Nahwitti river

[Wiseguy]

Hello fellow steelhead anglers. Planning a trip up to the Port Hardy area to fish a few different rivers for winter steelhead. Not expecting to catch numbers would just like to wet a line in some different rivers I have never fished. First stop will be the Nahwitti, any advice as to accessibility and best winter month to fish there. Thank you.

 

[california]

It's been 20 years since I fished that river, the river below the lake is accessible by logging roads, or was. There were lots of accessible spots, just need to do a bit of hiking to scout out runs. The river was unfortunately being logged extensively , right down to the banks at the time. The earliest I fished there was February and caught fish. More often in March even in to April. End of Feb in to March seemed the most productive. Most of those north island rivers seemed to be later runs. It might be a bit early right now but could be some fish. In those days double digit days were not uncommon, all C&R of course. Bigger river than the cluxewe keogh and Quatse, so if you hook one they have room to run. Good luck!

 

[Wiseguy]

Thanx for the info California. Guess I will have to cue the crickets on this one. Chirp chirp chirp...

 

[tubber]

Thanx for the info California. Guess I will have to cue the crickets on this one. Chirp chirp chirp...

Don't take it personally.
Steelhead threads either are ignored because people don't want to mention results on their favourite streams due to potential crowds. Or they go downhill when people get arguing about bait, leader lengths/flossing, jetboats, guides, newbs, spey rods, catch and release, best way to smoke a steelhead, etc...

 

[Wiseguy]

Nah, I don’t take it personally. Lol. Even had a member message me and tell me not to talk about steelhead rivers. Doesn’t matter, maybe I will meet up with a few people on the rivers I intend to fish who will be a little more forth coming with information. Cheers

 

[Burban]

Naming and openly talking about steelhead streams is a sensitive subject for obvious reasons, should be no surprise there. Your much better off driving up, stopping at local tackle shops and doing your own research on the water. If you take the skunk, you'll at least have a few days to explore the system and have the groundwork laid for next time. When it comes to steely fishing, every fish take sweat equity and no one wants to give that up for free, especially to thousands of looky lous on the net.

Realistically between California's post and google earth you've got what you need anyway.

 

[Whitebuck]

The most rewarding things as a steelheader are doing your own ground work and getting rewards. Unfortunetly the new age steelheaders now are all about the multimedia hero pics and story’s and being hand fed info and where to go.
Wise guy not saying this is you. The ocean is one thing with reports and such...but wild rivers don’t need the added pressures of the internet with all the harmful things they are already experiencing. One only has to look to what has happened since FWR and a couple other websites have done to a bunch of streams. Whoring them out at any cost just to make a buck.
Good call on the members to PM, California has layed down the ground work to go and enjoy one of th nicest rivers on the island. Put in the legwork and enjoy the rewards that will follow.
Good luck!

 

[Wiseguy]

No new age angler here. An old dude who can still hike, who wants to fish a few more rivers he hasn’t before he gets too old to do so. If the Gold was talked about a lot more perhaps it wouldnt be in the dreadful state it’s in now. Sweeping things under the carpet isn’t always the best approach. I have done my research and will take a poke at the Nahwitti and a few others in the Port Hardy area. Tight Lines

 

[Whitebuck]

Actually a lot of people and a few guides brought up the problems on the Gold with DFO ! Nothing swept under the carpet, maybe be more informed on the subject before opening your mouth.

 

[Fishmyster]

Actually a lot of people and a few guides brought up the problems on the Gold with DFO ! Nothing swept under the carpet, maybe be more informed on the subject before opening your mouth.

Which guides and who are all these people bringing up these alleged issues on the Gold? I also am wondering why you mention they brought it up with DFO? Aren't steelhead managed by MOE? What makes your opinion more informed than others?

 

[Whitebuck]

Sorry MOE...typo kenny. Never said my opinion was more important than others.
Everybody saw the crash..it was no secret. Point in case why a few guides...stopped guiding on it last few years. Your opinion problems holds the most weight!

 

[california]

I don't think I'm giving much away providing some basic info on the Nahwitti here. Id be surprised if the Nahwitti today is much different than the Gold in steelhead populations. Every year when I fished it runs or pools enclosed with tree canopies were replaced with barren banks with muddy runoff coming in to the river. I knew then the steelheading in that river would soon be a shadow of its old self as the valley and surrounding hills were clear cut and the river changed. I do feel fortunate to have experienced it while it was a beautiful and productive steelhead river.

 

[Wiseguy]

Attention Admins. This thread has gone sideways. Please remove. Thank you.