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Our Halibut record is REALLY broken this time!

So what is it with fishermen?  Why do we always want to catch the biggest fish out there? Especially on the incredible halibut fishing waters of Haida Gwaii.

We don’t have the answer to that question but over the years we sure have come to know a few of these fanatical anglers!  They are on a perpetual quest, ever hoping to outdo their best catch.  Some of these characters become fishing guides and take their quest to the next level – hoping to produce a better result every time they go on the water.

Such is the case with QCL guide Kraig (KoneZone) Coulter, a seasoned professional guide with years of experience fishing in northern Ontario, Alberta and here in Haida Gwaii.  And when matched up with guests of a similar mindset, a perfect storm of fishing effort erupts!  They are always the first on the water and the last boat in.  The weather is not a factor and the sea conditions only make them more determined.

On the weekend Kraig was fishing with a couple of fellows from Montana; Bruce Severson and George Best are two great guys that have been up here to see us several times.  They’ve shared some fabulous days on the water together. It’s no coincidence that Bruce (and Kraig) landed the largest salmon at QCL last year, a stunning chrome Chinook that taped out to 68 pounds!) Saturday afternoon was blustery, winds out of the northwest at around 15 knots and the air just a little misty.  Four kilometers offshore at Kraig’s favourite halibut hole, the sea was rolling slightly with a bit of chop on top.  High tide had passed and the ebb was underway.  They had dropped down 295 feet on either side of the boat, a traditional jig on one side and a 16/0 circle hook baited with the head of a pink salmon on the other.  While Kraig back-trolled to hold the boat in position, Bruce and George bounced the bait just off the bottom.

Bruce’s salmon head setup hooked up first, the rod dipping sharply as something far below took hold and tried to take off with it.  The take was so strong that he had to rest the grip of the 6-foot heavy action rod on the gunwale of the boat so he didn’t get hauled overboard!  Halibut tend to inhale their food, sucking it into their mouth for a taste before actually biting on.  The salmon head passed the taste test and Bruce was holding on tight as the 80 pound Tuffline surged off of the reel.  Adjusting the drag to slow it down only confirmed that they were messing with a serious fish down there!  The rod arched over the side and Bruce’s back was already feeling the strain of what was going to be a long battle!  After 15 minutes of give and take, it was time to share the load and Kraig took the rod to give Bruce a break.  He was able to get some line up but the fish was still far from the surface. George took his turn and after reeling through the 3-man roster a few times, they finally saw a huge dark shadow begin to appear below the boat.  Kraig called the Fishmaster to standby in case they needed assistance.  After 90 minutes of a hard fought tug-of-war the massive green-brown head of a giant halibut broke the surface.  The first thing they noticed was the precarious state of the big circle hook, looped through the fish’s lip like the boldest piercing.  They had no idea how that little strip of skin, perhaps a half inch thick, could hold up against the strain they put on that fishing line!  Once they’d seen the fish Kraig called on Shooter to get out there for some photos to capture the event. During the 15 minute wait the halibut began to descend and they decided not to test it too much for fear of breaking it off.  With Shooter on the scene with the camera, it took them another 30 minutes of tough pulling to bring it back to the surface.

Kraig has a bit of a reputation for catching big “butts” but this fish was extraordinary.  The head was absolutely huge and it’s wide open mouth looked like it could swallow a football!  It rolled over to its white side and suddenly the enormity of this halibut was plain to see.  As he carefully led the giant alongside the 24-foot aluminum boat, he knew that this fish was well beyond the size of any halibut he’d ever seen before. Of course, every fisherman wants to know how big his fish is and these guys were especially curious.  How do you describe a catch like this?  Fortunately there is a chart published by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), formulated from logged commercial halibut catches, that gives us an indication of the weight of a halibut based on it’s length.

The obvious challenge… how to measure a barn-door-sized fish, held on the surface by only a little hook through a thin strip of skin?  At any moment this fish could easily break off with a twist of its giant body in the water.  Amazingly, this particular giant was extremely well behaved.  Eventually they were able to get it horizontal alongside the boat and, after inconclusive attempts with the harpoon shaft, and the net handle, they decided to put a line on its tail and hopefully hold it flat.  That took some doing but finally they managed to get a rope over the tail, which was 22 inches across!  While Bruce held its tail just under the water and Kraig (with fingers crossed) managed the head with the circle hook, George used a salmon rod as a measuring stick.  Flexing the rod to follow the curve of the fish, they marked the spot on the rod and then measured with the tape.

