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

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 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.
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.
Photo by Mike Arlt

Want to see some Dean video?  Check the Online Broadcasting page.