Closer to Juneau than Vancouver, Terrace lies in the far northern reaches of British Columbia, not far from Ketchikan, Alaska. The storied Skeena River, known for producing some of the most wild and most beautiful steelhead in the world, flows right through town, with more than 75 miles to go before it dumps into the Pacific Ocean after coursing through BC's old growth forests and coastal mountains. Also nearby is the Kitimat which, though less well known than the Skeena, boasts amazing runs of spring steelhead.
It is in on these waters of the Skeena and the Kitimat and that guide Darren Wright, who previously studied and trained to become a teacher, schools steelhead junkies and newcomers alike on the ins and outs of chasing Pacific steelhead. "If you fish hard all day and catch one fish, you're doing good. Catch any more? You're doing great," Wright explains. And if you can't live with that, "this sport's not for you," he adds.
![Terrace, British Columbia](https://www.hatchmag.com/sites/default/files/styles/preload/public/styles/extra-large/public/terracebc_0.jpg?itok=VyZ_3rrh)
Simms recently traveled to Terrace to ply its waters give the world a window into the world of Wright and "better half" Missy McDonald, who own and operate the Steelhead House in Terrace.
The resulting short film, Terrace Chrome is artfully filmed and features breathtaking shots of northern British Columbia and some of the most stunning chrome steelhead you've ever seen.
![Steelhead Fishing - Terrace, British Columbia - Skeena River](https://www.hatchmag.com/sites/default/files/styles/preload/public/styles/extra-large/public/SimmsBC-7993.jpg?itok=AeVPkQA2)
The waters surrounding Terrace feature not only runs of wild steelhead, but all five species of Pacific salmon. Kings (chinook salmon) upwards of 50 pounds are commonly found in the Skeena and salmon over 100 pounds have been taken from its waters. Wright describes his fishery as "unlike any other," nothing that you can find steelhead there 12 months of the year. Wright adds, "When you [...] hit these fish, it only takes one to see why they're so special."
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