Queen Charlotte Lodge Archives - Page 3 of 24

The best part of bringing your catch home is treating your loved ones to a delicious meal but we know cooking fish the same way can become tiresome. For that reason, our chefs’ have put together a new blog series for you! Learn mouth-watering ways to prepare your catch or Taste of B-Sea purchase.

Check out our signature Cedar Plank Salmon recipe below, and be sure to check back monthly for new featured recipes!

MATERIALS

Food Grade 16″ Cedar Plank
1-2 Chinook/Coho Salmon Whole Filet
1-2kg Tamari Gluten-Free Soy Sauce
1500ml Heavy Dark Maple Syrup

METHOD

Submerge your cedar plank in water overnight.
Combine syrup and soy sauce. Stir and reserve.
Leaving skin on, portion cut your salmon filet into 60g portions. Try to ensure each are roughly the same size and dimensions.
Submerge cut salmon into syrup/soy marinade, cover and refrigerate overnight.
One hour prior to cooking, remove salmon from the marinade and set on cooling racks placed over a baking sheet to allow fish to air dry and excess marinade to slough off.
Preheat BBQ to high.
Arrange portioned salmon on cedar plank, leaving small gaps between each piece.
Place on hot BBQ slats, close lid and reduce heat to a minimum.
Cook covered for 6 minutes, and check fish for doneness; look for medium moist, with a slight gradient from outside to center.
Take cedar planks off BBQ once cooked and serve.
Enjoy and create new memories around the dinner table!

Don’t worry if you’ve moved through your delicious catch already, our Taste of B-Sea program runs year round. The finest quality fish and shellfish, these products are Ocean Wise and come from some of the most sustainable fisheries in the world using the most eco-friendly fishing methods.

To learn more and to place your order, contact us | 1-800-688-8959

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!

“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

It’s a foggy morning in Naden Harbour. New guests have been anxiously waiting for the fog to clear, while old guests are reluctantly waiting to return to the busy world from their time in paradise. Finally, the fog lifts and the helicopters fly in one by one. The dock becomes a busy and excited place as guides greet their new guests and one by one, the boats all leave the dock for an afternoon of fishing.

I’ve got four guests who are keen on salmon fishing. After checking the tides and weather forecast, I decide to take them to my favourite salmon fishing point, Cape Naden, which is often productive on the ebb which coincides with this afternoon’s tide.

Cape Naden looks picturesque today – The tide is high, the whole kelp bed is visible and the current is ebbing as the water curls around the rocks heading west. The water is clear of debris and only a few boats are fishing the point. As we roll in and drop lines we see a boat or two catching fish every pass. As the afternoon goes on we catch a small Chinook, however we have yet to catch any fish worth keeping. Our patience is being tested as we make another inside pass that yields no results.

This time, we go a little further past the last eastern rock on the cape and as we make our turn, boom, the outside rod with and anchovy starts bouncing. My guest immediately spring into action popping the rod out of the holder and off the downrigger clip. It’s a nice Chinook that starts running and so the rest of us begin clearing rods. First comes the back rod which is taken out of the water and stowed up front. Next, I reposition the boat so that the Chinook is off to the side. Then, I go to clear the other downrigger rod, I pull it out of the rod holder, pop it off the release clip and begin to reel. All of a sudden I feel a grab! I set the hook and hand it over to my guest – We’re doubled up! Although this first fish was a nice Chinook, the second one is clearly bigger and starts peeling line in the opposite direction of the first fish. After a couple minutes of chaos we successfully netted a 21 pounder. The second fish was still way off in the distance making wake at the surface and peeling line. The mood was tense as this second fish dragged us offshore. After circling the fish and tiring it out we finally coaxed it into the net. It was a 37lbs Chinook! Celebrations are in order and it’s time to cap a successful first day of the trip at the Bell Ringer. We follow many other excited guests back to the Lodge where we tell stories of our day, take pictures of our catch and enjoy some “Fishmaster Ceasar’s”.

Guide, Gerritt Dunstee

If the 2023 fishing season will be remembered for any one particular thing, it’s very likely to be the shear abundance of fish! From the early masses of needlefish we’ve encountered inshore since May and the dense schools of herring now over the pinnacles and halibut grounds, it’s no wonder there are so many salmon around! Throughout the first half of the season we’ve been awash in feeding Chinook and Coho. These early fish have been smaller than the migratory version we’re more accustomed to, but they’ve more than made up for it with their aggressive nature and persistent hunger for whatever we put in front of them! Translation… our guests haven’t been sitting down much!

Now that we’ve passed the mid-point of the season, we’re seeing more of what we expect in July, with strong numbers of beautiful, chunky, 20-something Chinooks and those summer Coho are getting up into the 10 pound-plus class. The Tyee Bell is tolling every evening at the Bell Ringer in celebration of memorable catches… for larger salmon, halibut and lingcod.

Another observation is the interest that our guests are showing in all things ocean and fishery related. Whether it’s speculation on why so many “feeders” are inshore this summer, to questions about kelp beds and sea urchins, or the difference between resident and transient orcas… there’s a new level of awareness in the air. And it’s a good thing… we all have a role to play in protecting the health of the oceans and marine life and it starts with being interested. There’s much to learn and to understand and it’s exciting to share all of this with our guests who come to enjoy the QCL Experience every summer!

Duane Foerter

^{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}

A spell of classic Northwesterly weather last week certainly brought sunny skies and some “busy water” down from Shag Rock, but along with it came a noticeable change in our fishery. That “change for the good” was defined by greater abundance of migratory salmon in the twenty-plus class and an increase in the Tyee count throughout the fishing grounds. Our guests this past weekend enjoyed some intense salmon action inshore, in the early hours of the morning ebb tide. From Yatze down to Cape Naden, double-headers were common with a healthy mix of teen-sized Chinooks, 5 to 7 lb Coho and enough larger Chinooks to deliver a major surprise every half hour or so! The Tyee Bell has been tolling nightly for notably large salmon, some coming to the scale and some caught and released. The largest salmon on the dock this weekend was a 35-pound beauty for Laura P, fishing with friends on the 89 with veteran guide Braeden H. Michael F and Darren S each boated 34-pounders last trip while Michael M released a 31 and Ray P sent back a big chrome buck that taped out to 35 pounds. Great work!

A huge highlight of the weekend trip was the arrival of our first 50-plus Tyee of the season! Fishing the famous kelp bed off Yatze with Robbie C at the helm, angler Andrew A battled a stunning big Chinook for 20 minutes before Rob slipped the net under it. A quick measurement and careful revival saw this amazing fish return to the safety of the kelp… having taped out to 52 pounds! It’s nice to see those giants returned to the water in hope that they will find their way to the river this summer! Congratulations Andrew! Well done!

The offshore fishery may have seemed a little slow from the start this summer, but recent catches have proven that all is well on the hali-grounds! All the favourite benches and pinnacles are producing excellent results for anglers in search of tasty halibut and lingcod. Finding the bottom on the ideal stage of the tide is an art that all guides work hard to perfect, and the rewards are certainly worth the effort. So far this season QCL anglers are finding good success with consistent catches of keeper-sized halibut from 15 to 50 pounds. But there are those who go offshore to the deep, hoping to feel the weight of something bigger! They were well rewarded this week with some seriously large fish! Brad G started it off on Wednesday with a “barn door” that taped out to 75 inches or 224 pounds! On Saturday Wayne B and Dan T tag-teamed to haul up its twin, also in the 75-inch class! And yesterday Matt L got his annual halibut workout, doing the tug-of-war with yet another halibut in the range of 76-inches! Admittedly, seeing these giants alongside the boat is most impressive, but what a lot of work! Congrats guys! It’s a good thing our massage team at the Twin Creek Spa are here to help you recover!

Until next week, Fishmaster

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

Step into an angler’s paradise, where the past week has been filled with excitement and bountiful catch. This past weekend saw mild mixed skies, and light rain.

Salmon fishing has been consistently impressive throughout the grounds. These days, in the early season, we commonly see lots of “feeder Springs” – powerful fighters and aggressive feeders, they’re generally in the mid-teen range.

Some of the standout spots for salmon fishing as of late have been Cape Edenshaw, Cape Naden and Bird 2, particularly during the morning ebb tide. Anglers have witnessed an influx of salmon, drawn by the abundance of baitfish.

Bottom fishing has been equally rewarding, and this past trip saw several good halibut releases! Jennifer D 50lbs, Candice W 65lbs and Andrew S 46lbs. Dan M, fishing with Scott R and QCL guide “Smurf”, was awarded the full set of halibut pins on Sunday night with 100lbs & 70lbs releases before boating a 47-pounder to keep – earning bronze, silver & gold pins! Congratulations everyone!

Looking at the week ahead we’ve got a mixed bag of weather in the forecast, winds west to southwest to northwest. Large tides with 7-to-17 foot swings daily.

Monday | LOW 9:08 am / 1.1 ft. | HIGH 3:39 pm / 15.2 ft

Tuesday | LOW 9:54 am / 1.2 ft. | HIGH 4:27 pm / 15.1 ft

Wednesday | LOW 10:43 am / 1.6 ft. | HIGH. 5:17 pm / 14.9 ft

Thursday | LOW 11:34 am / 2.3 ft. | HIGH 6:12 pm / 14.8 ft

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QCL Signatures Series | Cedar Plank Salmon

Reintroducing the QCL Experience

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!

It’s A Guide’s Life

Kingfisher Report | July 20, 2023

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.}

Kingfisher Report | June 28, 2023

Kingfisher Report | June 12, 2023

Kingfisher Report | June 5, 2023

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