Summer 2018 Fishing Report

Longtime yearly regular guest Wendy (& husband John) & a rare sighting on the dock with her
19 lb "hook-nose" coho salmon, the largest of the season.

It is hard to believe we have already been back from the fishing lodge for over a month now. We have all settled into our regular lives but have great memories of the successes of our 35^th summer at the Rivers Inlet Sportsman’s Club (RISC). We are straight back into the office here & already getting ramped up & making bookings for summer 2019. When the Kelly Family started the Lodge back in 1986, we had no idea we would become one of the longest running & most successful fishing operations in the world. Over the years many Lodges & Resorts up & down the coast have come & gone. We have survived & stayed on top because of our unique combination of proximity to consistent world-class fishing, exceptional service & equipment & ease of 90-minute direct floatplane access from Vancouver. However, our success has the most to do with our dedicated staff & loyal customers over the past 35 years & we would like to take this opportunity for your loyal patronage.

Again we were blessed with perfect sunny weather almost every day. Having virtually no rain all summer made for some spectacular boating. We managed to not run out of water & we were very happy to finally have a break from the heat when the late-summer rains did come as they always do here in the Pacific NW. Most of the best fishing was only minutes from the lodge at nearby Wall/Dome, Kevin’s corner, Rough’s Bluff & newly named “Brent’s Bay” just south of the Bluff. We did travel 20 minutes across Fitzhugh Sound to Calvert Island when we were chasing the school of fish of just felt like a change of scenery & a boating adventure. However, the most consistent & best fishing was typically a mere 5 minutes around the corner. This afforded our guests the real quality “Sportsman’s Club Experience” where they didn’t have to travel far to find the fish & were able to conveniently come & go from the Lodge for meals, drop off their catch for timely processing to assure maximum freshness of their fish, or just take a break from the action on the water & stretch their legs or take a nap.

The largest Chinook/King salmon of the season was actually taken over near Calvert Island in Safety Cove which is typically more know for coho/silver salmon. It tipped the scales at 45 lbs (story to follow). And there were many BIG coho taken this year and lots in the plus 15 lb trophy range. The largest weighed in at a whopping 19 lbs!

The halibut fishing was just OK & as a result many anglers did not put the time in & with reduced fishing effort the catches were down. With the closure of the rock fishing for conservation more effort was put into lingcod fishing & catches were way up.  People often ask what we do this time of year & we tell them that running the lodge is just like painting a bridge. Once you finish at one end you start right back at the beginning again which we are doing now here in the office & already taking lots of bookings for summer 2019. If you have not already done so, please contact us today to make your booking for the fishing adventure of a lifetime in 2019, our 36^th season. We would be delighted to host you & your friends, family & colleagues.

Contact us anytime to make your plans.
Call 800-663-2644 or Text 604-938-3677 Email: info@riversinlet.com

Story by Guide Brent …
I remember the day well, it was really unforgettable for us all! I was fishing with Dorothy & her family & the day began with a discussion about their unguided/solo fishing trip they took the day before & highlighted that they hadn’t fished in almost 7 years. I had some recent Chinook/King salmon luck fishing the shallows in Safety Cove a 40 minute foggy morning boat ride from the lodge & asked if they would like to try this spot out & see if we can hook into a big one … the boys had a couple fish earlier, one pink (which we released) followed by a coho (which was kept) a short time later as we trolled up & down the shallow banks of the cove. Next it was Dorothy’s turn on the rod. We were fishing in 65 feet of water at a depth of 23 feet, using a white glow flasher & a 5” pearl teaser head with a herring … the rod got a hit, a much different hit from the earlier hits from the pink & coho salmon. As I picked the rod out of the holder, I knew this fish was much different, all pull. As the fish ran, I handed the rod to Dorothy & husband Edmond held onto the back of Dorothy’s jacket to keep her from falling over as this fish just ran & ran. The fight was a classic & Dorothy did as trained keeping the tip up & not taking her eyes off of it. She let go of the reel & let the fish take line when it wanted & waited to reel the slack line back as the fish began to tire. Then Dorothy started to bring the fish closer & closer to the boat, it was definitely slowing down & looked like it might be ready to net. We worked like a team that had been fishing together for years with son Kellen standing by with the net, ready to hand off to me once the fish got closer. When the fish arrived at the boat I dipped the net & bagged the fish. At that point I realized that I couldn’t lift the fish out of the water because of its size. So, I just held the fish & then with both hands & all that I had pulled it on board, the fish who had fought a valiant fight was reserved to the fact that the battle was over. The exhilaration of everyone on board (more so the guide than the guests) the husband said “you can tell this fish is big from the reaction of the guide!” I was thrilled & said “you’re gonna be wearing a crown at dinner tonight!!” Wow, they had just boated what would & probably will stand as the biggest fish they had ever caught. We hooted, hollered & everyone took at least 3 looks at the fish in the fish-well! After multiple high fives & a few more passes up & down the shoreline we went back for lunch & weighed the fish, 44.5lbs. Everyone at the lodge was gathered around to hear the story & congratulate Dorothy who had gone from a fishing novice to the elite angler of the season … we took so many pictures & enjoyed the celebration of what was an amazing memory & another huge fish for a guest at RISC … a day we all won’t ever forget! 
Brent Soby/Guide/RISC

One of our RISC traditions has been a big steaming pot of Seafood Chowder awaiting the guests on arrival. So if you have been holding your breath waiting for a copy of this recipe here it is! If you haven’t been lucky enough to sample it at the Lodge you can try making it for yourself at home with Chef Geoff’s "secret" recipe.

Ingredients
– 4 cups of any kind of fresh, cooked or smoked fish, chopped into cubes
– 8 strips of bacon, diced
– 2 large carrots, diced
– 2 stalks of celery, diced
– 1 large onion, diced
– 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cooked, peeled & diced
– 3 bay leaves
– 12 sprigs of thyme tied up in a bundle
– 1/2 pound of butter
– 3 cups of chicken stock
– 3 cups water
– 1/3 cup heavy cream
– 1 cup white wine (optional)
– 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
– Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions
In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat; sauté bacon, celery, onion, bay leaf, thyme, 1/2 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper for about 5 min or until onions start to brown. Stir in potatoes; sauté for 2 mins. Increase heat to medium-high; stir in water & bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium & boil for about 5 min or until potatoes are almost tender.
Whisk flour into chicken stock & stir into pot; bring to a simmer, stirring often. Stir fish into pot & simmer, stirring often for 5 min or until any fresh fish is opaque & flakes easily with a fork. Discard bay leaf & bundle of thyme. Stir in lemon juice & season to taste with salt & pepper & wine if desired. Add additional flour or water as needed to achieve the desired thickness. Serve with finely chopped parsley for garnish. Chef Geoff says ENJOY!