Gearing up for Spring

The Steelhead House – a boutique fishing lodge

Text: Peter McMullan

Photos: Darren Wright and Peter McMullan

Just as the rivers of the United Kingdom and Scandinavia are cherished for their Atlantic salmon so those of , ’s most westerly province, are acclaimed worldwide for their steelhead.

he two species have took my very first ten-pound Atlantic much in common in on a small blue and silver Devon terms of their biological minnow from the River Moyola, one backgrounds, their of the rivers that flow into Lough size, their sporting Neagh. That was in late June of 1955 reputationsT and their admirable after time well spent as a college heritage; one of timeless traditions student on Vancouver Island. There built on countless years of angling I was introduced to steelheading on effort. A willingness to come freely to the famous Cowichan River where an artificial fly, or lure for that matter, an eight-pounder fell to a spoon on ensures their continuing high ranking December 29, 1953. Today, more than on the discerning fisherman’s wish half a century later, my diaries allow list. I grew up in Northern Ireland and me to recall the details of both fish.

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Americans and Europeans and other One day last spring, after off time, I was always looking at rivers. nationalities join with visiting out- four days spent battling snow and I did that for two years straight, guiding of-province Canadians and local reluctant steelhead on the Skeena and for trout in the summers and working on British Columbians over the course of the , I sat down with Darren the oil and gas wells through the winters. an annual autumn angling invasion. and asked him to tell me how the boy Then I began to guide full-time, working It’s one that generates all-important from Ontario, who has always loved for an outfitter for three years before I tourist income for many northern to fish, had come across the continent decided I wanted to go on my own. centres and in particular for Smithers to start a new guiding business in That’s when I started Tightline and Terrace, 128 miles (206 km) northern British Columbia. This is his Adventures, based in Banff, Alberta, in further west. These are traditional story: 1998. It’s still going today and hopefully resource-based towns with respective “I started guiding for walleye and one of the lead guides who worked for populations of around 6000 and northern pike, probably when I was 14 me will be able to take over and continue 11,000. years old, around lakes back in Ontario. with business as usual. I went back there The town of Campbell River, Even then, when I was much younger, I to guide for brown trout in July and on Vancouver Island, was for years always knew that fishing was number August of last year but this year we will known as the ‘salmon capital of the one in my life and something I always be concentrating on The Steelhead House world’ and Terrace could very well wanted to do. I moved to Alberta in and chasing andronomous fish on the claim to be the epicentre of British 1994 as an oil field worker and, in my Missy, Darren and loyal friend River. fly throughout the summer months. For Columbia’s steelhead excellence. Its proximity to the formidable and productive and the much smaller Kalum, a close-to-hand tributary, is most certainly a key to such a claim, as is the convenience of the Kitimat River, which empties into . Little wonder then that when long-time fly-fishing guide Darren Wright and Missy MacDonald, his always smiling partner who is also an accomplished and successful Catch and release is the law with all wild B.C. steelhead. steelheader, made the move from Alberta to British Columbia little more The sheer delight of the event and the of a warm summer’s day, fish whose than a year ago, it was to Terrace and thrill of the catch remains vivid to this relationship to our environment is a to a classic, two-storey log home now day. key indicator of its continuing health so aptly named The Steelhead House. A lifelong passion began; one and wellbeing. It’s hard to imagine a venture that was to bring me back to British It’s that variety of opportunity, better suited to the talents of Darren Columbia and the Island with my from mid-winter through spring and and Missy. Fishing is in their blood young family in 1971. I was, by then, summer and into the autumn and and the reputation of The Steelhead a dedicated fly-fisherman and my early winter again that has helped House is such that they are already growing familiarity with double- to establish B.C. as a true dream close to full for the upcoming March handed rods served me well on destination for anglers from around and April spring steelhead season, a number of different steelhead the globe. with bookings and enquiries not only rivers. These are fish that come Many of them set their sights from Alberta and British Columbia home from the sea in the dark of a on the famous rivers that sprawl but also from Russia, Austria, Japan winter’s night or in the early dawn across the massive Skeena Region. and the USA. Summer time and all is green at The Steelhead House.

