Freestone · Sand Gravel · British Columbia, CA

Morice River

Morice River venue image

The Morice is the clean, lake-headed top of the Bulkley system above Houston, and it earns its keep by staying in shape when rain-fed rivers don't.

Prime · Steelhead
Purple Spey · 12–16
Primelive now
About as good as it gets
River steady at a fishable height. On the feed top to bottom — start on the rises with a dry, drop a nymph if they stay down.
75% confidence
What moved it
  • Level1.00 mLast reading 4h ago
  • Water temp4.5°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
PS
Purple Spey12–16
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
1.00 m
Last reading 4h ago
Water temp4.5°C
ClarityClear
Weather-4°C
WindW 4 km/h
Pressure1021 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead3.0 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Steelhead
Ideal
5°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
Late September through October; valuable when the rest of the system is high.
Where
The Morice is the clean, lake-headed top of the Bulkley system above Houston, and it earns its keep by staying in shape when rain-fed rivers don't.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is working for you, but insect activity is the limiting factor today.
Likely species
Chironomids
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 2 active hatches hour by hour as a supporter.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2
Mahogany DunHatch
2
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Steelhead fly box
PS
Purple Spey
12–16 · Fly
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
MS
Marabou Spey
12–16 · Fly
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Classified Waters Licence in autumn; single barbless; no bait; wild C&R
  • Verify current BC regs.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 1
Bulkley River
45 km
82
Steelhead · Rainbow trout · Bull trout
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

The Morice is the clean, lake-headed top of the Bulkley system above Houston, and it earns its keep by staying in shape when rain-fed rivers don't. It holds the same big sea-run fish a little later in the year, fishing best from late September through October. Cold, clear and powerful, it's swung-fly water through and through.

Under the surface

The Morice is the upper Bulkley system above Houston, a clean, lake-headed freestone that runs clear and cold and holds the same big Skeena steelhead later in the season. Being lake-fed, it tends to clarity and stability where rain-fed rivers blow out, which makes it a valuable card to have when the system is high. Big country, big fish, classic swung-fly runs.

Wading: Cold water, strong current

  • Sand gravel
  • Partly confined
  • Pool riffle
  • Large river
Conservation note

Wild Skeena steelhead, catch-and-release. Bull trout (char) and chinook present, context only.

Why this score · for Steelhead
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time7513% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity3212% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 June → 31 March
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts