By Pat Hoglund
Spring had a hard time ushering in to the Kitimat Valley in Northern British Columbia last year. On any given day from late March to mid-May—when spring steelhead fishing is normally at its peak—it rained, the wind blew, it snowed, then hailed, and the sun shined while the temperature gauge barely broke zero degrees Celsius. The Kitimat was as fickle as house cat in heat.
As a result the water level on the Kitimat River remained low and clear for much of last year’s late spring steelhead season. It was, shall we say, an anomaly.
When I first set foot on the river banks in mid-April, snow covered the gravel bars in places painting a scene right out of a travel brochure. Through it all, though, steelhead continued to trickle into the river with every high tide keeping our interest levels piqued enough to keep us coming back each day. I was there for a short week with Gill McKean of West Coast Adventures. McKean, a personable and very likeable fishing guide, operates a guide service out of his home in Terrace and he’s as well-versed on the Kitty as anyone who guides in the Terrace area. I spent the first two days fishing with McKean, followed by a day on the water with Darren Wright, who guided for McKean last spring. Each day we fly fished for steelhead. While we went through spells where fishing was slow, enough steelhead were caught that our interest level never waned. Considering the news that spread up and down the Kitimat Valley—several steelhead well into the 20-pound range had been caught—our enthusiasm was understandable. There may not have been a lot of fish in the system, but what was there was substantial.
One of those fish came a few days prior to my arrival, while Ken Morrish of Flywater Travel landed another monster several pools in front of us. The bigger of the two measured 41 inches and came at the hands to Bill Seaman, a regular client of McKean’s. He swung a sherbet Trailer Trash pattern in the Bill’s Double Hole when the fish about ripped the rod out of his hand. He landed it, measured it, took some photographs and released it. It was about the most perfect steelhead you could imagine: a big, bright angry buck.
“Those fish are not uncommon. In fact we see them quite regularly,” says McKean. “We have people from all over the world come to fish spring steelhead here. It truly is a world-class fishery. I mean look at what you’re catching.”
The Kitimat River is located 45 miles south of Terrace and flows into Douglas Channel. Much of what helps Skeena fish grow big is at the disposal of the Kitimat steelhead as well. They, too, enter the Douglas Channel and spend between one and four years at sea growing to a hefty size. Their primary ocean residence consists of Camano Sound and Hecate Strait remains a rich feeding ground for salmon and steelhead in the Skeena and Kitimat valleys and it’s validated every year with countless stories similar to that of Seaman’s. The ocean-rich feeding trough notwithstanding, these steelhead also have some big fish genetics favoring them. Because of that I would argue that the Kitimat is one of the better steelhead fisheries in the region.
It flows for about 30 kilometers out of the coastal mountains into Douglas Channel. The lower river is heavily influenced by tides and with each high tide fresh steelhead enter and hold in the lower river. The drop in elevation is mild and the river gradient rarely creates a flow that isn’t manageable in a drift boat or raft. When the river is running at its normal speed in the spring the river banks are exposed lending to easy wading. River rocks the size of softballs and baseballs make up the majority of river bank. Lending to much of the river’s popularity the river is made up of a series of runs, broken up by pools and downed timber that makes it a case study as an ideal steelhead river.
Highway 37 follows most of the lower river and allows plenty of walk in access. There are several established boat ramps on the river, and they’re easily accessed. If you’re in a raft it’s easy enough to find a place to pull over and dump the raft over the side.
Cobblestone river banks, cottonwood trees and pretty runs alone do not make a steelhead river, but throw in a healthy population of steelhead and you certainly have the makings for a great river. There is both wild and hatchery steelhead in the river, the latter supported by the Kitimat River Hatchery, which was built in the late 70s and completed in the early 80s. The hatchery was built to mitigate for declining fish runs lost to over fishing and habitat degradation. Today, the hatchery supplies 50,000 hatchery smolts annually. The hatchery uses broodstock from the Kitimat to supply its hatchery program. Depending on their survival, between 1,000 and 5,000 hatchery steelhead return annually. Throw in a wild return in the neighborhood of 2,000 steelhead and you have the makings for a very good fishery.
You’ll find the steelhead in the Kitimat to be considerably larger than your average run of the mill steelhead. It’s not uncommon to catch a steelhead that weighs 10 pounds, and not get a sniff from a local guide. That is an average-size steelhead and larger steelhead are a very real possibility.
Take Seaman’s steelhead for example. When Seaman hooked up with his steelhead, estimated to weigh between 22- and 25 pounds, it immediately ran up river, then it ran downriver, finally skipping across the surface trying to spit the fly. It was a classic battle that ended with the angler triumphant. The fly was wedged firmly in the corner of its jaw, and the only way it was getting free was to hook up on a snag or break the leader. Neither happened and Seaman’s steelhead was the latest fish to fall into the annals of West Coast Adventures Hall of Fame.
McKean first started guiding on the Kitimat in the late 90s, and he’s one of the more established outfitters on the river. He employs several guides at a time, and depending on water levels he’ll run three ClackaCraft drift boats or rubber rafts with rowing frames. When the water levels are low, he uses the soft boats. McKean’s place is operated much like a bed and breakfast where meals are served family style, and you sleep in one of several rooms in his home. It is quite comfortable and lends itself to a great fishing trip. After a hearty breakfast groups of fishermen head to the river with a series of guides employed by McKean.
Most of his guides are versed in all facets of fishing, so he sees a variety of fishermen move through his doors. He’s starting to see more and more fly fishermen as they learn about the big fish and the river’s partiality toward swinging flies. Most of the river is easy to wade, has gradual banks, and the gravel bars are easy to navigate. You can fish from the boat, but if you’re swinging flies, most of the time you find a gravel bar, beach the boat, and wade.
Because of the size of fish you’re targeting you’ll want to fish a heavy rod. McKean recommends a minimum 8 weight, but likes to see his clients fish with 9 or 10 weights. “Trust me, I’ve seen these fish tear up a 7 weight. You want a fly rod that can handle these big fish.”
Depending on the water level you’ll want to fish a variety of shooting heads, but in most cases a 400 or 550 grain head will work as will a range of tips (Type 4, 5, or 6). Fish a 4-foot leader in 15-pound test and you will likely have few problems. Flies will vary from big intruder to articulated patterns. Purple, pink and black all work well on the Kitimat. Don’t discount egg patterns fished under a strike indicator.
By no means is the Kitimat a fly fishing only river. Rather, it is a river that is fished primarily with gear by the local fishing crowd especially during the month of February and through March when the first traces of steelhead begin to return. During this time you’ll see more people bottom-bouncing, tossing spoons, fishing floats and fishing with bait. As you would expect, it’s all quite effective. The week before I fished here with McKean, two of his clients fished bait for a week. They averaged between 10 and 15 fish a day, several of which were pushing 15 pounds.
After I returned home to Portland, I checked in with my host McKean to see when it rained and whether river level raised. As luck would have it, it was about a week after my trip and a week-long deluge put a new face on the river. And as you would expect the steelhead became quite aggressive. Those who were lucky enough to time their trip right, they experienced the Kitimat in its usual state. For every steelhead caught while I was fishing the Kitimat, 10 were landed the following week.
“Last year’s season ended nicely,” says McKean. “It was more like what people can expect all year. But even then, when the fishing was ‘slow,’ it still was pretty good. It just so happens that fishing is really, really good when the river is up.”
Guide Post
Location: The Kitimat River is located 36 miles south of Terrace, British Columbia and is accessible from Highway 37.
Season: The spring steelhead season runs from late January through mid-March with the peak of the run taking place in April and May.
What to Expect: Steelhead from the Kitimat run between 8 and 15 pounds with some regularity, however the river is best known for producing trophy steelhead that push and oftentimes break the 20-pound mark. It’s not unrealistic to expect to hook a big steelhead here. Landing it is another story.
Regulations: Hatchery steelhead may be retained (2 per day, 2 in possession) while wild steelhead must be released.
Where to Stay: There are a variety of motels and hotels in Kitimat or in nearby Terrace should you choose to go that route. We recommend fishing with West Coast Fishing Adventures [www.westcoastfishing.ca] where you’ll have guided fishing, family style meals and comfortable accommodations.
Who To Call: Gill McKean at West Coast Fishing Adventures, 1.866.578.8552 or 250.638.0021
Tackle Box
What to Bring: breathable waders, felt-sole boots, polarized glasses, landing net, and wading staff.
Rods: Two handed fly rods 13 to 15 feet long in 8 to 9 weights. Single handed fly rods, 9 ½ to 10 feet long in 8 and 9 weights. Medium heavy casting rods, 8 ½ to 9 feet long. 9 or 9 ½ foot spinning rods rated 12 to 25 line weights.
Reels: Fly reels should be large arbor reels.
Lines: Fish a variety of shooting heads, but in most cases a 400 or 550 grain head will work as will a range of tips (Type 4, 5, or 6).
Leader Material: When fly fishing use a 4-foot leader in 15-pound test. When gear fishing use 4 to 6 foot leaders in 12- to 15-pound test. Fish lighter leaders if the water level is low.
Flies: Vary from big intruder to articulated patterns. Purple, pink and black all work well on the Kitimat.
Lures: A 2/5 ounce BC Steel spoon in Electric Brass, silver/gold and/or genuine silver works well on the Kitimat.
Bait: Cured roe is the best bait to use on the Kitimat.
License Information: Non-tidal water licenses required and can be obtained at [www.env.got.bc.ca/fw/fish]
Regulations: All wild steelhead must be released. Barbless hooks required.
Catch Limits: 2 hatchery steelhead per day, 2 in possession.