The number they got was “off the chart” that is stocked in QCL boats so they measured again to double check.  Stretched alongside them was a halibut 90 inches in length!  Seven and a half feet!  That was a full 10 inches longer than the current lodge record fish, landed just a month earlier.  They had no idea what the weight would be but the 80-inch fish was 277 pounds.  Not until they arrived back at the lodge would the internet tell them their halibut would weigh approximately 405 pounds!

With measurements and photos completed it was time to let this big female return to the depths.  She could produce about 4 million eggs when she spawns next winter!  With Bruce on the tail line Kraig easily removed the circle hook from the halibut’s lip.  There was a moment of hesitation but once that great head pointed toward the deep there was no stopping this fish!  Like a giant spring the fish’s body flexed and Bruce’s grip on the rope let go.  The tail slapped the surface like a humpback whale, splashing water everywhere, and the rope briefly followed, singing over the gunwale as this gentle giant made her way towards the bottom.  What a fabulous moment to share on the water!  The three exhausted anglers sat back and reflected on what they had just experienced. It was the stuff of dreams, a fish they could not have imagined crossing paths with!  And yet it was over, the halibut returned to her place down below and the men left with memories and a story to share for the rest of their days.  I guess that’s what it is with fishermen.

QCL Halibut 405

 

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QCL TERMS & CONDITIONS

At QCL we strive to make every visit to our facility a truly enjoyable and memorable experience.  To enable all of our guests to enjoy their QCL experience to the fullest, we have terms and conditions which apply to all our guests and are aimed at ensuring that all our guests comport themselves in a way that is respectful of the lodge, our staff and their fellow quests.  By agreeing to participate in a trip with QCL, all guests will be deemed to have agreed to the following:

INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR

All of the staff and guests at QCL have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.  As a responsible employer and host, we believe that we have a duty to our staff and guests to protect them from inappropriate behaviour by any guest.  Inappropriate behaviour will include drunkenness, profanity, racial or discriminatory comments, unwelcome physical contact or innuendo, excess noise and any other behaviour which is rude, disrespectful, discriminatory or otherwise considered to be inappropriate by any member of QCL’s staff or any other guest.  Final decisions regarding inappropriate behavior and the appropriate consequences for the applicable party will rest with QCL’s Duty Manager.  The Lodge reserves the right to take such action regarding the party found to have acted inappropriately as the Lodge determines to be appropriate, which may include requiring the party to leave the Lodge immediately (all associated transportation costs being borne by the party found to have acted inappropriately) and where necessary involving the police or other appropriate outside agencies.  

RELEASE OF LIABILITY

QCL is a wilderness fishing lodge and guests are participating in sport fishing activities on the open ocean, all of which carry inherent risks.  All guests therefore use QCL’s lodge, boats and other facilities, as well as the aircraft and helicopters with which they travel to or from the Lodge, at their own risk, and all guests voluntarily assume all risks associated with their travel to and from the Lodge and all sport fishing activities, including all risks or personal injury, including the potential for serious injury or death, whether as a result of their own actions or the actions of QCL staff, guides, suppliers, contractors or other guests, or through other circumstances, including weather conditions.  

Therefore, all guests, by choosing to travel to and from QCL, stay at the QCL Lodge, use any QCL equipment or facilities, and/or participate in any sport fishing activities (collectively, the “Trip Activities”) and in consideration of QCL permitting them to do so:

  1. voluntarily assume all risks associated with participation in any Trip Activities, including all risks of physical injury, however caused;

  2. release Queen Charlotte Lodge Ltd. and its directors, officers, shareholders, employees and contractors (collectively, the “QCL Parties”) from any and all claims, liability or causes of action whatsoever which arise from or relate to any Trip Activities, from any cause whatsoever and whether or not caused or contributed to by any defect or other condition in the Lodge property or any dock, boat or other piece of equipment, or any act, omission or negligence of any QCL Party.  

SMOKING

In British Columbia, the Tobacco & Vapour Products Control Act prohibits smoking or vaping in any common areas of the Lodge such as lobbies, hallways, and restaurants.  QCL, as a matter of Lodge policy and because our buildings are wood frame and located in a remote area with limited firefighting facilities, also prohibits smoking or vaping within any guest rooms.  Smoking and vaping are permitted outside of Lodge buildings, as long as guests are more than six metres away from all doorways, open windows or air intakes around the Lodge.

