KITIMAT RIVER: We are starting the typical routine of winter in Kitimat as we received multiple days of snow this week. Soon we can expect to wake to the sounds of the grader wind-rolling the snow to the middle of the street followed shortly after by the sounds of the Snow Blower. The Amber rotating lights flashing across the bedroom curtains also signals having to get up earlier to allow for shoveling the driveway and cleaning the snow off the truck. Such is life in the North West.
Nov 18 Kitimat River Pump House Pool. Even with the Snow Fall the Kitimat River is exceptionally low and clean. For readers who are familiar with the Pump House pool you will notice that you can actually wade across the entire river with boots. The high water has shifted the gravel and created a gravel bar across the river. It may not stay this way but it is unbelievable how the power of the water effects the river. The upper Kitimat also has some major changes as well. We will keep anglers updated via this fishing report.
Summary The river conditions are very good despite the snow. The Trout fishing will continue to be good throughout the winter but dress warm. Layering is always a good idea and keeping the fishing trips to comfortable durations will ensure productive and enjoyable outings.
Nov 17 Special Report Ariel Kuppers was fishing the Copper River with his good friends Derrick Downey and Ted Riel. They landed 12 Steelhead and many others lost. Wow! What an awesome day of Steelheading! Congratulations Guys!
Ariel was using a Sage VT2 Spey Rod with a Ross CLA 6 Fly Reel with Rio Skagit 650gr Fly Line and Ariel's own version of a Purple Egg Sucking Leech with a trailing hook. Ariel comments that the key ingredient in the fly was the Pearlescent strands of Krinkle Mirror Flash distributed by Fly Angler in Surrey B.C. Ariel started Fly fishing with a Spey rod this year and is already producing some outstanding results. Well done!
Anglers Beware that there is active logging and logging truck traffic on the Copper River logging road. A radio with the Truckers channel is a good idea or simply wait and follow a logging truck up the road.
DOUGLAS CHANNEL: With the snow and winter conditions there has not been a lot of action on the waters of the Douglas Channel during the week so I thought I would talk a little about the new lures on the market and the distribution of fishing tackle from Manufacturers to Distributors to Dealers and then to Anglers.
I believe every angler goes through different phases in their Angling experience. As an angler just starting off, like most anglers we are influenced by a mentor. In my case, my father, and usually I used the tackle that he used or that he gave me to use. Other anglers may be initially introduced to fishing by other relatives perhaps even by a grandmother as was the case that I featured in one of my previous fishing reports. Or it could have been a friend or business associate, neighbor or even the local tackle dealer.
As I got older I still had tendency to use the lures that are proven and true simply because they have worked in the past. At some point, I believe every angler goes through an experimental stage where you try all the new lures that hit the market. You start buying and trying the new latest and greatest all in the quest to catch more fish. I guess I never grew out of this phase but all the while keeping some loyalties to the proven favorites.
As an angler, a Guide/Charter operator and as a Tackle dealer I find myself in a unique position to continue to test new lures.
As an avid angler who was born and raised fishing in the North West provides archives of fishing info based on personal fishing experiences. I have kept notes and logs over the years complete with photos that have captured the catch results.
As a Fresh Water Guide and Salt water Charter operator gives me the opportunity to work with some of the finest anglers in our area both fresh and salt water. All of my associates are very skilled anglers who bring their own set of archived fishing info and they are also eager to test new products.
Alison Obrecht: Marketing Manager Gibbs Delta Colin Redisky: Lyman Lures
Dan Milanese: True Roll Lures Tom Davis: Rhys Davis
As a Tackle Dealer I have the opportunity to attend the Redl Sports Distributor Tackle Show every year where the Fishing Manufacturers set up their booths to show their new products and for dealers to place orders. The Redl Show also provides an opportunity to speak to the manufacturers that produce the new lures. It is a great opportunity to talk face to face with the people who design and make the various lures. These conversations are also enhanced with subsequent emails and phone calls to clarify any issues. Displayed above are some of the names and faces of the folks who work hard to produce quality fishing lures to help satisfy our addiction to catch fish. Also worthy of note is that these are all BC based Fishing Tackle manufactures.
As the Fishing tackle industry has expanded with the growth and popularity of Sport fishing, new manufacturers have entered the Industry with new and exciting products lines. Existing Manufacturers are continuously expanding their product lines with new colors, sizes and actions. Lures are now being enhanced with Impregnated scents, Ultra Violet, E chips and the list goes on and on... For the purpose of this section of the Fishing Report I have focused on the Lures relevant to our Winter Chinook fishery in the Douglas Channel.
Baitrix, Rhys Davis, Lyman and True Roll are the lures that I have chosen to test in our Kitimat Harbour Winter Chinook fishery. I have already tied up some of these lures with Gibbs UV enhanced flashers and Gibbs Farr Batter Flashers. Noel and I were going to do a little tackle testing on Saturday for winter Springs but weather conditions postponed our trip. Stay Tuned
Thank You to everyone who provided info and photos to this Fishing Report.
We are booking River and Saltwater trips for the 2010 season. Interested anglers, please contact Noel: noel@noelgyger.ca
Good Luck Good Health Good Fishing
Sincerely
Ron Wakita
Reliable Guide and Charters
bus.250 632-3522 cell.250 632-1275
fax. 250 632-3528
wakita@telus.net
www.reliableguideandcharters.com
PRODUCT PROFILE: New from Baitrix
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Designed for use in both fresh and saltwater
All Baitrix artificial bait products are HAND FINISHED - one at a time. This is your assurance of quality, consistency, and attention to the smallest detail... "as life-like as they get"!
Easy to Use... Rig as you would a natural. No preparation required!
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Durable...Several fish have been taken with ONE Baitrix bait-fish.
Click on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpjBbEMsD7g to watch a short 2:33 minute video clip by Tom Davis as he explains and shows you how to use the artificial baitfish.