Trip Summary Detals

There is no doubt that I have trouble hiding my enthusiasm for steelhead fishing. I have chased them (and occasionally even caught them) from the far reaches of Kamchatka to the sprawling flows of the Rio Santa Cruz in Argentina and virtually every place in between that steelhead are known to swim. But the truth be told, there has always been an important (and embarrassing) system missing from my steelheading resume -- The Dean. I have been invited to this fabled river on a number of occasions and once I even had a trip planned but unfortunately that plan was foiled by poor timing. I can’t be certain but I think it had something to do with the birth of my second child.

I finally set the record straight and fished at BC West Lodge on the lower river from July 18th -25th. I could not be more complimentary of BC West’s service and their fishing program. The lodge’s comfortable cabins are located in a forest of mixed fir, cedar, and pine. All the equipment was in impeccable working order and the food was the best I have had anywhere (truly mind blowing). BC West’s fishing program, which is best suited for the hardcore, semi-independent steelheader, incorporates guided jet boat fishing beneath the falls and unguided ATV access to the upper river.

The river itself was all I had hoped for and more. I think it is the one of most spectacular places I have ever had the opportunity to swing a fly. It is as though the fiords of Norway, the Swiss Alps and Yosemite are all mixed together with an awesome and powerful jade green steelhead river flowing through it all. And while the fish were rather hard to come by, they certainly matched their surroundings in terms of size, power and beauty.

I was accompanied by long time clients and friends Brad Freeburg and Stephen Podd. In short, we had a great time. We all fished hard and were all rewarded by pulls, runs, and jumps of these bright summer fish. Did I wish that my friends and I had caught a few more? Well of course, as that is the nature, and in part, the appeal, of steelheading. Kerry Wall from Smithers won top honors for the largest landed fish. Her chrome bright sea-liced buck tipped the scale at 20 pounds, while first time steelheader Steve Nelson from New Jersey came in second with a similar fish of 17 pounds. I lost one large fish as it entered my backing for the third time and in the same pool (aptly named Trophy Case), Craig Zarling of Portland straightened a #2 Gamakatsu trailing hook as a huge fish freight trained him deep into his backing on its first unstoppable run. High rod for the week was Karl Kjellberg (another first time steelheader from New Jersey).

The question is, “Did the experience live up to all the hype?” and the answer is for me, and most of the other guests, a resounding “yes.” There are very few wild places left to catch these magical fish and the opportunity to hook and land even one in a setting like this will have me counting the days until I return.