Early August at Milbanke Sound

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We are having  a great season at King Pacific Lodge!

Fishing continues to be very good and the weather has been unbelievable. Calm seas, sunny skies -mixed with short periods of heavy cloud, fog and rain. Ok, so. not always sunny. And, yes sometimes not always calm. Always fishable.

Most of our fleet fishing for Chinook and Coho have been having very good luck on the north side of Cape Swaine, Cheney Point and Cheney 2. Standard depths have been in the 35-55ft during the tide changes and 75-85ft during the running tide.  We have an excellent supply of both Herring and Anchovy baits however most of our action has been on artificial baits such as hoochies and spoons. Seems anything green/white or Chrome/Copper is working well. Best part is, we are only fishing 5-10 minutes from the lodge.

Bottom fish have been abundant. Excellent catches of Ling Cod seem to be regular along with some very nice Halibut. We venture about 30-40 minutes out for these fish and have been fishing 250-350ft.

We enjoyed watching some youngsters on the dock last trip catching squid! Our fish processing and washing creates un resistible treats fort the squid and they have been coming in thick around the lodge.  Squid have been swimming around the lodge and even Chinook salmon have been seen gorging themselves first thing in the morning.

Guests are reporting a very pleasurable stay at the lodge this year. The evening fire pit has been alive with excellent fishing stories. The meals created for our guests have been well received.

As always we appreciate the continued support of all our guests. We look forward to seeing so many more guests this coming season.

George

 

 

 

 

Mid July at Milbanke

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Fishing continues to be excellent! The weather has been great, seas calm and we do not anticipate this changing in the coming days.

Most of our salmon effort has been along the west shore of Athlone Island. The north side of Cape Swain, Cheney 2 and Cape Mark have been the popular spots for both Chinook and Coho salmon.

Green/White spoons run behind a flasher and/ or Anchovy run behind a flasher seem to be the baits of choice for Chinook and Coho. Guests at lunch today, reported their boats playing over a dozen fish. While not all are kept, some very nice fish have been weighed in with Chinooks being in the 15-20lb range typically and Cohos in the 8-10lb range.

Bottom fishing continues to be really good for Ling Cod and for those venturing out, some really nice Halibut have been coming in.

There appears to be an enormous amount of feed within our immediate fishing area.  Needlefish and Herring seem to be abundant as the fish are gorging themselves on these baits.

Of particular mention are some nice big fish we continue to see.  Last trip we had many Chinook over 30lbs with one of the largest estimated at 38lbs released. The largest kept was 42lbs.

“Tyee” is a Chinook over 30lbs. Many “Cry’ees” just under 30lbs have been coming which don’t quite meet the Tyee status. Still. awesome fish!

As usual, our local. wildlife has been providing some entertainment. Yesterday we were visited by a pod of Orca, two Humpback and sound of sea otters cracking shells on the water is common.

We are pleased to have had so many positive comments about the food and accommodations at King Pacific Lodge. After a great day on the water we are very proud of the comfort we have been able to provide. Of particular mention is our new “Copper House” lodge located adjacent to the main lodge featuring private dining and accommodation for groups up to 1o.

We are having a great time and look forward to seeing all of the new and returning guests to King Pacific Lodge!

Tight Lines!

 

George

 

A great start to the season!

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Welcome to 2023!  King Pacific Lodge opened at Milbanke Sound in late June and we have been having a great time. We are looking forward to the arrival of all of our regular and new guests!

The salmon have been biting, the weather incredible and our seasonal staff have been fantastic!

Chinook have been biting first thing in the morning and on the tide changes. The very day we opened a beautiful 42 pound Tyee was weighed in. This has been followed by several more in the 30’s and today we had a nice 44 pound Tyee. Generally, Chinook have been running 15-22 pound size range and it seems fish over 30lbs are on the dock several times each trip.  Coho have been showing in good numbers. These are ranging from 8-12 pounds.

We are seeing good environmental signs on the water. Baitfish are very abundant and the salmon coming in are full with mature herring, juvenile herring, needlefish and squid. Their bellies are full and the fish have been in great shape.

Salmon have been biting on our regular baits of Flasher/Anchovy or Flasher/Herring. Our go-to green spoon has been very productive as well. Depths have been ranging from. 35-50ft first thing in the morning and up to 90ft later in the day. Cape Mark, Cheney Point and the north side of Cape Swaine have been popular spots.

