Beautiful British Columbia
An Angler’s Paradise

By Jan S. Maizler
Article & Travel Editor
Photos By Art Blank

You watch the rhythmic bobbing of your bent fly rod as the downrigger takes your plug-cut herring spinning along the salmon strike zone forty feet below. Your captain has eased his vessel as close as possible to the kelp beds- this is where the large schools of herring and needlefish are seeking refuge from huge marauding Chinook salmon. As you gaze across the deep green beds of vegetation towards the rocks, two loud chirps pull your attention to the forest on the shore where you spot a large eagle perched on a dead branch of a huge evergreen. The sight of this feathered fisherman reassures you.

Suddenly, the captain screams, “strike on the starboard rod.“ You turn and see the rod go momentarily straight as the bait is pulled from the downrigger clip below. You grab the rod out of the holder and reel like your life is hanging in the balance. As the line comes tight and the rod bends down deeply under the weight of a fish, you strike the fish once, twice, and three times for good measure. As the hooks dig deep into the fish, it runs like a freight train towards the Alaskan islands in the dim distance- line flies off the reel at an alarming pace. Finally, the fish slows down about one hundred yards astern of you. The captain says, “ don’t pump the fish… reel with constant pressure and keep a bend in the rod.” You recall that in B.C., you only fish with barbless hooks and the last thing that you want is a limp bow in your rod that lets the hooks drop out!

The boat slowly is turned to follow the fish and you reel faster to keep tight. About two minutes later, the fish surges into another run. Having rehearsed the fighting technique the night before, you release the handles of the fly reel as they begin to spin backward and you palm the reel spool to provide extra drag on the fish. As the fish slows down again, the combination of your rapid reeling and following boat brings you within forty feet of the gamester. The captain shouts, “ it’s a nice Chinook close to thirty pounds.” Your heart pounds with excitement and anticipation as your rod pressure pulls the fish closer and closer. The fish is finning off the stern about thirty feet and it’s almost yours! Moments later, you see a huge explosion around your fish, and a half-ton seal leaps skyward with your prize. Its hairy jaws seem to have a hammerlock on the salmon’s tail, but just on instinct, you pull for all you’re worth to keep your fish, and blessedly, you free the fish with massive pressure and frantic reeling. For the moment, the seal remains unseen and all hands onboard team up to ease the fish alongside the boat and into the net in a choreography that you’ll never forget. Beneath you on the deck lies a strikingly beautiful Chinook salmon of almost thirty pounds and the image rivets itself in the picture album of your mind.

Such exciting scenes like this happen when the salmon season (June through November) comes to the ocean, inlets, and streams of British Columbia. Even if your average salmon fights and comes aboard without the added pursuit and excitement of a hairy predator in chase, there are always sights and sounds to delight the traveling angler… perhaps some bears on the shoreline, some whimsical puffins, or even a large pod of whales breaching and blowing offshore! In addition to the open ocean, this wonderful region provides year-round stream action for anglers with numerous indigenous species of trout that include fabulous steelhead and char.

British Columbia lies on the shores of the Pacific Northwest section of North America. “B.C.”, as it is often known amongst seasoned traveling anglers, is the westernmost of Canada’s ten provinces. Vancouver is the major travel hub of B.C., and lies only twenty- four miles north of the Canada-U.S. boundary. Despite the travel friendly position of this region, it’s sheer size and ecological diversity makes it a “must-see and fish” destination in every angler’s lifetime.

