B.C. FISHING RESORTS
PLENTY OF ADVENTUROUS OPTIONS TO CHOSE FROM
Fishermen in B.C. are spoiled with excellent resorts and plenty of fish in the surrounding waters. In B.C. you will find five species of Pacific salmon, aggressive lingcod, and slab-sided halibut lurking in the rugged and stunningly beautiful saltwater coastline that circumnavigates some 40,000 islands, and pushes deep into steep-sided, glacially-carved inlets.
And against a backdrop of towering, snow-crested mountains with heavily forested slopes, thousands of lakes, rivers and streams hold more than 80 varieties of freshwater game fish.
Here are just a few of the fishing resorts throughout the province which provide comfortable accommodations, delicious meals, and top-notch fishing equipment.
TRAILHEAD RESORT, PORT RENFREW
The resort, almost at the end of Highway 14 about 111 kilometres west of Victoria, is set atop a small hill above Port Renfrew Harbour. The main lodge and expansive property overlooks San Juan Bay.
Anglers in groups of four or more are housed in deluxe two-storey chalets with bedrooms on each floor. While all accommodations have full kitchens, there’s no real need to cook since all meals are provided on each full day of fishing.
Fishing takes place about 30 kilometres to the west at Swiftsure Bank, at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The submarine plateau acts as a bait- and fish-magnet. There is excellent trolling for salmon, and bottom-bouncing baits for halibut.
The most popular fishing package includes two days on the water with three nights’ accommodation, at $1,450 per person.
www.trailhead-resort.com
SHEARWATER RESORT AND MARINA, DENNY ISLAND
Shearwater Resort and Marina sits within B.C.’s Central Coast archipelago, on Denny Island. “Gateway to the Great Bear Rainforest,” the region is rich in First Nations lore, and natural beauty.
The rugged shoreline provides ideal habitat for vast shoals of baitfish. There are countless nooks and crannies for mature salmon while deep pinnacles and gravel banks are home to legions of rockfish, lingcod, and halibut.
Pairs of guests are assigned fully-equipped 17’ fibreglass Hourston runabouts, with 25 per cent of their trip guided. Guests may also opt for fully-guided packages, or upgrade to a larger guided craft ranging from 21’ - 30’, or charter a 46’ yacht. Downrigger-troll in protected, isletlined waterways, or tackle locations like the ocean-facing edges of Wurtele Island and Cultus Sound.
Four-day, three-night fishing packages start at $3,295, which includes a charter flight from Vancouver. Shearwater is also accessible by private boat, and BC Ferries. The resort has an extensive marina, excellent restaurant, pub, grocery store, liquor store, marine hardware store, laundromat, and RV park.
www.shearwater.ca
DUNCANBY LODGE, RIVERS INLET
Rivers Inlet — a magnificent glacier-carved fjord — was at one time a commercial fishing mecca. Every type of commercial boat crowded the docks at Duncanby Landing, with its marina, ample moorage, and store. In 2004, the Keay family converted the landing into Duncanby Lodge, an all-inclusive, landbased resort. Sport anglers still find some of B.C.’s biggest coho complementing the inlet’s prized tyee-sized chinook salmon.
Guests stay in raised, waterfront cabins. Each cabin has two spacious guest rooms with queen-sized and bunk beds, a three-piece ensuite bathroom, and spectacular views. For families, there are the two-bedroom Eagle’s Nest (which sleeps six), and a three-room cabin. Guests can relax on luxurious leather couches in the main lounge, with its bar and big-screen satellite TV.
Fully-guided guests fish from the lodge’s fleet of Grady-White sport fishers. Self-guided guests fish from 13 new Bridgeview runabouts. For the most part, it’s traditional motor-mooching within the inlet, or downrigger-trolling in Queen Charlotte Sound.
Four-day, three-night self-guided, all-inclusive fishing packages start at $3,950 per person, including return air charter from Vancouver. www.duncanby.com
NOOTKA MARINE ADVENTURES, NOOTKA SOUND-ESPERANZA INLET
Nootka Marine Adventures operates three resorts: one land-based, at the head of Nootka Sound; a floating resort in Nootka Sound; and a second floating resort in Esperanza Inlet.
MOUTCHA BAY RESORT
Land-based Moutcha Bay Resort is set in an exquisitely landscaped property. The dramatic main lodge has spacious high-end suites, with additional accommodations in luxurious yurts and chalets. While some rooms offer full kitchens, most guests prefer to enjoy fine dining in the licensed restaurant. Visitors with recreational vehicles can park at fully serviced sites, and there are serviced tent sites.
Anglers with their own boats will find moorage and a large, full-service marina. For anglers without boats, the resort provides guided fishing charters. Boats are available for rental, along with all tackle and gear for anglers who want to fish unguided.
A three-night package for a group of four staying in a waterfront yurt, with three days of fishing from a rental boat, gourmet meals, and fish processing, starts at $1,344 per person.
NOOTKA SOUND RESORT
Accessible by float plane, or by boat from Moutcha Bay Resort, Nootka Sound Resort — Nootka Marine Adventures’ original, floating wilderness resort — lies in Galiano Bay at the heart of the sound. The all-inclusive floating lodge offers comfort and luxury. A three-night stay — with two full and two halfdays of guided fishing for a group of four, fish processing, transfers from Moutcha Bay Resort, accommodations, and meals — starts at $2,147 per person. www.nootkamarineadventures .com
LANGARA FISHING ADVENTURES
Langara Fishing Adventures offers two remote fishing venues at Langara Island, on the north end of mystical Haida Gwaii.
Langara Fishing Lodge, which pioneered sport fishing at Langara way back in 1985, offers a classic lodge experience with the option of self-guided or guided packages. The luxurious Langara Island Lodge provides a more relaxed setting with fully guided fishing. Both include Helijet service to and from the lodge and are well known for their abundance, both on and off the water — when not fishing, guests can enjoy gourmet meals prepared by the lodge chefs.
Anglers at Langara enjoy quick access to the fishing, with the entire grounds no more than 5-20 minutes from the docks.
An unrivalled abundance of salmon and halibut is the main reason Langara Island is recognized as a destination of choice for west coast anglers, but there is much more to see and do in this remote corner of the province. The rugged coastal scenery, frequent sightings of humpback and killer whales, and the chance to tour an abandoned Haida village, complete the experience. www.langara.com
PEREGRINE LODGE, GRAHAM ISLAND
Peregrine Lodge is a luxurious, land-based resort located on the northern coast of Graham Island in Haida Gwaii. Situated on an expansive property in Naden Harbour, the all-inclusive resort accommodates up to 42 guests.
All fishing is guided, with up to 10½ hours on the water during each full day at the lodge. Two anglers and a professional guide fish from eight-metre covered cruisers, or Boston Whaler Montauks. The Crown Jewel, is a nine-metre Tiara Coronet luxury sport yacht.
Guides will either motor-mooch or downrigger troll cut-plug herring baits at legendary fishing locales like Cape Naden, Bird Rock, and Snake Rock. Since all five species of Pacific salmon pass by northern Graham Island on their migrations fishing is exceptional throughout the summer. There are also abundant halibut and other bottomfish.
All fishing packages run from Sunday to Wednesday, or Wednesday to Sunday. A four-day, three-night fishing package starts at $4,995. This includes air transportation from Vancouver to Masset with Helijet transfer to the lodge. www.peregrinelodge.com
THE WEST COAST FISHING CLUB, HAIDA GWAII
With three separate high-end resorts in beautiful Haida Gwaii, the The West Coast Fishing Club offers a slightly different fishing experience at each.
The rich marine ecosystem of Langara Island and the northwestern corner of Graham Island provides an abundance of nutrients for all levels of the food chain. The profusion of baitfish in turn attracts migrating salmon, along with healthy stocks of bottomfish.
The flagship property, The Clubhouse, is perched atop a high promontory on Langara Island. The Club’s floating facility, North Island Lodge, is anchored just offshore, sitting literally right over some of the prime feeding grounds.
In untouched wilderness on the remote western edge of Graham Island, The Outpost in Port Louis is a luxurious oasis.
Each lodge features luxury accommodations, gourmet dining, and complimentary alcoholic beverages. An all-inclusive four-day, threenight fishing package, including return charter flight from Vancouver with helicopter transfer to the lodge, starts at $4,190 per person. www.westcoastfishingclub.com
McKay Bay Lodge lies on the former site of the McKay Pioneer House on Bamfield Inlet’s western shore. The main lodge has 10 rooms. There are also two fully-equipped cabins: the “Forest View” has four bedrooms with ensuites, while the “Creekside” has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. All can be rented with or without meals.
Boasting over 130 metres of private dock-space for boaters, the lodge offers all-inclusive packages starting at $160/day/person. This covers moorage, double-occupancy ensuite rooms, all meals, and care of catch.
Non-boaters pay the same package rate, but instead of moorage, have the use of a variety of non-motorized watercraft. From Port Alberni, these guests can either take a scenic cruise down Alberni Inlet aboard the M.V. Frances Barkley to West Bamfield, hire a water-taxi to the lodge’s dock, or drive the logging road to East Bamfield for pick-up by the lodge.
McKay Bay offers guided fishing packages at $950 per day (for up to four) in custom-crafted 8.5-metre aluminum sport fishing boats. www.mckaybaylodge.com
HAKAI LAND AND SEA FISHING CLUB
This unique land-based fishing camp is located on the remote Central Coast of B.C., within the Hakai Lúxvbálís Conservancy’s marine protected area. A scenic two-hour Seair float plane charter brings you from Vancouver to Hakai Pass. Located at the edge of a stunning white sand beach in an old-growth coastal rainforest, the camp consists of a kitchen, dining room, bunkhouse with eight two-bed ensuite rooms that were rebuilt in 2016.
Hakai Land and Sea Fishing Club operates as a non-profit society. With a minimum of 12 trips each season (from mid-July to late August), club members can apply for any of 16 spaces. Unbooked space on any trip is available to non-members.
Self-guided trips start at $3,880 per person for four days and three nights, and $4,350 for five days and four nights. Included is your return flight from Vancouver, all meals, fishing gear, and boats. www.hakailandandsea.com