Many of the guests are tagging out on salmon right away and choosing to try for other species. Good luck has been found with Lingcod and Halibut. Lingcod particularly have been in excellent numbers.

We are all having a great time this year and are already booking for 2024. As usual, June fishing has been excellent and those dates for 2024 are already filling in.

Contact us anytime!

 

George

 

 

 

Bring on 2023: Looking Forward to Excellent Fishing

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We hope this post finds you in good spirit, good health and as optimistic about 2023 as we are!

2022 was a fantastic season for us at King Pacific Lodge. Our guests enjoyed excellent fishing and the weather really could not have been better!

As we look forward to next season, we often reflect on how challenging it must have been for so many during the past few years. We feel fortunate to have operated after two years of our Covid related closure.

Our new “Copper Lodge” proved to be a huge success and many guests are requesting this new accommodation unit for their future trips. Building this facility was a challenge and it has certainly paid off.

On top of our regular maintenance we are building several new boats to add to the fleet. We want to have the safest, most comfortable boats on the water and our commitment is to keep improving.

So many guests, staff and suppliers supported us and to all – Thank you.

Should you be thinking of a personal or corporate trip for 2023, we would love to have you fishing with us! Please reach out anytime as space for 2023 is soon to be in short supply.

From all of us at King Pacific Lodge – we wish you the very best for the Holidays!

George & Lisa Cuthbert

 

 

 

2022 Wrap Up:

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2022 Wrap Up: Fantastic Fishing, Great Guests, and a Caring Crew

That’s a wrap for 2022!

Thank you to all of the fabulous guests, crew and service providers who made our 2022 season a success!

We are currently onsite at St.Johns Harbour awaiting to tow the main lodge south for the winter. The boats are all ready to go into our winter refit and we are already servicing our fishing tackle, rain gear and equipment for next season.

Fishing continued to be great well into September and we continue to enjoy great weather and calm seas. September provided exceptional Coho fishing and there were quite a few nice Chinook around as well. Hot spots were Cheney Point, Cape Swaine and Ivory island. As we entered the last part of August we started to see a lot more herring bait balls in the ocean. At the cleaning table we also noticed a lot more herring. Still, popular baits were Hoochies, Anchovy and Spoons.

Wildlife including Humpback and Killer whales, Sea Otter and seals are still a common sight.

As we reflect on such a fun season, so many guests and crew tell us they are already looking forward to next year. We will be continuing to make King Pacific the best salmon lodge on the coast!

Should you be thinking of a trip for next year be sure to stay in touch. We would love to see everyone again in 2023!

George Cuthbert

 

 

 

Aug. 23 Recap:

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Aug. 23 Recap: Whopping, 38-lb Tyees and the largest Coho Yet

The bite is certainly on at King Pacific Lodge!

This past week has produced some truly exceptional fishing. The weather has been beautiful with flat calm seas. We have been accessing all of our favorite fishing areas and having tremendous success.

Chinook and Coho salmon have been abundant very close to the lodge and within Louisa Cove, Cheney Point, Cape Swain and Cape Mark. For those who like a little adventure we have also been running out to McGinnes Island. Halibut and Ling Cod have been coming in steady.

Anchovy & Flasher and almost any type of spoon has been working the best. Generally,  the fish are between 40 and 80ft depth.

Highlights of this past week include several nice Tyee over 30 pounds. Just this morning a nice 38lb came to the dock along with the largest Coho of the season at 15 pounds. As we enter September I expect the Coho to be averaging about 13 pounds and some should be as high as 20. There is already an amazing abundance of Coho and this should be one of our best seasons for these beautiful fish.

As one would expect for this area, Humpback whales, Sea Otters, Seals and some Sea lions are an added pleasure to experience on the water.

All is good at King Pacific Lodge! The food, camaraderie, and overall experience here at Milbanke Sound makes this for great memories. Should you still like to fit in a trip this summer we are still booking into early September. And, should you already be thinking of next year we would love to book you into your preferred time period.

Tight lines

 

George

Mid-August Recap: Catching Chinkooks, Cohos, and Waves

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Hello Anglers

Fishing continues to be really great at King Pacific Lodge.

Popular spots over the past couple of weeks have been Cape Mark, Cheney Point, Cape Swain and Ivory Island. The majority of Chinook salmon have been taken on Flasher Anchovy and seemingly any type of shiny spoon in the 4-5inch range. We continue to see an abundance of needlefish bait and so the Anchovy and spoons have been working well. Depths have come up a little and most are fishing the 40-50ft range.

Coho salmon are increasing in abundance and size this time of year. We are already seeing 15 pound Coho and Ivory Island and Cheney point have been the hot spots.

We have seen an abundance of interesting wildlife this week including Humpback Whales, Killer Whales, Sea Otters and even a Grizzly Bear on the shoreline.

This is a great time to say Thank You to all of the guests who have visited us this season! So many of you hung in there with us and supported our business through the two years we were closed due to Covid. We very much appreciate being able to operate in this beautiful part of the world and to provide these experiences to you.

If you are still thinking of a trip this year we would love to see you! Early September can be an incredible time of year to try fishing Milbanke Sound. And, if this year is not possible please contact us soon for 2023 availability.

Tight lines

 

George Cuthbert

 

Late July Recap: Calm Seas, Fair Weather, and Lots of Fish

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Hello all

We are well into the last part of July and having a wonderful time. Milbanke Sound continues to be such an incredible location for fun, friends and fish!

The seas and weather have been very favourable since the beginning of the season. The past couple of weeks have provided clear skies, calm mornings and some windy afternoons as winds pick up from the North West. Regardless, we always seem to have a place to fish and plenty of boats have been enjoying afternoons at places like Thompson Bay. This location allows easy fishing for those blustery afternoons.

Many of the guides have been venturing out to exciting ares such as McGinnes Island and Ivory Island. These have been the hot spots for salmon in recent days. While Cheney Point and Cape Swain continue to be our favourites, the fish seem to be a little more scattered right now.  Generally, fishing has been good. Chinooks are running in the 12-20lb range with several in the mid to high 20’s this past trip. Bottom fish continue to be abundant. Ling and Halibut have been regular catches. Cheney produced some nice Coho in past days as well. We are starting to see some larger ones in the 13-15lb size range.

We’re looking forward to moving into the August fishing. This is an exciting time of year when migrating Chinook and Coho continue to fatten up as they travel south.

Our crew has been doing exceptionally well and we have been very pleased with the positive comments from our guests. The food has been incredible, great guides, service staff and deck hands. We are all very pleased to be up and running.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dates for 2024 are already a common question. Should you be thinking of a trip for next year we would love to discuss.

Take Care,

George

July 2 Recap: Fishing Hot Spots — Cape Swain, Cheney Point, and Ivory Island.

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We are having a wonderful time at King Pacific Lodge! The weather, fishing, and sea conditions have been absolutely fantastic.

Hot Spots for the week include Cape Swain, Cheney Point, Ivory Island.  There have been several trips to McGinnes Island.  Popular lures have been the Gibbs, Skinny G spoon, flasher / anchovy, and flasher / green Hoochie.

Salmon have been in the 12-20lb range with several in the high 20’s. Halibut have been in good numbers with several in the 50 – 60 pound range.

From all report, our crew is doing a fantastic job. It feels so great to be back at Milbanke Sound.

We are looking forward to seeing all of our booked guests! We are a little behind on getting pre-trip and flight information out. Please bear with us and we’ll make sure you are on the flight!

2022: The First Fishing Season in 2 Years Begins Now!

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Welcome to King Pacific Lodge 2022!

We hope you, your family and friends are all doing well. Thank you for checking in on us.

Finally, after two seasons of some very difficult waiting, we are up and running! The fish are biting, the whales are jumping and we are excited about this season.  Chinook salmon have been in good abundance with the largest being 38 pounds. Coho salmon are in as well. With the calm seas, Halibut and Lingcod have been steady. The weather has been great and allowing access to all of our favourite fishing areas.

Our crew is looking forward to all guests booked for 2022. We have been fortunate to retain so many familiar faces at the lodge.

We are now looking after our third group of guests and the reviews on our food, accommodation, boats and fishing have all been very positive. Thanks to all who have visited to date.

Please continue to monitor our posts for fishing reports and exciting news from King Pacific Lodge.

 

Thank you

 

George Cuthbert