[JJofCBL]

Hi everyone

Not sure how, but encouraged by the cheap flight with Canadian Affair from Manchester to Vancouver direct, I have convinced the wife to holiday in BC in Early October (10 nights).

Once we've had a few days in the city, we have a flight to Terrace and we're staying at Yellow Cedar Lodge for 4 nights. I have a guided dat booked on the Skeena system but have some questions you may be able to help me with:-

- planning to use a hardy swift 14 foot #9 and a Skagit system with T12 and T18 5 foot and 12ft mow tips. How does that sound? I need to be ticking the bottom in fast flows don't I? In early October I might tangle with a steelhead (if blessed) but are there any salmon around in early October too? Any tips from those that have been or live there please as I might try a weekday DIY day too

Later on I have a guided day on the Squamish (staying near Whistler) and so:-

- planning on using my hardy gem 12 foot #8 with a Rio afs and fast sinking versileaders, will this work for the Squamish please?

Also should I bring my sage XP 9 foot 6' #6 or even a CND Solstice 13 foot 4' #6/7/8 or M I just complicating matters? Space in the hold and the cost of tubing my rods is a concern too.

Any advice or encouragement is much appreciated as although I am a regular and a devotee of the Spey rod, this is going to be a totally new experience for me!

Any other trips re bears, midges, etc also appreciated

Best wishes

John

 

[brood dude]

Very cool you are getting out this way!

For your Skeena fishing a 9wt may be overkill. I usually use a 7wt and the odd 8wt. If it's a steady drop in temperature you may still be able to get them on a dry line. When I have used a tip I go with a scandi head and 8" of T8.

That said because of the distance you are traveling I would bring a dry line a scandi and a skagit. There won't be much in the way of salmon at that time of year but when you get down on the Squamish there should be some chum and bull trout around to keep you busy.

The Squamish is another system that does not require big fat tips. So if it was me I would bring 2 rods and 3 lines, just to keep it simple.

I hope you have a great trip.

Ben

 

[BCBound]

I'd listen to Ben, he know's a thing or two about these rivers.

If you get any other time in to fish Squamish after your guided day, and want to meet up, drop a message. I might be able to get up there.

Scott.

 

[JJofCBL]

Very cool you are getting out this way!

For your Skeena fishing a 9wt may be overkill. I usually use a 7wt and the odd 8wt. If it's a steady drop in temperature you may still be able to get them on a dry line. When I have used a tip I go with a scandi head and 8" of T8.

That said because of the distance you are traveling I would bring a dry line a scandi and a skagit. There won't be much in the way of salmon at that time of year but when you get down on the Squamish there should be some chum and bull trout around to keep you busy.

The Squamish is another system that does not require big fat tips. So if it was me I would bring 2 rods and 3 lines, just to keep it simple.

I hope you have a great trip.
Pw
Ben

That sounds great so what two would you bring and why? Do I need a Skagit and mow tips?
All advice much appreciated
John

 

[JJofCBL]

I'd listen to Ben, he know's a thing or two about these rivers.

If you get any other time in to fish Squamish after your guided day, and want to meet up, drop a message. I might be able to get up there.

Scott.

Now that would be cool!

Definitely! Always great to chat over a beer and swing a few flys and compare notes...

 

[brood dude]

That sounds great so what two would you bring and why? Do I need a Skagit and mow tips?
All advice much appreciated
John

It depends on what river you will be fishing on the Skeena. I have never used anything more than a 8wt but now usually use a 7wt as stated. You need to remember these are summer run fish and will move to the fly depending on water temperature. You will not need T14...

So I'll leave it by saying this. Bring what you are most comfortable using. You should still be able to wake a bug and then some very light tips. I would not bother with the skagit or mow tips as you really don't need to dredge for these fish. If you like shoot me an email and I can send you pics of flies that have worked very well for me up there.

[email protected]

Cheers

Ben

 

[sazan]

It depends on what river you will be fishing on the Skeena. I have never used anything more than a 8wt but now usually use a 7wt as stated.


Sure you can land a good size hot Skeena Steelhead, ( 15 Lb+) on a true wt.7, but it is not great for fish to prolong the fight.

 

[salmo_g]

JJ,

I have a CND Solstice 13' 4" and it is my go to, all around fish for steelhead everywhere rod. The Skeena, Kispiox, Bulkley, Morice, and Copper. I don't cast T-14 with it. I use either a 7 wt floating Spey line or a RIO original beer can style Skagit integrated line and head with sink tips. I like RIO Versileader 15' sink tips, type III and type VI. I don't know if the Solstice is a true 7 wt or not, but it handles steelhead of all sizes just fine. I agree with Sazan that it's not good to prolong the fight. However, it's not the rod that defines the length of time to play and land a fish. It's the fish, the pound test of the leader tippet, and how hard the angler is willing to pull, usually the angler.

Sg

 

[Inkedforlife68]

Was on the Bulkley last Oct for ten days ( diy). I used my 7wt the entire time and my buddies swung their 8's. Skagits with T11 and 14 the entire time. Very very productive trip in an amazing place. I'm sure the locals have much more experience on hand there.

 

[brood dude]

It depends on what river you will be fishing on the Skeena. I have never used anything more than a 8wt but now usually use a 7wt as stated.


Sure you can land a good size hot Skeena Steelhead, ( 15 Lb+) on a true wt.7, but it is not great for fish to prolong the fight.

I get all my fish in very quickly, except for one in 2008, he was a pig. I have found it really depends on the angler. I have seen some guys with 9wt's take forever to land fish. I like watching them swim away strong so I don't dilly dally...

