With the exception of last year during the pandemic, I’ve fished the Skeena system for 45 years straight. This year, although I was desperate to go after having missed last year, I’ve decided not to go harrass a run of fish that based on the 2021 Tyee Test Fishery results, seems to have gone off a steep cliff.
The Skeena just got a big bump of rain a week ago. That would have been prime-time for a big push of fish out of tide water...that didn’t happen. As of yesterday, there have been FOURTEEN (14!!!) straight days with zero steelhead in the test nets. First half of Septemeber, ZERO fish
I thought this sad state of affairs would have ellicited some type of responses on from guys on SFBC....I’m surprised at the protracted silence.
I’ve written to the FLNRORD office in Smithers and Victoria to help at least make some noise, especially when I heard there was zero attempt to shut down the Skeena steelhead fishery to the Lodge and Guide operations...just business as usual for these guys
Absolutely unbelievable! There is what appears to be an Extreme Conservation Crisis and the Lodge owners and the pimp operations that send clients in their direction carry on like it’s 1985
There’s projected to be right around 5,000 steelhead returning to the Skeena systems in 2021....in a normal year, the BUlkley alone would have a run exceeding 10,000 fish......I never thought I’d see the day where in my lifetime, not only the THompson and interior Fraser steelhead are wiped off the face of the earth, but now, there’s a very real chance that the Skeena and Nass runs suffer the same fate!
