Nicholas Dean Lodge | Terrace, BC, Canada

Skeena River Camp - More From Week 1

2011-08-18T10:01:00.000-07:00


Don Powell and Dustin Kovacvich with a bright Summer Run Steelhead caught at the Skeena Camp.

Following up on last week's Skeena Camp blog post, I wanted to share a few more memories and highlights from the river. Rumours from the camp this week are that Jeff Bright landed a 20 lb Steelhead. He's a fishy guy so it's not surprising! More photos on the second week of Skeena Camp forthcoming.


Skeena Summer Steelhead are very hot fish - here's evidence of that!

Don Powell is an experienced Steelhead fly angler, and this week was his 11th trip with us to date!

Good friends, camaraderie and good fishing - exactly what it's all about.

Campfires - one of the quintessential camping experiences and a great way to cap off the day.

The sunsets at the Skeena Camp are pretty nice, too.

Camp cook and guide, Yvan Sabourin, gets in on the action after serving up dinner.

Skeena River Camp: Week 1 Trip Report

2011-08-12T11:35:00.000-07:00


The Skeena River is in prime shape and these are the kinds of fish we're finding at our on-river Skeena Camp. Here's head guide, Dustin Kovacvich, with a 20 lb hen Steelhead he landed while doing a demonstration for clients. Al Ducros photo

Our Skeena River camp is now in full swing and the fishing has been very productive for Steelhead, Sockeye, Pink and Coho salmon. It's a great opportunity to fish all day for a week straight - 15 hours, if you like! Here's some photos taken courtesy of Nicholas Dean guide, Al Ducros, from earlier this week. On Sunday, Jeff Bright and several of his clients will be at the camp - stay tuned for more photos and details on their fishing...

Guest Don Powell with a Skeena Summer run Steelhead in the teens. Al Ducros photo

Sockeye Salmon are abundant on the Skeena this year! They're great sport, and it's possible to catch a bunch of them in a day at the Skeena Camp. Al Ducros photo

Spencer Wernett with a large "humpy" otherwise known as a Pink Salmon. Al Ducros photo

Three generations of anglers are at the camp currently, including Bill Wernett (pictured here), his son Steven and his grandson Spencer. Some of the wading was tough for Bill, so we helped him out by setting up a chair, right on the seam. He's been catching a bunch of fish and having a great time. Al Ducros photo

The big one. Dustin and his 20 lb Summer Steelhead

Skeena River Chinook - the Last Few Weeks

2011-08-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

Big, bright, strong and over 40 lbs - a somewhat typical Skeena River Chinook Salmon just in from the salt chuck. Lloyd Martin Photo

With water levels dropping and clarity significantly better than previous weeks, Chinook fishing on the mainstem Skeena in the last week of July and first week of August was nothing short of incredible. An average day saw 6 to 12 fish hooked, and the best day, experienced by father and son duo, Bill Stanberry and BJ Stanbery, was an amazing 22 fish hooked and 15 landed! Average size was 20 to 40 lbs, with many in the 45 to 55 lb range. The Skeena sure is one amazing fishery - there aren't many places in the world where you can find fishing like this for trophy Chinook! Even though our main 2011 Chinook fishery is now closed, there is still some great fishing to be had just outside Terrace. Or, if you'd like to consider a trip for 2012, email me, or check out our Trophy Chinook brochure for more information. Here's a few of the better fish our clients caught during the last two weeks:

Doug Martin joined his brother Lloyd for his first ever BC fishing experience, and what an experience it was! Doug outfished his brother on a few days, and got one 60 lb monster too. Lloyd Martin photo

Sky Richard with an average Skeena River Chinook Salmon - about 35 lbs. Lloyd Martin photo

You know it's a big fish because two grown men strain to lift it! This is Doug's big 60 lb Skeena River Chinook. Lloyd Martin photo

Well over 40 lbs. BJ Stanbery photo

Mid 30s. BJ Stanbery photo

A chrome 45 lb Chinook for Bill Stanberry. BJ Stanbery photo

A 60 lb Chinook for Bill Stanberry - his biggest fish of the week. BJ Stanbery photo

Dustin Kovacvich and BJ Stanbery are both very tall men - 6'6" and 6'5" respectively - and this Skeena River Chinook still looks huge! A good one in the mid 50s. Bill Stanberry photo

Even when the water was high, Sky Richard and his guest, Bill Kalm were able to find some fish on the Kalum River, by fishing seams just off the bank. Bill Kalm photo


Bill Kalm is all smiles after landing this mid 20s Kalum River Chinook.

Prime Fall Steelhead Openings - A Great Dry Fly Week

2011-08-04T08:23:00.000-07:00


A bright Steelhead that took a well placed dry fly, dead-drifted along a current seam in a long, bouldery tailout. Because of a cancellation, we now have two spaces available in what can be considered one of our best dry fly Steelhead weeks of the year.

Following up on our announcement yesterday of two spaces that recently opened up in April Vokey's Skeena Camp trip, we want to announce that we've just had two spaces come available in one of the best weeks in our Fall Steelhead calendar, from September 11 to 17, 2011. If you're interested, please get in touch as soon as possible to reserve your space. We can be reached at chadblack@nicholasdean.com or (250) 641-1551. Lastly, we should mention - this week is often one of our best dry fly Steelhead weeks of the year, and if you've not had a change to experience Steelhead sipping your dry fly off the surface, or slashing at your waking fly, don't pass up this opportunity...

Skeena River Camp - April Vokey Week

2011-08-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

Here's April Vokey with a bright Steelhead landed while fishing with us in the Spring of 2010. April will be hosting a Summer Steelhead week at our on-river Skeena Camp in a few short weeks, and there is still space available if you're interested in joining her.

As you may know, we operate a Summer Steelhead camp on the Skeena River each year between August and mid September, which has become a very popular package with our clients. The camp fishing focuses on intercepting the numerous Steelhead and Salmon migrating up the edges of the Skeena en route to their upstream tributary rivers. Just days from the Ocean, these Steelhead are chrome, bright and easily our "meanest" fish of the year. As it stands, we did have two last minute cancellations in one of our Skeena Camp weeks, which is being hosted by none other than April Vokey, a guide and fly fishing instructor who likely needs little introduction in the fly fishing world! If you are interested in joining April during her scheduled week, August 29 to September 4, please contact me at: chadblack@nicholasdean.com. For more information, check out my previous Skeena Camp blog post or our Skeena Camp brochure.

Big Chinook on the Skeena - Late July Update

2011-07-31T13:11:00.000-07:00

Now that's a big, bright Chinook - 40 lbs.

It's been a strange year for Summer weather. Normally, during mid to late July you'll find temperatures in the 25 to 35 degrees Celsius range and two years ago it reached 42 C - the hottest on record in Terrace! In contrast, the weather this Summer has been cooler, overcast and with much more rain than usual. We'll be honest - while the Skeena has been dropping into shape lately, the past two weeks have not seen great water conditions on the mainstem. However, because we have rod days on several of the best rivers and sections of rivers like the Kalum and Skeena (Classified Section), we've been able to get our clients into some great fish, despite the poor water conditions. So, while we of course can't control the weather, our clients can be assured that they'll have the best possible chance at getting into fish on their trip, given the water conditions.

In this post: Derald Goyette and Adam Chelini, from San Francisco's Bay area are no strangers to big Chinook and they had a great week with Nicholas Dean guide, Greg Buck. I'd like to give a big shout out to Derald, who took the majority of these photos.

Derald Goyette with a chromer from the first day.

Adam Chelini is no stranger to big fish. Here's another good one caught on a clean seam off the Skeena.

A cool action shot.

Derald about to release a large, chrome buck on the Skeena.

Adam and a high 20s Chinook on the Skeena.

That's a nice, girthy fish.

Putting the wood to a good one...

Big Chinook fight hard.

Adam with a respectable fish in the mid 30s.

Kitimat River Chinook - On the Fly, Continued

2011-07-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

Here's another 40 lb Chinook Salmon caught by Jason Drummond on the Kitimat River yesterday with guide Dustin Kovacvich. This is the biggest fish Jason has ever landed - well done! Happy to say it was on one of my flies too, a large two toned pink Intruder, fished just off the bottom.

Chinook fishing on the Kitimat River continues to be productive for our clients swinging large Intruder flies on their spey rods. Indeed, it has been a great season on the Kitimat and there are still fresh Chinook pouring in each day. These Chinook tend to keep their heads down, so it's important that you sink your fly deeply in the water column. Jason Drummond ensured his fly was just off the bottom, and was rewarded with this 40 lb fish! A tense 30 minute battle ensued, but in the end, Nicholas Dean Lodge head guide and manager, Dustin Kovacvich, was able to get the big fish in the net. Well done Jason!

More Chinook Fly Fishing on the Kitimat and Copper Rivers!

2011-07-14T22:58:00.000-07:00

This absolutely stunning 40 lb Chinook Salmon was caught by Jeff Bright on the Kitimat River a few short weeks ago - his biggest fish ever! And yes, it was caught while swinging a large fly on a spey rod! Chinook Salmon are absolutely outstanding game fish on the fly, and while it's never easy, putting your dues in for a fish like this sure is worth it in my books. jeffbright.com photo

Same fish, different angle. Kitimat River Chinook sure are girthy, and mean. This fish took Jeff downstream through two pools, and his guide, Sky Richard, had to give chase with the raft, manoeuvring around logs, stumps and other mid stream obstructions. jeffbright.com photos

A classic portrait Jeff Bright portrait shot of a bright Kitimat River Chinook and the chartreuse fly that fooled it. jeffbright.com photo

Here's a good selection of Chinook flies for using on the Kitimat, Skeena and Copper Rivers. Big, bright and flashy is often what works best, though of course you need to factor in local water conditions too. Chinook seem to have a soft spot for chartreuse, blue, purple and orange.

Joakim Sjoholm Lennart landed this 30 lb Chinook on the Kitimat River last weekend, by slowly stripping a chartreuse bead head fly through a slow moving back channel. Such edges and seams are great spots for Chinook to rest on their upstream migration and it's here that they're most receptive to flies.

Don Nelson fighting a Chinook on the Kitimat River and trying to keep it out of the wood. jeffbright.com photo

That's Don Nelson and Nicholas Dean Lodge guide, Sky Richard with a feisty 30 lb Chinook. jeffbright.com photo

The Copper River is an excellent river to target Chinook Salmon on the fly, and Joakim landed this 20 lb fish at one of the first pools he fished. Nice work, Joakim!

All in all, it's been a very successful couple of weeks targeting Chinook on the fly, and this season lasts until the end of the month. Check back again soon for more updates!

Monster 70 lb Skeena River Chinook!

2011-07-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

What else can you say about a monster Chinook Salmon like this? This 70 lb leviathan is a lifetime fish, caught by Jim Stephenson from Upland, California. The Skeena River produces trophy Chinook like this almost every year, and it's certainly refreshing to know that there are specimens like this to be caught on our rivers.

Okay, so it would be nice to have a few more photos of this fish, but I think you get the idea. There are some absolute monster Chinook Salmon in the Skeena watershed, and our client Jim Stephenson sure found this out yesterday! He landed this 70 lb fish while fishing on the Skeena with expert Nicholas Dean guide, Greg Buck. This is most definitely a lifetime fish and one that Jim will likely remember for a long time to come. Well done, Jim, and congrats!

Custom Steelhead and Spey Flies - Salty Mykiss

2011-07-12T09:26:00.000-07:00

Brent Piche is a gifted fly tyer, particularly when creating custom Steelhead flies. We've used several of his flies in the past and have done exceptionally well with them.

In this industry there are a lot of places where you can buy flies - whether it's at fly shops, online or other stores. The problem is, they may not necessarily be tied with your specific waters in mind. And, while in the case of Steelhead flies it could be argued that a lot of generic flies will work well under a variety of conditions on different rivers, there is something to be said for patterns that have been developed and tested on a specific river or river system. Enter Brent Piche and his new company, Salty Mykiss Custom Flies. I've had the opportunity to fish with Brent's flies over the past year, and they have produced very well for me on the Copper, Kalum, Skeena and our favourite not-to-be-named coastal rivers. If you're coming on a trip to fish with us, are fishing the Skeena on your own or fishing for Steelhead on your home waters, I highly recommend getting in touch with Brent. Contact info:

saltymykiss@gmail.com

Epic Chinook Fly Fishing!

2011-07-05T11:17:00.000-07:00

Few moments in fly fishing are as electric as the grab of a large Chinook (King) Salmon. Here, Don Nelson and Nicholas Dean guide Sky Richard pose with a 30 lb Chinook caught while swinging a large fly on one of the Kitimat River's numerous seams.

Fly Fishing for Chinook Salmon was nothing short of epic last week here at Nicholas Dean Lodge! Jeff Bright - writer, conservationist and Nicholas Dean trip host - joined us last week with long time repeat guest, Don Nelson to sample the Chinook Salmon fishing that the Skeena region has to offer. In short, they hooked thirteen Chinook last week and landed eight, averaging 25 lbs. Jeff also managed to land a monster, bright chrome fish that is deserving of its own story, to be continued in another post...

Fly fishing for Chinook is never easy and in some sense you could say that they're sometimes even more difficult to hook than Steelhead. But, when conditions align like they did last week for Jeff and Don, the rewards are often BIG! Big game fly fishing, indeed...

Don's first Chinook of the week - a bright 20 lb fish.

Swinging a fly through a soft pocket, Don Nelson landed this fish after a 45 minute battle.

The Kitimat River sees a number of "Jacks" - smaller Chinook less than 65 cm in length. What they lack in size they do make up for in aggressiveness and fight!

Sky and Don with another Jack Chinook Salmon.

A great way to cap off the trip for Don - a 30 lb Chinook from the depths of a small side channel seam.

Chinook Fly Fishing on the Skeena and Kitimat Rivers

2011-06-30T15:05:00.000-07:00

Now that's a big Chinook! Jason Haase landed this bright 40 lb Chinook in May on the mainstem Skeena, fishing a black and blue fly along a current seam. Want to try this? We've still got a few spaces left and are already booking into 2012. Brett Hallinan Photo

Chinook Fly Fishing on the Skeena, Kitimat, Kalum, Copper and remote coastal rivers with both single hand and spey rods really is one of the most exciting fisheries in the Skeena region, particularly if you enjoy big game fishing. After all, these fish average 15-35 lbs and can reach over 50. Imagine one of those big Chinook, just days from the Ocean slamming at your 6 inch chartreuse tube fly and the ensuing mayhem? Bring an extra rod because there's a good chance you'll break your first one. Here's a brief sample of some of the Chinook our clients have caught Spey fishing this year:

A fish this girthy and this fresh is not easy to bring in. Brett Hallinan Photo

A face that looks like this means you know it's a heavy fish. Brett Hallinan Photo

Jason Haase with a 30 lb hen Chinook caught on the Kitimat River. You should see the video that his friend Brett Hallinan took - epic. Forthcoming...

The Skeena River Needs Your Help

2011-06-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

Rachelle Van Zanten - My Country (Official Video) from Taylor F. on Vimeo.

I first moved to Terrace and the Skeena Valley five years ago because of the Skeena's Steelhead and Salmon. Working at Nicholas Dean Lodge was a dream job in itself, but perhaps its equal was the opportunity to fish pristine rivers with what can be considered some of the best, if not the best, Steelhead and Pacific Salmon fishing in the world. Now, as an angler, conservationist, and long term resident in the Skeena Valley, I feel that I have a moral responsibility to protect something that's incredibly important and most certainly the lifeblood of the region: the Skeena watershed itself. Royal Dutch Shell wants to drill coal bed methane in the headwaters of the Skeena, Nass and Stikine Rivers, threatening not only the Steelhead and Salmon runs, but the myriad wildlife that call these massive watersheds their home. Not to mention the thousands of residents. Be sure to check out this inspiring video by Rachelle Van Zanten and do what you can to help save the Skeena watershed from Shell. More info at the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition.

