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King Pacific Lodge towing to winter moorage after an excellent season

2025 Season Recap

We are well into the Fall season and reminiscing about a fabulous Summer enjoyed!

Thank You to all of the guests who chose to make King Pacific Lodge their destination of choice in 2025! We truly appreciate you fishing with us! Many of you have been with us for several trips over many seasons. It is always exciting to see both new and familiar faces at the lodge and on the water!

Thank You to the Heiltsuk People (Bella Bella) who share this amazing place with us! We enjoyed having so many of our seasonal crew come from Bella Bella.

Thank You to our full time and seasonal crews who did such a great job! Our guests reported being well looked after and seeing so many familiar faces suggested we were their second family!

Thank You to all of our  suppliers and partners who helped us in every way imaginable. From flying Fixed wing and Helicopter Aircraft safely,  to delivering fresh cut beef steaks to the airport or helping to tow and place thousands of tonnes of floating equipment to our seasonal operating areas safely – you are all appreciated.

A fishy shoreline..

Milbanke Sound is one of the best fishing destinations along the coast of British Columbia.  Fishing for migratory salmon has slight fluctuations and 2025 was one of the most consistent seasons to date. Early, we ranged the entire Milbanke Sound area and found fish at  Thompson Bay, the Chrome Dome (Mginnes Island), Seaforth Channel, Cheney Point, Cape Mark and The Notch.  The closest and most protected fishing was found in Louisa Cove and Reginald Island. Right on our doorstep! As the season progressed, Cheney Point, Cheney 2 and Cape Swain were our favourite places to fish.  Cape Mark and Ivory island picked up later in the season became the go-t0 spots for a mix of Coho and Chinook.

Happy Guests – Big Fish! Pat Dean “The Chief” at his best!

Ling cod were plentiful throughout the year. Many of our guests chose to release some of the exceptionally large lines over 20 pounds.  For those who ventured out for Halibut, there was good success. Across BC waters, Anglers may keep one Halibut up to about 30 pounds. 

The largest salmon of 2025  was a  beautiful 53.5 pound “Tyee Chinook” taken at Cheney 2. Many others in the mid 40’s were caught in our usual Hot Spots.  Several Coho topping 15 pounds were highlights of what proved to be an excellent year for Coho.  Salmon were biting all season on small spoons behind a flasher, flash flies, hootchies, anchovies and both whole and cut plug herring.  One guest tried something different and caught fish using an anchovy wrapped in a hootchie!

Along with the great fishing, guests enjoyed  spectacular weather and calm seas.  Our fishing grounds were comfortable and fishable all season long.  It was also a relatively dry, warm summer which made the days on the water even more enjoyable. All lodge departments were working together, focused on our guests and creating an incredible experience!  Of particular note, Chef Jasmine and her team provided our guests with an incredible culinary experience. Guests were delighted to have such wonderful meals after a day on the water.

Chef Jasmine – Amazing meals!

We introduced a couple of new initiatives for our guests:

CATCH AND RELEASE DRAW

We created a Catch and Release Draw. Guests, who released a Tyee (chinook salmon over 30 pounds) or a large lingcod (over 25 pounds) were entered.  We will be drawing the names soon and will announce the winners.  Large lingcod are preferable to release as the meat quality is not ideal and the larger brood stock ensures fish for the future.  Larger Chinook, particularly those heading to the Wannock River, are what legends are made of.  Most Anglers have the desire to keep and enjoy their largest fish and we are hoping to inspire those who have already caught their trophy to consider releasing the next one.

Torianne showcasing the Islander fishing rod and reel auctioned off to support the Heiltsuk Mens Wellness group

“CHIPPING FOR WELLNESS”

This golf activity raises resources for the Kaxla Mens Health program in Bella Bella. On changeover days, outbound guests participated while waiting for the helicopters to arrive.  For a $20 donation, guests took 3 shots from a golf tee mat on the dock.  If a “hole in one” was achieved, the prize is a new Shimano Technium fishing rod and Islander Reel worth  over $1000!

Congratulations  to Mark Owens, who on his third shot, hit the target and won the prize!  Generously, Mark donated the rod and reel back to the event. At a later date, this prize was auctioned off for an additional contribution. Manley Matlock was the winning bidder.  Thank You to both Mark and Manley!

