2015 Highlights at Spatsizi Fly Fishing
Our season started off hot and dry like the rest of our province. Water levels were low and this meant productive fishing on our home waters, Laslui Lake and Stikine River. The inlet locations saw lots of Rainbows in the 12-18” range. Once again, the huge Bull Trout tormented our rainbows but we were able to entice quite a few to the fly. The most effective Bull trout fly this year was the white “Dali Lama Streamer” which caught one of our guests the largest bull trout at roughly 16 lbs! Highlights included days spent at Tuaton Lakes, canoeing the upper Stikine back to Laslui Lake, and hiking down Rognaas creek seeing green drake and caddis hatches. Many of our guests caught big rainbows at Taylor Lake, the largest, a 10lb taken on a mouse! There is nothing better than sight fishing for 6-10lb rainbows on the dry. The ultimate fly of the season for rainbows was the adult golden stonefly, swung, stripped, or dead drifted, consistently producing some of the most spectacular airborne takes.
Many of our guests’ favourite days were spent on the Firesteel River with its amazing dry fly fishery. Luke Saffreck guided here for most of the season, tying up new creations daily to entice those feisty rainbows. The Firesteel offered anglers classic trout water of rising fish, pockets, riffles, and foam lines. There were bull moose and calf sightings right from camp - 10 in one evening! The Firesteel and many other locations were very productive on mouse patterns - nothing like the thrill of a rainbow crashing your mouse pattern as it skates across the surface!
Cameron Scarth, a new guide joining our team this season has eloquently summed up his Spatsizi experience:
“The only way to describe the fishing in Spatsizi is like a trip back in time. The landscape is truly unique and fosters some of the most spectacular wildlife and fishing opportunities on the planet. Stepping off the floatplane, one has the feeling of being a true explorer; some of the spots have not seen footprints in years. There are opportunities to fish for truly wild, native trout species feeding voraciously as they have always done since time. Beyond the joy of catching these beautiful gems that inhabit practically every waterway in the park, we return everyday feeling like we have laid eyes on a rare wilderness that few are lucky enough to behold. I feel lucky for every day I've had to spend in this magical place”.
We were fortunate to host another fantastic week with Dr. Wade & Gail Davis. The wranglers arrived safely with 13 head of horses that travelled 70 miles from the nearest road. Our guests were in excellent physical condition so the daily adventures began: hiking Mt. Terraze, spotting mountain goats on the cliffs, hiking to Fountain Falls, catching Arctic grayling, and daily horseback rides to the surrounding mountains and nearby lakes. Our Cast & Blast fly fishing and upland bird hunt ended the final week. Abby, the youngest Munster lander showed her stuff and worked those ptarmigan really well. Fishing was also superb at the Firesteel, we couldn't have asked for a better week to end our summer - spending it with good friends and good times.
