Guided Spey Fly Fishing Skeena River
Capt. Noel Gyger
September 1, 2008
Terrace - Freshwater Fishing Report
The photo of the week shows Andrew Rushton of Kalum River Lodge with a very beautiful Skeena River summer-run, wild Steelhead caught and released this week. Even in tough water conditions his clients did extremely well in catching all five specie of Salmon and summer-run Steelhead. Guides have the "knack" of how to pose a fish. See Andrew's client's photos below. I must say these poses are pretty nice also. All of this "posing' is done within seconds and then the fish is released.
================================
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 24 – August 31, 2008
Dear Fishing Friends:
SUMMARY: Due to some steady rain at the beginning of the week the rivers really came up. They started to drop again on Tuesday and have been dropping and cleaning ever since. It didn't seem to matter the fishing still remained pretty good except for guests at the Nicholas Dean Lodge out-post camp. Most of them decided to pack it in early as the bar they were fishing, in front of the camp, disappeared under water. The other guides had to scramble to find suitable fishing gravel bars to fish and most of them were successful. This is an absolute fantastic time of year on the Skeena River where you can catch every specie of Salmon plus the summer-run Steelhead. Andrew Ruston had a client this week that landed all five specie of Salmon and even a Steelhead in one day. See the report and pics below. Tyee test fishery still showing very good number of Steelhead, Coho and Sockeye moving through…best in many years. Ocean fishing remains very good as the Coho start migrating to their home rivers. For the Kitimat River please read the detailed report from Ron Wakita of Reliable Guide and Charters. WOW…they had some GREAT Coho fishing early in the week. One of Ron's guides Ariel Kuppers landed a 26-pound Coho on August 26th (see pic below). The annual Kitimat Fishing Derby (ocean and river) is going on over this long weekend on Aug 30 and 31. We've got some early photos from entries. Fun is being had by all.
On Friday, August 29 I was invited to go fishing on the Skeena River for Steelhead and Coho with pro fishing guide Randy Marshall of Randy's River Guiding and his long time repeat client Mr. Guy Gangl of Luxembourg, Europe. This is Guy's 11th return trip back to the beautiful Skeena River and tribs. It goes without saying...but I will...to have repeat guests is what the guiding business is all about because without them your business will likely fail. This morning we were "plunking" from the shore but Randy will guide Guy to all the types of fishing techniques including fly fishing, spinning and bottom bouncing, etc. The "highlight" of our day was landing a double-header Coho. The Coho seemed to be coming by in bunches. I managed to shoot a video. Cast here for a direct link to the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Lo30xPa7ig We also caught Steelhead. It was just a great day. Nobody wanted to go home at the end of the day.
TYEE TEST INDEX FOR STEELHEAD NOW 130.87! "As of August 26, 2008 the Tyee Index for steelhead is now 130.87. That is roughly the eighth highest year since they have been keeping records on the Skeena. 2008 is definitely not the year to miss. Particularly I would add early September as the Tyee data was on average 150% above the 8 year average. At last the early run fish have gotten a break. Dig out the dry fly boxes." Jeff Vermillion [email protected]
This graph shows heights for the Skeena River and as you can see it has been on a steady drop since Tuesday, August 26th. Conditions are excellent now.
LIST OF "New" ITEMS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE THIS WEEK:
- August 26/08 one video clip posted on "Special Guided Fishing Trips" http://www.noelgyger.ca/special-guided.htm
- August 27/08 one item posted on "Conservation" http://www.noelgyger.ca/conservation.htm
- August 28/08 one item posted on "News Bulletin" http://www.noelgyger.ca/news-bulletin.htm
- August 30/08 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.
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
Ariel Kuppers
Randy Marshall
Gill McKean
Andrew Ruston
Todd Haynes
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: estimated 20-pound Chum Where: Skeena River Angler: Troy Adams
WEATHER: A mix of sun and cloud. Fog patches dissipating this morning. High 17. UV index 4 or moderate. Region normal: Max. Temp. 20 degrees C. Min. Temp. 9 degrees C. Sunrise 6:40 AM Sunset 8:29 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 are back to normal and the fishing is GREAT.
KALUM RIVER: The water is in good shape. Good numbers of Coho (Silver) Salmon and Steelhead are coming through now.
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. This high water is just what we needed to keep the Coho moving. This will be the first river to come clean after a few days of rain.
EXCHAMSIKS RIVER: The Coho should start coming in soon.
EXSTEW RIVER: The Coho should start coming in soon.
ZYMOETZ (COPPER) RIVER: The river is just about clean today. Good numbers of Steelhead are coming in now. Sept 1 is the start of the classified time period. It will end at the end of October. Get your dry flys out.
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: After a disappointing Chum return the seasonal change to Coho is a very welcome occurrence for the anglers fishing the Kitimat River. The early Coho indicators from the outer waters of the Douglas Channel were very positive and the Coho fishery at this end of the Douglas Channel particularly the Kitimat River has showed really good returns.
