Kingfisher Archives - Queen Charlotte Lodge

The doors close and a loud roar comes from the engine. The rotor above starts to spin. This is it, just a 10-minute ride and I am finally there. As we take off, the excitement starts to build. I had never been in a helicopter before now.

Ripping through the sky over an untouched part of the earth, and suddenly a large red roof is visible in the distance. With a friendly wave from all the staff and a firm handshake from the owners upon landing, I made it to QCL.

Down at the Dock, I was introduced to my guide and after a quick brunch, we were off. Just a short ride to the fishing grounds, our lines were in the water. We were sitting there chatting when, out of the corner of my eye, a rod starts to move. I jumped up and pulled the rod out of the holder.

The world around me seemed to fade away as if myself and the salmon were the only ones around for miles. It runs, then I reel. It comes close to the boat, then runs again. Playing my first Chinook was a thrill and just like the fish on my line, I was hooked.

In between bites, you really start to notice the beauty of Haida Gwaii and all the wildlife that lives here. What sounded like a tire deflating really fast, came from behind us. A pod of Humpbacks had come to say hello.

Back at the Lodge, the attention to detail is very apparent. After a long day of working hard on the water, we were greeted with a smile and a hot towel. And at the Bell Ringer, where the Dock turns into a lively bar, weighed our catch while snacking on Apres Peche and cocktail.

DING! DING! DING! The bell began to ring. Someone caught a Tyee! Celebration erupted and the atmosphere couldn’t get any better.

Dinner was truly a fine dining experience. The food, the service, the ambiance was above and beyond. When at QCL, you can rest assured, you will not go hungry.

To say the Lodge exceeded expectations would be an understatement. For such a large operation it still is and feels like a family-run business. All staff worked together to give us the best trip possible. And let’s not forget all the fish coming home to share with friends and family.

The rotor is spinning again. 4 days just flew by and I can’t wait to come back. They say the QCL Experience is like nothing else, and I can attest to that after only my first visit.

Becoming a fishing guide isn’t just a career choice; it’s a testament to one’s patience, passion, and love for the sport.

Many people often ask me, “Why do you want to be a fishing guide?” and for me, the answer is simple. It’s the thrill of the fight and the mystery of not knowing what’s at the end of your line.

The Thrill of the Fight

There’s an indescribable excitement that comes with fishing. Every tack holds the promise of a new adventure. The moment you feel that tug on the line, your heart starts racing. Is it a giant salmon or a feisty halibut? The anticipation and the battle that ensues is what makes fishing so exhilarating. It’s a dance between you and nature, a test of skill, patience, and perseverance.

For me, becoming a saltwater fishing guide is more than just pursuing a passion—it’s about loving your job. I come from a long history of fishing guides and growing up, my family spent countless hours on the water, sharing stories, teaching techniques, and instilling in me a deep respect for the ocean and its inhabitants.

Learning from the Best

I’ve had the privilege of learning from the best—my family, co workers and even guests. They’ve taught me everything I know about fishing, from tying knots and reading the water, to understanding fish behavior and mastering the art of patience. These skills, passed down through generations, have shaped me into the angler I am today.

Inspiring Stories

One of my most cherished memories is of my grandfather, a seasoned fishing guide, recounting the tale of the “one that got away.” His eyes would light up with excitement as he described the massive fish that put up an epic fight before finally breaking free. These stories, are told by so many, filled with passion and adventure, ignited my desire to create my own.

The Journey Ahead

As we all embark on this journey to become a saltwater fishing guide, I know I get to carry with me the wisdom and experiences of my family. I’m excited to share my love for fishing with so many guests, to teach them the skills I’ve learned, and to create unforgettable memories on the water.

Becoming a fishing guide is not just about the thrill of the catch; it’s about the journey, the stories, and the memories of others that lives on through each and every fish. For me, it’s about following in my family’s footsteps and continuing the tradition of sharing the joy of fishing with others.

