SkeenaWild Sockeye Salmon

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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...