Favorite Local Spey waters?

[mcameron]

Just wondering what are everyone's favorite rivers for speyfishing? I usually go to the Harrison upstream of the Hwy 7 bridge, depending on water levels

[Rick Baerg]

Some of my favorite spey waters are quite close to home. Even though very busy in the winter time, the Vedder is a great river to swing flies, along with the Pitt and Squamish rivers. Other favorites in BC are the Thompson and Chilcotin rivers. I'm planing on doing some more exploring down in Washington state this coming year and I am sure I will have many more to add to the list!

[SalaR]

Favorite Rivers can mean so many things...but here on the Island there are so many all within basically a 2-3 hour drive. The larger Rivers such as Cowichan,Stamp,Gold,Nimpkish,San Juan, and a few others all have Steelhead and a few with way too few. When the counts reveal 12 -26 fish returns...leave them alone! 14' rods are fine for the above mentioned rivers and probably best. The Stamp hosts the most favored runs and easiest access;Gun Club,Galaxie Run,Money's(still accessable but be polite),Slide Pool,Black Rock,Store Pool to the Bucket to name a few. The "Cowie" also has a good number of runs and slots when the water is not blown out and visibility is reasonable. It is now getting fishable,,big dark flies! There are lots of Summers in the Stamp but the manager of the Robertson Creek hatchery is a bit concerned about the brood stock for the Summer Fish. The River from the Falls down to the Confluence is holding a few hundred fish that are getting hammered daily by the bait guys and guide boats,even though there is a partial bait ban. There are now winter fish coming in..trickling. The Nimpkish has a good number of fish appearing as does the Gold...the Gold is likely the most difficult of these large rivers to swing flies in...weighted flies and type 8 tips are good bets...these fish like Orange!!!!!!!!! and Black!
Good luck

[phearless]

The Babine would be my #1 choice.
I spent two seasons up there and can't get it out of my head.
Everywhere I fish,I immediateley compare to that river.
Valhalla in my mind.
If I am very lucky my job may take me to Argentina.
Sea run browns anyone!

[speyghillie]

Well thats pretty easy for me, got to be the River Spey, 5 mins from my house and 90% fly only .
Salmon fishing in the morning, trout fishing in the afternoon and great seatrout fishing at night, just get home and its time to get up and go again.
Lots of room to cast a fly, and step a cast is the rule, no standing in the same spot all day.
After the Spey my other favorite local water is the Thompson, well not quite local, but working on it.
Gordon.

[SalaR]

The River Spey,what can be said...sounds great to me especially considering that I am sitting in a friends home as I await another storm going through that has left us powerless since Monday and the prognosis is not good,for we mere Islanders! The local rivers are blown out,access is impossible and I am breathing. Yet I have found time and the means to swing a few flies through my favorite slots on the upper Stamp and have landed some chrome winter steelhead.Speyghllie,I will be in Alnwick on the 13th of Jan and would love to greet...is the Spey open?only there for several days(3)
C

[speyghillie]

Hi SalaR,
I think we are getting abit of the same weather, it has been raining here the last couple of days and forgot to stop, so the Spey has been well blown out.
The River does'nt open til Feb the 12, but that has not stopped me from being out trying some more rods and lines, just no fly on the end of the line.
I have 4 more rods to try out next week and a new long belly line that is rather special.
But just got to wait a day or two, but if your in Alnwick in Jan you could get some fishing on the Tay i think, and its a fair way to drive up to the Spey if you only have a couple of days, if you had more time we could have went on the speyside whisky trail.
Speak to you soon.
Gordon.

[Eric]

Thompson would be first on the list for me... but close to home... i don't mind fishing with the crowds on the vedder for steelhead.. for salmon i might go out a couple times in the fall but that gets tired pretty quick. Much less crowded and enjoyable rivers for salmon fishing...
Really started fishing the squamish and the cheakamus the last couple of season and i really enjoy the solitute and the beauty up that way. Most days you don't see another person fishing up there.
As Bergler mentioned earlier, would love to fishing some of the river down south for steelhead.

[SalaR]

Hi SalaR,
I think we are getting abit of the same weather, it has been raining here the last couple of days and forgot to stop, so the Spey has been well blown out.
The River does'nt open til Feb the 12, but that has not stopped me from being out trying some more rods and lines, just no fly on the end of the line.
I have 4 more rods to try out next week and a new long belly line that is rather special.
But just got to wait a day or two, but if your in Alnwick in Jan you could get some fishing on the Tay i think, and its a fair way to drive up to the Spey if you only have a couple of days, if you had more time we could have went on the speyside whisky trail.
Speak to you soon.
Gordon.

Will see you in January...How is everything? And have a great Xmas and New Year
C

[speyghillie]

Hi SalaR,
Hope you had a good xmas and are looking forward to a good new year.
Let me know when you get over and we can meet up at the Spey, i will have some nice Whisky on standby.
I was out trying some rods with a guy from Vancouver yesterday, boy was the water cold but good fun all the same.
Hope you and everyone else on the site has a good new year, i will be back online around the 4th of Jan, well it is the Scottish Highlands and new year in Whisky country, hope the liver can stand it.
Happy New Year.
Gordon.