Important B.C. Facts

1. The population of the area is over 4 million.
2. Federal government services are offered in English and French, but most of the population speaks English as a first or second language.
3. B.C. is home to people of many different cultures. This offers visitors a rich tapestry of potential experiences.
4. B.C.’s aboriginal people are known as First Nations and include the Squamish and Haida peoples.
5. B.C.’s total land mass is larger than France and Germany combined.
6. B.C. is considered to be Canada’s gateway to Asia and the Pacific.
7. B.C. is the third largest film and TV production center in North America after New York and Los Angeles.
8. Tourism in B.C. is one of its main industries and generates 10 billion dollars a year. B.C. will host the Winter Olympics in 2010.
9. The currency is the Canadian dollar, which is worth about three quarters of the U.S. dollar. Most B.C. establishments accept the U.S. dollar with a fair exchange rate. All major charge and credit cards are accepted.
10. The capital is Victoria on Vancouver Island.
11. The major city is cosmopolitan Vancouver, which has been awarded such honors as “ The Most Liveable” city in the world and the “Best City in the Americas.”
12. B.C. has a nice variation of climate and temperatures, but its’ coastal and saltwater regions like the Queen Charlottes and Vancouver Island have temperatures moderated by the warm Pacific Ocean Current.
13. B.C. has an incredible array of transportation modes that include cars (leased and rental), taxis, limos, buses, trains, ships, ferries, and a full array of aircraft from floatplanes to jumbo jets. Of special interest is Vancouver International Airport (YVR), which is one of the world’s largest airports and is the first airport in North America to have a walk-in drug store, dental and medical clinic. Among travelers with disabilities, Vancouver has a reputation as being one of the most accessible cities in the world.
14. British Columbia is in the Pacific Time Zone, which makes it three hours earlier than Miami, which is in Eastern Time.
15. The holidays and workweek is basically similar to the United States.
16. Of British Columbia’s six regions, saltwater anglers will be interested in primarily three, which include the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, Vancouver Island, and Northern British Columbia (which includes the Queen Charlottes).

A Salmon Heaven Destination

Naden Lodge sits alongside the “front doorstep” of the massive ocean salmon migration, as well as being adjacent to streams that support year-round numbers of spectacular salmon, steelhead, Cutthroat Trout and Dolly Varden. The Lodge is located offshore of mainland B.C. in the quaint township of Masset on the northern shores of the beautiful Queen Charlotte Islands. This marvelous destination sits in a protected cove and is only one-half hour’s boat ride from the docks to some of the best ocean salmon fishing in the world.

Excellence permeates all of Naden Lodge’s offerings be it hospitality level, lodgings and amenities, food and beverage, and of course, their fishing fleet. This results in a “ high-repeat” clientele of sixty-five percent, featuring a truly “five star” experience for traveling anglers.

Naden Lodge is owned and operated by captain Brian Hillier, his wife Chris and his daughter, Cody- this gives them an automatic “family state of mind” that helps them achieve a close intimate sense of fellowship amongst their delighted guests. They achieve this by limiting guests to a maximum of ten, using group dining, seeing to each guest’s every comfort, and carefully matching anglers with their captains for the day. It was clear to all the guests that their comfort and pleasure was a priority for Naden Lodge: upon returning from a day of abundant fishing adventure, plates of bruschetta, smoked fish, salmon pate, and shrimp in butter would await us, along with our choice of fine wines, ice-cold Canadian and foreign beers, bottled waters, or warm teas and coffees.

Naden Lodge was sumptuous. The bedrooms were large and comfortable. All of the common areas featured luxuriant and striking First Nations and outdoor art. Entertainment amenities included a pool table, outdoor hot tub, and two state-of-the-art TV and computer entertainment centers. Additional group settings inside the Lodge featured two downstairs and one upstairs sitting areas- all with waterfront views. Outside, a porch with chairs afforded a delightful observation area for watching the numerous eagles and ravens arrive for their evening meal of salmon bits.

Captain Brian insists that his chef provides cuisine that is abundant, creative, healthy and hearty. Breakfast would consist of a wide range of dishes sure to please any palette- fresh-brewed morning coffees and teas would be followed by assorted fresh fruits, hot and cold cereals, eggs, potatoes, sausages, and would culminate with Eggs Benedict. Packed lunches were placed in the ice chests of every Naden Lodge vessel and consisted of sandwiches, wraps, cut fruit and vegetables, as well as plenty of bottled waters and beverages. The dinners at Naden Lodge were always an event each guest would look forward to- one featured salmon and halibut tempura dishes, rice pilaf, sliced garden fresh vegetables and homemade bread, while the next night might feature a Caesar salad, baked potato, and steak smothered in fresh mushrooms in gravy. The chef was sure to keep every guest guessing what desserts would be offered each night, but the profile always ran the gamut from sensible to sinful: fresh berries or deep, rich chocolate cake were good examples. Every dinner was served with a fine Pacific Coast red wine and/or white wine. Traveling anglers that make a hobby of sampling the native beers of each new destination will find the Canadian Molson crisp, flavorful, and satisfying.

Fishing at Naden Lodge

Captain Brian has seen to it that Naden Lodge provides a full range and choice of guides, captains, vessels and equipment needed for any species any time of the year. As I stated, I sought this exciting destination to experience the peak of the B.C. summer salmon season. Naden Lodge begins this kind of fishing in May and ends in September, although the prevalence of the salmon stocks being caught can vary these dates a bit.

