BC West - Gear List

If you’re headed to BC West and the Dean River this summer, we’ve compiled a list of gear you should have with you on the trip.  Outside of our own experience fishing the Dean, we’ve worked closely with the folks at BC West to ensure you’ll have the right gear for your trip.

Spey Rods

If you’re fishing the Dean in mid-June to early July, you should be swingng a 13’ to 15’ for a #9 or #10 weight Spey rod.  For Dean River Kings and early steelhead, our favorite rods are the Sage Z-Axis 9143-4, the Winston BIIx 10150-4, and the Echo DH 9136-4.  Even if you are targeting steelhead in this time frame, it’s not uncommon to hook a monster king.  As the season transitions to mostly steelhead in mid-July, you can downgrade to a 13’ to 13’6 for a #7 weight two-hander.  That being said, most folks will still feel more comfortable with an #8 weight.  A few favorites include the Sage Z-Axis 8134-4, the Winston BIIx 8130-4, and the Burkheimer 8139-3.  We recommend taking a minimum of two rods with you.





 
Spey Lines

For sink-tip work on the Dean, you can’t beat Skagit style shooting heads like Airflo’s Skagit Compact.  We recommend taking a back-up Skagit head for each rod you plan on fishing...  Continue Reading