Any breach of these smoking rules is subject to a fine/additional fee of $200, on account of QCL’s costs associated with rectifying the affected environment.

DAMAGE TO LODGE PROPERTY

Guests will be charged for all costs and damages incurred by QCL, including the full cost of rectifying any damage to any Lodge property (including boats and motors, dock structures and any Lodge building), which such guest causes either deliberately or through negligence or recklessness.  Should this damage come to light after the guest has departed, the guest authorizes QCL to charge the full amount of such costs to the guest’s credit/debit card, or send an invoice for the amount due to the guest’s address in our records.  While QCL will take reasonable steps to keep the costs chargeable to the guest to a minimum, if the damage is such that a room or boat is rendered unusable for a period of time, the guest will be liable for any loss of revenue that the Lodge suffers while the room or boat is being repaired.

REMOVAL OF LODGE PROPERTY

Guests will be charged for all costs of replacing any items that are removed from the premises by the guest without QCL’s consent or which are so damaged or stained by the guest as to be unusable.  The charge will be the full replacement amount of the missing or damaged item, including any carriage charges.  Should the fact that the item is missing or damaged come to light after the guest has departed, the guest authorizes QCL to charge the full amount of such costs to the guest’s credit/debit card, or send an invoice for the amount due to the guest’s address in our records.

TAMPERING WITH FIRE DETECTION SYSTEMS AND FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT

Tampering or interfering with any fire detection or fire suppression equipment at the Lodge is an extremely serious matter.  QCL reserves the right to take immediate action against any guest found to have tampered or interfered with any fire detection or suppression equipment throughout the Lodge, including detector heads in public areas and bedrooms, break glass points and fire extinguishers. Guests found to have tampered with any fire detection or fire fighting equipment will be charged for all costs incurred by the Lodge due to their actions and additionally may be asked to leave the Lodge. Depending on the severity of the guest actions, the Police may become involved at the Lodge’s discretion.  Should the fact that fire fighting or detection equipment had been tampered with come to light after the guest has departed, the guest authorizes QCL to charge the full amount of such costs to the guest’s credit/debit card, or send an invoice for the amount due to the guest’s address in our records.

LOSS OF PERSONAL ITEMS

None of the QCL Parties is liable or responsible for any loss of or damage to any guest’s personal property or valuables while the guest is staying at the Lodge. 

DIETARY OR ALLERGY CONSIDERATIONS

At QCL we do our very best to accommodate our guests with dietary requirements, food sensitivities, allergies and health conditions to the extent possible.  If a guest advises us in advance that they suffer from a food sensitivity or allergy or have other dietary requirements, we will endeavor to provide suitable menu or beverage options, such as gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan options.  However, QCL does not and cannot operate a gluten-, allergen- or meat or dairy-free kitchen, and cross-contamination from work surfaces, cooking utensils and other sources may occur.  Our cooking facilities and ingredients are not kosher or halal-compliant.  Many allergens such as nuts, gluten and shellfish may be present in our kitchen and we cannot ensure that cross-contamination or simple human errors will not occur.  Any guest with a food sensitivity, allergy or dietary requirement must discuss their needs with QCL staff prior to arrival at our Lodge, to determine whether we will be able to accommodate their needs appropriately.  QCL cannot accept any responsibility or liability for our guests’ food sensitivities, allergies or dietary requirements. 

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Guests are responsible for, and will pay to QCL on demand:

  1. the full balance due under their account at the end of each trip, including amounts payable under any of the above terms and conditions as well as alcohol and other purchases and staff tips charged to the guest’s account; and

  2. where the guest has booked the trip on behalf of multiple persons in a single party (a “Group”), the full balance due under the account of each Group member, if such Group member has failed to pay all or any portion of their account, including any amounts payable by such Group member under any of the above terms and conditions as well as alcohol and other purchases and staff tips charged to the guest’s account.

Guests specifically authorize QCL to charge the full amount of such costs to the guest’s credit/debit card, or send an invoice for the amount due to the guest’s address in our records.

BREACH

Management of the Lodge reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to ask any guest to leave the Lodge in the event of non-compliance with any of these terms and conditions (all associated transportation costs being borne by the non-complying guest).