A Family’s Journey Through a Unusual Year: The Story of King Pacific Lodge

Wishing you and your Family a Merry Christmas

The season is upon us when we find ourselves reflecting over times past and focussing on our family and friends.  It’s also a time for us to look forward optimistically to a New Year.  It is our sincere hope that this message finds you and your family and friends well and in good health and spirits. 

As you may be aware, Lisa and I chose not to open King Pacific Lodge this year. Given the public health information, restrictions and community concerns we felt this was the responsible thing to do. We appreciate the support of so many of our valued guests and we thank you for your understanding. 

On a personal note, this was the first season since 1987 I haven’t spent time on the water while working at a fishing lodge. I missed the assembly and camaraderie of the seasonal crew, the excitement of eager fishing guests and all the amazing wildlife.

Earlier this summer my father, Jim Cuthbert, affectionately known as Papa Jim or Aqua Chief, passed away on the very day we would have opened the 2020 season. Many of our regular guests will remember him helping out at KPL over the years and we will all miss him. Jim’s engineering background and love for the fishing lodge experience made him the perfect handyman. He was influential in my early fishing interests, and we fished together on our family boat for many years while I grew up on Vancouver Island. In early September of 1982 Jim took me to my very first fishing lodge experience at Ucluelet, BC. We fished using jigs from ‘Party Boats’ along with 20 other anglers. While the fishing was good, for me it was incredible, and I couldn’t keep the big ones off my line!  This past summer I finally found an old newspaper article containing a photograph of me with the largest fish of that trip, a 37 pounder. I remember the day and the fish vividly as it was the very day that I decided I wanted to be a fishing guide! I wanted to share this photo with you because it was the pivoting moment that resulted in my enthusiasm for fishing which I still feel today.

Hunter Cuthbert beach fishing for Coho

With the suspension of the 2020 operating season, we were able to re-purpose some of our floating accommodations to essential service operations on the BC Coast. As luck would have it, provisioning remote workplace equipment for forestry and log salvage was an opportunity for our son, Fisher and I to get out on the water together. Generally, the fishing was very good on the mid and central coast of BC and Fisher landed his largest salmon ever; a 55 pound Tyee caught on his grandfathers fishing rod. Our Daughter, Hunter and I did a little beach fishing for fall Coho salmon on southern Vancouver Island. This, along with rowing for large Chinook in the world famous Tyee Pool in Campbell River were all rejuvenating. The opportunity to have these experiences was extremely valuable. I have a greater appreciation for the reasons our guests love to come fishing and a desire to ensure these trips are the very best they can be.

Heavy Fish!
Young man in fishing boat smiling with fishing poles and net.
Fisher Cuthbert Tyee Rowboat Fishing

Our business started in 2013 and we haven’t looked back. The summer of 2020 gave us a fantastic opportunity to look after so many small details within almost every aspect of our operation. Lisa’s passion for hospitality and customer service led her to work on refining the delivery of our guest experience and I worked on literally every single loose nut, bolt and squeaky hinge on the lodge!  Our eldest daughter Chloe, who is a familiar face and valued employee at KPL, spent her summer working on her university projects and I have no doubt she may be well on her way to owning her own lodge one day!

We are anxious to open King Pacific Lodge again and get back out on the water. The lodge is nearly fully provisioned, ready to go and the fleet of boats couldn’t be in better shape to start fishing!

Wising you the very best for 2021 and a Merry Christmas 

George Cuthbert

 

Late August Recap: A Huge 41-pound Tyee from Louisa Cove

King Pacific Lodge guests have been prying waters a little closer to home the last few days. Strong Southerlies have kept us close to Cheney point and Louisa Cove. Still, incredible fish have been coming in. The benefit to King Pacific Lodge is the proximity of the fishing areas and when we experience larger than usual winds we are still able to fish!

Louisa Cove 41 pound Tyee!

Chinook and Coho keep rolling in. Yesterday’s efforts in Louisa cove produced some incredible fish including a beautiful 41 pound Tyee!

Most recent fish have been taken using flasher & hoochie combinations and herring. Depths have continued to be a little deeper at 80 -100ft. Baitfish continue to be abundant and holding fish. It is at this time of year we start to see some larger Coho as well. Cheney Point gave up this beautiful 17 pounder and while most Coho are in the 10-13 pound range we anticipate more coming in closer or exceeding 20 pounds.

 

Cheney Point 17 pound Coho!

Whales continue to be a common sight and are a treat to see. King Pacific Lodge guests can look forward to Humpback Whale and Killer Whale sightings at least every couple of days.

We expect mixed weather to continue over the next couple of days followed by calm westerlies.

Should you be looking forward to a trip in the coming days we are excited to see you. Thank you to all guests who have fished with us in recent weeks!

George

 

 

 

 

Mid-August Recap: Another Great Fishing Trip!

“Wow! Another great trip!”

That’s a common phrase we are hearing from returning King Pacific Lodge guests. We’re so pleased to see so many guests fishing with us year after year. Milbanke Sound continues to produce excellent fish and lasting memories. 

During the last week we have entertained a number of family trips including youngsters out for their first fishing experience. On top of the great fishing the wildlife has been amazing. Whales, Sea Otter, Bears – all seem to be enjoying the summer as much as we do.

Fishing continues to be great along the west side of Athlone Island. Cheney, Cape Swain, Cape Mark have all been producing. Fantastic schools of baitfish and squid continue to be abundant and surely holding the fish close by. Popular baits and lures include any variety of Anchovy, Herring, Flasher and spoons either with or without a flasher. The surface temperatures are warmer than usual (Bringing with it some very odd fish such as Sunfish and Blue Shark) and we are fishing deeper than normal at 80 – 100ft. 

Winds and weather have been very tolerable. A little wind and rain have been fairly normal for this time of year and all guests have been comfortable on the water.

We’re expecting the great fishing to continue well into September. It’s interesting to note several of our very best trips over the past few years have been the last few of the season. Chinook, Coho all seem to love this area as much as we do.

Should you be booked in already, we’re looking forward to seeing you soon. And, for all of those who have fished with us so far this season Thank You! We appreciate your decision to stay with us. 

The 2020 season is already shaping up and if you have a specific date in mind for next season be sure to contact us soon.

 

George Cuthbert

 

 

Early August Recap: Birthdays, Whale Sightings, and the Neighborhood Bear

King Pacific Lodge guests have been having an excellent time on the water! Flat calm seas, great fishing, fun and camaraderie all make for an exciting vacation.

Alex the “Pop up guy” with a beautiful 47 pound Tyee

The past few days have produced some incredible action on the water. Cheney Point, Cape Swain, McGinnes Island and Louisa Cove have all been producing. Depths have ranged a little more. Fish have been found as shallow as 25ft early morning to sometimes over 150ft. Baitfish have been very abundant along the west side of Athlone Island recently (Cheney) and this has really held fish. Anchovy and flasher, Spoons and whole Herring have all been productive lures.

Exciting fireworks at King Pacific Lodge

Coho, Chinook, Halibut and Ling Cod have all been regular and abundant catches.

We’ve had some exciting times at the lodge recently. Our good friend Jack Richardson celebrated his 70th birthday and much fun was had. And, he caught a Tyee (Chinook over 30lbs) to make it even better. Happy Birthday Jack! We all enjoyed the fireworks show.

Wildlife sightings continue with Killer Whales, Humpback, Sea otter and many more. Our local resident Bear “Miso” was spotted this morning behind the lodge and decided to go for a swim across the bay in search of treats along the far shoreline.

With all the action around the lodge I wanted to take the time to say Thank-You to our fantastic crew. We have enjoyed a safe, productive summer and their efforts have been noticed by all guests. On the maintenance side of things, we’ve been

Pete and Bob ensuring KPL equipment in top shape.

working hard to ensure all boats are functioning properly and to date we have had no breakdowns on the water or downtime related to engine and boat issues.

Its been fantastic to see so many familiar faces at the lodge this summer. We’re so pleased to have so many guests joining us year after year. Thank you for the support!

Anglers who catch a Tyee over 30 pounds bang the gong!

Dates for 2020 are already filling in quickly. Should you have a specific time period in mind for next year please contact us anytime. And, the last remaining spots in 2019 are running September 01-05. This is a great time slip away for a trip before the kids are back in school!

The weather forecast for the next few days features calm seas, light southerly winds shifting to moderate westerlies. We expect perfect conditions for fishing!

 

George Cuthbert

 

 

 

 

Late July Recap: Favourable Weather & Plenty of Catches!

Guests and Crew of King Pacific Lodge continue to enjoy everything the 2019 season has to offer.

Katie icing down some nice Tyee

We have been experiencing very favourable weather and fishing conditions on top of some excellent catches! Over the past couple of weeks we’ve seen many nice Tyee (Chinook over 30 pounds) coming in with the largest being a whopping 58 pounds. Most Chinook are ranging from 15-22 pounds. Coho are increasing in numbers and are now averaging over 10 pounds.

Some truly huge fish!

Cheney Point, Cape Swain, Cheney 2 continue to be the hot spots for both Chinook and Coho salmon. A few boats have been fishing Cape Mark as well with good success. We have been fishing a little deeper lately as the surface ocean temperature has been as high as 63 degrees. Bottom fish have been plentiful and we have been fishing a nice range of areas from McGinnes Island – south to the Goose Group “Chicken” ranch (halibut)

Waiting for the bite…

All baits and lures seem to be producing for salmon. Spoons and Anchovy/Flasher have been the best. We have also had success with Mooching cut-plug herring along the shoreline.

Clifton and his 45 pound Tyee

Beautiful evenings at King Pacific Lodge

Its a pleasure to see so many familiar guests both at the lodge and on the water. Guests are often telling us what a treat it is to see so many returning crew to KPL each year. The food, new lodge decor, upgraded boats and streamline changeovers have all been recognized as vast improvements. This, we are happy to hear!

Wildlife continues to abound within the Milbanke Sound area. Killer and Humpback whales, seals, bears, sea otter and river otter are all common sights. Eagles, Osprey, Ravens and an abundance of sea birds are always around.

We’re already at that time of year where we have demand on next season dates. Should you be thinking of a trip for next year already and have some favourite times in mind please contact us anytime!

 

George Cuthbert

Discover True Happiness at King Pacific Lodge. Too Many Fish to Catch!

King Pacific Lodge guests and crew are having a great time and enjoying everything Milbanke Sound has to offer!

A happy crew with Chinook

While fishing has been a little tougher the past few days, anglers are still finding some nice fish!  Hot spots continue to be Cape Swain, Cheney Point and Cape Mark. More recently we have been fishing inside the reef and as far up as Ivory island. Thompson Bay has been a hit for those wishing to travel a little ways (22minutes).

Rose and a beautiful 43 lb Tyee

Spoons, Flasher Hoochie, Anchovy, whole or cut-plug Herring are all working well. The first-morning bite as been a little more important to those looking for the larger Chinook/King.  Coho/Silver salmon seem to be continuing to build in abundance and our largest the week was a beautiful 15 pounder.

Bottom-bouncing and jigging has produced some great Halibut, Ling and rockfish. Several boats were up north of Ivory Island this trip and all did well.

Looking forward to the coming week we expect fishing to be good and some variable weather conditions. South East winds will be bringing some stronger winds and South West winds are expected as well. Regardless of the weather we still seem to be able to get out on the water and experience excellent catches.

We’re looking forward to seeing so many returning guests in the next few days! Should you have any questions pease contact us anytime.

 

George Cuthbert

 

 

 

Dive into the Latest Fisheries and Oceans News at King Pacific Lodge

 

We have had several calls from our guests inquiring into sport fishing limits in British Columbia and how this may affect their 2019 trip.

Canada Dept Fisheries and Oceans has made some changes to the availability of Chinook/King salmon in some parts of the coast. This decision is highly controversial in nature and has resulted in tremendous hardship to similar operations who operate south of statistical Area 7, where King Pacific Lodge is located.

The short story is that these limit reductions are not necessary and were more politically motivated than for scientific or conservation reasons.

While we are fortunate to have avoided such limit changes, we want to keep our guests updated of such information and have attached a link to the ares affected.

King Pacific Guests may retain 4 chinook, 4 other salmon (most likely Coho/Silver) 2 halibut (depending on size) and a multitude of other bottom fish.

Should you have any questions regarding limits please contact me at george@kingpacificlodge.com

https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/maps-cartes/salmon-saumon/2019-chinook-quinnat-eng.html

Thank you

George Cuthbert

For further reading please visit:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/this-is-all-optical-sport-fishers-slam-dfo-s-chinook-closures-1.5119270

https://globalnews.ca/news/5498030/its-not-fair-sport-fishers-take-to-the-water-to-protest-chinook-closure/

Mid July Update: Many Wildlife Sightings & Favourable Fishing Conditions

Well, here we have it. Approaching mid-July and the fishing is simply fantastic.

KPL Katie headed to the fish room

Guests at King Pacific Lodge have been enjoying calm seas, beautiful easy skies and incredible fishing.

Less than two hours on the water! 31 pounds!

Hunter Helicopters is available to take your group for an exciting coastal tour.

The past few days have been truly perfect. Our boats have been fishing the waters of Cape Mark during the day and C
heney point during the afternoon. During the first afternoon of this trip two boats were back at the dock after landing three and four Chinook each. One was over 30 pounds! Having the chance to get into some serious fish just a couple of hours from Vancouver was a real treat.