The Lodge has three fully rigged center console Boston Whalers of approximately twenty-five feet. All the vessels have Tee-top enclosures and offer a great deal of comfort for anglers. Naden Lodge designed their fishing vessels to ensure that all safety and angling needs are addressed.

The fishing is done by trolling baits like sardines, anchovies, or colorful artificial lures on a downrigger. The downrigger fishing in B.C. is somewhat the same as in Alaska. In the Queen Charlottes, mashed-down hook barbs are uniform and the standard tackle are fly reels instead of levelwind baitcasting reels- this increases the challenge of catching salmon that experienced anglers are sure to enjoy. The fly rods and reels were very high quality. The rods had an abundance of guides for a perfect bend. The fly reels featured ultra-smooth drags, a huge line capacity, and an excellent finish.

In addition, you’re able to actually fly cast to the salmon if they drive the bait schools to the water’s surface: a silvery Clouser-type fly works well. Therefore, it’s always wise to keep casting tackle at the ready when a maelstrom of feeding activity breaks the surface. With spinning or baitcasting tackle, the lure of choice for these situations is a silver spoon-not only does it match the hatch, but its’ bright flash drives the salmon crazy!

The Queen Charlotte Islands have an incredibly kaleidoscopic weather capacity. On the three and one-half days I fished, each day was different and went from windy with sunny skies, to calm breezes under overcast skies, to flat seas under a baking sun! The fish seemed to strike under all these conditions as long as there were good baitfish concentrations in the presence of structure like kelp beds or reefy bottom contours.

Naden Lodge’s practice of rotating captains each day created a daily new adventure as well as opportunities for new friendships. In other parts of the world, guide rotation could be a problem because of uneven training or time “on the water”- at Naden Lodge, it’s a bonus, since all the captains are of top quality and experience. Even the savviest traveling anglers get a new education through guide rotation, since each captain has their own special “tricks’, techniques, and methods.

My personal results during my stay at Naden Lodge gave me a memorable B.C. saltwater fishing experience: 14 Chinook (king) salmon to 21 pounds, and 17 Coho (silver) salmon to 11 pounds. One of the most memorable experiences I had was hooking a very large Chinook that ran (and sounded, as this species will do) for over two hundred yards. The battle entailed following the fish on a well-bent rod to regain line and this process took a good fifteen minutes. As we came to within thirty feet of it, we saw it was easily fifty pounds. Just then, the fish saw the boat and began thrashing its head wildly. Although I kept a good bend in the rod, its thrashing head plus the leverage of a large flasher combined with barbless hooks enabled the monster to go free. As it sunk into the depths, I felt a combination of disappointment and excitement that would ensure I would be returning to magical British Columbia again and again.

Fall and winter in British Columbia offers spectacular salmon and steelhead fishing as well. These fish are returning from the ocean and will fill the stream mouths waiting for the rising tide to return to their natal waters. Captain Brian pursues these fish out of a 16-foot Hyde drift boat and “floats” his anglers over these waters. These are fresh ocean-run fish that are taken by casting with fly or spinning tackle.

Non-angling friends and family will be delighted to know that Naden Lodge as well as other British Columbia angling destinations offer trekking eco-tours, birding tours, helicopter tours, kayaking, canoeing, whale watching, and transportation to local restaurants and Haida arts and crafts galleries.

When You Go:

Almost all of the major airlines go to Vancouver International Airport. I took a simple two-leg flight on United Airlines from Miami to Chicago to Vancouver. Upon arrival, all I did was go upstairs to the upscale Fairmont Airport Hotel for a pleasant and luxurious overnight stay. The next morning, I took the shuttle to the South Airport Terminal and boarded an 8:00 a.m. flight on Pacific Coastal Airlines. The delightful and strikingly scenic flight took only two hours and landed right in Masset. The drive to Naden Lodge took three minutes.

Contact Data:

British Columbia Tourism Websites and Phone Numbers:
www.hellobc.com / 1-800-HELLO-BC
www.travel.bc.ca / 1-866-702-7133
www.tourismbc.com

Naden Lodge
Box 648
Masset, B.C.
Canada VOT 1MO
Toll free phone: 1-800-771-TYEE
Phone: 1-250-626-3322
Fax: 1-250-626-5465
Email: info@nadenlodge.com
Web site: www.nadenlodge.com
Contact: Captain Brian Hillier