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR 2026?

King Pacific Lodge is focussed on being the best in our industry. Based on our guest and crew feedback, we try to improve where we can, and particularly where we can make operations safer. The effort of maintaining the equipment and facilities annually is formidable and the cost is incredible. We value our guests and their experience has to be exceptional.

Mickey hard at work!

• All 20ft Ironwood boats will be upgraded to 200HP Mercury Seapro engines. Aside from getting to the fishing grounds more quickly, these new engines are easier to maintain and are more reliable.
• Three new Northwest Aluminum Craft 23ft boats will be built
• Renovations within the lodge will include a new gift shop and welcome centre.
• A new, floating super heated dry room will be constructed and will be accessible right off the dock.
• Two new luxury “Dockside” guest rooms, each with their own deck and beautiful view.
• Six of our first generation Northwest Aluminum Craft will be completely stripped down inside and out. New paint, Upholstery, electronics and wiring installed.
• Many guests are surprised, even after a couple of days, the lodge is actually floating! A new 240ft  Stiff Leg system (Floating Pier) will be installed along our anchorage shoreline. This is what the lodge is attached to during the operating season and will ensure everything lines up better. This will also minimize walking risk during inclement weather and a slight swell from the open ocean.
• 400 gallon per hour Reverse Osmosis water system. We currently filter water from a nearby lake to city standard however it is difficult to remove the slight gold tannin colour. While tannins are sought after in fine whisky and wine, the colour perception in tap water doesn’t quite measure up. Our new system will also reduce the cost and freight of bottled water.
• Our new Mustang rain jackets and floatation devices worked incredibly well. More for 2026!

New Northwest Aluminum Craft 23ft Boat

Fully Guided Fishing 

When George and Lisa started West Sport Fishing (King Pacific Lodge) the vision was to provide the finest fishing lodge experience anywhere on the coast. Our industry roots came from the former Oak Bay Marine, using small ships as fishing lodges. Guests fished on a self-guided basis from small boats with 9.9 engines! Over time the trend at lodges was moving toward guided fishing and this was for many reasons, primarily safety.

Double Header from ironwood 20ft Boat

With any business, the proprietors have to decide what it is they can consistently deliver. For this reason, George and Lisa have decided to focus on a trip package offering which is for Fully Guided fishing only. We have discontinued the Instructed Fishing option from our trip packages. While the reasons for this vary, the vision of being able to provide the best fishing experience has not. Guests who fish with KPL will continue to have the option of taking a boat out on their own, after typically 10 hours of guided fishing with their assigned guides.  We have invested in several boats dedicated t0 and prepared each day for self-guided evening fishing. This allows the guides to maintain their boats to a superior standard for each day. If guests would like to head out on their own after this time, our dock crew would have all day to prepare the self-guided boats with tackle, bait, and everything needed for a successful evening of fishing. And, all the next day to clean, restock and prepare the next evenings adventure.  For KPL, this provides our guests with the best quality of fishing experience imaginable. The ability to learn the waters and techniques during the day with the freedom to fish on your own in the evening.

A fun BC Bob interview with Hunter Cuthbert

WHY FISH MILBANKE SOUND?

Milbanke Sound was chosen by George and Lisa  as the remote lodge destination of choice.  The area is easy to fly to and features calm water and features productive, mixed-run fishing within two minutes of the seasonal lodge location in St, Johns Harbour. The recreational limits for Chinook have remain unchanged for the past 25+ years at 2/day and 4/possession. Due to mainly political reasons, some areas of the BC coast have seen their limits change.

A fun BC BOB interview with Hunter Gladstone

Many remote areas have several fishing lodges fishing the same waters with varying results. The Milbanke Sound area has very little fishing pressure. On the water, we share a respectful and courteous presence of our lodge boats, private boats and community fishers spread across miles of coastline. There is a “Hot Spot” for everyone and always a place to fish without anyone else around!

George Cuthbert and Jay Reid finally fishing together. Jay, from Bella Bella, is King Pacific Lodge’s longest standing (and luckiest) guide crew member and has been with us since 2014!

