Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Hosted Travel Options...

All smiles and good fun on hosted trips!
Hi Travelers,

We just updated our website with a current listing of hosted trips for 2010. Have a look and please feel free to contact us if you have any questions and/or would like to book your next fishing adventure. Fish On!

Best Regards,
Keith
Camaraderie, big smiles, and good fishing... all the makings for great memories!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Special Offer: 2010 B.C. Steelhead Trips


This is the last week to take advantage of the early booking promo by Nicholas Dean Lodge. If you book a 2010 trip before the end of this month (Oct. 31st deadline), you will secure your booking at the 2009 rate of $3,695 CAD. Below are a sampling of prime weeks that are available at Nicholas Dean Lodge in 2010. Please give us a call to book your B.C. Steelhead and Salmon adventure!

Classic Spring Run SteelheadAF Logo - bold
Dates: April 11 - 17, 2010
Group Size: 8 Anglers
Host: Jason Hartwick of Steelhead on the Spey
Who should book this week:
This is prime-time for opportunities to fish for dime-bright spring Steelhead and summer/fall Steelhead that held over during the winter; this week is a fit for anglers who are strong casters while fishing heavy sinktips and large swung flies; anglers may fish the Kalum, Copper, and/or other remote coastal rivers; many two-hand / spey / switch rod anglers prefer fishing this time of the season.

Pacific Salmon "Super Slam" and Summer SteelheadSummer NDL
Dates: August 15 - 21, 2010
Group Size: 10 anglers
Who should book this week: Anglers desiring to "hookup" on the good numbers of anadromous fish; August is when the Lower Skeena experiences the absolute greatest density of migrating fish, from 5 species of Pacific Salmon to summer Steelhead; mostly single-hand rod fishing with sink-tips and medium sized flies; GREAT WEEK for kids and family trips!

Prime Coho Salmon and Fall SteelheadFall NDL
Dates: September 19 - 25, 2010
Group Size: 8 anglers
Who should book this week: Anglers who desire the potential to do a variety of fishing - sight fishing to Coho, skating dries for Steelhead on the Copper, sink-tip fishing on the Skeena and Kalum; combination of single-hand rods and spey can be utilized this time of the season; dry-line to sink-tips and small flies to big flies.

Prime Fall Steelhead
Dates: October 10 - 16, 2010
Group Size: 8 anglersAF Logo - bold
Who should book this week: This is fall prime-time for Steelhead and late-season Coho Salmon; this week suits anglers focused on fishing Steelhead in the classic manner - swung flies on dry line and sink-tips; famed tributaries such as the Copper and Kalum are usually in prime shape offering strong casters and spey rodders to "air-out" their lines with long casts to cover the water; summer Steelhead have arrived and fall fish are arriving each day; skating flies is still a possibility.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Instruction: Spey and Switch Rod Class on the Lower Yuba River


Ryan Miller casting a "wedge" (photo by Andy Guibord)

Ryan Miller of Northern Waters Fly Fishing is offering a spey and switch rod class on our local fishery, the Lower Yuba River in Northern California.  He is offering two dates for this class, and yours truly will be assisting with the November 22nd class.  So, if you have interest in learning how to cast these rods and fish flies on the swing, please read below for the details and Ryan's contact information...

Spey and Switch Rod Instruction on the Lower Yuba River

These classes will be held on the Lower Yuba River and will be dedicated to exploring the world of spey casting and utilizing spey techniques. Learn everything from how to hold the rod to properly working a run. We will show you how to select rods, reels, lines, tips, flies, spey casts and water. We will dive into Skagit, Scandinavian and long belly line applications. If you do not own a two-handed rod, no problem, we will show you how to do everything on a single-handed rod.

Two Class Options:
November 8: 5 anglers max cost is $100 per person (instructor: Ryan Miller)
November 22: 10 anglers max, cost is $75 per person (instructors: Ryan Miller and Keith Kaneko)

Students will be taken on a first come, first serve basis and ability does not matter.

Both classes will start at 9am and end at 5pm.

