fishingfirstclass Archives - Page 10 of 13

We’re just nicely into our second trip of the season and are happy to report that everything is coming together quite well. Our staff are settling into their positions and really enjoying having guests around to look after. The Chef’s pantry is full and the wine list is looking good!

We are working hard to provide a quality QCL Experience during your stay at the Lodge. At the same time, we are trying our very best to ensure the health and safety of our guests and our staff. We want you to relax and enjoy all the wonderful things you come here for, but we ask that you remember, this is not 2019. This is different, and we need to do some things differently.

At the lodge we have adopted, by necessity, a number of measures that you will be very familiar with by now. Physical distancing, wearing face masks and using hand sanitizer frequently are all part of everyday life here; much like you experience at home. Everyone will appreciate that you continue to be vigilant in protecting yourself and others against this coronavirus. That said, we have created spaces for you to safely enjoy dining and partying and fishing and telling stories. We want you to have fun! But we need everybody to pull together and take care of one another.

Now let’s talk about fishing… with less boats on the water there are even more opportunities to find your own favourite spot! We’ve had a lot of southerly wind systems in the past week and it looks like that will continue for at least another week. Light to moderate winds swinging between southeast and southwest find us in sheltered water most of the time. As a result, we’re fishing the full grounds from Green Point all the way over to Cape Edenshaw. Chinook action inshore has been pretty steady with lots of feeder Springs in the mid-teens mixed with enough of those twenty-somethings to keep you holding out for something bigger. There are some Tyees in the mix as well; we released a couple of 40-pounders in training week and on opening weekend the biggest Chinook was a beautiful 39-pounder for Gary W. On Tuesday we saw a pair of 30-pounders come to the scale, one for Cecil D, celebrating his first ever Tyee, and one for Sean B. who’s enjoyed catching several big fish in recent years. Congratulations Guys!

We’re seeing Cohos (6-8 pounds) and Pinks in solid numbers, mostly offshore, over the Pinnacles in 150-200 feet of water. The halibut fishing is always reliable and several anglers have been rewarded with some very nice fish! Last week the bar was set pretty high when Dr. James C. ventured out with veteran QCL guide Derek “Demo” P. and promptly hauled up a giant that they taped out to 76 inches (235 pounds) before releasing it. Great work! What a way to kick off a fishing season! On the weekend Bob M was trolling for salmon inshore between Parker Pt and Cape Naden with guide Jordan F. – they brought a perfect 30-pound halibut to the boat – but that was after catching and releasing two much larger halibut that measured 96 and 104 pounds! You just never know what you’ll catch out there! Great work guys. The Tyee bell has rung for several other chunky halibut weighing between 30 and 50 pounds this week as well.

Wildlife has been abundant out there too. Besides the usual collection of feeding Humpback whales and giant black bears foraging on the beaches, we’ve had several transient Orca cruising inshore – maybe they’re hanging around because we’ve also seen a few more sea lions than normal so far this summer.

Stay tuned – right here – for more updates as the 2020 season rolls on!

It’s been a long time coming but we’re finally ready to open the door for the 2020 season! We’re so excited about the excellent crew that we’ve assembled this summer. Training week has been a breeze with so many talented and enthusiastic young people looking forward to welcoming our guests. Last night our culinary team presented a delicious and varied new menu for the dining room that we’re sure will have you asking for some recipes!

Waterside, the action has been hot and heavy on the fishing grounds with plenty of bright chrome Chinook and Coho salmon in all the usual places… and yes, the Tyee bell has been ringing! Continuing our fleet replenishment, we have five brand new boats this year including the first three 21-footers which, I gotta say, are really sweet units!

All of our transportation this summer will be via direct fights between Prince Rupert and Naden Harbour. We have taken this extreme measure to ensure the safety and security of all the citizens of Haida Gwaii. In compliance with provincial regulations we’ve implemented protocols throughout the property to ensure everyone’s health and safety this summer.

The weekend weather is for light to moderate winds swinging between SE and SW with typical island weather… “a mix of sun and cloud with 40 percent chance of showers. High 15.” No matter how much things change, some things never do!

With all the great things that make an adventure at QCL so memorable, we try hard to make the dining experience another highlight of your stay!

Like many of you, we at QCL have been closely monitoring the global health concerns related to COVID-19, and we appreciate this is a very dynamic situation. The management team at QCL has been and will continue to closely monitor the status of the outbreak and its potential to impact the QCL experience for our guests and staff alike.

The QCL team recognizes that challenges exist that are to the largest extent beyond our control. For those things that are within our control we are going to take our responsibility to be prepared as top priority.

