Once the most famous steelhead river on earth — the Thompson's big interior fish rising to a skated dry in the cold November canyon defined a whole school of fly fishing. That history is now history: Interior Fraser steelhead have crashed to a remnant population, they're assessed Endangered, and the recreational fishery has been closed. This is a river to honour, not one to plan a trip to. It stands here as a record of what the Thompson was and what it may yet become — should the run recover and the fishery reopen.
The Thompson was, for a generation, the most revered steelhead river in the world — huge interior fish that ate a skated dry in November in a desert canyon. It is included here as a place to honour and, for now, to leave alone: Interior Fraser steelhead (Thompson and Chilcotin) have collapsed to a few hundred fish, are assessed Endangered, and the recreational steelhead fishery has been closed. We carry it as a conservation record, not a fishing recommendation.
Wading: Huge powerful river, dangerous wading
- Basalt
- Confined
- Large river
- Canyon