Steelhead Spey Fly Fishing
Capt. Noel Gyger
April 21, 2008
Terrace - Freshwater Fishing Report
The photo of the week shows Chad Black with a gorgeous, bright Kalum River Steelhead caught on April 18, 2008 within ten minutes of starting to fish. Cast to Video Clip 0048
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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: [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!!!
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Home Page: www.noelgyger.ca
Noel Gyger - WEEKLY FISHING REPORT dated April 13 – April 20, 2008
Dear Fishing Friends:
SUMMARY: It has been mostly cool, cloudy with scattered rain all week but the weekend is very nice. And the water is up – but still clean…yahoo! I guess I can say it now…conditions are near perfect. The guiding clients have been doing very well especially those who book multiple days. Multiple days mean they get to experience different rivers, pools and runs. I was tempted to move the fishing gauge from good to excellent. The Zymoetz (Copper) is clean and fishing on the low end is good. The Kalum is very clean and fishing is very good. With a "bump" of water the Kitimat River is fishing well for Steelhead. See the Ron Wakita report below for more detail. The Skeena River is clean and Steelhead are being caught.
Don't spread this rumor but we have already caught our first Chinook (King) Salmon on the Kalum River this year. It happened on April 3rd. Sky Richard was the lucky angler. Soon, we may be able to catch both Steelhead and Chinook on the same day. Now that experience will change your life. I know, it changed mine back in 1980.
I have a report of guiding clients "just about" landing a Steelhead on the Kalum River that was estimated to weigh over 25-pounds. It got away before they could get the photo.
I also have a report from my friend Rob Vodola who was fishing with a friend on the Kitimat River after work for a couple of hours and hooked-up with a couple of very fresh Steelhead just in from the ocean. Rob landed his fish a big wild male estimated to weigh over 20-pounds…plus. He said it was the most beautiful Steelhead he had seen this year. Even with the low water the fish are still making it upstream.
Check out a brief report of the day Chad Black and I had on the Kalum on April 18th.
LIST OF "New" ITEMS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE THIS WEEK:
- Apr 10/08 one video clips posted on "Video Clips" http://www.noelgyger.ca/video-clips-web.htm under new category "Tips and Techniques"
- Apr 17/08 one item posted on "Conservation" http://www.noelgyger.ca/conservation.htm
- Apr 18/08 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. 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.
CURRENT REPORT and summary for Skeena and Tributaries:
TYPE OF FISH CAUGHT: Steelhead and Trout
Thank you for using barbless hooks.
FISHING THIS WEEK: GOOD*
LARGEST FISH OF THE WEEK: Specie: 20-pound plus Steelhead Where: Kitimat River Angler: Rob Vodola
WEATHER: Sunny with cloudy periods. Windy. High plus 5. Region normal: Max. Temp. 13 degrees C. Min. Temp. 2 degrees C. Sunrise 6:20 AM Sunset 8:47 AM
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: The Skeena is low and in good shape. The Kalum (upper and lower) River is in good shape and has come up about one foot since last week. Kitimat River is very low and clean and is starting to come up a bit also.
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 is in good shape, low and clean. Fishing for Steelhead is good if you know where to go and what to do.
KALUM RIVER: The water, both upper and lower sections are in excellent shape and fishing for Steelhead is very good. The water has come up so it is much safer for boating.
April 18, 2008 Chad Black and I had an opportunity to fish together for a few hours on the Kalum River. Chad's favorite way to fish is with his Spey fly rod. He is a pro fly caster. It didn't take him very long to catch his Steelhead (see: Photo of the Week) and what a fresh fish it was, bright and clean. It must have just come in from the ocean this spring. I managed to shoot some video and still shots.
Did I say, I caught a Steelhead also. I caught mine spinning with a light silver spoon. Chad shot some video and stills also with his camera…so check back early next week when I will have had a chance to edit and post it on the website. We also caught Cutthroat and Dolly Varden Char. It was just a GREAT day fishing.
Both our fish were females Chad's estimated to weigh 10-12 and mine 12-14-pounds.