Preparedness needs to be the byword from this point forward. Given that our opening day is May 29^th we are grateful that we have time to undertake steps necessary to ensure your safety. Even before you arrive you can be assured that we have screened all staff prior to heading up to the resort. Once there, and before opening day, we will prepare and deliver training of new standards of care in our handling of all aspects of service delivery. Enhanced food preparation procedures, staff cleanliness protocol, increased sanitizing stations and education will all be completed before the first guest arrives. We are working with our air carriers to make sure that they are an integral part of the team as they also add enhanced procedures and protocol.

Of utmost importance is the placement of trained emergency doctors on site every day of the season. They have their own clinic and equipment on site and are our best source of accurate up to date information. We’re grateful to have such an experienced team behind us. Now, more than ever, we are excited to be leading the industry with this type of service.

At Queen Charlotte Lodge we intend to operate “business as usual” for our 2020 season, adding the highest level of diligence to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests. We know we can’t control what may come in the next few months from a global point of view. However, we also know that we can provide the safest environment while you enjoy one of the most pristine, remote and simply amazing parts of the world. Thank you for choosing QCL as your remote 2020 fishing and adventure destination.

We will continue to keep you informed on this site as the summer approaches.

Our current e-newsletter is out this week with the latest updates on the goings on at QCL. With only 85 days to go before opening day (Wow!) everybody’s in high gear around here in preparation for our 30th season! If you don’t currently receive our e-news you can easily sign up from our website… there’s a little Newsletter form at the bottom of almost every page!

To read the current edition just click on this link: http://createsend.com/t/r-EB269230CB0F6A022540EF23F30FEDED

The QCL Kingfisher Derby has been annual tradition for many years. In fact, many of the participants have been fishing this derby for more than a decade! The Kingfisher is a Catch & Release salmon derby that happens in mid-June – so that means Chinook salmon. Fish guided or self-guided, weighted rods or downriggers; Go with what you know! All entered fish are measured, scored, revived and carefully released by derby marshals. Guides may not touch the rod. It’s 3 exciting days of intense fishing effort, right down to the wire on the last day. More than once the winner was netted in the final hours of the derby! To spice up the competition a bit, there is one prize for largest killed salmon; often a strategic decision! With an entry fee of $2000 per angler the top prize has ranged from $40K to over $60K.

This year’s event, our 18th Annual, is our biggest yet, with the richest prize pool ever! It’s a highlight of the summer with over $100,000 up for grabs for anglers pursuing the largest Catch & Release salmon. Top prize for the largest salmon released will be minimum $50,000 and there are prizes for runners up as well as daily catch. It’s a party all weekend with special treatment from the food & beverage department as well! Tons of fun! At this time there are still a few spaces left so if you enjoy a little competition in your fishin’ you should give us a call today!

Dress up your desktop with the QCL 2020 Calendar!
You’ll find them on our Flickr page https://www.flickr.com/…/qclshooter/albums/72157712565518442
You can download February right here. Share it with your friends!
#fishingfirstclass #fishQCL

This week members of our sales team are attending the annual Washington Sportsmen’s Show in Puyallup; look for Roger, Craig and Kevin at Booth #621. We’ll be at the Pacific Northwest show in Portland on February 5-9. At the same time we’ll be in Reno for the big Safari Club International show. Remaining spaces for the 2020 season are going even more quickly now with show season in full swing. If you haven’t reserved your dates for this year you’d best not delay any longer!

Happy 2020! While the lodge is buttoned up for a long winter’s nap, we’re busy with plans to make our 30th season the best one ever! As we look forward to an exciting year ahead, we’re most thankful for the great relationships we have with all members of what we call the QCL family. Sharing time and experiences together up at the Lodge is a privilege that we truly appreciate.

The 2019 season was a very good one at QCL with memorable fishing, wonderful guests, terrific staff and mostly favourable weather. We’re well into the serious preparation phase for the 2020 season and the excitement level around here is definitely ramping up. Judging by the fantastic return bookings and the volume of new guests already committed to visit us this season, we’re going to have a very busy summer!

Members of our sales team are currently attending the annual Safari Club Convention in Dallas; look for Roger, Craig and Kevin at Booth #962. We’ll be at the Washington Sportsmen’s Show in Puyallup later this month as well as the Portland show in February. At the same time we’ll be in Reno for the big Safari Club International show. Space for 2020 have sold notably faster than “normal” so if you haven’t reserved your dates for this year you’d best not delay any longer!