Bella Bella, home of the Heiltsuk people, provides an excellent transition point for our guests at the Bella Bella airport. Many of our seasonal crew are Heiltsuk and come from this community. They bring generations of traditional knowledge and share information about the areas history and lore. Our Heiltsuk fishing guides have literally lifetimes of experience. All of our guides are truly dedicated to ensure KPL guests receive the best service and adventure on the coast.

Lisa Cuthbert 778 384 3474

Lorna Landry 604 816 4671

Fishing Report Aug 15, 2025

Lisa T with a nice slab!!

Milbanke Sound is certainly living up to its outstanding reputation as the fishing continues to be strong for both Chinook and Coho salmon.  A lot of fish are being caught in our close, local spots so there has been no need to run further out to McInnes or Thompson Bay.  Cheney Pt, The Watering Hole and Reginald Island have all been top producers, and all are within 5 minutes from the dock!  Cape Swain, Cape Mark and Cheney 2 have also been hot spots.

Happy Guys!

Spoons, herring, anchovies and flasher/hootchies have been the ticket trolled between 25 and 70 ft.  Waves of coho have been coming through, sometimes making it challenging to keep your lines in the water to target Chinooks!  It’s been one of the best years in recent history for coho which are getting larger as the season progresses.  They started out averaging 5 –  7 lbs a couple of weeks ago and now are averaging about 8 or 10 lbs.  Largest of the season so far is a whopping 15 lber!  Coho are voracious feeders in the last stages of their migration and tend to grow at an average of about a pound a week on their journey home to spawn!

Chinooks have been plentiful with a fair number of tyees being caught and some being released, which is great to see!  Our Catch and Release program is creating excitement with anyone who releases a tyee (chinook over 30 lbs) or a large ling cod (over 25 lbs) being entered to draw at the end of the season for a variety of prizes!

While halibut still seem to be somewhat elusive, they are there for those willing to put in the time and of course, ling cod and rockfish have been rounding out everyone’s catch.

The weather (up till yesterday) has been nothing short of fantastic with calm seas being the norm.  However, as can be the case on the Pacific coast, Mother Nature has been in a bit of a mood for the last couple of days and we have experienced some higher than average winds from the SE, which also brings with it some wet days out there.  Thank goodness for our new, upgraded rain gear which has kept everyone as dry as possible!

Chipping for Charity!

We are pleased to introduce our “Chipping for Charity” golf activity that we started a few trips ago to raise money for the Kaxla Men’s Wellness program in Bella Bella.

Donating it back! Thanks Mark!!

On changeover days, outbound guests can participate while waiting for the helicopters to come.  We have a 5 gallon pail (filled half full of water) floating on a pallet anchored about 55 or 60 yards out from the dock.

The lucky shot!

For $20, guests get 3 shots from a golf tee mat on the edge of the dock and if they get a “hole in one”, they win a brand new Shimano Technium fishing rod and and Islander Reel, together worth  over $1000!  No need for alarm, we use floating golf balls and round them all up to use again!

Congratulations are in order to Mark Owens, who, on his third shot, hit the target and won the fishing combo!  Mark, showing his generosity, donated the rod and reel back and we will auction it off!  Proceeds will go to the charity!  Thanks again Mark…….what an incredible       contribution!

Featured Employee of the Week

We are proud to highlight Mary Williams as our featured employee this time around!  Mary is here for her 3rd season and brings her cheerful outlook and positive attitude to our dining room every day!  Born into the Raven Clan, Mary was raised in Haida Gwaii and new resides in Victoria, BC.  She will be attending VIU in Lake Cowichan, BC this winter, going to school to become a hairdresser!  Lord knows, we need that around the lodge too so that will come in very handy next summer!  Good luck Mary and keep up the good work!

It’s looking like the last couple of the weeks are going be stellar.  We still have a few spots left in the first week of September, which historically has beauty weather and produces the largest coho of the year.  Don’t worry, springs are still passing through on their way anywhere south of us and of course, the bottom fish are always present here as they are not migratory.

Reach out today and come join us for the epic end of an epic season!

Terry “Remington, the Mingler” Schultz – terry@kingpacificlodge.com

Lisa Cuthbert – lisa@kingpacificlodge.com

Lorna Landry – lorna@kingpacificlodge.com

King Pacific Lodge Update – July 15

As we move into the middle stages of the season here in Milbanke Sound, things are going really well.  Fish are being found in most of the usual haunts: Cheney Pt., Cheney 2, Reginald Island, Thompson Bay and Idol Pt continue to provide action for both Chinook and Coho.

Some pinks have started to show up, especially around Cheney 2 and Cape Swain.  Ivory Island has started to become rather consistent with probably the best bite of the season happening there this morning.

Spoons and anchovies have been the biggest producer for numbers of fish, trolled either with an inline flasher or a dummy flasher ran off of the cannonball.  Depths anywhere between 33 – 47 ft seem to be the zone where most action is coming from.  The larger fish (over 20) are mostly hitting bait, whether anchovies or herring.  However, the largest chinook of the season so far just hit the dock, and it was caught on a very unconventional rigup.  Hold on to your hats, the 35 lb beauty was caught on a hootchie stuffed with an anchovy!!!!  I never cease to be amazed by the ingenuity of some anglers!  We may have a new technique thanks to one of our guests who always likes to play around……

Halibut are out there if you’re willing to travel and put your time in.   Those who decide to spend a slack tide on the quest for halis have been rewarded with these tasty bottom dwellers.  People are also getting their fish’n’chip needs taken care of with ling cod, which are rather plentiful in the 7 – 15 lb range.

The weather has switched around from the overcast and occasionally wet patterns we experienced over the last week to sunshine the last couple of days.  Of course, sunshine brings the afternoon NW winds but thankfully, Louisa Cove and Reginald Island and Thompson Bay all provide relief from the NW and have shown to be very, very consistent in producing both chinook and coho.

Featured Employee of the Week – Raoul Billet

This week we are featuring someone who has relatively hidden behind the scenes but has greatly impacted everyone’s culinary experience here at King Pacific Lodge.  Raoul Billet has been impressing our guests with his amazing array of desserts and pastries for the past 3 seasons.  Hailing from the French Riviera and the world-famous city of Nice, France, Raoul grew up perfecting his skills in many fine hotels before relocating to Montreal, Quebec.  We are lucky to have such an amazing skill set join our team again here as he continues to contract around the world in spectacular settings like this.

KPL INTRODUCES CATCH AND RELEASE DRAW!

We are excited to announce a new program designed to encourage the release of tyee salmon and large ling cod!  We want to keep these fisheries sustainable and so we have just implemented a program where anyone who releases a tyee salmon (over 30 lbs) or a ling cod over 25 lbs, will have their name entered into a draw which will take place at the end of the season!

There will be several prizes drawn for, with the grand prize being an Islander Reel and a Shimano Technium salmon rod.  Combined value is approx. $1000.  To avoid handling the fish, we just need a picture beside the boat of the fish in the water and rely on the honour system.  Of course, it must be an intentional and willful release and won’t be eligible for a draw ticket if you’ve already limited out for the day or trip.

All in all, guests are leaving with lots of fish to get them through to next summer, when the vast majority have already made plans to come see us again!  It’s not too late for this year yet with some spots open in early September.  Give us a call or drop us a line to inquire about the September fishery or to chat about 2026.

Tight Lines!

The Mingler,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Terry “Remington” Schultz                                                                                                                                                                                        terry@kingpacificlodge.com

Lisa – lisa@kingpacificlodge.com

Lorna – lorna@kingpacificlodge.com

KING PACIFIC LODGE UPDATE – June 23, 2025

Well, the 2025 season has officially begun here in Milbanke Sound and I know people are eagerly awaiting to hear how things are going.

Great news is that Milbanke is continuing to bolster its reputation as a premier fishing destination in BC.  The Chinook salmon are definitely here and all our fishing areas from Cape Mark to Cape Swain have been producing fish including a couple of Tyee caught during the first week! The best thing about Milbanke is the close proximity to the fishing grounds.  On a high tide, Louisa Cove and Reginald Island have been steady and are only about a minute away from our dock!

A variety of small spoons, both naked and trolled behind a flasher from 17 to 50 feet down have been consistently working for numbers of chinook in the teens but it seems like anchovies behind a flasher have been producing the larger chinooks (over 20 lbs).  Coho salmon have started to show up, most in the 5 – 6 lb range with a couple of 8 and 9 pounders caught already!  Nice to see them showing up so soon!

Those who like the white meat fish have seen halibut and lings to add to their catch and will make for some great fish and chips back home!

The weather has been a mix of sun and overcast with the odd damp (well, wet) day.  Winds for the most part have allowed access to all our usual haunts. Everyone likes sunshine, but that brings with it NW winds which can chop up the water but as I mentioned earlier, the protected, flat waters of Louisa Cove and Reginald Island have been consistently producing fish if it’s a bit lumpy on the outside!

We’ve had a few visits by a pod of orcas through the waters, which is an awesome experience to behold, although it can slow down the chinook fishing for a few hours after they come through as it spooks their main prey, chinook salmon, down deep or into the kelp to hide.

All in all, we couldn’t have asked for a better start to our season and those of you who are waiting for your day to join us will be in for a great treat!  We have an AWESOME crew this year….one of, if not THE best crew I’ve seen in my 37 years in the business.

There is very limited space available for this year, but there are still a couple of rooms available sporadically through the season, so if you are thinking of a fishing trip this summer, don’t hesitate to reach out and take advantage of that!

You can call our toll free number at 1.855.825 9378, call Lisa direct at 604.503.5474 (Lisa@kingpacificlodge.com)  or contact me directly up at the lodge at 778.837.2398.   Lorna Landry is also at the lodge this summer and may be reached at 604 816 4671. (Lorna@kingpacificlodge.com) See you soon!

Tight Lines!

Terry “Remington” Schultz

Lodge Host/Sales

terry@kingpacificlodge.com

Featured Employee of the Week

We are proud to introduce Hunter Cuthbert as a first year guide this season!  Some of you may remember Hunter from our dock, keeping things running like a well-oiled machine for the past couple of seasons.

Photo of Hunter doing her first “Fish Talk” during dinner time.

Hunter has been fishing salmon since she was knee high to a grasshopper and is ready to share her knowledge and expertise with her guests and show them a great time on the water.  What a great way for her to spend summers as she is moving forward in her career with  degrees in fashion design and product design.

Pat Deane “Chief” and George Cuthbert – 35 years together sport fishing the coast!

Fisher Cuthbert and Rob Flemming welding in our new pilings

The winter season is upon us and from all at King Pacific Lodge wish you a Merry Christmas! We hope you are enjoying time with Family and Friends!

Safe winter moorage for King Pacific Lodges

We have been very busy this fall. The lodges have been stored near the Heiltsuk community of Bella Bella this winter and this saved us the long tow southbound to Campbell River. Finding moorage for the lodges is somewhat of a challenge as the main lodge is over 1100 tonnes!  To accomplish this, we had special pilings drilled into the seabed within a convenient marina location owned and operated by Bridgeview Marine. With the help of McTavish Welding, our fishing guide Jared and dockhand Fisher, we were able to get everything nice and strong to battle the fiercest of winds. And, we couldn’t do anything without the help of Rob Flemming, who with the trusty tug “Stelmar” safely tows and positions the lodges each Spring and Fall.

Our usual boat maintenance is in full swing. Many of our boats will undergo new paint, wiring and in the spring we will re-power with many new Mercury Seaporo outboard engines.  Northwest Aluminum Craft will also be putting together three more 23 ft Center Console boats which have proven to be a very safe, comfortable and popular boat for our guests to fish from. Some of our 2025 plans include a new retail area and dry room. The new Mustang Taku waterproof jackets tested in 2024 proved to be a real hit and we will have a full range of these for our guests this summer.

Lorna and Lisa have been busy ensuring new and returning guests have all the information and dates needed to plan their trips. If anyone has any questions about a booked or potential trip please contact us. And, if a date in 2025 is of interest please reach out soon!

Hunter Cuthbert with her 2024 Tyee. Big sister Chloe Cuthbert to help!

Rob Flemming and the “Stelmar” towing the King Pacific Lodge

We have communicated with many of our seasonal crew and by all accounts everyone is really looking forward to the 2025 season. Personally, I’m looking forward to the camaraderie and friendships with our wonderful crew a And, lets face it – the great fishing!

Thank you to everyone, including the Heiltsuk community, valuable suppliers, crew and guests for making this such a special year!

Wishing you the best

George