Archive for year: 2017

As we approach 2018, we would like to wish all our guests, crew and suppliers the very best for the Christmas Holiday and New Year. 2017 was a huge success for King Pacific Lodge and we’re looking forward to 2018! Thank you to all who have been guests at King Pacific Lodge. We very much appreciate your support!

Since the end of the season, we have been working hard to ensure the King Pacific Lodge guest experience is better than ever! After our fourth season of operation, we towed the lodge and staff barge south to Vancouver Island. Here, the lodge will undergo several operational improvements. Our fleet of custom made fishing boats have also been brought down and will have upgraded electronics, paint and engines. The King Pacific Lodge facilities require a tremendous amount of maintenance and we must ensure we are entirely self-sufficient during our operating season. Aside from the fishing tackle and boats, this includes everything from power generation, fuel storage, water filtration and all kitchen equipment.

The 2018 season planning is underway and we’re looking forward to seeing so many new and return guests. Many of our experienced crew have contacted us and have confirmed their desire to spend the summer again at Milbanke Sound. We have several, exciting new crew members joining us and all looking to get back on the water!

We have attended several post season meetings with Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans. British Columbia’s Central Coast, where Milbanke Sound is located, provided the very best fishing opportunities on the coast in 2017. We anticipate this trend to continue and expect very good fishing in 2018.

Operationally, we will be changing our air transportation to and from Vancouver. Ensuring our guests are arriving and departing on time is paramount and a larger, single aircraft “Dash 7” option has presented itself to transport all guests. Having such great fishing sometimes increase our outbound weights and our goal is to ensure all guest’s fish and baggage arrive with them, on time at the end of a great trip! The popularity of King Pacific Lodge has proven to be far greater then we could have ever imagined.  Built for 34 guests only, we feel this is the perfect size adventure lodge and where we’re able to spend quality time with our guests in an uncrowded, attentive environment.

Should you be looking for that special trip in 2018, please contact us soon.  Again, from all of us at King Pacific Lodge we wish you the very best for 2018 and look forward to staying in touch!

Kindest Regards,

George Cuthbert

August Anglers have had an incredible time on the water! Exciting Coho action has complemented our great Chinook fishing. Add to this the relatively calm waters and overall pleasant weather for a truly enjoyable sport fishing vacation.

Highlights of August include many Tyee (Chinook over 30lbs) including the largest to date at 60 pounds taken by Casey and guided by Mark. Congratulations! Coho tend to be quite a bit larger at this time of year. We’ve had many now well over 15 pounds with the larger in the 18 pound range.

Cape Mark, Cheney Point and Cape Swain continue to produce good numbers of fish. 45 ft seems to be the right depth and trolling Flasher Anchovy, Flasher Spoon or, as fishing guide Troy Hogg found out – a piece of celery placed correctly in a teaser head will catch a fish!

2017 has proven to be our best season to date. Fishing has been superb and we’re looking forward to more exciting action as we roll into early September.

Kindest Regards,

George Cuthbert

August is well upon us and Anglers at King Pacific Lodge have been enjoying both excellent fishing and weather.

Chinook/King salmon action has been far better this year than previous. Coho / Silver salmon continue to be more and more abundant with excellent average sizes topping 12 pounds.  This past week provided some notable large Tyee (Chinook over 3o pounds) including several in the 40’s and mid 30’s. Our largest last week was 43 pounds!

Have a great time with family or friends at King Pacific Lodge

Cheney Point, Cape Swain and Cape Mark have all been top producers. The flasher / Anchovy combination has been working very well this season, we’re starting to catch quite a few on either whole herring or cut-plug baits. Depths appear to be a little shallower on average and the lucky depths of 37 / 47ft seem to produce the best. This is a great time of year to try “mooching’ whereby a bait is fished behind a 6oz weight without the use of a downrigger. The custom “KPL” Irish cream spoon from Gibbs/Delta tackle has been working very well when trolled behind a flasher.

All fishing areas are showing a healthy population of baitfish including herring, needlefish and squid. At times, bait-balls are 100ft deep and often spread out over the water hundreds of feet. Herring are typically smaller this year and we’re finding most to be 4 and 5 inches at the cleaning table.

“Fish Finder” showing massive schools of baitfish

KPL Anglers continue to comment on the quality of fishing experience at Milbanke Sound. Our exclusive location provides a productive fishing area with very little pressure and the ability to find miles of coastline to fish all on your own. All within five minutes away!

King Pacific is so much more than fishing! Enjoy Chef Luke’s amazing meals during your stay, go kayaking, rowing or utilize our spa now featuring two RMT (Massage Therapists). Marine nature viewing opportunities are endless. Killer, Humpback and Sei whales were all viewed this week along with Sea Otter, Sea Lion, Seals and an abundance of bird life.

For those guests who fished with us in 2017, it was a pleasure to see all of you out on the water! We’re already booking for 2018. If you were sadly unable to fish this year due to lack of availability please email or call early for next season and we’ll do our best to find space during your preferred dates. 

Kindest Regards,

George Cuthbert

Great Fish!

Early July is upon us and the we’re enjoying great weather and excellent fishing.

The past week provided calm northwest winds and easy, comfortable access to all of our fishing areas.

Chinook and Coho salmon appear to be in very good abundance this year. KPL opened June 12 and Anglers have been experiencing consistent catches at most of our regular fishing locations. Several of our larger Chinook almon have been over 40 pounds with the largest being 46. The largest Coho to date was caught just yesterday at 15 pounds. Cheney Point, Cheney 2 and Cape Mark have been hot spots. Popular baits have been both anchovy and flasher or flasher and spoon – anywhere from 40 to 80 ft deep. We’ve been noticing 4 – 5 inch herring, squid and needlefish in the bellies of the fish we are cleaning. It’s usually at this time of year where we start to fish a variety of different “hootchies” (artificial squid baits). These can produce incredible results and are easy to fish.

Wildlife encounters have been numerous. Killer and Humpback whales, Porpoise, Sea Lions and Sea otters are all a regular sighting. Many guests are choosing to take our our ocean kayaks for an evening paddle. Our 17ft Tyee rowboats have also been outfitted with 6hp Mercury outboards and we’re looking forward to our first Tyee Chinook (over 30 pounds)  to be taken while rowing. If you’re visiting KPL this season we hope you give this historic form of row boat fishing a try.

Its always a pleasure to see so many repeat guests who book with us each year. Both new and existing guests often comment on the calm, protected waters and the fact there are no other fishing lodges in the area. Our fishing grounds are very close to the lodge and unlike other areas, not crowded with too many boats.

If you’re visiting KPL this year,  plan on some great fishing and camaraderie among friends. We’re looking forward to seeing you.

Regards,

George Cuthbert