BC fishing lodge Archives - Page 4 of 18

Over the years we’ve welcomed many faces to QCL and while we are grateful for our returning guests, we are also grateful for those that are visiting for the first time. In honour of all of you, we’d like to reintroduce you to who we are and what magic lies behind the QCL Experience.

Tucked among the lush oasis of old growth forests and rich waters is a luxury fishing lodge – QCL, a private haven for our guests to escape and explore for more than 30 years. Welcoming guests since 1991, we have created a place where modern day adventurers can enjoy the northwest wilderness perfectly blended with the comforts of warm, attentive hospitality in understated luxury lodging.

After changing ownership 20+ years ago, QCL has grown with new standards of business operation that started the Lodge on our current path.

First and foremost, we are a fishing lodge that strives to provide our guests with the ultimate first class fishing experience. Designed to take full advantage of the unrivaled fishing opportunities available in Haida Gwaii, our fishing grounds offer vast populations of bait fish for productive fishing anytime throughout our season. Our fishing grounds are among the world’s premier fisheries for salmon and halibut, with other species available.

Our guests range from fishing novices to seasoned veterans, and we offer a full range of services to meet these needs. Our boat fleet is specifically designed for performance and safety, allowing our guests to choose to fish on their own, self-guided, or benefit from the assistance of a professional guide, guided. Our fishing program is designed to offer even more flexibility with variable start times for guests who are eager to hit the water at dawn, or for those who prefer a slower start to their day.

The QCL Experience does not end once our guests return to the dock – with an elevated standard of hospitality across property, our accommodations, dining services and amenities are among the cornerstones of QCL’s luxury.

Upon booking, guests have the choice of accommodation (based on availability); each room and/or venue offering something for everyone. For those looking for the finest in what QCL has to offer, our private houses are the perfect off the water experience, with a private hot tub, chef, and hostess the QCL experience is tailor-made for you. And for those looking for constant adventure, we have limited spots available on our MV Driftwood.

Guests immediately feel at home in the comforts of the stunning Main Lodge, made from lodgepole pine, as it is the centerpiece of QCL. Upon returning from the water, guests find their way to the Lodge to sip a craft cocktail by the crackling fire in the great stone hearth, take in the setting sun views from the hot tub or sauna, or share stories around the harbourside firepit.

Serving as the hub of our Food and Beverage programs, the Dining Room is located on the second floor of the Main Lodge. Guests looking for an espresso and fresh baked pastry, an afternoon bite or 3 course meal and extensive wine selection, this is where you’ll find it. Our menus emphasize the local seafood, nod to a classic steakhouse, and honour the flavours of the West Coast. Alongside the Dining Room, our guests often find themselves recharging in the Angler’s Club Lounge. Located on the first floor of the Main Lodge, this is home to our wine cellar, main bar, and pool table.

For those in search of a lively location to start or end the day, we have the Bell Ringer – a simple concept that is often imitated but never replicated. Located on the dock, this is the spot to grab a coffee before heading out on the water, and sharing stories of the days catch while you wait for it to get weighed.

Not to be confused with the MV Driftwood, our on the water dining experience for all guests. For those looking for break to their fishing day the DW offers a lively lunch location with tales of the morning and views of the rugged landscape.

Over the years, QCL has learned what best inspires the dining experiences that create irreplaceable memories and from this inspiration we have created two quintessential dining experiences – he Bell Ringer, and the Buoy dinner. Available for a fee, they create a semiprivate dining experience that cannot be rivaled in our remote wilderness.

We understand that the definition of adventure and luxury varies from person to person, and we strive to provide each of our guests with a personalized experience. You can anticipate this personalized experience from the moment you book your trip, to arriving at the lodge, whether they are on the water or in the dining room. Among other amenities such as our spa, fitness center, hot tubs and saunas – the staff is truly the hallmark of your trip. The QCL Crew is always present to ensure your visit to QCL is truly an unforgettable memory.

It is worth noting that while we do our best to share the QCL Experience with you here, there is nothing similar to the feeling you get from stepping off the helicopter after a scenic ride across Haida Gwaii.

Thank you for booking your first class fishing experience with us, we cannot wait to welcome you!

There is something special about bringing your fish home from your first class fishing trip, cooking it and sharing those memories while creating new ones. Though this is one of our favourite ways to hold onto a summer adventure, we also know that it can be easy to move through your delicious catch and for those moments where you’re in need of West Coast seafood there is our Taste of B-Sea program.

QCL has sourced the finest quality fish and shellfish available – all caught right here in British Columbia. These products are Ocean Wise and come from some of the most sustainable fisheries in the world using the most eco-friendly fishing methods. Perfect for hosting during the upcoming holiday season, or to tide you over until your next QCL visit!

