13) Keogh River (45 min walk from Iron Beach)

[John Pierce]

KEOGH RIVER

LOCATION: ~1 km East of Port Hardy Airport, spectacular.

DFO REGULATIONS - AREA 12-16
Different from Cluxuwe.
20210731 Website says
1) Daily Limit = 4 of all species, from fish and tidal, Position Limit = Double, 8 Salmon, Barbless.
2) Chinook = Daily 1, Min 62cm Max 80 cm, permanently record all retained catch on your Tidal Licence, catch must be transported with head on.
3) Chum = Min 30 cm
4) Coho = Min 30 cm, Hatchery daily limit 2, wild daily limit 1.
5) Pink = Min 30 cm
6) Sockeye = Not allowed to keep

ACCESS:
1) About 30 min drive from Cluxuwe Resort.
2) Park at Iron Beach just N of Port Hardy Airport: Turn left before Airport, drive to end of small dirt road where parking spots.
3) Walk or bicycle (tough) ~35min /~2km SE down treacherous trail (used to be maintained by West Coast Fly Fishers) beside thick bush (before beach) on left, fence on right next to airport's road. Very scenic. When get towards end of fence, cut down through tunnel to estuary.
4) Best to use good quality knapsack to carry: Flies and rod in tube, waders boots, dry cloths (as will get wet from sweating, or damp morning brush walking in (rain pants), water, snack, plastic bags for cloths and fish, sunglasses, fillet knife (filleted fish easier to take out than whole carcass, make sure leave tail on for warden identification, head not required.
5) Was small gas/grocery store few hundred yards down side road, but closed.

SAFETY
1) Rocks on far side of very very slippery.
2) Make noise as walk into river to scare bears away, bears tend to be on far side.
3) Carry bear banger pen and/or bear spray.
4) If cross to other side of river, watch tide to ensure can get back across.

FISHING:
1) Normally walk in at daybreak, so pre-pack night before.
3) History: First Nations employed stone dams to capture fish in a rock encased pool.
4) Popular Saltwater Flies: Weasel catches biggest in school.
5) Limited fishing spots, choose spot where tide come up or down to, rocks in several spots, are big bowling ball round. People have been known to return with bandages after slipping and shredded waders from the barnacles and rocks.

HISTORY:
20210802 GRR Member JohnP walks in down beach to see DaleS again trying K, and landed three Pinks, while being watched by one bear on other side. Dale says from all the years fished K, the maximum was 6 bears concurrently and 100 fish jumping in bay. John walks back down very over grown trail.
20210731 GRR Member DaleS does day trip starting early morning from Cluxewe carrying 30# gear. Trail beside fence overgrown, had to walk beach cobblestones, no bites, saw two salmon in river jump, saw no schools of salmon, no seals, but saw 5 bears, none fishing from rocks at river, all on beach.
202107-08 GRR Club scheduled Fishout at Cluxewe and Keogh.
20210119 Member DennisG gives talk on Best Practices Keogh River estuary salmon fishing,
2018 Member DaleS fishes lots.
20?? Member JimM favourite fishing spot, has many great memories.