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| Around 10% of the world's total fish species can be found just within the Great Barrier Reef. |
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| Starfish can re-grow their arms. In fact, a single arm can regenerate a whole body. |
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| Starfish do not have blood. Their blood is actually filtered sea water. |
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| Starfish don't have brains. Special cells on their skin gather information about their surroundings |
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| Not all animals with the word fish in their names count as fish. |
| Though their names may suggest otherwise, cuttlefish, starfish, and jellyfish aren’t actually fish. Generally-speaking, fishes must have skulls, gills, and fins. Surprisingly, though, not all fishes have proper spines. |
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| In three decades, the world's oceans will contain more discarded plastic than fish when measured by weight, researchers say. |
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| As of 2020, there were 34,000 known fish species around world. That’s more than the number of species in all other vertebrates: birds, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians combined. |
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| Just how man species of fish are there? |
| As of 2020, there were 34,000 known fish species around world. That’s more than the number of species in all other vertebrates: birds, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians combined. |
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| Even Catfish are finicky |
| Taste Buds ? Catfish have a more refined sense of flavor than humans. Our 10,000 taste buds may seem like a lot, but catfish can have as many as 175,000. This helps them find the exact location of their next meal. |
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| A bit of Humor |
| My brother has 2 German Shepherds named Rolex and Timex. You guessed it they are Watch Dogs. |
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From Jan 01, 1999 To May 05, 2024
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12 Nov 2010 - Fall Steelhead Fishing
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Category: Canada
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Author Name: Noel Gyger
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http://www.noelgyger.ca
Weekly Fishing Reports (Smithers, Terrace, Kitimat, Prince Rupert and Meziadin North)
Noel Gyger
September October 31 to November 7, 2010
Dear Fishing Friends:
SUMMARY: Weather has been fair all week with sun, rain and cooler temperatures. Lots of snow in the mountains. Steelhead is the only river target fish now along with the smaller resident Cutthroat Trout, Dolly Varden Char, Bull Trout and White Fish. Fishing for Steelhead, Trout and Char using fly, spin and conventional gear has been good.
The Skeena River was up and down all week and is now in poor to fair shape. Fishing for Steelhead continues although most fish are in their tributary rivers by now.
The Kalum River is in good shape and fishing for Steelhead is fantastic!
The Kitimat River was low and clean early in the week but in the middle of the week the river rose dramatically and was high and dirty. The Kitimat River is dropping now but it is unpredictable from day to day what the river conditions will be. Cutthroat Trout fishing has been excellent when the river was low and clean. There were many reports of anglers catching lots of Cutthroat Trout when the river was low. The Kitimat Harbour is Red Hot for Winter Chinook and Dungeness Crab. Book your charter now noel@noelgyger.ca . Check out the Ron Wakita report below.
Bulkley, Morice, Babine and Kispiox Rivers report all in one as follows: Wow! Fishing has been great! All the rivers are clear and dropping thanks to the cooler weather. Kispiox, Bulkley, Morice, Babine and everything downstream are all in great shape. Rivers are not busy at all so put on your ‘woolies’ and get out there. Most rivers are no longer classified as of November 1st but if you are fishing for Steelhead you still require a Steelhead stamp. With this cool weather it is especially important to remember not to wear cotton under your breathable waders. Cotton absorbs any moisture that your body creates and it will stay wet which will then steal all the heat that your body produces. Make sure that you wear a polyester base layer that will wick away any moisture from your body and move it out so you stay dry and warm! There is some awesome fishing to be had out there so now is the time! Report from Oscars Source for Sports in Smithers, BC.
The Zymoetz (Copper) River is clean enough to fish and I have many reports of some great Steelhead catches with both fly and spin rods. This week guide reports came from Ron Wakita and Jeff Carlson. Thank you to the fishing guides and anglers who sent reports and photos. It is very much appreciated!
RIVER FISHING Lots of day bookings available for Zymoetz (Copper River) in November. BEST fly fishing for Steelhead in the world awaits you. Contact Noel noel@noelgyger.ca to book NOW!
OCEAN FISHING Winter Chinook and Crabbing in the Kitimat Harbour is Red Hot right now. To book your charter boat please contact Noel Gyger anytime. Phone 250-635-2568 E-mail noel@noelgyger.ca
NOW BOOKING for 2011: Let me know if I can be of service to book you with the 'best' fishing guide and/or fishing lodges for both river and ocean. There are NO extra charges to book through me, just a lot of free information and advice from a person with years and years of fishing and fish guiding experience. It is like hiring two guides for the price of one. I will promptly answer your questions and concerns. Contact Noel noel@noelgyger.ca to book NOW.
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New Items on Website
- October 27, 2010 For Sale: (market place) Skeena River front home 22km E. of Terrace, BC
http://www.noelgyger.ca/market-place.htm (New! last week)
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River Reports Weather - Normal temp - Sunrise & Sunset - Tyee Test Fishery – Tides – Hydrometric Data
Bulkley, Kispiox, Babine and Morice River report as follows:
Wow. Fishing has been great. All the rivers are clear and dropping thanks to the cooler weather. Kispiox, Bulkley, Morice, Babine and everything downstream are all in great shape. Rivers are not busy at all so put on your ‘woolies’ and get out there. Most rivers are no longer classified as of November 1st but if you are fishing for Steelhead you still require a Steelhead stamp. With this cool weather it is especially important to remember not to wear cotton under your breathable waders. Cotton absorbs any moisture that your body creates and it will stay wet which will then steal all the heat that your body produces. Make sure that you wear a polyester base layer that will wick away any moisture from your body and move it out so you stay dry and warm! There is some awesome fishing to be had out there so now is the time!
Kalum River
Is in good shape both upper and lower end and fishing is excellent for Steelhead. Please do not target the Coho as it is closed and most of them are on their spawning reds now. Both spin and fly is working well.
Lakelse River
Is in good shape and fishing for Steelhead and Trout is excellent. Please do not target the Coho as it is closed and most of them are on their spawning reds now. Both spin and fly is working well.
Skeena River
The Skeena River is in poor to fair shape. Fishing for Steelhead and Trout is fair but it is getting late for Steelhead.
Zymoetz (Copper) River
The water is in fair shape. I have had reports of excellent Steelhead catches using both spin, conventional and fly gear.
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Fishing Guide and Tackle Shop Reports
Summary for Skeena and Tributaries
Fishing This Week
FAIR
Type of Fish Caught
River: Steelhead, Cutthroat Trout and Dolly Varden Char.
Ocean: All five species of Salmon, Halibut, Bottom Fish and Dungeness and King Crab for ocean.
Largest Fish of the Week
River: 20-pound Steelhead from the Zymoetz (Copper) River. Ocean: 25-pound Winter Chinook.
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BOOKING NOW for fall Steelhead and all Salmon and Steelhead NEXT YEAR. Let me know if I can be of service to book you with the 'best' fishing guide and/or fishing lodges for both river and ocean. There are NO extra charges to book through me, just a lot of free information and advice from a person with years and years of fishing and fish guiding experience. It is like hiring two guides for the price Your “dream trip” awaits. Please Contact Noel noel@noelgyger.ca anytime…to start planning your trip. Everything will be to your entire satisfaction.
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Ron Wakita: Reliable Guide and Charters, Kitimat BC
Website: www.kitimatfishingguideandcharters.com and
Home Hardware Tackle Shop E-mail wakita@telus.net Phone 250-632-1275
Kitimat River
The Kitimat River was low and clean early this week but in the middle of the week the river rose dramatically and was high and dirty. The Kitimat River is dropping now but it is unpredictable from day to day what the river conditions will be. Cutthroat Trout fishing has been excellent when the river was low and clean. There were many reports of anglers catching lots of Cutthroat Trout when the river was low. Amongst these reports were reports of some very large Cutthroat Trout. One angler reported 2 Trout in the 4 to 5lb. range, other anglers reported many Trout that were 24 inches long. The Trout anglers on the Kitimat River were very happy campers when the river was fishable but understandably disappointed with the high and dirty water.
Nov 1 Tom Orr reports 'These pictures were taken on the 1st of November on the upper Kitimat. Shane and I float fished a combo of real worms from Home Hardware (Bubba's Bait Dew Worms) http://www.bubbasbaitbarn.com/ and pink 3' Berkley http://www.purefishing.com/ Power Worms. The Power Worms worked really well and are a great way to fish now that the weather has gotten colder. No more frozen fingers replacing live bait'. Nice Trout Guys. Thank You for the photos!