June Fishing Update - Chinook Salmon

2011-06-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

John Sartinsky is all smiles after landing this 25 lb Chinook Salmon on the first morning of his trip. All photos by Harriet Sartinsky

It's mid June and we're off to a great start to our Summer Chinook guiding season here at Nicholas Dean Lodge. Last week we had the pleasure of hosting John and Harriet Sartinsky from La Crescenta, California on their first ever trip to BC. When we first started talking about the trip, John told me that Harriet woke up one morning in January and said, "I want to catch a salmon over 20 lbs." A short while later, John and Harriet were booked in, and last week they found themselves reeling in several Salmon and enjoying the fine dining provided by Alf Leslie at Yellow Cedar Lodge. We're happy to report that Harriet did achieve her goal, landing a 35 lb Chinook on the first day of her trip!

At the end of their trip, Harriet told me that it was one of the best trips she'd ever been on! This is about the best review we can receive and we're happy to have had the opportunity to guide these great people. Check out some of the photos from their trip below...

Dustin launching the Clackacraft drift boat in a small creek, en route to the Kitimat River's bright Chinook Salmon.

Harriet Sartinsky and her first Chinook Salmon ever!

You can tell by the grin that Harriet is a very happy angler in this moment!

A good action shot - it's always a nervous moment until you get the fish in the net.

Fishing a clean seam on the main channel Skeena can be a productive way to target migrating Chinook Salmon.

The happy couple at the end of their trip.

Looking forward, Jeff Bright and his crew arrive next week to target Chinook on the Spey rod, as part of our "big game" Chinook Fly Fishing program. Stay tuned for more details...

How to Tie a Hidged Tube Grantham Sedge

2011-06-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

If you've fished with us before, or if you've been following this blog, you'll likely know that the guides and myself here at Nicholas Dean Lodge, absolutely love fishing dry flies for Summer and Fall run Steelhead, and we've developed a strong program for this fishery. You'll probably also know that we like using Grantham Sedges when we're skating flies on the top, and is one of our go-to flies for our dry fly Steelhead fishery. Over the past year, I've been chatting with Jesper Fohrmann at www.fishmadman.com about creating Grantham Sedges on hitched tubes, a technique popular for Altantic Salmon on Canada's east coast and in Europe. While I have not yet had the opportunity to fish Jesper's custom Grantham Sedge tubes, I thought our followers might find his video useful in teaching you how to tie this fly. Jesper is an exceptionally good tier, and there is much to learn in this video that goes far beyond tying Steelhead dry flies...

Soulfish 2 - An Epic Fly Fishing Adventure

2011-06-16T13:26:00.000-07:00

SoulFish 2 is an epic fly fishing adventure that's just out on the market from film maker Mikey Weir. Building on the original SoulFish concept, Weir brings together anglers in the pursuit of some of the most interesting and captivating fly fishing adventures out there today. Nile perch fishing on the shores of Lake Nassir in Egypt, taimen fishing on the wild rivers of Mongolia, saltwater flats fishing in Belize and Hawaii, and trout fishing on his home waters in California are but a few of the fisheries featured in SoulFish 2. And, we're happy to say that we played a key role in the British Columbia Steelhead footage! Mikey fished with Dustin Kovacvich and Sky Richard in early November 2010 on some of the Skeena system's best waters, along with pro snowboarder Eric Jackson and fly gal extraordinaire, April Vokey. If you're interested in purchasing this DVD and getting a glimpse into Mikey's worldwide fly fishing travels, be sure to get in touch today, as we have several copies here at the lodge. For more information, check out Mikey Weir's website at: www.burlproductions.com

Nicholas Dean Lodge: Recipient of Fly Fusion's 2012 Lodge of the Year Award!

2011-05-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

We are absolutely ecstatic to announce that Fly Fusion Magazine - Canada's most widely read fly fishing publication - has chosen us as the recipient of their 2012 Lodge of the Year award! We have worked hard over the years to establish our business as a first class operation on the Skeena system, and with our partners Alf and Simone at Yellow Cedar Lodge, we are excited and overwhelmingly appreciative to receive this award! The feature article on the lodge will come out in Fly Fusion's Winter 2012 issue, slated for early January. In the meantime, if you'd like to stay current with Lodge of the Year news, be sure to follow the Nicholas Dean Lodge and Fly Fusion Facebook pages...

Steelhead Dry Flies - Fish Madman

2011-05-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

The "Steelhead Skater" is a Nicholas Dean Lodge guide favourite and has caught many, many Steelhead off the top over the years. The addition of a hitched tube - a method popularized in Europe for Atlantic Salmon fishing - will help increase the "wakability" of the fly and keep it on top even in fast water. Jesper Fohrmann photo

Dry fly fishing for Steelhead in the Summer and Fall on tributaries of the Skeena is one of the most exciting and desirable fishing experiences in our Steelhead calendar. Whether it's waking dry flies in long, riffled pools or dead drifting dry flies to rising fish, there's nothing like seeing a Steelhead come up to the surface! Having just received some outstanding dry flies on tubes from Jesper Fohrmann, you could say that I'm already anticipating this season! Jesper runs Fish Madman, a website dedicated to anglers fishing dry fies and riffling hitches for Atlantic Salmon and Steelhead. If you're looking for well tied dry flies for your fishing, or want to learn more about these flies and their tying methods, I encourage you to check out Fish Madman.

The Grantham Sedge is just one of those innovative patterns that's worked well for us over the years. The original design has the deer hair wing tied down on a piece of weed wacker cord protruding past the hook eye, which helps stabilize the fly on the surface. My guess is that this Grantham Sedge, tied on a hitched tube will do just fine too! Jesper Fohrmann photo

Lodge Record to Date: Skeena Chinook Salmon

2011-05-09T12:00:00.000-07:00


Now that's what you call a Chinook! Can you imagine hooking (let alone landing) a monster this size on the fly? That's exactly what Brett Hallinan of San Jose, California did last week while fishing with Dustin Kovacvich, our head guide here at Nicholas Dean Lodge. The 35 lb behemoth (yes, we think it looks much larger than that too) took over half an hour to land. This is the largest Chinook our clients have caught to date in 2011 thus far, and will no doubt be the first of many! Jason Haase Photo

Starting this year, we're going to post photos of our "Lodge Record Fish To Date,"on our blog for Steelhead, Chinook and Coho Salmon - be sure to check back soon! Featured in this post is a 35 lb Chinook Salmon caught last week by Brett Hallinan on his 15 ft 10 weight spey rod. Fly Fishing for Skeena Chinooks is part of what we call "big game fly fishing," and is fast becoming one of our more popular seasons. The best part? The season is just beginning. If you'd like to join us, we still have space available during our prime Summer season, starting in mid June and lasting through the end of July. Summer Chinooks average 20 to 40 lbs, are very aggressive and fight extremely hard - think about 40 lbs of fish hell bent on getting back to the salt - sometimes there's not a lot you can do but just hold on and hope! For more information, contact me at chadblack@nicholasdean.com or check out our Chinook Fly Fishing brochure.

Nicholas Dean Lodge Draw Winner!

2011-05-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

And the winner is - Gary Whipple! Gary will receive a free Nicholas Dean Lodge winter hat (we call them toques here in Canada) and Fly Nation DVD featuring the Skeena Steelhead show. Many thanks go out to all who submitted their comments, suggestions and constructive criticism of our fishing reports and what you'd like to see in the new report. We'll consider all of your comments in creating the new report, and will transition the report over to the new format in the coming weeks...

Skeena Spring Steelhead 2011 - Part 2

2011-05-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

David Higman is an experienced Steelhead angler who has fished extensively in BC, and if you've followed David Lambroughton's "Fly Fishing Dreams" calendar over the years, you might recognize him from its pages. David and his Dad, Dan Higman, encountered many fresh Spring Steelhead on the Skeena, hooking seven on their first day. Adam Tavender Photo

In part two of our Spring Steelhead season photo essay, we'll look at photos taken during mid April on the Skeena River and its tributaries At this time of year, we'll typically fish the Skeena, Kalum, Lower Copper, and Kitimat Rivers, as well as several unmentionable remote coastal streams that flow directly into the Ocean. Why unmentionable? Because very few anglers fish these sorts of places and, on average, the Steelhead in them can be quite large. These types of streams offer a high quality, true wilderness experience with just the rivers, fish, old growth trees and vistas of the coastal BC rainforest. Access, weather and timing are all variables that are perhaps even more important to consider than fishing the mainstem Skeena and other larger rivers, and sometimes it seems these elements can conspire against you. But, when all these elements align - and they often do - the experience is a rich and very rewarding one...

A great sunset on a clear night from the patio of Yellow Cedar Lodge. Brian Flegg photo

Coastal BC mountains in all their glory - yes, the scenery is good here too! Brian Flegg photo

Doug Flegg has been fishing with us every Spring for the past 6 years, and is always keen for a hike in to remote rivers off the northern BC coast, or others close to home. Brian Flegg photo

Searching for a chromer on the Skeena...Brian Flegg Photo

Mike Kenyon and his wife Yvonne Williams are long time repeat guests who have fished with us every Spring for as long as we can remember. [Back in 2007, Yvonne caught her first Steelhead while fishing with us - a 28 lb broad shouldered buck on the mainstem Skeena!] Both Mike and Yvonne have fished at a lot of different lodges and destinations globally, and we're flattered that they choose to join us each year. Here, Mike is into a good fish on the mainstem Skeena. Brian Flegg photo

Gotta love bright Spring chrome. Brian Flegg Photo

This bright Steelhead made Mike's day. The only problem - having a guy as big as Dustin makes fish look much smaller than they actually are! Brian Flegg photo

One of my favourite types of shots in Steelhead photography. Despite seeing a number of these Steelhead portraits over the years, each one is inherently different, with so many different variables at play - angle of the sun, water clarity, depth of water the fish is in etc. One thing is for certain - Steelhead are exceptionally beautiful creatures. Brian Flegg photo

Now that's what you call a V loop! Brian Flegg photo

Ted Simon, a toxicologist from Georgia, joined us for the first time this Spring. He's pictured here with a bright fish caught on a favourite remote coastal river. Ted Simon photo

A remote coastal river. Who wouldn't want to fish here? Ted Simon photo

Ted Simon with a chromer on the "big" river - the Skeena. Because of its large size, many clients are often intimidated by the Skeena until they realize the majority of the fish travel between 10 to 40 ft from shore. Identify the fish lane, make short casts and you'll find fish. Well done Ted! Ted Simon photo

Greg Buck and a guest exploring the aquamarine flows of the Kalum. Adam Tavender photo


Smaller rivers just have that intimate feel to them and, for me, the adrenaline rush is particularly heightened as your fly swims convincingly through the bucket...Yvonne Williams photo

Doug Flegg with a good one from the coast...

...And another one. On this day, Doug hooked five bright Steelhead less than a mile from the salt...

Mike Trainor landed this bright doe while fishing on the mainstem Skeena. Mike Trainor photo

What guests come back to every night at Yellow Cedar Lodge - absolutely stunning food. Red Seal chef Alf Leslie knows what he's doing in the kitchen...Adam Tavender photo

The wader room at Yellow Cedar Lodge is always a busy time in the mornings and bustling with anticipation as clients get ready for the day. The wader room has a gas fireplace that kicks out a lot of heat, ensuring that waders, jackets and your fishing gear are dry and ready for the adventure that awaits you. Adam Tavender photo

Skeena Spring Steelhead 2011 - Part 1

2011-05-03T13:35:00.000-07:00


George Widener's first Skeena Steelhead - a super bright, hard fighting 18 lb buck.

Our 2011 Spring Steelhead season is well underway, and clients have caught some exceptional fish since late March. One of our most popular seasons, Spring Steelhead fishing on the Skeena and its tributaries in March, April and early May can be very rewarding, offering you a shot at some of the largest fish of the year. Fishing multiple rivers during the week is certainly one of the allures of this season as well! What follows is a three part photo essay of the fish we've been catching lately, the often dramatic landscapes and rivers where we find them, and life as a guest at Yellow Cedar Lodge where we base our operations.

Dan Doughty with a bright 12 lb buck. Greg Lobdell photo

Searching for Spring fish on a smaller river, Greg Lobdell found this 14 lb buck in a long, boulder studded run. Dan Doughty photo

George Widener with his second Spring Steelhead of the day on the mainstem Skeena

Full of energy even after the fight...

Another mid teens buck from a small Skeena trib. Don't let the growing trend in spey fishing for Steelhead fool you - fishing a single hand rod is still a very productive way to fish for these fish, and certainly one of the most enjoyable!

Bob Budd hooked this heavily spotted fish in a long, smooth boulder strewn run.

They don't get much fresher than this...


Despite its run in with a seal, this hen is still a stunning example of why Skeena fish are so special.

Spring Steelhead on the Skeena - Adam Tavender Photography

2011-05-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, Adam Tavender joined us with several of his friends and clients for some Spring Steelhead fishing on the Skeena and its tributaries. Adam is the former owner of Nakia Lodge on the Dean River, and has also managed Steelhead camps on Russia's Kamchatka peninsula. In short, he's no stranger to Steelhead! Nowadays, he's focussing more on photography and getting those classic portraits and landscape shots that make fishing for Steelhead so interesting. There's a good chance that you've seen his work in various fly fishing magazines, the latest of which is the cover shot of April Vokey in Fly Fisherman magazine (featuring Nicholas Dean Lodge too!). On his recent trip to the Skeena system, he took some incredible shots and we wanted to share a few of these with you: Adam Tavender Photography - Spring Steelhead on the Skeena

Nicholas Dean Lodge and Kasting for Kids

2011-04-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

Kasting 4 Kids Rehab is a non-profit organization based out of Toronto that is dedicated to improving the lives of children with disabilities, through fund raising efforts for the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Now in its second year, K4K holds a fly fishing fundraiser at the Franklin Club, which brings together business professionals from the Toronto area for some friendly fly fishing competition. We are happy to support K4K and Holland Bloorview by donating a fly fishing trip to the lower Skeena region for one angler in the 2011/2012 season!

Nicholas Dean Lodge, Conservation and the Atlantic Salmon Federation

2011-04-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

Being thoroughly involved in fishing as much as we are, we obviously recognize the importance of conservation work on our livelihood and more importantly, the fish themselves. The Atlantic Salmon Federation is one such organization that fights for the conservation of Atlantic Salmon and the rivers they return to, and have developed an excellent track record in improving the plight of these fish. We are ecstatic that our donation (a fishing trip for two) to ASF was recently auctioned off in Toronto for $8,000! It's just one small way that we are enhancing our environmental responsibility and giving something back to the fishing community.

Fishing Reports and Free Nicholas Dean Gear!

2011-04-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

We have big plans to upgrade the content, style and feel of our Fishing Reports and emails, and we want to ask you - our clients and readers - exactly what it is you'd like to see. The best part? There's a bonus for participating too! Whether it's photos with big fish or those classic scenic shots that make you 'want to be there,' river conditions, promotions, conservation issues etc, we want to tailor the report to maximize your enjoyment. And, if you submit your recommendations, we'll enter your name into a draw for a free Nicholas Dean Lodge toque (winter hat) AND Fly Nation DVD featuring the Skeena Steelhead episode. The draw will take place on Thursday May 5, 2011. Contact me at: chadblack@nicholasdean.com

Nicholas Dean Lodge and Social Media!

2011-04-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

We all know just how much social media has changed the way people and organizations interact, and we here at Nicholas Dean Lodge are no exception! The reality is that a lot of people are looking for real time, up to date information and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter make this incredibly easy. If you want to see what's going on at Nicholas Dean and in the lower Skeena region near Terrace - including the latest photo albums of fish we've been catching, river conditions, promotions and more - I encourage you to follow us on Facebook and Twitter. The start of our Spring Steelhead season is well underway, and I've already posted a number of photos on our Facebook page, be sure to check it out! Check us out at:
www.facebook.com/NicholasDeanLodge and www.twitter.com/SkeenaFlyFisher.