Chad gave me some very good Spey Fly Fishing Tips and Techniques on video (soon to be posted)…stay tuned…it is only going to get better.
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.
ZYMOETZ (COPPER) RIVER: The upper section is closed to fishing as of December 31 but the lower section below the first canyon will stay open for Steelheaders to enjoy. Water is clean now and the fishing is pretty good.
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.
Fishing Report from: Nicholas Dean Lodge for the Week of April 13 to April 19/08
Hello Anglers,
The prevailing low, clear water conditions on the Skeena and its tributaries changed last week as rainfall and snowmelt inundated rivers. Though the Skeena has a little more colour to it, it has been fishing well during the past week, and some very fresh Steelhead have been caught there. Other rivers have redeveloped their natural glacial colour, which Steelhead seem to feel more at home in. Though the fishing has been a little spottier than in previous weeks, the Steelhead are still in the rivers in good numbers, and the game is more about finding aggressive fish. Guests at the lodge last week hooked into several Steelhead on the fly, ranging from large bucks with prominent red stripes, to white chrome fish with a hint of pink in their cheeks. Another group of Italian anglers who were guided by Greg and Dustin experienced some great fishing on light spoons cast to deep, swirly pools.
The next week is forecast to be a warm sunny one, which will hopefully continue to melt snow and raise river levels. An increase in water levels will no doubt bring more fresh fish into the Skeena system which, as water temperatures rise, will be very strong fighters. And perhaps most striking, the warmer weather will allow us to access some of our favourite remote coastal Steelhead rivers. These are creeks and small rivers where 20 lb Steelhead can be sight fished as they hold behind large boulders in clear water. More on this adventure next week…
Until next week, tight lines and screaming reels…
Chad Black
Operations manager
Nicholas Dean Lodge…where every cast is an adventure!
CURRENT REPORT and summary for Northern Coastal Rivers:
Fishing Report from: Ron Wakita of Reliable Guide and Charters
KITIMAT RIVER:
Anyone drifting the Kitimat River please beware of the log jam above Powerlines!
The Kitimat River water level went up earlier this week due to some rain we had last weekend. With the rise in the water the Steelhead catch rates were pretty good earlier in the week through out the river particularly in the upper end. The higher water levels encouraged more Steelhead into the river and also caused more Steelhead to migrate up river. I managed to land one on Sunday and another on Monday evening. Tuesday evening after work I was fishing with Francis Timmons from Quebec and he managed to land another one in the upper river. Pat Oliver also landed one about 18lbs. on Wednesday up river. Many other Steelhead anglers reported good success as well.
After the rain stopped and with continuing colder temperatures the river has dropped steadily during the latter part of this week and the catch rates have dropped off in the upper river. The lower cleaner water level has created more challenging conditions although Randy Marshall of Randy's River Guiding reported landing a 12lber with his client on Saturday.
There seems to be more Steelhead holding in the lower drift and the wider deeper Steelhead runs in the lower portion of the Kitimat has produced more fish. One drift boat has reported hooking five Steelhead landing three in the lower drift on Friday. We have some higher than average tides in the next few days which should help bring some fresh Steelhead into the Kitimat. I suspect that the higher tides will bring more fresh Steelhead into the Kitimat River but the lower river level will cause them to hold in the lower portion. To test this theory I plan to drift the lower portion tomorrow morning. Stay tuned!
DOUGLAS CHANNEL: We have experienced some high winds in the Douglas Channel which has caused little to no activity. Accordingly not much to report from the Douglas Channel.
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 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:
The above photo is from a few years ago and shows Robert Tomes, a repeat guest, with his BIG Steelhead landed on the Kalum River while Spey Fly Fishing.
*** If any of you have special fishing photos, 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
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• Your Ad will be posted on my website
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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:
This is PRIME TIME for Steelhead fishing. It will go on until about mid May. Soon a person should be able to hook both Steelhead and Chinook Salmon on the same day.
Target Species:
Steelhead and Salmon
More Fishing Reports:
