Kitimat BC fishing???

slipbobber · #1 04-18-2009, 07:01 AM

Might be going to Kitimat this summer. Might as well try fishing while I'm there. What size rod and reel do you need to fish around there? Will be wanting to use a spinning reel. How long of a rod and what test line will be best suited for river fishing salmon?

pdfish · #2 04-18-2009, 08:14 AM

First, when are you going? Mid-June thru mid-July is when the chinooks are running. Mid-July thru mid-August its chums and pinks and in September the coho are running. If you're targeting chinooks, get yourself a casting reel, preferably something robust. I can't emphasize it enough, these are BIG, STRONG fish (up to 70lbs) and they have current on their side. I've seen big spinning reels blow up before with a big fish on the end of it. I'll never forget the first big chinook I hooked on while bottom-bouncing, I couldn't stop it even with a big casting rod & reel, it just turned with the current and headed back for the ocean, SNAP. It was like a freight train on the end of my line. What kind of fishing were you thinking of doing? Casting, bottom-bouncing, float-fishing, bar-fishing are all different techniques requiring different rods. I'll be in Kitimat at the end of June for 4 days bar-fishing and back-trolling the lower tidal section. Was there last year and it was a blast, we were mostly barfishing last year, 11 foot heavy casting rods with Abu Garcia 7000's or big Quantum Irons loaded with 30 lb fireline. We did pretty well on fish up to 20 but nothing bigger, hopefully this year we can get into a couple 30+.

The Fish King · #3 04-18-2009, 09:35 AM

We fish with a big steelhead rod and a baitcasting reel spooled with 25lb maxima and we use 20 or 15 pound leader. Pulled in a 43 pound chinook last time I was there while using a spinning glow bounced off the bottom. Had a blast catching the chums as well. My old man pulled up a 30 pounder on a 7 weight fly rod. What a blast!

packhuntr · #4 04-18-2009, 10:06 AM

My Dad was there about 20 years ago with another couple he hunted and fished with. They were bar fishing with a drift boat for chasing big ones. Cant say much about the rods except they were rigged with the best of the day spinning reels and heavy mono, running almost exclusively spin and glows. Pics show lots of 15 to 20 lb chinook, lots of chum. Best chinook Dad hooked, ran him about a mile down river in the drift boat, went at 56 lbs. We are planning to do this trip soon with Dad and his wife, us and our kids. Prob be looking at 2 weeks round trip. Half the trip will be based around gold panning and playing tourist. Always wanted to see what some flour gold looked like in the bottom of my pan!! Unfortunately this trip is on hold till # 2 little one makes an appearance (end of August)and gets walking and talking abit. Cant wait!!

Mudslide · #5 04-18-2009, 10:13 AM

I have an Abu Garcia Ambassador level wind reel with a Med Heavy 9ft rod and that is the kind of rig most of the locals use. I like the braids with a fluorocarbon leader. Longer rods give you more shock absorption and allow you to lift your line off the water to achieve a drag free float (if you use the foam "dink" floats). Bass Pro has a special on a Shimano level wind with a 10.5 ft rod. Perfect for the river in Kit. That river is short and usually clears up after a rain quicker than some of the other longer rivers in the general area.

The Fish King · #6 04-18-2009, 10:23 AM

ya i agree with having the big rod. I have a 10ft shimano and it works great with the level wind. I use braid for everything else but I like the stretch offered with mono.

skiidooskiidoo · #7 04-18-2009, 04:39 PM

I took a trip to Kitimat last summer with a friend and his son who go up there every year. The only equipment anybody was catching on, and the only equipment you need minus the right fly's, is at least a 8 weight salmon fly rod. Don't waste your time with reels and bottom bouncing. If you get the chance, buzz over to the skeena river in terrace, it's pretty darn good fishing there too, and less crowded. You're wasting your time in Kitimat with reels of any kind. Fly rod if you want to catch like crazy, reel if you want to waste your time. It's safe to say that I was the only guy there bottom bouncing and not catching much at all.

slipbobber · #8 04-18-2009, 05:10 PM

Not a fly fisherman, yet. Thats why a prefer spinning gear. Pretty much idot proof. Never done the salmon thing before but have looked into it several times before. Might just be the time to bite the bullet and do it.

pdfish · #9 04-19-2009, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skiidooskiidoo

I took a trip to Kitimat last summer with a friend and his son who go up there every year. The only equipment anybody was catching on, and the only equipment you need minus the right fly's, is at least a 8 weight salmon fly rod. Don't waste your time with reels and bottom bouncing. If you get the chance, buzz over to the skeena river in terrace, it's pretty darn good fishing there too, and less crowded. You're wasting your time in Kitimat with reels of any kind. Fly rod if you want to catch like crazy, reel if you want to waste your time. It's safe to say that I was the only guy there bottom bouncing and not catching much at all.

So I guess all the guides there are doing it wrong then, using casting reels and all. Don't waste your time on the Skeena unless you have access to a boat, because all of the popular bars that can be accessed on foot are jam-packed with people (ie. China Bar). Plus, if the weather gets warm for an extended period, the Skeena will be blown out and unfishable.

savagencounter · #10 04-19-2009, 10:01 AM

ha ha You gotta be kidding i grew up in he area and if you think ALL the foot access places are full youve never fished there lol. The skeena is huge and if you dont mind a hike you can Always find your own private beach. Steelhead year round lots of cutttrout, dollys rainbows . June 15- 30 best time for the big ones my personal best was 82lb chinook caught about 5 kms up the kalum river FOOT ACCESS . The copper river and kalum are wicked for steelhead Caught a 26lb steely out of the copper 2 christmas ago. Old man got a 30plus steely last aug off china bar. all these places are foot access and usually not crowded . terrace is pretty small. As for an overall great river the lakelse tops them all last fall pulled 22 lb coho out and the woman caught a 18lb. Largest chinook caught in the area i belive was 128lbs netted though. Still world record fish there i guess thats why we all travell there every year just like the salmon. if you dont like salmon head out to the salt for crab kingcrab huge halibut my cousin first timer when out on a charter out of rupert last year 425 lb halibut She was in the paper with it. we are going in june again this year then down to the charolotts. Best place in canada for BIG fish and PRIVATE fishing even if you dont have a boat. Honestly you dont need one to catch big fish there and have no worries about crowds unless you want to. Sometimes the popular areas are fun too especially when you hear FISH ON and everyone scrambles to thier rods. Ambassador 7000 and heavy to med action rod . Some wool and off you go. Honestly i would avoid the kitamat its a nice river but way over guided spooky fish and way too many chums. Lakelse, copper, skeena, and kalum are the best in the area. Kalum if you want the big big guys. my 82lb caught on ambassador 7000 with 30lb mainline and 25lb leader took me about 2hrs. I grew up there my whole life and fished every chance i got witch was alot lol if you have any questions specific to the area camping ect pm me ill help all i can. only thing to watch is the river spring runoff if you go down to early you may find the area unfishable. My family is there and i can call to get an update on water levels at anytime. cant wait this summer FISH ON .

The Fish King · #11 04-19-2009, 11:32 AM

Right with you on the skeena there savagencounter. The Skeena is an absolutley MASSIVE river. As long as you get out of terrace you can find prime spots all the way from terrace to hazelton and most often have them all to your self. Over the past few years we have found some spots where we catch salmon and bulls hand over fist and no one is even in sight of us.

savagencounter · #12 04-19-2009, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fish King

Right with you on the skeena there savagencounter. The Skeena is an absolutley MASSIVE river. As long as you get out of terrace you can find prime spots all the way from terrace to hazelton and most often have them all to your self. Over the past few years we have found some spots where we catch salmon and bulls hand over fist and no one is even in sight of us.

best steelhead in all of canada and LOTS of em sockeye in aug is a blast with a fly rod and 4 weight sinking tip line some purple maraboo and bang fish on. all day till your arms fall off