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variety there will be some ocean fishing in the summer months, you tend to stay for salmon and halibut. in the same place for a lot longer. That’s Our plans for the future are to be because you don’t know what’s coming able to offer a guide service but also to through, in the next minute or the next run a bed and breakfast business. After hour, or what you are going to catch, guiding for so many years you get set in since both salmon and steelhead are your ways and doing things the way you there at the same time. want them done. I did not want to just Anyone who fishes for steelhead open up shop as just an outfitter. We are knows that it does not matter how good a combination of fishing lodge, bed and an angler you are, or how experienced. breakfast home and outfitting company. These fish can be present one minute People who prefer to fish on their own and gone the next and you have to are most welcome to stay with us but understand that. I think most of the there will be times when we are booked people who pay to come here realize it’s up with full board and guiding guests. not like trout fishing. For one thing they We are not going to take big are certainly a lot bigger than any trout. numbers of people, four or six at the My own largest steelhead most at one time. It’s going to be small measured 44” in length with a girth of and quaint with a high quality of 22”, or over 28 pounds, but I have seen service. I don’t want to guide every day. them even larger in the water, as a lot of I want to be able to enjoy life and the us have, and on the end of lines. When fishing too. you meet up with a fish that weighs 30 As to the fishing, I have definitely pounds and more, I don’t care how good seen a change in the numbers where the your tackle is, the stars had better be salmon are concerned since I first made aligned, or else. it to the Babine and other Skeena system As to steelhead flies and casting rivers 18 years ago. With the steelhead, ability every fisherman will have his it’s been pretty steady. They do go up or her own ideas and style. I want to and down year-by-year but nothing like give the visiting fisherman as much the salmon, and there always seem to be confidence as I can so I’ll tell him (or her) sufficient fish around to keep most people the four basic colours are blacks, blues, happy. This is a very different fishery pinks and purples and probably any one Until very recently, pretty well all to what most think. These are moving of those will catch a fish. You will know my steelhead experience came through fish that are heading for rivers like right away whether the client is a great first going to the Babine with a friend the Babine and the Bulkley and the caster or not a great caster, but the key is as a much younger walk-and-wade Kispiox, all famous for the quality of that he has to fish the fly, whatever the fisherman and then guiding on the same the experience they provide to local and pattern, with confidence. river for the last 10 years at the Norlakes visiting fly fishermen from August on How much line must he (or she) Steelhead Camp between late August and into late October and even November. be able to cast? When these Skeena fish early November. That is if we are not hit by heavy snow come up the river through the summer The season just ahead will be my and really low temperatures. months they are definitely following the fourth fishing for spring steelhead in the On the Skeena itself we don’t fish path of least resistance. They are not Terrace area. Then, when the river drops in the same way and this may not appeal going to be out in the middle. back to summer levels, in June and July to every angler. Most people like to keep They are going to be right in close to and on into September, it’s time to go moving, to work through a pool and then the shore and many times I have been after steelhead on the Skeena, a big, big go on feeling confident that they have A Kitimat beaver's amazing standing there and have seen them swim river by any standard. fished it well whereas, on the Skeena, tree-felling effort. The writer relaxes on a Skeena River snowbank. by me while fishermen are trying to

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cast far out in the river and are not catching anything. The reality is that you do not want to keep casting a long, long line unless you can really manage it. It’s different on rivers like the Bulkley and the Thompson where a lengthy cast lets you cover more water. On most rivers around here you fish 50 or 60 feet of line and that’s plenty. Always remember, steelhead are mysterious creatures. That is why I find fishing for them so exciting because no day is ever the same. You just never know when they will appear. One day a particular run will provide a number of hook-ups; the next day, nothing,” he concluded. With a large inflatable raft for use on the Kitimat, where power boats are not permitted, and an 18 ft jet boat for the Skeena, Darren is perfectly equipped to ensure his clients make the very most of the abundant steelhead and salmon opportunities available in and around the Terrace Darren with a double red stripe steelhead, a "mysterious creature". area. He and Missy were still Having a friend who is also which others are measured. Some chasing and catching steelhead in a guide, or a guide who becomes a fishermen, and I know I fall into that early December after another very friend, is a rare pleasure indeed and I category, are set in their habits, some successful autumn season working like to think that Darren fills that bill. good, some bad, and just happy to be on the Babine, Darren guiding and I have had the good fortune to that way. Darren immediately senses Missy house-keeping. Now it won’t fish with him for steelhead on an and respects that independence of be long before the new spring session annual basis for a number of years spirit while still always there as a will be under way on the Kitimat. "Every steelhead is a most beautiful fish". and have come to both know and willing advisor as and when Since its creation in 1984, the federal admire the exceptional level of skills required. government hatchery on the Kitimat the ‘truly exceptional’ criteria, it’s Sometimes they are referred to he brings to his job. The flies he ties, Then there’s the complete makes a significant contribution to a another story altogether. as gillies, in other places boatmen the casts he makes, the knowledge novice, perhaps also a stranger to the strong run of true spring fish, which I suppose half a century and and very occasionally friends. Always and respect he has for his quarry, the river or to a new style of fishing. A arrive fresh and very strong from the more with fly rod in hand has their role is the same, to know where manner in which he commands his good example would be the trout man ocean in March and April. given me more than my share of to find the fish and then provide the boat and the advice he offers are all of who comes to pursue steelhead for the It goes without saying that in a opportunities to enjoy the company of opportunities for their capture for the highest possible quality. first time. To this fisherman, with his province like British Columbia, where a good number of guides, in Canada, the angler; also referred to as the A day spent with him on the single-handed five or six-weight rod, sports fishing is a major economic in the USA and Mexico, in Ireland, client, the guest, the sport, the visitor, water, regardless of whether or not the change-over to a double-handed factor, there has never been any Scotland and England, in New the customer and, if needs must, the fish are co-operating, is both approach, a much longer rod and an shortage of fishing guides but, when Zealand, South Africa, the Bahamas as happens very occasionally, a less an education and a pleasure, one Snow and spring steelheading entirely new style of casting, can be it comes to finding one who meets and even the Cook Islands. flattering choice of words. that serves to set the standards by go together. daunting.

