Babine Steelhead Lodge

Fishing the mighty Babine River is a steelhead experience you will never forget. This is one of the greatest rivers on the face of the Earth, hands down. If you ask any hard-core steelheader to list the best rivers on the planet, the Babine will be at the top of the short list. The Babine represents the ultimate British Columbia steelheading experience, for some of the biggest, wildest steelhead that have ever swam upstream. And Babine Steelhead Lodge is the place to make it all happen!

These magnificent sea-going trout enter their natal Skeena drainage in late July, and move upstream into the clear headwaters of the Babine River by the end of August. Fresh fish continue to accumulate in the river right through the end of October and into November. The Babine produces some of the largest steelhead to enter the Skeena system and it is a river known for its truly monster specimens! Fly fishing for these wild, native steelhead can be fantastic from the 1st of September right through the end of the season.

Steelhead on the Babine average between 8 -16 lbs. Specimens up to and exceeding 20 lbs. are caught almost daily, at least weekly, by someone.

As with all steelhead angling, if you’re looking to catch obscene numbers of fish, this trip probably isn’t for you! Babine Steelhead Lodge clients generally average 1-3 hook ups per angler per day, but keep in mind this is not always the case! Anglers willing to fish hard, cover a lot of water, listen to their guides, and put in a long day, will have the best potential of landing a trophy.

This British Columbian jewel has been declared so rare and valuable by the Canadian Government that a special classified waters angling license is necessary for all anglers that fish the river. These strict regulations translate into a very limited amount of guided rod days available to lodges and outfitters on the Skeena and her tributaries, so if you are seriously considering a trip to the Babine, we recommend making your reservations as early as possible to avoid disappointment!

Headed out on your next adventure with us? The Fly ShopⓇ has you covered. As a thank you to our travel guests, enjoy 15% off all retail purchases for a year! — the perfect chance to gear up before your trip.

Whether it’s flies, leaders, apparel or a new rod and reel outfit, we’ve got everything you need to make your journey more comfortable, more successful, and more fun. (some exclusions apply)

Seasons

The main steelhead season on the Babine River starts in mid to late August and builds through October and the first part of November.

If skating a surface fly to raise a steelhead to a fly is your dream or favorite method of pursuing them, you'll want to reserve dates at the beginning of the season through the middle of September. The warmer waters keep the steelhead active and looking up! The dry line action can continue right through September into the first part of October. As it cools down, fish might still look up from time to time, but most of the work will be with sink tips in the back part of October.

Mid September through mid October is a very popular time because the river is generally loaded with fish and while the waters are cooling, the fish are still very active. From Mid October into November the waters definitely get cooler, as Autumn gives way to early winter conditions. The trees on the mountainsides are in beautiful coloration or may even get a dusting of snow. This is an exciting time to be there, the entire run is holding in front of you, and it is the time for truly big steelhead.

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Getting There

Travel from Vancouver (YVR) - Smithers (YYD) can be arranged via Canada Air, a United affiliate. Once you arrive catch a shuttle or taxi to your hotel in Smithers for the first night. You'll be met at the hotel the next morning by a Babine Steelhead Lodge Representative and transported back to the airport by van to catch the helicopter into camp. Helicopter departure will depend on weather clearance and safety.

At the end of the week, the helicopter will drop you off back in Smithers around midday, but it is impossible to know exactly when, as weather will dictate flight schedules. You may want to overnight in Smithers again that night and then schedule your departure from Smithers all the way home, for the early morning the next day with a departing flight to Vancouver, usually departing at 8:30 AM, arriving 9:30 AM (weather depending). You can arrange to depart the same evening you get back to Smithers on the helicopter, but you will likely just have to overnight in Vancouver anyway.

Lodging

Babine Steelhead Lodge is located about 15 kilometers below the weir at Babine lake, in the heart of the upper river.

The camp style lodge is rustic, but extremely comfortable. Accommodations at the camp are cabin-style, with 2 guests per cabin. Extremely comfortable with cozy beds & linens and in-room heaters keep the rooms as warm as needed. Each cabin has its own bathroom with a sink and toilet.

The lodge itself is very warm and inviting, sporting a comfortable array of fly-fishing décor, photos and river history. Guests can expect delicious hearty meals both in the lodge and on the river. More importantly however, the fishing is exceptional, and the boats and equipment are first-class.

Fishing

The Babine flows west from its headwaters below Babine Lake, and winds downstream for 60 miles (100km) where it enters the Skeena just upstream of the confluences of the Bulkley and the Kispiox. One major advantage of selecting the Babine as your destination of choice over other renowned steelhead fisheries (like the Bulkley, Sustut, Kispiox, Copper) is the amount of time the river takes to clear and drop after a big storm, which can be common in the fall in British Columbia. The upper Babine comes right out of the lake and will come back into shape in even the heaviest of rains. The Babine generally remains fishable in all but the worst of weather. It is also one of the fastest dropping and quickest clearing of all other rivers in the Skeena region, so anglers do not need to feel too threatened by the thought of traveling all this way and not being able to fish. The river can virtually be blown out one day and fishable the next.

Babine Steelhead Lodge guided trips are conducted with 18 foot jet boats to provide access to the very best runs, riffles, and tail outs the river has to offer. There are literally hundreds of runs on the Babine and with minimal pressure from the general public and other lodges, anglers enjoy a rare opportunity to fish untouched water every day of the week. With 9 rods in Camp per week, with 3 guides and boats, there will be 3 anglers per guide every day.

Reservations & Rates

The cost of the week-long (Friday-Friday) Babine Steelhead Lodge package is
• $8,779 per person + $200 donation to the Babine Conservation Fund

Give us a call to get exact pricing for the week(s) you are interested in - 800-669-3474

Inclusions:

Include in your Babine Steelhead Lodge package are: All accommodations and meals at lodge / Guided fishing / Round-trip transfers between Smithers and the lodge via helicopter / HST / Room tax / Wine and beer

Non-Inclusions:

Not included in your Babine Steelhead Lodge package are: Airfare to and from Smithers BC / Accommodations and meals in Smithers / Fishing licenses / Staff and guide gratuities / Spirits

Travel Insurance:

The Fly Shop® is not in the insurance business, but we recommend Travel Guard coverage as a service with a desire to see your best interests protected. It is impossible to know when an unfortunate situation (loss of luggage, fly rods, illness in the family, or an accident) may occur. However, such things can and do happen, and this insurance can provide a means of recourse against non-refundable financial losses.
• Travel Insurance Information

Seasons Details

Seasons

Getting There Details

Getting There

Lodging Details

Lodging

Angling Details

Fishing

Inclusions Details

Reservations & Rates

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