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March 22, 2024 Tayler Fuerst0

Last year, on World Water Day, we announced a new conservation initiative for 2023 – The Guest Water Bottle program.

Each guest was gifted a QCL water bottle for their use at the Lodge, and on the water, with the intention of reducing our plastic consumption. Paired with this was the addition of water bottle refill stations across the property. This program was developed, as most of ours are, by listening to our guests’ needs and suggestions.

There is no doubt that the creation of plastic bottles has a significant impact on our environment. With plenty of natural resources consumed, and pollution produced, we agreed that our consumption was out of balance with our values.

Proud to continue this initiative into 2024, we are excited to share with you the impact we saw in the 2023 season and adjustments we’ve made to better our conservation efforts this upcoming summer.

With 20oz bottle, our collective usage, by both guests and staff, saw a reduction in plastic bottles by over 65%!

Looking to better this number, we have increased the Guest Water Bottle size to 25oz. Additionally, you’ll notice that when on land, we no longer offer plastic bottles but rather will provide a glass or jug of water for your use.

We appreciate each of you in supporting our initiatives to better support the environment we all know and love.

We are looking forward to another exciting season of providing you continued excellence, known only as the QCL Experience.

 

 

 


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March 19, 2024 Tayler Fuerst0

We specialize in special moments. In making memories last a lifetime.

The QCL Experience is a simple way of describing a feeling so unique that it’s nearly indescribable. Every guest is different and whether your trip is a celebration, annual tradition, bucket list or simply a new adventure, we understand that every guests’ idea of the perfect trip varies. From the moment you call our office, to your arrival at the Lodge and beyond, our team works to tailor make your QCL Experience.

Our team strives to deliver unmatched hospitality by helping create treasured memories, throughout the entirety of your stay. With programs carefully designed to take full advantage of the unrivaled fishing opportunities, highlight the local flavours, and offer peace away from the busy world, the promise of a first class fishing experience awaits.

We work diligently for 8 months of the year to prepare for each season. Taking into consideration guest comments, reviewing previous season programs, and working towards what will make your next stay unforgettable. As we approach Opening Day, our Concierge Team is connecting with group leads to provide an overview of Lodge services and opportunities. They are available to plan the finer details of your trip, from unique dining options and custom apparel to spa treatments and more. All before you arrive at the Lodge!

And when the time comes, and you’re finally at QCL, we strive to deliver a sense of awe. Tucked away amongst the old growth and a short boat ride from the rugged coastline and incredible fishing. A place where modern-day travelers can revel in a taste of wilderness adventure that is perfectly blended with our warm, attentive hospitality that is delivered by our QCL team. Sharing a passion for delivering your first class fishing trip in a remote paradise. Each member of our team brings a piece of your QCL Experience to life.

The QCL Experience, a simple way to describe that distinctive feeling you get when you think about your first class fishing trip; the recognizable sense of home upon your return. It is our passion to ensure each of our guests leave having experienced memories that you want to share for a lifetime.


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March 13, 2024 Tayler Fuerst0

Our Back of House team has prepared another QCL Signatures Series dish for you to prepare at home! Whether you are enjoying with guests or family, this Chili Crab will enhance any dinner.

Materials

  • Dungeness Crab, broken down | 4
  • Shallots | 3
  • Ginger | 3-ince piece
  • Red Chilis | 3
  • Ketchup | 30ml
  • Shrimp Paste | 5ml
  • Cooking Oil | 30ml
  • Chicken Stock | 360ml
  • Rice Wine Vinegar | 30ml
  • Sweet Chili Sauce | 120g
  • Green Onion, chopped | 1
  • Butter | 50g
  • Soy Sauce | 30ml
  • Palm Sugar | 30ml

Method

  1. In a food processor, add shallots, ginger, red chillies, garlic, ketchup, and shrimp paste. Pulse until it combined, forming a paste.
  2. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat, add the chilli paste and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the crab pieces into the wok and stir until they are fully coated. Allow the crab to absorb the flavours and colouring until it begins to turn red/orange in colour.
  4. Add the tomato puree, chicken stock, rice wine vinegar, sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce and palm sugar, then stir until combined. The crab should be fully orange by now. Place a lid on top, allowing the mixture to simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Remove the crab legs and head, plating on a shallow dish.
  6. Add butter and green onion to the sauce and stir to combine.
  7. Pour the sauce on top of the plated crab, garnishing with cilantro.
  8. Serve and enjoy!

Don’t worry if you’ve moved through your supply of QCL caught fish 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


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February 14, 2024 Tayler Fuerst0

As the winter months pass us by, we are back with another QCL Signature Series recipe. This time featuring Smoked Salmon, Beets and a Goat Cheese Dressing – A salad perfect for lunch or in addition to dinner.

Materials

  • 3 Beets, medium sized
  • 90ml Olive Oil
  • 115g Goat Cheese
  • 60ml Buttermilk
  • 15ml White Wine Vinegar
  • 5g fresh chopped Dill
  • 200g sliced Smoked Salmon
  • 150g Arugula
  • ½ Avocado, sliced
  • 2 Green Onions, sliced
  • ½ Lemon

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F
  2. Rub beets with 30ml of Olive Oil and Salt + Pepper
  3. Once seasoned, place beets on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and roast in oven for 40 mins
  4. Remove from oven, peel and slice (or dice) to your liking
  5. In a food processor combine Goat Cheese, Buttermilk, White Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, half of the Dill, and Salt + Pepper to taste. Mix until smooth.
  6. Separate slices of the Smoked Salmon and sliced Avocado
  7. Dress Arugula and Green Onions with dressing. Place on bottom of serving dish
  8. Place Smoked Salmon, Beets, Avocado and remaining Dill on bed of Arugula
  9. Drizzle with more Goat Cheese Dressing, to your liking, and finish with a squeeze of fresh Lemon

Don’t worry if you’ve moved through your supply of QCL caught fish 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


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November 14, 2023 Tayler Fuerst0
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

  1. Submerge your cedar plank in water overnight.
  2. Combine syrup and soy sauce. Stir and reserve.
  3. Leaving skin on, portion cut your salmon filet into 60g portions. Try to ensure each are roughly the same size and dimensions.
  4. Submerge cut salmon into syrup/soy marinade, cover and refrigerate overnight.
  5. 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.
  6. Preheat BBQ to high.
  7. Arrange portioned salmon on cedar plank, leaving small gaps between each piece.
  8. Place on hot BBQ slats, close lid and reduce heat to a minimum.
  9. Cook covered for 6 minutes, and check fish for doneness; look for medium moist, with a slight gradient from outside to center.
  10. Take cedar planks off BBQ once cooked and serve.
  11. 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

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August 17, 2023 Tayler Fuerst0

Ah yes… it’s August!   Later starts, but still long days on the water; the warm summer weather has us in t-shirts as much as in fleece.  Some morning fog is typical, adding lots of atmosphere, as boats quietly tack around the fishing points; the sounds of voices seem amplified when you can’t see the speaker. Commonly, a feeding Humpback will pop up in the middle of it all, blowing a breath that smells slightly fishy, yet strangely sweet. These are memories that stick with you.

These days we’re spending as much time offshore as we are in along the kelp beds.  Large schools of migrating Coho salmon are gorging on needlefish as they move in from the open sea on their way to the rivers.  We’re finding them just away from the shoreline in water depths of 120 to 250 feet and are catching them consistently from the surface down to 90-feet or more.  Spoons and hoochies, trolled with the help of flashers, are extremely effective on these fish and anglers can put a few in the box in short order.  The 5-6 pounders we were seeing inshore in June are now 8-12 pounds and growing every day.  There’s lots of excitement in the boats while these Coho are around!

Larger Chinooks, on their way to a river somewhere, tend to move inshore to lurk among the kelp and rocks.  It seems the early bird anglers enjoy the best success with these, working their favourite points and bays around Parker, Naden and Klashwun on the turn of the first tide. Cape Naden is an especially popular hangout, for both salmon and anglers, though for obviously different reasons. As the tide flows around this particular head of shoreline, the currents create conditions perfect for hungry salmon to get out and feed on the swirling schools of baitfish.

QCL guests are getting those perfect-sized Chinooks in the 16 to 26 pound class these days, finding them either inshore along the structure or offshore down deeper.  Lots of Coho out there ensure anglers are never bored while searching for the fish they want!  Fortunately, our halibut and lingcod fishery is very reliable so pulling up a couple of “white” fish is always part of the plan.  We can retain the halibut possession limit in a single day now, so that makes it easy to get the job done on a single visit offshore.

With only a few weeks left in the summer season, we’re already seeing changes out there.  Many of the seabirds are losing their breeding plumage and look different. The juvenile eagles are now joining their parents in the hunt for food which is pretty entertaining to watch!  Northern resident Orcas are passing through regularly and many of the Humpbacks have come back in from offshore to top up on all the needlefish hatched out this summer.  It’s certainly a time of plenty and we’re constantly amazed at how productive this very special place can be!  You need to experience it at least once!

Fishmaster, Duane Foerter

 

 


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July 18, 2023 Tayler Fuerst0

This past week, the North shores of Graham Island have been blessed by weather typical of July. With light to moderate winds, and a mix of sun and rain, guests have experienced a true Haida Gwaii summer.

Salmon fishing has been consistent throughout the season, with plenty of Chinook and Coho keeping rods bouncing, and the bell rings most nights! We’ve been happy to celebrate alongside more guests choosing to release these 30+ pound fish, recognizing their beauty and that their importance extends far beyond their meat!             

