Monthly Archives: December 2020

Haa-Nee-Naa Lodge Newsletter 2020

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In this Issue …

It seems quite shocking that it is already time to sit down and write a newsletter! This past year has felt surreal. Such a whirlwind of effort and emotions towing and getting set up on Dundas and then back again – these are distant memories already and 2020 isn’t even over! ‘Don’t count your chickens before they hatch’ is what my dad used to tell me. Clay prefers to remind me not to ‘high-five’ too soon. In either case, we got too excited about the 2020 season too early and it jinxed us – and possibly the rest of the world!?! The stage was set for what was to be our busiest season in recent memory, but as we all understand now, COVID-19 changed – and continues to change – everyone’s plans.

After many weeks of uncertainty last spring we decided, with the support and encouragement of so many of you, to forge ahead with the season. Looking back, we feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to open our doors and to do what we love – even if it was just for a few weeks.

Clay, Jason and I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of our guests – those of you who joined us last summer – and those of you who were unable to visit us, you showed us patience, support and understanding just the same. You all helped to make a dreadful situation much, much kinder and for that we thank you.

To our American friends – we miss you! You have continued to be in our thoughts as infection rates and general unrest have surged across the country. We hope that you are all well and taking good care of yourselves and of each other.

Please enjoy this retrospective on the 2020 season while we all look forward to getting back on the water together in 2021. We are using a new format for the newsletter this year. Instead of one really long email, click below on the different articles. Hopefully this will make for a better reading experience! Please let us know what you think.

Yours very truly,

Bobblehead

In this Issue….

2020 – A Year in Review

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Chinook

written by Clayton Vanier

Normally our chinook season starts around the 15th of May – exploring the waters on the north end of Dundas in search of the first chinook bite of the season.  This spring, as days of uncertainty turned into weeks, and the lodge remained tied up in Port Edward, in an effort to maintain our sanity we distracted ourselves by fishing locally. I re-discovered spots I hadn’t fished for many, many moons. Edye Pass, Qualdzeet, Humpback Bay and Hunt’s Inlet, my old stomping grounds as a young and cocky charter boat captain still remain the ‘go-to’ spots for many locals. Fishing through May and early June was exceptional! Chinook in the 10-20 pound range were common and easy to come by. We were catching our limits almost every outing and it filled us with optimism for (what we hoped would be) the upcoming chinook season on Dundas.

This extra time we had in May and June also allowed us to try squid fishing for the first time! The late night squid jigging adventure in Edye Pass was the first, but will surely not be the last. These alien-looking creatures come to the bright spotlights in vast schools and are easy to snag with a herring or squid jig. These squid made for some of the best table fare you could ever imagine considering what they look like before they hit the cornstarch and hot oil  – a bright spot for all of us this spring!

Finally on June 22nd we got the ‘OK’ from our government to open operations and the tow north was on. We were all hopeful that the exciting early season fishing was going to continue, but weren’t as happy as we could have been… July 6th marked the arrival of our first guests, 7 weeks later than usual. Although fishing was decent, the average fish was smaller than expected and the bigger fish didn’t start moving in until later in July.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Koreski

We were very happy to once again see immense bait balls on the north end of the island this summer – a real bonus when fishing is tough. Generally herring fishing was easy-peasy. Rarely did we have to search longer than 5 minutes and most days we’d just drop in on a school and game-on. As we’ve often discussed, fresh herring is the bait of choice on Dundas. Every fish loves to eat ‘freshies’ from rockfish to salmon to halibut – even large jumbo herring cannibalize their young when they reach the shores of Dundas in early July. The high-energy morsels sustain the rich north coast eco-system.

As July faded into August we were still catching some very nice chinook. For reasons unknown the bigger fish seemed to turn up a little later in the season this year. It was impossible to accurately estimate how many springs were actually swimming through our local waters due to the foul weather hampering access to many of our fishing grounds –storm after storm rolling through the pacific north coast continued to skew our catch stats.

Guests enjoyed some really fine coho action starting by mid July – when they showed up in droves – at times making up for the slower chinook fishing. It was a real bright spot compared to previous years early season returns. Limits of coho and chinook were common by mid July – guests were happy and we were happy. While the rest of the industry was reeling and most lodges were still shut down, we were excited to be busy with guests and to be catching fish.

2020 Chinook Hall of Fame

Bottom Fishing

With the ever-present foul weather, when we did get a day of calm seas we were pushed westerly to some of the finest bottom fishing locations on the coast. Lingcod fishing was off the charts this season. If you had a windless day, you could expect your limit of what is arguably the finest eating bottom fish in the North Pacific Ocean. These are clean, hard fighting, aggressive fish that are always eager to show the anglers a good time.

