Southerly winds have given QCL guests some glassy calm seas to enjoy this week and they’ve certainly taken advantage of them!  Having lodge boats scattered all over the fishing grounds confirms every time that there are just so many great options out there for the adventurous angler!  The guides have identified numerous favourite spots in the offshore zone where they’re finding excellent opportunities for halibut, lingcod and yelloweyes.   Improved sounder technology has helped us “see” structure down 200+ feet that we never knew was there!  Now that we’re releasing all those big breeding halibut over 70 pounds we’re catching more of the prime 25 to 45 pounders that are so perfect for the freezer.   It’s especially good when they go home in beautifully vac-packed 1 lb. chunks from our licensed fish processing facility!  Our guests enjoy quality packed fish all year long.

But it’s mighty exciting when you drop your jig down 220 feet and quickly hook up to a fish the size of a door!  That happened to Alan J and Edison K while fishing yesterday with veteran guide Jackson Jane.  Sharing turns on the rod through a 45-minute battle they finally got “eyes-on-the-prize” when a massive halibut came alongside the boat.  With some effort they were able to tape the huge female out to 192 cm for an estimated weight of 230 pounds!  That’s more than 6-feet long!  And the beauty of it is that they swim away with such vigour!  Most of them make sure you get a good soaking in the process!  Well done lads! (Stay tuned for pics!)

Chinook salmon fishing has turned up the volume nicely this week with some very impressive catches recorded at the Bell Ringer.  We’ve added 3 new members to the QCL 50-Pounder Club in the past 3 days!  After first-timer Danny B started his QCL experience with a a 50-pound beauty on Monday, long-time QCL angler Ted W landed a 51 on Wednesday morning.  Ted likes to release his big fish but unfortunately this one had damaged the gills and guide Jordan Grames had to keep it on board.  What a gorgeous salmon guys!  Congratulations Ted! 

And on Wednesday evening Gabrielle K had better luck with her release of another beautiful Tyee that taped out to just over 50 pounds, watching it swim away with nice strong strokes of its big spotted tail!  Awesome!