Evening server Chloe Cuthbert welcomes you to King Pacific Lodge

Anchovies, spoons and ‘Hoochies’ are all doing well between 35 and 60ft. Recently the morning tides have been flooding until noon and providing perfect fishing conditions. Boats aren’t having to run far at all and most gusts have their gear in the water less than 8 minutes from the dock.

I’d like to share a special Thank you to all of our Lodge staff and our Fishing Guides. At a time of year when many crews may be getting a little bushed, the 2019 crew is going strong, providing great service and the smiles keep shining. Our guests consistently tell me what a pleasure it is to have such great people looking after them and we couldn’t be more pleased.

Incredible action with “Lucky Shack” fishing guide Connor Proctor

Our next trip will be running Sunday to Thursday. We anticipate calm seas for the first couple days and then it looks like 15-25knot SW winds switching to 15-25knot NW winds on Wednesday. My guess is this may be downgraded and our fishing areas will continue to be very comfortable.

“Miso” the bear trying to access KPL wifi for some online shopping

King Pacific Lodge fishing guide Jay Reid heading out on the water for another exciting afternoon

We’ve had a number of local wildlife sightings around the lodge this week. On top of our usual displays of Killer and Humpback whales, Seals, Sea Otters, River Otters, and Sea Lions we have our new friend “Miso” the bear. This medium to large Black Bear has been a common sight. While we don’t want to encourage him swimming to the lodge, a sighting on shore is sure to please.

Should you have any questions about King Pacific Lodge please contact us anytime. We’re looking forward to seeing so many returning guests this year. Thank you to all of you who have visited the lodge this season.

Regards,

George Cuthbert

Find Out Why July is the Ideal Time for a Getaway at King Pacific Lodge

A great catch for an entire family!

We have entered the month of July with continued excellent catches!

The weather has been calm and all of our usual areas have been easily accessible. Cape Mark, Cheney Point, Cheney 2 are our hot spots of choice. Spoons, Hoochies and Flasher/Anchovy rigs have been our best producers.

Chinook have been weighing in between 15lb and 22lbs with quite a few incredible tree (over 30 pounds) up to 40 pounds.

Depths range for Chinook all the way from 30ft down to 100ft. Coho have been showing an increase in numbers and we’re catching the majority of these fish between 30ft and 40ft.

I think she caught both of these.

Light, variable winds have been occasionally stronger out of the south for a short period of time. Looking forward this week we expect fishing friendly calm variable winds. If you’d like to review the weather for the coming week click on the link below.

Conor Proctor and Chloe Cuthbert with her 2019 tyee

Thank you to all of the guests who have fished with us to date! We are looking forward to so many returning guests during the remainder of this season and next year.

 

Should you have any questions about the lodge or fishing please contact us anytime!

Regards,

George Cuthbert

https://weather.gc.ca/marine/forecast_e.html?mapID=01&siteID=02300

 

 

 

 

Abundant Salmon and Record-Breaking Tyee Caught at King Pacific Lodge

King Pacific Lodge guests have been enjoying some excellent fishing!

Bob’s first fish of the day

Paul, Will and Conor waiting for the bite off Cape Mark

This past week has produced an abundance of beautiful Chinook in the 15-20 pound range. Several Tyee over 30 pounds have been weighed in  with the largest 43 pounds. Coho are showing in good numbers and we anticipate this to be an excellent year for these salmon. While most are in the 5-8 pound range we have had several over 10 pounds.

Two guests have already weighed in Tyee this morning and the word is Cape Mark was “on fire’ from first light.

KPL Lead guide Troy Hogg netting a 25 pounder

Cape Mark, Cheney Point and Cheney II have all been producing. Our guides and guests have been reporting massive schools of needlefish bait which seem to be holding the interest of the migrating salmon. The weather and sea conditions have been very favourable with the odd breezy afternoon or short term SW Winds.

A beautiful sunrise off Cheney Point

Halibut, Ling Cod and other bottom fish have been plentiful. We have been travelling a little ways for the best action on these and it has certainly been worth the trip.

The forecast for the coming week is very favourable with light to moderate winds and calm seas. For future information this link will provide our local area forecast:

https://weather.gc.ca/marine/forecast_e.html?mapID=01&siteID=02300

 

 

Its been a pleasure to see so many returning guests to the lodge this year. We are looking forward to visiting with all booked guests in the near future.

Should you still be considering a fishing trip for 2019 please contact us anytime. Several prime dates are available during what is turning out to be a fantastic season!

Kindest Regards

George