While yellow-eye rockfish remain closed for retention, the numbers of these fish hooked and released increases every year. Each boat is required, by law, to possess a descending device. These clever devices allow the angler to drop the fish down to the atmospheric levels where their inflated bladders will re-collapse and give them the best chances of survival. Thank you to everyone who has willingly participated in these releases!

Halibut fishing was again strong, although a couple of our spots weren’t as productive as previous years.  Our eager young guides found new spots to challenge our guests and explored areas they will fish for years to come.  

Photo Credit: Jeremy Koreski

Coho & Flyfishing

As July melted away like a sunset that we couldn’t quite make out behind the clouds, August quickly emerged as a fly fisherman’s heaven … that is until the rug was pulled from under us on August 10.

Les, Mike & Ray kicked off the fly-fishing season on the afternoon of August 3rd.  Anchored up and casting at J-Point they hooked 14 fish on the cast fly before the rest of their group had even arrived! We all had high hopes that this was a sign of good things to come!

The hungry schools of coho moved on and left us with vacant waters. Fly fishermen had a very tough time casting to these ghost fish. With coho sparse, even the bait anglers had to really work for fish. The double-digit coho days of July were long gone and the struggle to search for these chrome bullets began. With the continued poor weather and heavy winds we were again limited to the north end of the island.

Prince Rupert made history in August, shattering historical records for the wettest season on record. Needless to say, most days we didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as we geared up for another day on the water. That said, offshore fishing – when we could get there – was strong – as 198 found out one glorious late afternoon. After a dismal day on the north end of the island, Jason took the chance, braved disappointment and the wrath of the Chef and headed across to Zayas, hoping to redeem the day. Within a couple of hours offshore, 198’s guests had landed their limits of coho, not concerned that they had missed dinner, 198 was, once again, a hero. “Simply fantastic” was all the guests could say when they made it back to the dock.

When the coho fishing is hot, why not mix things up? Casting buzz bombs, spoons and swim jigs for coho is a great way to shake it up. When coho are thick and you can see them swirling on the surface the conditions are just right to give this tried and true method of fishing a go. This technique does require a different touch and feel but is definitely a blast to hook a salmon on a lighter bait casting or spinning reel set up. Interested in giving it a shot?  Let us know next time you’re up, whether it is something you want to try on your own in the evenings or spend some time with your guide – we can get you set up.

Keep Reading….

A New Way to Target Lingcod

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SPEARFISHING

written by Noel Richard

Have you ever wanted to explore the underwater depths of our great coast? Has your mind every wandered, while bobbing on the surface waiting for a fish to bite – wondering what lies below your boat? Chances are it is a lot more breathtaking than the calm ocean surface would lead you to believe.

British Columbia has been noted as being home to “The best temperate diving in the world, second only to the Red Sea” – Jacques Cousteau.  Although this was quoted years ago, there is no doubt in my mind that Jacques would still approve of a dive trip to the remote and rugged Dundas Island today. While water temperatures can fluctuate between 7-12 C throughout the year, I observed a steady average of 8–9 degree water during the summer months. The pristine location partnered with generally high visibility made for memorable free diving this summer – my latest personal pursuit.

Today I’d like to share with you my experiences chasing lingcod – from below the surface. Lingcod lend themselves very well to spear fishing. One of the things that excites me about it is having the ability to stalk and select a particular fish with no possibility of by-catch. It is a fun and challenging pursuit, one that pushes me to thoroughly explore the terrain that these ambush predators inhabit. This exploration has given me a new level of respect and passion for the world below the waves. Being an observer in an environment that humans are not evolved to inhabit leaves me with an inexplicable admiration for all of the tiny pieces that come together to form the much larger ecosystem. Even during the most relaxed of moments, while breathing deep and preparing to descend with full lungs and a quiet mind, it is impossible to ignore the overwhelming amount and variety of life!

It was a perfectly calm afternoon in late July, the sun was shining its warmth down from a sky free of clouds, and the water was calm – a very rare occurrence this summer. My dive buddy, Dannie, and I were embarking on our second swim of the trip. On this occasion we were fortunate enough to accompany the talented Jeremy Koreski on one of his photo taking operations for FISH BC. As a completely new participant in the world of spearfishing, I had yet to catch a lingcod with anything other than the classic rod and reel.

