03/08/07 - Client report from Spey Lodge

As our Air Canada jet took off from Vancouver, the logging tugs were clearly visible below en route to the saw mills. We were going to Terrace, to fish for king salmon on the Skeena system, and expectations were running high. The jet touched down on time, and Wally, the proprietor of Spey Lodge, met us as arranged. Clockwork! Then came the bad news. The second highest rainfall since 1935 had effectively put the Skeena and Copper rivers out.
However, the Kitimat was in good order and we were to fish there the following day.

We arrived at the lodge fifteen minutes later and a welcome shower awaited us followed by a cold beer on the terrace. Accommodation and facilities at Spey Lodge are first class and nothing is too much trouble. The food is exceptional and Molly, the resident chef, prepared stunning dishes using only fresh ingredients - nothing from packets! Gourmet dinners awaited us every evening and were most welcome after an average 11 hour fishing day.

Because the Kitimat is a half hour drive from the lodge, we agreed to a 4.30 am breakfast and after the dinghies were loaded and the lunch goodies packed, we were off on our first day's wilderness experience, and what an experience it was. Glorious scenery, snow capped mountains, bear cubs, eagles soaring overhead, all adding to the feeling of the great outdoors.

The boats were duly launched by John and Steve, our two guides, and we were soon drifting down in complete isolation to fish our first pool.

Now I pride myself on being capable of putting out a reasonable line with a single handed rod, but before today I had never handled a double handed rod or cast in spey fashion. Steve was patient - very patient - but he and I persevered and I finally grasped the mechanics of the "Snap T" cast - a hybrid double spey which fires a line with stunning results - when you get it right. Timing is everything! (A heavy floater plus 10ft of lead core tip and a tube fly is a vastly different proposition to flicking a size 18 grey duster on a three weight!)

My two fishing colleagues - Les and big Pete - had some spey casting under their belt and were getting on with it.

At the end of day one I had two kings - 25lbs and 20lbs - and a 15lb steelhead. Where else on the planet can you do that - and in such wonderful surroundings - and alone!

The water was superb with long runs of glorious fly water, back channels, pools and holding water.

We all caught fish and we all lost fish during the week but that's king fishing! Takes generally came on the swing and varied from gentle plucks to violent arm wrenching attacks - not for the weak!

Big Pete had a fish that took more than 200 yards of backing and was landed almost a kilometre from where it was hooked! Les battled with a 30lb fish for half an hour.

And me? A demented, frustrated wreck after losing my ninth fish in 3 days. But what a great adventure.

Thank you Roxtons and thank you Spey Lodge.

Peter Lane