Saltwater Fly Fishing

Saltwater Fly Fishing Video

2008 Fly fishing seminars with Peter Morrison are now available for booking. Peter is a former professional angling guide and a pioneering saltwater fly angler, most notably in the quest for Pacific salmon. For more information on attending Haa Nee Naa Lodge's flyfishing seminars, please click here.

Welcome to the secluded world of Haa nee naa Lodge and the breathtaking beauty that encompasses this protected island paradise. Explore the ideal location to fly cast for Pacific Salmon.

Imagine yourself entering the realm of miles upon miles of kelp forests which border the shorelines and reefs of Dundas Island. Prime feeding grounds for all 5 species of hungry Pacific Salmon. Literally millions of salmon pass through Dundas Island waters each summer making it the premier fly fishing destination on the British Columbia coast. This virgin fishery is one of the fastest growing forms of angling in North America.

Large Northern Coho (silvers) invade the area waters in mid July and provide fly anglers some action packed days and some very sore arms. A good day on the cast fly would be in excess of 2 dozen Coho hookups but the average catch would be 6-12. The acrobatic Coho range in weight from 6 - 20 pounds with the average fish weighing 9-10 pounds. These silver mint bright fish are very aggressive to the cast fly and bucktail fly alike. Many times the angler can watch "wolf packs" of over a dozen Coho chasing their fly to the side of the boat where pre-programmed instinct takes over and one fish will attack your fly right before your very eyes. If you have enough nerve not to jerk the fly out of the fish's mouth, and set the hook sharply, hold on for a tremendous acrobatic display to follow. If all these things come together, and the barbless hook doesn't slip out on one of their many jumps, you may just boat a true north coast treasure." In the last few seasons anglers have been experimenting with dry lines and dry flies for coho with amazing success. Over the past three seasons a very high percentage of our coho were caught using dry flies. This cutting edge fishery is a testament to the aggressive nature of these feeding fish. An extremely high energy, site oriented fishery for coho which must be experienced to be truly appreciated.

Coho salmon are not the only species of fish to eagerly hit a cast fly, Pink salmon in the millions pass Dundas Island from early July to the end of August annually. Although not quite the active fighters as the frisky Coho, Pinks can provide some exciting action on light fly gear. When conditions are right, 30-50 Pinks can be hooked in a single day with a high percentage of these fish caught in the top 6 feet of the water column. With much of the fishing being done by sight, Pinks can be seen swirling on the surface on a regular basis, all it takes is a well-placed cast to entice an aggressive strike.

Black rockfish, ranging in weight from 1 - 8 pounds, crowd the rock piles of the area and are strong aggressive fighters. Hooking up on almost every cast when conditions are right, they will test even the strongest of fly fishermen's arms for hours on end. These fish provide an exciting addition to the activities awaiting fly fishermen on Dundas Island.

Fly casting to Pacific salmon requires a 7 - 9 weight, 9 - 11 foot fly rod. A good quality large arbour saltwater reel, loaded with 150 yards of backing and topped of with a sinking line, is essential when targeting these hard fighting fish. Full sink fly lines, such as Scientific Anglers Type 5 or 6 Uniform Sink, work extremely well, however shooting head lines will also do. 7 - 9 foot, 12 - 15 lb. test leaders are needed with a variety of baitfish patterns such as clouser minnows, needlefish or herring patterns in a multitude of colors. The lodge has a fully stocked fly tying bench where guests are invited to create patterns of their own. Also provided, for those anglers without fly gear, are a few fly fishing outfits for complimentary use.

To encourage and support our fly fishing interests at Haa Nee Naa Lodge, Peter Morrison, professional casting instructor, teacher and factory representative for Sage Rods and RIO fly fishing products, conducts fly fishing seminars every August for our guests. Peter will go over all aspects of saltwater fly fishing from casting, fly selection, fly tying, anchoring, productive areas and much, much more. These seminars are completely free of charge to our guests and are included in the regular price when booking your trip. It is a great way for both the beginner and experienced fly fishermen to learn a lot about saltwater fly fishing. 2008 seminars will be held for select trips, Book early, as space is limited! Click here for more information.

A whole new world of fly fishing.

Come.  Fish the Magic!

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Video:

Saltwater Flyfishing at Haa Nee Naa Lodge

5min 20sec (10.70MB) High Speed Connections: Click to View Low Speed Connections: Download and view offline. Requires Windows Media Player