Skeena River Lodge, Canada
Skeena River Lodge was founded by two Swiss Nationals who are the visionaries to a world-class fishing lodge in the Terrace area. Their goal is to bring Swiss precision and Canadian hospitality and professionalism together to create unrivalled experiences, both on and off the river.
The fishing at Skeena River Lodge is a combination of the Skeena and its tributaries and other local rivers. A week’s fishing may include days spent on the Skeena and Kitimat but could equally include fishing a number of smaller streams whose names the operator prefers to keep confidential to keep fishing pressure to a minimum.
The lodge is operational from mid-June until early October. In the early months of the season the biggest steelhead enter the Skeena and head to the lower Skeena tributaries as well as rivers along British Columbia’s coastline. June is a great time to target the big king salmon; these are aggressive fish that are willing to take a swung fly. When you hook one, the chances are that it will jump, turn and try to head straight back to the Pacific.
Mid-July to the end of August is regarded as prime time on the Skeena by some as every species has begun to enter the system. Summer steelhead fishing is at its peak plus there are king, chum, sockeye, humpback and coho salmon depending on the exact week you are there. This is the best time of year to try to catch all five species of salmon and a steelhead during your stay.
By September, the steelhead are making their final push up the rivers in the area and for some lower Skeena tributaries it will mark the peak of their run. Weather can be a significant factor in the autumn but there is a choice of rivers in the area in the event of rivers becoming unfishable.
The lodge owners also own White River Helicopters and can arrange fly-outs to remote rivers at additional cost. This is best arranged on site subject to weather and water conditions.
Accommodation
The lodge is without question the most comfortable and well-equipped lodge in the Terrace area. There are 13 extremely comfortable rooms and the lodge takes a maximum of 20 people at any one time. Single rooms are standard at Skeena Salmon Lodge.
In part and because the lodge is used as a heli-skiing base during the winter months, the lodge has the best facilities of any fishing lodge in the area. In addition to the usual bar and free internet there is a sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, pool table, darts and a casting pond which is home to a lot of rainbow trout.
The chefs are well-travelled and have different culinary backgrounds but rest assured that the food is excellent. How does chicken cordon blue with spätzle or fresh sockeye with scallops and brandied lobster bisque sound?
