Bella Coola

[Matt]

I'm going to be spending the week of July 25th at Sheridan Lake. I imagine by then the fish will be off so I'm planning on doing a mid week sightseeing trip with the girlfriend. We've decided to take HWY 20 to the coast and see Bella Coola as well as some stops along the way.

Thanks to SRUPP I have a few lakes picked out that I'm going to hit. Sounds like there is some good fishing on HWY 20 although we are a little late in the season.

I am wondering about fishing the rivers around Bella Coola and if there are any opportunities for summer runs, late springs, or some decent trout fishing on the fly. If there are, can anyone recommend a guide that drifts the local rivers and can take me out for a day? Would it be better to Charter in the ocean for the day?

Anything else we should do/see while in Bella Coola?

It looks like a beauty drive into Bella Coola, should be a good adventure. I'm hoping to find some fish along the way.

[srupp]

Matt sorta TOO LATE for prime chinook and a bit early for coho in the rivers should be some decent pinks though...any fly rod with red wool...

For guides in the River ...Ken Corbould form tweedsmuir Lodge @ Stuie...or DARREN (handlebar walrus mustache both EXELLENT guides...stay away from Bailey bridge crew..and their "guiding " trust me on this one...

The ocean is TRES $$$$$$$..but maybe some hali or salmon ..problem is hali are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down by KING ISLAND ....KWATNA.... and there are TOO MANY DOLPHINS affecting the salmon ...not worth it IMHO

there are the petroglyphs..most people love em..I havnt seen em..

Steven

[Matt]

Good stuff Steven, thanks for the PM as well. I've contacted Ken to see if he can get me out for a day drift, if the fishing deserves it anyways. We are also going to book a night at one of the lakes you mentioned - looks like some nice fly water at the rapids between the big lake and the little lake.

Matt

[mountainman]

You could always rent a boat from Horseshoe Bay if you are looking for a day on the ocean. They are pretty reasonable and you can get a total set up with downriggers and rods.

Sounds like you got a pretty good trip planned out.

[srupp]

Joe..isnt Horseshoe bay in NORTH VANCOUVER???....a loooong way for fishig Bella coola....even for Albertans...

Hope all is well bud..

Steven

[Matt]

So I have a trip booked with Ken to drift the Atnarko ff'ing for dollies and rainbows!

[srupp]

Ken is top notch knows those waters as well as any man alive.,.should be a wonderful adventure..

Keep a camera OUT for grizzly photos along the river..

tight lines....

Steven

[mountainman]

Yeah Steven is North Van and a long ways but when you look on the map it is only a couple inches

[srupp]

hmmm Joe a couple of inches on a ALBERTA map is 20 minute road trip here in BC with mountains its a all day'er to git er done...

Steven

[Rock Doctor]

I used to fish the Atnarko and Talchako(sp) every fall with a group of friends, it's a great place to be. I've missed the last couple yrs but will be going this fall. We always stay at the Fisheries Pool Campground for about a week at a time. Fishing is exellent, you will have a blast. Good Luck.

PS. We always see lots of Grizzlies and Black Bears, like srupp said: Keep your camera handy.

[srupp]

Rock doctor...fall fishing ??? coho??..Fisheries is a good place to stay have you hit the confluence...and a bit lower down the bear hole and the grizzly hole..EXELLENT COHO runs...let me know when your comming through and Ill buy you a coffee....I may not get North for moose this year Tim is limited to two hunts...

STEVEN

[srupp]

MATT UPDAATE....I just touched bases witha good bud of mine who has been down in the Atnarko system for 1 week..lucky dawg...they brought 12 fish out.... SPRINGS with 7 people fishing..nothing big,,,,,,,,,,,, but chromers , these early fish run the whole system in basically one shot..now the fish that are headed up will hang out in typical lies....as the do not travel as far to spawn = less urgency.

They only saw one GRIZZLY.

LOTS of blacks nothing big..

Snowed SUNDAY.. at the pass..lots of snow everywhere up top and hot weather could blow her out again..waters dropped 4 FEET...and the last few days a couple feet more...waters high still but fishable....and CATCHABLE..

Thats my update...


Steven

[Rock Doctor]

Rock doctor...fall fishing ??? coho??..Fisheries is a good place to stay have you hit the confluence...and a bit lower down the bear hole and the grizzly hole..EXELLENT COHO runs...let me know when your comming through and Ill buy you a coffee....I may not get North for moose this year Tim is limited to two hunts...

STEVEN

Ya, quite often we are tagged out for hunting by the middle of Sept. I have a few friends scattered across BC that meet at the Fisheries Pool every yr from the end of Sept untill about the 7-10th of Oct to fish Coho. We hit all the spots you mentioned, pretty much every day, my favorite spot is the Confluence, as well as the run just upstream (grassy bank, just up from where the back chanel runs into the Atnarko)
We usually spend the night in Quesnell on the way down, and always hit Surplus Herbies in Williams Lake on our way through. I will try to take you up on that coffee, I've been wanting to meet you for awile now.

[srupp]

Good idea Rock Dr......my favorite coho time is thanksiving...lol...

hmmm my second hunting partner owns Tim hortons x 2 in the pond...but its nicer here at the shack...

Steven

[Matt]

Okay, slight change of plans. We are going to spend two days at the Lake. I have a 14' w/ 30HP rented and we have a nice little cabin.

The fish in the lake look big and it makes more sense and is cheaper to chase 5-10# bows on the lake than 12-18# fish in the river.

Any suggestion on flies or gear for that lake Steve? I imagine big buggers/leeches and other attractors will work. For gear was thinking spoons and plugs.