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How Was Dean This Year

2K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  juro 
#1 ·
Being new to this board, I don't know whether I'm breaking protocol by asking about returns from a specific place--

If I'm not, if anyone has any idea of what the fishing was like on the Dean last year, please let me know.

Cheers,
 
#2 ·
Eric -

GREAT TO SEE YOU MADE IT!!! Sorry we're just getting the motor running, but I had a great day at the show. Virtually everybody I talked to in the trade was interested in participating to some degree in the forum. Much, much more to come!

As far as the Dean, I would recommend that you talk to two of my good freinds - Bob Schmelzle and Tony Gades. I believe they have built up quite a base of knowledge on the river, among other great rivers of the world.

Let's see if I can rouse them...
 
#3 ·
Eric -

The Dean, like the other rivers of the region, appears to be healthy. Thank God for that, with all the distress our wild anadromous salmonids are facing lately. I'll give you a call and fill you in on what I know.

Also, there are a number of rivers that have a strong spring native showing in the region. Although most are focused on a late fall season, it wouldn't bother me at all to fish some of the spring native fisheries throughout British Columbia.

I've been looking into rivers like the Kallum, which has a strong native spring run. I hope to get up there as soon as possible.

This year my plans were to fish the Skagit and Sauk in April. Recently, I have had an invite to fish the big Island (Vancouver) in the fall. I think I mentioned that the other night, anyway since I am a married man with a job, I'll likely only get one of the two. I am thinking about splitting the time between my old haunts in WA and BC around the end of August. It's a bit early but the summer runs will all be in the rivers by then, and I have been coho fishing in the salt for many years. Although the west side is better for coho, we will be near some prime king water and there should be some coho streaming through that time of year on the south island.

I'll talk to you soon re: the Dean.

Hope all is well,
Juro
 
#4 ·
Hi Eric,

The run on the Dean this last year was average, maybe a bit above if you were on the river at the right time.

I'm friends with three separate parties that did the trip this last year and they all reported that the fish #s were good even if the average size was a bit smaller than in recent years. One guy reported playing and losing a fish that was 20lbs+, but that was it for really big fish. Most of the fish I heard about were really hard-fighting hens in the 10-15lb range.

The best days I heard reported were from one party where they each had multiple fish on the last day of their float. One guy hooked 6 and landed 4 (plus 2 kings), his friend hooked 5 and landed 2.

All three floated between the last week in August and the first two weeks of September. They all mentioned that there were days when the snowmelt discolored the water and made fishing drys impossible but that there were also days when they fished, and hooked up on, skaters and wakers.

BTW - I don't think anyone objects to questions about specific rivers hre. I'll certainly be asking if headed to a new river system!

Tight Lines!

DoubleSpey
 
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