The photo of the week shows a beautifully posed, springtime Steelhead landed on a fly. Photo courtesy on Nicholas Dean Lodge
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Noel Gyger - Guided Fishing Adventures and Weekly Fishing Report
4012 Best Street, Terrace, B.C. V8G 5R8, Canada
Tel/Fax: (250) 635-2568
Cell: (250) 631-2678
E-mail: noel@noelgyger.ca
Home page: www.noelgyger.ca
Fishing Reports: www.noelgyger.ca/past-fishing-reports.htm
RECORD SALMON & STEELHEAD Spin or fly-fishing
RIVER, LAKE, STREAM or OCEAN!!!
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Noel Gyger - WEEKLY FISHING REPORT dated May 6 – May 13, 2007
Dear Fishing Friends:
Weather and water conditions are good. Most rivers are fishing well. Isolated coastal Rivers are fishing very well for Steelhead and the Kalum is fishing well for Steelhead and Chinook (King) Salmon. Even took a Chinook on the fly this week, can't get much better than that.
Even though it is late in the spring season, May is "prime time" to fish for Steelhead on the Kitimat River. You still have some fresh fish coming-in and spawned fish going-out. A fair number of Chinook are entering the river now also. Steelhead and Chinook can be caught on the same day. More details below.
I have updated reports again from Ron Wakita, Craig Murray and Chad Black and I have added reports on new waters now that the Chinook are coming.
In general, the fishing is good and I was really leaning toward saying excellent.
If I can be of service to find you the "best" guided fishing adventure let me know. Cast here to check out more of what I have to offer: http://noelgyger.ca/special-guided.htm
Be sure to check out my website at www.noelgyger.ca for more info on my history, Quality Waters Strategy, special guided fishing trips, video clips, scenic river photos, wildlife photos and others, comments from past guests, informational articles and archived fishing reports from 1996 through 2002. I hope it meets with your entire satisfaction.
CURRENT REPORT and summary for Skeena and Tributaries:
TYPE OF FISH CAUGHT: Steelhead and Chinook (King) Salmon
Thank you for using barbless hooks.
FISHING THIS WEEK:
POOR FAIR GOOD* EXCELLENT
LARGEST FISH OF THE WEEK: Specie: (fair estimate) 30-pound Chinook (King) Salmon Where: Kalum River Angler: Jim Johnson
WEATHER: Sunny with cloudy periods. Highs to 16 degree C. Region normal: Max. Temp. 17 degree C. Min. Temp. 5 degree C. Sunrise 5:33 am Sunset 9:28 pm
WEATHER REPORTS VIA TELEPHONE: Environment Canada taped messages constantly updated, giving current conditions and three day forecasts. Terrace 250-635-4192 Kitimat 250-632-7864 Prince Rupert 250-627-1155 Smithers 250-847-1958.
For current Terrace weather information please cast on:
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/cities/can/pages/CABC0292.htm?ref=wxbtnold
WATER CONDITIONS: fair to good on most rivers except for the main stem Skeena which is basically chocolate brown. This is normal for this time of year. The spring melt off has begun, hopefully it comes off in an orderly manner. This should bring more BIG Chinook.
SNOW CONDITIONS: some snow still exists where the guides like to" walk and wade" clients into isolated rivers…but it's melting fast.
CURRENT WATER HEIGHTS FOR:
SKEENA RIVER:
http://scitech.pyr.ec.gc.ca/waterweb/fullgraph.asp?stnid=08EF001
KITIMAT RIVER:
http://scitech.pyr.ec.gc.ca/waterweb/fullgraph.asp?stnid=08FF002
FISHING REPORT FROM NICHOLAS DEAN LODGE FOR THIS WEEK:
So far this spring, we have generally been very lucky with the weather and our rivers. The fishing has been incredible at times, and other times challenging, but at least we have not had to deal with a lot of rivers being blown out. Typically, the weather here has been warm during the day, but cool at night, which has further delayed the onset of melting from the snow-pack. Having fished a small coastal river in the Nass Watershed last week, I can begin to appreciate just how high the rivers might actually rise, as one coastal river still had between 4 and 6 feet of snow!
Presently though, the fishing has still remained somewhat productive, depending on your method of choice. Fly fishers have been having a difficult time putting "numbers on the board," and it seems that the average is about 1 to 2 hookups per day for Steelhead and/or Spring Chinook. However, for those anglers more interested in using conventional gear and techniques, such as float fishing or back trolling, it has been easier to hook into numbers of fish each day. On the whole, the largest Steelhead landed last week was a fish of 15 lbs landed by Jeff Bright, and a Chinook landed by Bob Cusick of 40 lbs.
