Skeena bar camp

[Kalum]

Start holidays today and headed out to finish setting up our bar camp on the Skeena. Not likely to see many chinook to shore this year, she's high and muddy and with the recent rain will stay that way for another week at least:icon_frow Ah well, more time to enjoy camp life.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/264503_2174383404981_1408693929_32484652_6943197_n .jpg

[Marlin375]

Nice........I was going to head up closer to the end of July but with the big runoff I figurded it would be risky at best....and the price of fuel really sucks.

[Rhyno]

Nice Camp! I am going to try for a few hours today, index looks good but not holding my breath due to water levels.:(
Good Luck

[jml11]

hearing that nobody is catching fish yet...contact in Terrace says it's quite depressing as he usually has a few in the freezer by now...

[Riverratz]

Great looking camp, good luck.

River conditions are depressing news for us. We were planning on heading out that way with the boat in about 10 days.

Can anybody out that way give me their best guess ?? at what the water levels will be by then ?
Weather is unpredictable at best, we know that, ...... but...... is there still lots of snowpack/run-off from the hills yet to come ?

Might have to cancel Springs and go for sockeye in early Aug. instead.

[835]

Good luck Kalum, your camp looks awesome!

[kitnayakwa77]

Riverratz - hopefully will be better in 10 days as I am taking holidays then too!! I've got one in the freezer but that was lucky,most people aren't catching now, unless you're fishing the Sh!timat River and pulling plugs, although I've heard even that is slow. Lots of snow in the mountains around town still........and no hot weather in the forecast any time soon, just rain. I'd hold off if I were you and try the third or fourth week of July, probably better by then.

[Riverratz]

Riverratz - hopefully will be better in 10 days as I am taking holidays then too!! I've got one in the freezer but that was lucky,most people aren't catching now, unless you're fishing the Sh!timat River and pulling plugs, although I've heard even that is slow. Lots of snow in the mountains around town still........and no hot weather in the forecast any time soon, just rain. I'd hold off if I were you and try the third or fourth week of July, probably better by then.
Thanks for the advice. Considered KittyKat, but with the usual crowds we prefer Skeena/Kalum with the boat and more options re gear/methods, etc.
I think a combo Springs/Sockeye trip later in the month might be a better plan.
Thanks again.
RR

[britman101]

For anybody out that way, if the Skeena is too muddy just go down the road and fish the Kitimat River. Less than a hour away and the fish fight just as hard.

[Rhyno]

Can anybody out that way give me their best guess ?? at what the water levels will be by then ?
Weather is unpredictable at best, we know that, ...... but...... is there still lots of snowpack/run-off from the hills yet to come ?

Still lots of snow up in the hill as temps well below seasonal, the rain isn't helping either! Impossible to predict the water levels, but check out the link below. It shows the water levels in real time from a hydrometric gauging station near Terrace. I have had most success in my spots below 6m. I also prefer to fish when the water level is receding as there is less junk in the water to hang up on you lines. Something else you might want to check...if you don't already, is the Tyee Test Fishery. It gives you a good idea if there are fresh fish in the river, especially socks.

Good Luck!

Real time Water Levels
http://www.wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/graph/graph_e.html?stn=08EF001

Tyee Test Fishery
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/northcoast/webdocs/Tyee%20Test/di.html

[Riverratz]

Still lots of snow up in the hill as temps well below seasonal, the rain isn't helping either! Impossible to predict the water levels, but check out the link below. It shows the water levels in real time from a hydrometric gauging station near Terrace. I have had most success in my spots below 6m. I also prefer to fish when the water level is receding as there is less junk in the water to hang up on you lines. Something else you might want to check...if you don't already, is the Tyee Test Fishery. It gives you a good idea if there are fresh fish in the river, especially socks.

Good Luck!

Real time Water Levels
http://www.wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/graph/graph_e.html?stn=08EF001

Tyee Test Fishery
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/northcoast/webdocs/Tyee%20Test/di.html

Thank you, good info. Been fishing out west for 25+ years so know our way around pretty good.
I knew about the hydrometric site, but your tip about "below 6m." is noted.
Didn't know about the Tyee Test Fishery link........cool..........now in my favorites.
From everyone's comments its not looking too favorable, might come out anyway, tug the boat just in case Skeena/Kalum improve, can always park it and do Kitimat on foot. Might have to buy a salt license and fish the mouth @ Kitimat.
Thanks again.
RR

[kitnayakwa77]

a bad day on the skeena beats a good day on the kitimat!!!!!

[Caribou_lou]

Should be cleaner mid July. And Lots of sockeye by then too. Doesn't need to be clean to catch them!!

[Caribou_lou]

I wonder if the index is accurate with the high dirty water? Might be alot more fish moving through than they say.

[gerrygoat]

The water doesn't need to be clean to catch chinooks either. Has been slow this year so far but I did manage to catch a small jack a couple of days ago. Need to catch more I'm starving for fresh chinook hopefully we can go out on Sunday or Monday have to work the next two days.

[Kalum]

Just came back into town for supplies, headed back out in a sec.
rivers been dropping pretty steady and yesterday we started picking up some springs. nothing big but 4 to the beach all around 20lb and one sockeye just for kicks. Bit miserable for the weather but nothing a hot rum and a great camp won't fix up. Think this week the fishing's going to get hot, probably around Wednesday if the cooler temp's keep up and we don't see a dump of rain.
Did a turkey in the garbage can last night, turned out not too bad:) Doesn't even compare to the pit bake we do. I'll post some pics when I get a chance.

[Kalum]

Riverratz there's still lots of snow in the hills. We were up at Shames yesterday and the snow's still halfway down the runs. I think the next hot spell (if we get one) will the final melt and blow the rivers out again. It's a tough year for sure but they're out there...
Luck to ya!

[muleyman]

Any more news boys family is leaving to go july 14th skeena sockeye on the fly is worth the trip alone.

[gerrygoat]

Sockeye numbers seem pretty good lower water will help fishing

[muleyman]

Thanks for the info Goat.

[Sportsman]

Any more updates on the Skeena at Terrace?

[Samsquantch]

Shes blown out.

[835]

http://www.wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/text_search/search_e.html

Text search-- Select BC--yes to disclaimer--scroll down to Skeena,, or any other river that is there.

Second peramiter can be river temp.
This is an "As it happens site" it cannot forcast water level or temp and the historical data is weak

[Cariboo87]

nice picture hope the river cleans up

[MB_Boy]

I have a buddy from Smithers that fished the Skeena somewhere out near Terrace last week and did well....and he's heading back tomorrow morning. He says where they go it's "definitely fishable".

[Kalum]

sorry didn't reply to this sooner, just getting back to town. we were set up for 18 days this year. Great camp though the fishing was consistently slow with only a few days where the rods where constantly going off. River keeps blowing out and with the forecasted rain don't think it'll get any better. Didn't matter though as lots of family and friends made it and we had a blast. Highlight of the camp was the annual pit bake. This year we tossed a whole pig in and christ was it ever good! I'll toss a few pics up in a bit...
Sockeye are thick and heading out flossing this week. They don't care how high or muddy the waters are:-D
Nook numbers are getting better and the hog line should start producing pretty soon. That's if the water drops and cleans up. If not it'll be some combative fishing on the Kalum seam:mrgreen:

[Rhyno]

Sockeye are thick and heading out flossing this week. They don't care how high or muddy the waters are:-D

Weren't necessarily jumping on the hook....fished a few hours, nothing. Then got 2 in 5 minutes, must have been a bump of fish move'n through. Good Luck!

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