8/16/2006  ARRIVAL AT LODGE
        Spatsizi expediter Geri picked us up at 0815 at Riverside RV and took us to the Smithers Floatplane Base.  There is parking at the base to leave a vehicle if desired.  Could leave RV there, but no electrical.  About 1 ½  hour flight to Spatsizi via turbine Otter.  One hunter and two other Spatsizi guests on a/c.  Sunny and clear first 2/3 of flight, then broken overcast.

        On arrival at main lodge at Laslui Lake aircraft was met by entire staff.  Took our gear to cabin and then had lunch at lodge.  Had Rainbow cabin.  Rainbow has shower/toilet attached, although go out on deck to enter.  Others have shower but go outside to central toilet facility.  All immaculately clean, etc. 

Boarded Tim's 4 place floatplane at 1330 to fly out for first fishing.

8/16/2006  HOTTESKWA LAKE
1130 Departed in Tim's floatplane with Torrey.         About 15 minute flight to lake just above Laslui Lake.
 1) I fished for a few minutes along shore where we landed.  Got a couple of 12" RB on Royal Wulff #10 Dry.
2) Went to outlet stream but no action there.
3) Torrey took us to a submerged island.  I got out and waded around edge of island while Susan stayed in boat.  Got several nice RB to 20" on black Wooly Bugger #8.  Susan also caught one and lost a couple.
Enroute in boat up lake saw 4 caribou on shore.
4) Went to mouth of inled stream and got 14-15" Rainbows.  Lost one larger fish.  Black Wooly Bugger again.
Torrey very helpful.  Pulled boat while wading with Susan in boat fishing.
Fished til 1800.  Then returned to lodge for dinner.

8/17/2006  ROGNASS CREEK (OUTLET OF KITCHNER LAKE)
Tim & Torrey.  Susan and I with Tim and Torrey in Tim's floatplane..  saw eagle catch large rainbow while taxiing for takeoff.   30-40 Minute flight.  Some light wind turbulence over mountains on return.  Landed on large lake, parked aircraft at end near outlet - Rognass Creek.  Large creek or small river size.  Very easy wading knee to hip deep, small gravel bottom..  Fished dry flies, even very large Bubba Wallace all white dry. 
Tim stayed with Susan and helped her wade.  Both of us caught lots of 15-20" RB.  Fish very fat and healthy, jump 3-4' many times.
Susan stayed near begin of stream and caught many fish.  I worked downstream.  Got quite a few at a spot where there were several large rocks along the shore.  Fish were right among the rocks.  Another farther down where I stood on rocks above the river and could watch large RB rising to the fly - Very Dramatic.  Torrey got some good shots of jumping fish.
Torrey and Tim had "trout cook-off for lunch".  Time made very small fire, Torrey used alchohol burner. 
Nice warm day, about 60°+.

8/18/2006 TUATON LAKE (UPPER & LOWER)
Susan and I flew in with Tim so Billy could carry lunch and gear, then Tim left.  Billy's plane is only 2 place.  Flew to Upper Tuaton for morning fishing.
Boated to upper end of lake.  Fished hole at end of inlet at upper end of lake.  Susan got several RB on Purple Wooly bugger.  One Large Bull Trout took hold of one of her 12" RB and tried to take it away - held on for quite a long time.  About noon there were two Bull Trout cruising just off the drop off where we were standing to fish.  I used large sculpin (about 6"+ long), slapped in onto the water in front of them.  Both followed it a few times until I kept jerking it just ahead of one til he took it.  Landed about an 8#, 28" Bull Trout.   Also got several RB from the hole on Purple or Black Wooly Buggers.
Billy cooked nice trout for lunch.  Visited etc for about an hour over lunch.
After lunch took boat back to lower end of lake.  Then Billy flew Susan down to Lower Tuaton while I waded the short steam connecting the two lakes.  Stream about ¾ mile long.  Beautiful.  Small rain shower a couple of times during day and while wading stream.  I just sat on the shore awhile to look around at mountains, etc.  Did not catch a fish in stream.
At end of stream where it enters Lower Tuaton fished from a small island with plane parked.  Watched a caribou come down stream toward us, then cross to far side and feed quite awhile in brushy area.
Numerous Bull Trout and RB in small deep hole where stream enters lake.  Susan got quite a few RB on Wooly Bugger and I got several Bull Trout on large white streamer as well as more RB on Wooly Bugger.  Max fun watching Bull Trout follow and take large streamers, and watching Bull Trout chasing hooked RB til landed. 
About 1700 Billy flew Susan back to lodge while I fished for another 45 minutes til he returned for me. 
Cool but comfortable day.  Wore long sleeve shirt, fleece vest, Barry Sehlin jacket, and rain jacket all day.  Comfortable.

