Fishing Lodges - Rivers Inlet - Hakai

easydoesit

easydoesit

Active Member
A Bucket List item for me is to fish one of these areas. Plan to go solo and am seeking some advice. Looking for a memorable experience with some Chinook over 25 lb. not fussy about food or accommodation. Worked in marine industries for over 15 years before retiring, so I’m comfortable on the water, experienced fisherman & boater. Not looking for 12 hour days on the water. Prices on web sites are affordable.

I have found members on this site to be extremely knowledgeable and helpful in the past. Thanks in advance for your suggestions and recommendations.

Questions are:

1. Guided or unguided? - I mostly troll bait/hoochies/spoons for Chinook, find single handed playing & netting a challenge. used to 2 person team (rodman & netman)
2. Adequate Boat size? some lodges offer 19 ft open boats, others 25 ft Gradys
3. Best timing?
4. Lodge recommended? & reasons

Thanks

Phil
 
1-unguided-can't see paying extra to watch someone else fish especially someone with less experience than me

2-19 is lots but remember they're measuring to the back of the motor

3-Hakai last two weeks of July/first week of August

4-Ole's or Joe's

I don't recommend Rivers because while you do have a shot at a xxxl size model you'll also spend days just washing tackle not my idea of fun

Looking for a memorable experience with some Chinook over 25 lb....Not looking for 12 hour days on the water.
Click to expand...
INMSHO that's a mistake-Chinook populations are in a state of collapse and you need to work harder than ever these days.

(let the fun begin!).......
 
Dogbreath gives good advice. Even if you go unguided you’re usually a member of a fleet of boats with a lead boat guiding the fleet. Not a bad idea for safety—-Hakaii can rock some sporty conditions and it’s good that they keep a close eye on the unguided boats. And I can confirm that although the Hakaii area is a stunningly beautiful part of the coast, the “good old days” seem to be behind us as far as numbers and size of chinook go. I know those waters reasonably well and you really have to work hard to make it happen for springs.....

Coho? Well, thank the Lord the coho runs seem to still be pretty strong because from what I see year after year, if it weren’t for those coho there’d be some long faces in both the Ole’s and Joe’s fleets, even when the boats are guided.

And from a technique standpoint, it’s also been my experience that the boats that are the most productive for springs seem to be the guys mooching cut plugs tight in along the rocks with a few ounces of lead. I do get them on downriggers but you have to be super-vigilant on your depth.

Case in point: Last season I hooked a nice spring literally within the first 5 minutes of the start of my trip fishing at Hakkai (a first for me....usually it’s a loooong grind). I lost the fish, re-baited, dropped the downrigger ball back to where it happened and as I surfed down the face of a swell, the ball hung in the rocks. Before I could correct, on the way back up my SCotty broke off the swivel on the gunnel and went overboard....... not a great way to start my season but par for the Hakaii course
 
easydoesit said:
A Bucket List item for me is to fish one of these areas. Plan to go solo and am seeking some advice. Looking for a memorable experience with some Chinook over 25 lb. not fussy about food or accommodation. Worked in marine industries for over 15 years before retiring, so I’m comfortable on the water, experienced fisherman & boater. Not looking for 12 hour days on the water. Prices on web sites are affordable.

I have found members on this site to be extremely knowledgeable and helpful in the past. Thanks in advance for your suggestions and recommendations.

Questions are:

1. Guided or unguided? - I mostly troll bait/hoochies/spoons for Chinook, find single handed playing & netting a challenge. used to 2 person team (rodman & netman)
2. Adequate Boat size? some lodges offer 19 ft open boats, others 25 ft Gradys
3. Best timing?
4. Lodge recommended? & reasons

Thanks

Phil
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what's happening this year with covid but I would book with King Pacific lodge in Milbanke Sound as my #1 choice
Joe's Salmon Lodge in Hakai as my second
Both lodges are very close to the fishing grounds and offer a chance to catch a fish of a lifetime as the River's Inlet fish swim past their doorsteps.
I have been to both lodges a number of times and both have their attributes depending on what you are looking for.
 
easydoesit said:
Thanks DB - what would be the best time fishing out of Nader Harbour for Springs?
Click to expand...
For numbers + good chance at a tyee last week of July/first two weeks of august . First week of august is when I aim to get up for my annual guiding stint . Leave the gear at home and soak cutplugs or whole herring in tight at cape naden or snake rock ( what qcl refers to as “ bird rock 2 “ ) . Last year around that time was as good as I’ve seen it in years for 18 - 25 lb fish , decent amount of tyee caught every day in the 30 - 35 lb class , and a handful of 45 lb fish in the week I was there ( this is guiding at peregrine , adjacent from QCL ) . Good friend of mine Ryan Winger should still be capt of the driftwood, great guy, lots of fun and a hell of a fisherman ( just don’t tell him I said that ) .
 
easydoesit said:
Thanks for the informed input and suggestions. No better intel than intel you get from people who have been there and done it.

I have booked with North King Lodge in Caamano Sound.

Again, thanks guys.
Click to expand...
That is a great choice Cheney point. I run my boat up there every year. The lodge is 5 minutes from the tack.
 
easydoesit said:
Thanks for the informed input and suggestions. No better intel than intel you get from people who have been there and done it.

I have booked with North King Lodge in Caamano Sound.

Again, thanks guys.
Click to expand...
Fished there lots ..love it up there .. pm if you want any info :)
 
easydoesit said:
Thanks for the informed input and suggestions. No better intel than intel you get from people who have been there and done it.

I have booked with North King Lodge in Caamano Sound.

Again, thanks guys.
Click to expand...

Great choice! Your going to love it up there. What dates did you get?
 
Dogbreath said:
1-unguided-can't see paying extra to watch someone else fish especially someone with less experience than me

2-19 is lots but remember they're measuring to the back of the motor

3-Hakai last two weeks of July/first week of August

4-Ole's or Joe's

I don't recommend Rivers because while you do have a shot at a xxxl size model you'll also spend days just washing tackle not my idea of fun


INMSHO that's a mistake-Chinook populations are in a state of collapse and you need to work harder than ever these days.

(let the fun begin!).......
Click to expand...
Hakai...only recommendation is Joes....now it's blue collar unguided ...but small whalers you're not going far....Doug is a good operator.....i have not been there but from what i see....the lodge is just a place to sleep and eat and if you can hook up a 6 or 8 oz wait and run to the areas you should do well..Much prefer these guys than anything in Rivers inlet....iCalvert island is just close to Rivers...same fish.
 
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