Ben

 

[JJofCBL]

Hmmm good advice so it sounds like:-

The hardy gem 12 foot #8 with afs and tips will pay its way.

The hardy swift 14 foot #9 with a Skagit and mow tips may be too much rod

The cnd solstice 13'4 foot #6/7/8 sounds good but I have a question? I have the floating intermediate and S3 tips for to cnd gps line but these aren't going to finding enough depth are they so do I add a versileader to the end of this line or dispense with the tip and add a mow tip? Sorry for all the questions!

Also:-
-any tips for places in Terrace serving cold beer, good food and/or live music?
-any tackle shops that sell the killer flys?
- my Oakley monster dogs are worn through so what would you recommend for spotting steelhead in fast blue water please?

Thanks

John

 

[mitchaka2fish]

- my Oakley monster dogs are worn through so what would you recommend for spotting steelhead in fast blue water please?

standing on a hill or getting some maui jims, mate.

copper or yellow.


cheers,
shawn

 

[speyghillie]

Dream Trip

Nothing to do with the fishing, but if you are flying Canadian affair (Air Transat) and have the rods booked in under Sporting goods, keep that in writing, i have used that airline lots of time to BC, once had the guy at the Vancouver check in desk tell me fishing rods were not sporting goods, i told him i had come out with the same company and no problem, he tried to charge us for taking our fishing rods home, i had to call the Glasgow office and hand the phone over to the twat in Vancouver airport to get it sorted, so keep any paperwork in case you meet that same idiot checking people in.

Gordon.
DTX Pro Staff.

 

[Brambo]

Rod tubes

I fly in each fall from Amsterdam and use a golfbag with a 4" wide and 40" long and pvc tube in it that holds 2 twohanders and 2 single handers. And of course my waders, clothes, reels etc.
So I only have 1 piece of luggage and that saves me at least € 150 vice versa!
Okay, it is still odd size luggage and I have to check it in that way.
But it is strange that golf is a sport and fishing is a hobby according to the airlines.
Just my 2 cents:wink2:

 

[salmo_g]

The cnd solstice 13'4 foot #6/7/8 sounds good but I have a question? I have the floating intermediate and S3 tips for to cnd gps line but these aren't going to finding enough depth are they so do I add a versileader to the end of this line or dispense with the tip and add a mow tip? Sorry for all the questions!

John

John,

If you have a gps line for the Solstice, it has a loop for the floating tip. At least the ones my friend uses do. Just remove the floating tip and loop on a type III, VI, or VIII 15' RIO sink tip when you want to fish deep. I almost never fish more than a type VI sink tip and lose plenty of flies to the river's stones.

Sg

 

[Nooksack Mac]

Of the rods you mentioned, the CND Solstice (I love mine) is easily the indispensable one, for summer/autumn steelhead, almost everywhere. With a few interchangeable sink tips, about the same bulk as an electric razor, you can fish everywhere. I like a separate floating line, but floating tips work too. The rivers will be at their annual low then (unless the autumn rains hit early).

By placing the rod butts at opposite ends of a bundle, you can often fit two or three rods in one tube.

If by "midges" you mean mosquitoes, they may be a problem, but a tube or bottle of bug juice is smaller than a tube of toothpaste. Count on your guide to tell you what to do in the presence of bears. Despite all the stories, you're far more likely to die in a plane crash. Basic rule: don't run away screaming. Either stand tall with minimum eye contact and back away, or curl up in a tight ball and hope you survive a mauling.

 

[JJofCBL]

Of the rods you mentioned, the CND Solstice (I love mine) is easily the indispensable one, for summer/autumn steelhead, almost everywhere. With a few interchangeable sink tips, about the same bulk as an electric razor, you can fish everywhere. I like a separate floating line, but floating tips work too. The rivers will be at their annual low then (unless the autumn rains hit early).

By placing the rod butts at opposite ends of a bundle, you can often fit two or three rods in one tube.

If by "midges" you mean mosquitoes, they may be a problem, but a tube or bottle of bug juice is smaller than a tube of toothpaste. Count on your guide to tell you what to do in the presence of bears. Despite all the stories, you're far more likely to die in a plane crash. Basic rule: don't run away screaming. Either stand tall with minimum eye contact and back away, or curl up in a tight ball and hope you survive a mauling.

Did anyone ever survive it by curling up into a ball? :surprise:

I think I'll just run and hope I am quicker than the wife

John

 

[JJofCBL]

John,

If you have a gps line for the Solstice, it has a loop for the floating tip. At least the ones my friend uses do. Just remove the floating tip and loop on a type III, VI, or VIII 15' RIO sink tip when you want to fish deep. I almost never fish more than a type VI sink tip and lose plenty of flies to the river's stones.

Sg

Yes I do - you mean the Rio versileaders in 15 ' ? If so yes that's easy I have them!
Great advice
Thanks a lot
John

 

[JJofCBL]

Yes I do - you mean the Rio versileaders in 15 ' ? If so yes that's easy I have them!
Great advice
Thanks a lot
John

Oh hang on they don't come in 15' - I think you mean the Versi tip in 15' ie the tips that you use on a versitip afs? Sorry for the daft questions!
Thanks
John

 

[Nooksack Mac]

JJ: As to the bear mauling, I believe the survival rate is better than 50/50. Grizzlies are like bad, beligerrant neighborhood bullies. The bear may just sniff you, or slap you, or bite once or twice - which, considering their teeth, may "accidently" cost you your life. Very rarely, a grizzly may then decide "Hum, tasty!" Then you'll be in all the newspapers.