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[Floater]

Going to be visiting a good friend in bella coola mid march just wondering if anyone has any info on the type of fishing available during this month. Besides the regs i havent been able to find too much on the internet. Just wondering what kinda fishery is productive at this time of year and what tactics to use. I dont fly fish so that is kinda out the window for this trip. He lives right on the edge of Bella coola river so thats is where i will be concentrating most of my fishing time.

[Sandman]

Going to be visiting a good friend in bella coola mid march just wondering if anyone has any info on the type of fishing available during this month. Besides the regs i havent been able to find too much on the internet. Just wondering what kinda fishery is productive at this time of year and what tactics to use. I dont fly fish so that is kinda out the window for this trip. He lives right on the edge of Bella coola river so thats is where i will be concentrating most of my fishing time.

 I was there in early summer one year and had good trout fishing with spinners in the smaller tribs flowing into the Coola.  This was 20 years ago though.

[Floater]

Yah twenty years is a little while  from what i understand its mainly trout fishing right now. Thats completely fine with me because i have seen some of the pics of these monsters  should be fun no matter what kinda fishery is on.

[Matt]

Closed to steelhead fishing.

[Floater]

Good to know.

[Ambassador]

Not sure about that time of year, but got a chance to go there a few years back to shoot a commercial. Truly stunning country with great people.

One odd thing was listening to a 24 year old First Nations girl speaking of the "Good old days" when the creeks were full of Eulachon. Now they are pretty much wiped out apparently due to the commercial opening of shrimp/prawn fisheries. Strange to hear of someone so young remembering how great the wildlife used to be.

[Floater]

Thats a sad story but i did not see a lack of wildlife and the river is not empty that is for sure. I was able to break my two months lower mainland skunk fest in five minutes with a three pound rainbow.

Im heading back next week and i have to renew my license of course because march 31st is upon us already. Now maybe someone can shed light on this, im having a little trouble understanding. If there is "NO FISHING FOR STEELHEAD" but the river is still open to fishing. Do i still need to have a steelhead conservation stamp to fish. Im well aware how this works in "our" region but im a little confused about region 5.

[Ambassador]

Yeah pretty sad about the Eulachon. She said the FN's would boil them up and make oil. The town must have been pretty rank for those days when the cook was on.

Congrats on shaking off the Skunk! I've been skunked my last 5 outings so I feel your pain. You are totally right about the rivers not being empty though. I should have mentioned that Nooklikonic Creek specifically was absolutely hypnotizing with all the salmon we saw. No place on Earth like Bella Coola. Have a great trip and if you are driving, don't forget to check your brakes before "The Hill"!

[Fish Assassin]

Oregon's oolichans made a big comeback this year. I remember my dad buying several pounds of oolichans when I was little and we had a feast. My mom and my siblings didn't like them. More for me and my dad !