The Magazine for those who like to catch big fish and lots of em! Salmon and Steelhead Edition
HOW COLD IS TOO COLD! • • • • • • • •
COWICHAN vs STAMP - Steelie Showdown BABINE BLUNDERS SIGNS, SIGNS, EVERYWHERE A SIGN LOUD & PROUD ONE MAGICAL MORNING WHICH RUN? FISHING ART REMOTE ADVENTURES - TAKE TWO
2012 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2
Pg 6
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N O M E H ted! T s F e u O q e G r O as
$19.95
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CONTENTS The Magazine for those who like to catch big fish and lots of em!
FEATURES How Cold is Too Cold! p. 6 You asked for it, now you got it!
Sign, Sign everywhere a Sign Can’t you read the Sign p. 10 Babine Blunder
p. 14
Fish Art
p. 21
What could possibly go wrong? What is your DaVinci?
Cowichan vs Stamp p. 30 Getting to the bottom
DEPTS One Magical Morning Once in a lifetime experience!
Steelhead Regs p. 18
p. 23
Editors Edge You heard it here first
p. 3
Technology IPhone app review
p. 4
Which Run? Test your Fish Sense!
p. 16
Cooking the Catch Teryaki Cubed Salmon
p. 17
On the Bench Loud & Obnoxious
p. 20
Liquid Lense The View from below
p. 28
Conversational Steelhead p. 29 Become an International Interpreter
Cover: This “ICE COLD” chrome Steelhead could not resist the “Rasmus Red” fly
Editor: Robert Bryce
DVD Review Skagit Masters II
p. 40
Book Reviews Skeena Streelhead The Babine
p. 42
Hog of the Month p. 44 You will squeal when you see these oinkers!
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EDITORS EDGE Taking the edge off Camera misrepresented
As reviewed in the previous issue of FishTails most of you will be familiar with the features of the Pentax Optio WG-1. Read the description below as advertised by Pentax. Pentax Optio WG-1. Featuring outstanding waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, coldproof, and crushproof capability, the new extra-rugged Pentax Optio WG-1 takes adventure photography to new heights (and depths). The 14 megapixel Pentax WG-1 is waterproof up to 33 feet and shockproof to withstand falls up to 5 feet. A new crushproof construction withstands weight force up to 220 pounds. Time to get ready for adventure in any environment with the new Pentax Optio WG1, the 12th generation outdoor camera that’s tougher, smarter and more weatherproof than ever.
I decided to take the camera back to London Drugs as I had only purchased it 5 months earlier. The camera was sent back to Pentax and they declined to fix it at no cost as the camera had “a scratch on the back” and “looks like the camera has been dropped”. I asked them to read their product advertising and explained this was false advertising if they were not going to replace it. They would not budge on their position. Future Pentax camera owners be forewarned.
the average lifespan of my waders. Can you tell that I use my fishing gear alot!
A River Runs Through
a birthday cake that was graciously made by a fellow co-worker on my birthday. The detailed cake included blue cubed jello as the river and chocolate gold fish making their way upriver. The “action figure” fisherman was not included as it was on loan from her son. who would have been disappointed if I kept it.
You would think spending almost $400.00 and with a comprehensivc list of features mentioned above that the camera would be the ultimate camera for the hardcore fisherman.
Kudos
City of Prince George road crews for plowing out the Cottonwood Island boat launch. March 21st the launch had 5 ft of ice and the next day it was bare. The Nechako River still has ice flows in the river but that will not stop the early season jetboaters.
Exact Welding
I would like to thank Claude at Exact Welding for fixing a gasket leak on the Jet Boat and keeping me cruising up the rivers in search of the next trophy fish.
I thought it was a great camera, until snorkelling in Hawaii I noticed the camera had started to leak. I dryed it off but it did not work properly afterwards.
Kudos to Gloomis
For making such nice rods!
Bare Waders
I am please to let you know that I am the proud owner of a pair of BARE waders ands Boots. Hopefully these will last longer than a year as this is
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IPHONE 4 FISHING Utilizing Technology in our every day fishing could have made this App the premiere fishing log. The log missed out out on a few key features. 1. It does not geo-link the photos on a map. This feature is enbaled within all IPhones but was not included. 2. The geo-linking could have pulled weather information from the nearest station to the catch location. 3. The location could then pull sunrise, sunset, moon phase as well. REVIEW After the Catch
$1.99 from the App Store As a fisherman who is always looking for more information to help make each fishing day the best possible, I realized that the IPhone had a lot to offer. I am always on the lookout for a decent App for the IPhone. There are many fishing related apps out there but the quality ones are few and far between. The App “After the Catch” caught me eye so I thought I would give it a try. The App is essentially a log book on your IPhone. You can record everything from catches, weather, rods, flies etc and the addition of adding photos is very easy if you have taken them with your phone. It does have an “easy on the eye” look and feel and it is fairly easy to navigate but it lacks a few items that I feel
4. The ability to search the river level sites would have been a nice addition so that when the river and date are entered it automatically populates the level field. 5. Addition of video clips taken of the at epic battle would have been a great addition. Maybe in version two these recommendations can be incorporated. Summary At the $1.99 cost I can recommend the product but not without feeling there could have been so much more incorporated. FishTails Review 3.5
out of 5
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APPS & MORE APPS Utilizing Technology in our every day fishing
IFISH BC APP
Continuing on from the previous issue we will look at the next round of fishing apps that will help you utilize your IPhone to catch more fish and keep you informed on the latest fishing conditions. A few other popular apps which can be downloaded are: BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations App Never be without the latest regulations and updates. All the regulations and all the regions at your fingertips without packing around paper copies. The in-season changes will be updated as they occur.
Providing an intuitive, user-friendly guide to sport fishing in BC, users are able to search for lakes by name, or via proximity search; view a summary of fish at any given location, species reference, interactive directions, real-time weather, points of interest, tips & tricks, and more! Features • Over 3,500 BC lakes, ponds and reservoirs! • Proximity Search to find lakes near you • NEW! Mark your personal HotSpots at any lake; keep them to yourself, or share for everyone to see! • List of fish found in each lake • Species Reference featuring stunning high res images, and handy information • Solunar Calendar • Real-time weather conditions • 4-day weather forecasts • Depth Charts • Fishing Knots • Fish Cleaning
Flick Fishing So, while your on your way to your fishing destination, why not indulge yourself into a great fishing game on your iPhone? Flick Fishing is possibly the best iPhone fishing game around. The game offers 7 realistic fishing locations, 9 types of baits and tackle, 12 tournaments, and dozens of unique species of fish. This game is so enjoyable that you won’t even notice that you’ve arrived at your fishing destination.
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HOW COLD IS T0O COLD! What is your threshold?
If you steelhead fish you have endured less than perfect fishing temperatures as this is part of the game. Some fisherman hang up the rods at the first sign of snow while others are just starting their steelhead season. In this article we will look at strategies to improve your cold weather hardiness, the benefits of fishing the cold days of winter and finally you will have a chance to see how you measure up in our Cold Hardiness Quiz.
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HOW COLD IS T0O COLD! The only ice you want to see is in your drink, not on your rod guides! Cold Weather Strategies • • • • • • • •
Dress warm and keep your core bundled up Use handwarmers on the top of your hand to keep fingers warm Keep moving to generate body warmth Exert yourself early to stay warm all day Bring a towel to dry hands after releasing fish Be a bank maggot and warm up in a vehicle regularly Use a spey rod but do not strip or cast extra line Bring a portable heater for those cold mornings
Slush and icy banks cannot deter hardcore steelhead fishermen.
Snowy banks make for great photo ops.
-12c one minute and lowering the boat in to the frigid waters minutes laters.
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HOW COLD IS T0O COLD! We have 10 fingers - losing one or two too frostbite shows your passion!
Cold Quotient What is your cold quotient. Take our quiz to see how you measure up. What is your temperature limit? When do you hang up the rod for the season? Does snow make you run back to your warm truck? Do ice’d up rod guides make you want to plug your rod in? 1. Have you ever flyfished with snow on the ground? If you answered yes add 3 pts Add 6 pts if the snow level was over 1 ft Add 9 pts if the snow level was over 2 ft 2. Do you own any ice off rod guide paste? If you answered yes add 3 pts
A light dusting of fresh snow obscures the jet boats window.
3. Have you used handwarmers for fishing in the past year? If you answered yes add 3 pts 4. Have you ever floated a river in below freezing temps? If you answered yes add 3 pts Colder than -5 C add 6 pts Colder than -10 C add 9 pts 5. Have you ever put a frozen fly in your mouth to thaw it out? If you answered yes add 3 pts
Blue skies can moderate the cold on a frigid day.
6. Have you ever fished when there is so much ice floating in the river that your fly lands on a floating ice chunk? If you answered yes add 3 pts 7. Have you ever been the first boat to float a river the first day it was ice free in the spring? If you answered yes add 3 pts 8. Have you ever used snowshoes to access your favorite steelhead run? If you answered yes add 3 pts 9. Have you ever fished for steelhead on Dec 24th, 25th or 26th? Add 3 pts for each day fished
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HOW COLD IS T0O COLD! We have 10 fingers - losing one or two to frostbite shows your passion!
10. Have your wading boots froze up so much that it takes 30 min to thaw them out in the vehicle before you can take them off? If you answered yes add 3 pts COLD QUOTIENT RESULTS 0-5 pts SNOW WHITE Hi Ho, Hi Ho it’s off to the heater you go!
The Effort!
6-10 pts SNOW KITTEN You can’t purrr your way to fishing in December 11-15 pts SLURPEE SLAYER! The only cold you can handle is slurpee head! 16-20 pts SNOWCONE! It’s slush, not ice so do not get too cocky!
The Reward!
21-25 pts VANILLA ICE! Ice Ice baby! A little Vanilla Ice falling from the sky won’t deter you! 26-30 pts ICE- T! T for temperature! Watch it drop and then wet a line! 31-35 pts BOREAS - GREEK GOD OF SNOW AND NORTH WIND Call up Frosty the Snowman to see if he wants to go fishing! 36-40 pts ICE KING! You are ready for a night at the ICE HOTEL! Above 40 STEELHEAD ICE GOD! You are cold blooded with ice veins! Your middle name is Freeezee!
Benefits of Cold Weather Fishing • • • • • • • • • • •
You have the river all to yourself The fish have not seen flies or lures for weeks The fish are still relatively aggressive No need to get up early as the sun is up late You finally get to try that ice off paste No worrying about the river blowing out Low river levels allow for easy wading No bugs or mosquitoes to bother you River is so clear it is easy to see the fish You finally get to wear that Gloomis toque You can try to increase your “Cold Quotient”
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SIGN SIGN EVERYWHERE A SIGN And the sign said “Long-haired freaky people need not apply”
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign? Sign
Spelled[sahyn]
Noun
a : a display used to identify or advertise a place of business or a product b : a posted command, warning, or direction The Steelhead Diner is a smart-casual restaurant in the heart of the pike place market where people can relax and enjoy amazing food without fear of pretension, protocol or leaving hungry. Steelhead Purists, do not get too excited, the Steelhead Diner does not serve fillets of our sea-going trout. It does have an interesting fare and for the more adventurous, one of their specialties is CRISPY IDAHO STREAM RAISED CATFISH TACOS with Black Chili Beans, Tangy Cabbage Salad & Warm Corn Tortillas $16.95
95 Pine Street in the historic Pike Place Market, Seattle, Washington http://www.steelheaddiner.com “The Flying Fish With 6400 square feet of fabulous furniture, kitchen ware, home décor and much more, we’re confident you’ll find everything you’ll ever need for cooking, living and giving.” Located in two fishing hotspots: Nanaimo BC ( as seen in the photo) and a new location in Terrace at the Skeena Landing. A great place for guys to take their wives just prior to heading to the local tackle store. Check out these specialty products at the Flying Fish Cedar grilling planks * cedar planked meats and fish salmon cooks in it’s own juices making it deliciously moist. * added benefit of the flavour being enhanced with the sweet smoke from the cedar plank * available in large and small planks, and as cedar wraps * made on Vancouver Island Page 10
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SIGN SIGN EVERYWHERE A SIGN Sign said you got to have a membership card to get inside
Rock Cod Cafe Just one meal and you’ll spoil your appetite forever with amazingly good food. BIG food. And friendly, personal service you simply won’t find anywhere else. That’s why one time visitors become regulars. And regulars practically become family. Small wonder, eating at the Rock Cod Cafe can quickly move from a habit to a ritual. The Rock Cod is located right in the heart of Cowichan Bay, British Columbia, at 1759 Cowichan Bay Road. The Cafe has som eof the best Clam Chowder around but if you are into something a little out of the ordinary you could try: Mississippi Southern Fried Catfish Huge portion of Ocean Wise certified catfish fried in our famous batter with added crisp of panko & cornmeal then served over rice pilaf and topped with our rich and savoury cajun pan sauce and a side caesar salad $15.95
Chum’s Family Restaurant in Cache Creek has a cool name but does not serve Salmon with the same name. The Tuna fish sandwich is about as close as you will get to any seafood in this place, but do not let that discourage you as they serve a variety of greasy burgers and home made pies. There are a variety of choices to eat while driving through Cache Creek and Chum’s is no worse than any of the others but it has the coolest name and classic sign. 1108 E Trans Canada Hwy Cache Creek, BC V0K 1H0
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SIGN SIGN EVERYWHERE A SIGN Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?
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SIGN SIGN EVERYWHERE A SIGN So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
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THE BABINE BLUNDERS Nothing can stop a potential trip of the year (or can it)
Babine River Steelhead. When anglers hear this, visions of 20 plus lb fish enter their minds. This is exactly what happened October 2011 after reading the new book called “Babine”. The many tales of 20-30 lb fish caught on the upper Babine was too much to resist. Myself and Matt planned a trip up to the infamous river. We brought along another friend of Matt’s from Vancouver. The Babine has a reputation for being a difficult river to run as it has big, bony boulders so we decided to bring Matt’s flat bottomed jet bottom which would make the navigation a bit easier. The first night we drove from Prince George to Granisle and stayed at the Granisle Resort Motel. We woke up very early to a cool morning and all headed out in Matt’s truck with the boat in tow. We drove about 4 km on a snowy road and missed a turnoff to the left. Matt backed the truck and boat up and took the turn to the left up a Launching the Phantom Sportjon Jet boat at the Babine weir gradual incline. The tires spinned so he attempted to put the vehicle in 4wd but still nothing. After a few more attempts we decided that the 4wd was not going to engage and drove back to Granisle to hook the boat up to my truck.
We were off again for the 1.5 hour trip to the Babine River. The road continued to be snowy which made sunken depressions over newly installed culverts difficult to see as we bounced the truck and boat over numerous times which could have contributed to one of the blunders. The excitement of the day ahead increased as we eventually made it to the Babine River and the boat launch. We launched and headed down river to the first run. This stretch was uneventful as we rolled over rapids and pulled into the Nichyeskwa Creek mouth to fish there. After 30 min we were off again to the next run. We rolled over more rapids in Matt’s flat bottomed jet boat and I quickly noticed that we seemed to be bouncing off the bottom or boulders yet we were in 3-4 ft of water. I kept thinking to myslef that even in my boat with a more pronounced V-hull we would not be hitting bottom as there was still lots of water over top of the boulders. The river was also higher at this time of year than previous years. We had gone downriver about 1 km just lightly rolling over the boulders but still feeling the bottom continually. A section of shallower water approached so Matt had to increase power and put the boat on step to reduce draft but the boat struggled to increase speed. Matt look behind to see what the problem was and blurted out “Where is my motor”. He was referring to his brand new 20 hp kicker which was no longer on the bracket at the back of his boat. I ran to the back of the boat to see what happened to the motor and realized it had fallen off and was dragging along the bottom of the river. It was only attached by a safety cable. The motor bouncing off the Heading down river with the weir in the backbottom had been what we were feeling as we made our way down ground and Matt’s new 20hp kicker in place on the back of the boat. river. I tried to lift the motor back into the boat but it was too heavy so Page 14
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THE BABINE BLUNDERS Anyone looking for a good used motor? we jumped out of the boat into a couple of feet of water. I held the boat in the current while Matt and Frank tried to manhandle the motor up and into the back of the boat. After 10 min we had the motor back in and we were off to shore to assess the damage. It was quite extensive with no cover and the top of the power head mashed and bent. The leg and other parts of the motor were busted up in spots as well. Our spirits were now deflated so we made a decision to head back to the boat launch and pack up. The dreams of 20lb Babine Steel would have to wait for another day.
We decided to head back to Granisle and pick up Matt’s truck and head to the Morice River for some afternoon chrome. The trip back to Granisle was not without another event. Along the way we had stopped and pulled off the road while we took a break. A truck pulling a jet boat drove past us which was no big deal until we met this rig 15 km down the road. After our break we drove the 15 km to the same incline that we could not make it up in Matt’t truck. We crested the hill and head down only to find the truck and jet boat that passed us was parked in the middle of the road stopped. I applied the brakes but the truck was not going to slow down, it kept sliding. I had no other option but to head to the ditch with the the boat in tow. The truck and boat bounced over boulders and mowed over brush while still narrowly missing the open door on the parked truck. There was no apparent damage but this could have definitely turned out alot worse. The rest of the trip turned out great as we caught many fish while fishing on the Morice River.
Matt inspecting the safety cable on the motor
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WHICH RUN? Test your ability to choose which runs steelhead would likely be caught!
Most steelhead anglers feel that they have a good sense of what runs are more likely to produce a fish. Here is your chance to impress your fellow fishermen by choosing the run that produced a chrome bullet. They all look like nice, juicy runs so you may find it hard to believe that only one of these runs gave up a a fish. Check Page 41 for the answer.
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COOKING THE CATCH Teryaki Cubed Salmon
1. Rinse with water and pat dry with paper towels: 1 salmon, fillets, 5oz 2. Cut the fillets into cubes about 1/2 inch each 3. Marinate the cubed salmon in a Teryaki suace for 4 hrs 4. Make 2 cups of brown grained rice 6. Fry the marinated salmon in a frying pan with 1/2 cup of marinate, tablespoon of butter and a squirt of lemon until cooked through. 7. Pour the rice into a frying pan and add: mushrooms, peppers, onions and 2 tablespoons of Teryaki sauce. 8. Fry the rice an d other ingredients for 10 min on medium heat. 9. Spoon rice onto a plate. 10. Place the cubed slamon on top of the rice. 11. Add a few slices of lemon to top it off 12. Top it off with a glass of Chardonnay Recomendation: Delheim Chardonnay Sur Lie 2006 13. Enjoy
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Skeena Steelhead Regs Do you want less people on the rivers on weekends?
BIG changes in the regulations for Non-canadian residents who want to steelhead fish on the rivers in the Skeena watershed. The changes were born out of increasingly crowded rivers during the peak fall steelhead times. In a nutshell the new regs will limit non-canadian anglers during weekends on the most popular steelhead rivers. Here is a background info statement form the MOE website. For years, resident anglers, non-resident anglers, guides, members of the Ministry of Environment’s Sport Fish Advisory Committee, members of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ Sport Fish Advisory Board, and local Fish and Game Clubs have told the Ministry of Environment that some waters in the Skeena River system have persistent steelhead angleruse issues — crowding, disproportionate numbers of non-resident anglers or guided anglers, lack of opportunities for resident anglers, illegal guiding, poor angler etiquette — leading to a degraded quality of angling experience. Whether you agree or disagree with the new regulations, it will have an impact on the number of anglers on rivers during weekends. This will result in less tourism dollars from our US and European visitors but also free up a few extra pools on your favorite river. To help understand when Canadian resident-only times and zones apply and whether guiding is allowed, please review the following table.
A Summary of the Changes These changes are not printed in the 2011- 2013 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis but will be included in the next version (2013 – 2015). For a complete list of all changes which are part of the Skeena Quality Waters Strategy process, see http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/skeena/qws/docs/ResponseToWGRecommendations.pdf Please remember the changes below do not reflect all regulations that apply to these rivers. Anglers must refer to the general regulations, and in particular sections on Licensing Requirements, Conservation Surcharges, and Classified Waters Licences in the Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis (available at http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/ If you fish for steelhead, you must purchase a Steelhead Conservation Surcharge Stamp. On some rivers, this stamp is mandatory regardless of the species you are fishing for. All Classified Waters require a Classified Waters Licence during specific months of the year. Some rivers have changed classifications from Class 2 to Class 1. River
Regulation Change
When
Where
Guiding Restrictions
Babine
Canadian resident-only time and zone
Weekends from Sep 1 – Oct 31
Juvenile fish counting weir (at outlet of Nilkitkwa Lake) downstream to Nilkitkwa River confluence
Guiding not permitted during Canadian resident-only time and zone
Bulkley
Canadian resident-only time and zone
Weekends from Sep 1 – Oct 31
Entire river
Guiding permitted during Canadian resident-only time and zone
Kispiox
Canadian resident-only time and zone
Weekends from Sep 1 – Oct 31
Entire river
Guiding permitted during Canadian resident-only time and zone
Kitseguecla
Canadian resident-only time and zone
Weekends from Apr 1 – Mar 31
Entire river
Guiding not permitted on the Kitseguecla River
Kitsumkalum
Canadian resident-only time and zone
On Saturdays from Apr 1 – Mar 31
From Kitsumkalum Lake outlet downstream to Glacier Creek confluence
Guiding not permitted during Canadian resident-only time and zone
Canadian resident-only time and zone
On Sundays from Apr 1 – Mar 31
Entire river
Guiding not permitted during Canadian resident-only time and zone
Extension of mandatory steelhead stamp
Aug 7 – May 31
Entire River
Canadian resident-only time and zone
Weekends from Apr 1 – Mar 31
Entire River
Kitwanga
Guiding not permitted on the Kitwanga River
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Skeena Steelhead Regs Weekend Steelhead Monoculture
River
Regulation Change
When
Where
Guiding Restrictions
Lakelse
Canadian resident-only time and zone
All year
Lakelse Lake outlet downstream to power line crossing (3.5 km upstream of Lakelse River confluence with the Skeena River)
Guiding not permitted on the Lakelse River
Mandatory steelhead stamp extension
Sep 1 – May 31
Entire river
Change from Class 2 to Class 1 water
All year
Entire river
Morice
Canadian resident-only time and zone
Weekends from Sep 1 – Oct 31
Entire river
Guiding permitted during Canadian resident-only time and zone
Skeena (Section 4)
Canadian resident-only time and zone
Weekends from Jul 1 – Sep 31
Zone A: Shegunia River confluence to Sedan Creek confluence.
Guiding permitted during Canadian resident-only time and zone
Canadian resident-only time and zone
Weekends from Jul 1 – Dec 31
Zone B: Chimdemash Creek confluence downstream to 1.5 km above Zymoetz river confluence.
Guiding not permitted during Canadian resident-only time and zone
Mandatory steelhead stamp extension
Jul 1 – Dec 31
Entire river
Classified Waters period extension
Jul 1 – Dec 31
Entire river
Canadian resident-only time and zone
Weekends from Apr 1 – Mar 31
Entire river
Change from Class 2 to Class 1 water
Apr 1 – Mar 31
Entire river
Telkwa
Canadian resident-only time and zone
Sep 1 – Oct 31
Entire river
Guiding not permitted on the Telkwa River
Zymoetz (Class 1)
Canadian resident-only time and zone
Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Jul 24 – Dec 31
Entire river
Guiding permitted during Canadian resident-only time and zone
Mandatory steelhead stamp extension
Jul 24 – Dec 31
Entire river
Classified waters period extension
Jul 24 – Dec 31
Entire river
Canadian resident-only time and zone
Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Jul 24 – May 31
Entire river
Mandatory steelhead stamp extension
Jul 24 – May 31
Entire river
Classified waters period extension
Jul 24 – May 31
Entire river
Suskwa
Zymoetz (Class 2)
X
Guiding not permitted on the Suskwa River
Guiding allowed on Friday and in a zone on Saturday from Mattson Creek confluence downstream to the Skeena River confluence
WEEKEND STEELHEAD FISHING
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LOUD & OBNOXIOUS Grab your earplugs and dim the lights
Since the last issue of FishTails my inbox has been inundated with requests for the fly tying instructions for the “Loud & Obnoxious” flies. To the steelhead traditionalist these flies send shivers down their spines, but for those who like to catch fish and lots of em these flies are as close to guaranteed as you can get. The flies are being closely monitored by fisheries officials and may soon be listed as a prohibited in the next set of freshawater regulations. Word of their effectiveness has spread up and down rivers across the Pacific Northwest. Phrases like “Money in the bank”, “The Real Deal”, “Taking candy from a baby” and “Is this legal? are being mentioned. To have maximum effectiveness the flies must be tied in a specific order. Published for the first time ever, the step by step recipe for this “barely legal” fly. As a reader of FishTails Magazine you can say you saw it first here.
Start with a size 1/0 2XH/4XL Streamer Hook
Tie in 50lb slickshooter for the stinger hook
Add a touch of super glue to the head
Tie in a bright flash pink accent. Be Generous
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Add the large size Fish Skull to the fly
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Add a hook to the slickshooter stinger line
Cut the hook of the original streamer hook
Add eyes to the Fish Skull
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Wrap in a bright flash pink chenille
Wrap in a generous supply of red marabou
Tie in a generous supply of red flashabou
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Finished Product Tie onto the end of line and hold on
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FISHING ART What do fishermen & artists have in common?
What gets your artistic juices flowing: Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Picasso, Van Gogh or are you like me and go for more of an impressionist or fish look-a-like sculpture. Hopefully some of these will make you appreciate FishArt in a different way.
Who needs an Art Gallery when we have these in our own backyard!
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FISHING ART Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Picasso or Fish Art
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ONE MAGICAL MORNING A Night to Remember!
Have you ever had one of those memorable nights or trips that you will remember for the rest of your life. On a recent trip to the Northwest region of BC in search of spring steelhead I had one of those experiences. I was heading out to Terrace to teach for a couple of days and decided to head out a few days early and try for some spring steelhead. I towed the jet boat out as well as I had some of my favorite boat only places on the list as well as a few new waters to explore. After arriving in Terrace and having dinner with a local friend and discussing my options, I decided to make the 2 hour drive to a boat launch on the ocean which would lead me to my first adventure. My only problem was that the launch was only useable within 2hrs of high tide. High tide happened to be at 2:30 am which was a bit of a problem as the next high tide would be at 2:30 pm which was too late for my liking. It was now 10:00 pm and I was at the launch getting the boat ready for the water in 4 hrs. I crawled in to the truck, layed the seat back, draped my sleeping bag over me and then waited for the alarm to wake me at 2:30 pm. The alarm awoke me out of a remarkably deep sleep. I then went in to action with some final preparations on the boat and then slowly lowered the trailer down the narrow ramp towards the salty sea. I Crossing the open ocean at 3:00 am noticed a bump as the trailer would not descend any further. I went out to investigate and realized a large log had floated onto the launch and was now blocking my passage. I was still in my running shoes so I could not get out to the log to remove it so I had slipped on my spare set of waders and walked down the launch in the neoprene stockings and proceeded to rock the log back and forth enough to get it to float out of the way. The trailer now disappeared into dark ocean waters while the boat separated from the metal holder and floated along the surface. The plan was to anchor the boat in front of the boat launch and wait until first light to make the voyage out to the stream that had been enticing me all winter in my dreams. I looked around and realized that the skies were calm and clear and a full moon was lighting up the nightime skies. My friend in Terrace had mentioned some of his full moon trips that he still recollected so I decided to load up the last remaining gear and head out across the moonlit sea. The engine responded immediatley with a loud whirring sound as the throttle was pressed forward and the boats’ bow climbed and proceeded to glide along the waters surface. The GPS unit guided me through the channel towards my destination. The calm seas and moonlight made for easy viewing of any debris in the water. As we approached the destination I watched the depth sounder for depths of the approaching estuary. The depth finally read 25ft so I cut the engine and glided into my anchoring spot for the remainder of the night. With the anchor down I prepared my sleeping quarters on the bench seat of the boat. I then crawled into my sleeping bag with a sense of intrepidation as well as exhilaration. I quickly dozed off but was awoken by a loud splash near the boat; the splashes continued sporadically throughout the night and I surmised that they must be seals playing with each other or chasing some prey. Page 23
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ONE MAGICAL MORNING “awoken again by the sounds of howling wolves�
The clear skies allowed the temperature to drop as I soon felt the cold numbness in my toes increasing. I rummaged around my bag for a couple of handwarmers I had placed in there and open them up and placed one in each sock. The new found warmth allowed me to drop in to a deep sleep only to be awoken again by the sounds of howling wolves which seemed to be eerily close to the boat. The sounds carried on long enough for me to fall asleep again to my early morning serenade. As I opened my eyes to see what the time was, the rising sun was providing enough light to make out the shapes of large dorsal fins piercing the water in the distance. I continued to watch the pods of dolphins criss cross throughout the bay in search of an early morning snack. I decided to stay bundled in my sleeping bag until I saw the first rays of sunshine protrude over the snow capped mountains in the distance. There was plenty of entertainment watching the dolphins, seagulls, eagles and seals going about their morning duties. The warmth of the first rays gave me enough encouragement to climb out of my horizontal position and get ready for a day of steelhead stalking. I heated up a cup of morning tea and a bowl of oatmeal and watched the coastal birds swooping around when I noticed some movement on the sandy shore of the bay. Three wolves were zig zagging across the vast flats created by the low tide. They were chasing each other and dodging around the occassional boulder and log. I am not sure if they noticed me floating in the boat but if they did they did not seem to care. The anticipation of the day had been building and I was excited to explore this remote coastal stream so I geared up with waders, boots and vest and then decided which fishing rod to bring. The tide was still dropping for another hour and the boat was only floating in a foot of water from the original 20 plus feet I anchored in. I still get amazed by the tides and how they move in and out every day. I decided to hop out of the boat and drag it over to a steep rocky shore where I could anchor the boat up high with the limited length of rope. With the boat anchored I began stroll across the vast flats to the stream mouth. I watched the small crabs scurry away as I proceeded and the seagulls invading the estuary for a free meal of these tasty morsels. I scanned the shore for the three wolves that had been playing moments earlier and saw two of them having a siesta behind a log
Frosty sleeping bag in the morning Page 24
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ONE MAGICAL MORNING “when the tensioned increased on the rod “
on the shoreline. The third wolf came bounding out of the forest towards me as I angled towards the stream mouth. I stopped and faced the tan colored canine and he stopped and watched my next move. As I moved forward he began to run towards me. I was a little nervous so I armed my “bear banger” and kept it loaded and in my hand. I did not think the wolf was threatening but more curious than anything. He continued to follow me for about half a kilometre up the stream and then wandered off into the cedar forest. I continued upstream hopping over boulders and crossing logs enroute to the pools and runs that awaited me around the corner. The water level was similiar to my previous trip which allowed me to cross the stream back and forth at will. I reached the first of many runs that looked deep enough to hold these “Sea-Going Rainbow Trout” and launched the first of many casts. I worked my way upstream without any luck when I came to an unlikley looking riffle that was the only producer of a fish on a previous trip. The morning had been a special one so far and a fish would be the “Cherry on Top” even though I was just happy to be exploring this remote stream in amongst the beautiful coastal trees. I positioned myself at the top of the riffle and began to flip short casts into the riffly water. On the 4th cast, the bright and flashy red fly began to swing across the current just outside of my sight when the tensioned increased on the rod and a beautiful 10lb steelhead broke the surface and skated across the surface trying to dislodge the fly. My magical morning was now complete!
Did You Know? Coastal wolves have been seen catching salmon but there are also reports of them taking seals, seabirds and even foraging for mussels. Some of these wolves are also known to swim for more than 10 kilometres. However, because wolves live near humans and hunt the same food, it has brought them into conflict with man.
Fish On! Page 25
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ONE MAGICAL MORNING Views
One of many seals circling the boat Vast expanse of beach during low tide
Small stream enters the ocean
Saying good-bye on the calm seas
Birds feasting on the ocean bounty Page 26
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YEAR ROUND STEEL 24 - 7 - 365 - ALL STEEL ALL THE TIME
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JANUARY
SEPTEMBER
JUNE
OCTOBER
StO p! am
G N the S
I se on
MAY
My clo O C ver
FEBRUARY
T E L
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M O
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APRIL
G N I
M O C
JULY
AUGUST
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LIQUID LENSE The View from Below
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CONVERSATIONAL STEELHEAD Never be stuck for words when travelling abroad on your Steelhead Trips
Have you ever travelled abroad on a steelhead trip and wished you were able to communicate with the local steelhead fisherman? Have you ever been on your favorite steelhead river and came upon an angler from another country and wished you could ask how to say the word steelhead? Afrikaans - Staal kop Albanian - Kreu çeliku Arabic - بلصلا سأرلا Azerbaijani - Polad rəhbəri Basque - Altzairuzko burua Belarusian - Cталі кіраўнік Bulgarian - Cтомана главата Chinese - 钢头 Croation - čelika glava Czech - ocelová hlava Danish - stål hoved Dutch - stalen kop English - Steelhead Esperanto - ŝtalo kapo Estonian - terasest peaga Filipino - bakal ulo Finnish - teräs pää French - tête en acier Galician - cabeza de aceiro Georgian - ფოლადის ხელმძღვანელი German - Stahlkopf Greek - το κεφάλι του χάλυβα Gujarati - સ્ટીલ વડા Haitian Creole - tèt an asye Hebrew - הדלפ שאר Hindi - इस्पात सिर Hungarian - acél fejjel Icelandic - stál höfuð Indonesian - baja kepala Irish - ceann cruach Italian - testa in acciaio Japanese - スチールヘッド Korean - 스틸 헤드 Latin - ferro caput Latvian - tērauda galvu Lithuanian - plieno galva Macedonian - челик глава
Malay - kepala keluli Maltese - ras azzar Norwegian - stål hodet Persian - دالوف رس Pig latin - eelstay eadhay Polish - głowica ze stali Portugese - cabeça de aço Romanian - oţel cap Russian - стали глава Serbian - челика глава Slovak - oceľová hlava Slovenian - jeklena glava Spanish - cabeza de acero Swahili - chuma kichwa Swedish - stålhuvudet Tamil - எஃகு தலை Thai - หัวเหล็ก Turkish - çelik kafa Ukrainian - стали глава Urdu - رس لیٹس Vietnamese - thép đầu Welsh - pennaeth dur Yiddish - ּפָאק לָאטש
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STAMP vs COWICHAN The Vancouver Island Challenge!
This past winter I had the opportunity to fish two of Vancouver Island’s premiere steelhead rivers. I had never fished for any species on any Vancouver Island River so this was a new experience. I had heard many stories and seen many pictures of steelhead caught from these two rivers so with a chance to fish both of them I jumped at the opportunity. My friend Cal Tant who had previous trips on the Stamp set up both of the guided trips. He had a fair bit of scuccess on the Stamp on a previous trip even though it was with gear.
The first trip was set for for late January on the Stamp which is getting close to primetime for this river. We booked with the well known guiding outfit “Murphy’s Sportfishing”. They would be guiding us on the upper Stamp with a 16 ft jetboat. We met our guide in Port Alberni at 7:00 am and followed him up to the Robertson Creek Hatchery where a jet boat was waiting for us. We cruised downriver for 5 km where the open section of the river started. The closed section was stacked full of steelhead staking out their section of gravel in the clear green water. We worked our way systemetically downriver through fast moving troughs and runs while fishing out of the boat. We had about 15 min left in the day when Cal’s rod buckled over and he managed to bring in a small steelhead to rid us of the dreaded skunk. It was not a productive day but I still thoroughly enjoyed the day as every corner provided a new stretch of water that could hold fish. The Stamp River is usually a consistent producer due to the steelhead hatchery program bu this year the fish never seemed to arrive en mass. Stamp River Facts • Hatchery Steelhead comprise 20% of the total run • Has both summer and winter run fish • Season runs from July to April • Hatchery fish mainly in the lower river and wild fis in the mid and upper river. • Can have runs of over 10 000 steelhead • A very productive salmon river Murphy Sportfishing - Stamp River David Murphy Phone: 877-218-6600 Email: murphy@island.net www.murphysportfishing.com Stamp River
Kenzies Adventure Flyfishing - Cowichan River Kenzie Cuthbert Email: info@kenzies.com www.kenzies.com Phone: 250-749-3594 Page 30
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STAMP vs COWICHAN Two Rivers vie for the Steelhead Crown
The Cowichan River is another Vancouver Island gem. Our second steelhead trip was scheduled for late February but instead of going back to the Stamp we decided on the Cowichan and specifically the “flyfishing only” section. We booked the guided trip through Kenzie Cuthbert of Kenzie’s Flyfishing Adventures. Kenzie operates his outfit from his beautiful lodge on the upper Cowichan. We drove to Kenzie’s lodge and then off to Cowichan Lake where we lowered the drift boat into the water and started floating towards the lake outlet and the start of the Cowichan River. The upper section of the river is closed to all fishing for about a km and then it is fly fishing only for many km’s below. The river was very similar in size and look to the Stamp but a few less rapids and boulders. The Catch of the day
Beautiful Steelhead Green Water
river was high but still very clear which allowed us to see the many steelhead that we had been fishing to but had not been enticed to the fly. We worked our way down the river run by run using small egg sucking leeches and small egg patterns. It was killing me not be able to use my big and flashy flies as they say “fish with the fly you are most confident in” but Kenzie said I would send the fish downriver if I used those on the this stretch of river. We fished out of the drift boat exclusively as the gravel bars were non-existent. We did alot of high stick nymphing to get the flies down in the deep fast water. This was the exact method i used to hook the above 10 lb steelhead as it was tucked up against the bank. Cal managed to hook and land a beautiful 6 lb doe in a nice inside corner run.
We saw many more fish on the Cowichan than we did on the Stamp but I was mystified why they were not interested in our offerings. I had to keep telling myself that these were winter run fish that were not as aggressive as the Skeena summer run’s that we were accustomed to. I read where one angler said “he bet another angler he could catch a Skeena Summer Run Fish on a cigarettte butt; The easiest $20 he ever made.” It was another very enjoyable day on the river as we saw beautiful scenery, lots of fish and Kenzie was a very good guide. River running bank full Page 31
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REMOTE ADVENTURES Off the Beaten Path - Or are they really that Remote?
With the increasing presence of the Internet, Google Earth, Blogs, Fishing Forums, and the thirst for fishing untouched water, fisherman are searching far and wide for that ultimate trip. This mentality was at the forefront as we drove for many hours, launched boats in the middle of the night and travelled many km’s over open ocean to fish those cherised waters or so we thought. This was the third year in row for a remote spring steelhead trip. Both previous years we had fished our cornerstone river and never had to woory about seeing another person. This year we planned to fish this same river as well as add 4 or 5 other remote or hard to access rivers that could potentially hold our prey; “The Spring Run Steelhead”. These fish are special in that they enter the rivers in the months of April and May and the rivers they call home typically flow directly into the ocean or very close. These fish are chrome bars that may have just entered the river in the past one or two days.
The boat loaded and ready for the 1st river in our adventure.
Matt’s new truck made for a reliable and enjoyable ride out. Our first river required us to get up at 2:30 am to launch the boat while the tide was high and the launch was accessible. We arrived at the boat launch at 11:00 pm and proceeded to put the seats back and catch a few hours of sleep in the truck. The alarm came quickly but not soon enough for me as the snoring and stuffiness of the truck made for a restless sleep. We launched the boat and I decided to sleep on the boat under the stars. I anchored the boat and crawled into the sleeping bag for a good night of sleep. The winds were light all night and cold enough for a frost to form.
We loaded the boat at daylight and headed out on the open ocean for an hour jet boat ride to our river of dreams. As we approached the estuary we were keen to observe the water clarity and river levels. The water seemed slightly higher and the clarity was great. We proceeded to find the channel that would take us up river to our camping spot and steelhead runs. We had proceeded about 3 km without any issues when we noticed a couple of logs spanning the river. We stopped the boat and got out to survey the situation. With no chainsaw or axe we tried to cut the largest log with a hand saw. This proved to be a difficult task with the small .
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REMOTE ADVENTURES Off the Beaten Path - Where is your Dream River?
blade and size of the log. We then decided on “Plan B�, which would be to jump the log. How hard could it be? I had seen it done many times in YouTube videos. I started up the boat and edged my way towards the logs and then proceeded to nudge the bow of the boat onto the log and then pressed the hammer down on the throttle and let the jet propulsion system take over as the boat climbed up and over the log like a Mt Everest climber. We were quite stoked now as we thought no one else had been up the river this spring. I am not sure why I thought this as I am sure other boats could have jumped the log as well. We wound our way up river for another 4 km to our camping spot under the bright sunshine and high expectations. We were excited about the prospects of tying into some fresh fish in the afternoon. The excitment did not last long as our first steps on the gravel bar revealed fresh human footprints. We were puzzled as to where they came from as were confident no other boat had made it up here this year. Our question was quickly answered as minutes later the sound of thumping blades whirled around the corner as a helicopter full of satisfied steelhead fisherman buzzed over head and headed off for their own next adventure. Our effort and dreams had been squashed as the prime runs were full of foot prints and these anglers had probably just sore mouthed every steelhead in the river. We decided to perserve and see if the previous fishermen were gracious enough to leave a few fish for us. We grabbed our rods up and ventured out to our favorite runs. Ater a couple of hours we had no fish to the beach but after working a nice piece of water my flyline became taught and it
was game-on as beautiful 7 lb doe was enticed by the big & flashy red fly. I decided to re-work the section of the run again when the line tightened again, but his time it was a chunky cutthroat trout that could not resist. Page 33
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REMOTE ADVENTURES Off the Beaten Path - Where is your Dream River?
We worked the likley runs that afternoon with onlly one steelhead to the beach but tommorrow would hopefully bring in some more fresh fish as had happened in past years. We set up camp had dinner and nice fire under the once again clear skies. We awoke the next morning with great anticipation and headed off to our favorite runs. The run that had been so gracious to me the previous day was a willing host again. After working the section that had produced the previous day, I had no tugs or bites but I continued to methodically work my way down to the “bucket” of the run. The run deepened and an over hanging tree provided just enough obstacle for me to alter the cast slightly. The cast required a bit of and upstream cast to get above the tree branches but this allowed for a bit more time for the fly to swing into position before it was quickly engulfed by a 9lb male. The male provided an enthusiastic battle but then succumbed and slowly eased into the shallows for a quick photo. The morning deadline to be back at camp was nearing but I still had not fished the classic tailout on the downstream side of the overhanging tree. I could not leave without trying to tease out one more fish. The far bank was a darker in color and looked like a likley holding spot as the run shallowed out. The third cast landed perfectly as the fly sank quickly before starting it’s swing across the deep trough. The line then quickly started unravelling as another willing partner had shown interest in a new fly called the “purple nurple”. This fish was much different than the past two as it dictated how the battle would progress. The fish broke the surface numerous times as I got glances of it magnificent beauty. After 10 minutes I began to get the upper hand as the fish
entered the shallow water more frequently. A few more pushes into the deep water continued but the 15 lb mint bright doe finally eased into the bouldery shore for a quick photo. It was probably the finest looking steelhead I have ever landed with not a blemish on it except for one small prick in the corner of its mouth. Page 34
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REMOTE ADVENTURES Off the Beaten Path - Where is your Dream River?
After releasing the fish I packed up my rod and made my way back to camp to see how my fishing partners made out. They unfortunately did not have any luck so we decided to pack up and head to remote river #2. The boat ride back down the river was uneventful except the crossing of the logs spanning the channel. The hour long ocean trip to our next destination was a little bumpy initially but eventually turned into a calm ride. We had high expectations for this river but only had a few hours to fish it so that we could get back out with the high tide. We gathered our rods and made the trek upriver to a series of inviting runs. The runs did not produce except for one sighting in a shallow riffle but the scenery and surrounding forest was magnificent. The excitement on this river occurred while Matt made his way back to the boat and found a Mother Grizzly and two cubs within meters of the boat. We made our way back to the boat launch and travelled back to Terrace and a much needed motel room for the night. The next morning we were up early for another adventure to remote river #3. We launched the boat and head off on the open ocean over calm seas. We arrived at the river mouth and slowly made our way up but we stopped at the first set of rapids and got out to investigate the line to take up through them. While we were surverying the situation we heard the hum of another jet boat as it entered the estuary. We were in shock that this so called “remote� river was not all that remote. We had a brief conversation with jet boat captain who was with one of the most well known guiding companies in the northwest and then followed him up river to the next set of (what
we thought were) unrunnable rapids. We grabbed our gear and raced up river to the prime fishing run ahead of the guide and his three clients. As we were hiking up river another jetboat approached and ran the rapids and passed us as it skimmed along the bumpy water. We were in shock again as we thought the boat was going to occupy the first stretch of prime water, but as we rounded the corner it was vacant. The run was beautiful but unfortunately did not
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REMOTE ADVENTURES Off the Beaten Path - Where is your Dream River?
We ventured back down the ocean towards the boat launch but not before doing some exploring and running another river for a few km upriver. Our next remote river #4 was on the agenda for the afternoon. As with every previous river river we had high expectations as this river had produced on previous occassions. It did not disaappoint as we had a few tugs and fish on but only one fish to the beach and it was a chrome hen
of 6-7 lbs. This jam packed day still had plenty of adventure as we loaded up the boat and headed to remote river #5. The 1.5 hr long drive was very scenic as we hurrily unloaded the boat to make it to a camping spot by night fall. The tides were on our side as the boat launch water level was quite high. We had been through this routine of launching three times this day which made the process move quickly. We powered up and jetted off to a new river that none of us had been to. We made our way to the entrance of our next remote river and turned the corner into another beautiful watershed. We were quickly greeted by two young moose foraging on the grassy bank. They posed for a few pictures and then we were off again. We made one wrong turn up an old side channel but quickly got back on track. The river narrowed and got shallower as we glided upriver. A few rock nuggets and trees on the river had to be maneuvered and the obstacles became more frequent when we finally found a nice gravel bar to make camp. It was not large but spacious enough for a tent and some lawn chairs. The camp went up quickly as the darkness rolled in. We made dinner and built another campfire under the towering spruce trees and snowcapped mountains. We burnt an offering to the steelhead gods which would hopefully bring us better luck and then headed off to the tent for a good nights sleep. Page 36
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REMOTE ADVENTURES Off the Beaten Path - Where is your Dream River?
Campfire
Campsite on the river
Burning Steelhead offering
We found a use for moldy bread .
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REMOTE ADVENTURES Off the Beaten Path - Where is your Dream River?
I was the first one out of the tent in the morning and was surprised to see a pool of water in the corner of the tent as it had been a clear night. As I looked out of the tent I noticed the boat was beached about 3 feet up onto the gravel bar. We realized that a high tide had made it up river overnight and rose the the river level up to the edge of tent and also beached the boat. We were lucky it was not a really big tide as we would have been floating on our air beds. After a hot tea and hearty breakfeast we geared up and headed up river fishing one inviting run after another, but with no success. The scenery and exploring helped ease the disappointment of another fishless river. We did have to take into account that we were flyfishing which is much
more difficult to entice these sparse spring run steelhead. We also had very little experience on these rivers and did not know where the fish had their favorite lays. Noon came quickly as we tore down camp, pushed the boat back into the river and headed down river for another adventure to remote river #6. Part way down it became evident that there was far less water in the river than when we came up the night before. The tide was obviously on the decline and dropping quickly. We had to get out of the boat in a few spots and walk it through shallow troughs. We even hooked up the winch
to the anchor to pull us through some shallow riffles. We finally got to a slot where is was barely deep enough to get the boat up on plane but that did not last long as the water seemed to disappear before us as the boat slid over a shallow gravel bar. We were now in about 2 inches of water and sitting high and dry. We optimistically thought we could unload the gear from the boat into the river and drag the boat into a slightly deeper channel but that was a little more than our aching muscles could handle. We then watched as it got shallower over the next two hours and then gradually got deeper over the third hour to float the boat and give us our freedom back. The ride back was to the launch went smoothly but it was too late to make our 6th remote river.
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REMOTE ADVENTURES Off the Beaten Path - Where is your Dream River?
The last morning we decided to go back to remote river #4. We fished a couple of repeat runs with only a few tugs and then off to a couple of new runs but unfortuantely they did not produce. Our trip had now come to conclusion and the only thing left was the long drive back home and the post trip analyzing. Overall we did alot of exploration on new river systems that take time to learn. The rivers that typically produce more fish were unfortuantely fished prior to our arrival. It is still one of my favorite times of year to fish as the possibilities of rivers to fish is endless even though the spring run fish are fewer in numberrs and not as aggressive as their summer run cohorts.
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SKAGIT MASTERS 2 Why are they becoming so Popular?
If you like spey casting, you probably already own Skagit Master Volume 1, the cutting edge video all about Skagit casting pioneer Ed Ward. It is a great instuctional video taking you step by step through the spey casting motions. If you enjoyed that video then you will love Skagitmasters 2 “Steelheading Outside the Box”. Skagit Master Volume 2, features Scott Howell. Scott is one of the top guides in Oregon, and yes, you guessed it, another one of the pioneers of Skagit-style spey casting. This is one of the few videos with almost all instruction down while casting for fish. Scott visits one river in Oregon and three rivers in the Terrace area. The Terrace rivers are all fished for the elusive spring steelhead. He does not name them but if you have fished them before you will recognize the rivers and runs. The footage on the North Umpqua was “Definitely outside the Box” as he uses dry fly poppers and a huge downstream mend to get the fly to race across the run while almost jigging or popping the fly. The chase instinct in the steelhead is activated as they boil for the fly as it is ripped along the surface. Scott is all about getting the fly down quickly, especially for these spring steelhead, so he ties a few intruder flies that have very little substance but a but a big profile. Who would have ever that that a “Copper Prom Dress” fly or a “White Fly” with earthy undertones could be so successful. The video does demonstrate that many days are required sometimes to get dialed in but when that time comes the fishing can be spectactular. Some of the highlights for me were the variey of runs and and slots that he fished that I would never think of fishing. For example fishing on the outside bend of a run or fishing the shallow chop on a fast run. I liked the fact that even a seasoned steelhead fisherman like Scott Howell still loses fish and not every hookup is a beached fish. I think at one point he was 2 for 13. I also enjoyed seeing how Scott fished runs that I have fished before and how he approached them.
http://skagitmaster.com/ Page 40
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WHICH RUN? Test your fish sense!
If you guessed photo #5 you were correct. This run produced 3 fish in two days. This beautiful run tapered nicely from a few feet in the head to 8 ft in the bucket and back to 3 ft in the tailout.
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SKEENA STEELHEAD Unknown Past, Uncertain Future
Skeena Steelhead is a story of one of the world’s premiere freshwater game fish. You won’t find tales of heroic struggles with world-record summer steelhead. Instead you’ll see the events that have conspired to imperil an internationally renowned treasure. If you fish for steelhead you will enjoy this book! Author Bob Hooton provides an indepth history lesson on the Skeena Steelheadand their struggles with competing fisheries over the last decade. The history of the early commercial fisheris was especially interesting. Through this history lesson he tackles the question that many of us would like to know! Just how many steelhead were there in the Skeena System prior to commercial fishing operations. A valuable lesson on the Skeena Steelhead lifecycle provided some eye opening facts on the struggles these fish endure to reproduce from one lifecycle to another. Bob also provides an inside view into the inner workings of the Ministry of Environment and the contentious relationship with the Department of Fishereies and Oceans. Some of my favorite parts of the book: • Male steelhead rarely become repeat spawners as they guard the redds after spawning while the females leave immediately for the ocean. • Total repeat spawners in the Skeena are usually around 10% • Reapeat spawners are rarely the biggest fish in the rivers as they spend more time in unproductive rivers spawning. The biggest are the one that spend 3-5 years in the ocean before returning to spawn. • Steelhead typically live to 10 years of age but some 14-15 year old fish have been documented • 1998 was the best year for steelhead returns since 1956 which was due mainly to limited commercial openings • The realationship or “non relationship” between steelhead and first nations • One of the biggest limitations to steelhead smolt growth is the cold water temperatures that are common throughout the Skeena system. • The under reporting of Skeena Steelhead bycatch by commercial fisherman. Bob’s visit to one boat for two days caught bycatch of 82 steelhead in two half days. The reported average is one steelhead for evey 12 boats per day. The two days he was aboard just happened to be an anomoly (that is what the commercial skipper said)
The book retails for $34.95 and is available directly through Amato Books or from your local bookstore like Books & Co. I guarantee you will not be disappointed with this book. If you can get through all the statistics and numbers you will find this an informative read like I did.
Bob Hooton Most of Bob’s career focused on steelhead management, first on Vancouver Island and later in the Skeena country. The most challenging and rewarding years, between 1986 and 1999, were spent in Smithers as the senior fisheries authority for the then-Ministry of Environment’s Skeena Region (the spatial equivalent of Oregon plus almost half of Washington). Bob’s career bracketed the good, the bad and the ugly of steelhead management in British Columbia. The Skeena steelhead story could never be told until after the author retired in 2008. Page 42
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BABINE A 50-Year Celebration of a World-Renowned Steelhead and Trout River
This book brings to life more than 50 years in the history of the Babine River, one of the most famous of all British Columbia’s highly regarded sports fishing destinations. It is not a “how to catch’em manual” on the Babine, rather a history on the sports fishery on the river and how it evolved. The book focuses on the two main owners of the Babine Norlakes Lodge; Einer Madsen and Pierce Clegg. The latter part of the book is full of interviews with past clients and their expereiences and memories. The location and access of the Babine River make it a a real mystery unless you have been lucky enough to be a guest of one of the two lodges. After reading the book the mystique got the better of me and I decided I had to fish this river for some of the trophy sized steelhead. You probably know by now how that turned out (Short & Expensive). Overall the book was very interesting and I could not wait to finish it, but I felt a little towards the owners of the Babine Norlakes Lodge as they treat the Babine like their own river nad not willing to share it with anyone but their own paid guests. The did everything in their power to keep the access limited to anything but by jetboat. If I owned one of the lodges I would probably act the same and try to prtoect my interests. This feeling was re-affirmed as we had only made it a km or two down from down from the counting fence when we started to see the lodge guests filling up all the best steelhead runs. The book had many great stories but three of them stood out for me. The first was the story of the camp cook Gary Quanstrom. His story was not remarkable other than I know Gary from my work at UNBC as Gary is now a forester with West Fraser Sawmills in Smithers. I talked to Gary about the book and he said it was a great experience to be a par tof the Babine. Gary was also the person that laid out road and bridge crossings over the Babine for his employer, but they made it to completion due to the concerns by Pierce Clegg. The second story was that of Prince George resident Gary Flagel who was a regular at the lodge. His stories were not special in any specific way but he was the person I hired to guide me for a day of flyfishing on the Crooked River and Firth Lake about 20 years ago when I first got interested in flyfishing. The third story was my favorite as the angler is using a “little cleo” lure which was was one of my “Go To” lures when gear fishing for steelhead. The story is about an angler “Bill Herzog” from Tacoma, Washington, who is heading upriver with the Guide one day when he sees three monster Steelhead lying in the low clear water of a run that he was not scheduled to fish. He said two of the fish were about 20 lbs each but the 3rd made those two look like dwarfs. He told the guide to stop or he would jump out with his rod so he was let out to try and entice the steelhead. First cast with his brass little it stopped with a thud as the monster fish was hooked in the corner of the jaw. Forty five minutes later he is still fighting the fish when the guide comes back to check on him the fish spooks and heads upriver into a logjam and breaks off. Fast forward a few weeks later after Bill is back at home and he gets a call from the guide Pierce Clegg who says that A large steelhead weighing 51 lbs (54”) was caught in the counting fence above with a brass little cleo in the corner of its mouth. The book is available at Book’s and Co and retails for $34.95. Page 43
S G O
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OF THE MONTH The Readers have Spoken - the nominees are!
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S G O
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OF THE MONTH The Readers have Spoken
And the Winner is!
This Morice River Oinker was enticed out of his “Pig Pen” by a Loud & Obnoxious “Big Blue” Tube fly. He measured out at 35.5” which would make him anywhere between 15-17 lbs. Congratulations Erich on your “ HOG of the Month” honors! Page 45
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