For questions and/or enrollment, contact Ryan Miller:
Email: rhmiller@gmail.com
Phone: 530-913-8312
Website: www.northernwatersflyfishing.com/

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Nicholas Dean Lodge October 4 - 10, 2009

This trip to Skeena country marked my second venture to chrome-land. I was joined by my good friends, Steve Pereira, Rob Elam and Joe Carlig. In addition to this was the welcomed company of Steve Jones, Dan Brosier and Kevin Mather. As guests of Nicholas Dean Lodge in Terrace, BC we were there to tangle with the infamous grey ghost. We were there to see chrome, but knew too well that tangling with a sea-going Walter was not a given. For the most part we knew how to appease the steelhead gods. After many in depth meetings about how to keep them happy we agreed that we will not expect it to happen, let the fish come to you and embrace the Grand Unified Wou (GUW) (thanks to Dan and Kevin). The GUW is an all encompassing way of life that when followed will be unquestionably rewarded with your desired outcome.

The flights were cake, Chad and Noel were there to greet us and take us to the Yellow Cedar Lodge. The lodge is incredible. It is near the Skeena and surrounded by mountains. On site was a hot tub, weight room, lounge and spacious rooms. The food, service and accommodations were excellent. The picture to the left is the view from the lodge deck.





Blue skies in British Columbia during October, that is GUW!




Day 1: Steve Pereira and I had a chance to fish the Upper Copper. He took us to a remote part of the river that was worth every ounce of energy expended. The hike itself was unreal with a bounty of nature eye candy. When we got there we were met with clean water with a tint of steelhead green plus great pools and runs. We were successful. Steve and I started out with dry flies (yes, big steelhead on dies in October) and both drew blanks on the first run. I went back through with a pink Jumbo Critter and a little T-14 and found a nice buck!

Upper Copper Hoglet

The next pool we went to was one of the most incredible pieces of water I have seen. Its speed was mild, bottom strewn with boulders and multiple seam lines. There was also a few mayflies hatching... Back to the dries we go, Steve was working through the run very well while I watched him. Out of the corner of my eye I happened to see a 10-15 pound steelhead eat a mayfly. I took the liberty of positioning myself to make the presentation. I was casting a size 4 dry on a 14' spey rod... I barely got the floating head out when I get a looker out of the rocks. I goofed and mended right when she came up to look,... DOH! As soon as the fly gained dead drift status it was annihilated by this:
She ATE IT!

Dry Fly Steelhead

While I was fighting this beauty the big boy I had seen earlier ate a dry right in front of me. So I landed this one and had Steve come up and give it a go. He starts bombing casts and getting great drifts to this fish... no dice. I followed and skated/grease lined the dry in a last attempt to get this fish and just as I was going to call it, BAM. The big guy eats... bing, bang, boom big head shakes and then it was over. Hook bent out... So it goes.

The other anglers will have to tell you their own stories, but here is the summary. Kevin and Dan floated the Copper and crushed. Several grabs, several landed and a full acceptance of the Gran Unified Wou. Here is the pudding:

Copper Choker

Same fish, different pose

Copper Rocket

Steve Jones, went in pursuit of chrome Coho and was rewarded. No pictures of this, but the quote of the day came from me asking him how his day was. "It went well, I lost count."

Joe Carlig and Rob Elam fished the Kalum hard and really enjoyed the river. The Kalum is known for its large fish and spectacular water. It is a casters delight with high risk and high payouts. This river eventually gave us the love.

Day 2:
Steve P. and Joe Carlig did the float on the Copper while Rob Elam and I were on the Upper Copper. Each Copper team drew a tough card that day. Local mountains shed recent snow fall and we watched the river rise and blow out! DOH - Rob and I worked very hard and fished only one pool due to water conditions. Rob got it done, first fish came on the 5th pass while the second came on the 9th pass. Down river the boys were sadly shut out. Not even a peck, we were all very surprised and a bit disappointed the lower Copper did not put out. Here are a few of Rob:

Hmmm, which one? Funny, it doesn't really matter.

Artsy, yours truly working the run

Nice hen, had the hops

Rob, meet steelhead, steelhead, Rob

Day 2 continued: Dan and Kevin were on the Kalum and had a few big steelhead close to the net, however did not make it all the way. They had a ball casting on the Kalum. Steve Jones was also on the Kalum and did his best to hog tie a mega.

