North Vi

[rusty]

H20, Gokaroach and I spent three days with Courtney (Islandguy) on the island this weekend. Had a wonderful trip - got blanked fishing except for a few pulls, but that's pretty much expected for our first trip winter steelheading. Saw some spectacular country and learned a ton about fishing with the twohander. Courtney's skill with the speyrod is humbling.

 

We even got to see some huge steelies in crystal clear water, but they were either too deep to get a fly to or more skittish than any rainbows I've ever seen.

 

[rusty]

[Guest bigbadbrent]

Hi Russ,

looks like the island just doesn't put out for us alberta boys. But either way, it's a whole hell of a lot of fun, isnt it?

 

Gorgeous place, and great photos, well done....mind me asking what rivers you guys fished? What the weather do to ya?

 

last one, drive or fly?

[SanJuanWorm]

It makes me wanna move to BC.

[beedhead]

Awesome pics rusty!! Bummer you didnt get into some of those steelies. Looks like it was a good time.

Thanx for the pics.

[birchy]

It makes me wanna move to BC.

 

Amen.

 

Awesome pics rusty. Thanks for sharing!

[ogilvie]

It was really fun to have three serious fishers along for 3 days...and good fishers they are. In pictures 3 and 7 you can see Steelhead...if you look very closely at picture 7 there about 12 Steelhead laying under the seam...and yes there were several over 20 lbs. these fish are masters at invisibility....

The areas I wanted to fish are all under Snow this year so there was no access...good for the fish but not the fishers....and thats a good thing. These guys were really great..they were conducting some kind of GAS testing in waders????I wonder what thats all about?

I am out again tomorrow on the Gold,after those monsters...we had a bit of rain...thats a good thing..

C

[maxwell]

dope pics yall!

[Hawgstoppah]

Wow. I never would have guessed that fisherman of that skill could go get blanked, when fish were actually around. Makes me feel a bit better about my BC adventure last fall to smithers with only one to hand.

 

Thats a beauty river guys! You'll get 'em next time!

[Tako]

Fish of ten thousand casts down there. If you want fish, you go to the Skeena. If you want the experience, you go to the Island. Great pics man.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

Fish of ten thousand casts down there. If you want fish, you go to the Skeena. If you want the experience, you go to the Island. Great pics man.

 

 

ding ding ding

[Tako]

ding ding ding

 

WhatdidIwin!?

[Mykiss]

Fish of ten thousand casts down there. If you want fish, you go to the Skeena. If you want the experience, you go to the Island. Great pics man.

 

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.

[OneMoreLastCast]

As many find out the first time they go for Steelhead, it's a very humbling experience.

 

If the fish aren't cooperating, at least you can go mini-golfing in Parksville.

 

I miss the Island. My family used to own Eaglecrest and Morning Star golf courses in Qualicum, so I used to have family to stay with, but not anymore. It wasn't so bad then because if the fish weren't on, I could go golfing for free.

 

It's tough though. As said above, the Skeena system is more productive, so it's tough to go so much further.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

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.

 

 

Yeah, and the skeena systems get bigger runs.

 

When i was on the island, it was a week of tossing 20 feet of T-14, a couple foot leader and big, big intruders. Not easy to do, but eventually you get into a good rhythm and hit one.

 

Sure was more gorgeous then anywhere else i've fished so far

[jonny5]

Makes me miss the island big time! Those are some really nice pics that bring back the memories. I used to hike, camp and fish all over the place out there. Steelhead are really tough to catch in the winter, especially on the fly, but thats part of the game (like 99% of the game really ). Summer runs are the way to go, they'll actually move to hit something.

 

J5

 

Only 170 sleeps left till I'm off to Terrace for another crack at it.

[SilverDoctor]

Yeah, and the skeena systems get bigger runs.

 

When i was on the island, it was a week of tossing 20 feet of T-14, a couple foot leader and big, big intruders. Not easy to do, but eventually you get into a good rhythm and hit one.

 

Sure was more gorgeous then anywhere else i've fished so far

 

You should try swinging hair wings some time low profile flies like that sink really quick. Intruders are bulky and sink slow.

[drshoal]

Great pics guys, looks like a fun trip!

[Tako]

Yeah, and the skeena systems get bigger runs.

 

When i was on the island, it was a week of tossing 20 feet of T-14, a couple foot leader and big, big intruders. Not easy to do, but eventually you get into a good rhythm and hit one.

 

Sure was more gorgeous then anywhere else i've fished so far

 

Compared to my buddy who swings a ten foot T8 with a pink bunny strip on the _ _ _ _ _ , lands a dozen steelies in a day and goes home.

[H2O]

It was a great time. Can't wait to go back! I'm getting hungry just thinking about Courtney's smoked salmon with Jalopeno jelly.

[ogilvie]

Will have plenty of Salmon to munch on during the Spey week-end on the Bow...and getting into Steelhead in the Winter can be trying for sure. The fish this year are fewer in numbers but larger..Steelhead in many of the Island Rivers and very transient,almost like Cutthroat Trout...there One minute and gone the next..but Once Spawning begins,these fish protect their redds with vigor and valour. That is why the Gold River will close this year on April 1st...to allow these beautiful fish to complete a cycle without being hammered by the fishers.

Tomorrow I am going to fish my back yard,about 3 minutes away,there are fresh fish now in the system in good numbers...nothing over 12 lbs(rarely) but there. Will hopefully take a few pics and get them posted.

C

[Mykiss]

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??

[darthwader]

Will have plenty of Salmon to munch on during the Spey week-end on the Bow...and getting into Steelhead in the Winter can be trying for sure. The fish this year are fewer in numbers but larger..Steelhead in many of the Island Rivers and very transient,almost like Cutthroat Trout...there One minute and gone the next..but Once Spawning begins,these fish protect their redds with vigor and valour. That is why the Gold River will close this year on April 1st...to allow these beautiful fish to complete a cycle without being hammered by the fishers.

Tomorrow I am going to fish my back yard,about 3 minutes away,there are fresh fish now in the system in good numbers...nothing over 12 lbs(rarely) but there. Will hopefully take a few pics and get them posted.

C

 

I was ou there this past weekend and we went up to Gold River for a drive. I watched three guys in a zodiac drift through some pretty fantastic looking water. Unfortunately, I was not fishing, just spectating. Beautiful spot though...wow.

[Tako]

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??

 

Region Six

 

QCI is redic. My buddy went home to QCI for christmas and landed over 40 in a few days. He said he smallest was 8lbs, biggest running to around 20 (42"). My other buddy fishes a lot of water out of Terrace. Can't say what rivers, but if you do your homework, there aren't many secrets out there.

[Mykiss]

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..