Mykiss

Toolman, It seems you are typing angerly at the moment. When angry one should probley not send posts... Why would anyone be concerned at pictures of Chrome if your from BC, Alberta hell even from Pluto for all I care.... That does not concern me(By the way Im from Calgary) and I'm sure it does not concern anyone else respective of where they call home. I am not trying to say that Brian is unethical, unskilled, or doing it all wrong.. I am saying at the moment he took those photo's he put the fish in a bad position. That is all... Maybe next year you go with Hawg snap the photo's with water dripping off the fish and this will be a non-issue. If you really want to break down how to land steel I'll show ya next year if you like.

Well trying to comment on how Brian(Hawg) landed these fish on everyones behalf is pure speculation.. Toolman as a matter of fact when you get steel (or anyfish for that matter) in shallow water there belly touches bottom and they don't like it at all..Thats when they go shiat wild and buck around thats not speculation. To debate the proper way to land a fish is irrelevant to this story as again noone was there. Im sure he "landed" them in a proper fashion. The fish in the video basically beached itself by the way not really a landing. But back to point...The issue I have and this is the last post on the issue because I thought this was a dead issue. Is the photos of exposed rocks wet or dry by the Doe's head and the Buck's heads. That is not speculation that is fact in the photos. Now if the fish bucks around and smashes its eye of the rock will it be ok??? Or opens a wound on its head to get infected will it be ok?? Or rubs off the protective slim layer on the exposed rocks will it be ok?

The people on the "band wagon" of negative posts should maybe just take a look at what this board is intended for...LEARNING..Brian (Hawg) posted a great story with a few "suspect" pictures..Comments where made regarding the pictures and to Brian's credit says he will take the advice given. If people can get over the negative posts there has been some good posts..The honorable "foot" of water theory is a great start for landing fish in...which progressed to Brian (Whistler) chiming in regarding landing steel by your lonesome(no easy task) and again providing good information to those that have not done this deed before. Taking pictures of steel by yourself provides a even greater challange that I have never found a way to do with out putting the fish in a bad position..So I choose not to take pictures of fish when fishing alone. As Brian(Whistler) says you can tell how long a fish as been in a "pose" for by the amount of water dripping off the fish...very tough to get a "pose" without a camera man. That is my choice. Maybe I am lucky to fish with others but I have seen many solo fisherman land a fish that could be the fish of a life time and choose not to take a photo for that reason. I have also helped "tail" steel for others that are solo and take photo's to help not only the angler but also the fish. If this makes me a ass well so be it I can live with that. But remember this is not a brown from the bow that is not even native to the system. This is a steelhead that has more challenges than Carter's got pin's. I'm out.

In case anyone missed it http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/ske/qws/feedback/ Nice work Mark on plugging the response form again.

Al, No doubt there are bigger issues that these fish face and we could start a never ending debate to which is a bigger issue than another... But I feel the one that "everyone" can control is how you handle the fish. Not really sure if your trying to lecture me or just trolling for something? If its a lecture then spare me please...If your trolling then PM me. The AMP true is not a conservation-based regulatory plan...however it does have in its scope angling etiquette which is not only "manners" to other fisherman but how you treat the resource being the fish. So again spare me your lecture. And if BC residents want to practise bad handling habits then thats there prerogative but does not make it right....Not sure where you came up with that idea anyhow cause most locals I'v meet on the river rarely even take pictures. I'm out.

Also need to find a fishing buddy to help tail and take photos. I show restrain with bowriver fish lying on the rocks but steel on the rocks is uncalled for. Please don't post this on any BC site its just ammo for the AMP for the Skeena. Sorry to stir the pot. I'm out.

The response forum is now open.... http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/ske/qws/feedback/ Time to provide feed back from the "non-resident" group... Make your voice be heard.

Yep now that the steelhead trip has come to a close its pretty much offically time to gear up the other big sticks...cant wait to rip some biglines @ castle this year..Hope they have another epic 10+meter snow year!!!!! To last call and first chair!!!!

The reason I prefer nail knots rather than loops is 1. Shooting line with a nail knot is much more productive than with loops..I find you lose way too much energy as the loop clunks its way through the guides....Nail knots do not lose as much energy..2. When fishing in "Icy" conditions the impact of ice on a nail knot is very minimal...Loops seems to accumulate ice and really get clunky. 3. When fighting a fish and the nail knot hauls through the guides @ mach 10 not much clunking....the loop wants to take guides out with it. The weakness of the Nail knot is you must constaintly be on top off it to make sure you are not pulling through your existing running line...if you don't then you lose your line

It is an oversized "large" wallet that I had to order from flyfishusa at the time....I'm sure a shop here in Calgary can order in or find the wallet...Rio makes one as Cam has attached and Airflo does also. I can imagine that you don't wanna lose your Scando/Skagit wallet..I would tie a rope from that wallet to your wrist with that wallet..tips are cheap to replace....lines are not. almost cried one time i blew my Skagit head off @ my nail knot to my slickshooter and watched it swing into a log jam...spent 30 mins and almost died a few times over trying to get it back...ended up going shopping and getting a new 550 grain skagit.

Headscan, I have an airflo wallet loaded up with 20ft of t-14, 15 ft of W/C floating tip, 5ft and 10 ft cheaters, a 300 grain 24 ft bigboy, 400 grain 24 ft bigboy, 500 grain 24ft bigboy and 600 grain 24ft bigboy...pretty full wallet however is does its job...for a Scando head and Skagit head it should work but thats about all she'll hold...But wallets are way cool to have and i pack 4 with me so think you may be that guy.

Bcube, I figure it would be a good idea to go to oscars/or Mcbike and pick up a daily classified for the day.. Like Cam said you could either hit the 'horn and talk about Steelhead or you can go hook into a steelhead.. Tonnes of good water in or near town..not sure how your getting from the airport into town but get a drop off or hitchhike to the highway bridge...stop on the east side walk upstream to the golf course and past to the red rock and fish it down past the bridge... huge piece of water and @ that time of year very little pressure apart from locals.

Monger, For sure you can catch these "elusive" fish with a 9ft single hander....I have caught many fish within 20 ft from the bank....Even with no back cast room one can manage to roll out a roll cast of 20 ft ish.... That being said the water you can cover with the big stick is unparalled as you cover such a big grid...with very little effort, and no false cast's which=more time your flies in the water=more fish=Good times.. Like the picture also Cam gets me that much more excited for the Valley.

Fairly certain that I will be up there for a couple of weeks in late September to early Oct. Dates not nailed down as of yet..however reports coming in from the Skeena are promising as alot of Steel are being caught lower down...Rain right now in the Valley is a good thing as the bump in the rivers will move the fish in to the smaller systems.. Not a fan of fishing low gin clear conditions....A perfect level in the Bulk is 0.5-1.0m for primary water level....fished it in blown out stage of 2.0+m and in super low 0.2m both make it tough fishing however I would almost take the half blown out conditons(as long as there is a foot of vis) over very low water.. But then again I'm not one of the "dry or die" steel hunters. Where do you stay up there Cam? More than welcome to hope over to the Flo for a bevie or 2 but giving away the secret spots I would be hung

Al, With out a doubt the best set up for running any T-14 head in excess of 8 ft is the skagit set up... 8 ft and less can be handled on a Scando set up with out much problem...Yes you are right alot has to do with the operator also..some days in a hung over state 8 ft on my skagit set up seems more like the 20 ft section of T-14 that i use for my winter fishing...Long story short I am a firm believer in the right tool for the job....Skagit set up for big hairy bugs and tips.....And long/mid bellied for dry lines and small cute little bugs..Rather than try to find a line that does it all however does not shine in one thing particular...Just my thoughts

Regarding the AFS I am skeptical ...Although I have not cast it I'm not sure I am sold on the idea of having a short head hybrid between a scando/skagit set up that doubles as a mid spey(or power spey as the new name)... My thoughts are with a head length of 31-42 feet they are on the long side to cast big nasties tied on to heavy tips.... and with the taper get away from the skagit principal of it takes grainage to cast grainage......Too short to fish a fixed line length that a Mid to long bellied line provides...So why the did rio come out with such a line?? The only reason I can come up with is to provide a do it all line..however I can tell u it will never cast big nasties like a skagit nor will it ever replace a Mid/long belly for its lack of stripping and swinging a dry tip??? Just my thoughts...

