Chinook King Salmon BANNER YEAR
Capt. Noel Gyger
August 12, 2008
Terrace - Freshwater Fishing Report
The photo of the week shows Greg Buck with the help of his son Josh to hold up a huge Skeena River Chinook (King) Salmon for a quick photo before releasing it. This "once in a lifetime" giant was caught by young Josh…yes…all by himself. The fish was estimated to weigh over 70-pounds. Photo by Nelson Furtado
Correction: In last weeks report I posted what I thought was the 70-pounder but the fish was actually a 55-pounder that Nelson landed not Josh. Josh netted the fish for him. Sorry for the mix-up.
================================
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: [email protected]
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!!!
================================
Home Page: www.noelgyger.ca
Noel Gyger - WEEKLY FISHING REPORT dated August 3 – August 10, 2008
(Number 83)
Dear Fishing Friends:
SUMMARY: The weather was good during the week. The rain came on the weekend. The extreme warm daytime temperatures mid-week (+28 degrees Celsius) did not affect water conditions very much because most of the snow-melt is down from the mountains. All the rivers are in fair shape. Fishing for the BIG Chinook (King) Salmon in a zone near Terrace on the mainstem Skeena and Kalum Rivers is over for another year. It closed midnight August 6th. In my opinion, this was a "banner" year. Now everyone's focus will turn to the other Salmon and summer-run Steelhead in the lower and upper sections of the Skeena River. At the present time there are good numbers of Sockeye, Pinks, Coho and summer-run Steelhead migrating upriver. Both spin and fly techniques are working well. The Kitimat River Chinook fishing is over as of July 31. Now is the time for Chum and Pink…and the Coho are starting to come in. Coho are being caught in the bay at the mouth of the Kitimat River. This action packed fishery should last until the end of the month or until the fish enter the river. Be sure to check out the Ron Wakita detailed report and photos below. Also, check-out my latest video: Video Clip 0009 (Skeena River Chinook King Salmon "mayhem") New Aug. 5/08
GOOD NEWS: Skeena River: Effective Friday, August 1, until Monday, September 15, the daily limit for sockeye salmon has been increased to 4 fish per day from 2 fish per day in the mainstem waters of the Skeena River from the mouth upstream to the confluence with the Kispiox River. Listed on 31/07/2008 FN0548
GOOD NEWS: 2008 STEELHEAD FORECAST FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA "At last, bright and I mean very bright news on the steelhead front!!! 2008 is not the year to miss your steelhead adventure. Sure the dollar has crashed, the market is down and gas prices are up, but consider this...2008 will likely(of course with the usual disclaimer) rank among the ten best years steelhead the Skeena system has ever seen. This appears to be a change out in the ocean as the Dean River too is encountering one of its best years in a long time. Given the last few years of alarming returns this is welcome news indeed", Jeff Vermillion [email protected]
LIST OF "New" ITEMS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE THIS WEEK:
-
- August 5/08 one video clip posted on "Video Clips" http://www.noelgyger.ca/video-clips-web.htm
- August 5/08 one item posted on "Conservation" http://www.noelgyger.ca/conservation.htm
- August 6/08 one item posted on "Conservation" http://www.noelgyger.ca/conservation.htm
- August 7/08 one item posted on "Scenic Photos" http://www.noelgyger.ca/for-sale-videos-dvd-photos.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.
Don't be disappointed - BOOK your preferred dates for fall Steelhead and Coho now.
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
Chad Black
Todd Haynes
Tracey Hittel
PLUS – Guest photos, reports and testimonials.
CURRENT REPORT and summary for Skeena and Tributaries:
TYPE OF FISH CAUGHT: Chinook, Sockeye, Chum, Pink, Steelhead and Trout for river. Chinook, Coho, Halibut, Bottom Fish and Dungeness Crab for ocean.
Thank you for using barbless hooks.
FISHING THIS WEEK:
POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT
LARGEST FISH OF THE WEEK: Specie: 70-pound Chinook Where: Skeena River Angler: Josh Buck
WEATHER: Showers. Windy. High 17. UV index 3 or moderate. Region normal: Max. Temp. 23 degrees C. Min. Temp. 11 degrees C. Sunrise 6:02 AM Sunset 9:17 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, lower Kalum, Kitimat and smaller coastal streams are in fair 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 up and down but stayed in fishable condition. Fishing for Sockeye is excellent. I also have numerous reports of summer-run Steelhead being caught.
Beautiful weather and beautiful Chinook were had on the mainstem Skeena River this season. Pictured above are my friends Cosmo and his brother Robert with a couple of nice keepers.
KALUM RIVER: The water is in good shape. The whole river is now closed to fishing for Chinook (King) Salmon. It closed on the upper end on May 25th and now the whole river is closed as of August 6th. The BIG Chinook are left to spawn without anymore fishing pressure. Soon the Coho Salmon will be coming into the river. I guess a few summer-run Steelhead will be coming in also but as far as I know most of the Steelhead are a fall run…coming in around September, October and November.
