The Kalum River Lodgein the Skeena Region of British Columbia

Subscriber David Harris has good things to say about his trip to Kalum River Lodge (www.kalumriverlodge. com) in the Skeena region of British Columbia this past August. He says he was mostly in search of steelhead, but he also caught silver salmon, chum salmon, and sockeyes by float fishing and wade fishing utilizing both Spey and spin equipment. He is pleased with the fishing, but he reserves his most positive comments for the people he met and for the countryside around Terrace, British Columbia. He writes:
“The scenery of the drive from Terrace to the lodge is mind-blowing. And the people were wonderful—like small-town rural America used to be. Everyone was so helpful, even the people at the Best Western and the Hertz Rental Car agency. If you go on this trip, you have to go early and rent a car just to drive around.
“The staff at the lodge was wonderful, too. Check-in that first night was supposed to be at 7 PM, but I ar-rived early and called the lodge. They invited me to a barbecue, which certainly wasn’t part of the package and wasn’t expected. The lodge manager, Deanna Taylor, is a gourmet cook. Her salads were to die for and every morning she had sandwiches packed for our lunches. We were free to add fruit, cookies, candies, and such as we wished. This is a first-class operation. There was no skimping whatsoever. If you needed something from town, that was no problem. My three companions and I have been to lots of lodges, and all four of us will attest to the fact that we have never been treated better.
“I am not very mobile. But the staff helped me as needed on the rocks and with getting dressed in waders and boots. I particularly liked the fact that no one ever rushed us here to get up early or return to the lodge at a set time. The only issue I had here was learning how to catch fish. My problem was not being familiar with swinging a fly with a Spey rod. It takes time and practice to learn how to do that. The staff here will teach you how to do this, but be aware that the learning curve is very different from that of spin tackle or traditional fly tackle.
“I’m not saying there is anything bad about this. It’s just a different kind of fishing. Anglers at the lodge from Scotland and the UK did very well while I was there, and I did not do badly really. I am sure there are good fish here, as we saw fish and pictures of fish that were in the 20-pound class. A fish that big in fast water is a real catch. In that regard, the Skeena is a glacial river. It has that blue glacial look to it. Overall, this was a wonderful experience. I would give it five stars!”