Seasons and Tactics

The author with a buck steelhead taken on the Babine.
Jim Bourque photo

Although the prime fishing months of September and October produce the lion’s share of angling pressure, this is by no means the only good time to fish the Skeena region. Most steelhead start to enter the Bulkley and Kispiox systems in mid-August, with the productive upper reaches of the Babine lagging roughly two weeks behind. In addition to pleasant weather and less competition from fellow anglers, late August and early September can produce some stunning days of steelheading.

This is when short sleeves come together with minimal fishing pressure and the hottest, most surface-oriented fish of the season. With water temperatures typically at their highest, the conditions are usually perfect for stalking steelhead with a dry fly. Instead of employing the typical method of dead drifting the fly, steelheaders tend to skate or wake the fly on the surface in order to tease the fish to the top.

String up an 8-, 9-, or 10-weight rod with a long-belly floating line and a stiff 10- or 12-foot leader that tapers to 12-pound test. Good dry patterns range in size from 2 through 8, and the emphasis is on the fly’s ability to wake, rather than on any specific colors. Cast slightly down and across, placing the fly upstream from where a fish might lie. When the current puts tension on the line, the fly should produce a visible wake or V on the surface. The key is to maintain just the right amount of pressure on the fly to keep it waking and moving.

The town of Smithers, British Columbia, is the best jumping-off point to the Skeena River system. Located in Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway (Route 16), this ski town welcomes several daily Air Canada flights, and there are plenty of car-rental agencies at the airport. For more information on travel, guides, and lodging, contact Flywater Travel (800-552-2729; www.flywatertravel.com).

Illustration by Bill Tipton www.compartmaps.com

After each cast, take one or two steps downstream and repeat the process. Be sure to cover each run thoroughly. If a steelhead boils to the fly without actually taking it, change to a smaller fly, which will create a finer wake. When a fish takes the fly, remember not to rear back and strike, but release a small loop of line or bow the rod to the fish. This initial slack will enable the fish to turn downstream with the fly and hook itself solidly in the corner of its mouth.

If a fish fails to return to the dry fly, swinging a wet fly just under the surface will often do the trick. Using the same line-and-leader combination as with the dry-fly setup, cast across and slightly downstream with one good upstream mend. As the line tightens, you should follow the fly with your rod tip until the fly is just hanging in the current, whereupon you should pause for a few seconds. Often a steelhead following a fly will take it here.

Traditional wet-fly patterns such as the Green-Butted Skunk tend to work best. Start with a big and bright fly. If you get a grab but come up empty handed, replace the fly with a smaller, less colorful pattern. Resume casting from just upstream of the hot spot. Covering a run like this with several different flies will often entice reluctant fish.

The middle of September through mid-October constitutes prime time on the Skeena system. The first big push of fish enter the tributaries in early September, with new fish (and new anglers) arriving daily until early November. This is the most crowded time on the water because lodges and guides are usually fully booked. Under optimal conditions, a good fly fisher may average two to five hook-ups per day.

The heart of the season combines spectacular fall colors, ever-increasing fish counts, and moderate water temperatures that enable anglers to succeed with a wide range of techniques. But, as water temperatures drop, sinking-tip tactics work best. The key is to have a good selection of interchangeable tips in different lengths and weights. Most anglers use 15-foot tips in types 3, 6, and 8. Instead of a tapered leader, attach a 4-foot section of straight 12- to 15- pound Maxima via a loop knot to a short leader butt. This will keep the fly down in front of fish that are holding deep.

Two-handed rods and flies that offer a lot of movement in the water are recommended throughout the Skeena system.
Ken Morrish photo

Use large patterns that have a lot of movement in the water. A big, dark silhouette works best in cloudy water. Smaller patterns work well when water clarity is good, and brightly colored flies produce in low-light conditions. A well executed cast across and slightly down with an upstream mend should present the fly properly. As the line tightens, the weight of the tip will cause the fly to swing deeper through the run.

By November, colder air temperatures tend to increase the probability of  snow, so the water doesn’t rise and fall much. Before the onset of ice, which in recent years has occurred in December and January, late-season steelheading can be very productive. The vast majority of the run has arrived, and oftentimes the colder temperatures concentrate the fish in the slower parts of the river, especially inside bends and soft pockets. And when the water temperature hovers in the mid- 30s, the fish are unwilling to move far to the fly.

Matching flies and tips to the conditions is crucial. You may need to lighten both tips and flies to swing through these soft lies. As the fly sinks, mend or feed line into the drift to help the fly sink. Follow the fly with your rod tip, and when the fly reaches the proper depth, pinch off the line to start the downstream swing. Cover the lower water column methodically, and make sure that the fly is swimming slowly. Takes will be less aggressive, and the slightest tap on the end of your line could be a trophy fish.

Early November on the river offers the hardcore angler solitude and the opportunity to fish to large numbers of steelhead. The season itself ends only when there is too much ice to fish effectively.

A fly-fishing trip to British Columbia is a must for any angler who wants an authentic wilderness experience. This untamed and majestic land offers the best opportunity for an angler to hook into a wild trophy steelhead. If you are lucky enough to land one these incredible fish, you will be forever changed.