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The flight between Vancouver and Bella Coola passes over peaks and
glaciers along the coastal range.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
Our first view of the
river from Danny Hodson's chopper.
Photograph by Mike Arlt
Our helicopter dropped us off at Eagle Hole on
the upper end of the fishable part of the Dean River.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
Mike and Dave scout the river toward sunset at
Eagle Hole.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
A big campfire helps
to keep the bears warm, but preferably out of camp. This is
Griz country. No bears in camp this trip.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
A
bald eagle over Eagle Hole. Wish I could have been a little
quicker with the camera.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
Dean River master fisherman Dave Inks from Montana gives Mike Arlt
some ideas about the best flies for the day.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
Dave's advice must have worked! Mike lands
this nice female. Three pictures and away she swims.
This is catch and release water only.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
A
view from the downstream end of Eagle Hole.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
A
little rain rolled in on day three and I decided to walk down to the
river from our camp to discover this sunset rainbow.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
Time to break camp at Eagle Hole. All that stuff once fit into
two large dry bags. Question is, how to make it fit again.
Mike Ink's hangover doesn't help any.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
This is our river transportation, Water Strider
one man
fishing rafts.
This is my boat to the right. I am carrying two video cameras,
two digital cameras, enough batteries for 10 hours of video and 800
photographs, plus enough food for two weeks, tent, sleeping bag,
clothes and fishing gear. These little rafts are serious
boats. My client, Dave Inks, invented the Water Strider.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
Dave, who has been on the Dean 22 years in a row, told us about this
old trappers cabin so we checked it out.
Photo by Mike Arlt
Western cedars grow large in this part of the world. That's
Ron holding up the tree.
Photo by Mike Arlt
Day
five and rain sets in for the rest of the trip. The river is
up 2 feet, murky, and the steelhead have quit biting.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
John Bates from Montana makes one of the rare catches the last part
of the trip.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
You
can see from this stream bank shot that the Dean is not a big river
but the steelhead are mighty.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
More fishing in the rain at Rabbit Hole.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
How
do you stay dry after five days of downpours in the wilderness?
We would appreciate an answer. We did fairly well, actually,
but we were prepared for rain. Each of us carried two tarps,
one for a ground cloth, another for the community shelter we have
created here.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
Rainy sunrise over Rabbit Hole.
Dave keeps looking for that magic fly but nothing is
working. We tried everything in the book. The fish aren't
biting.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
Nothing better than sitting around a smoky
campfire in the rain. Quite a few fish tales told here.
Dean River photographs by Ron Castle
A huge tree washed up
on the gravel bar at our take out point. We are waiting in the
rain for Danny's helicopter. The Dean is an amazing river.
It was worth the effort.
Photo by Mike Arlt
Want to see some Dean video? Check the
Online
Broadcasting
page. |