Brent, The color of the blank is to say if either it was a real noddle(Brown) or just a slow Trad. action rod the green... Sage changed 3 of there "brown" rods to "green" that I know off that stiffened the bottom end to have some reserve power. They did this to the 7136 9140 and 9150..many people still complained that they lacked the reserve power for longbellied lines however found my 9140 greenie a peach to cast with a MS.... I know a few ppl that use a 550 Skagit on the 7136 greenie and rock it pretty good.. Its a tad heavy for me but thats just me whatever works.

Tako, Homework has been done and I have graduated with pretty hight marks up in the Terrace/Kitimat/Queen Charlotte/Skeena area winter and summer run... Yes it is redic up there no doubt realtively untouched as far as pressure goes no doubt. Is he running gear or flys? Just seems 12 chrome to the beach is pretty lucritive per day..

Courtney......Whats wrong with a 12 LB chromer......Still gonna tape out @ the 34" neighbourhood....Not bad @ all in my view... but then again my view @ the moment is seeing a 24"+ trout as a hog.....so take that with a grain of salt.. Sure looks gin clear out there...making the winter game that much more of a challenge.. Don't know what i rather have a blown out river with about a foot of vis or gin clear conditions... Both types of conditions are a challenge in there own way!! Tako I wish I could swing T-8 with a pink bunny and land a dozen steel in a day!!!! What system is he fishing??

I don't know Brent I think the heads look pretty good for a fly your gonna pave bottom with...... I have 2 types of flys...my Mantle flies which I don't fish..cause they look soo pretty..and my fishing flies which is gobs of fur, feathers, thread and cement to hold it all together which I then proceed to beat into submission. They still catch lots o fish however they don't look as pretty as my mantle flies.. Ya I agree with Badger I like these on a tube but as you are from the school of Tyson >:} I'm sure he has you trained on stingers... Stingers for eye candy tubes for quickness!!

Depends on the run.....Winter run fish are very tough to persude to take a fly...Summer run steel take to a fly with alot more vigor. Its an apples and oranges game between the two fishing style wise..Fishing for winter run steel get a dose of T-14 or 500+grain BB's.. with big intruders tied on 2 ft leaders. Summer run fish get @ most a type 4 tip(usually a dry tip) and 4-10ft leaders.. With size 4-6 wets or drys skated at em.

I'v been using the spey on the bow for about 6 years on the bow things that I have noticed on the bow is: Boats will go where they please either with a spey rod in your hand or single hander lol....If the pilot/Captian/rower has the etiquette he will notice where your casting and give your the room accordingly...if he does'nt he will not simple as that. The jetsleds/seadoos(for you Brian) and or drifters in BC give you ample of room when they can..understadable your not going to pile your boat into bar's/rocks/bears(happens on the Babine) to avoid where the caster is working but within reason.. Now that said yes the water you cover for sure is incresed with the big stick however does that make a difference its still water "YOU" are covering at the moment...same as it would be with the single hander..you still expect the same respect..Just my thoughts

Yep them old boys that camp out at Wolcott sure like there jet skis.... I have seen them up there for alot of years now... Only problem with the ski's would be that they are just too damn much fun... Also when ya roll one you take out the top half of your rods... Guess the same thing can be said about a sled only in the sled all the parties rods are gone... You made the switch over to ski's yet Brian?

Sorry man the secrets been out for some time now...only most Albertans that I know poach "your" waters with jet-sleds rather than quads

Toolman, I regret to say that it has been a month since my last outing.....Pretty weak I know... however chinooks have been a rare thing this winter and between work and the call to the mountains to go downhill very fast with two missles on my feet I have suffered on my winter outings...however I am going through fishing withdrawals these days big time.. Also waiting for my Meiz's to get back to me as I sent 1 in for repairs and the other in for a lil' work on the cork. So when I get em back I'll be back in the saddle. Maxwell, My standard retrieve is strip 8 times coil around my pointer finger, strip 6 times coil around my middle finger, strip 4 times coil around my ring finger. Depending on how much line I am shooting depends on how long the strip is.... Obviously with a longer shoot the strips are longer say 2 1/2 Ft to 3 ft long the shorter the shoot then 2 ft strips..... As I load up the cast and begen to shoot line I open my hand up to allow the line to shoot as I pull the butt of the rod into my chest with my palm... Kinda a version of a underhand cast. Should also say that this retieve is with my skagit set up not my M/S. Hope that makes sense.