Included / Not Included –
Included: Accommodations and meals at the lodge, guided fishing, limited wine with dinner, round-trip charter flight between Smithers and the lodge, HST.
Not Included: Airfare to/from Smithers, accommodations and meals in Smithers, sodas, beer and alcohol, staff and guide gratuities, fishing licenses (approximately CAD $300-$400), flies.
Note: Suskeena Lodge will NOT be responsible for any missed flights or connections due to weather or third party actions.
Travel Logistics:
Arrival Information: To get to Suskeena Lodge you need to make flight arrangements to Smithers, BC, via Vancouver. The lodge itinerary is Thursday to Thursday. All guests need to arrive in Smithers on Wednesday and overnight. (Hotel not included in package.)
Getting to the Lodge: Thursday you will take a charter flight from Smithers to the Sustut airstrip and then be driven a short distance to the lodge. (Charter flight reservations will be made for you and are included in your package price.) The flight takes approximately 50 minutes.
Departure Information: On your departure day (Thursday) you will take an afternoon flight back to Smithers. Due to possible weather delays with this flight, we recommend spending the night in Smithers and flying home the next day. (Hotel not included in package).
Documentation Requirements:
You need a valid passport to enter Canada and it must be valid for six months after the last day of your trip. To participate in the actitivites at Suskeena Lodge, guests will be required to sign their Terms and Condititions Form.
Charter Flight Baggage Restrictions:
On the charter flight from Smithers to the Sustut, the baggage allowance is 60 pounds per person. Due to the remote nature of the Sustut River, we encourage you to pack reasonably. Keep in mind that the charter is also used to bring food and supplies for the lodge. Also please pack in soft sided duffel bags. Note: Please DO NOT bring hard sided luggage.
Currency:
The Canadian dollar is the official currency in BC, however; US dollars are widely used and accepted. The lodge accepts Visa, Master Card, American Express, personal checks, travelers’ checks and cash (either Canadian dollars or US dollars).
Travel Cash:
As a guideline we recommend that each guest travel with approximately with $900-$1,200 for staff & guide gratuities, alcohol, licenses, etc. Checks or cash are preferred for purchasing licenses.
Gratuities:
We recommend guide and staff gratuities of approximately 10-15% of your package price. Tips are pooled and can be given to the head guide or manager at the end of your stay to distribute amongst the lodge staff and guides. Cash is preferred for gratuities.
Fishing Licenses:
Fishing licenses are not included. We recommend that anglers purchase their fishing licenses ahead of time. Please go to the British Columbia Government website: www.fishing.gov.bc.ca/. The website has a tutorial on how to purchase a license. We will notify you ahead of time of what licenses you need to purchase.
Climate:
The weather in British Columbia can vary widely. Snow has fallen in August and 70 degree days have been recorded in October. The chance of rain is always good, so arrive prepared for it all. Please keep in mind that like any river, the Sustut can blow out, but during high water you can still catch fish. The Sustut is the most stable of any of the Skeena systems and is the first to come back into shape. It is important to understand that poor water conditions are always a risk no matter where you fish in BC and rain-checks or refunds are not offered due to high water. When the river blows out, it generally takes one to three days to get back into shape. We only lose an average of two to three fishing days due to high water during the any given season. For anglers visiting in late September onward, come prepared for hard frost and even snow.
Medical Facilities:
The closest medical facility is in Smithers, approximately 1 hour from the lodge. In emergency situations, a charter flight or helicopter may be required to reach a medical facility. Guests may want to consider medical evacuation coverage. We recommend Global Rescue. Guests have the responsibility to disclose any special medical, physical, or dietary needs to the lodge ahead of time.
Power and Communications:
The lodge and cabins have 120 volt AC (the same as the US) available each evening until 10:00PM and during the mornings. It is ample for everything except hair dryers. The lodge has a satellite telephone for use in the case of emergency. If you do need to use it, please beware outgoing rates are approximately $4 per minute. The lodge also has wireless internet connection.
Water:
Drinking water is provided in each room. Tap water is not recommended for drinking but is fine for washing and teeth brushing.
Clothing:
As the climate is extremely changeable and a wide range of temperatures and conditions can be expected, we recommend layering clothes. Anglers should be prepared with thermal underwear, fleece/soft shell jacket, a rain jacket, warm hat, and one or more pairs of fishing gloves. Synthetic fabrics are preferred to cotton. Bootfoot waders are recommended for late season fishing. Dress at the lodge is casual.
Laundry:
Laundry service is not available. Please pack accordingly.
Beverages/Alcohol:
Suskeena Lodge provides limited wine with dinner. Guests may bring in their own extra wine, beer and alcohol.
Tackle/Equipment List:
Rods: 91/2-10 ft single hand rods for line weights 8-9, with eight weights being ideal. 12-15 ft two-handed spey rods for line weights 7-10.
Reels: Any good reel with or without a disk drag and room for 100-200 yards of 30lb braided Dacron backing.
Lines: Full floaters like the Mastery Steelhead taper, Mastery wet tip type 4 sink tip line, Teeny 200 and 300 grain heads, Rio Versi-tip system (or comparable interchangeable tip line), floating spey lines as well as ones with interchangeable sink tips. The most poplar spey tips will be type 6 or type 8. Custom spey tips made from Rio T14 in 12 and 14 foot lengths are also handy.
Leaders/Tippet: 9-10 ft leaders tapering to 10-15 pounds for floating lines, 4-6 ft leaders tapering from 12-15 pounds for sinking lines. Maxima Ultra Green is the tippet material of choice. Rio makes nice hand tied steelhead leaders from Maxima for floating line fishing.
Flies: Dry Flies: Bombers (black and natural), Waller Wakers, Morrish Pompaor Skaters, Quigley’s dragon gurgler, Greased Liner, Mudlers, and assorted other foam and deer hair patterns in sizes 4-8. Traditional Wets: Green Butt Skunk, Freight Train, Signal Light, Purple Peril, Blue Charm, Silver Hilton, and assorted spey flies in sizes 1-6. Streamers: Egg sucking leech (black and purple), black leech, Morrish Trailer Trash in black/blue, nightshade and sherbet, Morrish Medusa’s all colors, starlight leeches, Woolly Buggers, Popsicle, articulated leeches, and assorted marabou and rabbit patterns in black, blue, and purple sizes 1-6. Tube flies are also becoming very popular. Note; the Sustut varies greatly from run to run so having flies of differing weights is very useful.
Waders & Boots: Breathable gore-tex waders are typically fine for September fishing with neoprene becoming more popular throughout October and November. For anglers prone to cold (especially feet), bootfoot waders are invaluable. Spiked boots are OK, but not needed.. Anglers that choose use breathable waders should bring several layers of mid/heavy weight fleece leggings.
Miscellaneous: Sunscreen, lip balm, hand-warmers, bandana, hemostats, tape measure, camera with spare batteries and film, floatant, and a waterproof bag for day gear.