Skeena Spring Steelhead by April Vokey - Fly Fisherman Magazine

2011-04-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

April Vokey is an experienced Steelhead angler and has been chasing these fish around for many years. In the current issue of Fly Fisherman magazine, April's cover story looks at Spring Steelhead opportunities in the Terrace, BC area, and explains why she loves these wild, anadromous fish.

In case you haven't picked up your copy yet, be sure to check out the latest issue of Fly Fisherman magazine! In it you will find a great cover story by April Vokey on Nicholas Dean Lodge and our popular Spring Steelhead fishery. April highlights the great fishing available on the Kalum, as well as coastal river Steelhead found on smaller, not to be named systems feeding directly into the Ocean. If you've ever been wondering what our Spring Steelhead fishery is like, this is your chance to get a brief glimpse into some of the most rewarding and enjoyable fishing in our Steelhead calendar!

The Nicholas Dean Lodge Promo Video!

2011-03-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

It's here! On the heels of the recently released Skeena Steelhead episode, filmed by the Fly Nation TV crew, comes the Nicholas Dean Lodge promo video. I think you'll agree that the work of Nick Pujic and his team is exceptional! Check it out!

Skeena Camp 2011 - Mint Bright Steelhead at an Exceptional Value

2010-12-03T18:26:00.000-08:00

Why the Skeena Camp? Because you can hook into and sometimes land big, bright fish like this. Jeff Bright bested this 18 lb buck after a long, dogged fight that took him well into the backing. Strong rods, heavy gauge hooks and tippets down to 20 or even 25 lbs are common tools required to land these fish.

Simply put, the Skeena River is a super fish superhighway - a travelling lane for the largest Steelhead and Salmon in the world. In Summer and early Fall, the lower main channel Skeena hosts vast numbers of migrating Steelhead, Chinook, Coho, Sockeye and Pinks headed for numerous upriver tributaries. To take full advantage of this fishery and offer a high quality, high value adventure, we set out to create an on-river Skeena camp that would appeal to both novice and seasoned Steelhead anglers. That was back in 2005 and, since then, we've gotten the camp down to a science and is now one of our most popular packages with clients. And, why not when you're hooking into the big Kispiox, Sustut, Babine, Copper and Kalum fish when they're in peak condition on the Skeena and just days from the salt? If that's not incentive enough, the ability to fish for up to 15 hours a day just might be, since it's light out till after 9 pm. After all, you're right at the water's edge and can fish as much or as little as you like, on your own time.

To top it off, we've teamed up with some great trip hosts for the 2011 season. If you'd like to join one of our hosts or come on your own, I encourage you to read on!

Peak times for the the Skeena Camp in 2011 are:

July 31 to August 6
August 7 to 13
August 14 to 20 - with host Jeff Bright
August 21 to 27 - with host Jeff Bright
August 29 to Sept. 4 - with host April Vokey
September 4 to 10 - with hosts Nick Pujic and Paul Castellano

What follows is a slideshow courtesy of Jeff Bright (www.jeffbright.com), Steelhead fly fisher extraordinaire and Nicholas Dean Lodge booking agent. Jeff's been with us every step of the way in developing the camp into the high value package it is today and, given his remarkable talents as a photographer, has been able to capture the flavour of the camp, in terms of the fish, accommodations, food and overall experience.

Normally, my catch phrase is "tight lines and screaming reels," but in this case, it's more like "tight lines and smoking reels..." Enjoy the photos!

Sheree Kajiwara and camp guide/attendant Connor Sabo with an exceptionally bright Steelhead that taped in just over 16 lbs.

Just back in the bushes and on one of the best runs on the middle Skeena, our camp is both scenic and productive - two very key considerations when looking for that ideal site. Clients sleep on cots with foam pads in individual tents, affording both comfort and privacy.

Lunch is served! Vegetables and chicken bugers fresh off the grill are typical lunch fare at the camp. Unfortunately for Yvan Sabourin, our camp cook, many clients simply can't be pried off the river when a wave of fresh Steelhead are passing through. Being an avid angler himself, Yvan of course understands...

Yvan making last minute preparations for a hearty dinner: grilled steak made to order, mashed potatoes and a fresh garden salad.

Summer Steelhead are strong and beefy right to the tail - part of the reason why only two thirds of them are typically landed!

Richard Izmarian and head guide Dustin Kovacvich take a few moments to admire a bright Steelhead only days from the Ocean. Hooking into these bright fish is one thing, but landing them can be an entirely different proposition...

A large, fast flowing river combined with super hot, strong fish equals sizzling runs way, way into the backing.

Coho salmon - an incredible game fish in their own right - start to show up frequently on the Skeena in early August, and the run continues to build through the end of the month and into September. Aggressive, high flying and acrobatic, these fish average 8 to 15 lbs and often fight so hard they're mistaken for Steelhead.

Will Colson from Chico, California has been a guest at the Skeena Camp since its first inception back in 2005. You won't meet a nicer angler who genuinely enjoys the feeling of being on a wild river with wild, bright fish. And, he's one heck of an angler too...

Patience and persistence is key in this migratory fishery, and Cindy Charles displayed both. Cindy kept her fly in the water and consistently hooked - and landed - several Steelhead like this mid teens buck.

Long time repeat guest and veteran rod maker Martin Walker got in on the Skeena Camp action this year, and no one was more difficult to get off the river than Martin. This fresh 15 lb buck is evidence why.

The early bird gets the worm, as they say, though at the camp, it more often refers to Steelhead. I set the alarm for 4:50 am one morning and joined Will Colson and Jeff Bright for an incredible two hours of fishing before breakfast. Two Steelhead, several Coho and many Sockeye later, I was a very happy angler...

Fresh, Summer run Steelhead on the Skeena are undoubtedly exquisite fish and remind us just how valuable they are.

The definition of white chrome - a shimmering, silver body and translucent fins. Steelhead don't get much fresher.

If there's one thing that may have jumped out at you by looking at these photos, it's likely the brightness of the fish. That's because they're arguably some of the freshest, strongest Steelhead you'll ever encounter - anywhere! Steelhead with sea lice are a daily occurrence, so you know these fish aren't far from the salt. And, they act accordingly...

Don't miss your opportunity to join in on some of the best fishing available on the Skeena in 2011! If you have questions about the Skeena Camp or want to join us for the fishing adventure of a lifetime, don't hesitate to get in touch with either myself (chadblack@nicholasdean.com) or our trip hosts:

Jeff Bright: jeff@jeffbright.com; www.jeffbright.com

April Vokey: april@flygal.ca; www.flygal.ca

Nick Pujic: nick@flymaxfilms.com; www.flymaxfilms.com

Paul Castellano: castadventures@sympatico.ca; www.castadventures.ca

Check out our Skeena Camp Brochure for more information on this exciting trip...

Steelhead and Soul Fish 2!

2010-11-04T12:59:00.000-07:00

Mikey Weir of Burl Productions, the guy who produced the epic fly fishing video SOULFISH several years ago, is up filming his Steelhead Fly Fishing segment for SOULFISH 2, his latest film. Joining him is professional snowboarder and fly angler, Eric Jackson, and April Vokey, owner/operator of Fly Gal Ventures, and Nicholas Dean Lodge booking agent/trip host. SOULFISH 2 is slated for completion in 2011 and needless to say, we're very excited about being involved in this unique project! Be sure to check it out!

THE Skeena Steelhead Trailer

2010-11-02T15:20:00.000-07:00

The reel deal: the Skeena Steelhead Trailer from Fly Max Films/Fly Nation TV:

Fly Nation TV: Skeena Steelhead Trailer from Nick Pujic on Vimeo.

Fly Max Films and Skeena Steelhead

2010-10-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

Last week I posted a link to Fly Max Film's Facebook page, which features our Skeena Steelhead Trailer - a brief but infectious glimpse at the amazingly good Steelhead fishing the group found while staying with us and Yellow Cedar Lodge a few weeks ago. However, if you're not on Facebook, you might've been left wondering what the buzz was all about. Fear not! The new Fly Max Films website is now up and running and the Skeena Steelhead Trailer is the current featured video. And, don't worry, I'll let you know when the final cut is out...

It's Here - Fly Nation' Skeena Steelhead Trailer!

2010-10-04T12:12:00.001-07:00

Just one of many memorable moments while fiming with the Fly Nation crew in mid September. Here, Andrea Charlton and Dustin Kovacvich display a Steelhead double header - one of two on this day! Nick Pujic Photo

A few weeks ago, the Nicholas Dean crew and our partners, Alf and Simone at Yellow Cedar Lodge had the pleasure of hosting Nick Pujic, Tim Myers, April Vokey (of Fly Gal Ventures) and Andrea Charlton of Fly Nation on their quest to sample our Fall Steelhead fishery and get it on film. The result? Epic footage which includes Steelhead double headers, Steelhead sipping dry flies off the surace and an adventure only to be found in northwest British Columbia. If you're on Facebook, be sure to check out the following:

--THE Skeena Steelhead Trailer - A short exerpt of the forthcoming final cut. Warning - this will make you want to go Steelhead fishing!

-- Join the Nicholas Dean Lodge Facebook Group for updates on our fishing, promotions and more, and the Fly Max Films Facebook Group for updates on their incredible film work and worldwide fishing travels.

Stay tuned for more photos and video updates over the coming weeks and months!

2010 Discounted Steelhead Weeks - Great Fishing and Great Value!

2010-09-27T16:40:00.000-07:00

Alistair Robjent of Robjent's Fine Country Pursuits joined Pete McLeod in early September to see what our Steelhead and Salmon fishery was all about. With the fishing exceptionally good on both wet and dry flies, it was indeed difficult to get Alistair off the river! Pete McLeod and his staff operate Aardvark McLeod, a travel company dedicated to providing the best in international fly fishing trips.

It's been an absoutely stellar Summer and Fall Steelhead season thus far on the Lower Skeena system near Terrace. Near record numbers of Steelhead have returned this year and our fishing has been far and away the best it has been in years! August on the Skeena Camp saw more Steelhead hook ups than in any other previous camps; I say hook ups because many of these fish were simply too fresh and too hot to land! Now, many of these fish will be in the Skeena's tributary rivers,where our clients have enjoyed exceptional days of Steelhead fishing.

If you've ever been interested in fishing the Skeena and can sneak away for a week in the next month, I can assure you that this season is not one that you'll want to miss! And, since we've had a few recent cancellations, we are offering discounts off select weeks - which make it that much more attractive. Dates, rates and availability are as follows:

-- October 3 to 9 - one space available

-- October 10 to 16 - two spaces available

-- October 31 to November 6 - four spaces available

Normal 2010 rates are: $3595.00 CDN plus taxes (double occupancy) and $3795.00 CDN plus taxes (single occupancy); Discounted rates are: $3200.00 CDN plus taxes (double occupancy) and $3400.00 CDN plus taxes (single occupancy). Rates based on 5 days of guided fishing, all meals and 6 night's accommodations at our partnering facility, Yellow Cedar Lodge.

Contact me at chadblack@nicholasdean.com or (250) 641-1551 for more information on your trip of a lifetime!

Skeena Summer Steelhead at a DISCOUNT PRICE!

2010-07-31T16:21:00.000-07:00

A "proper" 25 lb Skeena Steelhead landed during mid August - peak run timing on the Skeena for these migrating fish

With a recent cancellation during one of our best Summer Steelhead and Salmon weeks of the year, we are offering trips at a discounted rate of 20% off. So, that means our lodge trips are starting at just $2850.00 CDN - which includes 5 days of guided fishing, all meals and 6 nights at Yellow Cedar Lodge. The ever popular on-river Skeena Camp package is priced at $1860.00 - for 5 plus days of fishing! If you've been thinking of going on a Steelhead trip but for whatever reason it hasn't materialized, this is YOUR chance at what may be one of the best Steelhead returns on the Skeena in years. Steelhead numbers past the Tyee Test Fishery are nearly double the historical average, meaning that you've got an even better chance at hooking into the Skeena's monster fish - fish aproaching and well over 20 lbs that are just plain mean! If one of these trips picques your interest, contact me today (chadblack@nicholasdean.com or 250-635-5295) for more information, or check out our Summer Steelhead/Salmon and Skeena Camp brochures...

Co-Ed Learn to Fly Fish Weekend with April Vokey

2010-06-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

Are you Interested in learning how to fly fish and having a shot at some of the most prolific Steelhead and Salmon fishing in the world? Or, perhaps your significant other has been hinting that they'd like to join you on one of your fishing adventures? If so, block off your calendar from August 6 to 8, 2010. April Vokey of Fly Gal Ventures will be teaching and hosting a weekend retreat at our five star lodge, which includes 3 days of fishing/instruction, 2 nights accommodations and all meals. This learn to fly fish retreat is limited to 8 anglers, so booking early is recommended. Cost is $895.00 CDN/person. For more information or to confirm your space, please feel free to get in touch with either myself (chadblack@nicholasdean.com or 250-635-5295) or April at: april@flygal.ca.

Steelhead on the Remote Coast - A Story in the Making

2010-06-17T17:13:00.000-07:00

In early May 2010, the Nicholas Dean guide staff and the folks at Yellow Cedar Lodge had the pleasure of hosting some of the most well known anglers in the fly fishing community: Steve Rajeff, world champion fly caster and chief rod designer at Loomis, Ross Purnell, editor of Fly Fisherman magazine, Bruce Holt, communications director at Loomis, and April Vokey, world class writer, guide and operator of Fly Gal Ventures. Collectively, the group searched for bright Spring Steelhead on the Skeena and Kalum, as well as small remote rivers off the BC coast as part of our Adventure Steelhead program. What follows is a brief report on their trip - of memorable moments and memorable fish; however, be sure to look for April's feature article in a future issue of Fly Fisherman, slated for late 2010/early 2011.

On a remote stream off the north BC coast, April Vokey fights a bright Steelhead under the guidance of Nicholas Dean Lodge guide, Dustin Kovacvich. Ross Purnell photo

Coastal river Steelhead are both strong and brilliantly coloured. Here, Ross Purnell of Fly Fisherman magazine snaps a few of April admiring her fish.

With warming water temperatures, coastal river Steelhead are both aggressive and exceptionally strong fighters.

Yellow Cedar Lodge - our partnering five star lodge where April, Ross, Steve and Bruce relaxed in the evenings after chasing Steelhead on the Skeena, Kalum and remote coastal rivers.

An 8 lb hen that fell to a well presented marabou fly, swung on a tight line. April Vokey photo

Can you tell that April is happy to be out Steelhead fishing? Bruce Holt photo

Fishing the "Picnic Table" from the high bank side. On the Kalum River in low water conditions, many pools tend to swing and fish better when fished from the bank you'd normally fish in higher flows. Here, April bombs one out amongst classic west coast mountain views. Bruce Holt photo

Bruce Holt and Sky Richard with a nice Steelhead from the Upper Kalum. Bruce Holt Photo

Steve Rajeff airing out a long one en route to the Skeena's far bank. Bruce Holt photo

Ross, Steve and Sky pause for a few brief moments before getting back on the water. Bruce Holt photo

Lower 16, as it's affectionately known, is a massively long, slow moving run that Steelhead love to hold in. Lengthy casts and a long slow, swing are needed to cover this run well. Ross Purnell photo

Accessing remote coastal rivers is never easy, but herein lies the adventure. On this day, Dustin, Ross and April launched a jet boat in the Ocean, travelled many kilometres and then scrambled along the rocky river bank lined with devil's club. But, the rewards were well worth it...Ross Purnell photo

Single hand and switch rods are ideal tools to use while fishing small streams. Plus, they're a lot of fun to fight fish on. Ross Purnell Photo

A sea run hen fresh from the Ocean - only a kilometre away. Ross Purnell Photo

Ross with a good one from the Upper Kalum. Bruce Holt Photo

Nicholas Dean guide Greg Buck knows the Skeena's waters intimately, and where to place his fly when searching for fish like this. Ross Purnell Photo

Bruce and his nice pink shirt. Oh, and a nice Steelhead too. Ross Purnell Photo

While world record casts are not required on remote coastal rivers, some degree of precision is. Placing a weighted fly into specific lies amonsgst boulders and logs can be somewhat challenging at first, but once mastered is an extremely effective technique for fooling fish in pocket water and other difficult to reach places. Steve Rajeff is surely a master at this, as well as distance casting. Ross Purnell Photo

Coastal river scenery is breathtakingly beautiful...Ross Purnell Photo

Steve demonstrating his double haul technique. Ross Purnell Photo

Sky Richard with a chrome bright Spring Steelhead from the Lower Kalum. Ross Purnell Photo

Ross and Steve admire a chrome Steelhead in the Stumble run - aptly named for the many large boulders scattered throughout the run and which makes wading somewhat challenging.