All the favourites are on hand – Albacore Tuna loins, Lingcod and Halibut portions, Sablefish (smoked & regular) as well as Spot Prawns and Dungeness Crab. Pick a few, or try a sample pack!

Check out our ready to ship menu below, and place your order to keep your freezer stocked. To order, contact our team | 1-800-688-8959

Keep in mind for 2024 that products can be taken home direct from the airport,upon your return from the Lodge.

“And when we hear the call of the geese in the harbour, we know that it’s time to wrap it up for another season…” That time has come! We sent off our final group of guests yesterday, followed by a large portion of our crew. Wow! Is it ever a different place when they’re not here!

Our 33^rd season at QCL was pretty epic. We were able to welcome back quite a number of guests who’ve missed us over the past 4 years, as well as many newcomers who wanted to know what this place was all about. Our core group of QCL guests, whom we’re very fortunate to see almost every summer, were thrilled with many of the tweaks, both large and small, that we implemented this year.

Certainly, our new Coho Class of boats had to be a highlight for many, combining great functionality and performance with lots of comforts and convenience – for both guided and self-guided anglers. New menu features and hospitality treats balanced out the program when our guests returned to the lodge at the end of the day.

Conversations among the guide team this past week were consistently positive about the fishing. Huge volumes of feeding Chinook and Coho were present through the first half of the summer, and as the number of migratory salmon increased, the Tyee Bell was ringing more frequently every trip. In short, it was busy on the boats! Bottom fishing for halibut, lingcod and rockfish always balances out the fishing experience and provides a tasty variety of filets to enjoy at home.

But we have to say, at the end of every trip, and at the end of every season, what our guests always go out of their way to speak with us about, is essentially the QCL Experience. That’s the very special combination of this amazing place and what people are able to do here, fully enveloped in the enthusiasm of our wonderful staff and the hospitality that they provide. That’s what puts a smile on everyone’s face up here. We’re very thankful for the efforts of each of our team members and the continued support of our awesome guests.

We can’t wait to get back up here again next season and see you all again!

With the sun gleaming over Naden Harbour, guests and guides start the day keen on finding Chinook and Coho salmon. With these northwest winds, the fish and bait have been pushed into Cape Naden and the Mazarredo Islands – Where most of our fleet has been tacking hard on each tide putting guests into action. Guides have been running hearing and anchovy to entice the fish in to their gear.

Today for Boat 99, the sun was shining and though the wind had died down the swells were strong; forcing us to start our morning at the top of Cape Naden. with the flooding tide we had no issues running a cut plug on one side and a whole herring on the other, 23-39 ft on the rigger and 8 pulls on the back rod.

10 minutes into our first tack at Naden our deep rod goes off! My guest Tyson jumped up and ran to the rod not knowing what to expect! 25 minutes later we landed a beautiful Chinook salmon, tapped out to 42 pounds! Tyson made the decision to release this Tyee. Thanks for letting this big one go!

It was a team effort – From pulling gear to holding the net. Guests Lyndon and David, also onboard, played a large role in successfully getting this fish to the boat. This is how memories are made!

Tight lines and don’t forget to keep your tip up,

Guide, Karly Skakun

Ah yes… it’s August! Later starts, but still long days on the water; the warm summer weather has us in t-shirts as much as in fleece. Some morning fog is typical, adding lots of atmosphere, as boats quietly tack around the fishing points; the sounds of voices seem amplified when you can’t see the speaker. Commonly, a feeding Humpback will pop up in the middle of it all, blowing a breath that smells slightly fishy, yet strangely sweet. These are memories that stick with you.

These days we’re spending as much time offshore as we are in along the kelp beds. Large schools of migrating Coho salmon are gorging on needlefish as they move in from the open sea on their way to the rivers. We’re finding them just away from the shoreline in water depths of 120 to 250 feet and are catching them consistently from the surface down to 90-feet or more. Spoons and hoochies, trolled with the help of flashers, are extremely effective on these fish and anglers can put a few in the box in short order. The 5-6 pounders we were seeing inshore in June are now 8-12 pounds and growing every day. There’s lots of excitement in the boats while these Coho are around!

Larger Chinooks, on their way to a river somewhere, tend to move inshore to lurk among the kelp and rocks. It seems the early bird anglers enjoy the best success with these, working their favourite points and bays around Parker, Naden and Klashwun on the turn of the first tide. Cape Naden is an especially popular hangout, for both salmon and anglers, though for obviously different reasons. As the tide flows around this particular head of shoreline, the currents create conditions perfect for hungry salmon to get out and feed on the swirling schools of baitfish.

