Skeena

[slivers86]

Trying to plan a trip for me and dad for next summer. Talked to a booth at the fly expo, but wondering who has been there, and where ya stayed or if you did the trip solo without an outfitter/lodge.

Its probably going to be the biggest fly trip I'll make as me and the wife are planning kids the year after, so want to make it a trip of the lifetime!


Slivers.

[skidderman]

It's a big system & not easy to figure out. If you don't have a jetboat you are at a disadvantage & even if you do & don't know where to go it can take a long time to figure out. Before I got my jetboat I hired a guide & it was a great experience. If you have the dough hire a guide. You won't regret it. Best time to go is in July & late July I found was better. Be aware though that you are at the mercy of heavy runoff that can make the river unfishable. If it was me I would target ocean fishing. Way less money on license & you can get other species as well. Good luck on whatever you do.

[norwestalta]

Originally Posted by slivers86

Trying to plan a trip for me and dad for next summer. Talked to a booth at the fly expo, but wondering who has been there, and where ya stayed or if you did the trip solo without an outfitter/lodge.

Its probably going to be the biggest fly trip I'll make as me and the wife are planning kids the year after, so want to make it a trip of the lifetime!


Slivers.

If you're interested I can pass on a phone number of my uncle that has flown in there a fair bit.

[Skybuster]

I fish off the coast a fair bit. I haven't done any river fishing, but I keep up to date by watching this guys postings. Take a look.

http://www.noelgyger.ca/

[ryanheartssteelhead]

The Skeena is big water and will be tough to figure out on DIY first time. If you're set on the Skeena, Hire a guide. If you're open to other water, there are other smaller rivers that are easier to fish. I've got a few contacts out west so if you're looking for a guide, shoot me a PM.

[pipercub17]

I wouldnt do the skeena your first time
Lots of other great rivers in the area to start with
If its steel you are after I would go in september
The bulkley would be a great place to start
Check out
http://www.chromersportfishing.com

[greylynx]

Originally Posted by pipercub17

I wouldnt do the skeena your first time
Lots of other great rivers in the area to start with
If its steel you are after I would go in september
The bulkley would be a great place to start
Check out
http://www.chromersportfishing.com

x2

The Skeena is an amazing drainage. It is big. Really big, and really powerful.

You can not cover it in one holiday.

I am a geezer, and started fishing it when I was four. And I am still a newbie.

[gerrygoat]

Originally Posted by slivers86

Trying to plan a trip for me and dad for next summer. Talked to a booth at the fly expo, but wondering who has been there, and where ya stayed or if you did the trip solo without an outfitter/lodge.

Its probably going to be the biggest fly trip I'll make as me and the wife are planning kids the year after, so want to make it a trip of the lifetime!


Slivers.

I stay in my house

What are you wanting to fish for and what time of year are you planning to go, you can have great salmon fishing from the end of June till around mid October. Guides are ghey just go for a do it yourself trip.

[coors04]

I lived in smithers for a little better then 12 years and learned the Bulkley pretty good. ( well kinda lol )

If you want you can P.M me and i will give you some great tips if you like

If the Skeena is the place you want to go then i would say go but if your open to suggestions i would suggest the Bulkley around the Smithers area. If you go in August the early coho will be in they can be challenging to get on the fly. The pinks will be in but this is an even year so its the weaker year for them ( i would not recommend keeping many or any because lots have a parasite that look like white puss balls in there meat and you cant tell which ones have it till you cut into them. They say it wont harm you but its nasty looking) Near the end of august the steelhead will be showing up and you should be able to get a few but not as many as mid to late September. The problem with september is the cost of licences goes up a lot so thats up to you. Now for the best part an hour and a half or 2 from smithers is the babine river it is amazing sockeye fishing. The run was horrible last year and was closed to keeping any sockeye but that almost never happens and the run should be strong this year. Sockeye are amazing fighting fish and the upper reaches of the Babine are fly fishing only. There are log cabins for rent that over look Babine lake and they are like 110 a night. I would say that pound for pound sockeye to steelhead fights are very close with steelhead being a harder fight only because they are usually more rested but sockeye are far more acrobatic. They seem to average 2-3 clear out of the water jumps and are a blast on the fly. Its very conmen to get double headers and you can see them from the bridge but fishing can be crowded and there are grizzlies that walk up and down the river but as long as you get out of there way they aren't a problem. If you like P.M me and ill give you some tips if your interested in fishing these waters.

Hope this helps sorry for the novel. I hope you have a great trip i might even be up there my self in august

[grizz325]

The skeena is a huge water shed so do some homework but there are a lot of other systems there to fish also. Just depends what time of year and what your after, as I lived there for 19 years and still didn't fish them all lol. Good luck you will always remember your first trip there.

[The Bit Runner.]

The Skeena is unbeleivable in every word. We go every year. Like some said a guide can help you but we just did it our selves but we have river boats. We go every year July 1st to the 20th. My buddy stayed this year 36 days fishing. We have fished as low as 4.8m of water all the way to 7.5m of water. The fishing has been great no matter what. I will say the lower the water the cleaner it is and the fishing is better. We have caught springs all the way up to 63 lbs and Steel Head up to 18lb. There is lots of great fly fishing spots along the way. The only way to our spot is with a boat. Enjoy your self, the country is beautiful. Here is a few pics on the Skenna.

[grinr]

Skeena first timer last August and absolutely loved it,so much so I am seriously considering moving there,just amazing fishery they have there.
Myself and bud drove there from CGY,just wingn it DIY,few nights tenting,few nights motel,we didn't slay the fish,made some mistakes,but learned a ton for next time,I can't even wait til Aug-Sep,I'm going again late April,....and again late Aug-Sept?
Bulkley/Morice was absolutely gorgeous and felt very familiar,like home on Main SW Miramichi,suspension footbridge and all,only diff was water is different color,more clear/green as oposed to peat stained tea color typical back east.Re;mistakes,we were a bit too early for steel up that far,but can't hardly call it a "waste" of 1.5 days when you're skating dries on what is widely acknowledged as the best dry fly steelhead river in the world.....and pinks and coho were running strong then also.
Without "hotspotting" anywhere in particulair,the lower tribs closer to Terrace and below and the main stem Skeena are far more productive for steel at that time of year. I would LOVE to do Bulkley later in Sept,but I work 21/7 hitch in patch and I'm in full bore elk mode at that time....decisions/decisions,gotta pick yer poison,so Skeena late Aug for me with no "wasted" days up high,straight to the hot fishing down lower this year now that we've learned a few things.
Anyhow,can't wait to go back in April,lower Skeena tribs below Terrace,we planned last year to make it annual trip,but spring and fall for me I've decided,can't get enough of it,we only scratched the surface,it would take a lifetime of living there full time and then some to see it all,just incredible watershed!

[K44]

[IMG][/IMG]


This is why I built a cabin on the Skeena 3yrs ago