Summary
Trout fishing on the Kitimat River will continue to be good throughout the winter months but will be weather dependant. When the weather is good so will be the fishing. Float fishing with Gibbs http://www.gibbsfishing.com/ Floats and either 3' Berkley http://www.purefishing.com/ Power Bait Worms and/or Bubba's Bait Barn http://www.bubbasbaitbarn.com/ Worms are the most effective lures. Fly fishing for Kitimat River Trout is also very productive and enjoyable. Smart money says that when the weather is good and the river conditions are good get out and fish!
Douglas Channel
Oct 31 Wes Owen was chartered by Brenda Miller and Stephen King. Brenda and Stephen hooked 6 Winter Chinook and landed 3 beautiful, bright, silver Winter Chinook. I had the pleasure of joining Brenda and Stephen on their Charter with Wes and discovered that Brenda and Stephan were very nice folks who had just purchased a house in Kitimat. Congratulations on your catch and Welcome to Kitimat! Wes and I had a wonderful time fishing with you folks. My official scoring on your competition was that Brenda caught the first and the most. Stephen caught the biggest and a Great time was had by all!
Nov 2 Lorie Johnson from MK Bay Marina reports 'The Humpbacks are back in this morning along with lots of seals so they are feeding on something.' The last time the Humpbacks were in, the Winter Chinook fishing was awesome! Stay Tuned! A 'Big Thank You' to Lorie for sharing these photos.
Nov 5th Wes Owen invited Noel Gyger and me for a morning trip in the Kitimat Harbor to fish for Winter Chinook and do some Crabbing. The forecast was calling for 'Cloudy with Showers'. We were pleasantly surprised with calm seas, sunshine, good fishing and even better Crabbing. With honorable mention to Gail's Cookies. We hooked 6 Winter Chinook boating 3 beauties. The largest Chinook was 25lbs or better. The Stars of our fishing trip was the 'E Clip' which is marketed by Pro Troll, Pro Troll's Hot Chip 11' Green Flasher and Hot Spot's Blue Green Flasher. 4 of the 6 Chinook were caught with these lures. Pro Troll products are not new on the market but this was the first fishing trip that I have fished with them. I spent some time with Russell Gahagan, Pro Troll's Regional Sales Manager at the Redl Show http://www.redlsports.com/ who impressed me enough to fish these Pro Troll's products. I am sure glad we did because they sure worked great this morning and the proof is in the pictures! The other 2 Chinook were hooked with Wes' favorite Winter Chinook set-up which includes a Luhr Jensen http://www.rapala.ca/ Abe and Al #1 Prism Flasher with a Rhys Davis Blue/Green Anchovy Teaser and a Rhys Davis Anchovy. Noel, Wes and I had a great time catching Chinook as well as harassing each other and eating Gail's cookies while watching the rods.
The 'piece de resistance' of our trip was the Crabbing. The Star of the Crabbing portion of our trip was as always 'Brutus' Ace Line Hauler http://www.acelinehauler.com/ Crab and Prawn Puller. Vartan you are a genius! We were also using Crab traps distributed by
Redl Sports http://www.redlsports.com/ that have an upgraded hinge design on the doors which are excellent. We were using Lead rope from Danielson which reduces the potential for getting the Crab Trap ropes into the prop. The 'Right Tools for the Job' sure making Crabbing a lot more enjoyable. We kept our limit of 18 Dungeness Crab and put another 12 more back. Wow!
Good Weather! Good Fishing! Good Crabbing! Good Friends! Life is Good!
Nov 5th Victor Lick was also fishing in the Kitimat Harbour for Winter Chinook in his sailboat. We watched Victor boat 3 Chinook all by himself. Victor kept his Daily Limit of 2 Chinook and released a third. It requires a lot of patience and skill to be able to hook, fight and then net these Chinook with one person onboard. It was amazing to watch Victor in action and take photos of his catch! Well done Victor! Victor was fishing with a Gibbs http://www.gibbsfishing.com/ High Liner Flasher and his favorite Hoochies. If you are ever looking for a partner to fish with give me a call. 250 632 1275. :) I would be more than happy to help out.