The Kitimat River early this week flowed higher than normal but there was still plenty of Coho caught. The Eurocan Pump House was the hot spot in the lower river producing usually during the morning bite or an hour the high tide. The middle and upper sections of the Kitimat River has also produced really good numbers of Coho as well. There will be lots of Coho caught in The Kitimat Chamber of Commerce Fish Derby this weekend.
The largest entries as of 7:00 P.M Saturday night are :
• Largest Coho Mike Anderson 15.4lbs
• Largest Junior Aaron Stefanon 14.6lbs
• Largest Halibut Walter Thorne 92lbs.
The final weigh in deadline is at 3:00P.M Sunday
DOUGLAS CHANNEL: The outer waters of the Douglas Channel have produced exceptional numbers of Coho particularly Money Point and Sue Channel. As is the case with most fisheries there is always something quirky happening. Out at Money Point the bite seems to be happening mostly at half tide either on the drop or on the rise.
In the Kitimat Harbour Fishery the quirky issue is that the Coho are not holding at Cleo Point or Bish Creek and inwards towards the North end as they normally do. They seem to be migrating straight through the harbour right into the Kitimat River or holding between Emsley and Jesse Falls. Two rational thoughts as to why the Coho are doing this. The first is that the Kitimat River and Bish Creek have been dumping dirty water into the harbour and the Coho are migrating deep straight through the harbour into the Kitimat River. The other thought is that there are a bunch of herring hanging around out by Jesse Falls and the Coho are feeding on them. Whether either theory is correct or not, the fact is that the Coho are there and smart money says troll out around Jesse. In the end who cares why they are there as long as they are there when you troll through them.
Coho fishing is "great". Wes told me they had a total of three double-headers for Coho. WOW…sounds like fun.
Wes Owens of Golden West Adventures was the first to find them in the Jesse Falls area on Wednesday. Wes and his clients Ryan and Trevor boated two chinook and two Coho out of twelve fish hooked. They boated ten Coho on Thursday and were pretty happy campers when I spoke to them on Thursday evening. My buddy Ron Jones fishing on our day boat boated six Coho with his twin brothers Jason and Brad on Thursday afternoon out at Jesse Falls after I updated them with Wes's info. They boated seven Coho on Friday also fishing out around Jesse Falls. John from Blue Heron Charters boated four Coho fishing with his sons Stephen and James also out at Jesse Falls. I spoke to another boater in the store on Friday who was struggling to find fish in the north end of the Kitimat harbour. They boated ten Coho and one chinook on Saturday out at Jesse Falls on Saturday also armed with the catch info which initially started from Wes Owens. Thank You Wes for your ability to find fish and God Bless you for your willingness to share the info.
Good Luck to everyone fishing the Kitimat area especially the anglers entered in the Chamber of Commerce Derby. 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: Nautical West Sport Fishing
August 24 – 30. Hi Folks, this week has been extremely busy with loads of great fishing. The Schultz & Helmanns spent 2 days out on the water and had the most incredible coho fishing they had ever experienced. We had 8 double headers and they boated all fish. We limited out quite quickly on Coho the first day out so we spent the second day picking up a few nice chicken Halibuts & a full limit of Crab. These folks were good rods and a whole lot of fun! Thanks for the great time & we`ll see you next year!
The second group we had this week - Patrick, Milton & Junior Havig spent 3 days out on the water and easily limited out on the BIG northern`s and had some great crabbing & bottom fishing. These folks have fished all over the west coast and found these waters here in the Kitimat region to be some of the best they have ever experienced. Thanks guys for the incredible trip. Todd Haynes - Nautical West Sport Fishing
Fishing Report and Photos from: Westcoast Fishing Adventures
Hello Noel, thought it was time to send you a few photos of some of the action our guests here at Westcoast Fishing Adventures have been experiencing. The water has been very high due to heavy rain however we still managed to get our boys hooked up, With Steelhead as well as Coho on the Fly. We still have some open dates for the month of September & October. This has been some of the best Coho and Steelhead returns we have seen in years so don't delay book your trip today with Noel. Tight Lines Gill McKean
Fishing Report and Photos from: Kalum River Lodge
Pictured above are all five specie of Salmon (GRAND-SLAM) landed by one client in one day on the Skeena River this week, the sixth picture is a summer-run Steelhead (Sorry, not all photos are perfect…thought you'd like the change of pace?) BTW - Tory landed other Steelhead and the poses were excellent. Does fishing get any better than this?
Hi Noel, we have had good fishing in the Skeena this week despite the high water. Adjusting how you fish and finding where the fish are moving is the key. Our clients this week caught all the species of salmon and Steelhead this past week. Troy Adams of Santa Cruz landed all 5 salmon as well as Steelhead during his trip. Thank you. Andrew Rushton
Note from Noel: You may remember Tory Adams from last year, he made the Photo of the Week in Report #35 on September 9, 2007 Check it out: http://www.noelgyger.ca/photos-of-the-week.htm
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.
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:
Waters are in good shape now and the Coho and Steelhead are coming in. Lets go fishing!
Target Species:
steelhead coho pink chum
More Fishing Reports:
