Promotion for the 2009 Season ~ Update

Based on the positive response we've had from clients looking to book for the 2009 season, we have decided to extend our "prebooking" offer until November 1, 2008. For this promotion, you can book for the 2009 season at the 2008 rates by securing a 50% deposit with the lodge. New pricing for the 2009 season will be effective November 2, 2008. Email me at chadblack@nicholasdean.com, or give me a call to reserve your trip of a liftetime today! jeffbright.com photo

480th Fishing Report from Nicholas Dean Lodge

When you swing your fly long enough and are attentive to a river and its many moods, the rewards can be great. Being on the greatest Steelhead river on earth doesn't hurt either, as client Chris Gilles found out. noelyger.ca photo

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Hello Anglers,

We are finally starting to experience the telltale signs of Fall. Shorter days, the shift from green to yellow forests, and a dropping mercury level are all indicative that Summer is over and that Winter isn't all that far away. Not to mention the snow capped peaks on the coastal mountains surrounding Terrace. Strange as it may seem, I often welcome this change in season, for it is usually synonymous with prime fishing conditions for both Steelhead and Coho. Rain that would normally fall high up in the mountains tends to fall as snow, limiting the amount of runoff and making often unpredictable rivers more predictable. The cooler weather also has the effect of detracting the fair weather anglers, making rivers less crowded and that much more enjoyable. Plus, what would good Steelhead fishing be like without a little nip in the air?

River and fishing conditions have continued to improve following some heavy rainfall events earlier in the week. Our favourite Steelhead rivers that were a little high and off colour last week are now in prime shape, and the fishing has picked up considerably. One of the unfortunate difficulties that we as guides have to contend with is the often changing balancing act between rain and river levels. When rivers are low and clean, the fish tend to be spooky and can develop "lock-jaw," while high, muddy waters make it difficult for fish to see your presentation. So, we're usually hoping for something in the middle, with rivers on the drop most conducive to the bite. At present, our clients have had some incredible days while fishing for Steelhead using dry flies on smooth, glassy tailouts, to deep pools swinging large, intruder-like wet flies. Just ask Alvaro Orejas and Jose Ardavin, two Spanish clients of ours. They hiked into a few of our favourite Steelhead pools on a remote river, and found ideal conditions for skating dries. Imagine casting your dry fly down and across on a slack line, then seeing a large, chrome object rising from the depths, as you slowly and meticulously skate your fly across the pool. This is surely one of the pinnacles in Steelhead fly fishing, and Alvaro and Jose seemed to time their trip perfectly. They each landed two Steelhead on dry flies, and Alvaro hooked one substantially larger that broke off on the hookset. Sky, who was watching intently from a higher position put the fish at close to 20 lbs. A 20 lb Steelhead on a dry fly - certainly an opportunity of a lifetime!

Coho fishing has also been quite good for anglers willing to employ a range of techniques. When fresh fish are encountered, particularly lower in the the rivers, they are very aggressive and aggressive fishing tactics are often the most successful. Sight fishing to pods of Coho that range from 8 to 20 lbs can be thrilling, especially when a large fish breaks from the pod to pursue your fly. Keeping the fly animated, and activating the Flashabou material within the fly is key to success, as is a progressively faster stripping tempo. If you weren't on a river with two thousand high mountains rising abruptly from the valley floor, and numerous waterfalls cascading around you, you'd think that the fishing would resemble sight fishing for pike or other saltwater species. As water levels begin to drop however, conventional fishing tactics such as float fishing and jig fishing are often more productive. One of our good friends and booking agent, Jeff Bright, landed one of the largest Coho that we've seen this year - a 20 lb fish that fought remarkably well, and came to a fly stripped beside a drowned log. More stories to come next week...

Until next week, tight lines and screaming reels...

Chad Black
Operations Manager

479th Fishing Report from Nicholas Dean Lodge

You can only use the word "epic" so many times when it comes to writing about fishing - sometimes, you simply need a picture to tell a story. This is one such picture: guest Bill Stanberry and Sky pose with a 55 lb Skeena Chinook. BJ Stanbery Photo

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Hello Anglers,

I hope that this newsletter finds you doing well and that you've enjoyed your Summer and the fishing opportunities it held. Please accept my apologies for the lack of stories and fishing reports on my behalf over the last few months - a very busy Summer and early Fall season unfortunately did not leave me with a lot of spare time, and taking care of clients during the season while they're at the lodge is my number one priority! Now that we're into the final home stretch of our Fall Steelhead and Trophy Coho season, however, I do find myself with at least a few minutes each week and will endeavour to keep up with my stories. For this week's report, I thought I'd begin where I left off at the end of July, at the start of our Chinook Season. Below is an exerpt of the "tale" I'd begun but didn't have a chance to finish...

"They were like porpoises." This was the description that Sky Richard gave to me in mid July of the fish he'd seen when fishing the main channel Skeena River for Chinook Salmon - big Chinook Salmon. Fish so big that if I weren't here everyday talking to the guides, I wouldn't actually believe them. It's not that the Skeena doesn't have an excellent reputation for big Chinook - it always has, since the former 92 lb world record and current 99 lb catch and release record was caught there - but this year seemed to be an exceptional one for large fish. For anglers plunking on favourite bars, or others backtrolling and back bouncing in the heart of the river, the fishing was nothing short of epic. Take for example, Bill Stanberry and BJ Stanbery from Texas (and no, the spelling of their last name is not a typo -you need to ask Bill about that one!). Being first time guests with us this year, we had talked about the type of fishing they wanted to do, and the experiences they were looking for. In particular, I recall BJ saying that he wanted to try and beat his former big fish record - a 30 or 35 lb fish he'd landed in the US Pacific Northwest. At the time, I knew that Sky and Greg Buck had caught several large fish in previous days, with the average being 30-45 lbs, but I knew better than to relay this to BJ. Deep down, I knew that he was going to break this record, but, owing to my previous guiding history, was aware of the dangers in saying "well, the last time I was here we caught a huge fish." Rather, Dustin and I just sat at the table, content in knowing that they were probably going to enjoy the fishing the next day.

I'm just glad that things worked out the way they did, because the first fish that BJ landed the next morning was a 60 lb Chinook. Not to mention the other 40 and 45 lb fish he landed as well. And that seemed to set the tone for the rest of Bill and BJ's trip. While working up and down several of our favourite pools and bars on the Skeena, Bill and BJ experienced some of the best Chinook fishing one could reasonably expect to have. Each day, they had many opportunities and boated at least one Chinook over 50 lbs for each of their 5 fishing days. Arguably, one of their most memorable days was their last - the grand finale. Early in the morning, Sky rigged up the stout rods for back bouncing and set out to do a long backwards drift through one of the Skeena's hallowed pools. Mid way during the first drift, the slow up and down motion jigging of BJ's rod was interrupted by the slight tapping of a fish - a subtle, not-so-obvious pull that BJ did well to feel. Setting the hook quickly so as to prevent the fish from spitting out the bait, BJ began to fight the large fish, with line ripping off the reel towards the depths of the Skeena. By following the fish at the start of the fight and playing the fish from shore, BJ was able to maneouvre the fish into Sky's waiting net. At 65 lbs, it was the biggest fish they'd seen on the trip, and a fantastic example of why Skeena fish are the unique race they are. What makes this fishery even the more impressive is that Bill landed an even larger fish later in the afternoon - a Chinook estimated to be in the 70 lb range - truly a trophy fish, and one that Bill and BJ likely won't forget. We're always glad when the fishing meets or exceeds an angler's expectations, and this couldn't have happened to two nicer guys.

Since late July, there has been a variety of fishing, methods, rivers, and seasons here at the lodge. One very positive aspect that was evident early in the Summer was Steelhead numbers were the highest they've been in the last 10 years. This has been reflected in our fishing, both personally and with our guests at the lodge and Skeena Camp. And some of the fish have been very big. Chris Gilles found out first hand why Skeena Steelhead have the reputation they do. While at the Skeena Camp in mid August with his fishing buddies, Chris hooked into a large fish on his single hand rod. At the time, I was teaching fellow guest, Jim Johnson, how to Spey cast, and can recall looking upstream thinking, "wow, that was a big headshake." Over the next 40 minutes, Chris was a nervous wreck as he had to contend with a strong, powerful fish, and 6 other excited anglers who were trying to coach him at the same time. Just when the fish looked like it was spent, it would make another 100 ft run back into the Skeena. It was moving a lot of water. When I did see the fish for the first time I had to personally contain my own excitement and coach Chris during those pivotal last few moments. When I tailed the fish, and couldn't fit my hands around its wrist, I could tell it was easily a fish in the mid 20s - pounds. With many hoots, hollers and other unprintable shouts of encouragement being thrown around, Chris and I admired the size and beauty of this fish before releasing it back into the waters of the Skeena. Not bad for the first Steelhead that Chris had ever landed on a fly, wouldn't you think? Our good friend Noel Gyger managed to get a video clip of this experience, and can be found on his website at www.noelgyger.ca/video-clips-web.htm, titled "MASSIVE Skeena River Steelhead on the fly." Look for this photo, and many others in upcoming reports. Finally, be sure to check out our promotion for the 2009 season below...this is a great opportunity for you to experience the world class fishing available in the Lower Skeena region at a discounted rate!

Until next week, tight lines and screaming reels...

Chad Black
Operations Manager