Nicholas Dean now on Facebook!

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!

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

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

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!

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

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!

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!