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May 20, 2005
THE PARKING LOT POOL: KALUM/KITIMAT FISHING REPORT
 Our Spring Steelhead season has quickly come to an end as high water has
turned even the finest pools into fast moving shoreless fishing. It is
now mid May and the King Salmon are trickling in, in nice numbers and
size as well. Guided anglers were treated to Steelhead and Chinook each
day. Either on the lower Kalum or tidal flats on the Kitimat we are
into the fresh Kings. Attached is repeat client Dick McWilliams with a Fresh Salmon, dime bright and what a torpedo he landed. The following is a capture of our most productive pool of the season, and the
history that surrounds it?
As I lean back and ponder what escalated throughout the 2005 spring Season and the years before, words are
difficult to describe, but I will take a stab at it. The friendships
that were rekindled and also started have made me really love this office
in the outdoors. The "Parking Lot Pool" is her name and as we creep into
this pool very stealthy with the rafts it gives me a sense of not only
excitement, but also intrigue and the unknown. I use the word unknown as the
Steelhead is a fish unlike no other sport fish. Scientists cannot even
follow the ocean currents the Steelhead travel to feed on and someday
come back many miles to a two-foot spot in the gravel to the homeland
they were made from.
I remember two years ago when Gavin Hodgson from Sport fish UK hooked a
large summer Steelhead in the parking lot pool and chased it downstream
thru the side channel only to find himself tangled in the overhanging
trees with no backing and no ground to stand on. Coming to his rescue
was myself in the raft as well our experienced client Keith whitehead
holding thousands of dollars in fly rods in one hand as we try a circus
act to get this Steelhead to the next pool, only to find out the
Steelhead eluded us and off it went, almost taking us with it. The
parking lot has had its toll on the guides as well which I will
elaborate later.
 This season has been no different as we have had event after event each
time we entered this mystic pool. Troy Adams of CA, USA was denied a
large fly hooked Steelhead in the Parking lot as this Steelhead made the
same move it did to Gavin, it was groundhog day all over again for me as
I watched this Steelhead make his way close to the net and then a
explosive dash until the second color of braided Dacron was visible
then slack. It was a silent moment as Troy reeled in what seemed
forever and the 15lb. monofilament without a fly. I asked Troy what
happened, "I had to put the brakes on it, it was going into the rapids."
It is so easy to be a armchair fisherman when a client has on a
Steelhead of a lifetime, telling him you should have done this or that,
we'll bull puckies I say. Each instance happens so quickly and
decisions have to be made. I remember Troy saying, "That Steelie took
my fly on the swing and I got to feel it for a few long minutes, I am
happy with that". Fair enough, I am sure Troy will remember this moment
for the rest of his life, I know I will. Troy landed a very large
Steelhead that day as well two others.
Our next victim was "spring boy", Ed De La Torre. With all the hype
surrounding the Parking Lot all fly anglers were up to the challenge,
checking the tapers on the fly line ensuring equipment failure would not
elude them a chance of a large Steelhead. This particular morning
leaving the lodge Ed noticed a fly on the windshield of the truck, STOP!
He says and out of the truck he goes, leans over and picks up the fly
and gets back in. It was a fly that was left from one of our last
clients, how it go there I will never know, the fly will go down in
history as the "Judith Fly". It was a sign. Ed fished the Judith fly
all day and when we got to the parking lot the fellas knew when we rowed
in that it would produce, it screamed Steelhead holding water. Ed's
partner being the gentleman he is said "goes ahead Ed it’s your pool". Ed
made his way down the run and at the top of the tail-out a splash busted
the surface and he was in, in a big way. Experience has taught me to
get ready for this event and this time I was ready. I knew Ed had very
little backing on his Cortland reel. I think Columbus brought it over
when he expanded his voyages to the North and it somehow washed up in
Ed's lap. To take nothing away from Ed, his experience was vital and as
I got the raft ready to chase the Steelhead down the boiling white
water, we were ready, or were we. Ed tussled with this hog for what
seemed an eternity and finally got it to the net, attached is this large
male Steelhead.
Next day we fished the Parking lot again and of course, Thurm called
it, go ahead Ed its your pool, well guess what, another big hook-up in
the tail-out and Ed was again having a play of a lifetime with this
bruiser. I walked down to where Ed was standing and he seemed in
distress looking down at his reel. "What’s wrong Ed", I asked. "I bust
the handle off the reel with my thumb when the fish took off! he
explains. " What!" before I can say another word the Steelhead takes
another burst and I can see Ed's backing knot, he is definitely in
trouble. It is now decision time and I hail the boat, Thurm (Ed's
trusting fishing partner) is waiting for us to leave the magical pool we
had just started fishing. Then all of a sudden the Steelhead stalls,
"Ed why don't you hand line the fish?” I cannot believe I just said
that, but what else could we do. After hand lining most of the fly
line, Ed is progressing very well. I get my chance to see this big male
downstream and take a desperate stab with the net, striking the side of
this glistening Steelhead; it was not captured and bolts into the fast
water. All I can see is the colorful fly (I call it Barbie Girl)
attached to Ed's slack line, it has eluded us, this was a large male,
bigger than yesterday. When all the smoke settles we check to see what
had happened. The evening before I tied a dozen flies and the last one
was about 1AM. I remember the articulated fly was tied onto the
forward hook shank with the thread over the braided 100# Dacron line,
the way I always do it. I can only think that I did not wind the thread
on the hook shank enough wraps to secure the Dacron and it pulled thru
and the hook was gone. I felt ill as I have never had this happen
before. Of course conversation at the lodge was buzzing as new guests
had arrived that nite. Everyone was looking forward to the parking
lot.
 By late afternoon we had landed two nice Steelhead and Thurm had landed
a fresh female up river that straightened his hook, attached is this
hook bending Steelhead. Not a large Steelhead by no means, but
nonetheless very fresh and strong for the fly angler. Next we entered a
pool called nine mile and had witnessed the last few day spawning
Steelhead. We have an open fire lunch and Thurm decided to make his way
downstream to where we saw the mating pair previous. I stayed back with
Ed chin wagging and all of a sudden Thurm was yelling, I knew he was
into a fish. I grabbed the net and ran to Thurms rescue, made my way
down to the fish, which was close to shore, wow what a nice buck. I took
a stab at the fish and out came the hook; I can say that I am now
getting a little conscious about my netting abilities. Thurm being the
gentlemen he is brushed it off. We talked about our strategies for the
next time we get into the same situation. My idea is that if I can get
the fish to break the waters surface with its head I can get underneath
it for the netting, seems simple enough. To the parking lot we went, no
one talked the entire time on route. While drifting the river the smell
of fresh air, the birds singing, the splash of the rapid water hitting
the boat, all these things lead up to the excitement we were about to
experience.
Upon arrival, the parking lot looked perfect once again, and Thurm
called it. "Go ahead Ed it’s your pool". Ed made his way thru the run
without a take, what? could it be. Thurm followed and was fishing a
smaller fly I created, very close to a Green Butt Skunk. Halfway thru
the run, Thurm hooked up big time and his Loomis GLX was bending to
critical stress levels. I made my way downstream and yelled up, "its
the biggest Steelhead I have ever seen Thurm. Shut Up! I am thinking to
myself. I am very nervous and excited, the adrenaline is pumping thru
me and I can hear my heartbeats, wow what a beauty. Thurm brings the
Steelhead very close to me and I have a chance to net it, its head
breaks the surface, this is my chance, but it turns so I decide to let
it make another run downstream, then all I hear is loud crack! Did
someone take a shot, can't be? I look down and see a thin dark object
that looks like a rod. I turn around and Thurm is holding a reel and a
rod butt section in his hand. I quickly grab the broken rod and lift it
out of the water; I can still feel the large Steelhead taut with line
and broken rod. Then the Steelhead takes off and the line has exceeded
its breaking strength, snap! The fish is gone. I got my hands and
knees and look at the clean pebbly bottom of the river, sweat drips from
my brow. I am scared to look up. No, thurm is not over me with a large
stick to strike me, he stands in his fighting position motionless. The
entire world around us has stopped and it is silent. I get up and grab
the net, say nothing and walk back to the raft. Our other guided raft
had witnessed the entire ordeal. Ted, my only friend, comforts me by
saying, "He had that rod bent way to much for that fish." Just short of
crying on his shoulder I looked at him and said nothing. I swallow what
feels like a rock covered with porcupine needles and regroup. After a
half bottle of Glen Livet overlooking the canyon and glacier back at the
lodge, Thurm and I back step each second of the days events. Our
conclusion was that he expected me to take that one shot when the fish
surfaced then held it there, while I was waiting for the second chance,
which we never got. I estimated this fish to be the largest yet on the
fly, approximately 25 -28lbs. a large male Steelhead.
As I write this report I think about the parking lot and the next time
I guide anglers into this prime watershed. I get a cold bolt thru my
body and am sure I will again when we stop and fish it for summer
Steelhead again September 1st, who will be the next victim...
Tracey John Hittel
Kitimat BC Canada
250 632-9880
250 639-4277
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