Day 3: Joe and I were on a mission to get Joe his first BC steelhead. We were paired up with Jeff for a hike on a tributary to the Skeena. This place was once again spectacular with pools and runs designed by steelhead gods. It was not long before Joe had done it... He hit two awesome fish that day. We had a ball trudging through the forest, crossing huge log jams and fishing great water. We saw wolf, bear and moose tracks everywhere.




While chanting the versus the GUW I received a little tug. A dandy in my book.




Steve Jones fished a different trib to the Skeena and he too popped his BC cherry. He had a great day wresting with some true steel.

Steve Jones... enough said

Hard work and GUW

Brute

Rob and Steve P. had an awesome day on the Kalum. They were swinging for steelhead and found their counterpart... COHO. They got into some massive silvers on the swing. Steve had never really used a spey rod before and not only did he stick fish with it, it also landed some by himself.

Steve P with CHROMO

The Dynamic Duo, Dan and and Kevin were on the Kalum and had one of those days. These two "fisherman" skewed the law of averages by managing to go 0 for 12 on fish. We are not sure how many were steelhead versus coho, but that has to be some kind of record. We made sure to bring this up whenever appropriate, so always. Nice job boys.

Click here for images and stories from day four. Here is one the highlights from day 5. Steve Jones with a spectacular specimen. I was very happy for him, he nabbed this with a single hand on the Kalum, very impressive.

Day 5 for Steve P. and I was truly something we will both never forget. The fishing was good, but the scenery was choice while we rafted down one of the coolest rivers I have ever seen. Images are on the next post. I cannot share too many details with you on this for Sky will surly hunt me down. Also, that is just bad for GUW.

The week in British Columbia was spectacular. It was filled with great people, great fishing, perfect accommodations, a great booking agent, hard working lodge staff and guides. If this trip is something you are interested in contact Keith Kaneko. He does a great job of making dreams come true and taking the hassle out of booking trips.

Thank you to everyone, especially the Grand Unified Wou



Wednesday, October 7, 2009

On-Location: Nicholas Dean Lodge (Oct. 5 & 6, 2009)

Kevin Mather and guide, Sky, displaying some nice BC Steel...

Host, Ryan Miller, just reported in from Nicholas Dean Lodge this week. His anglers are fishing hard and landing some very nice Steelhead and Coho this week in the Lower Skeena region. Here are some photos from the past couple of days fishing... FISH ON!

Ryan Miller with a nice buck on the Copper River

Not all BC Steelhead are giants, but we love them ALL!

"Miller-time" showing a nice BC hen...

Rob Elam lands a trophy buck Steelhead on the Upper Copper...

An angler's finest moment... the touch of Steel

Kevin Mather with another nice Steelhead for the day...

Saturday, October 3, 2009

3 Generation Trip to Nicholas Dean Lodge (August 2009)

All smiles from the boys on the banks of the Skeena River...

We recently received a wonderful report from the Shanks and Kovar families (Washington) about their recent family trip to Nicholas Dean Lodge. Last year November, Andy Shanks and Michael Kovar had a successful Steelhead trip to Nicholas Dean Lodge. They enjoyed their experience so much that they decided to return with their families this past August. This was a three generation trip that proved to be a most memorable experience for everyone, especially for the kids! Here is Andy's message about their overall experience:

"Keith, The trip was great! Kids had a blast as well. Dustin treated us to a wonderful adventure in the saltwater for Cohos....very fun for the boys. The food, lodge were both excellent and the hot tub was a big hit as well. Hope all is well with your family and we look forward to another great adventure with Nicholas Dean Lodge. (Andy Shanks)"

Nicholas Dean Lodge does a spectacular job of accommodating kids and families. Their guides are great with the kids and keeping them excited and into the action. We recommend August as the best month for family trips, as the fishing action is at its peak with the mass migration of Salmon species and possibility of hooking summer Steelhead too. So, please keep Nicholas Dean Lodge at the top of your list for father-son and/or multi-generation trips! Fish On!

A summer trophy...

Kids having fun on the Skeena...

All smiles for father and son...


Hooked for a lifetime!