Painter's Lodge Reel Reports

The Chum have begun

Painter's Lodge - Oak Bay Marine Group — 2006-09-18

After an incredible run of Sockeye salmon, we’re just getting into the fall Chum run. They’re starting to hit the dock in good numbers and are providing our guests with some great battles out on the water. Chum salmon are an exciting and fun fish to catch due to their feisty nature. Big eyes, crazy colors and a hooked beak are all features of chum salmon. The crispness of fall is in the air and that’s just the time of the year the chum show up. So come on up and get out there for some fantastic chum fishing.

Fortunately for us, the Chinook are still around too. Many Springs in the low 20’s have been coming in over the last week and we’re hoping they stick around. Brown’s Bay and Greensea Bay have been producing for us as of late.

Our 3-hour wildlife tour this morning was fabulous. A pod of about 75 orcas were spotted by our tour and the majority of the trip was spent watching them. Whales have been spotted quite a bit lately in Okisollo and Nodales Channels. A few black bears and even the odd grizzly bear have been spotted on the beaches on low tide as well. Lots of activity up here this month and we’re still open another few weeks! See you soon.

Brian Friesen
Marine Operations Manager
Painter’s Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa

Fall Chum

Painter's Lodge - Oak Bay Marine Group — 2005-10-08

Plumper Bay, Browns Bay and Separation Head are the destinations of choice for guides and anglers this week. Our guides followed their fishy instincts and targeted this three and came back with beautiful Chum (with teeth so big you'd think they could cut through metal!).

Janet Antonishyn caught the largest of the today, weighing in at very nice 20 pounds.

After seeing a few of these nice catches on the morning tide, guests have signed up for the afternoon tide to try and get in to some Chum of their own.

Tyee fishing in Discovery Passage

Painter's Lodge - Oak Bay Marine Group — 2005-08-12

It was a spectacular morning in Campbell River as a couple rowboats left Painter’s Lodge to take part in the age-old tradition of Tyee Rowing. Melissa Francis was in one of the boats, and it was a good thing as she landed a 33lb Chinook and became a permanent member of the Tyee Club of Canada. Congratulations to Melissa for this special accomplishment.

Rowing a Tyee is not an easy task and has become a popular challenge for guests of Painter’s Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa. Now that we are well into August, fish are being hooked on almost every tide, but everyone is after those 30 lb. plus fish that give this tradition its name.

To say the least, fishing at both resorts has been great. Sockeye are open, Chum are in the area, and Pinks are thick this time of year. Pink salmon are a terrific fight on light tackle and a lot of guests are having fun using spinning rods with pink buzz bombs.

Chinook fishing has been spectacular. Chatham Point, Greensea Bay and Brown’s Bay have proven to be the most popular, but some guests have ventured to over to Hall Point and Thurston Bay and had success. The Jack Smith hoochie has consistently been a large producer for Chinook, Chum and Sockeye, and some guests had great success with large herring. And 5 ½" anchovies are popular as ever.

Other notable highlights this week include the Tyee Horn sounding twice on Tuesday evening – indicating a Chinook over 30 lbs. – with the largest being 37lbs. Also, an 18 lb Chum was caught by Steve Goldstein in Greensea Bay.

Next week, fishing should prove to be even better with some bigger tides. Everyone's looking forward to the Bute Inlet (near Hall Point) Coho opening on August 15. Locally, some big northern wild Coho have been showing up and for those of you wanting to go on an eight or ten hour trip, this is a really fun option.

Of course, with the up-coming bigger tides, Ocean Rapdis Tours are going to be great. If you want to get wet, be sure to talk to your reservation coordinator or ask us here at the resort.

Tight Lines,
Brook Castelsky
Marine Operations Manager

A Good Day at Painter's

Painter's Lodge - Oak Bay Marine Group — 2005-07-23

Here at Painter's Lodge the weather has turned awsome with beautiful sunshine. A number of fish were caught on the morning trips including a 20lb. Chinook by Brad Richer. The afternoon was bite was the hit of the day with many fish being caught in the north around Green Sea and Deep Water Bay.

All in all a good day at Painter's Lodge.

Booyah!

Painter's Lodge - Oak Bay Marine Group — 2005-07-15

The past couple of days have been really good for fishing – we' ve had scores of Chinookin the last two days, plus pinks and even a couple halibut – and the freezer's getting full.

We've also had two great viewings of killer whales right off our dock today – know that's service! Plus, the weather has been fabulous... what more could you ask for?!

Fish don't mind the weather!

Painter's Lodge - Oak Bay Marine Group — 2005-07-10

Recently in Campbell River, everyone here is asking the same question - Is it March or is it July? What a kooky bunch of weather we've been having. Fortunately the fish don't mind rain or cool weather and an increasing number of Chinook have been weighing in at 23 to 25lbs.

Our morning fishing trips produced a 23lb. beauty - congratulations to Jesse Goodsell and to Robert Thorp with another 20lb. silvery Chinook. There have been lots of boats out fishing for 8 hours so we have high expectations!

Tight lines!

Discovery Passage Update

Painter's Lodge - Oak Bay Marine Group — 2005-06-29

A quick report today...

Browns Bay and Deepwater have been the most popular and productive places to cast a line that past few days. Frank Pogline, a guest at April Point wins the catch of the day for a twin set of 15 pounders. Congratulations, Frank!

Discovery Passage Update

Painter's Lodge - Oak Bay Marine Group — 2005-06-26

Fishing is hot in the Passage right now. A 39 pound Chinook just weighed in, and now the fishermen are all trying to beat that one!
Fish coming to dock have been beauties - nice, solid, silvery chinooks - many of them over the twenty pound mark, and sparkling with chrome. A wide variety of tides have been productive, with guides try their skills at various fishing spots in the area..... the Lighthouse still seems to be the favorite (depending on the tide) and Browns Bay, Deepwater Bay, Greensea Bay and Chatham Point have all had good fishin'. The weather is still slightly unpredictable but variety is the spice of life they say!
Our low tides lately have been great for the Ocean Rapids Adventure Tours - it's one of our most popular attractions. Book early if you want to experience this thrill ride!
~More reel adventures in the making as you read this!~

~meg~

Campbell River Update

Painter's Lodge - Oak Bay Marine Group — 2005-06-23

It was beautiful weather yesterday at Painter's Lodge and April Point, and fishing was hot!

Guests were catching Chinook in the high teens and into the twenties, and one lucky angler, Mr. Lindeleaf, limited out after only an hour!

Women's Derby

Painter's Lodge - Oak Bay Marine Group — 2005-06-21

It was quite a weekend with the ladies here for the 13th Annual Women's Fishing Derby! A rainy start didn't dampen the enthusiasm and there were some fabulous fish brought to the cleaning table. The winner this year was a silvery 26 lb. Chinook and there were several others close to that size. The most bizarre catch has to be a 48 lb. halibut - the second of the season! - I wonder if there was a special prize for that catch?! The guides fished various favorite spots and all were producing Chinooks for our ladies - the Lighthouse of course, and Brown's Bay, Deepwater Bay, Greensea Bay, and some secret spots that I couldn't pry out of those wily guides! All in all a very successful and busy weekend - the ladies seemed happy as always and are already making plans for next year's derby! Stay tuned for more reel info..... ~meg~