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“BUT BOB, IT’S THE DEAN”
There were 6 of us on the charter into Moose Lake
Lodge where we transferred to the planes that took
us to the Dean. It’s two miles of wild water at the
end of an 80-mile fiord in British Columbia. I saw
it as we flew into the Dean River Lodge and thought
I have waited 15 years to get here. Tomorrow I fish.
First day - Up at 6 AM to a full breakfast and in
the water at 8 AM. Cast the shooting head on the 9
weight a thousand times or maybe just once. You know
the fish are there – Bang – the reel starts to
scream and my heart beat doubles – then nothing.
Something has taken the 16 lb test tippet and still
has it. Darn - no Damn!! Just a taste of things to
come. The rest of the day is full of those casts
without much (read nothing) happening. Off the river
at 5 PM to a superb dinner followed by a Cuban, some
port and fish talk among new friends.
Second Day – On the water at 8 AM ready to make two
thousand casts today if need be. 2 PM in the
afternoon - I am standing in the water half way
through Lower Kickbutt (an appropriate name) with a
GP fly that Pat Burton of the Trinity Fly Shop tied
for me. BAM –This time the reel sings and keeps on
singing – it is music I want to hear. It’s a
steelhead. I know that because I saw and felt it
jump out of the water. Now it is coming straight at
me – REEL Bob REEL - then let it go because it is
doing exactly what it wants to. You think you are in
control but really know you aren’t. In and out, back
and forth for 15 minutes. Which muscles –yours or
the fish’s will get tired first. You begin to sense
that you might win. Bring it to shore. WOW, The
guide puts his hands on a 15 pound-male-silver
dollar-sea lice covered steely. This is a Kodak
Moment if there ever was one. “John, take a picture
and just keep on taking them” I instructed my son.
You take the fly out of its mouth and pick it up.
You JUST know it actually weights 20 pounds. Keep it
in the water, turn it around and let it go. Get
ready to cast again.
2:45 PM – same afternoon, same place, same fly – BAM
again – Fish on. This time I have a better idea of
how to react. Ten minutes later a 10-pound hen comes
to shore. I like this - I really like this and those
others fishing begin to feel better – fish are being
caught. That night, I smiled until morning.
Third Day – Ready to make three thousand casts. I
would like to catch more fish but really hope that
my son John can hook up. After lunch on Lower
Kickbutt again he does but the Gods are not with him
today. Thirty seconds, one run away and then right
straight at him, a headshake and the fish is gone.
Me, my casting arm aches as I announce to all at
4:30 that “I am done”. After dinner we fly back to
Mooselake Lodge and get ready for three days of fly
ins to streams fished by no more than 8 to 10 people
the whole summer.
Fast action - catching 40 to 50 fish each day on a 4
weight using dry flies. It is a high sticking, throw
it under that log, put it right behind that rock, 12
to 14 inch feisty rainbows all day long kind of
fishing. Fish Fawnie Creek, float the Blackwater or
the Upper Dean River - fish seem to be everywhere.
The accommodations (2 person cabins), the food
(superb), the guides (extremely talented), the
fishing and the entire trip is what great memories
are made from.
To sum it all up, Herb Burton, a friend and a
fishing guide on the Trinity River was right when I
asked him why he was making such a fuss over this
river in British Columbia. He was right when he told
me “But Bob, IT’S the Dean”. It is the DEAN and it
is Mooselake Lodge and that’s enough for me. I
can’t wait to get back to make just one more or
maybe a thousand casts.
Bob Noyes
TRIP REPORT
Fly Fishing Adventures
888-347-4896
flyfish@napanet.net
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