THE SKEENA RIVER

by Big Red

The Skeena River is one of the longest un-dammed rivers in the world, and the second largest river in the Province of British Columbia.

The head waters of the Skeena River begin at the edge of the Spatsizi Plateau and flows about 570 kilometres where it empties into the Pacific Ocean just a few miles south west of Prince Rupert B.C.

The upper reaches of the Skeena are pretty much un-navigable but just below that begins an incredible paradise for the fly fisherman.

A guide is highly recommended for the Skeena as it is swift and cold, and it changes each year with extreme spring run off. Of course a swift cold river means big healthy fish, and the Skeena is known for it's world record Chinook, and also some of the largest steelhead in the world navigate these waters. Steelhead run in these waters all year long, and the islands and back channels, and deep pools created by this mighty river are a perfect place for these gray ghosts.

To give you an idea of the size of this vast paradise, one of its tributaries, the Gitandiox River is surrounded by 56,800 hectares of wilderness. Some of the other tributaries of the giant Skeena are the Sustat, Babine, Kispiox and Bulkley Rivers just to name a few.

This is one of the Chinook taken on the Skeena. Although it was taken on gear by this young lady, many are taken on the fly. Mid July is prime time for these big boys and the river and most of its tributaries are full of migrating Chinook.

The Skeena River is my favorite river, and once you have fished it, I am sure it will be yours. Starting in September the river is usually very accessible by walking into different runs to fly fish for steelhead.

This is one such Chinook taken on a fly in the Skeena River.




I like the new feature that allows me to add photos
to an album and show you as this slideshow.



As we proceed with more about the Skeena River we have to get to the best that this river has to offer fly fishermen, and thats the abundance of silver bright steelhead.



Here Peter Krause is
fishing the Skeena
river with a light spey.
Peter is using a Big
Red Fly Box Fly, Ruby's Rage tied on a 3/0 Mustad Octopus.

Peter is owner and Manager of McBike in Smithers, and has a
well stocked fly shop and an excellent staff to help you find what you need.

Here Peter lands and holds a nice bright hen, that of course was released without harm.

All B.C. rivers require the use of single barb less hooks.

|The Skeena River was clear and the water very cold this day. The Skeena River is also very swift and is always very dangerous if you do not know these waters.

Many great gravel bars and drop offs will be encountered along this river, as well as the swift water, although there are many slower and much deeper pools to be found.

So lets take one last look at this bright beauty Peter is holding.


These are the kinds of steelhead that you will hook when fly fishing the Skeena River. Steelhead like these will make you weak in the knees as well as the arms.
You are likely to get your fingers rapped one or twice as the reel screams with another powerful run down river.


This next picture was my third of the day, smaller but still a nice fish all hooked on the Demon Dancer.
I hooked three very nice steelhead in some swift water on a pool tail out.

The day was coming to a close, so it was time to load Peter's jet boat on the trailer and head for home but not before getting in those last casts just before sundown.


Another day slowly closes on the Skeena River and another opens.

Normally at this time of the year the Skeena River is low and clear as it was this day and it makes for excellent fly fishing opportunities.

Heavy sink tips are not recommended, as you are mostly casting into no more then 4 to 5 feet of water at the deepest part of your cast. Concentrate on faster flows to have better results.



Another nice day on the Skeena brings hopes of hooking into that big one.

We heard and saw many Canada Geese heading for a small field across the river where they finally settled down.

Most of the Skeena River is never fished, and it is not unusual to fish for days and not see another person on the river. Wildlife is abundant along the river, and black bears are often seen along its shores in search of food.

Here I have landed a nice 38" hen on the Demon Dancer which was tied on a Bartleet Traditional Salmon Hook 3/0. This run is about a mile down river from the last pictures shown above.
This is the last run of a 4 mile drift. There are a few areas on the Skeena that you can use a drift boat. Longer drifts require setting up a camp and sleeping in tents for the night.

A jet boat is the best way to get to most of the untouched waters on the Skeena River. Camping along the Skeena is a great adventure, but requires one to be equipped with a good tent and sleeping bags. I have camped out with just a tarp and ground mat and sleeping bag, but I have done this many times.

A camp fire is welcome and cozy and drift wood is easy to find. I know that your time spent on the Skeena will be a time you will always remember, time spent there is always special to me.


Here Randy holds a 36" hen taken on a Demon Dancer, steelhead like these are second to none.

The Skeena River is the gateway for steelhead on their way to rivers like the Kalum, Copper, Suskwa, Babine, Bulkley, Morice and more. The biggest steelhead I have ever measured on the Skeena was in 1969, it measured 59" in length, a girth was not recorded, although this fish was taken on gear, it is unlikely anyone would have landed it on a fly.

Over the years I have hooked in to a couple of world record steelhead on a fly, that I was never able to land, but a spectacular show and a great memory. Two of these steelhead had more then two hundred yard of backing strung across the river. In doing so the fish did cartwheels and powerful surges and exploded from the depths with powerful jumps.

If you are fly fishing the Skeena River and want to land a big chrome fish you must put away the little flies and go to 2/0 or 3/0, and good steel is important, I find the Partridge Traditional, and Supreme, as well as the Octopus Mustads, will not fail you.

These brutes will straighten out or break the smaller hooks, a lesson I learnt many years ago. One other tip I can give you, always make sure you have a tippet of no less then 15lbs, and it is not flawed in any way. Steelhead of + 40 lbs are in the Skeena waiting to take you on. If you want to even your odds stay with Big Red Fly Box Flies, and good luck, take care, and tight lines.

Here is a 45" Buck taken on the Skeena River.



Big Red