QCL guests are getting those perfect-sized Chinooks in the 16 to 26 pound class these days, finding them either inshore along the structure or offshore down deeper. Lots of Coho out there ensure anglers are never bored while searching for the fish they want! Fortunately, our halibut and lingcod fishery is very reliable so pulling up a couple of “white” fish is always part of the plan. We can retain the halibut possession limit in a single day now, so that makes it easy to get the job done on a single visit offshore.

With only a few weeks left in the summer season, we’re already seeing changes out there. Many of the seabirds are losing their breeding plumage and look different. The juvenile eagles are now joining their parents in the hunt for food which is pretty entertaining to watch! Northern resident Orcas are passing through regularly and many of the Humpbacks have come back in from offshore to top up on all the needlefish hatched out this summer. It’s certainly a time of plenty and we’re constantly amazed at how productive this very special place can be! You need to experience it at least once!

Fishmaster, Duane Foerter

While we are known for our access to some of the most sought-after salmon fishing grounds in the world, what QCL offers doesn’t stop there. Our fishing grounds are also home to rich bottom fish populations, offering our guests a multitude of fishing adventures all within one day.

In order to grasp the appeal to our bottom fishing grounds, you need to first know what makes bottom fishing “good”.

When targeting bottom fish – Halibut, Lingcod and Rockfish for example – anglers use topographical charts of the ocean floor to predict where fish are likely to live. These charts illustrate plateaus, troughs, and pinnacles (underwater mountains); which are what we refer to as structures. These structures are prime living locations for a variety of the bottom fish we target at QCL.

Our Fishing Grounds sit on the edge of an underwater shelf. At the edge of the shelf, depths drop rapidly from roughly 350ft to depths that plummet well below 700ft. This creates a concentration of bottom fish that venture onto the shelf for easier access to food sources and in turn, allow us the opportunity to fish these large numbers of fish. Additionally, this shelf allows for plentiful fishing without needing to travel extended distances or out into the open ocean; often the case when searching for good structure. Our grounds offer the ability to catch bottom fish from as close as the shoreline to a few miles offshore. Due to this, we often see Halibut and Lingcod being a bycatch when targeting salmon in shallow waters close to shore.

The structure of our fishing grounds also creates the unique ability to specifically target different bottom fish. For example, Lingcod are often found living amongst large rock formations and pinnacles, but Halibut are known to frequent large sand plateaus where they can easily camouflage themselves. Both locations offer ample opportunity to cross paths with both species but on our grounds, there are areas which support both types of bottom structure which results in precise targeting of each species.

An added benefit of our fishing grounds is that we have seen a steady increase in food sources such as herring and squid. They congregate around the underwater landmarks that Halibut, Lingcod and others are often found. Where there’s food, there’s always something around to eat it!

Behind each angler is a knowledge and passion for the sport they are partaking in, and we hope that with this knowledge your passion is ignited for your upcoming trip to QCL.

Every day fishing in Haida Gwaii is a totally new adventure!

We were off the dock at 7am. The wind was blowing from the northwest and the tide was ebbing. On the way out we encountered some 6-7′ waves but by the time we dropped in on the west bay of Bird Rock 1 all was good as we drifted with the waves.

Running a black gold inline flasher with a green hootchie on the port side… A green inline flasher with a spoon on the starboard… 3 Coho were in the boat by the time we drifted to the east bay of Cape Naden. As we rounded the the point, the port side the rod took a serious dip and the reel started to scream out line! 10 minutes later we had a beautiful 21lb Chinook salmon in the net! We rounded out the day with 3 more Coho and 1 more Chinook salmon. It was a fantastic day on the water.

Guide, Clint Lundie

This past week, the North shores of Graham Island have been blessed by weather typical of July. With light to moderate winds, and a mix of sun and rain, guests have experienced a true Haida Gwaii summer.

Salmon fishing has been consistent throughout the season, with plenty of Chinook and Coho keeping rods bouncing, and the bell rings most nights! We’ve been happy to celebrate alongside more guests choosing to release these 30+ pound fish, recognizing their beauty and that their importance extends far beyond their meat!

Anglers have been finding Chinook on both tides, with the ebb tide producing at Cape Naden, Bird Rock 2, and Klashwun Point, and the flood producing at Bird Rock 1, Parker Point, Yahtz Bay, and the top side. Coho have been picked off all along our inshore waters, no need to leave the Chinook grounds to find them this year! While Chinook limits have remained at 1 per day and 2 possession, anglers have found themselves with some extra time to put towards bottom fishing. Plenty of “turkey” size halibut, those in the 90-126cm mark, have been caught by those willing to thump the sand and weed through the chickens. And for those brave enough to work the tricky reef structure, some sizeable rockfish and lingcod have been caught on flat water days. With some small tides this week, and mostly light wind in the forecast, it should be a fun and productive!

Tight lines!

Lead Guide, Liam Longacre

“Fish on!”

