained all modern conveniences down to a Wallmart we found the Kalum Lake Drive heading out of town and turned into the drive way of Nicholas Dean Lodge. As our merry band had detoured for a little fishing we arrived into Nicholas Dean Lodge in the early evening.
The lodge is a converted house, has seven bedrooms, three bathrooms, with a large sitting and dinning area. The lodge does not profess to be a ritzy establishment but a comfortable place where fishermen can relax in warmth and comfort. The beds are extremely comfortable and the food that comes out of the kitchen from Jean the cook is fantastic, and exactly what is needed before and after a long day on the water. Although they do not have a licensed bar, any tipple you require is available from the numerous local liquor stores, along with drive through coffee if you feel the need!
The owner and head guide is Dustin Kovacvich, a huge bear of a man at 6’ 5”, and he is without doubt one of the most experienced guides in the whole Skeena watershed. He is assisted in managing the lodge by Chad Black, another guide from the South of Canada, but relatively new to the area. Dustin’s team of guides are some of the most fishing obsessed knowledgeable group of people I have ever met, topped by the big man himself. Although Nicholas Dean Lodge is not in the same accommodation bracket as Bell 2, the huge benefit they have is that they fish a vast array of different rivers in the Skeena watershed from the main Skeena, The Kalum, The Kassics, and the gem that is the Copper River. Dustin is one of only three guides that can guide on the Copper and the Kalum which are both termed classified rivers, so has access to prime water that others do not.
While we are at Nicholas Dean the Weather was against us, and it rained quite hard on the first day which unfortunately put the Kalum and the Copper out of sorts, along with the main Skeena which was running dirty. Dustin therefore took us up the Kassics in one of the jet boats to fish for Coho salmon. The lodge owns a small flotilla of different sized jet boats and drift boats to adapt to any river or situation. They have even dropped them in by helicopter before. The rain descended consistently through most of the day, but I still managed a nice Coho of about 10lbs which gave a very good fight on a single handed rod. We also learnt about Dustin’s line systems. Dustin is an advocate of using lead core line in varying lengths as shooting heads with a relatively short tapered leader to 15lbs green Maxima. He and his guides carry a lot of equipment, flies and leaders on them and are very good at adapting what ever you have to give you the very best chance of catching fish. They do also sell their own set of lead core tips called the “Descension” tips designed to get the fly down fast. I thought they would be a nightmare to cast, but found I got used to them quite quickly. Michael also hit a nice Coho, so the day was saved under very difficult circumstances, and we headed home happy to meet the remainder of the party that had flown in that night.
The following day we targeted the main Skeena, which was really the test for me. We fished down a long run near the mouth of the Kalum River that proved to be beautiful fly water. The bottom line is steelhead and salmon run up the edges of large rivers like this, so actually the fish are often lying very close in. You only need to wade to your ankles, and a short cast of 20 yards is more than enough to cover them. When you break the river down like this into banks and runs it suddenly does not seem so daunting. This particular run that we nicknamed 5 hour run as you can quite literally fish down it for 5 hours is where some of the summer Chinook salmon make their reds in the gravel, and this small depressions make ideal resting places for steelhead. This was punctuated by the odd giant carcass on the bank picked clean by the local wildlife. Unfortunately for us the river was quite dirty on this day, and we only managed a couple of bull trout, a char very much like a Dolly Varden except with a more blunt head. We took the decision to leave the main Skeena and go and take a look at the Upper Copper with a view to fishing it the following day. The upper Copper is reached up a 40 km logging road that twists and winds up into the wilderness. Arriving at our destination and peering down at the river below we could see the glint of the sun reflecting from clear water… music to our ears! That evening I could feel the excitement building for the opportunity to fish such a pristine river in a remote location.
The drive out in the morning took about and hour and we left before sun up to make he most of the day. The rain had subsided during the night, and as we lumbered up the logging track dawn peaked through the mountains revealing mist hanging over the river below us. This was going to be a bit of a hike down to the valley floor, but I relish the thought that if an area is difficult to get into the rewards are often higher.
Before leaving he had given us a quick safety briefing of what to do in an emergency, and where the spare key of the truck was hidden. We packed up our gear with rods broken down and began to hike down through the brush and the forest. Suddenly covered by the canopy of thick trees with the smell of the woods thick in my nostrils I was pleased I was following Dustin who knew exactly where he was going. I think it would be possible to become disorientated very rapidly, especially in the dark. After scrambling over trees and brush in waders and wading boots, we finally emerged on the wooded banks of the Upper Copper to be greeted by near perfect pools bubbling through pink and copper coloured boulders.
Michael went through the first pool while I put my rod together and sorted out the line I was using. Nothing… He moved on down to the next pool and I started in behind with a horrific purple looking string leach with lead in the head. Almost immediately a shout went up of “Fish!” and Dustin moved rapidly bank down the bank to assist him. He had been fishing down the far side of a deep run when a Steelhead had hit the fly like a steam train. I began to wind in, but the rod tip came up, the line went slack and the fish returned from whence it came. Pity, looked like a solid fish as well. I began to put out some casts as Michael and Dustin moved round the corner, probing the deeper areas of the pool with the lead core mini tip and heavily weighted fly…. It swing round in a large arc and I felt a decisive pull…. But nothing more.. A commotion round the corner grabbed my attention as I saw Henry scrabbling over rocks with his camera down the pool. Michael had hooked another fish, and a good one by the sounds of things. By the time I had reeled in and waded back to shore the fight was into its final stages and I saw a large rosy flank roll in the water mid stream… This was a good fish. I crossed my fingers praying for success as Dustin quietly added directions so he could tail the fish. After one more run across the current that resulted in a sharp intake of breath from all of us, Michael backed up the bank and the fish moved towards the shallows allowing Dustin to grab the tail. Michael’s face which up to this point had been grimaced in concentration now cracked into a huge smile and congratulations were offered all around. It was a beautiful buck with a dark red flank and rosy gill plate. Dustin measured it with a tape, did the calculation and proclaimed it 20 lbs. A steelhead of a life time.
The day could not get better… or could it? Again I made my way back into the river and began to let out line, throwing a tight loop against the far bank to enable the fly to flicker in the deep channel running there. It was the last pool we were to fish before we began the treck back up through the woods, and I was determined to fish it systematically until the last. After about 15 casts the line was arcing round in the same way as it had and bang, I hit a steelhead. The fish immediately came out of the water before proceeding to crash up the pool in a series of jumps. Another hot buck, my pink leech hanging from the corner of its mouth. The fight was proceeding according to plan until the fish gave one more leap, slipped the barbless hook, and was gone. I think I probably looked crestfallen, even if uttering sportsmanlike comments. Dustin encouraged me to start up ten feet and have another go over that lie and promptly produced a huge articulated fly sporting all sorts of fantastic colours. Never one to be put down I did as bid and began lengthening line again. As the fly began to swing in the vicinity of the lie the 13’ Hardy Angel was nearly yanked out of my hand with an incredibly aggressive take and hook up. I could hardly believe my luck until the fish turned around and headed straight for the lip of the pool charging at incredible speed. The reel was wining as I half of my backing disappeared out of the rings.. Dustin suggested that we “go for a walk” and promptly smacked me back into reality.. this fish was hot and was still ploughing through the tail of the pool towards the lip. Dustin and I scrabbled along the rocks and into the water as I desperately tried to recapture some of the line I had lost. I was just getting up to some where near the connection between fly line and backing when the fish went straight over the lip of the pool and into the chute below. Half way down the chute it moved into a back eddy delicately weaving my line through some branches and rocks there. No chance I thought. Dustin immediately without pause pushed out into the fast current and began to untangle the cats cradle. After a short while and a shout of elation he untangled the line and the fish continued on its way down the chute, ripping more reclaimed line of the reel in the process.
We needed to be on the other side or there was no way we had a chance of landing this fish. We tentatively waded into the current side by side and very rapidly I realised there was no way I was going to get across without being swept off my feet.
“I can’t get across this Dustin!” I shouted, eying up the stacked trees on this side of the bank looking for an alternative. There was none..
“We are going to get this fish” he said matter of factly and then promptly grabbed my wading jacket and began to wade across, me in tow. I must re emphasise at this point that Dustin is 6’ 5” tall and weighs approximately 20 stone. He is not a small man. Bears leave him alone. He charged across the chute hanging onto my shoulder with a grip of iron as my feet floated out from underneath me, the rod still upright and tight to the fish. Eventually I found my footing again on the other side of the current and we began to move down the other bank. About ten yards below amongst the trees a small bay and sand bar appeared. This was where we were going to have to land him, so it was hook and hold time. If he went out of the bottom of this pool there really was no following him. I began to pump the fish against the current, using the angles against him, keeping the rod low to the sides, and simply dragging him up through the current, regaining line with each drop of the rod. The steelhead really objected to this game and made another frantic wrench towards the lip. I hung on, refusing to give line. The rod bent over in an alarming curve, and then relaxed as the fish saw my way of thinking. Slowly but surely he came across the current into the slack water and moved towards our small bay and sand bar. One last pull, and he rolled over on his side and slide up the sand, his tail quickly gripped by Dustin’s giant hand over the wrist. The battle was over. We had triumphed. At my feet lay a beautiful 16 lbs buck steelhead. I was completely elated and exhausted, trying to get my breath back. So many things could have gone wrong there, but for once everything had gone according to plan. That was the most epic battle I have ever had with a fish in freshwater, and I have to say I could very easily become a “Steelhead Bum”.
I am totally hooked, and now understand what motivates fishermen from all round the world to descend upon BC to try and catch this difficult, but incredibly exciting fish. If it had not been for Dustin’s quick thinking and experience we would never have landed that fish, so it just a testament to his guiding ability and I owe him a debt of thanks. It helps that he is also a foot taller than me as well!
What a way to finish this trip, and since I have returned I still find my mind wandering back to the wooded banks of British Columbia’s rivers, amongst the bears, moose and eagles. Please see Nicholas Dean Lodge for more detail.
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Location:
Nicholas Dean Lodge
Freshwater:
River and stream fishing
Country:
Canada
Capacity:
10 per week
Season:
Mid March to Mid March
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