Skeena River steelhead
Skeena River Fishing - Wild Rivers Lodge
Skeena River Salmon and Steelhead
Wild Rivers Lodge (Kalum River's new lodge) sits on the banks of the world-renowned Skeena River in beautiful British Columbia. Surrounded by mountains and river, the setting is stunning. At Wild Rivers, you'll fish some of the world's finest steelhead and salmon rivers, including the Skeena and many of its tributaries—the Kitimat River, the Nass River system, and several smaller wilderness rivers. The Skeena is home to the largest run of wild Steelhead in the world and also the world record.
New! Wild Rivers Lodge
The Skeena and tributaries are wild, free-flowing rivers. Steelheading on the Skeena is considered to be some of the best in the world.
The Skeena watershed holds the world record for both steelhead on the fly and with conventional tackle. In 1988, Andrew Rushton, owner and head guide, opened Kalum River Lodge, ten minutes from the world-famous Skeena River. In 2017, he opened Wild Rivers, a brand-new lodge on the banks of the Skeena.
Wild Rivers Lodge is open April through early November and hosts up to 12 guests. Each guest has his/her own single-occupancy room with a luxurious double or queen-size bed and a private ensuite bathroom. Take in the beautiful views of the river from the comfortable lounge or from the Lodge's spacious deck.
Free Wi-Fi and use of the Lodge phone in the case of an emergency. Breakfast at the Lodge, packed lunches for the boat, and gourmet-style dinners. The Lodge caters to special dietary needs.
Numerous Tours are available: flightseeing - Helicopter and floatplane trips, Cross the border into Hyder Alaska - a four-hour drive, whale watching in Prince Rupert, and trips to native cultural sites.
The lounge (great room) at Wild Rivers Lodge
Fishing Seasons - Skeena and more...
Barbless Hooks: Single barbless hooks are mandatory in British Columbia. For most conditions, a size 2 hook works well.
Popular Flies: Intruders, Pic ‘Yer Pockets, Popsicles, plus, Leech and shrimp patterns. A variety of fly patterns entice steelhead and salmon to bite. Some of the Lodge's favorite colors include: black, purple, blue, pink, and chartreuse.
Steelhead Season: The spring run is mid-March to mid-May, followed by the summer run from late July to November.
Both the Kalum and the Skeena are known for big steelhead at this time of year. The Lodge has numerous coastal rivers with fresh runs of spring steelhead.
Chinook Salmon: Late April to early May, Chinook salmon are in the river. Early May to the first week of June provides anglers with some excellent king salmon fishing. The biggest king ever caught by Kalum River Lodge (their first lodge), was 86 pounds.
Pink Salmon: Pinks are the most numerous salmon species here and are a blast to catch on a fly. Lots of action from late July to early September.
Chum Salmon: Want to catch a lot of salmon? These hard-fighting acrobats are underrated. Peak fishing is mid=July to mid-August, with chums averaging 8 to 20-pounds, even some 30-pounders.
Sockeye Salmon: About mid-July, sockeye migrate upriver to spawn and populate the river from mid-July to early September. These acrobats are a lot of fun on a fly.
Silver Salmon: Fly fishing for the large Northern Coho peaks here in the fall from mid-August through October. Silvers average 8 to 15-pounds, with some 20-pounders.
Dolly Varden and Cutthroat Trout: Fishing is available on the Skeena region year-round.
Summer Fishing Season:
Summer Fishing: Their main run of king salmon begins in mid-June and runs until mid-August. Over the years, their summer king sun has produced world record fish, the largest being over 99-pounds. By mid-July, steelhead, sockeye, pink, and chum salmon start up the rivers. These months are a great time for anglers to experience a variety of fisheries and species all in one trip. Early August to mid-September is a great time for Skeena River fly fishing. The main run of summer steelhead are migrating, plus coho, sockeye, and pink salmon. The Skeena is an easy river to wade and fish at this time. Late summer is also a favorable time for water conditions and weather.
Fall Fishing: Last but not least is their fall coho and steelhead fisheries. These are quality fisheries that offer a wilderness experience, breathtaking scenery, and quality fishing. During the fall, there are numerous rivers to see and large numbers of coho salmon. Explore and fish several rivers in one trip.
The Lodge has 18’ to 20’ jet boats with canopies, drift boats, and rafts. Two to four anglers per boat and guide, depending on the time of year and the rivers you’re fishing.
Getting to the Lodge:
You'll fly to Terrace, British Columbia. Daily direct flights from Vancouver into Terrace make your journey an easy one. WestJet and Air Canada have several flights a day to Terrace, and you are only in the air for about 75-minutes. (No airfare is included in the package.) At the airport, you’ll be greeted by a member of the Lodge staff and driven to the Lodge, about a 25-minute drive.
Sample Fishing Day:
A buffet-style breakfast is served from 5:00 to 7:00 a.m. In July and August, breakfast is generally served earlier and later in September and October. Right after breakfast, you’ll leave with your guide for a full nine-hour day of fishing. You’ll take a packed lunch and explore different river systems, depending on the time of year and species available, and preferred fishing methods. Fishing areas are accessible with a combination of 4WD vehicles, drift boats, rafts, or jet boats. Due to the Lodge's prime location, you can be fishing within 5-to 45-minutes. Depending on the season and what species you're targeting, you'll either bank, wade or drift fish. After a full day of fishing, you'll return to the Lodge in time to freshen up before a chef-inspired dinner which is served at about 6:30 p.m.
2023 USD Rates:
Rates include 5% sales tax and are based on the current CND exchange rate and are subject to change.
7-nights and 6-days guided fishing
$5,440.00 per person
6-nights and 5-days guided fishing
$4,576.00 per person
5-nights and 4-days guided fishing
$3,720.00 per person
3-nights and 3-days guided fishing
$2,840.00 per person
Non-angler sharing room
$240.00 per person per day
Includes lodging and meals.
Packages Include:
Roundtrip ground transfers between Terrace Airport and the Lodge, one-angler per room accommodations, Wi-Fi, all meals, non-alcoholic beverages, guided fishing, 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST), and use of any fishing tackle and equipment required.
Packages Do Not Include:
International or domestic flights, fishing licenses, alcoholic beverages or mixers, fish processing (if required), gratuities for guides and staff, Global Rescue, travel insurance, and anything not mentioned under inclusions.