April swinging through a run just up from tidewater. Ross Purnell Photo

Steve launching yet another one, bound for the far side. Ross Purnell Photo

Spring Steelhead with Brian Chan!

2010-04-22T15:04:00.000-07:00

Well known stillwater angler Brian Chan admires a hard won 10 lb Steelhead he landed on a local Skeena tributary. Brian Chan Photo

A long time ago when I first started fly fishing, a few friends and I went to the Izaak Walton fly fishing show in Toronto, and happened to see a very interesting presentation done on fly fishing strategies for trout in stillwaters, by Brian Chan. Little did I know that many years later I'd have the chance to fish with this well known angler on one of my home waters here in the Skeena region!

Brian, a retired fisheries biologist for the province of BC, is probably one of the most well known writers on stillwater entomology, presentation and fishing tactics, and I've read his articles in many different magazines over the years. So when our good friend Rob Vodola invited Dustin and I to fish with Brian, we jumped at the opportunity! Though low water conditions and cool, stable weather made the fishing more difficult than usual, Brian and Dustin both landed some quality Skeena fish. More below:

Dustin fights a behemoth from river left, as Rob helps direct the fish into the shallows.

The last critical moment of the fight, when many Steelhead are lost. Constant tension, keeping the fish' head in the water and nerves of steel are needed to land big fish in the shallows.

A trophy Spring Steelhead. At 39 inches long with a 19 inch girth, this fish was pushing 20 lbs and a handful even for an experienced angler armed with a spey rod.

A colourful selection of flies for Spring Steelhead fishing in a variety of water conditions.

Working deep, slow pools with a large pink and orange fly proved to be the best presentation with cold water temperatures and sluggish fish.

Though Brian has now retired from fisheries biology, he now operates guided fly fishing trips on his home waters near Kamloops. For more information, go to www.riseformflyfishing.com

Steelhead Exploration and Epic Trout Fishing

2010-03-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

The trout fishing available in the Skeena's many rivers, streams, creeks and even road side ditches and sloughs are often overshadowed by their larger migratory cousins, Steelhead and Salmon. In reality, if these same trout fishing opporunities existed closer to a metropolitan area, they would certainly be much more popular.

On a recent weekend, Dustin, Sky and myself had planned a scouting trip for Steelhead on a few remote coastal rivers to see if the fish were in early. Though the rivers were too low to hold Steelhead in any numbers, we did find two sloughs which provided for some of our most memorable trout fishing to date...

Fishing the dark water - a prime lie for Spring Steelhead in coastal rivers.

A favourite coastal river with characteristically strong, thick Steelhead, but too little water on this day.

The eulachon (pronounced "oo-li-kun") run in full swing concentrates eagles, sea gulls, and other sea birds by the river's edge each year as they gorge on millions of eulachon migrating upstream. Also called candle fish, these small, silvery fish are high in oil content, and have been prized by natives in northwestern BC for hundreds of years.

An old tree stump comprises the foreground of this interesting landscape.

Nicholas Dean guide Sky Richard searching for trout on top of a beaver house in a large, deep river.

One of many nice cutthroat trout landed in one of two small back channel sloughs.

Coastal Cutthroat trout are beautiful fish who fight surprisingly well on light fly rods.

Even Cayleigh likes trout fishing!

Early Spring Steelhead Fishing on the Skeena System

2010-03-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

Early Spring on the rivers of northwest BC - from March 15 to April 15 - is a time when the landscape emerges from its deep Winter sleep and both water levels and temperatures finally begin to rise. As a result, fresh, Spring-run Steelhead begin to trickle in with more frequency than they did over the previous months and become more active in their lies. For the Steelhead angler, this is a great time to be on the river, chasing away Winter blues and welcoming the start of warmer months, all the while waiting for that inevitable pull...

Spring Steelhead come in a variety of sizes and colours. While most fish are in the 8 to 15 lb range, there are fish substantially larger than this caught on a regular basis, in the 18 - 22 lb range. Looking for a fish in the mid 20s is not an unrealistic proposition on the Skeena and its many tributaries. Here, Jeff Bright holds onto a mint-bright 18 lb hen Steelhead caught in late March - certainly one of his most memorable fish landed to date. Jeff Bright photo

Lance Boen, a long time repeat guest and Spring Steelhead veteran, landed this solid 15 lb Steelhead in late March 2009 on a favourite Skeena River tributary. With low water conditions, the fish were holding in the deepest, slowest moving runs, which makes for an agonizingly long, but highly effective swing. Jeff Bright photo.

Despite warming air and water temperatures, the rivers are still quite cool, and fishing large flies 3 to 6 inches long is one of the best tactics to motivate Steelhead from leaving the comfort of their lie and inducing a grab. Flies in black, pink, purple, orange, chartreuse, or some combination show up well in a variety of water conditions and will serve you well. A spey rod is an ideal tool for fishing large flies and heavy sink tips when targeting the large fish typically encountered during the early Spring.

In the middle of a long, deep pool, Martin Walker found this massive Steelhead, estimated in the 23-24 lb range. The Steelhead took one of Martin's elegantly tied black and chartreuse flies. Besides being a world class fly angler, Martin is also a rod-builder extraordinaire, crafting brilliantly designed cork handles on his rods.

Legendary angler Lani Waller and Nicholas Dean Lodge head guide Dustin Kovacvich discuss fly selection prior to stepping into the run on a cool Spring day. Jeff Bright photo

They don't get much more chrome than this...

On his first day of fishing while guided by veteran Nicholas Dean guide, Greg Buck, Taft Ring landed this impressive 23 lb buck Steelhead on a local Skeena tributary. Not a bad way to start the trip off...

A large fly fished on a slow swing through the heart of a deep tailout proved effective on this 18 lb Steelhead for Martin Walker. Fishing large flies broadside to the current helps show the full profile of the fly and in our experience, induces a take much more consistently than a fly presented on a traditional grease line cast.

Interested in joining us for a Spring Steelhead trip? Take advantage of our last minute 10% discount and inquire today on how you can search for the Steelhead of your dreams on the Skeena.

Spring Steelhead - Last Minute Discount!

2010-03-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

The author with a bright Spring Steelhead landed on the Kalum River in late March

Over the past few years, our Spring Steelhead program has grown to become one of our most popular fisheries. Large, wild Steelhead, ideal, consistent water conditions and the opportunity to fish a variety of rivers make this season a very productive one. Starting in mid March, we focus on the Kalum River, Lower Copper and Skeena Rivers, and in April through mid May, also turn our attention to the Kitimat, and several remote coastal rivers as part of our "Adventure Steelhead" program. Hard fighting, aggressive Spring Chinook are also available starting mid April, and are prime targets for the well swung fly or spoon.

We still have a few spaces available in select weeks, and are offering a 10% discount off the 2010 rates. If you'd like to join us during our prime Spring Steelhead fishing, contact me directly by phone at (250) 635-5295 or by email at chadblack@nicholasdean.com.

Skeena River Fishing Tip: How to Tie with Lady Amherst Feathers

2010-03-03T16:24:00.000-08:00

When I first started tying big, west coast Steelhead flies, I was intrigued by several qualities of the Lady Amherst feather. First, its fibres were heavily mottled and helped create long, tentacle-like plumes that are common on many Steelhead flies and, second, it had good movement when swung on a tight line. However, it was also a material that I found exceedingly difficult to work with. I didn’t (and still don’t) like splitting the stems of feathers, and tying the fibres around a hook just didn’t create the hackle-like effect that I was going for. Moreover, the fibres tended to collapse and stick together. That all changed when I bought a deluxe dubbing loop twister and saw a video on youtube. By using the dubbing loop twister and one of Marc Petitjean’s material clips (in his Magic Tool set), I’ve been able to create Steelhead flies with flowing Amherst hackles that are both functionally and aesthetically appealing.

Getting ready to add the Amherst hackle

Step 1: Create a dubbing loop with your thread. To tighten the loop, be sure to wrap the thread around the loop 2-3 times.

Adding the dubbing loop

Step 2: Wet your fingers and isolate the fibres you’d like to use. Stroke the fibres from the base of the stem to the fibre tips, this will help isolate the fibres from one another.

Step 3: Place the large Magic Tool material clip on the fibres and cut the fibres at the stem. The Amherst butts should extend approximately a ¼” from the tip of the clip.

Adding Amerherst fibres to the dubbing loop

Step 4: Attach the deluxe dubbing twister in the loop, and add the Amherst fibres. Try to keep the length of fibres extending past the outside of the loop to a minimum.

Step 5: While holding the material clip with your left hand, spin the dubbing loop twister several rotations. Release the material clip off the fibres, and the Amherst should spin around the loop, forming a hackle. Spin the dubbing twister again, further locking the fibres in place.

The Amherst hackle formed

Step 6: As you wrap the Amherst hackle, continue to stroke the fibres backwards, so they lie towards the back of the fly.

Step 7: Tie off the dubbing loop, and trim excess Amherst butts.

The finished fly with two Amherst hackles - ready to fish for Steelhead!

Skeena River Fishing Tips: Fishing Sink Tips

2010-02-16T17:38:00.000-08:00

Matching your sink tip to the prevailing water conditions can help you present your fly effectively to Steelhead like this. jeffbright.com photo

Sink tips are an integral part of a fly fisher's arsenal when presenting the fly to a Steelhead or Salmon, yet there are many misconeptions as to when you should fish them, how deep you need to be, and so forth. And, while Steelhead seem to break every rule in the book at times, these 5 general principles will usually serve you well on the river:

1) Consider the water temperatures, time of year and the fish you're searching for. During the Winter, Steelhead are often lethargic and most times won't aggressively chase down a fly unless it swings past their nose. This is particularly true for those fish that may have been in the river for a few months (exception: fresh, Winter run fish can be quite aggressive despite cold water temperatures). So, err on the heavy side when fishing sink tips in cold water, particularly in deeper pools and runs. Late Summer and Fall run fish can be very aggressive and willing to actively chase down a fly because of warmer water temperatures, so it's not necessary to fish deep in the water column. In this case, a Type 3 or a type 6 is usually all that's needed.

2) Make sure that you're not down too deep. If you have to unsnag your fly every other cast, your sink tip is too heavy for the water in front of you and will prevent you from fishing it effectively. The sink tip should touch the bottom every once in awhile to let you know you're in the zone, but not much more.

3) When not to use sink tips? When fishing small, clear coastal rivers in the Spring, heavy sink tips can often spook wary Steelhead. In this case, a long leader with a small, weighted fly that is cast well above the target area will help you avoid spooking finicky fish. Same goes for Winter fishing when river flows are at seasonal lows.

4) Bring a range of sink tips with you on fishing trips. You never know what to expect on the river and from pool to pool. A wide range of tips, including Type 3, Type 6, and varying lengths of T-14 and T-17 will enable you to cover a broad range of depths and currents. My personal favourite is the Descension Sink Tip system developed by Dustin Kovacvich and the other Nicholas Dean Lodge guides, which include varying lengths of lead core (LC-13).

5) Match your sink tip to the pool you're fishing. This might seem a rather obvious one, but many anglers will simply fish the same tip from pool to pool, regardless of the depths and current speeds. Each pool has its own seams, features, and current speeds, and keeping your fly in the strike zone requires a dynamic approach. If you feel that you're not getting down enough, go a little heavier. If you're getting snagged every other cast, lighten up.

Our Italian Partner - Le Reve House Adventures!

2010-02-10T18:11:00.000-08:00

Two happy Italian clients with a bright chrome Steelhead caught on the Skeena during early August.

At the core of our business, we work very closely with several outstanding booking agents, who are committed to providing the best fishing trips and value for their clients worldwide. Over the past three years, we've partnered with Stefano Gay of Le Reve House Adventures to introduce many enthusiastic Italian anglers to the epic fishing available in Terrace on the Lower Skeena River. Whether it's been fly fishing on the Kalum River for monster Steelhead, spoon fishing for Coho or backtrolling for the largest Chinook Salmon in the world on the Skeena, Stefano has helped introduce many clients to the world class fishing available in Terrace.

Based out of Vancouver, BC, Le Reve House Adventures specializes not only in coordinating fishing and travel arrangements for clients at our lodge, but also ecotours and other outdoor pursuits. If you're considering a trip to our lodge or would like to do some whale watching or hiking near Vancouver, I encourage you to get in touch with Stefano at info@lerevehouseadventure.com.

Fishing Deep With Lani Waller - by Jeff Bright

2010-02-05T12:06:00.000-08:00

Lani and Nicholas Dean head guide Dustin Kovacvich discussing fly selection streamside prior to stepping in the water. A very knowledgeable, yet humble man, Lani is the type of angler who speaks with passion when it comes to Steelhead and the journey we take as anglers in pursuing them. Jeff Bright recently had a chance to interview Lani on his Steelhead fishing experiences, and can be found in the latest issue of Chasing Silver magazine.

In early April 2009, we had the good fortune of hosting legendary angler, Lani Waller, for a week as he pursued fresh Spring Steelhead in lower Skeena valley rivers. During this time, several clients - and certainly Dustin and myself included - enjoyed his company and his stories when it came to Steelhead fishing. Particularly those of memorable fish, legendary pools and all the little things that make for a great fishing tale.

Through his many articles, books (the latest of which is titled "A Steelheader's Way") and popular Steelhead fly fishing videos produced in the late 80s - some of which featured fishing on the Babine, a popular upper Skeena tributary - Lani has garnered much respect in the fly fishing community and has no doubt become one of the leading experts in his field.

During his Spring Steelhead trip at the lodge, Jeff Bright had the chance to discuss some of the finer points of Steelhead fly fishing, ranging from tackle and techniques, to conservation and his philosophical approach to these migratory fish. Jeff's interview, titled "Fishing Deep with Lani Waller" can be found in the recent issue of Chasing Silver magazine, a relatively new magazine based out of Finland. Tight lines!

Adventure Steelhead Fishing with Jeff Bright!

2010-01-18T11:25:00.000-08:00

Jeff Bright with an 18 lb late Spring Steelhead caught on one of the larger coastal rivers we fish. With warming air and water temperatures, these bright fish can be extremely hard fighters. Jeff Bright Photo

Our Adventure Steelhead fishing program on remote rivers off the northwest BC coast is one that you've probably heard me talk about from time to time. Large Steelhead in small, untouched rivers, where angling pressure is minimal or altogether non-existent, with opportunities for sight fishing are but just a few of the virtues this fishery has to offer the adventurous angler. And, joining us nearly every step of the way in discovering this fishery - from stumbling over deadfalls, baring evil devil's club and arriving back to the lodge in the wee hours of the night - has been author, photographer and Steelhead Flyfisher, Jeff Bright.

Jeff has utilized his dedication and passion for Steelhead fly fishing, combined with his artistic talents as a writer in producing a first rate article on Steelhead fishing on the remote coast, which can be found in the premier issue of the online magazine, The Contemporary Sportsman. It is a pleasure to read and does well to capture the experience and excitement of fishing for Steelhead on small, remote coastal rivers. Enjoy!

