Estuary Coho - An Angling Adventure...

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

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!

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!

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

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

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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!

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!

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!