February 18, 2006
Valentines Day Steelhead: Skeena Region BC Canada
With our March season about to begin the 15th, yesterday proved to be a small taste of the Steelhead run we will have.
We started our late morning fish and walked into a long Steelhead bar, with large structure above the run and a fast tailout at the bottom. Having fish the lower section for 2hrs I wondered if today was going to produce a early winter Steelhead, who are enroute to the grounds for the May spawn. I make another cast and have had enough, its cold, windy and rainy, but I love it!
I look upstream and my fishing partner is nowhere in sight, and I decide to crunch thru the snow and back under our cover, two large Cedar trees, for a sandwich and a Ginger Ale. Ted meets me under the shelter and we have a small chat while taking off our raincoats. I give mine a shake and it looked like a Saint Bernard after a dip in the lake, it was soaked. Surprisingly I was bone dry on the inside; Way to go Simms, your River-Tec wading jacket is a success!
I was interested in leaving the run and try another before the days end, but Ted said, "lets fish the upper section again as I did not fish it hard". We'll, normally I would say forget it as it was fished over by a good rod, but oh well lets try it.
We walked upstream into the boulders and had the high-banked shore letting us know that the pesky Cottonwood branches would gobble a poor cast. Thank goodness for Spey rods, not that a single-handed roll cast would not have done it, but today we were on the Spey. Having changed my sink tip before we went up into the run proved to be a good idea as the river was fast and deep with structure. So I wanted to get down in a hurry. In fact I changed my weighted fly, as it was no letting me get a proper swing. Once the lighter fly was tied on, my swing was perfect. Now all I have to do is have one like it.
We fished 10 minutes and Ted gave me a signal, a pumping fist, an indication that he had a take. I watched as his fly line came around and below him, but nothing pulled. I decided to walk a little further down where the river changed color from light green to dark green. This is where the river got deeper. I made a cast and, you know when you get into a spot and you get that feeling that boy this looks good, it must have a fish in it. But nothing happened. I looked at my fly, it was a good, I thought. I made another cast and started to slowly strip my line, and it got tight, so I gave it a solid pull, the headshake told me I was into a fish. As quickly as I could I tried to get the line tight to my reel, as the slack line was a dangerous position to be in. The Steelhead took down river and the zzZZzz told me the drag was working. We had a great battle and when it came into the bank it was a fresh female and was 34 inches in length.
We had found the fish, and after a small break, I went to the same spot and tried it again with a black leech. The second cast, my fly line started to swing across the fast water and boom! The line went tight, I lifted into it and this crazy Steelhead jumped out of the water, and upstream, then again, then again. It took a run to the last wrap of my fly line before the backing line, a aggressive fish for sure, we laughed out loud as this thing was a ride. Once it was tailed we released and decided to go. I am 99% positive that we would have had more fish if we had stayed another hour. Two fish day is fine with me and it was getting wet and cold. Attached are some of the pics, as well I put all of them from yesterday's fishing in the steelhead photo gallery on the website. Have a look at the new, fresh colors on these fish, simply amazing, eh! With our spring Steelheading just around the corner, we have space available for small groups. For the guys that are booked, here is a small taste of your trip. Also Mr. De La Torre, enjoy the Chambers fish, they are ready for you upon arrival.
Tracey John Hittel
Kitimat BC Canada
250 632-9880
250 639-4277
thittel@uniserve.com