Skeena River Fishing Tips: the Hawaiian Punch

2010-01-14T13:06:00.000-08:00

The Hawaiian Punch may look like one of the more outlandish Steelhead flies you've ever seen, but the fact that it shows up well in murky or slightly stained river conditions on the Kalum and Skeena Rivers, combined with its fish-catching abilities has made it one of the most successful flies in our fly boxes . Rodney Daw Photo

In conjunction with our Skeena River Fishing Reports for 2010, we've decided to include a section on "Skeena River Fishing Tips" to help give our readers information and direction on the best techniques, tackle and presentations when targeting Salmon and Steelhead in northwest BC rivers, like the mainstem Skeena, Kalum, Kitimat and Copper. So, whether you're a spey caster who loves swinging large Intruder flies or a trophy Chinook angler after the giant leviathans of the deep, there will be something for you to enjoy which just might help you land that next big fish you've been dreaming about.

For this week's Skeena River Fishing Tip, we'll be looking at the Hawaiian Punch, a true standout wet fly pattern for Steelhead and Salmon that our guides and clients have used with great success. The pattern was devised several years ago by lodge manager and head guide, Dustin Kovacvich, when he was experimenting with flies to target the large Steelhead...

on the Kalum River. When Dustin first arrived onto the Skeena scene in Terrace 15 years ago, he had been very successful during the months of August and early September using a bottom bouncing rig that consisted of orange, chartreuse and cerise yarn. Combining this colour combination with materials that impart movement in the water - a key consideration when tying Steelhead flies - namely, rabbit strips and marabou, Dustin figured that he had the making of a great pattern. After a few successful outings and several Steelhead hooked on the fly, Dustin started having clients fish this fly with confidence on rivers such as the Kalum, and Skeena which have a slightly murky, glacial green colour, or, during high water conditions when visibility is reduced. The recipe for the Hawaiian Punch is as follows:

Hook: Eagle Claw 1197N Sizes 1 and 4 or substitute
Thread: Fire Orange
Tail: Fluorescent Chartreuse Rabbit Strip
Body: Cross Cut Fluorescent Orange Rabbit Strip
Hackle: Cerise Pink Marabou
Topping: Pearl Flashabou

Variants: Bead head, tube fly, or Intruder style

Lastly, if you've wondered how the fly got its unique name, it was named by guest Nick Anderson because it reminded him of the little guy on the Hawaiian Punch can with the funky hair! If you're planning on fishing the Skeena River near Terrace BC, or fishing your home Steelhead waters, be sure to give the Hawaiian Punch a few casts - I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised with the results! For more information on recommended gear while fishing the Hawaiian Punch on the Skeena system, be sure to check out our Fly Fishing Gear and Equipment lists.

Tying Steelhead Flies at the Franklin Club

2010-01-11T11:48:00.001-08:00

First off, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope that you enjoyed some quality time with family over the holidays! When I was back in Ontario doing just that, I had the opportunity to stop in at the Franklin Clubto give a presentation on Fly Fishing techniques in the Skeena River system, and tie a few of my personal favourite Steelhead and Salmon flies. The Franklin Club is celebrating its centennial year, making it one of the oldest fly fishing clubs in Canada! In fact, Rick Mercer recently ventured to the Club as part of his quirky, but very humourous Mercer Report. Check out the video page on the Mercer report site, and click on Episode Number 8. Below are a few of the flies I tied, with photos courtesy of Franklin Club member Rodney Daw.

My version of Ed Ward's popular Intruder series of flies, dubbed the "Terrace Intruder." The two toned pink colours in this fly make it stand out particularly well in glacially stained waters, making it a perfect fit for both the Copper and Kalum Rivers.

Flash and bright colours are two of the most important considerations when designing Coho flies. Hence, the simple name: Coho Flash Fly. This fly, in a variety of colours works well when fished down and across with an increasingly fast stripping tempo.

The Grantham Sedge is our go to fly when searching for aggressive Fall Steelhead on the surface. An ingenious tyer named Ron Grantham found that by tying the wing on a piece of weed wacker cord protruding from the hook shank will help keep the fly waking longer than most other flies. Adding a few turns of red dubbing at the butt can be a great addition.

Steelhead Fishing with April Vokey!

2009-11-14T17:00:00.000-08:00

April Vokey of Fly Gal Ventures is absolutely obsessed with BC Steelhead and we're excited to welcome her to the Nicholas Dean team! April is pictured above leading one of her flies through the bucket on one of her favourite Skeena River tribs...

For those of you who received last week's fishing report [if you haven't, it's available on our Fishing Report Home Page, titled 490th Fishing Report], you've probably heard the news by now that we've combined our fishing talents with fly fishing entrepreneur extradordinaire, April Vokey. In all likelihood, April probably doesn't need an introduction to most anglers, having written articles for several different magazines and guided extensively in the lower BC mainland and other locales. Still, for those of you who may not have heard of April, she operates Fly Gal Ventures, a company that specializes in guided fishing trips, fly casting instruction and workshops, as well as specialized ladies fly fishing apparel.

April will be leading hosted trips and guiding select clients in the 2010 season, so if you'd like to be one of the lucky few to join her on a Steelhead Fly Fishing expedition here at Nicholas Dean Lodge, be sure to contact her at: april@flygal.ca

We look forward to having April join our team of professionals, as we strive to provide the absolute best in guided fishing adventures for Steelhead and Salmon in the Lower Skeena watershed!

Fly Fishing for Coho - Specialized Techniques

2009-10-23T11:14:00.001-07:00

Chrome Northern Coho Salmon such as this 18 lb fish caught by Hamish Barley can be very aggressive upon entering their natal rivers - in this case, one of our favourite Lower Skeena Tributaries - and having the right flies and techniques in your fly fishing repertoire will increase your chances of bringing these fish to hand.

When targeting Coho Salmon on the fly, it's important to keep two things in mind: the type of water that you'll be searching to find fish, and their behavioural preferences. Though you can find Coho in a variety of water types, they most often hold in slower moving pools, on the edge of current seams in what our guides call the "froggy water," and, in particular, anywhere there is cover - most notably, logs, sweepers, and mid-stream boulders. These areas afford Coho the all important features of a river that make them feel comfortable: protection from predators, and slower currents where little energy is required to hold. The nice thing? When you find Coho in these areas, they are often very aggressive.

Locating fish aside, Coho generally require that your fly be animated. It's not that you won't catch fish by simply dead drifting your fly or by swinging it in front of fish, but stripping and twitching your fly so that it looks like it's trying to escape just seems to be one of the major triggers that converts fish into players. So, if you're a die hard Steelhead angler you'll have to modify your tactics slightly. Instead of casting down and across and mending to get that slow swing, cast your fly up and across stream, mend it until it's at the right depth (you'l l have to experiment to see what level they're at - sometimes they're close to the surface, other times, they'll be hugging the bottom), then start a slow, but jerky retrieve once the line drifts down below you. Animation in the fly is best achieved by doing a fast "hand twist retrieve" at the end of the strip - this slight, but essential movement causes the fly to pulse through the water and often makes the difference bewteen an average and exceptional day.

Now, a few notes on fly design and/or choice. For whatever reason, Coho are extremely prone to attacking flies that, when you impart action to it with the rod and line, have a jig like motion. To achieve this, nearly all of our Coho flies have a large metal bead at the front, which causes the fly to dive in the water column after being stripped. The same effect could be achieved by using dumbbell or hourglass eyes, tungsten and conehead beads etc. Next, and perhaps this might be the most importast aspect of fly design - Coho flies require a very liberal use of flash. Our favourites? Flashabou, hands down, as it moves in water much better than does other materials. Using Polar Chenille is also a good choice, and incorporating these two materials into your fly design is a winning combination. In our experience, the most effective colours are varying combinations of chartreuse and silver, but blue, purple, pink and orange are all mainstays in our fly boxes.

So, armed with a little more information on Coho Fly Fishing techniques, be sure to get out there and enjoy your fishing! And, if you want to head out for a day of instruction on our favourite river systems in the Lower Skeena watershed, don't hesitate to get in touch.

Another Great Reason to Fish with Nicholas Dean...

2009-09-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

Not unlike most other Steelhead and Salmon rivers around the globe, weather can play a significant role on the Skeena and its tributaries and, as they say, timing is everything. Rain is certainly part of the fishing equation and forms a certain fishing dynamic that anglers must pay attention to when measuring angling success. Catch the river when it's high and rising and you might find that grabbing a few beers at a local pub might be more productive. Catch the river as its dropping into shape and you might find yourself with some of the best Steelhead and Salmon fishing of your life. So what if you've booked your week at a fishing lodge and this happens?

If you're in the wilderness with access to only one river, you might find yourself with a long week ahead of you. While high waters will sometimes affect our fishing program a few days each year, fishing with us at Nicholas Dean Lodge will provide you with a sense of "fishing insurance." Let me explain further. We have rod days on over 50 different rivers, streams and lakes within the Lower Skeena watershed - both classified and unclassified - which means that even during the worst of rain storms, we're in a good position to keep our clients on the water. Moving to a different watershed for Steelhead, sight fishing for trophy Coho Salmon in the 8-20 lb range on the Lower Skeena tributaries, and lake fishing for Rainbow and Cutthroat trout are just a few examples of where we can take you. Join us for a fishing trip in the remainder of the Fall Steelhead and Coho Salmon season this year, and we'll get you on the Copper, Kalum, Skeena, and Nass River tributaries. And, in the unlikely event that the rivers rise, you can rest assured that there will still be some fishing options...

Skeena River Flow Information

2009-09-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

The Skeena River and its tributaries are currently experiencing elevated flows, owing to significant rainfall events in the Terrace area, and higher up in the watershed near Smithers. Some rivers typically clean up faster than others, depending on their catchment area, gradient, predominant substrata, quality of riparian habitat and a whole host of other factors. To get a better idea of what's going on with our rivers, check out the Water Survey of Canada website, which has river flow data that is updated daily. Though it doesn't show all of the Skeena's tributaries, it does provide a general idea as to whether rivers are falling, rising or starting to level off.

Steelhead, Salmon and Lodge Photos

2009-09-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

Since the new Nicholas Dean Lodge website has been up and running, I've heard lots of great compliments from clients who enjoyed the information and overall look and feel of the site. Every once in awhile though, I have also heard that "the photos are great, but I need more of them!" With this in mind, I have posted several albums on our photo gallery page, complete with photos of Steelhead, Chinook, Coho and our five star Yellow Cedar Lodge.

While the majority of images are from this current season, there are, of course, several classics for your viewing pleasure. I hope you enjoy the trophy Steelhead, giant Chinook and acrobatic Coho pics, and be sure to check back often as I'll update the albums as our clients hook into more wild fish on the Skeena and its tribs...

Estuary Coho - An Angling Adventure...

2009-09-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

The trip in itself could not have been more picturesque. Despite the choppy seas and overcast, rainy conditions, the stark beauty of the north Pacific was evident everywhere you looked. Precipitous mountains reaching skyward from the sea bottom created steep shores, where both old and new growth trees had taken hold. Numerous fjords, smaller channels and waterfalls snaked off towards their own river systems, and if you looked close enough you'd see the odd waterfall from the mountain sides. Half way through the journey we started our fishing by slowly drifting into the shallow estuary waters of small creeks, motor off. We were searching for Coho (Silver) Salmon, fish that are particularly wary when it comes to excess noise. Casting small Gibbs Coho 45 spoons was our preferred method of finding fish, after which we planned to switch over to our fly rods. [The above passage is an exerpt from our 488th Weekly Fishing Report. If you want to read the full story, please go to our Weekly Fishing Report page, where you can also sign up for our fishing report email list]

The miracle fish. My rod broke just below the ferrule on the hookset, forcing me to attempt to land this fish with the tip of the rod and no reel. It was team work at its best, with Connor managing the line from my stripping hand, and Dustin on the net. An exciting battle and not one that we'll likely forget anytime soon...

Dustin on the casting deck. Given the proper angle of the sun and reflection on the water, it was actually quite easy to see pods of Coho - numbering 3 to as many as a dozen fish - and watch them move off to intercept your fly. Nerves of steel and a fast, choppy retrieve are what's needed to convert a follow to a hooked fish.

Estuary Coho and the places you find them give anglers a special chance to experience fishing in a true wilderness setting.

Doing the "Coho strip." Making sure the fly pulses and moves well through the water is key to attracting and keeping fish attracted to your fly. This is best achieved by rotating your hand at the end of a fast strip, almost like the classic "hand twist retrieve."

Dustin, the king of sight fishing Coho Salmon, hooked up on a fish estimated to weigh over 20 lbs. This fish did two full circles around the boat, lept out of the water three times and took Dustin 75 yards into his backing. Hard to imagine a better game fish...

It took two sets with two crab traps to get our limit of keeper sized crabs. Talk about good 'crabbin', and definitely great eating...

Not one of Connor's finest moments, but good for a laugh! This starfish somehow made its way into one of our crab traps and onto Connor's head prior to being released back to the Ocean.

Promotion for the 2010 Season

2009-09-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to fish the world renowned waters of the Skeena River but just haven't made it there yet? Whether your preference is skating a dry fly in the tailout of a boulder-studded pool on the Copper River for trophy Steelhead or targeting the monster Summer Chinook (Kings) of the Skeena River - this is your opportunity. We are offering a promotion now that will save you money on trip costs and get you fishing. It goes like this: if we receive a 50% deposit prior to October 1, 2009, we will book you on a trip for the 2010 season at the 2009 rates. Contact us today to reserve your space during the best weeks in 2010 and see why the Skeena River and its tributaries have the reputation they do...

2009 - A Great Year for Trophy Chinook Salmon!

2009-09-01T09:48:00.001-07:00

Simply put, there were some montser Chinook Salmon caught on the Skeena River this year by a number of our clients. The largest? A fish that was 49 inches long with a 35 inch girth, and estimated to be in the 80 lb range. While monsters such as these are the fish of a lifetime, the average size of Skeena Chinook are no less impressive. Spend a week with one of our guides during prime time - July 1 to August 6 - and you can reasonably expect to tie into fish in the 45 to 60 lb range. Be sure to check out these select photos of Chinook caught by clients during 2009:

This large male, caught by Andrea Scaramella in late July, weight almost 60 lbs.

Bob Cusick, right, has been fishing the Skeena each for over 10 years, in search of a trophy Chinook over 70 lbs. Though he caught two in the 65 lb range in 2008, they fell a little short of the mark. That is, until July 2009. Pictured with guide Greg Buck, Bob is holding his 70 lb Chinook - a mammoth fish that he released back into the waters of the Skeena.

And then there's the monster. Greg Buck holds client Ron Kostich' 80 lb Chinook, which measured over four ft long. This is reputed to be the largest Chinook caught on the Skeena River during the 2009 season.

Nicholas Dean Lodge on Fly Fish Map!

2009-08-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to know exactly where Nicholas Dean Lodge is situated? If so, be sure to check out flyfishmap.com and find us by scrolling over to Northern BC. Or, click on our Guiding and Lodge pages to get you there directly.

As you can see, we're stuck right in the middle of big fish country on the Skeena system, just west of Terrace - an ideal place to intercept the world's greatest Steelhead and Salmon...

486th Fishing Report from Nicholas Dean Lodge

2009-05-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

Remote Coastal Steelhead fishing at its best! Sonja Sorbo hooked this huge 20 lb buck in a deep pocket at the head of a shallow riffle on one of our favourite small streams. Dustin Kovacvich Photo

___________________________________________________________

Hello Anglers,

After a break in my fishing reports over the last while, I'm back with much exciting news! First off, I must formally congratulate Dustin and his wife Ruby, on their new addition to the family, Cayleigh Marie Kovacvich. Cayleigh was born on March 22, 2009 around 6:30 am, and weighed 7 lbs, 1 ounce. I'm happy to report that Cayleigh, Ruby and Dustin are doing well, and that as of this writing, Cayleigh does not yet have a fly rod in her hands, but given a few more months, I'm sure that she'll have the double spey down before she can say Daddy! Be sure to check out our updated blog site at www.nicholasdean.blogspot.com to see photos of Cayleigh, Ruby and Dustin, along with other updated fishing news.