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: The Coho should start coming in soon.
EXCHAMSIKS RIVER: The Coho should start coming in soon.
EXSTEW RIVER: The Coho should start coming in soon.
ZYMOETZ (COPPER) RIVER: Fishing for Chinook closed upstream of Highway 16 bridge on July 23rd. Steelhead and Coho will start coming in soon.
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 Chum are finally starting to hold in the traditional holes of the lower Kitimat. The gravel bar below the Kitimat Hatchery and the Island across from Hatchery are the two hot holes in the lower river. I spoke to a group of French anglers who are having the time of their lives catching twenty to thirty chum a day on a fly. The fishing on the lower Kitimat is still the best on the incoming tide.
Unfortunately the Chum numbers for the entire Kitimat River system are substantially less than normal. With the low returns of Chum, Fisheries and Oceans has reduced the daily quota of Chum to zero effective Monday. To clarify, sport anglers can continue to fish for Chum but we must catch and release. Sport Anglers are reminded to exercise sound catch and release methods. Where possible the fish should be left in the water and released with the least amount of handling.
Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Subject: FN0568-Salmon: Region 6 - Kitimat Chum
Effective 00:01 hrs Monday August 11 until 23:59 hrs Sunday, August 31 the
daily limit for chum salmon is reduced to 0 per day in the waters of the
Kitimat River downstream of the highway 37 bridge.
Variation Order No. 2008-314.
The bright item to report in the Kitimat River is the increasing number of Coho that are being caught or observed. Every drift we are either seeing Coho jumping or landing at least one. Although it is still early to get too fired up for Coho is it sure nice to see silver on the end of the line.
August 3: Carlo Scarica and Paulo Scarica and Ernesto Coruzzi. Hookes two chinook landed, one 20lbs. Five chum. Twenty pinks
August 4: Clients Bob Farris, Tris Yerrington, Gary Maxwell. Lost chinook, 4 chum and landed 20 pinks on fly. Guide Ron
August 5: Ariel doing a personal drift with Derek Downey. Landed one coho and 7 Chum on fly. Landed over 20 pinks
August 7: Justin, Doug and Brandon Peck. Landed one coho and a bunch of pinks. Guide Pat Oliver
DOUGLAS CHANNEL: Halibut and Bottom fish are still the focus of most boaters fishing the inside waters of the Douglas Channel.
Sam Avila of Ocean Breeze Charters landed six halibut for his clients and their limit of Rock Cod and Snappers. Others boaters are reporting similar results. Todd from Nautical West Charters had some good results as demonstrated by his photos.
The boaters fishing the outer waters are having success fishing both Bottom fish and Coho. Rick the skipper of the Anna Christine was reported to have caught a bunch of Coho and Bottom fish on his last trip.
Wes Owens of Golden West Charters reports hooking three Coho and landing two fishing in the Kitimat Harbour on Wednesday.
The Kitimat Harbour fishery should start to heat up shortly.
John from Blue Heron Charters and his client Udo Nell caught two nice coho yesterday and four halibut on August 3, 2008.
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
Chad Black reports fishing is a little slower this week, probably due to the fact that the river was on the rise from the heat and rain. The slow moving or holding fish may have gotten scent of their home river and took off. Good theory anyway. Today the river is dropping and cleaning so we expect the bite to be back on.
Last week Dustin Kovacvich and his client from Italy landed a 65-pound plus Chinook Salmon on the Skeena River. He also landed a 45 and 30-pounder. Chinook fishing this year has been simply "outstanding"! Sockeye fishing is decent. Pink fishing is decent. There seems to be a good number of Steelhead and Coho coming in also.
We've just set up our Skeena Camp and guests start arriving today. I will try and report how the fishing goes in next weeks report. The sunrise and sunsets at the camp are spectacular. I hope to share some of these photos with you.
Best of luck on the water…
Chad Black
Operations manager
Nicholas Dean Lodge…where every cast is an adventure!
Fishing Report and Photos from: Steelhead Heaven
Skeena River Report - Aug 6
The phone rings at 530AM and awakes me out of a deep sleep. The voice sounds familiar, how's the fishing? The Chinook still biting?
I clear my throat to speak as another hot sunny morning begins here in paradise. Yes, the Chinooks are running and the Skeena closes the 7th of August. By 730PM the next evening and a flight cost of 1200CDN and Mr. Chacalias was at the Terrace airport ready to do battle with the Skeena Chinooks. As you can see in the pictures attached, the Greek from Edmonton Alberta, the Skeena gods gave a large Chinook to this man and what a bruiser it was. Not to mention a 20lb Steelhead Chrome as a polished bumper on a 57 Chevy.
