Summer Steelhead on the Skeena - late August Update

Fishing this past week has been productive on the mainstem Skeena.  While overall numbers of Salmon have started to drop off, there's a few more of these chrome bullets around...

Fishing on the mainstem Skeena this past week has been rewarding for our clients, with many bright, chrome fish to 20 lbs landed.  Clients Yves and Claude travelled all the way from New Caledonia in the south Pacific to fish with us for the first time, and they left very happy indeed, having fulfilled their dream of catching their first Steelhead!  Their best day was eight Steelhead hooked, though as with most days, one to three was the average and in-line with expectations.  Yves even lost a monster 25 lb Steelhead mid week that straightened out his hook!  The reality is that you need more than a little luck to land fish of this size on the mainstem Skeena, as these fish are incredibly strong and know how to use the Skeena's heavy currents to their advantage.  Look for more photos on our third week at the Skeena Camp in our next post...

A bright hen for Claude

Armed with a full arsenal of rods, Claude fished the highly unique Zpey rods last week and did quite well on the mainstem Skeena.

Yves with a nice Summer run Coho

A great mid teens fish for Yves - well done!

30 lb Skeena Steelhead!

Josh Buck and his 30 lb Steelhead landed on the Skeena River!  Well done, Josh, this is most certainly a lifetime fish!  Mike Bartlett Photo

With Steelhead numbers at the mouth of the Skeena River this year estimated to be nearly double that of the 10 year average, you could say that we have the makings of an excellent Steelhead return this year.  Josh Buck is certainly off to a great start, having landed this 30 lb Steelhead on the mainstem Skeena earlier this week!  When you're fishing the Skeena system, it's prudent (and exciting!) to always keep it in the back of your mind that fish of this size - and sometimes larger - can be migrating past you at any point in time...