The photo of the week shows pro fishing guide Rob Vodola and his friend Rod Pelley hockey player with the New Jersey Devils and a nice fresh Kitimat River Chinook Salmon landed this year. Last year I shot a video clip of Rod landing a nice ocean Chinook. Video Clip 0003 (NHL New Jersey Devils centre Rod Pelley) Kitimat BC is Rod's hometown and he tries to spend at least a couple of weeks here in the summer. While here Rod does his best to help raise some money for local charities. Good for you Rod and thank you.
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Noel Gyger – Guided Fishing Adventures and Weekly Fishing Report
4012 Best Street, Terrace BC 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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Home Page: www.noelgyger.ca
Noel Gyger - WEEKLY FISHING REPORT dated July 6 – July 13, 2008
(Number 79)
Dear Fishing Friends:
SUMMARY: The weather remained cool all week. I don't get to say this very often but all of the rivers are in excellent shape. The fishing has been excellent also. Fishermen have been having a ball catching both Chinook and Sockeye on the Skeena River. I have a report of the odd summer run Steelhead being caught also. The Kitimat River Chinook run remains strong and now the Pinks are showing up and are spread throughout the river. Be sure to check out the Ron Wakita detailed report below.
I hope you folks didn't mind me sending out that mid week "New Bulletin" of the BIG fish Mr. Heinz Fuger caught on the Kitimat River. I did shoot a video of the action. For a direct link cast to: Video Clip 0007 (Ron Wakita and client Heinz with Kitimat River Chinook) New July 9/08
Speaking of video clips, I posted another one today. Ron Wakita of Reliable Guide and Charters had a plan: Let's go catch some Dungeness Crab in the Douglas Channel, cook them on the drift boat while we fish for Chinook (King) Salmon in the Kitimat River. GREAT plan, I said. I cut the video after the crab feast. We did hook into two Chinook but lost them both. We did land a Pink. Ron had gone 2 for 6 for Chinook when guiding two clients earlier in the day. For a direct link cast to: Video Clip 0003 Cooking Crab in Drift Boat New July 13/08
LIST OF "New" ITEMS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE THIS WEEK:
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- July 7/08 one item posted on "Conservation" http://www.noelgyger.ca/conservation.htm
- July 9/08 one video clip posted on "Video Clips" http://www.noelgyger.ca/video-clips-web.htm
- July 13/08 one video clip posted on "Video Clips" http://www.noelgyger.ca/video-clips-web.htm
NOW BOOKING FOR 2008 Let me know if I can be of service to book you with the "best" fishing guide and/or fishing lodges for both river and ocean. There are NO extra charges to book through me, just a lot of free information and advice from a person with years and years of fishing and fish guiding experience. It is like hiring two guides for the price of one. I will promptly answer your questions and concerns. Cast here http://noelgyger.ca/special-guided.htm to read more of what I have to offer.
Many people book three trips per year to our area; one trip in the spring (March-April-May), one trip in the summer (June-July-August) and one trip in the fall (September-October-November). They love having the same guide but fishing for different fish in different areas.
Be sure to check out my website at www.noelgyger.ca for news bulletins, mid week fishing updates, conservation, my history, quality waters strategy, special guided fishing trips, video clips, scenic river photos, wildlife photos and others, comments from past guests, informational articles, archived fishing reports from 1996 through 2002 and a sportfishing market place. I hope it meets with your entire satisfaction.
FISHING GUIDE REPORTS FOR THIS WEEK ARE FROM:
Ron Wakita
Mike Herzberg
Craig Murray
Dustin Kovacvich
Chad Black
Todd Haynes
Randy Marshall
Gill McKean
CURRENT REPORT and summary for Skeena and Tributaries:
TYPE OF FISH CAUGHT: Chinook, Sockeye, Pink and Trout for river. Chinook, Coho, Halibut, Bottom Fish and Crab for ocean.
Thank you for using barbless hooks.
FISHING THIS WEEK: ***EXCELLENT***
LARGEST FISH OF THE WEEK: Specie: 50-pound Chinook Where: Skeena River Angler: Kevin Bond
WEATHER: Cloudy with 60 percent chance of showers. Risk of a thundershower later this afternoon. Fog patches early this morning. High 15. UV index 3 or moderate. Region normal: Max. Temp. 22 degrees C. Min. Temp. 11 degrees C. Sunrise 5:16 AM Sunset 10:04 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: Skeena River is in good shape. Lower Kalum River is fishable. Most of the smaller coastal streams are in good shape.
