Experience Fishing First Class at QCL

The Ultimate Sport-Fishing Adventure awaits you on Haida Gwaii

The Queen Charlotte Lodge is the closest thing on earth to heaven for those who like to fish—and that’s how it’s always been. “We started out twenty-seven years ago as a nice, homey, log-cabin fishing lodge catering to people who preferred to fish on their own without a guide,” explains QCL communications director Duane Foerter. “And although we’ve upgraded the experience substantially and now offer both guided and unguided excursions using the best boats and fishing gear, that’s still the bottom line—it’s probably the best fishing experience of its kind you will ever have.” The QCL experience is everything, according to Duane, who remembers that in the old days the visitors weren’t expecting much beyond a day on the water and a chance to catch a big one. “Our first guests would have slept in leaky tents and been happy,” he says with a chuckle. “It’s all very much more upscale today, and we’re finding that it’s not so much how many fish you catch that people put value on now, but the entire experience— from hanging out on the water with friends and family in a top boat with a fun and knowledgeable guide, to enjoying the fine service that is the hallmark of a luxury resort, complete with deluxe accommodations and world-class cuisine. And, of course we get lots of guests who are really into the unspoiled wilderness adventure side of it, too—not only do they get to take home some nice fish, but they’ve also got a whole bunch of great pictures and lifelong memories to treasure.” That said, the fishing is still why most folks go, and the fishing is fantastic. “June is probably our best month, but we have a pretty long season, from late May through early September,” says Duane. Not every guest is going to catch a monster every single day, but the fishing is very consistent throughout the season and we have optimized everything you need for success—from the best guides and equipment to top boats and state-of- the-art fishfinding technology.” Although salmon is still king, modern technology has made it much easier for QCL guests to bring in other species too—bottomdwellers like halibut and lingcod are great to catch and really good eating. With QCL’s Licensed Sport Fish Processing facility, guestcaught fish can be professionally processed into vacuum-packed portions, ensuring freshness and delicious premium quality seafood at home for months.

“Our guests will remember that amazing day on the water every time they pull something out of the freezer,” says Duane. It’s sort of a ‘vacation that keeps on giving’ throughout the whole year.” Perhaps that’s one more reason so many visitors return to the Queen Charlotte Lodge season after season—the resort estimates that close to sixty-five percent of their guests are return visits, and the online reviews are uniformly sparkling. “Most of the fishing lodges on Haida Gwaii are well-run—in fact, I think we push each other to excellence,” says Duane, “but people seem to think that the Queen Charlotte Lodge in particular provides the kind of unforgettable experience that every fisherman should have at least once in their lifetime… and preferably more!”