8/19/2006 KITCHNER LAKE (STALK CREEK / SHEEP CREEK)
Billy flew me, Ray flew Susan to lake.  Another beautiful morning.  Lake glassy smooth for take-off at about 0930. 
Morning fished out let of stalk Creek.  Nice small creek mouth.  Fish in current beyond drop-off.  Both got several nice RB on Gold Stone Numph #10. 
Billy cooked nice trout for lunch.
After lunch Billy flew me to mouth of Sheep Creek, then returned for Susan.  Another nice small creek with "double mouth" - small island in mouth.  Susan got several RB on Purple Wooly Bugger #8.  I go nothing.  Great photo of Susan catching fish with plane in background..
1600 Billy flew me down to outlet of lake (Roganss Creek) and then picked up Susan and returned her to lodge.  I fished the same areas as on 8/17 for another couple of hours.  Got quite a few more nice fish (hooked more than I landed) on #10 Parachute Stone Dry Fly.  Got one largest so far from first stripping guide to first snake on GLoomis #4 rod.  Holding fish upside down my fingers would reach just over half way up body side. - Wow!  All fish on #4 rod w/ small Bill Ballan reel.  Large one was a real battle to control.  Lots of jumping 3 to 4' out of water many times.
Big fish came up under Parachute Stone Rubber Legs Fly slowly, waited there while I thought he had changed his mind, then took it.  Awesome!

8/20 & 21/2006  FIRESTEEL RIVER
Fog in morning til 0830.  Ice on A/C wings yesterday & today.  Fairly heavy this morning.  Ray's not melted til 0845.  very calm  again, glassy lake.  Takeoff about 0920, land 0955.  Billy took me first, then returned to bring Susan to Firesteel camp.  Torrey was already there with Harold and Kari who were there last 2 nights.  Torrey guide today.  While fishing upstream from lodge before Susan got back my Bill Ballan reel failed - the post holding the click pawl pulled out.  After Billy returned with Susan he took his plane and went back to the main lodge.  No aircraft remained at Firesteel today.
Boated to and fished 2 areas from 1100 til 1600.  1 upstream from lodge and 1 downstream.  Both Susan and I got MANY RB.  Most 12-13", some 14-16".  Hundreds visible in clear water.  Often see 12-15 at one time from boat.  At second area Susan fished from boat while Torrey  waded at side.
Large Elk Hair Caddis good everywhere, #8 or even #6.  Also parachute Skwala Stones from Red's on Yakima also very good, same for Royal Wulff #10.  Chronimid nymphs also worked well for a change, but we stayed with drys 90% of the day.
Ray and Billy returned with two aircraft about 1600.  Billy took Torrey back to the main lodge about 1700.  Ray stayed with us overnight and grilled moose steaks for dinner - excellent.
After dinner Ray built a fire outside, very pleasant evening.  Watched fish rising everywhere on the river - Susan said it looked like raindrops on the water.

8/21 Ray prepared hot cakes and bacon for breakfast.  Visited til after 1000.  In boat about 1015.   Fished several spots downstream with me wading and Susan in boat, Ray alongside or with her in boat.  1330 time for lunch - took many more attempts to catch bigger fish, finally left Susan on shore and Ray and I went to "special" spot.  We both fished for another half hour catching two 15" RB at same time - mine on a Skwala Stone Dry.
1500 Ray cooked fish for lunch.  A large rainstorm passed beyond hills either side of us.  When we got back to main lodge we learned lightning had stuck the base camp radio antenna- no damage.
After lunch we returned to the river and I got out and fished while Ray took Susan upstream a bit and across the the other side.  Both of us got more nice RB.  How manyu fish today?  Who knows.  Best guess 70-80 each day here.  Could easily catch over 100 if really concentrated on fishing.  We fished a lot, but also enjoyed visiting over breakfast, lunch, etc.  Elk Hair Caddis, Royal Wulff, and Skwala Stone Parachute all good, #8 or #10.
Returned to camp about 1715.   Billy landed about 1730 for return to main lodge.  Susan flew with Ray, I went with Billy.  Took off about 1810.

8/22/2006  TATLATUI LAKE OUTLET (FIRESTEEL RIVER HEAD)
1015 Susan fly out with Ray, me with Billy.  Ray left this morning to stay at Firesteel Camp to prepare it for winter.  Landed at Bob's fishing camp - Tatlatui Lake is in wilderness area next to Spatsizi.  Took boat to head of Firesteel River.  Fished head of Firesteel River.  Plenty of small fish, got 2 very nice RB about noon.  After coffee moved down river about ½ mile. 
Slow fishing in afternoon.  Caught a few nice fish below small falls.  About 1700 Billy took us back up to head of river, left me there and took the boat with Susan back to Bob's and flew Susan home.  Big fish started hitting Sofa Pillow dry flies at chute where water flowing out of lake entered large riffle area.  Got 9 15-18" RB within 45 min, and some smaller ones, then they stopped.  Bob showed up in his boat and took me back to his place.  I had coffee with Bob for 15 minutes or so til Billy came back for me.

8/23/2006 Departed for Smithers at 1100.  Landed 1220.  Dehavilland Otter Turbo Prop

SPATSIZI GENERAL INFO

Main lodge on Laslui Lake, Remote at Firesteel River.

Spatsizi Staff:
Ray Collingwood - owner
Carrie Collingwood (Labonte) - Ray's daughter, manager, guide
Billy Labonte - pilot and guide.  Does some woodworking, sent him fly box dimensions.
        cariboucreek@mac.com mailto:cariboucreek@mac.com
        P.O. Box 4405
        Smithers, BC  V0J2N0
Torrey - guide, Billy's cousin.  Photographer.
Tim - contract pilot with own plane, farmer near Prince George
Kim - chef
Angela (Angie) - Kim's helper
Marc & Clint - Ray's nephews, about 12
Cal - horse wrangler
Geri - expediter in Smithers

Request Rainbow cabin.

Harald and Kari Tybring-Gjedde
THS. HEFTYES GT.28
N-0264  OSLO, NORWAY
tybr@online.no
Norwegian paper merchant.  Father started company in 1918, Harald ran it until went public in 1989.  Now on board but mostly retired.  Honorary Consul General of Finland in Oslo.

Spatsizi Wilderness Prov Park 3,600 square miles.  Ray Collingwood only license lodge/outfitter.  Three parks total about 6,000 square miles.

Long sleeve shirt, fleece vest, medium lined jacket (Barry Sehlin campaign jacket), and Gortex rain jacket plenty warm on coldest day.

Lodge owns two 1946 Piper Cub aircraft.

Clothes:  Wore same jeans and button-up long sleeve shirt for breakfast and dinner all week. 
Wore waders w/sweats and long sleeve Carhart heavy t-shirt with black micro fleece undershirt all day for fishing.  Add fleece vest, medium lined jacket, and rain jacket as needed.  Carhart t-shirt w/button collar was ideal, comfortable, dries quick.
Camp shoes for breakfast and dinner.  Slippers nice to have suiting up and going out to restroom, etc.
Bring:
2 pair jeans
1 nicer button up shirt for dinners
1 or 2 sweat pants/fleece long johns.  Sweat pants or fleece under waders was plenty.              Water temp measured only once 53° so easy to stay comfortable.
3 cotton shirts for fishing - Carhart cotton t-shirts good, find with collar better.
1 fleece vest
1 medium lined jacket (Barry Sehlin green campaign jacket)
1 Gortex rain jacket - not insulated, with hood
1 or 2 micro fleece undershirt
wide brim hat nice for sun and rain showers.
Some days were plenty warm with just long sleeve t-shirt


All cabins have shower.  Rainbow has shower and toilet attached, go onto covered porch and back in.  Others have shower in cabin, but go out to central toilet facility w/2 toilet rooms.  All very clean.

Brown slug bag good size for daily gear - rain jackets, jackets, etc.  Jansport day pack was good for toilet articles for overnight to Firesteel.  Slightly larger for each would be nice, but not much and still go in aircraft easily.

Parachute.Skwala Stones from Red's Fly shop were good.  Bring some.

Flies that worked everywhere:
Royal Wulff #8 and #10
Elk Hair Caddis #6, #8, #10
Stimulator #8, #10
Parachute Skwala Stone #8, #10
Most large drys would be good.  Red as Royal Wulff good.  No need for anything smaller than #10.
Purple or Black Wooley Bugger #6, #8.  Some tied full, some thinner good occasionally when drys fail - not very often. 
BIG sculpin or other large minnow/small trout imitation for Bull Trout.

Used 5X leader all week for all fishing. 
Before leaving I asked Carrie about tipping.  She advised $350 - $400 per person.  She suggested leaving money with her to distribute to staff.  I spoke with Harald and we agreed to leave $700 US with Carrie for each couple.  I also gave Ray, Billy, Torrey, Tim, and Carrie (the guides) each a fly box.