Steelheaders have been depicted as crazy so frequently and using so many different labels that, at this point, it’s become a bit of a trope. Still, most steelheaders are happy to accept the portrayal. After all, who doesn’t want to be known for having saintlike patience, dogged persistence, and an abundance of grit and mettle? But are steelheaders, in fact, nuts?
Simms’ new short film, Destination Skeena, offers a glimpse into steelhead fishing on British Columbia’s Skeena River, one of the most — if not the most — renowned and celebrated steelhead rivers on the planet. Anglers flock from all over the world to ply the Skeena’s waters.
The Skeena tumbles off the Spatsizi Plateau in northwest BC, flowing 350 miles through some of the most wild and beautiful country in North America before dumping into the Pacific Ocean. As Canada’s second largest undammed river and having never had a hatchery program on the river, the Skeena’s steelhead population is one of the purest strains found anywhere on the globe.
The film features on-the-river vignettes and interviews with Skeena steelheaders Eric Leininger, Eric Jackson, Adrienne Comeau, Brian Niska, and Mike Orlowski, attempting to distill for the viewers what drives their passion. The picture painted is one of harsh conditions, long days, long swings, and long waits in between connections with their quarry. It’s also one of a deep love not just for steelhead but for the snow-draped mountains and forests that drape the river near Terrace, BC.
Photo: Darcy Bacha.
Watching the film, you might find yourself wondering if the idea that steelheaders are crazy is a bit upside down. At a time when so much of the sport of fly fishing seems to be focused on relentless efforts to maximize quantity, might the anglers standing patiently in the river, taking the time to look up, savoring skunk days, and celebrating each and every fish that comes to hand be the ones with with their heads screwed on straight?
Destination Skeena, with approximately a 10 minute runtime, is produced by Simms Fishing and is the work of filmmakers Connor Winton, Esteban Timpany-Engasser, and Bud Cipoletti. It is available to view now for free on YouTube.
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