The above photo shows an early run Chinook (King) Salmon caught, landed and released on a fly by Jim Johnson. His guide Dustin Kovacvich is helping to pose the fish. Photo credit goes to Tom Wendell Thank you Tom.
Note from Noel: since Dustin is such a big guy he makes the fish look small. After much discussion, by the catcher and a witness on site, this fish was estimated to weigh around 30-pounds…and fishermen are NOT liars…as we all know.
As mentioned last week, it is expected that Steelhead fishing will continue to slow down a little as the rest of the spawning fish return to the Oceans once more, but the mounting Spring Chinook run should provide good sport for both fly angler and conventional fishers alike.
Until next week, tight lines and screaming reels…
Chad Black
Operations Manager
Nicholas Dean Lodge…where every cast is an adventure!
SKEENA RIVER: the river is dropping but the water is still dirty and really not fishable. This is normal for this time of year. If we get lucky with the weather, the water will continue to drop and clean-up enough so we can start to fish for the bright, fresh Chinook (King) Salmon that are migrating through the system now.
KALUM RIVER: has an "excellent" run of Steelhead. Chinook (King) Salmon are also available in good numbers. Catching both Steelhead and Chinook on the same day is great fun! The water is rising slowly but staying in fishable shape. Having a big lake at the head end helps keep the water clarity stable.
This is a Classified River year round and can be guided from March 15 through October 15 only. The Steelhead record is 32-pounds. To see a photo of this fish cast to: http://noelgyger.ca/records/Record003.jpg The angler is Dennis Therrien.
This is the river where I helped land a fish on May 24, 1983 that changed my life and got me interested in the guiding industry. I wrote an article about this fish and it can be read on my website at: http://www.noelgyger.ca/articles/Articles-LANDING-A-RECORD-CHINOOK-by-Noel.doc
Here is a brief excerpt:
"We could hardly believe it, we had landed the big fish. Jim tried to pick it up, but it was too heavy, or else he was too tired. We skidded it back to the boat. As we headed back upstream to where the play had started, we celebrated. This Chinook was weighed on legal scales at 1 a.m. Tuesday morning. The Kalum River record, 83-pound 8-oz. was the result."
To this very day I have never seen such a big fish again.
To continue to conserve these special, beautiful big fish you must release the big ones over 65 centimeters in the early season. You may retain the smaller ones.
KASIKS RIVER: It is now possible to fish for Chinook at the mouth, in the clean seam, where it joins the Skeena. Sometimes, the Chinook come out of the Skeena and into the clean water in search for scent of their home river.
EXCHAMSIKS RIVER: Same as above, it is now possible to fish for Chinook in the clean seam.
EXTEW RIVER: Same as above, it is now possible to fish for Chinook in the clean seam.
Note: the above three rivers are closed to angling for Chinook except at the very low end. Please check 2005 – 2007 BC Freshwater Salmon Supplement (fancy name for regulations) at: www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish for details.
ZYMOETZ (COPPER) RIVER: is closed now for angling (as of December 31, 2006 above the lower canyon) to protect the "wintering over" wild Steelhead. Spring fishing is still available on the lower end below the canyon. Like other Skeena tributaries, the Chinook will start coming in.
OCEAN FISHING PRINCE RUPERT: May 10. Hello Noel, sorry for not responding sooner but to tell you the truth I've been too busy catching fish, the springs are here in a big way, yesterday we boated 10 before 9 am, all in the high 20's, and today we landed a 40 pounder, 30 pounder and 6 in the mid 20's, the Halibut are hot too, we landed two 80 pounders and multiple others in the mid 30 's, the weather has been cool but calm, so to sum it up the fishing in Rupert is UNREEL...........
calm waters.............
RandyJanzen Unreal Charters
A summary of what is available year round can be read in the Archived Fishing Report dated April 13, 1997. For a direct link cast here: http://noelgyger.ca/archived-fishing-reports/Old%20Fishing%20Reports%201997.doc
AREA RIVER RECORDS: Chinook Salmon: Skeena River, 92.5-pounds; Kalum River, 85-pounds; Kitimat River, 74-pounds; Steelhead: Skeena River, 45-pounds; Coho Salmon: Skeena River, 27-pounds.
CURRENT REPORT and summary for Northern Coastal Rivers:
KITIMAT RIVER: I had the pleasant opportunity last Saturday to fish with two of the best Reps in the Fishing Tackle industry, Dave Haddad and Chris Seipio. Dave is the Sales Rep for Redl Sports Distributors and Chris represents Loomis, Springbrook, Airflo, Ross reels and many others. Both are not only great reps but also exceptional anglers.