Summary
Winter Chinook fishing in the Kitimat Harbor is starting to get really good. This fishery is very unpredictable at the best of times because the Winter Chinook are primarily feeding Chinook stocks that are following Bait Fish. If the Bait Fish continue to school up in the Kitimat Harbor as they did this week so will the Winter Chinook (as we refer to them). Wherever the Bait Fish go, the Winter Chinook go. In previous years when the Bait Fish lingered in the Kitimat Harbor all winter so did the Winter Chinook. Here's hoping that this is one of those years.
The Humpback Whales also follow the Bait Fish. We have been experiencing more sightings of Humpback Whales in the Kitimat Harbor than normal and the Winter Chinook fishing has been very good. This phenomenon was also kindly clarified in an email I received from Karen Hansen who is a DFO Fisheries Technician who reads this Fishing Report. Thank You Karen. The bottom line is that if the Bait Fish hang out in the Kitimat Harbor, so will the Humpback Whales, so will the Winter Chinook and so will !! Stay Tuned…
Thank You to everyone for providing photos and info to this Fishing Report.
Good Health and Good Fishing!
Sincerely and Cheers Ron Wakita
NOTICE: Winter Chinook and Crabbing in the Kitimat Harbour is red hot right now. To book your charter boat please contact Noel Gyger anytime. Phone 250-635-2568 E-mail noel@noelgyger.ca
BOOKING NOW for fall Steelhead and all Salmon NEXT YEAR. Let me know if I can be of service to book you with the 'best' fishing guide and/or fishing lodges for both river and ocean. There are NO extra charges to book through me, just a lot of free information and advice from a person with years and years of fishing and fish guiding experience. It is like hiring two guides for the price Your “dream trip” awaits. Please Contact Noel noel@noelgyger.ca anytime…to start planning your trip. Everything will be to your entire satisfaction.
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Gary Miltenberger Northwest Angling Adventures
Boy Scouts of America & the Olympics
The Olympics of which I am writing now are not the athletic competitions held every four years, summer and winter, at revolving locations all around the world. The Olympics of which I write are far, far older, and way more enduring, than a set of athletic games which last for only for two weeks in a four-year period.
'The Olympic Mountains is a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. The mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are not especially high - Mount Olympus is the highest at 7,962 ft (2,427 m) - but the western slopes of the Olympics rise directly out of the Pacific Ocean and are the wettest place in the 48 contiguous states. The Hoh Ranger Station in the Hoh Rain Forest records an average of 360 cm (142 in) of rainfall each year. Areas to the east of the mountains, however, are located in a rainshadow and are much drier relative to other places in coastal Washington. Most of the mountains are protected within the bounds of the Olympic National Park. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Mountains).'
It was quite awhile after the first Europeans settled in Puget Sound before these mountains were fully explored. Early on, it was rumoured that inside the core of the mountains was a small, tropical ecosystem, with warm weather year-around, palm trees, and trade-wind breezes. 'In 1890, a second exploration was organized by the Seattle Press, a Seattle newspaper. The exploration party met with misfortune, including sinking boats, blizzards, and running out of food. The Press Expedition was forced to hunt and eat bears. The party took 6 months to cross the mountains. Due to the expedition, many of the peaks in the Olympic mountains are named after prominent newspaper publishers and editors of the late 19th century.' Needless to say, the intrepid explorers who undertook this journey, did not find the tropical paradise that was rumoured to exist in the centre of the mountains!
The Olympic Mountains form the core of the Olympic National Park. They are some 890,000 acres of remote and rugged wild lands, with giant firs, spruce, hemlock and cedars, tall peaks with year-around snow fields and glaciers, deer, elk, cougars and black bears, many lakes, and a very wide variety of rivers, streams and creeks. Most of the waters of these Olympics hold fish. Some of them hold very, very big fish!
Starting north of Shelton as one drives up the state Highway 101, you first cross the Skokomish River, then you come to the southeastern shore of Hood Canal. After the tiny canal community of Hoodsport, the highway follows the canal as you then come to the Hamma Hamma, Duckabush, Dosewallips, and Quilicene Rivers, in that order, all of which flow into Hood Canal. You pass through the villages of Brinnen and Quilicene along the way. Next, you cross the Dungeness River, which flows into Discovery Bay of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. After that, the highway swings west, to the farming and retirement town of Sequim (which receives the lowest annual rainfall in western Washington, due to being in the 'rain-shadow' of the Olympics). Then onward to Port Angeles, the Olympic peninsula's largest city, and home of Peninsula College, where I attended my first year of college.
Continuing west from Port Angeles, you cross the Elwha River (which drains into the Strait of Juan de Fuca), you go past Sutherland Lake, drive along the south shore of Lake Crescent, then upslope to the Soleduck River headwaters, where you start heading south. You cross Soleduck and the Calawah Rivers, and next pass through the logging town of Forks. Then the Bogachiel River, next the Hoh, Queets, Quinalt, which all flow directly into the Pacific Ocean, then you cross the Humptulips River (drains directly into Grays Harbor) before coming to the cities of Hoquim and Aberdeen, which are positioned at the inside shore of Gray's Harbour, where the Chehalis River meets the ocean. Heading east from Aberdeen, you cross the Wynootchie and then the Satsop Rivers, before re-entering Mason County and getting back to Shelton. The Wynootchie and Satsop drain into the Chehalis River, which drains into Gray`s Harbor. If memory serves me right, it is about a 350 mile drive to 'make-the-loop'.
I have fished all of these rivers, except for the Soleduck, Quilicene and Dungeness. It’s good to have a reason to return, in my retirement years!
To my knowledge, nowhere is there a greater concentration of rivers, which all support Salmonid populations, in such a short distance and small geographical area, than on the Olympic Peninsula. While each of these rivers has their own individual characteristics, they all also share one thing in common: each forms the spoke of a wheel, radiating outwards from the centre of the Olympic Mountains, this source of their origin.
I wish that I had a nickel for every mile hiked by Boy Scouts through the Olympic National Park. I would be a VERY wealthy man! Scout troops from all over the western US arrive to hike and camp along the wilderness trails of the Olympics every summer.
With its close proximity to Shelton, the Olympics were ideally suited for Scout troops, for both taking short, week-ender treks, and for longer, week-long summer-time treks through the core of the of the those mountains.
Little did I know, when I signed up for the Scouting program, that it also meant signing up for treks into the Olympic Mountains! And that meant gaining access to their fabled waters, where I could dunk a worm, work a fly, or even bait a hook with a small hunk of a hot-dog, when I had nothing else for bait. Overall, it provided adventures beyond my wildest dreams. For the farm-boy, who started his angling days tramping the banks of Coffee Creek in Shelton Valley, and Goldsborough Creek, the Olympics were as close to heaven as I ever wanted to be! At least, that’s what I thought back then!
On a clear day, we could see the tops of Mount Washington and Mount Eleanor, when looking north from our farm. These two peaks are located at the southeastern corner of the Olympics, and the headwaters of the Skokomish River flows past their bases, via Lake Cushman and the Skok's North Fork.
My first trek into the Olympics, with Scout Troop 110, was a week-ender “yo-yo” trip.....drive out to Hoodsport, up past Lake Cushman, to the Staircase, then up the trail along the North Fork of the Skokomish River, and back out the same way. It was the same drill as our Goldsborough Creek camp-out. We met at Mountainview school late Friday afternoon, drove to the Staircase Ranger station (a little over an hour’s drive). We signed in at the Ranger station, then we then hiked the 5.6 miles to the Big Log Camp, where we set up our tents, made campfires, formed our little k.p. four-scout units, and 'cooked out' over open fires.
After our evening meal and completion of k.p. duty, it was time for evening 'campfire', a scouting tradition.
Songs were sung, stories told, skits were performed which had be prepared during our Wednesday evening weekly meetings (in anticipation of this trip), and of course, marshmallows were roasted on sticks. All was very well in our world!
On Saturday, we all took a day hike to the '1st Divide', which was the height-of-land between the North Fork of the Skokomish, the Duckabush and the Quinalt Rivers...then we returned back to our camp at Big Log. Much of the trail from Staircase to the 1st Divide followed the river, and at every chance I was eyeing-up the water, and making mental notes for future piscatorial explorations. It all looked really, really 'trouty' to me! As I recall, I hadn't been allowed to bring along fishing tackle on this junket. I was only 12-years old at the time, and we weren't allowed to take off exploring on our own on such trips. But I knew that I would eventually be returning here, with fishing tackle. And I did several times in my late teen years, once I could drive!
Sunday morning, after breakfast, we packed up, and hiked back out to Staircase.
Next week: 'Olympic Fish Tales'.
Tight lines, Gary Miltenberger
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