Tight lines,

QCL Guide, Karly Barker

As Hogust looks on the horizon, we find the frequency of Chinook salmon on the slow side, though over the last few days, several of the biggest fish this year, the biggest fish in the last four years have been caught.

The tides are beginning to return to normal after a recent full moon. This has allowed anglers to target bottom fish much easier as it’s best with lower tides

Coho are quick and easy to find offshore over the pinnacles, along with Pink salmon, the occasional Chum salmon, and some elusive Sockeye salmon. Interestingly, several large Halibut have been caught recently in Hannah Bay and around Cape Naden. Additionally, several boats have had the thrill of fighting an unusually high density of salmon sharks on the grounds as even they are striking herring and fighting fishermen for as long as 2.5 hours! The coming forecast is predicting some softer winds coming from all different directions with the calmest days being Monday and Thursday.

Good luck to all incoming guests. Choose your spot and throw a couple of herring or anchovies down at your favorite point and pick up some extra-large Chinook salmon!

QCL Guide, Eric Roundhill

The northwest winds are finally here!

After a long couple of trips filled with southeasts, salmon fishing is slowly but surely starting to improve. We have been seeing Chinooks from offshore pinnacles, down deep, anywhere from 120ft to 150ft on the downrigger. Pink and Coho are seen more shallow using spoons, hoochies and plugs. Of course, the boats that are fishing inshore have seen some success, though not as action packed as the offshore troll but as the NW winds continue for the next few days that should shift.

Bottom fishing has been steady, with many nice Halibut and other bottom dwellers in the mix. Proof that if you work hard and jig hard, you’ll be rewarded!

Wildlife has been plentiful – Humpbacks, orcas and of course those pesky sealions. Black bears have been seen roaming the beaches regularly, so guests have been keeping their eyes peeled between bites!

Good luck to those coming these next few trips, let’s all do a fish dance!

QCL Guide, Max Hadrich

Like most, we often find ourselves spending the final few weeks of December reflecting on the previous year. As we shift towards the New Year and upcoming season, we want to take a moment to thank you.

Thank you for choosing QCL, thank you for enjoying all the little moments that define us, thank you for allowing us to help create memories that will never be forgotten.

Whether it was your first visit to the Lodge, or your thirtieth, we experienced new adventures alongside you. We saw your first-ever catch. We saw your fish-of-a-lifetime. We watched your breath taken away by the Orcas, Humpbacks, and stunning scenery. We watched as you drank a Fishmaster Caesar, and we cheered with you as you rang the bell. And, we smiled as you enjoyed the meals our chef’s created. The 2023 season was a culmination of all your dedication to adventure, your enthusiasm, your laughter, and quality time. And now, with you, we are counting down the days until the 2024 season!

On behalf of the entire QCL family, we wish you the happiest holidays! You make it possible for us to share our passion with you and we appreciate your support. Here’s to 2024 being better and more adventurous than ever before.

My best luck so far, these past couple of trips, has been at Cape Naden fishing quite shallow. My most consistent action with Chinook salmon has come from running a cut-plug herring at 19 feet, tight in the pocket, during and soon after high tide. Otherwise, fishing deep offshore near the Little Peanut and the Pinnacles at about 150 feet on the downrigger, with KingKandys and whole herring, has been producing. Coho are in similar areas, to that of where Chinooks are being caught, just up a little higher.

Over the last few days the offshore program has seen an increase in productivity, with many boats heading that way!

We have some wind in the forecast this trip, so dress for the weather and bring extra layers to keep on hand. Additionally, we will be experiencing some strong tides so keep your eyes out for debris in the water!

Guide, Eric Roundhill

Waking up to the vibrant sunrise in Naden Harbour always ensures the day starts out just right. As you pass through the Narrows, on your way to the fishing grounds, you might see a Humpback feeding or playing in the nearby shallows. An assortment of sea birds fly past the boat as you run towards your desired destination to begin your fishing adventure.

Over the past few days, we’ve seen a northwest wind causing a slight delay in travel time. While your day takes a bit longer to start, we haven’t seen any guests deterred because the fish are here! There has been bait pushed inshore from the sustained wind and the fish have followed suit. Getting your second rod into the water can be difficult before the first rod gets a fish on – A great problem to have! We are seeing a lot of fish in the 10-12 pound range, but don’t let them fool you, they will take you for a ride as smaller fish are fresh and fight much harder than you might expect.

Spend time playing and you’re very likely to get into a larger chinook. In the span of 90 minutes today there were 7 Chinook over 25 pounds caught between Yatze Bay and Parker Point, including a minimum of four Tyees.

Despite having two pods of Orcas joining in on the feeding frenzy, the fishing was incredible. If Coho is your focus, head out slightly offshore and drift east, you should find them midway through the water column. The halibut grounds were choppy, but if you stick it out through the run out there and drop some lines to bounce the bottom, they are more than willing to take your herring, after which you’ve got the task of hauling up a piece of plywood off of the bottom of the ocean!

After a full day out on the water, exhausted from fighting fish all day, relax, and enjoy the ride back to the lodge, waving at the other anglers as you pass them by, toss a wave at the whale near the narrows too as Timmy the humpback is often there. Pull up to the dock and look forward to a mean Margarita in the Bellringer as you wait to weigh your catch of the day!

Another trip of great fishing is in the books!

Guide, Tommy G

So far there are few surprises with our early season fishing. As you would expect this time of year, the fishing grounds are flush with large numbers of aggressive feeder Springs. These are not the migratory spawners that we see through much of the summer but young fish in their ocean phase, bulking up on the incredible shoals of needlefish and herring in these northern waters. There certainly is a lot of bait around, evidenced by multiple Humpbacks feeding in the area. There’s lots of amazing eagle action; we’re sometimes seeing dozens of eagles circling over boiling bait balls, swooping down in turn to grab fistfuls of wriggling needlefish and eating them in mid-air. It’s really quite a spectacle. The shallow basin that is Virago Sound is especially productive for needlefish or Pacific Sand Lance. This year they seem to be especially abundant and all of their predators know it!

Salmon action in the past week has been consistent throughout the fishing grounds. Anglers are finding no shortage of feisty, teen-sized Chinook salmon and occasionally they get a surprise when a 20-plus pounder goes screaming off the rigger. It’s great to find relatively steady salmon action with a good shot at a bigger fish at any time. Plus, we’re already seeing several Coho, Chum and Pink salmon in the catch log every day.

QCL anglers are still encountering halibut while trolling inshore, sometimes huge ones! Over the weekend there were several flatties boated around Capes Naden and Edenshaw. Long time QCL guest FJ certainly got more than he bargained for while trolling an anchovy along the shoreline from Eagle Rock to Green Point with his guide Jon Landry. What certainly felt, initially, like a big strong salmon went screaming down the shoreline in 75 feet of water. By the time FJ and Jon were able to get the boat over it they sure knew why this fish could pretty much do what it wanted! A massive halibut lie alongside the Grady and they called the Fishmaster for assistance. Using a salmon rod as a yardstick, they concluded FJ’s catch was a 78-inch halibut! That works out to about 254 pounds – caught on a salmon rod with and anchovy! So we continue to be in awe of the wonders of these amazing waters – You just never know what could happen next!

We’re experiencing some classic northwesterly conditions this week with our anglers fishing the west side below Klashwun Point. Last week’s big tides are easing and after today we’ll enjoy light to moderate west to southwest conditions, providing easy access to the full fishing grounds. Look for more news from the offshore fishery in the next report!

Fishmaster

We’re almost a full week into the new season and things are ticking right along. Our crew has settled in and the 2023 summer is off to a perfect start.

Typical island weather has provided the full range of conditions, often all in one day! Beautiful sunshine, grey and wet, dramatic and flat… we’ve seen it all, but have had no big winds and very comfortable seas. The whole of the fishing grounds has been open and we’ve been exploring most of it!

Early season fishing has really been very good. While our guests and guides all have their favourite spots, this week we’ve focused a lot on Cape Edenshaw, Cape Naden and Bird Rock 2. There’s been a ton of bait around since mid-May with so many whales, eagles and seabirds gorging themselves continuously. It’s mostly needlefish and we’re finding plenty of feeder Chinook pushing that bait around and stirring things up. The tides have been moderate with only 5 to 9 foot swings so the bite tends to last longer when everything sets up.

Chinook salmon ranging from 12-18 pounds are most plentiful, though we’re seeing fish over 20 pounds every day and we’ve had the Tyee bell ringing a few times this week. Last weekend, Driftwood guest Todd M was fishing solo off Cape Naden and boated a beautiful 37-pounder. Sam and Alana G are fishing with QCL guide Seb this week and have 21, 26 and 31 pound Chinooks on their cards so far. Jose C boated a 27 and Matt F found a 29-pounder on Tuesday. On Wednesday John S joined the Tyee Club with a nice 30 lb Chinook, fishing with guide Jeff G. First thing Wednesday morning, Dan K was fishing off the point at Bird 2 and found a salmon that seriously tested his fishing skills before he managed to get the net under it. The big, bronze-coloured male was quickly taped out to 42-pounds, and Dan was mighty proud when he felt that big Tyee swim out of his grip with strong sweeps of its tail! It’s nice to see those amazing big fish continue their journey back to the river.

Halibut fishing in early season often requires a bit of guesswork! We generally find a lot of halibut move inshore in May to feed on needlefish and crab larvae but return to deeper haunts by mid-June. It’s quite common for QCL anglers to pick up their halibut limit while they’re trolling for salmon! In that mix we’ll see some larger fish and this week Arnold A boated a 30-pounder, Ron C kept a 31 while Drew B hooked a 36 and Glorija T boated a 46-pound halibut.

Prospects for the weekend trip are looking great with light winds out of the south and west with continuation of these really mixed up skies! Tide range will continue to grow through Saturday’s full moon and peak on Monday with a 17-foot swing. Hang on!

Change is constant, they say. It’s like the wind, blowing in the background, that we tend to ignore and then are surprised when it stops. One constant breeze – always a breath of fresh air – that has been with us at QCL for over 20 years, is none other than Jin Chong, Mr. Hospitality himself.

Today marks a big day for Jin personally, and for QCL, as Jin has made the decision leave one passion to pursue another. While we’ll miss his infectious smile, easy-going demeanor, and warm personality at the Lodge, we couldn’t be prouder of Jin and his new and exciting venture!

Starting today you can find him as Managing Partner at Highwater Tackle, a very well-known and respected tackle shop located in the LoLo area of North Vancouver. Joining Jin as owners at Highwater are a couple of other QCL long-timers, Kevin Clough and Elyse Austrins. Both Kevin and Elyse will remain at QCL full time in their current capacities, while Jin manages the store’s daily operations. Congratulations to all three of you on your new venture and farewell to Jin, but only for now. We know that it certainly won’t be the last time we see him at the Lodge and that QCL and Highwater will (and already are) finding plenty of reasons to work together.

Everyone please drop by and see Jin anytime at his new home. He’ll be happy just to say hi, relive some old QCL memories, or to help outfit you with any fishing needs for your next outdoor adventure. Track him down without hesitation at 201 Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver. And again, our congratulations to Jin, Kevin and Elyse with Highwater Tackle!

Older Posts

My First QCL Experience

Becoming a Guide

Kingfisher Report | July 29, 2024

Kingfisher Report | June 20, 2024

Happy Holidays

Kingfisher Report | August 20, 2023

Kingfisher Report | June 22, 2023

Spend time playing and you’re very likely to get into a larger chinook. In the span of 90 minutes today there were 7 Chinook over 25 pounds caught between Yatze Bay and Parker Point, including a minimum of four Tyees.

Kingfisher Report | June 12, 2023

Kingfisher Report | May 31, 2023

Turning the Page

Happy Holidays!

QCL Signatures Series | Tom Yum Baked Lingcod

QCL Signatures Series | Seared Scallops with Romesco

Thank You | QCL Crew

A Wrap on 2024