THE BULKLEY RIVER







by Big Red


The Bulkley River with its head waters starting west of Burns Lake, flows towards the Pacific Ocean. It is joined by the Morice River west of Houston, and continues its journey, joining into the Skeena River at Anderson Flats in New Hazelton.

Steelhead enter the Bulkley River in August, and remain in the system under the ice in the upper reaches of the Bulkley River until the spring when they returning to the rivers to spawn.

The Bulkley is known around the world for the aggressive steelhead taking a dry fly in the early fall. Many 40+ inch steelhead are hooked each year, but in August and September the average steelhead is only 8 to ten pounds, as these are fished destined fro the Morice River.
In October more Bulkley River steelhead are in the system and the average size goes up. I have fished the Bulkley right up to the end of December, but as it did this winter, winter can come early and the river freezes over.

Here are some Pictures of just some of the steelhead taken on the Bulkley river.


As you can see the Bulkley is usually very clear, which makes your fly presentation easily spotted.

Andy and many other fly fishers are into spey casting. Spey casting certainly has its advantages, but I will die a single hand man.

I believe that the spey has it's advantages, and has certainly earned its place, but truly you can present a fly better, and keep it in play much longer with a single hand rod.

Andy with a couple of good Bulkley Steelhead.

This nice buck fell prey to the fly Ruby's Rage tied on a 3/0 Octopus Hook. I use a single hand 7/8 weight 2 piece rod 10'. I also use a 7/8 weight 91/2'.

It is best to use a dry line, a dry line with a wet fly, type 3, or a type 4. It is not often you will require heavy sink tips.

I have seen many fly fishers visiting this area throwing heavy sink tips, a mistake on their part. The heavy lines sink to and drag the bottom ahead of the fly and spook the steelies lying in wait. True there is a time and a place for extra fast sinking tips. In those cases you want to use a short tippet. I like to use a 6 to10' tippet when fishing a dry line to a type 4.

The Bulkley also has a good number of bull trout, averaging 2 to three lbs, but there are 8 to 10lb bull trout as well. Suckers are abundant in the Bulkley but unless you are dredging the bottom, they will never come into play.
Here this 4lb bull trout that could not resist a Ruby's Rage. During salmon spawning season most of the northern rivers are full of they predators, but most rivers have resident bull trout.

The Bulkley River has some resident rainbows, but the numbers are extremely low.
The rainbows seem to be content to stay in the lakes and soft water of the upper reaches.

After releasing this bull trout my luck continued, and after a few more well placed casts I was rewarded with this chrome hen that took the fly lightly, but exploded when she felt the sting of the hook.


I had changed flies and was now tossing a Skeena Dancer, displayed here. The next picture is a closer look at this bright hen.

The Bulkley River can be reached by walking in to many runs.

It is also heavily travelled with jet boats in September, and it is starting to become a problem. Drift boats and pontoon boats are the way to explore this river, although one should get a map as there are a few places where the canyons are not accessible.


Drifting from the headwaters to Smithers is
not a problem, as well as most but not all of the lower Bulkley River.

The Bulkley River is full of rock structures that steelhead like to stay near, so casting a fly all around these structures including above will reward you.

Water levels and water temperature can affect where steelhead will hang out. In lower warmer water spend more time fishing white water areas and focus on rock structures, but never pass up the tail outs, as there is always a fish or two to be found. I skip over slow water during warm low water, but there is a possibility of finding a traveling steelhead, but skip over it quickly.


Here Randy holds a bright hen taken on the Bulkley River in October.

It has been a very mild fall and the water level in the Bulkley has been low and clear, and the water temperature is perfect to keep these steelhead very active.

We had managed to have several fish rise for a dry, but had been getting most of the hook sets with a subsurface line.


Another one of Randy's 5 for the day was this buck
that did not hesitate taking the Ruby's Rage tied on a 2/0 Bartleet Traditional Salmon Hook.

The fly Ruby's Rage is tied on a variety of hooks, and the conditions usually predict which one of them you should use.

Here in this next picture is a nice buck of mine taken on a Ruby's Rage tied on a 3/0 Mustad
Octopus Hook.



This steelhead as well as all the steelhead taken are released unharmed to fight another day.

We try and handle fish as easy as we can so that they will not be stressed when released, by holding onto their tail gently, faced into the current of the river, and hold until they are able to kick free on their own.

Do not kick a fish into the water or let it go before it is able to swim upright on its own.



By handling steelhead with care, we will always have these spectacular sports fish to amaze us for years to come.

Tight lines, take care. Big Red.