A common phrase in the QCL anglers’ vocabulary, defining the past trip here at QCL.

It’s halfway through the season and we’re seeing consistent action on the water. There has been plenty of opportunity to land Chinook, the majority ranging in size from 9-16 pounds. Complementing the fishing, we’ve seen tons of wildlife on the grounds. Nothing beats watching a whale show in-between bites!

Recently, our days have started with a windy ride through Virago Sound and these higher winds pushed plenty of bait in! A familiar tack amongst the guides is to cruise our way up to Klashwun Point, and do the “Haida Drift”, working points down to the Mazerrado Islands.

Starting our day with a trip up to a favourite of mine, Parker Point, we were met by a few other boats aiming for a release worthy fish like us. We began on the top side of Parker, worked our way on the inside tack, in about 50 feet of water, with lines set to 27 & 37 ft. Immediately we received a hit on the anchovy. This seemed to be a multi species tool, landing plenty of Coho, Chinook and the odd Chum or Pink. We later set off from Parker to the shores of “B1”, where there was consistent action with Chinooks (10-15 pounds). Within a short 5 hours on the water, we found ourselves limited out for salmon, occasionally even trolling up the odd Halibut within Cape Naden. With large unpredictable tides, bottom fishing and finding bait can be difficult in the beginning but is manageable as you stick it out.

Just as quickly as the day started, the bite slowed signally the time to head back to the Bell Ringer to swap stories with a cocktail in hand. Another good day of fishing in the Gwaii, with plenty more to come.

Guide, Wyatt Fulthorpe

^{These past few days of fishing have been fantastic.}

^{With fish being caught at every point by both anglers, mammals, and birds alike. The waters, still calming down from the rough seas a week before, were rife with bait as the wind and currents pushed schools of herring, needlefish, and clouds of krill onto our grounds. In the distance tail slaps rang out as Humpbacks and Gray whales celebrated full bellies at the surface, and Eagles could be seen swooping down between boats saving daring Coho from anglers’ lines. Towards the end of day, on Sunday, a pod of Orcas was spotted moving into our grounds, off of the face of Bird 2, along with several Humpback whales that were bubble feeding; making it tough for all to leave the grounds despite the chop that was being whipped up by the strong gusts of winds, still swirling off the coast as a new pressure systems pushed its way in.}

^{Despite challenging waters, and large tides, giant sea creatures of all shapes and sizes were being pulled up from the depths, with several large Halibut releases being called out over the radio as well as more than a few large Lingcod brought to the dock. For those that stuck it out onshore, battling through the constant flood of coho, and smaller chinook, large chrome hogs could be found from 20-40 feet on the downrigger.}

^{Suffice to say that there were a few extra dents added to the bell hanging in the Bell Ringer this past trip.}

^{Towards the end of day Sunday, with multiple hook ups on every pass, one such hog named Walter would bless the end of my line, off of Cape Naden, as we tucked our bow behind the point, right in the strike zone. Peeling out line, he raced against the rushing flood, out towards Bird One, only to be expertly brought near the boat several times. Full of energy, this continued for nearly twenty minutes until the fish decided he had had enough of teasing us, poked its head up out of the water, looked us in the eye, and spat our hooks directly back into the boat as if to remind us why we call it fishing, and not catching. While the pain of losing such a fish is palpable, witnessing it’s beauty and knowing it is still swimming out there to be caught tomorrow has me counting down the minutes until I can get back off the dock tomorrow.}

^{Tight Lines!}

^{Guide, Jaxon Jones}

Newer Posts

Older Posts

Reintroducing the QCL Experience

Taste of B-Sea | Current Opportunities

Thank You for an Adventure-Filled 2023 Season!

We can’t wait to get back up here again next season and see you all again!

Kingfisher Report | August 26, 2023

10 minutes into our first tack at Naden our deep rod goes off! My guest Tyson jumped up and ran to the rod not knowing what to expect! 25 minutes later we landed a beautiful Chinook salmon, tapped out to 42 pounds! Tyson made the decision to release this Tyee. Thanks for letting this big one go!

Kingfisher Report | August 17, 2023

The Fishing Grounds | Bottom Fishing

In order to grasp the appeal to our bottom fishing grounds, you need to first know what makes bottom fishing “good”.

Kingfisher Report | July 27, 2023

Kingfisher Report | July 18, 2023

Kingfisher Report | July 14, 2023

“Fish on!”

Kingfisher Report | July 10, 2023

^{Suffice to say that there were a few extra dents added to the bell hanging in the Bell Ringer this past trip.}

QCL Signatures Series | Tom Yum Baked Lingcod

QCL Signatures Series | Seared Scallops with Romesco

Thank You | QCL Crew

A Wrap on 2024

Kingfisher Report | August 31, 2024