The C.F. Burkheimer spring steelhead trip was another huge success, and we’ll be heading back next year with room for six anglers from March 30th through April 6th.  Brian Styskal and crew hit the conditions perfectly this spring and the fishing was spectacular. Brian was kind enough to send us some great photos, and a full recap of the trip highlights. 

The flight into Terrace, British Columbia is breath taking. Snow-capped mountains as far as the eye can see, lakes and rivers appear in the distance and then the Douglas channel comes into view. It’s hard not to notice the tributaries that feed into Douglas channel, and most are seldom fished. There are no roads into these rivers, you either boat in or helicopter in, it’s a commitment to access them and you will be hard pressed to find another human footprint. Definitely one of the most beautiful places on this earth in the spring time, huge waterfalls that plummet from shear rock faces a thousand feet high plunging straight into Douglas channel. The mind starts to flow as you’re thinking about river X and if it might have steelhead in it. Most likely it does. As I settle back in my seat with some good old Zack  Brown comin’ in from the head phones it’s hard not to smile a bit and let the imagination wander.

The day before I departed for Terrace I got an e-mail from Wally Faetz telling me to be ready to fish when I got off the plane. Well, he wasn’t kidding around. Justin picked me up at the airport with raft in the back of the truck and we were off for the Kitimat. Waders on, rod rigged, and fully immersed in the flow of the water, I couldn’t imagine a better way to start the trip. It was interesting to see the changes a season will bring to the river. New pools to explore and fish and some familiar pools that seem unchanged from the high water and flooding a wild undammed river can provide.

Later that evening clients Mark Nickerson and David Flood arrive to the Spey Lodge and over an amazing meal prepared by chef Molly we discussed a game plan for the weeks fishing. Owner and head guide Wally Faetz says the Skeena is the best option, all I can think is “hell ya”! This will be the first time I get to fish the lower Skeena, on previous trips we had explored other rivers. The Copper River is brown and it’s starting to turn the lower Skeena a beautiful jade green , the perfect green that all steelheaders know as “go time”. At the end of our incredible meal by my favorite chef in the world it’s decided we are fishing the Skeena river.

It’s difficult to describe the lower Skeena river to an angler.  It’s easily two times as wide as my home river, the Skagit. The scenery is stunning, with snow-capped mountains and classic steelhead pools that are easily four hundred yards long. It’s a gentle gradient that is easy to wade and the fish can be in right at your feet, or a 100 feet out there. Under these conditions you can throw your longest cast and expect to hook fish through the entire swing. The 9145-5 was a popular rod for the week, both Mark and David fished it with long, floating lines and lightly weighted flies. The Nextcast lines turn over a brick at distance, the Winter Authority 55 and Fall Favorite 70 were right at home on the big river and a joy to cast. Getting  away from the Skagit line was an eye opener for these two  gents from NorCal. On the first day they hooked eleven fish, the smallest was around 15lbs, a hen that would not stop until it ran David Flood into his backing twice and may have not been landed if it wasn’t for Wally’s long line netting tactics. These fish seem to have a third gear, maybe it’s just the sheer size of the Skeena and its flow? It reminded me of the Thompson river fish, big steelhead that take the fly viciously and are seemingly headed for another planet.

It was interesting to watch the level of casting rise to the occasion to meet the needs of the Skeena and the fish with in its flows. Wally and I could almost call it when Mark or David was going to hook a fish. There is a direct correlation between good casting and hooking fish. Solid technique brings confidence and keeps an angler alert and focused. The reward is a fish on the end of the line. I have seen it a hundred times and will see it one hundred more. Solid casting puts fish on the beach plain and simple! After a bit of coaching with the long rod and long lines both Mark and David had no problem making the adjustment and when they hit the perfect cast both Wally and I would remark, “there’s a fish”!

85% of the fish hooked and landed were hens in the 15 to 20lb range fresh from the salt. They were almost blinding to the camera lens in the sun. Sun? Yep, we were blessed all week long. There were also a couple of nice bucks hooked that topped the 20lb mark during our trip. Both of them were landed and released unharmed back into the Skeena. The steelhead gods blessed us with a newly formed pool on the Skeena, Mark and David had two Double hook ups in this run. After taking a good look at the water it was obvious, it was the perfect steelhead pool. It is not a long pool, 200 yrds at most, starts in a classic riffle and ends in one.   At Speylodge it will now be known as “Double, Double”.