Fishing with the level of fishing talents that Chris and Dave possess provided a great opportunity to accomplish the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown is a personal challenge that I have to catch a Steelhead on a fly, a Steelhead on a hot shot and a Steelhead on tackle all on the same drift. We only drifted half a day but managed to hook five Steelhead but only landed one.
We accomplished hooking Steelhead with two legs of the Triple Crown, one on fly and four on tackle but only landed one of the Steelhead hooked on hot-shot. Congratulations Dave. After Dave and Chris finished their portion of the drift, Doug Rumley, a personal fishing buddy continued the drift. We hooked and landed a Steelhead on the hotshot leg of the Triple Crown. Good Job Doug!
Mike Herzberg and Steve Brady drifted on Wednesday (May 9th) and hooked five Steelhead, landing four. They also hooked four Chinook, landing two.
Mike Herzberg is a guide for my guide company, Reliable Guide and Charters Ltd. We are fortunate to have such a gifted angler and great fishing personality working with us. Mike has perfected a technique fishing with jet divers that produces exceptional results as demonstrated by the fish count on Wednesday's drift. Congratulations Steve and Mike on a Great Day of fishing! Report and photos by Ron Wakita
OCEAN FISHING KITIMAT DOUGLAS CHANNEL:
Jamie Paul and Derek Ito were going to do some bottom fishing on Monday but the plan changed when they ran into a fog bank so they decided to troll for Chinook instead. They were pleased when the change in plans produced two Chinook, a twenty pounder and another about twenty two pounds. Sometimes in fishing the best trips are the ones that don't go as planned. Congrats to Jamie and Derek.
Todd Haynes of Nautical West Adventures was out trolling on Wednesday with Brian Apps and they also caught two chinook. They boated a 22lb and 26lb chinook. Todd has now caught four Chinook and says, "we can safely assume that the Chinook season has started".
As I am in the process of writing this fishing report in our tackle store Brian Apps and Jason Jonkman just bought in four chinook from the Douglas Channel (25, 19, 22 & 18 lbs) "Plus we released two more" exclaimed Jason. They caught the big one on a new imitation anchovy that glows in the dark that they just bought to try on Thursday. "We're going to bring more to weigh in tomorrow" says Brian. Brian and Jason definitely validates Todd Haynes' comment that the "2007 Chinook season has started" Stay tuned, looks like 2007 Chinook is going to be a good one! Report and photos by Ron Wakita
CURRENT REPORT and summary for Central Coast/North Van Island Wilderness Rivers:
May 8, 2007
Fishing report from Nimmo:
Here is the next episode. Short & Sweet.
Edmonton and Vancouver arrive at Nimmo Bay for a four day Marathon adventure with the helicopter, the un-named rivers, the unparalleled scenery and of course Steelhead.
This weeks guests were prepared for some crummy weather, which they got. What they found out was that if one area is blown out, it is just a matter of pointing the Helicopter in another direction and presto, you fly out of the rain, to rivers which carry lovely Steelhead and rainbow Trout and that are fishable. Talk about transcending boundaries. This is what Magic Carpets were made for.
And throw the music of Gordon Henschel into the mix on the last evening, the cooking of Chef Heather Davis and the guiding efforts of Perry Wilson, the trip was a wonderful success and a memory forever. Until of course the guests return next year and once again the memory becomes a reality.
This picture is of our two illustrious and professional steelhead guides, Perry Wilson and Dan Cahill. This was taken in early May on a mainland river. Helicopter guides are a rare breed. They have to have many skills, other than just the ability to catch fish. And these gentlemen do have all that is required for the job at hand.
Fly caught steelhead. Every Anglers dream.
And the Saga continues ....
Stay tuned folks for the next edition from Nimmo Bay.
To Fly is Human ... To Hover, Divine
Craig Murray, Owner
Nimmo Bay Resort
FISHING REGULATION WEBSITES:
2005/2007 BC tidal waters and freshwater Salmon fishing information:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish
Effective April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2007
2006/2007 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis:
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/intro.html
Effective April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007
NOTE: For In-season Regulation Changes posted on the web check the above URL's
CATCH & RELEASE FORMULA: Chinook: girth squared x length x 1.54 divided by
1000. Steelhead: Steelhead: girth squared x length x 1.33 divided by 1000 (inches)
To receive my WEEKLY FISHING REPORT and PHOTO via e-mail please send your name and e-mail address to: Noel Gyger noel@noelgyger.ca
GOOD LUCK and GOOD FISHING!
Yours sincerely,
Noel F. Gyger
Back to: http://noelgyger.ca/past-fishing-reports.htm
Home page: www.noelgyger.ca