Anglers have been finding Chinook on both tides, with the ebb tide producing at Cape Naden, Bird Rock 2, and Klashwun Point, and the flood producing at Bird Rock 1, Parker Point, Yahtz Bay, and the top side. Coho have been picked off all along our inshore waters, no need to leave the Chinook grounds to find them this year! While Chinook limits have remained at 1 per day and 2 possession, anglers have found themselves with some extra time to put towards bottom fishing. Plenty of “turkey” size halibut, those in the 90-126cm mark, have been caught by those willing to thump the sand and weed through the chickens. And for those brave enough to work the tricky reef structure, some sizeable rockfish and lingcod have been caught on flat water days. With some small tides this week, and mostly light wind in the forecast, it should be a fun and productive!

Tight lines!

Lead Guide, Liam Longacre


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July 14, 2023 Tayler Fuerst0
“Fish on!”

A common phrase in the QCL anglers’ vocabulary, defining the past trip here at QCL.

It’s halfway through the season and we’re seeing consistent action on the water. There has been plenty of opportunity to land Chinook, the majority ranging in size from 9-16 pounds. Complementing the fishing, we’ve seen tons of wildlife on the grounds. Nothing beats watching a whale show in-between bites!

Recently, our days have started with a windy ride through Virago Sound and these higher winds pushed plenty of bait in! A familiar tack amongst the guides is to cruise our way up to Klashwun Point, and do the “Haida Drift”, working points down to the Mazerrado Islands.

Starting our day with a trip up to a favourite of mine, Parker Point, we were met by a few other boats aiming for a release worthy fish like us. We began on the top side of Parker, worked our way on the inside tack, in about 50 feet of water, with lines set to 27 & 37 ft. Immediately we received a hit on the anchovy. This seemed to be a multi species tool, landing plenty of Coho, Chinook and the odd Chum or Pink. We later set off from Parker to the shores of “B1”, where there was consistent action with Chinooks (10-15 pounds). Within a short 5 hours on the water, we found ourselves limited out for salmon, occasionally even trolling up the odd Halibut within Cape Naden. With large unpredictable tides, bottom fishing and finding bait can be difficult in the beginning but is manageable as you stick it out.

Just as quickly as the day started, the bite slowed signally the time to head back to the Bell Ringer to swap stories with a cocktail in hand. Another good day of fishing in the Gwaii, with plenty more to come.

Guide, Wyatt Fulthorpe

 


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July 10, 2023 Tayler Fuerst0

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 


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August 25, 2021 Duane Foerter0

We’ve been treated to some stunning moonlit nights up here for a change!  You don’t realize how seldom you see the moon until it just appears one night.  We’ve sure enjoyed it, but the big tides that come along with a full moon have a more dramatic effect.

Late August salmon fishing is typically divided between hunting along the rocky shores and kelp beds for big Chinooks or exploring the offshore tidelines for schools of migrating Coho.  The Chinooks prefer the protective cover and like to feed during the slack periods around tide changes or they’ll often cruise the current seams and tidelines picking off baitfish getting pushed around by strong tidal flows.  Tide swings of up to 16 feet this week have definitely provided those conditions!  But our guides and guests have been quite successful at finding them – the Tyee Bell has been fairly noisy in celebration! QCL guest Spencer A found a big beauty over at Slab Rock yesterday with guide Tristan O’Brian, who quickly taped the Tyee out to 43-pounds before releasing it to continue its journey to the river.  Tim G landed a similar prize off Bird Rock 1 which tipped the scale at an even 40.  Jeremy K released a 37-pounder at the Mazzaredos last week with guide Ryan Borschneck and Mike A boated a 35 with guide Colten Mochizuki off Parker Point.  Nico B didn’t make any mistakes battling his first big salmon on the weekend and celebrated at the Bell Ringer with his friends and guide Logan Allen, joining the QCL Tyee Club with a stunning 42-pound Chinook.

Offshore fishing has been no less productive, though the large number of Pink salmon passing through lately has certainly kept anglers out of their seats!  Coho have been found mainly out over the Pinnacles and on the halibut grounds.  We’re finally starting to see some of those larger, chrome bright Cohos that many of us get so excited about!  Bottom fishing times have to be carefully planned during these big tides and our guide team have that schedule very well dialed.  Most everyone manages to get their limit of halibut, and many are finding some of the larger “overs” in the 25-50 pound class, which is quite a thrill, and a serious workout! We haven’t been finding as many “barn doors” in the past couple of weeks but that will change next week when tide swings mellow to just 6 to 7 feet.

With September just around the corner, keep in mind that we’ve extended our 2021 season by 2 trips – adding a Monday-Friday trip – September 6-10 and a final weekend trip September 10-13.  There’s been so much demand this summer – everybody is loving the opportunity to escape and kick back up here at The Lodge!  If you can find a way, you should seriously consider jumping on one of these September trips – it’s absolutely the best way to finish the summer!