At the weeks end all I could think about was what an awesome trip it had been. I had the privilege of seeing some amazing steelhead thanks to Mark and David’s persistence and focus while fishing. Truly some of the most beautiful steelhead I have ever seen and may ever see. Also, spending time with Wally Faetz, one of the best guides I know. was a pleasure and a learning experience for me. I will be editing pictures and video for months to come from this trip. Each time I start I find something that is amazing that I easily fill an evening with. There is something about spring steelhead fishing that really gets deep into the soul. I have always felt this way, it’s my favorite time of year to chase steelhead and already I am thinking about dates for next year’s trip. Dates are set for 2014 and for those that are interested you should consider booking soon as I believe the trip will fill early for next year.

Many thanks to Wally Faetz and the Spey Lodge staff, Mark Nickerson, David Flood, Chef Molly, and the beautiful steelhead of the Skeena. I can’t wait for next year.

Tight lines,

Brian Styskal 

Join us next spring for some of the best steelheading on the planet. Wally Faetz and the Spey Lodge run a world-class program.

Dates: March 30 – April 6, 2014

Contact Brian Styskal for more information: blackspey@hotmail.com

C.F. Burkheimer dealer and friend, the Avid Angler Fly Shop, is heading down to Florida for their spring Tarpon extravaganza. Join C.F. Burkheimer Pro-Staffer Ryan Smith and a great group of anglers as they intercept Tarpon up to 200lbs on their annual migration.

Ryan has been doing this for years and has the details nailed down. Join him for a week of world class fishing, stunning scenery and great company.

Be sure to check out the Avid Angler website for more information, or contact us for details: nate@cfbflyrods.com

Burkheimer Fly Rod Build – Broadband from North Fork Studios on Vimeo.

We put a huge amount of thought, energy and mojo into every rod that comes out of our shop. A new film from North Fork Studios chronicles the build process.

Many thanks to Shane Anderson for producing the film.

Many thanks to you, for fishing our rods.

Whitney Gould On The Road: Spring 2013

World Champion spey caster, steelhead,  salmon and trout guide extraordinaire, and all around world class lady, Whitney Gould, will be traversing the country this year and hosting a variety of spey casting classes and clinics. You won’t find a nicer person to spend the day with, and Whitney’s credentials speak for themselves if you’re looking for a quality instructor. Join her this year on some of the most beautiful waters in the west.

April 19 & 20, 2013: Big Horn Trout Shop

Whitney will be holding a two-handed casting class at the Big Horn Trout Shop in Fort Smith, MT. Whitney will guide you through a comprehensive spey casting course aimed at all skill levels. Lodging is available through the Big Horn Trout Shop.

May 4-9, 2013

Join Whitney Gould and Craig Fellin for a four day/five night spey casting class on Montana’s Big Hole River.  Put together by Frontiers Travel , this is a spey casting immersion course in the most gorgeous of settings. Follow the link below and Contact Frontiers Travel for more information

Learn to Spey Cast with a World Champion

Check back soon for more news on Whit’s travels around the west. She’s one of the most talented, well spoken and personable casting instructors around, these classes are not to be missed.

Fish the Lower Skeena for Spring Steelhead

March 31st-April 7th, 2013

It’s time again to announce dates for the 2013 C.F. Burkheimer Spring Steelhead trip. 2013 sees us heading back to Spey Lodge for the third year in a row, and during the prime week of the season, the first week in April. Join us from March 31st through April 7th to swing flies for the brightest fish in the wildest rivers.

Why do we love the Spey Lodge? Simply because it’s strategically placed within a short drive to some of the world’s best winter and spring steelhead fishing. The lodge itself is in Terrace B.C., right on the banks of the majestic lower Skeena River. Within two sips of your favorite morning beverage you can be standing in the Skeena, the Copper, the Kitimat or the Kalum, all world class fisheries for steelhead and salmon. Then there are the many less talked about rivers that hold 20lb wild winter steelhead, and we fish as many rivers as we can to explore the diversity of the area fishery. We may very well blindfold you to take you into river “X” but I promise that you won’t mind a bit, especially when your rod’s bent to the cork and your reel’s about to explode as a hot chrome slab heads back to the salt.