Our Spring Steelhead opener during the last week of March posed difficult angling conditions, as we were greeted with temperatures well below zero and river levels very low and clear. Many of our favourite pools and holding water were virtually inaccessible by usual means, unless anglers were willing to embark on lengthy and often challenging hikes through snow up to one's waist. Now, as most anglers can probably attest, the measure of a good guide and lodge can often be judged on how hard its staff work to ensure clients have an enjoyable trip, and one that maximizes angling opportunity which, in these conditions, was no easy feat! To get around this, we simply had to improvise...

Our solution: a snowmobile placed strategically at the take out location, to ferry clients and our 12' Aire rafts up the river valley and a farmer's field, to trucks waiting nearby. Not an easy day by any stretch, but realistically, this logistical maneouvre made all the difference, as most fish were caught mid way through the drift in deep, slower moving pools that afforded Steelhead some security. Taft Ring, a new client of ours, fared out best during these tough conditions, with several Steelhead landed during the week, the largest of which was in the 22 lb range. Taft had a particularly deft touch when it came to manipulating his fly on the swing - most of his grabs occurred just after twitching his rod tip, to animate his fly in the slow moving currents. Congratulations Taft, and we look forward to seeing you again next year!

Certainly one of the highlights this Spring was having the opportunity to fish and spend time with renowned angler, Lani Waller. It is obvious that Lani is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the subject of Steelhead fly fishing, and he conveys this knowledge and a love of Steelhead quite well through his stories, accumulated over many years spent on the water. His new book, entitled "A Steelheader's Way" is a great read, and one that combines Lani's advanced knowledge of Steelhead fly fishing tactics, with a unique philosophical perspective on Steelhead. I highly recommend adding Lani's book to your personal library if you're a serious Steelhead angler. Lani can be reached at www.laniwaller.com.

Finally, I'm pleased to say that we've now made the transition to spectacular Yellow Cedar Lodge (www.yellowcedarlodge.ca)! This move has been a long time in the making for us, and we have been extremely impressed with the accommodations, service, and dining provided for our guests by Alf and Simone Leslie. Riverfront mountain views, private rooms with ensuite washrooms, amenities including a hot tub, sauna, games room and patio, and spectacularly prepared meals all combine to give guests a 5 star appeal. Paired up with the unparalleled knowledge our guides have of our local waters, Steelhead and Salmon fishing trips simply don't get much better. For those of you who would like a little more information on Yellow Cedar Lodge, or our first class fishing packages, please contact me today by email (chadblack@nicholasdean.com), or by phone (250-635-5295).

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

Chad Black
Operations Manager
Nicholas Dean Lodge

Yellow Cedar Lodge - An Update!

2009-05-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

An impressive view of Yellow Cedar Lodge's inviting exterior...

Yellow Cedar Lodge has proved to be a fantastic fit here at the tail end of our Spring season, and has certainly been well received by clients. Though Dustin and I were smitten with the lodge building and its accommodations at first sight, if we knew what Alf and Simone's cooking was like, we also would have fallen easily for the culinary delights coming out of the kitchen! Wild, smoked Pacific Salmon served over sweet potato ravioli, and roasted chicken on a bed of risotto are just a few of the many incredible entrees Alf and Simone create, which, along with homemade salad dressings and dessert combine to make Yellow Cedar Lodge a destination for some of the finest dining available in the north!

The lounge just above the dining area is a great place to sit down and enjoy your favourite book, catch up on emails, or simply chat with friends.

Comfortable beds and spacious rooms with ensuite washrooms provide the ultimate in comfort and privacy after a great day of fishing.

A New Addition to the Kovacvich Family!

2009-05-13T18:41:00.001-07:00

I am happy to report that Ruby and Dustin are now the very proud parents of a beautiful baby girl, named Cayleigh Marie Kovacvich! Cayleigh was born on Sunday March 22 around 6:30 am, and was 7 lbs, 1 ounce.

A few months back, Ruby and I were talking about just how excited Dustin was about the baby, and the length of time it was going to take before there was a fishing rod in his or her hands! I suggested, jokingly, that it was going to take less than a year. But, as you can see from the photo, we were clearly wrong - Cayleigh was born with a fishing rod already in her hands!

Kidding aside, Ruby and Dustin will no doubt be great parents and create a warm, loving family atmosphere for Cayleigh in the coming years. Join me in a toast for Ruby, Dustin and Cayleigh!

Monster Skeena Steelhead!

2009-03-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

In mid August of 2008, Chris Gilles was lucky enough to be at the right spot at the right time while fishing on the Skeena River near Terrace. Chris, new to fly fishing, hooked this giant summer Steelhead on the very first morning of his trip. The group of 7 anglers, including myself, consider ourselves very lucky to have seen this massive Skeena Steelhead. Many thanks go to Noel Gyger for documenting this exciting experience for us all!

If you've ever wanted to fish for these incredibly hot fish on the Skeena, but haven't been able to do so, now is your opportunity! One week of prime Summer fishing for Steelhead and all species of Pacific Salmon has now become available in mid August. In actual fact, it is the same week that Chris Gilles landed his big fish. Contact me today at chadblack@nicholasdean.com, or by phone at (250) 635-5295 for more details on how you can secure your space during this prime time week. On one last note: for anglers in the US, don't forget that exchange rates are now the lowest they've been in a long time. This means that you can book trips with us at a much reduced rate compared to last year, and previous years...

Lani Waller to fish at Nicholas Dean Lodge!

2009-03-17T12:46:00.001-07:00

In the world of Steelhead fly fishing, there are few anglers who are more well known and iconic than Lani Waller. He has long been considered one of the foremost experts on the subject, and the videos he filmed in the early 1980s on the Deschutes and Babine rivers are classics which have undoubtedly helped and captivated many Steelhead anglers along the way.

This year, we are excited to have Lani join us for a week of Spring Steelhead fishing at the lodge in early April - only a few weeks away! Be sure to check back in a few weeks as we post photos, stories, and other notes about this legendary Steelhead angler...

Nicholas Dean now on Facebook!

2009-03-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

With the growing popularity of Facebook worldwide, we've decided to hop on board and become part of this revolution! If you're presently signed up on Facebook, look for our new Nicholas Dean Lodge business page, and join our group. Along with providing a forum to discuss the great Steelhead and Salmon fishery available on the Skeena and its tributaries, it will also give members a chance to network with other similar minded, die-hard anglers. Not to mention the many other benefits, including trip promotions, noteworthy news and, of course, great fishing photos...

Late Spring Openings - Adventure Steelhead!

2009-03-05T11:25:00.000-08:00

Fresh, chrome Steelhead are commonplace from remote coastal tributaries.

During the last 5 years, we have been developing an "Adventure Steelhead" program, in which anglers have a chance to fish small, not-to-be-named remote coastal rivers with epic fishing for Steelhead in the 8 to 20 lb range. These intimate rivers, which carve their way through stands of old growth forests on their way to the Pacific, attract fish which are very much comparable in size to those from the renowned Skeena and its tributaries.

But, we have to be honest about this type of fishery. It's often not an easy one, nor one for the faint of heart. By their virtue, these small streams are remote, can be somewhat tricky to wade and hike along, and Steelhead often enter the systems during late April and early May - very close to the late May and June spawn - making it a short window of opportunity to pursue them. However, when timed right, this fishery can provide some of the most memorable angling experiences you're likely to ever encounter. Add to this the opportunity to fish for aggressive Spring Chinook averaging 20-35 lbs on a local Skeena tributary, and this makes for one of the most exciting fishing packages we can offer!

If you're interested in this Adventure Steelhead and Chinook program, be sure to contact me today for more details. We currently have two (2) spaces available during the week of May 3 to 9, but expect these last spaces to fill quickly. I can be reached by phone at (250) 635-5295 or by email at chadblack@nicholasdean.com. Jeff Bright will also be hosting a trip in late April, and currently has space available if you'd like to join him. For more information on this unique fishery and the details of Jeff's week, check out his Remote BC Coast Steelhead and Spring Chinook package brochure found on his Hosted Travel page. Jeff can be reached at jeff@jeffbright.com.

Getting the measurements on a hard fighting Steelhead from a small stream.

485th Fishing Report from Nicholas Dean Lodge

2009-03-05T11:09:00.000-08:00

Jason Smith cradles an 18 lb remote coastal river Steelhead

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Hello Anglers,

I hope this newsletter finds you all doing well and pursuing your fishing addictions with rod and reel. Though there are a variety of reasons why, I must unfortunately report that my fishing adventures have been much too few and far between. This would, in all likelihood, explain why I've been experiencing this nagging twitch every now and again - cabin fever is certainly getting the best of me! Kidding aside, my lack of fishing has translated into some much needed time at my fly tying vise, and dreaming of those picture perfect days on the river. A day where I can feel the warmth of the sun as it rises over the mountain peaks, and sense my homemade Intruder fly, most likely the fishy two-tone pink colour that worked so well last Fall, as it swims its way through the deep slot in front of me.

The tug of a Winter Steelhead -whether it's the smashing grab of an aggressive buck, or a simple tightening of the line- is one that I think of often, but do not necessarily need for a successful day on the river. Simply spending time on the water on one's favourite run, making long, graceful casts to the far bank, and smelling a forest coming to life after a long, cold winter are some of the other great experiences that Steelhead fishing offers. Witnessing the sound of a reel as it screams in protest under the pull of a strong fish, and admiring a chrome bright fish brought to hand isn't all that bad either...

Thankfully, Winter seems to be loosening its grip in the Lower Skeena valley, giving way to warmer Spring conditions. Though it's still possible to get those rogue snowstorms in this part of the country as late as early April, the general trend is for warming temperatures and longer daylight hours. Translation: better Steelhead fishing conditions. After a long, cold winter, water temperatures are just a few degrees above freezing and Steelhead can be very sluggish on the Skeena and its tributaries, but as these temperatures increase, so too does the activity of Steelhead.

So, based on the present conditions, what do I anticipate for the early season? Because the Spring season through late March and early May sees some of the most reliable, consistent water flows over the course of the Steelheader's year, and the bulk of the Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring run fish are holding in classic runs and pools, I expect the fishing to be good. On our favourite local river, in most cases, we don't have to guess whether there are Steelhead in a particular run, or not. We know they're there. It just depends on the mood of the fish that day, and if you have the fly or lure that that particular Steelhead wants. Moreover, reports from regional biologists have suggested that when a river's Summer and Fall Steelhead runs are strong, this often correlates with Winter and Spring run fish as well. Given that the 2008 Steelhead run was one of the better ones in the last 5 years suggests that this Spring should provide reliable fishing.

Plus, the last few days that our guides have been out fishing could best be described as "epic." Sky Richard and Cam Thiessen floated a wilderness river a few weeks ago using pontoon boats and Abel crafts, which enabled them to reach waters seldom fished this Winter, and the results were worth the extra effort. Cam landed 3 Steelhead, ranging from chrome bright to lightly coloured, and Sky landed 6 of the 10 Steelhead he hooked. A week later, Dustin landed 2 Steelhead out of the 4 he hooked in a mere 3 hours of spey fishing. One was a smaller hen of 7-8 lbs, and the second of the two bright fish were 14 lbs. With water conditions only improving as we approach our March 22 Spring opener, we look forward to another great season ahead as we provide the very best in guided fishing adventures in Northwestern BC.

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

Chad Black
Operations Manager
Nicholas Dean Lodge
(250) 635-5295
www.nicholasdean.com

484th Fishing Report from Nicholas Dean Lodge

2009-01-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

No, this fish has not been through photoshop! Randy Marshall hooked and landed this monster Chinook Salmon on the Skeena in mid July this year with the help of Nicholas Dean guide, Greg Buck. The fish was esimated to weigh 70 lbs. Nelson Furtado Photo ___________________________________________________________

Hello Anglers,

For the die hard angler who likes to pursue his or her addiction, this winter has not been a good one. For most of December, a cold snap where temperatures reached lows of -25 C was commonplace, making skating and ice hockey a much better and more successful pursuit than river fishing. January snowstorms blanketed Terrace in several feet of snow on numerous occasions and even getting to the river has been a difficult proposition! This is not to say that ice fishing isn't an option - it is, and I've heard some good reports of Cutthroat being caught - but my personal preference would be for catching up on some much needed fly tying to fill the holes in my fly boxes, and dream of days to come where I can launch a long cast over favourite pools, and anticipate the excitement of the grab.

It's also a time for us to reflect back on the fishing we had in 2008, and look forward to the 2009 season. Actually, when sitting down to weigh through my options for a photo for this week's report, I had a difficult time trying to decide which one to choose, owing to the great photos taken by our clients and guides. However, I finally decided to use a photo of Randy Marshall's (of Randy's River Guiding) giant Chinook that he landed in mid July with one of our guides, Greg Buck, for the simple fact that it's a massive fish. At 70 lbs, it's the biggest Chinook I've ever seen, and the story of how this fish was caught only makes it that much more impressive.

Back in the early Summer last year, water conditions were prime on the Skeena from late June all through the month of July during the typical peak Chinook fishing period, and Greg and his son Josh took advantage of this by being on the water nearly everyday. On this particular day, they had been backtrolling on the Skeena River near Terrace with some success, and Randy Marshall decided to join them around mid day. Instead of making their usual backtrolling runs down the river, they decided to back bounce slowly down the river, targeting the deep pools of the Skeena where Chinook like to hold. Having tried back bouncing last year with Dustin, I can say with all honesty that it takes a bit of getting used to, and that my ability to detect strikes needs a little work. Essentially, you attach a heavy lead weight (or lead substitute) to your line via a three way swivel, along with a big chunk of roe and a fluorescent coloured cheater, and you lift and drop this rig off the bottom as the current pushes you downriver. Takes can be very light, so you have to be very attentive - sometimes the only thing you'll feel is your line going slack on the way down.

After starting to back bounce down a favourite run on the Skeena, Randy hooked into what felt like a large fish. Large Chinook have a tendency to test the limits of even heavy action rods and level wind reels, and this fish was no exception. After several large head shakes, the fish sounded and peeled off line as it used the flow of the Skeena to its advantage. To give them the best chance of landing this fish, Greg expertly manoeuvred the boat downriver, following the fish, until he was able to find a good location on shore to get out. Once there, Randy was able to apply enough pressure to tire the fish and work him into the shallows. With what I'm sure was a triumphant moment, Greg netted the fish in one scoop before the fish had a chance to head back to the middle of the river. Afterwards, Greg told me that the fish was so large it was difficult to fit in the net! As they set about taking a few photos of the fish prior to its release, they realized that they were even more fortunate to have landed this fish after inspecting the mouth. Apparently, a large, silver hook was still imbedded in its giant mouth, likely a remnant of a Commercial Salmon fisherman's lines, and caught within the eye of this hook, was Randy's 4/0 Gamakatsu! Now, when you sit down and think of the odds of catching a fish this size, this feat almost defies logic. I mean, what are the chances that after a Chinook made a move for your bait, that you were able to catch the eye of another hook - and have this hook stay in place? I'm sure that Greg, Randy, and Nelson Furtado (the photographer) will not forget this fish anytime soon...

On the heels of a great Chinook season in 2008, we expect the 2009 season to be a fantastic one as well. Whether you prefer to back troll down the mighty Skeena (or back bounce!), or casting spoons on the Kitimat, you can be sure that some of the largest Chinook in the world will be ascending our rivers. Of course, if you're a fly angler looking to hook into these great game fish on the fly, we do have several options for you as well, including fishing on a remote, intimate wilderness river that holds fish up to 70 lbs. To find out more about our Trophy Chinook and Fly Fishing packages, as well as many others, please visit our Pricing and Packages page on our website, at http://www.nicholasdean.com/Pricing.asp.