Attached are pics of repeat clients Harry as well some group photos of our friends from Switzerland and Spain, including the Rancher from Chauvin, with guide Mike, Gittin er Done. Also, Calgary's Robbie Parmar with a Kitimat Chinook.
Some bad news to report is the result of a canoe trip on the Kitimat River with a lady, man and two children getting flipped by the swirling water of the Kitimat and losing the canoe in a logjam. Our guided drift-boat was minutes behind this terrible accident that resulted in the lady getting caught under the jam.
When I saw this real life scenario and the look on the faces of the children it made me sick to my stomach, for a couple of reasons. One reason is that each year people come visit the Kitimat region with the idea they can drift the Kitimat without a problem on their own and each year someone drowns or gets lucky and never does it again. We guides from Kitimat talk about how each year the river changes direction and water levels change on a regular basis making for some heart pumping experiences, believe me I have scared myself at least twice this season. What can we do to stop this problem? Many local anglers use tin lake boats to drift the river, the most dangerous vessel you can use and have done it for years. I do warn you do it yourselfers that these people have lost a wife, mother and a friend, something that we can only hope does not happen again on the Kitimat, I think not.
With the summer run Steelhead about to start our clients from around the globe will be experiencing a trip of a lifetime as we have now acquired classified rods on the Skeena 2 section giving us another 60 miles of river to target Steelhead and Salmon. Not to mention a Park Permit for micro-streams feeding the Douglas Channel out of Kitimat. Tight lines and keep safe this summer. Photos and report by Tracey Hittel
Fishing Report and Photos from: Nautical West Sport Fishing
Hi Noel: Well…the Halibut fishery is still going strong. We boated 3 nice Halibut with this group today. Over the last couple of days we have landed several butts from 40 - 60 # range. This fishery continues to be very strong in our area!!
Over the last week we have had good success with the coho around the Fish Trap area. The coho are coming in at a good size for this time of year. Thanks again Noel
Report from Todd Haynes - Nautical West Sport Fishing
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, testimonials, scenic river photos, wildlife photos or articles I would love to see them.
Here's one we caught last week in the Skeena River that weighed 52 pounds? Signed Bob
Hi Noel, here is the pic of Randy holding my 53-pound Chinook. It was good to meet and spend time with you. Thanks for making my trip possible. Randy's friend has some more pics of me and Randy with the fish. Regards, Alan Shufflebotham.
TESTIMONIAL: "Thank you very much for all your emails on the Skeena and local rivers, very much appreciated," Ron Eichhorst, August 3/08
Don Muir (Left), Dalton Wenstob and Cam Bateman with 35, 32 and 20 pound Chinook Salmon caught on July 25th with Guide Cam from Nicholas Dean Lodge on the Skeena River – back bouncing roe and yellow spin and glows through deep pockets and holes.
Jet boat from Nicholas Dean Lodge outfitted with fishing gear.
Guide Cam at the wheel from Nicholas Dean Lodge and Dalton Wenstob ham it up on the way to the glory hole.
Time out on the beach – Dalton (Left), Guide Cam (NDL) and Cam B.
Regards, Cam Bateman
The above four photos were sent to me by Tom Boxler. Tom and his friend Cy Johnson were guided here this week in both river and ocean by Nicholas Dean Lodge and Westcoast Fishing Adventures. They had a GREAT trip.
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)
MARKETPLACE (Sportfishing related items only please) Contact me anytime to list your items
Buy, sell, trade or swap your item or items by listing them here today
Your Ad will receive LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL exposure:
• Your Ad will be posted on my website
• Your Ad will be promoted in my Weekly Fishing Reports
• Your Ad will be posted on other websites who host my fishing reports
Examples of what to list: Boats and accessories, Motors, Vehicles, Air Craft, Rods, Reels, Tackle, Real Estate (i.e. fishing lodge), Rentals (Cabins Cottages), Lakeshore, Tourist accommodation, ATV, RV's, RV sites, Taxidermy, Books, Magazines, Videos, Photographs, Antiques, Artwork, Clothing, Employment, Trade/Swap and Wanted, Help Wanted, etc.
To view the items currently listed please cast to: http://www.noelgyger.ca/market-place.htm
To receive my WEEKLY FISHING REPORT and PHOTO via e-mail please send your name and e-mail address to: Noel Gyger [email protected]
GOOD LUCK and GOOD FISHING!
Yours sincerely,
Noel F. Gyger
Back to: http://noelgyger.ca/past-fishing-reports.htm
Home page: www.noelgyger.ca
Terrace Fishing Forecast:
Chinook Fishing is over for another year...now is the time to focus on the other salmon and Skeena river summer-run wild steelhead.
Target Species:
Coho Chum Pink Sockeye Steelhead
More Fishing Reports:
