Reel Reports
Get the latest BC fishing report with our online Reel Reports – news from the front-lines of the best British Columbia salmon fishing grounds.
We update our BC fishing reports whenever possible during the fishing season, so check back often and see the top catches and hottest locations for salmon fishing in British Columbia.
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Season Wrap Up
Painter's Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa - October 17, 2008As the days get shorter and we start preparing Painter’s Lodge and April Point for winter it’s always fun looking back on the season past.
Part of my job is to introduce guests from around the world to the adventure and excitement of this area. The main stage, as always, is Discovery Passage, the bustling waterway that joins Painter’s Lodge and April Point. From fishing to kayaking and whale watching to eagle spotting, the passage is what makes our part of the world so special.
Our fishing guests started off the season right with strong Chinook fishing in May continuing on through the end of June. We launched our Spring2 salmon derby around this time and Ken Hayhurst took the top prize with a 31 lb. 8 oz. Chinook salmon.
In July and August the other species of salmon started showing up and anglers fished for a mix of Pink salmon, Coho and Chinook.
Our first Chum was caught August 25 by Ed Hutchinson and the Chum continued to put up some great fight through the end of our season.
A few notable catches include Australian Ray Jewry and Andrea Haney’s 34 lb. Chinooks, Gerry Shannon’s 65 lb. halibut (rare for Discovery Passage) and Mary Ann Platz’s 37 ½ pounder.
Throughout the year we had very little in the way of northwest winds which made for excellent fishing conditions and highly successful wildlife and whale watching trips. The southern resident whale pods tended to stay up north in the Broughton Archipelago so many of our whale watching trips made the two hour blast from Campbell River up Johnstone Straight to see them.
Our wildlife tours were especially vibrant this year with plenty of bears on the beaches, resident whales hunting seals and eagles fishing for hake all coming together for our guests. Those who chose to kick back on the resorts’ patios were also treated to their fair share of whales cruising by our front door.
All in all it was a fun-filled year in Discovery Passage. It was great meeting everyone that came through the marine centre to say hi. I look forward to welcoming you all again next year.
Dave Gosnell
Marine Operations Manager
Painter’s Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa
Tyee season
Painter's Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa - September 15, 2008Tyee rowing season draws to a close today.
Here’s a photo of guest Ed Van Der Werf with the 25 lb. Chinook he rowed with Joe Watson last week.
Dave Gosnell
Marine Operations Manager
Painter’s Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa
Whales at our doorstep
Painter's Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa - September 12, 2008Here is a fantastic photo of “Pender,” a transient Killer whale cruising past the April Point docks.
His dorsal fin is over six feet high!
Michael O’Hara
Operations Manager
April Point Resort & Spa
Catch of the Week and a Humpback Whale
Painter's Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa - September 6, 2008Another beautiful week up here at Painter's Lodge. The Coho are really running, both wild and hatchery. They're always a lot of fun to catch as they put up a good fight, even if you don't get to keep them. In these waters and almost everywhere else, you are only allowed to catch hatchery Coho, which are easily identified by a clipped adipose fin.
The catch of the week goes to Tim Still with a 28 lb. Chinook. Right behind him is Dennis Dahlhansen with a 27 pounder and tied for third is Trina Cotrer and Kurt Warisley with 25 pounders! Good job guys!
A couple of nights ago a humpback whale came right through the passage, singing his song. It was really neat because both sides, April Point and Painter’s Lodge, were able to watch and listen to the humpback as it cruised down.
The weather has been great. Really sunny, with a nice ocean breeze. We haven’t had rain for a while now, which is a nice change.
That’s all for today. Thanks for checkin’ in. Hope you have a wonderful day.
Megan Lane
Dock Supervisor
Painter’s Lodge
A Whale of a Good Time
Painter's Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa - September 1, 2008It’s been a beautiful weekend up here at Painter’s Lodge. The sun is shining, the rain has stopped and the wind has died right down.
The wildlife tours have been seeing whales numerous times. They saw them on every trip yesterday! They saw a HUGE cinnamon bear on the beach, tons of eagles and numerous deer. Everyone had a whale of good time and got some great wildlife photos.
The fishing has been good. Lots of big Chinook, quite a few of Coho, hatchery ones of course, and a little touch of pink here and there.
The fishing times have been pushed ahead one hour, as we are slowly losing light. Which I personally LOVE, since me and the fisherman and fisherwomen only have to get up at 5am instead of 4am. That extra hour sure makes a difference.
There have been some great rapids tours. The tides are ripping and waves are rolling.
That’s all for today. Thanks for checkin’ in. Hope you have a wonderful day.
Megan Lane
Dock Supervisor
Painter’s Lodge
Stellar fishing and great wildlife
Painter's Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa - August 18, 2008Fishing has been super over the past week or so with the fish cooler stocked full of fresh salmon. And the the Tyees are still rolling in! On the 12th John Rumble caught a 32.5 pound Chinook. Then on the 15th Brenda Andrew brought in a 34 pounder, and Bryan Peterson caught himself a 32 pounder on the 17th! Honorable mentions go to Steve Koffler with a 25 pounder, Steve Kwan with a 22 pounder and John Lane with a 20 pounder. Good job guys!
The wildlife tours have been great. The guests are all coming back with big smiles and beautiful pictures. There have been several bear sightings, a couple deer on the beach, loads of eagles and seals, sea lions and of course the beautiful scenery. The weather has been fantastic, super hot with a nice ocean breeze. So don’t forget your sunscreen.
That’s all for today. Thanks for checkin’ in.
Megan Lane
Dock Supervisor
Painter’s Lodge
Send to a FriendAnother Tyee and Whales Everywhere
Painter's Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa - August 11, 2008Wow! It's not only the whale watching trips that are seeing whales. Some of our guests who were out fishing got to see a pod of transient whales while they were fishing up north. There was also a pod of whales cruising down Discovery Passage a few days ago. They were quite close to Painter's Lodge, and we had a million people down here watching them gracefully swim by.
In fishing news, we got another TYEE! Veronica Gettle is the proud owner of a 32 ½ pound chinook. We love Tyees! Not only did Veronica get a Tyee but the next day she brought in a 28 pounder!
That's all for today! Thanks for checkin' in. Hope you have a wonderful day.
Megan Lane
Dock Supervisor
Painter’s Lodge
Golden Eagles and Tyees in Campbell River
Painter's Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa - August 8, 2008What a gorgeous week we've had here at Painter's Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa. The sun is shinning, the fish are biting and wildlife is out and about.
Yesterday the wildlife tour watched a baby bear eating berries up at the old gold mine. There have been several cute little ducks, mergansers actually, swimming around the mouth of the river. Today there was a great creal and shrimp show—when they get together they cause a beautiful bloom of red in the ocean. There was a rare sighting this afternoon: a golden eagle… those guys are big and powerful!
The fishing is super. The Chinook that are coming in are a good size, ranging from 12 pounds to Brian Word's Tyee (30 pounds). It's always so exciting when a Tyee is brought to the dock! The Pinks are still running so we are getting quite a few of those, too.
Well that's all for today. Thanks for checkin' in. Hope you have a wonderful day.
Megan Lane
Dock Supervisor
Painter’s Lodge
Vancouver Island Fishing Update
Painter's Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa - August 7, 2008Bottom fishing is the name of the game right now on the west coast, with some nice halibut around the 40 lb. mark spicing up the day for our guests.
Chinook sizes are holding strong, though the numbers have dropped a bit over the past few days.
The sun is shining and the wind is calm this week making our afternoon bottom fishing trips a real delight.
Tight Lines and Fish On,
Dave Martin
Marine Operations Manager, Canadian Princess Resort
Ucluelet, Vancouver Island
37 lb. Chinook in the Tyee Pool
Painter's Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa - August 4, 2008It’s finally August and the Tyee Pool is warming up. The first Tyee (a Chinook salmon over 30 lbs.) was registed two nights ago: a 37 pounder, rowed by Joe Cameron. Guides have been out there hooking them but the large Campbell River salmon have been commanding some respect and throwing our lures. On the opposite side of the spectrum the Pinks have shown up and we’re having a lot of success with them in shallower waters. Some honorable mentions go to Brian Code who caught his first salmon ever with guide Randy McKinnon, Dr. Moisey of Smithers B.C. caught a beautiful 12 lb Chinook salmon.
The wildlife tours have been seeing many bears, Pacific white-sided dolphins, habour porpoise, and Orcas. We’ve even been spotting a humpback off Cape Mudge when the seas are calm.
The fish are biting and the weather’s been fantastic—come on out and play.
Dave Gosnell
Marine Operations Manager
Painter’s Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa
