BC Kings on the Swing
BC Kings on the Swing
June 15 – 22, 2025
Hosted by Michael Bennett of Pacific Fly Fishers
Join us on this return trip to Skeena River Lodge near Terrace, B.C. for the shocking power of fresh Chinook Salmon only a few miles from the salt. 2025 will be our fourth trip in a row for Chinook Salmon at this amazing destination and the previous three trips have been full of lifelong memories and some great fish stories. Chrome-bright fish, half of them still with sea lice, enter the rivers daily. Our group of anglers typically finds numerous fish every day, most of them from 15- to 30-pounds, and each year a few over the 40-pound mark are hooked. Several hooked fish are never landed due to bent hooks, broken leaders, and simply running out of backing. Big smiles surround the dinner table each evening at the beautiful Skeena River Lodge as each angler shares their stories for the day.
For 2025, we’re anxiously awaiting our next trip back to Skeena River Lodge and invite you to come along. If you’ve spent time casting two-handers and swinging flies for steelhead, you’re in for a treat when your first big, fresh King grabs the fly.
The fishing on this trip is just like our local steelhead fishing except on steroids. Everything is bigger, stronger, and more intense. Hookups are often surprisingly aggressive, and these bright fish can run and tear up the surface like nothing you’ve seen before in a river.
FISHING
This trip will focus on King Salmon in the Kitimat River, near Terrace B.C. The fish are fresh from the saltwater and entering the rivers as we arrive. Many fish from our previous trips still had sea lice, which means they have only been in fresh water for less than a few days. In some cases, the fish have only been in the river for a few hours, and they are HOT, hard fighting fish that can take swung flies with surprising ferocity.
An average fish is 15 to 25 pounds and our group has landed quite a few fish over 30 pounds over the years. A few fish estimated at over 40 pounds have been hooked each year but we’re still waiting for the first one to be landed due to broken leaders, bent hooks and running out of backing. A few steelhead may be around too, but it is mostly Kings this time of year. All fishing is catch and release.
Transportation on the Kitimat River will be done by floating the river in rafts. We’ll make short floats on the river, often without seeing another angler all day, stopping to fish prime holding water where the Kings like to hole-up, and where the water suits our fly techniques best. All fishing is done while wading the river and swinging flies. No fishing is done from the rafts.
We will fish six full days. Expect very early morning departures from the lodge after a quick breakfast. The rivers are only a short drive from the lodge so there is no shortage of time on the water each day. Our guides are experts, know these fisheries very well, and are very serious about putting their anglers on fish. Having fished with them for many years for steelhead, silvers, and now three seasons of Kings, you can count on your fishing time being spent on productive water. During the week, anglers will rotate guides based on fishing conditions and your fishing preferences. Each evening a fishing plan is set for the next day and the excitement and anticipation continues.
TACKLE
Most fishing is done with 8- or 9-weight two-handed Spey rods. Longer rods are preferred with 13 ½ to 15-foot rods being ideal. Reels should hold at least 200 yards of 30- to 50-pound backing. Floating or partial sinking Skagit heads (like the RIO InTouch Gamechanger or Airflo F.I.S.T.) are used with a range of sink-tips from T-8 to T-17 in lengths from 10- to 17-feet. Leaders are generally very short at about three or four feet in length. A one-foot butt section of 40lb with a blood knot to three feet of 25lb tippet works well.
Flies are big, flashy critters usually tied on tubes or shanks and with a total length of about 4- to 5-inches. Lots of Flashabou is commonly incorporated into the flies, but keeping them sparse enough to cast easily and sink quickly is important. The colors of blue/chartreuse, black/purple, gold/silver, and pink/fuchsia are the favorite colors. Hooks need to be stout and in sizes 1/0 to 3/0. We recommend Owner SSW Cutting Point hooks.
ACCOMODATIONS
Skeena River Lodge features a beautiful log cabin as the main area with a dining area and cocktail bar. A series of small log cabin buildings allow anglers to have their own bedroom and private bathroom with showers. A weight room, hot tub, wader drying room, pool table and even a small trout pond are also part of the lodge, although on past trips, we’ve always been too tired after dinner to enjoy them much.
Each day typically starts with a quick breakfast bar with coffee, juice, muffins, eggs, bacon and ham, hot breakfast sandwiches, cereal, fruit, etc. Lunch is prepared by one of the lodge chefs and packed in the raft by the guides. Lunch will be eaten on the river, either stopping for a proper bankside lunch or simply eating while floating between fishing holes. For all meals, the chefs are very accommodating of guests with food allergies or dislikes.Dinners are always a treat beyond expectations and worthy of any downtown Seattle restaurant. A good wine selection is always available, as is other alcohol and non-alcohol choices. And don’t forget to leave room for dessert.
PACKAGE DETAILS
Trip Dates:
Arrival: Sunday, June 15, 2025
Departure: Sunday, June 22, 2025
Included: Seven nights lodging with a private bedroom and bathroom. Six full fishing days with one guide per two anglers. All meals. Transportation to/from the lodge and airport. BC taxes.
Not Included: Flights to/from Terrace, B.C. B.C. fishing license (Classified Waters Licenses are not required this time of year). Tips for the guides and lodge staff, generally about 15% of the package price is recommended. Alcohol is not included and can be purchased from the bar at the lodge.
PAYMENT
Package Price: $5,020 USD
50% deposit due 30 days after confirmation. The remaining 50% is due 60 days prior to the trip start date.
Package price will change slightly based on exchange rates.
TRAVEL LOGISTICS
Most anglers choose to drive across the border and depart from the Vancouver, B.C. airport. Each angler can drive separately or most of us carpool together to save on parking at the airport.
The flight between Vancouver and Terrace is only 1.5 hours so we’re usually home in time for dinner on the day we return from the trip.
For anglers not in the Washington state region, flying to Terrace, B.C. is usually not difficult but may require a stop and plane change in Vancouver, B.C.
All anglers should plan on taking the same flight in/out of the lodge if possible. The suggested flight info will be provided by your host, Michael Bennett.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Contact Michael Bennett at Pacific Fly Fishers for more information, questions and to book the trip.
Shop Phone #: (425) 742-2402
Email: Michael@PacificFlyFishers.com