I had a job interview in Prince George so took the advantage to continue onto Terrace. I tried to make it there 5 years ago but the RV broke down in Smithers so I was forced to fish the Bulkley...
This time I made it Terrace and spent the first day and half just exploring the Skeena and talking to fisher people. My first day fishing yielded nothing...
So, I went to the tackle shops next. Went to 2 and really didn't get any expertise but on the 3rd shop I found the right guy. He knew a ton about fishing the area and he asked me what sinking line weight I was using. I learned a lot about grains per foot...
I have a 9 ft, 10 wt rod so it is stout but under-gunned in casting distance compared to the spey rods. This guy made up a custom sinking line for me that would work best for the rod I had. The weights was more than twice what I brought from Alberta!
Next day, 2 pinks landed right away. Lost 3 more fish and 2 of them were quite big. Unfortunately I lost my custom line to river on the last fish. Fish took it and went around a rock...somehow and I did everything I could but lost the entire rig.
Another bad news is that the tackle shop I got it at was closed the next 2 days. So, I took what I learned and got some bulk sinking line quite similar the custom one I got. By the afternoon I was back on the river and landed my first Skeena sockeye. Great fight! Fresh looking fish too.
Next day I left the Terrace area and fished the very quiet Skeena IV classified waters. Nice runs! No people. I was back on sockeye again and had a very memorable day. By that afternoon I was pretty tired from all the hiking.
Late in the day I started back down hwy 16 and went to Smithers to fish the Bulkley. I have some experience as I said before but I found some great new water. Paid off! Landed and released around 10 fish. Last one was my first steelhead around 7 lbs. No monster for sure but a fish I will not forget...
What a place to explore...what an experience. I'm humbled and now dreaming of my next trip back there. I can't use "epic" as I used that already this year. How about "blown away"
Pics:
(Quality is not great. Just used the iPhone 5)
The tree tunnel at Ferry Island
Common spot on Ferry Island
Poked around the Copper river as well
If my memory serves me correctly, the artist is from the Netherlands and has decorated the paths around Ferry Island
The Skeena is a power house river at times...
Skeena on the classified section
Visit the airport by Smithers and take a look at this giant...
Weighed in at just over 1000 lbs...took down upwards of 30 cattle and some weighed 1500 lbs...incredible!
First Skeena sockeye
Another sockeye
Cheers!