Spey Lodge is owned and operated by Wally Faetz and his amazing staff. The food is incredible and the accommodations are truly top notch. Head chef Molly is a culinary artist, and I find myself looking forward to her cooking almost as much as the fishing. The guide staff at the Spey Lodge are some of the best in the business. This comes as no surprise when you consider the fact that Wally is one of the hardest working and most well respected guides in B.C. His willingness to explore remote river systems and spend countless hours behind the wheel of his 22ft Thunderjet is what sets this operation apart from all others. The key to successful steelhead fishing is flexibility, knowledge and versatility. Wally takes these basic elements to a whole new level.

Spey Lodge also has the ability to travel by helicopter to a remote satellite camp and access rivers where you will not see another human footprint. What you will see are steep canyon walls laden with waterfalls from the spring run-off and a healthy population of mountain goats. These remote and untouched rivers are breathtakingly beautiful. We will swing for spring steelhead that are minutes from the salt in what is arguably one of the most beautiful places on earth. Does it get any better than that? Molly sends her cooking along for us to prepare at camp, you will eat like a king and share a few drinks around the fire with friends while listening to the smooth gurgle of the river.  It’s steelhead camp at its finest in remote Northern B.C., this is life as it should be.

The rivers of Northern B.C. are truly one of the last strongholds for wild steelhead, and the Burkheimer Spring Spey School presents a unique opportunity for students to hone their skills with the two handed rod in an environment like no other in the world. Each day you will be assigned one guide and one instructor.  Your guide will put you on the fish and we will work on the skills it takes to put the fly on the target the first time. There is no replacement for good and solid technique when spey casting, it puts fish on the beach plain and simple. You will learn more in one week of this class than you will in two seasons of just chucking line out into the river. In the evenings we will discuss line design and what lines will best fit your fishing. We will also cover modifying lines to a particular rod or river. We will be tying flies to fit the conditions and will discuss steelhead fly design as it pertains to specific river applications. At the end of the week each student will receive photos and video from the week and a personalized outline describing what they will need to work on to achieve their goals as a steelheader.

This will be another great trip to the finest spring fishing in the world, and we look forward to fishing with you at the Spey Lodge.
Tightlines,
Brian Styskal

Dates: March 31st-April 7th, 2013.

Cost: $5000/angler  (With 6% tax. Licenses are included.)

We have four spots left on this spectacular trip. Please contact Brian Styskal at blackspey (at) hotmail.com or Nate Koenigsknecht at nate (at) cfbflyrods.com for more information on this week.

You may also call the shop at 360-835-1420 and speak with Nate or Kerry.

All photos courtesy of Wally Faetz at the Spey Lodge. Thanks, Wally.

Check it out on the Avid Anglers website, or read about the day below.

Join CF Burkheimer Pro Staff instructors Brian Styskal, Ryan Smith and Avid Angler’s Ben Waldschmidt for an intensive day of winter steelhead fishing and instruction on the Skykomish river. This is an opportunity to gain first hand knowledge from veteran steelheaders and improve your success on the water. The winter steelhead learning curve is a steep one, and a day spent in a focused educational environment will accelerate your skill set and increase your confidence.

You’ll float the Skykomish with one other angler and your instructor, working through a variety of fishing situations and learning the best approach to each piece of water

- Improve your casting with weighted flies and sink-tips.

- Refine your presentation skills with the two handed rod.

- Learn to recognize fish holding water and the appropriate approach to that water.

- Join an open discussion on equipment and flies for pursuing these fish.

This is a unique opportunity to learn about winter steelhead angling from experienced instructors and guides, on the water and in the elements. Coffee, snacks and a hot lunch will be provided. Brian and Ryan will have a large selection of CF Burkheimer rods and matching lines.

• Date: Saturday, January 13th
• Time: 8:00am – 5:00pm
• Location: Skykomish River, just 45 minutes from Seattle
• Cost: $245/angler(plus tax)
• What you’ll need: Waders, wading boots, a rain jacket, warm layers, sunglasses, Washington Fishing License and Vehicle Use Permit

For more information, or to register, contact The Avid Angler: 206-362-4030 or info@avidangler.com

Join CF Burkheimer Pro Staff instructors Nate Koenigsknecht, Brian Styskal and John Larison for an intensive day of winter steelhead fishing and  instruction on the Clackamas river. This is an opportunity to gain first hand knowledge from veteran steelheaders and improve your success on the water. The winter steelhead learning curve is a steep one, and a day spent in a focused educational environment will accelerate your skill set and increase your confidence.

You’ll float the Clackamas with one other angler and your instructor, working through a variety of  fishing situations and learning the best approach to each piece of water

–Improve your casting with weighted flies and sink-tips.

–Refine your presentation skills with the two handed rod.

–Learn to recognize fish holding water and the appropriate approach to that water.

–Join an open discussion on equipment and flies for pursuing these fish.

This is a unique opportunity to learn about winter steelhead angling from experienced instructors and guides, on the water and in the elements. Coffee, snacks and a hot lunch will be provided. Nate, Brian and John will have a large selection of CF Burkheimer rods and matching lines.

• Date:  Saturday, January 19th;  and Saturday,February 9th, 2012
• Time: 8:00am – 5:00pm
• Location: Clackamas River, just 45 minutes from Portland
• Cost: $245/angler
• What you’ll need: Waders, wading boots, a rain jacket, warm layers,  sunglasses, and an Oregon Fishing License

For more information, or to register, contact Nate Koenigsknecht: 360-835-1420  or  natek@cfbflyrods.com

Mike Duffy Photo

The New 11’7″ 7wt. Compact length. Spey Rod Soul.

Call it whatever you like. We call it the best 11 1/2 foot two hander the world has ever seen. When tight quarters and big fish are the job of the day, this is the tool that gets it done.

The 7117-4 is our newest two-hander, and is becoming a favorite of anglers who wants to fish a long line in a river short on space. From the Bonaventure to the Pere Marquette to the Sol Duc, there are places where a 13 footer is too much stick, and a single-hander just isn’t enough. Enter the 7117-4.

The specs:

• 11’7″ 7wt
• Weight: 6 ounces
• Grain Window: 420-540 grains
• Ideal Lines: Airflo Compact Scandi 480, RIO Skagit Flight 525, Airflo Skagit Switch 510, Nextcast 45′ 6/7
• Fish size: 5-17lbs

This is a versatile rod for today’s versatile angler, a rod that finds big fish in small places. Whether you’re up to your armpits fishing a high bank on the Skagit, or up to your ankles in a tiny tributary. This rod will make the cast with accuracy, line speed and ease.

Call it whatever you want to. We call it the 7117-4.

Dateline: Summer 2011.  Summer fish were nosing their way into rivers across the Northern Hemisphere, and we had repeated calls for a big water rod. Anglers wanted a long line stick for the Clearwater, the Thompson, the Skeena, the Tweed and the Gaula. They wanted a 15′ rod that cast 8/9 wt lines to the backing knot, and they wanted it crisp and light-in-hand.

So we set out to design the ultimate big river steelhead and atlantic salmon rod. The length was 15’2″, we knew that. We knew we wanted a rod with the guts to throw a long line and a bomber into the wind. We knew we wanted a rod that felt great with an 8lb fish but had the cojones to turn a 20 pounder.

We wanted the best 15′ steelhead rod the world has ever seen.

After many prototypes and countless hours, the rod is here:

8152-4 Specs: 

• 15’2″ 8wt
• 8.75 oz
• Grain Window: 520-750gr
• Ideal lines: Nextcast FF 70′ 8/9, Airflo Delta Spey 8/9 or 9/10, Nextcast FF 45′ 8/9

The rod is in production now and will be hitting rod racks across the world in the next week. We’re extremely excited about this rod, and glad to give the people what they want.  If you like to fish big water, if you like to throw tight loops a very, very long way, if you like to swing the long sticks, you’ve found your rod.

A Clearwater steelhead awaits release.

Join us at the 2012 Red Shed Spey Clave on the Clearwater

Join Nate Koenigsknecht, Brian Styskal , Greg Bencivenga and Rob Allen at the annual Red Shed Spey Clave in Peck, ID. Check out the latest Burkheimer rods, including our prototype 15′ 8 weight, adn our newly designed five piece two-handers.

• When: September 29, 2012. 9:00am-Evening
• Where: Lenore Rest Stop/Picnic Area, just downstream from the Lenore Bridge on Hwy 12

For more information check out the Red Shed website.

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