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

Chad Black
Operations Manager
Nicholas Dean Lodge

A Great Time to Book for 2009!

2009-01-13T14:18:00.000-08:00

With the 2009 fishing season fast approaching, we are gearing up for what looks to be a fantastic season. Starting with our Spring Steelhead and Chinook season, anglers at our lodge will search for large, trophy Steelhead with their favourite flies and lures after a long, cool winter. We all know how tough the winter can be for us die hard anglers, so why not start your fishing season on a high note with one of our trophy Spring Steelhead trips? In most years, the Spring yields the largest fish of the year - fish in excess of 20 lbs. Knowing that the bulk of the Steelhead return - Summer, Fall, Winter, and Early Spring fish - are holding in the pools in front of you is always something to keep in the back of your mind as you search a river's cool waters.

And, particularly for those anglers hailing from south of our border, this is a great time to book a trip. With the favourable exchange rates being what they are, a trip that is normally $3695.00 CDN converts to approximately $3050.00 USD! In all likelihood, this is probably a cheaper rate than what you might have paid in 2008! We still have some space available during our best weeks for Spring Steelhead and our other packages that we offer, including: Trophy Chinook, Summer Steelhead and Salmon, Fall Steelhead and Trophy Coho, and Early Winter Steelhead. As is usually the case, our prime time spaces tend to book quite far in advance, so be sure to contact us at the lodge today to reserve your space during the best fishing!

482nd Weekly Fishing Report from Nicholas Dean Lodge

2008-12-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

NEW for 2009! Beginning April 20, 2009, we will be teaming up with Yellow Cedar Lodge to provide our clients with first class dining and accommodations - a great complement to the diverse angling experiences we already offer! Yellow Cedar Lodge Photo

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Hello Anglers,

This week we are pleased to announce some very exciting news. Actually, we're ecstatic! Beginning April 20, 2009, we will be teaming up with Alf and Simone Leslie of Yellow Cedar Lodge, to provide our clients with the very best in dining and accommodations in northwest British Columbia. Yellow Cedar Lodge is an impressive facility that is situated on the banks of the majestic Skeena River, on the outskirts of Terrace. Here, the lodge sits amidst impressive mountain views and a wilderness setting - an ideal spot for anglers to relax in comfort after a great day of fishing. The lodge itself is appropriately named given its construction of beautifully crafted yellow cedar posts and beams, which give it a unique character and class of its own.

The lodge features a large dining area and adjoining bar, a mixture of private single and double beds with ensuite washrooms, a bar/games room, lounge, gym with cardio equipment and weights, a sauna, hot tub and a large covered porch overlooking the river. Dining is a major highlight at Yellow Cedar Lodge, as Alf is a master Red Seal Chef who goes to great length in providing gourmet, home cooked meals. Using the freshest ingredients, Alf makes home made breads and desserts, and prepares sumptuous meals including wild Salmon and Halibut from the Pacific Ocean, only a short distance away. Look for more information about Yellow Cedar Lodge in upcoming reports, or, visit our blog site at nicholasdean.blogspot.com to see additional photos of this first class facility!

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

Chad Black
Operations Manager
Nicholas Dean Lodge

Introducing Yellow Cedar Lodge!

2008-12-02T15:21:00.000-08:00

Yellow Cedar Lodge is a spectacular facility and we are very excited to be working with its staff, Alf and Simone Leslie, starting April 20 next season. Located right on the banks of the Skeena, Yellow Cedar Lodge provides incredible views of the surrounding coastal BC mountains in a comfortable, log style building that is just minutes away from world class Steelhead and Salmon angling.

From spectacular meals prepared by Alf, a Red Seal Chef, to all the amenities that Yellow Cedar Lodge offers, we are sure that you will enjoy your stay as you search for that trophy Steelhead or Salmon.

Cozy, single and double bed rooms with ensuite washrooms give you a sense of privacy as you relax after a great day's fishing.

After a cool day on the river, you might consider taking advantage of the hot tub at the front of the lodge, or relax for a few minutes in the sauna. The large, wrap around porch is a perfect place to take in the views while enjoying your favourite single malt scotch or cigar. Or, sit down and have a drink in the main bar or in the games room with your fishing buddies.

We are sure that you will enjoy the modern comforts, amenities, and attention to detail that Yellow Cedar Lodge provides. Contact us today for more information on how you can reserve your fishing trip of a lifetime - now with some of the best dining and lodging in the north!

481st Fishing Report from Nicholas Dean Lodge

2008-11-13T20:19:00.000-08:00

An intimate wilderness fishing experience is one of the elements we strive to provide guests, with old growth forests, inspiring mountain views, and wild fish. Here, Jim McDevitt plays a Steelhead taken on a dry fly from a remote river. Dale Bright Photo

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Hello Anglers,

At this time of year, we are in a period of transition, with the brilliant change in fall colours to more subtle tones after a blanket of snow. It also signals the close of our guiding season, as we look forward to and prepare for another successful season only a few short months away. But it is also a time of year when the guides, including myself, get to go fishing. The only "problem" that we are to encounter at this point, is which river and type of fishing to choose from. Within a half hour drive from the lodge, there are several river systems that pull on you, making the choice all the more difficult. On one small, intimate river, we are likely to fish light fly rods with egg flies, to target the numerous Cutthroat, Rainbow and Bull Trout that gorge on the fruit of spawning Coho Salmon. Every once in awhile, one of these "trout" turn into a Steelhead too. Another river, more turbulent and typical of northwest BC rivers, even this late in the season will still give you an opportunity for Steelhead on waking dry flies, if conditions are right (and by that I mean water height and temperature). A different river, larger and more glacial and receives strong runs of late season fish, provides a great opportunity to fish large, 5 inch flies on heavy sink tips for Steelhead that push and often well exceed the 20 lb mark.

Then, there's the Skeena itself - still quite large by most standards - but a fraction of its size during average Summer flows. Here, you might find a pod of trophy Cutthroat trout, as my brother Chris and I did last year, or you might find a few Steelhead, chrome bright, waiting along its edges temporarily before shooting up into a tributary river. More often that not, I do find myself reaching for my 9140 Spey rod, a powerful Burkheimer blank that helps throw my favourite offerings into deep, secluded boulder fields and slower moving tailouts. There's just something to be said about the enjoyment of stretching out with the double handed rod, whether it's a 40 ft cast or 100 ft cast, making that ever important first mend to set up the swing, and following through in anticipation. You have to sort through a variety of different factors to get to this point - which pool might fish best given the water height and clarity, proper placement in the pool, how deep you want to fish your fly, the type of fly itself. A large fly would certainly move the most water and invoke the attention of a resting Steelhead, but it might also spook them if they've been fished over a few times. It is choices like these that make Steelhead fishing so alluring - searching, trying to find the answers, and there's only one thing to be certain - that it will be different each time you step into the river. Being in the position I'm in has allowed me to fish with and learn from some of the best anglers around, particularly our guides. Not only is their first-hand knowledge of the water and fish second to none, they are also very good teachers and have taught me both by example and by observation. In this light, it is certainly evident why guests almost always rave about our guides.

Personal reflections aside, I must say that it has been a very successful year for us, and this is directly attributable to you - our clients. It is a priviledge and honour to be able to take you out on our favourite rivers, share in the wilderness experiences to be found there, and enjoy the camaraderie that always seems to stem from an enjoyable day of fishing. As we look ahead to the 2009 season, we will continue providing our first class service and dedication to a profession that we all love, and we hope that you'll consider joining us. Whether it's swinging large flies for Spring Steelhead, backtrolling for Chinook on the mighty Skeena, waking a dry fly over boulder studded runs, or sight fishing to fresh pods of Coho Salmon, we'll undoubtedly have a package or style of fishing that you will enjoy.

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

Chad Black

Operations Manager

Promotion for the 2009 Season ~ Update

2008-10-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-10T05:59:00.001-07:00

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

2008-10-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

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

SkeenaWild Sockeye Salmon

2008-09-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

Here at Nicholas Dean Lodge, we are all in support of selective commercial fisheries that promote the conservation of Steelhead, Coho and other non-target species. So when we recently heard that SkeenaWild Conservation Trust [a conservation-based group that encourages economic and ecologic sustainability within the Skeena watershed] was developing a pilot project for selling selectively harvested smoked Sockeye Salmon from the Skeena River, we had to jump on board. If you would like to purchase fresh Sockeye from SkeenaWild, be sure to contact us here at the lodge at (250) 635-5295 or chadblack@nicholasdean.com. Cost is $26.75 USD per fillet, with a minimum of 4 fillets per order. For more information on SkeenaWild, please go to: http://www.skeenawild.org/ .

Promotion for the 2009 Season!

2008-09-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

For those anglers who have thought about casting their favourite fly or lure in some of the most hallowed Steelhead and Salmon rivers in the world, this is your chance! Nicholas Dean Lodge is now offering a promotion for the 2009 season. In addition to having first choice for the best weeks in 2009, securing a deposit with the lodge prior to October 15, 2008 will enable you to book your trip for next year at the 2008 rates. With rising fuel and operational costs being what they are, the rates will be increasing for the 2009 season and will apply after October 15, 2008. Be sure to take advantage of this special pricing today by contacting the lodge at (250) 635-5295 or chadblack@nicholasdean.com . jeffbright.com photo

Trophy Summer Steelhead on the Skeena

2008-08-18T12:59:00.000-07:00

Chris Gilles and Chad Black pose with a chrome bright, trophy Summer Steelhead landed on the Skeena River early last week. It is now prime time for these large, strong fish and, because of ideal water temperatures, are often the "hottest" fish of the year. Noel Gyger Photo
Chris joined us this year for the first time as part of our Skeena Camp - a camp that is ideally situated on the banks of the Skeena River to intercept the strong runs of Summer Steelhead and Salmon that migrate upstream each year. With the ability to hook into Steelhead and all Salmon species, including Coho, Sockeye, Pink, Chinook and Chum, the camp is a fisherman's paradise where you can fish from early in the morning to late into the evening at your leisure. For more information, be sure to check out our Skeena Camp package and the incredible Summer Steelhead and Salmon fishing available this time of year on our website, http://www.nicholasdean.com/. Noel Gyger Photo

Skeena Steelhead Conservation

2008-07-29T23:01:00.000-07:00

I didn't really expect to catch much when I decided to go fishing last Saturday, rather, I viewed it as an opportunity to practise my double spey casting techniques and to enjoy the steady step and cast of steelhead fly fishing as I worked down through the run. As fate would have it though, a magnificent Steelhead decided to grace her presence and took my black and blue tube fly for a good run. It was not a large fish, at 6 or 7 lbs, but it held some significance - it was my first Summer Steelhead of the year, and for lack of a better phrase, it made my day. What did distract from my overall experience with this fish, however, was the net marks seen on its flank - areas where its shimmering scales were ripped off -a common occurrence seen on steelhead during the peak of the commercial fishing season.

To date, the return of summer steelhead to the Skeena River and its tributaries has been above average, and our fishing thus far has seemed to reflect this. Whether plunking on the lower river, or fly fishing our favourite riffles and pools, there seem to be fishable numbers of steelhead and, optimistically, we hope that this trend continues into late summer and fall. However, commercial fishing interests seem intent on maximizing the extraction of enhanced sockeye salmon to the detriment of other non-target species, most notably steelhead and summer run coho salmon.

It's the same old story - one of blatant ingnorance of the very principles that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) themselves created to minimize the impacts on steelhead and other non-target species. And while I could go on about all the bureaucracy, political interference and lack of enforcement that seems to surround commercial fishing each year, rambling or complaining to like minded individuals might not change things much. By forming a united stand on these issues and taking action though, we can have a positive influence on steelhead and salmon in the Skeena. In case you haven't done so already, I highly recommend joining and supporting the North Coast Steelhead Alliance (NCSA) - a group whose voice continually fights for the preservation and conservation of these wild fish. The NCSA can be reached via their website at www.ncsteelheadalliance.ca. Also, for timely and up to date information regarding the commercial and tyee test fishery this season, be sure to check out the NCSA blog site at www.skeenafisheriesblog.blogspot.com.

Nicholas Dean Lodge Weekly Fishing Report - No. 478

2008-07-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

Backtrolling plugs can make for a long day when you're on the oars, but it all comes together when you see results like this. Here, my brother Craig and his girlfriend Abby pose with their first BC Chinook Salmon, a 25 lb Kitimat hen.

Chad Black Photo

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Hello Anglers,

About the only thing that I can say right now about fishing is that it's very very good. The Skeena, Kitimat, and other tributary rivers are fishing very well for Trophy Chinook, and Sockeye Salmon are being caught in good numbers on the Skeena. Essentially, our Summer fishing began in early June, and has only improved as water levels have reached ideal heights and clarity, and Salmon runs have continue to build. Needless to say, when the fishing is as good as it has been, you have to pick and choose which fish stories to tell - not necessarily an easy thing to do when there are several!

Let's start with the story of my little brother Craig and his girlfriend Abby, who were visiting me in late June. After doing a little sight seeing on their first day and getting used to the change in time zones, we made plans to wake up at 4:00 am and be on the road by 4:30. Though getting up this early in the morning can be a little painful later in the evening and sometimes the day after, it's worth it to ensure that you get to the river first, as you are able work through some of your favourite pools before other anglers. Besides, sunrise was around 4:30 am, so it was already light out anyways. As we drifted down a shallow stretch and approached the first pool, I was getting excited. Both Craig and Abby hadn't really experienced "west coast fishing," big Salmon, and long, hard fights, and I was hoping that we'd at least hook into a few fish so that they would understand why I get so excited about the fishing out here.

After casting spoons into some of my favourite pools and seams without any signs of fishy life, we decided to change tactics. Though I'd never "pulled plugs" (also known as backtrolling) before, I had watched Sky on more than a few occasions and at least had an idea of what to do. So, for the next long run, I decided that we'd send out a fluorescent yellow and orange Kwikfish, as well as a Hot Shot, and row them back into some of the preferred Salmon holding lies. I'm not going to lie - it took a little getting used to - figuring out how to slow the boat down, using each oar stroke to your advantage so that you weren't overexerting yourself - but after awhile, it started to make sense and I could see the plugs were reaching bottom by looking at the rod tips.

We didn't hook anything at this first pool, but as we reeled in the lines and prepared to drift to the next run, I saw a good-sized Chinook roll on the opposite side of the river. There wasn't a lot of time to tack the boat over, but the fact that we saw a fish roll was a good incentive. After scrambling to reach the far side, Craig and Abby expertly sent the plugs drifting down river, and I tried my best to manoeuvre the plus tight to the logs where I'd seen the fish. As I double checked my positioning, I looked back at Abby's rod, only to see that it was keeled over, rod pumping, as the drag on the reel began to scream! Now, you have to understand that when you have a fishless morning and the first bite of the day comes, adrenaline often gets the better of you. I started screaming "grab the rod, grab the rod," but unfortunately, Abby's fingers had gotten caught in the rod holder. With Craig on the other side of the boat, he had to scramble over top of Abby, get the rod out and set the hook before the fish got away, as I was continually hollering (hey, us "guides" get excited too!). Somehow, the hook held after this melee, and as the fish surged upstream towards a sunken log, Craig responded by directing the fish away from the log and downstream where it would be easier to land the fish. After finding refuge in a slower back eddy, Craig and I were able to get out of the boat and play the fish on solid ground. Amidst a lot of whining that his arms were sore, Craig was actually doing a good job playing the fish, and it was beginning to tire. Waiting for an opportunity to net the fish head first, my chance eventually came and I seized the opportunity, breathing a sigh of relief and a yell of excitement at the same time.