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
SKEENA RIVER: The water heights have been dropping all week. Fishing for Chinook and Sockeye are excellent. I also have reports of summer-run Steelhead being caught.
KALUM RIVER: The water in the low end is fishable and I have had reports of Chinook being caught.
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.
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.
EXSTEW 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 2007 – 2009 BC Freshwater Salmon Supplement (fancy name for regulations) at: www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish for details.
ZYMOETZ (COPPER) RIVER: The water is clean and fishing at the mouth is excellent.
KINCOLITH RIVER: The Chinook have started to come in with the high tides. Fishing for them is only allowed below the bridge. This is tidal water so anglers must have a salt water license even though you are fishing in the river.
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:
Fishing Report from: Ron Wakita of Reliable Guide and Charters
KITIMAT RIVER: The Kitimat River Chinook this season was supposed to be an exceptional return, particularly 5 year old stocks. To date the chinook return has been exceptional but the five year old component has only started to show in any numbers in the last couple of weeks. The five year old chinook, weight by age class should be 35 to 40lbs plus. We are starting to see more and more of these on our scale and caught in our drift boats. Heinz Fuger, a client who I guided with Noel Gyger and my daughter Julie landed a chinook in the five year old weight class. See: Video Clip 0007 (Ron Wakita and client Heinz with Kitimat River Chinook) New July 9/08
Mike Herzberg drifting with his friend Jim Aruda landed a 38lb chinook. Bill Schnupps from Idaho landed two in the 35lb plus weight class. Ariel Kuppers tonight (Sat. July 12th) landed a 35lb chinook. We are also seeing and hearing reports of many others in this weight class being caught. I think that there are more big guys to come. Smart money says to get out on the Kitimat cast a line and the possibility of landing big chinook this year is good.
The pinks have also started to show in the past week in really good numbers. Our mobile tackle van has logged lots of pinks at the lower dike and the Rod and Gun side of the Haisla bridge. I witnessed twenty to thirty pinks caught under the bridge (Rod and Gun side) on Saturday night, mostly by youngsters.
A client trip worthy of noting is we had the distinct pleasure of guiding Mr. Dick Evans, C.E.O of Alcan. Mike Herzberg drifted Mr. Evans on a short evening drift July 9th. Under the pressure of a very short time constraint and guiding the boss of his real job at the highest level, Mike put Mr. Evens on to three chinook, a 15lber which they kept, a 24lb which they released and another which they lost. Well done Mike and Congratulations Mr. Evans.
Other catch results worthy of noting are the catch results of Kirk Anderson, Ed Pinette, Greg Laberge and Trevor Quarry. They are fly fishing friends from Quesnel. The group hooked forty one chinook and landed fourteen. All on fly! WOW! Exceptional numbers. As Ed said "Our best trip ever"! Congratulations guys. Don't forget to send me those flys!
Kirk Anderson hooked 17 Chinook and landed 3 all on fly. Fished the Kitimat for two weeks.
Ed Pinette hooked 8 chinook and landed 3 on fly. Fished with Kirk July 1st to July 16th.
Greg Laberge hooked 10 chinook landed 6 fishing July 9th to July 16th.
Trevor Quarry hooked 6 landed 2 fishing with Greg and the crew the last week.
On a personal note, I had the pleasure of drifting with my fourteen year old son Corey and our fourteen year old friend from Idaho ,Alex Munio. We hooked two chinook on an evening drift on July 8th and landed a 28lb chinook. Alex landed the fish and Corey netted. The netting needs a little work but we got the fish.
July 8th Corey Wakita and Alex Munio hooked two and landed one 28lb chinook. Evening drift. Homework drift for client drift Wednesday. Right Photo: July 10th Hi Ron, here's the photo I took of Jim Aruda with his big spring this afternoon. It weighed 37-pounds. Was worth the 400-mile drive from PG yesterday. Guide Mike Herzberg
.July 12th I had the pleasure of drifting with clients, Phillip and Steve Martens on a morning drift. We hooked six chinook and landed one. "Damn barbless hooks". After seeing Steve and Phillip off I met up with my daughter Julie, my nephew Derek and the world renowned Mr. Noel Gyger. We met at the pull out and went out crabbing. After harvesting eleven crab, six for Noel's wife and five for our drift which we immediately went on minutes after returning from the marina. We cooked the crab on the barbecue in my drift boat while we drifted down the Kitimat fishing for chinook. Although we lost the two chinook we hooked we had a great time fishing and eating crab. Only in Kitimat!
The Kitimat is clean and full of fish and a few crab shells. Chinook fishing is great in the middle sections and pinks are starting to stack in the lower sections. Now is a good time to fish the Kitimat!
July 22nd Steve & Philllip Martens. Guide Ron. July 11th Andrea. Guide Mike
July 10th Ariel Kuppers associate guide in training. Hooked 3 Chinook landed 2 Jacks and a Pink.
DOUGLAS CHANNEL: Alain of Alain's Deep Sea Charters boated 6 ling cod, 8 snappers, 10 Rock Cod and 4 Coho for his clients.
Other boaters have similar catch results on the outer waters of the Douglas Channel. The boaters who targeted Coho are limiting out. Gas prices are definitely an issue this year which has caused most boaters to make extended trips to the outer waters. Rather than making four two day weekend trips most boaters are making two four day trips instead. They are also taking additional fishing partners to help share the catch and the increased cost of fuel. The motto for this year's salt fishery is to pool resources, extend the trips and still get out fishing in the Douglas Channel. Fishing in the Douglas Channel right now is also very good.
Tight Lines Ron Wakita
Cast to this link for Kitimat tide tables http://www.waterlevels.gc.ca/cgi-bin/tide-shc.cgi?queryType=showRegion&language=english®ion=1
Fishing Report and Photos from: Nicholas Dean Lodge July 6 to 12, 2008
Hello Anglers,
Lucky for us, the fishing and river conditions have only improved during the last few weeks on the Skeena, Kitimat and other tributary rivers. We are now in full swing of our Trophy Chinook season, and what a season it's been so far. Dustin and Sky went on a reconnaissance "mission" to see how Spring flooding may have altered some of our favourite bars and pools, and reported incredible fishing for Chinook, with one landed around 45 lbs. Greg Buck has also done well on the Skeena with his son Josh and Mike Bartlett, who also landed a Chinook in the 45 lb range last week. By all indications, the Chinook run has been providing great fishing and will likely do so throughout July and early August. Backtrolling, plunking, and spoon fishing have been effective strategies thus far, depending on water conditions and the stretch of water fished.
Sockeye Salmon have now started migrating up the Skeena in good numbers, and have provided good fishing for those willing to target the soft, inside edges of riffles. These scrappy fighters provide great sport on both fly and light conventional tackle, and are some of the best tasting fish around. Though I haven't heard many reports of Chum and Pink Salmon in the Kitimat, it should be anytime now...
Until next week, tight lines and screaming reels, Chad Black, Operations Manager
PS from Noel: I have just spoken with Dustin Kovacvich, owner of the lodge, and he reports excellent fishing for Chinook and Sockeye on the Skeena River.
Fishing Report and Photos from: Westcoast Fishing Adventures
Hello Noel, June started out a little slow then heated up!! We are now in July and at
one point yesterday had four Chinook on at the same time. Average size was 18 to 50 pounds we had two fifties. I have attached the photos.
Kevin Bond with his first 50-pounder
Mandi McDougal my sweetheart with her first ever Chinook salmon. Frank Imperial long time guest with Westcoast Fishing Adventures
The Ocean has been good as well with lots of Halibut and Coho salmon with the odd Chinook mixed in!
Take care Noel. Thanks Gill McKean
Fishing Report and Photos from: Nautical West Sport Fishing
Hi Noel, Well…here we are again having a great season with plenty of good size coho showing up in the Douglas Channel and outer water areas. Having these great sport fish teamed up with Chinook and the Pinks can provide for some fantastic excitement.
The low pressure over the last couple of days has provided good camouflage to sneak up on the fish - typical west coast weather! Nothing but good times! Eclipse and Money point have provided some good fishing over the last couple of weeks as well as the South Sue and Fish Trap areas. Remember long leaders for those Chinooks!
Thanks Noel, Todd Haynes - Nautical West Sport Fishing
Fishing Report and Photos from: Randy's River Guiding
Randy reports excellent catches of Chinook on the Skeena River, mostly on conventional gear. He also reports excellent fly fishing for Sockeye.
CURRENT REPORT and summary for Central Coast/North Van Island Wilderness Rivers:
Fishing Report from: Nimmo Bay Resort
Sometimes, after a few days of fishing, there comes an urge to GOLF. Add this day on the links to your Angling Odyssey and suddenly fishing takes on a whole new meaning. Why not "Do It All"? At Nimmo Bay, the Skies the Limit!
Craig Murray, Owner
Nimmo Bay Resort (Est. 1980)
Proud member of BC Sustainable Tourism Collective
www.sustainablebc.ca
To Fly is Human ...To Hover, Divine
Note from Noel: This year in 2007, out of 10 Heli fishing and tour resorts and lodges from around the world, Nimmo Bay Resort was voted number one by the prestigious, New York based Forbes Traveler magazine. Congratulations Craig, Deborah and staff.
FISHING REGULATION WEBSITES:
2007-2009 BC tidal waters and freshwater Salmon fishing information:
www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish
Effective April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2009
2008-2009 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis:
www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish
Effective April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009
NOTE: For In-season Regulation Changes posted on the web check the above URL's
GUEST FISHING PHOTOS:
*** If any of you have special fishing photos, scenic river photos, wildlife photos or articles I would love to see them.
Hi Noel, I have been an appreciative recipient of your weekly fishing report for some time now and for that I say thanks. From what I read you really appreciate a good father and child fishing story so here is a good one for you. It was with my 16 year old daughter Alicia, and her lifelong friend Tiana, and it occurred on the Lower Dyke at Kitimat on July 5th, 2008. Alicia has come fishing with me many times but only likes the trip with absolutely no want to fish. Fishing is for boys, and Tiana (whom has never fished before) agrees with her.
We fished the lower dyke all week and fishing was slow but the sun was out and the camping was excellent. Then on July 4th the fishing picked up. We had 3 on that day all in the mid 20 lb range and the early morning of the 5th I got a 21 lber. The fishing slowed and around noon I told the girls to watch my rod (we were bar fishing) as I was going to run up to the garbage can and dump our garbage and come right back.
The 10 minute round trip turned into 45 minutes as a 5th wheel got stuck coming out and after helping the fellow I finally got back to the Dyke. Upon arriving I immediately noticed my rod was not in the holder. "This was either really good or really bad" I thought. As I popped out from behind the big stump and onto the bar the girls were frantically running and jumping with grins the size of Chicago. "Well" I thought, "I guess its not bad". Then a silver slab started slapping and jumping beside them on the rocks. 22 lbs of Chinook!
Here is the interesting part. The rod started to twitch a bit just as a log floated by and they thought it was the log. They figured they better grab the rod so the log doesn't pull it in, so Tiana who had shoes on grabbed it. All of a sudden it came alive and started to sing. She new enough to set the hook and keep the tip up but somehow depressed the free-spool button on the Ambassadeur 7000 and now she had a fish, and a birds-nest that was of legendary proportions. They both held the rod and decided to walk backwards until the fish came onto the beach, but they reached the tree-line before the fish came out and could back up no further. Alicia, in her socks, ran to the waters edge and wrapped the line around her wrist and started backing up again, and the 22 lbs skidded up onto the Dyke just as I arrived!
I had purchased them both licenses in hopes of getting them involved but they just didn't want to even give it a try. Now they are self proclaimed Fish - Slaying machines and didn't want to quit but alas we had to leave an hour later for home in Prince George. I now have two fish addicts on my hands who are already planning next years trip. Don't be surprised if your weekly report grows by two more names, Alicia and Tiana to be precise.
Do they look smug or what!! Thanks again for all the great reports,
Hello Mr. Gyger, here is the Chinook that my Father René Cantin (from Québec) caught last Sunday in the Kitimat River with a blue jig! Tomy Cantin, Kitimat Resident.
Thank you everyone for sending the photos and commentary. Noel
CATCH & RELEASE FORMULA: Chinook: girth squared x length x 1.54 divided by 1000 (inches) Steelhead: girth squared x length x 1.33 divided by 1000 (inches)
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To view the items currently listed please cast to: http://www.noelgyger.ca/market-place.htm
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GOOD LUCK and GOOD FISHING!
Yours sincerely,
Noel F. Gyger
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Home page: www.noelgyger.ca
