[Chedster]

My wife and I are heading to Smithers next week for little road trip fun and fishing. This is my first time up there and i'm pretty excited to just go experience it. We will be taking our 9' pontoons to open up more water. I was planning on stopping by one of the local flyshops to get info or a map on launch points etc, but I wanted to check with some of you seasoned BC vets about shuttles and any other helpful information? My understanding is there isn't a dedicated shuttle service? I can hitchhike but that is never a sure thing.

 

[Jeremy Floyd]

Shuttling is considered unlicensed guiding in BC.

Probably best to not bring that up in a Flyshop.

 

[Chedster]

What's the reason for that? Cuts into guide's profit margins? Taxi sounds like the way to go.

 

[Jeremy Floyd]

I think the flyshops avoid it because it's not legal, and falls into a gray area.

 

[karnage]

What's the reason for that? Cuts into guide's profit margins? Taxi sounds like the way to go.

Well it is the rules and it is a different country .....

 

[Robert Engleheart]

My wife and I are heading to Smithers........I can hitchhike but that is never a sure thing.

I'd think carefully before leaving my wife alone near there
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_of_Tears_murders

 

[Shamoo]

E="Robert Engleheart, post: 1192942, member: 9456"]I'd think carefully before leaving my wife alone near there
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_of_Tears_murders[/QUOTE]
that is a crazy read!

 

[Ernie Adams]

I'd think carefully before leaving my wife alone near there
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_of_Tears_murders

I would not be all that worried unless my wife was native. The serial killer (s) in question abducted native women exclusively and I believe at least one was caught. When you go up, you see the signs on the road and it is truly awful. I sure hope that the killer is dead.

Go Sox,
cds

 

[Robert Engleheart]

Beg to disagree Charles; from Wiki:
"Thirteen of the nineteen victims were teenagers while ten out of the nineteen victims were women of aboriginal descent."
I wouldn't worry about it much but I certainly wouldn't leave her at a boat launch or other semi-remote location by herself.

 

[Ernie Adams]

Touche' Mr. Engleheart

The truly awful thing is that there are probably many more aboriginal women that are not listed. The convenience stores have these terribly heart breaking postings of missing natives, men and women alike.

In my time up there, I have never felt threatened at all. I am however, a large white man.

Go Sox,
cds

 

[Jeremy Floyd]

There's a monument in Quesnel for the ladies abducted on the highways. We walk by it on the walking trail all the time.

 

[Robert Engleheart]

Touche' Mr. Engleheart

The truly awful thing is that there are probably many more aboriginal women that are not listed. The convenience stores have these terribly heart breaking postings of missing natives, men and women alike.

In my time up there, I have never felt threatened at all. I am however, a large white man.

Go Sox,
cds

You are likely correct, I just passed through there with my Grandson and my daughter made me aware of the issues. What a travesty that such a nice area (and people) can be held hostage by scum like this. Sometimes I just feel ashamed to be male. When I lived in Alaska one always picked up hitchikers until two events happened:

1. An older guy picked someone up who beat him senseless with a wrench, threw him out in a snowbank and left him in 0 degree weather; he survived.
2. A guy picked up a couple, offered them jobs helping him build a house he was working on; they killed him and burned him, stole his car.

Last time there I can't recall seeing any.

 

[A.A.]

Are there safe stretches to float with 9' pontoons for someone who doesn't know the area? Just throwing that out there too. Maybe park and hike fishing would be safer for a first time. No floating unfamiliar waters. No shuttles or hitchhiking. I don't know the area, and haven't researched it, but this would be my approach if a guide wasn't available. Maybe I'm just not adventurous enough!

 

[Jeremy Floyd]

Several stretches. The fly shops can mark up your map for you in Smithers.

 

[Chedster]

Are there safe stretches to float with 9' pontoons for someone who doesn't know the area? Just throwing that out there too. Maybe park and hike fishing would be safer for a first time. No floating unfamiliar waters. No shuttles or hitchhiking. I don't know the area, and haven't researched it, but this would be my approach if a guide wasn't available. Maybe I'm just not adventurous enough!

Having never been there I agree but generally I hear the stretches above and at town are pretty tame. We ended up renting a car up there for a second vehicle to do the shuttle. We'll swing by the flyshop in town to get some flies and info. Should be a fun trip, fish or not