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For Darren it’s no trouble to Kitimat Fact File show the newcomer the basics and to demonstrate them in an easily itimat, located at the head of Douglas Channel, B.C.’s deepest understood manner. He is a fine and widest fjord, and at the mouth of the steelhead and salm- K teacher and it’s not long before the on river of the same name, is home to some 10,000 people, many visiting fisherman is ready to go solo, working in the town’s huge aluminum smelter. There was also a large pulp and paper mill but it closed three years ago with the his fly on its way to where the fish loss of more than 500 jobs. should be holding. The name Kitimat is derived from the First Nations’ word Gi- Good guides, really good guides, tamaat, which means ‘people of the snow’ in the language of the are born that way, with an instinctive Tsimshians, the original inhabitants of the area. Kitimat is 45 sense of what it takes to make the miles (73km.) from Terrace with the highway offering fishermen easy access to the river in a number of places. very most of each and every day on Today Kitimat is again front and foremost in the headlines, the water. First and foremost they this time as the site for the marine terminal for the controversial are expert fishermen in their own $5.5 billion Northern Gateway Pipeline, proposed by Enbridge Inc., right, and love nothing more than a Canadian crude oil and liquids pipeline company, to bring dilut- the sheer joy of going fishing. Equally ed bitumen from Alberta’s Athabaska oil sands, north east of Ed- monton, to fast-growing Asian markets. important is that they have the ability A public environmental review, which has been extended by 10 to communicate their enthusiasm to weeks of hearings, continues and the controversy is ongoing at the whoever has the good fortune to be in highest levels in both British Columbia and Alberta, and further their company at that moment. afield as well. I look forward with a great sense Vocal and well-organized opponents, among them environmen- talists and First Nations on the proposed route and on the coast, of anticipation to the next opportunity have concerns about the damage that could result from a major I have to spend time in his presence, spill, either along the 731 mile (1,177km.) overland route or dur- whether we be fishing or reflecting ing shipment by tanker along the rugged B.C. coastline. on shared memories over a warming The proposed pipeline, three feet in diameter, would be twinned single malt. with a second 20-inch line to take natural gas condensate, used to thin petroleum products, back to Alberta. Enbridge says the pro- With Darren at the helm and ject will provide 62,700 person years of employment (3,000 jobs) Missy in charge of hospitality and during the three years of construction and then more than 1,150 house-keeping, it’s little wonder long-term jobs to operate the terminal and the pipeline. The Steelhead House, a boutique The Canadian federal government, rather than that of Brit- fishing lodge if ever there was one, ish Columbia, will eventually decide whether or not the pipeline is to be built - it will take three years to construct – so Kitimat will and possibly the smallest of its kind continue to be a newsmaker for some time to come. in the country, is quickly earning an envied reputation among discerning steelheaders. Fittingly the last word goes to Missy: ”There is nothing better than a river bank walk or a boat ride in the early morning mist. With steelheading you forget everything except the grab and then the fight you will always remember. Every steelhead is a most beautiful fish.” ■

For more about The Steelhead House and guided fishing opportunities see This graph shows how Kitimat River flows climb sharply during the spring thaw. www.steelheadhouse.com

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