Both Craig and Abby were ecstatic at landing this fish, and I was too. It was a gorgeous Chinook, about 25 lbs, and still bearing sea lice. That they landed a great fish like this after an epic battle will no doubt stay with them for a long time. To this day, they both argue about whose Salmon it was - it was hooked on Abby's rod but Craig played and landed the fish - but, in the end, I'm sure what will remain is the common bond, friendship and experience that rivers, fishing, and the outdoors bestow upon us.

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

Chad Black
Operations Manager

Nicholas Dean Lodge Weekly Fishing Report - No. 477

2008-06-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

Chinook fishing was EPIC in a few select pools of a local river yesterday - here, Sky is in awe as he cradles a chrome 40 lb fish. If you think this fish is large or put up a strong fight, you should have seen the one that got away! Chad Black Photo

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Hello Anglers,

Every once in awhile as an angler, you need to "throw caution to the wind" and simply get out fishing no matter the conditions, and sometimes you'll be pleasantly surprised. Well, in my case, yesterday happened to be one of those days. Last week had previously been a tough one for clients on our rivers, owing to low, clean conditions on the Kitimat and high water on the main channel Skeena. Not much had really changed yesterday, and in days before, as we hadn't received any appreciable amount of rain. Still, I had made plans to fish with Sky Richard and wanted to stick with them, even just to get out for a pleasant day of fishing. Early in the day (as in 4 am early!), Sky and I spoke about the conditions we were likely to be facing, and he suggested if we hooked any fish at all, he would be surprised. Not to be discouraged, we launched our drift boat and set off towards the first pool, likely before others had even entertained the idea of getting up for work. Whether this was an omen of what was to come, we couldn't be sure, but as we stepped out of the boat and rigged our spoons, we saw a Chinook roll in a smooth seam on the far bank. We began working our spoons through this seam, and through other likely areas, and after about 10 minutes of fishing, I felt my spoon stop half way through its drift. Setting hard on the hook, the Chinook began a strong, dogged fight with several short runs through the pool, but with one last headshake, the fish spit the hook. This was definitely not the outcome I was hoping for, but was a good start to the day. Since we knew that fish were in this pool, Sky changed tactics and began bottom bouncing through the deep trough at the head of the run, and was rewarded when a strong fish hit his hoochie. Unfortunately, his outcome was the same as mine - his line went slack and the fish was gone. Having worked through this run quite hard, we set out towards a few other pools, with a renewed sense of enthusiasm at the prospect of seeing more fresh fish.

Wanting to gain some experience on the oars, I had volunteered to row the Clackacraft, and it was a relaxing way to see the river as Sky fished through its many pockets. Coming around a sharp corner, we saw a run that looked picture perfect for holding Chinook: a long riffle dumped into its head, creating a deep slot near the top, followed by a smooth uniform flow through to the tailout. Perhaps more importantly, there was a particularly fast section of water below the run, and fish would have to rest after passing through it, giving us a good chance at connecting with any migrating Salmon. I had just released the anchor when we both saw it - a large fish roll on the surface half way down the pool. Hands shaking, I unhooked my spoon and Sky gave me the opportunity to fish through the run first. The cast and slight wobble of the retrieve was intoxicating, as at any time through the swing, a huge Chinook could be following or ready to pounce on the spoon. Before I'd had a chance to work through the whole stretch, I heard Sky holler "here's one!" He had fished in behind me, again with a bottom bouncing rig, and this slower, more subtle presentation seemed to be key. But, just as the fight started quickly, it also ended quickly. It was shaping up to be a repeat of last year's trip, where we hooked a number of fish but only landed a fraction of them.

I didn't even get my spoon back in the water before Sky was already into another fish, and this time the hook held. After clambering back to the drift boat over several logs to retrieve my camera, I managed to snap a few photos of Sky fighting the fish. Being up on a high bank also allowed me to have a higher vantage point to see the fight play out, so when the fish rolled on its side and revealed its true extent, I got excited. It was easily a 40 lb fish, and Sky knew it as well. From this point on, it was tense, as we both wanted to land this fish badly. Unfortunately, in our haste to get to the river early, we had inadvertently forgotten to bring a landing net, so we had to improvise. There was a beach right below where I was standing and, given the nasty logjams below, seemed like the best place to land the fish. After several episodes of Sky bringing the fish in and it making a few last runs, I managed to tail the fish near the beach. Exhausted, but excited, Sky noticed the hook fall out right away and admired the fish for a few moments, as I furiously shot some photos. As we saw it swim away in the shallows, we both couldn't help but be amazed at how thick the fish was across the back. It wasn't until we started back at the top of the run, however, that we realized just how lucky we were in landing the fish. Sky checked his hook to make sure it was still sharp, only to find that the hook point and half the bend was broken off! Looking back, he figured that the first fish either broke the hook or came off because of the hook bend. So, the fact that he landed a 40 lb Chinook on half a hook, after an intense 15 minute battle is incredible and definitely unlikely! I'll chalk that one up to the horseshoe that Sky seems to have surrounding him, and will add this to the growing number of interesting "Sky stories..."

If this wasn't memorable enough, my day got even better after this. You see, I've been determined to at least hook a Chinook on a fly or Spey rod, and given that we'd seen two fish hooked and three others roll on the surface, figured that this would be as good a chance as any to target Chinook with a fly. Using a large fly known to a select few clients as the "Black Rainbow," I worked through the top of the run, quartering my casts slightly upstream, and allowed my fly to swing through the deep pocket in front of me. As I worked downstream, I could feel my sink tip touch the bottom every once in awhile, so I knew that the fly was where it needed to be. With the smooth, more "fly-friendly" water in front of me, I swung my fly towards the shore closest to me, and just like the first fish I'd hooked on the spoon, my fly and line stopped dead in the water. Pinching the running line down on the cork, I anchored my line firmly and set the hook, fully expecting chaos afterwards. Just as I expected, this was the case. Somehow, my running line had found its way around the back of my head, and with a fresh Chinook in front of me, I knew it was only going to be a matter of time before the line tightened! Scrambling like a mad man, I knocked my hat in the water, fumbled with my jacket and fleece, and finally managed to free my line before the Chinook went on a 60 foot run. I was in my element, and Sky seemed to be just as excited as I was at seeing a Chinook on the fly. Without getting into too many details, the fish, like most Chinook, fought well and admirably so until Sky had it tailed on the beach. It wasn't quite as big as Sky's (which I was somewhat thankful for later on, as I didn't want to lose my fly line!), but the 20 lb Chinook in front of me was chrome, fresh, and still bearing sea lice, and one of the nicest fish I've ever seen. You have to appreciate it when something like this comes together, and I realized just how lucky I was.

As if this weren't enough, there was more to come. Sky landed another huge fish in the 40-42 lb range, which fought even harder than his first, and lost another that could have possibly been 50 lbs. I'll save these stories for another time though...be sure to check out next week's report!

All in all, it was a tough day to beat. We hooked into some absolutely gorgeous Chinook, the biggest I've seen yet, but we wouldn't have done so unless we were attentive to the conditions, and able to adapt our fishing techniques to each pool. With the low, clear water, the Chinook weren't willing to hit spoons in the "glory pool," but readily attacked a hoochie bounced slowly off the bottom. This just goes to show that having a willingness to change your tactics if necessary is, in effect, the hallmark of a good fisherman. You learn something new every day on the water if you pay close enough attention, and when you fish with some of our great guides like Sky, the learning curve seems to be that much shorter...

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

Chad Black
Operations Manager
www.nicholasdean.com/
chadblack@nicholasdean.com
(250) 635-5295

Fly Fishing for Giant Chinook

2008-06-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

Fly fishing for giant Chinook on the Skeena River and its tributaries is, simply, a fun sport. Like most other forms of fishing, you have to know your quarry well, where they swim, some of their behavioural tendencies, and of course have the right tackle to pursue them. Guide Jeff Langley (pictured above) and I recently spent an afternoon targeting these fish, and though they were, for the most part, elusive, Jeff did manage to tangle with one briefly for a few moments before the giant Chinook was able to spit the fly. Today I wanted to take a few moments to describe my choice of tackle and tactics for fly fishing for Chinook in the Lower Skeena region.

To start off with, I used a 9143 Burkheimer Spey Rod that was wrapped by Martin Walker of Wind River Fly Rods. This rod is extremely powerful and has the necessary backbone to cast heavy lines and large flies, and subdue all but the largest Chinook. As with Steelhead fly fishing, my favourite reel is an Islander FR4, which has the capacity to hold 250 yards of backing, plus long, thick Spey lines. Though in most conditions I prefer longer belly lines such as mid-Speys, the Airflo Northwest Skagit was ideal for casting the 4 and 5 inch flies to Chinook. Depending on the water depth and speed, I favoured using lead core sink tips in lengths of 7.5 to 12.5 ft, from the Nicholas Dean Descension Sink Tip System. Having different lengths of lead core enabled me to adjust the drift of my fly to ensure that I was consistently in the Chinook strike zone, but always just off the bottom. Maxima ultragreen, in 15 or 20 lb test was my preferred tippet.

Chinook flies can take on several different forms, but one thing tends to remain: the flies are usually, large, very colourful and have lots of flash. If you were to take a look at my fly box below, in particular, you would see flies ranging from 3 to 6 inches, and the majority of these would be chartreuse, orange, blue, pink, purple, black, or some combination of each. The materials making up these flies are predominantly marabou and flash, which move a lot in the water and tend to work better than more rigid flies.

For determining the best holding water, look for a stretch of long, fast pocket water that is followed by a smoother, slower moving run. Like all migratory species, Chinook rest after negotiating a rough section of water, and it is in these slower pools and runs that they are most susceptible to flies. Within these slower runs, look for an inside seam which is slower than the main current. Indeed, when Jeff and I first arrived at a similar run, we saw a fish porpoise right away on the current seam, indicating that there were at least a few fish around. Just be sure that when you hook into one of these giant Chinook, you aren't afraid of sprinting a long ways down a bar...

Nicholas Dean Lodge Promotions

2008-06-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

Chinook Salmon have long been called the "King" of Salmon, and for very good reason. These fish are the largest of the Pacific Salmonids, and can reach weights of 100 lbs or more. Science has shown that the largest of these species, for some unknown reason, spend an extra year in the Ocean, giving them more time to feed and grow. The Skeena River, in particular, is blessed with a robust run of these large multi year fish and, as a result, can provide some of the very best Chinook fishing in the world. And, because these massive fish are concentrated in the margins of the river, you have a better chance of hooking into a trophy here than anywhere else. So if you've ever considered going on a trip for large, tackle busting fish, and you have some holiday time booked off this year in June or July, this is your opportunity. We are now offering a 5% discount off the regular main lodge package rates for the following weeks:

~ June 29 to July 5, 2008
~ July 6 to 12, 2008
~ July 13 to 19, 2008

These dates are set in the middle of our prime time Chinook fishing season, and we expect that the remaining spaces will fill up quickly. Contact me at the lodge at (250) 635-5295 or email me at chadblack@nicholasdean.com to reserve your space today. For more information on our Trophy Chinook package, please click here.

Who knows, you could be the next angler in line to set one of the "Nicholas Dean Lodge 2008 Records," or, better yet, a world record...

Nicholas Dean Lodge Weekly Fishing Report - No. 476

2008-06-12T16:24:00.000-07:00

Hello Anglers,

I'm happy to report that I can finally say, "hello from sunny Terrace, BC." It's been an unusually cool spring this year, so having several warm, sunny days in a row has been a definite plus. The delay in warmer weather has also had its own implications, however, as it appears that the early runs of Summer Chinook Salmon that typically appear in late May and early June are late in arriving. Over the weekend, and for several days this week, we had clients out fishing on the Skeena and Kitimat Rivers, and though a few fish were caught, it's been slow fishing for this time of year. The Skeena River still remains high even though its levels are dropping, and was borderline fishable last week. The the Kitimat was at the opposite end of the spectrum. Owing to its relatively small watershed when compared to the Skeena drainage, the Kitimat tends to rise and fall faster than the Skeena, so conditions between the two rivers are often quite different. Last week, the Kitimat was low, clean and dropping - not necessarily the best conditions for bringing fresh Chinook in from the Ocean. However, Ron Wakita of City Centre Hardware in Kitimat, has mentioned that there have been some higher than normal tides, which should bring more fresh fish into the rivers. Moreover, with all the rain forecast for the weekend, flows in the Kitimat will likely rise and bring with it a wave of fish waiting in the Douglas Channel harbour. And, as the season progresses, the Chinook run will continue to build, and provide more reliable fishing for anglers wanting to feel the headshakes of a heavy fish...

Over the last week, we've also had a few "celebrities" in our boats. Gionata Paolicchi, a renowned journalist and writer from Italy, as well as famous soccer player, Ighli Vanucchi, joined our friend and Italian booking agent, Stefano Gay, of Le Reve House Adventures (www.lerevehouseadventure.com), for 4 days of fishing. Gionata has been an avid angler throughout his lifetime, and has written for several different magazines in Italy. Ighli is a famous midfielder and also team captain for Empoli, and fishing just so happens to be his favourite pastime when not training or playing soccer. Both anglers were successful in hooking into Chinook last week on the Ocean and in the Kitimat. After a slow first day of fishing on the Skeena, we arranged for them to fish with guide Wes Owen aboard his boat in Douglas Channel, and Ighli started the day off right by landing a 28 lb chrome Chinook. Not long after, Gionata followed up with another Chinook around 20 lbs. When Chinook Salmon are bright and in good physical condition, they are renowned for their fight whether it is in the Ocean, or the river, and this day was no exception. When I picked up Gionata, Ighli, Stefano and group in Kitimat, you could tell that they felt a little more rejuvenated after having a successful day on the Ocean, and tying into Chinook for which the northwest is well known for.

On a different note, you never really know what a day of fishing can bring, whether it's the number of fish caught, or other rare, humourous expriences. After having dinner one night, I asked Stefano if the group had had a chance to take some good photos. In response, Gionata picked up his laptop and we started going through several of the photos. There were some great pictures of fish and of the group, scenic river shots, and panoramas, but there were a few pictures of a bald eagle that caught my eye. Earlier that day on the Kitimat, one of the guests had been fishing a spoon, and a small trout had been hooked. Without warning, this particular bald eagle swooped down to the river's edge and scooped up the trout in its talons and flew off. Well, it's not every day that you see this happen, but it's even more rare to actually see your line flying through the air! With the hook from the spoon still embedded in the trout's mouth, it was a precarious situation, as you certainly didn't want the hook to come out of the fish and into the eagle. So, Sky decided to take action, and I will always have the picture that followed etched into my mind. On a large gravel bar, Sky is holding a stout Chinook spinning rod, which is bent quite heavily down to the cork, and at the other end of the photo, a large eagle is flying desperately in the opposite direction, trying to get away from the force that is pulling on its prized catch. Luckily, for both the eagle and Sky and the guests, the eagle dropped the fish and wasn't hooked. I guess you never really know what to expect on a day of fishing...

If you are interested in receiving the Nicholas Dean Lodge Weekly Fishing Report directly, you can sign up by clicking here.

Until next week, tight lines and screaming reels.

Chad Black
Operations Manager
Nicholas Dean Lodge
http://www.nicholasdean.com/
chadblack@nicholasdean.com
(250) 635-5295

Introduction to Nicholas Dean Lodge in the Lower Skeena Region

2008-06-11T16:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Nicholas Dean Lodge blog site! Here, you will find a wealth of information pertaining to the world record Salmon and Steelhead of the Lower Skeena Region near Terrace, British Columbia. Weekly fishing reports, high quality pictures of Salmon and Steelhead, and conservation issues will be just a few of the many features of this blog.

Nicholas Dean Lodge is focused on providing expert guiding services on the Skeena River and its tributaries, including the Copper River, Kalum River, Kitimat River, and other remote coastal rivers. Whether your fishing preference is for Steelhead fly fishing or Salmon conventional fishing, or anything in between, you will likely find this blog to be a good source of topical information for the Lower Skeena watershed. Be sure to check back frequently!