August 29, 2006 | Tips from Us >
Smithers, Fishing
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What do autumn leaves mean to you--back to school; end of summer holidays? To me, it means steelhead fishing in the Bulkley River. The Bulkley River, running through the Town of Smithers, is a tributary of the Skeena River, the watershed of the entire northwest BC. The steelhead is a river-going rainbow trout. But because it spends part of each year in the Pacific Ocean, it can grow to 25 pounds or more. Given muscles of this size and a rainbow trout's athleticism, it's little wonder why people from all over the world come to Smithers each fall. Fly fishing (both wet and dry) is the most popular technique for steelhead fishing although fishing with 'gear' is popular, too. Catch and release is standard on the Skeena 'system' and special conservation tags are required for many of the tributaries of the Skeena.