That afternoon on a rocky pinnacle, everything was about to change. Immediately upon entering the water, schools of black rockfish could be seen all around. These black bombers were circling the outer perimeter of the kelp forest, waiting for the current to funnel passing feed fish to them. As we explored the rocky reef, many of the usual suspects could be found in the nooks and crevices – like the delicious rock scallop, welded into cracks on the exposed rock. Locations like this grow the heaviest scallops in the world due to their thick shells and long life span of up to 20+ years. The prolific sea urchin can also be found scouring the rock for kelp shoots.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Koreski

While admiring the slow moving urchin, a beautiful blue lingcod caught my eye. It lay perched on the top of a vertical rock wall that dropped straight downward for 15 feet before intersecting a gradual rock slope. I gathered my breath at the surface and went after it from behind. I believed I could sneak up on this ling, but its’ keen senses picked up the commotion of fins propelling toward him. It swam from its perch heading deeper, snaking its way down the vertical rock wall. Gaining on it, I took aim, hopeful that it would reach the approaching intersection and present a shot. Spear-gun bolts don’t last long when propelled into boulders. As the lingcod reached the base of the vertical wall it rotated slightly and disappeared into a 10 inch slot that formed at the meeting of the two walls.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Koreski

Flashing a light into this pathway left me impressed, these fish have the ability to disappear deep into their rocky labyrinths. Thankfully the ocean is home to many fish. This dive awarded us with several opportunities to swim with and take aim at a number of lingcod. I went home with my first lingcod taken with a spear gun – a meal that I am truly grateful for, and a dive that will stay with us forever in memory. Through all conditions, there is no place I would rather be. We could spend our lives exploring this great coast and not come close to discovering a fraction of what it has to offer. In the coming season at Haa-Nee-Naa I plan to start photographing some of the inspiring beauty that our oceans display.

Visit www.JeremyKoreskiGallery.com to see more of Jeremy’s epic work.

Keep reading …

Focus on the Fishing Hole

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Exploring with your Guide

written by Jason Bowers, photo credits: Jeremy Koreski

Leaving the dock as a fishing guide each morning has its challenges – the desire to fulfill the fishing dreams of their eager guests is in the forefront of every guide’s mind. Every guide feels this base level of pressure but when a guide says ‘We’re going exploring today’- the stress level really ramps up.  Some anglers love this challenge, while others prefer the tried and true fishing holes. When you leave your comfort zone, the spots that have generated countless memories, and where magic has happened in the past – you can bet you feel the pressure. Investigating new areas can be as frustrating as it is rewarding, but anytime you learn something new it’s always a positive. Some locations immediately reveal themselves to be hidden gems that we’ll fish for years to come, while others are a bust and still others need multiple exploratory trips which take in factors such as tide, current wind, bait etc. to reveal their true potential.

With such a vast area and endless terrain to cover, the Haa-Nee-Naa guide crew is always eager to explore and learn new areas. Whether you are targeting salmon, rockfish, halibut, lings or all of the above, the sight of a bow rod bending sharply to the water and not knowing what to expect is an adrenaline rush. Maybe it’s a halibut cruising the upper zone of the feeding column or a giant Chinook – this experience of the unknown keeps us excited as fishing guides.

All this knowledge and experience gained from exploring gets put into the memory bank and makes us better guides.  On your next trip to the lodge keep an open mind when faced with the exploratory question, it may turn out to be your best fishing day EVER!

Keep reading …

Staff 2020

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Wow.  What can we say?!

We are, once again, immensely grateful to our staff who stuck it out with us through thick and thin in 2020. Sharing countless moments of uncertainty, we worked together to forge a path forward – we couldn’t have done it without these great people.

Portrait Credits: Jeremy Koreski

New to our team in 2020 on the dock were Jeremy and Jacob.  These young men brought vastly different experiences and strengths to the lodge and we welcomed both of them.  Jacob is an aspiring Chef in the SAIT culinary program and when he wasn’t processing your catch or scrubbing boats he could be found in the kitchen lending a welcome hand.  Jeremy has his sights set on becoming a hunting guide and his mature, meticulous and deliberate manner was much appreciated on the dock this season. Those of you who had the pleasure to meet these fine young men know what I’m talking about.

We were very fortunate to welcome back our all-star guide team this season, featuring: Braedyn, Hayden, Noel and Mat.  You would be hard-pressed to find guides as passionate as these guys anywhere on the coast. Rain or shine, these young men are keen to get out on the water and they truly want nothing more than to get our guests into schools of fish.

We’ve always hoped to create an atmosphere within the lodge that is both welcoming and casual, like you’ve come home for a visit, and no one has been better able to set that tone than Ashlyn.  Ash was back for her second season this year and with unmatched grace she kept the lodge running smoothly and made sure everyone was well taken-care of.

Thank you also to our team on Digby Island – Tanis and Sydney.  These ladies have airport transfers down to a science and can handle anything we throw at them – weather, logistics, missing bags, cancelled flights – you name it!  We could not do it without them and we have all benefited from Robyn’s lowered stress level having them take charge on Digby.  Thanks ladies!

Introducing Chef Morgan Bouquot

Photo Credits: Jeremy Koreski

If the heart of any house is the kitchen – the same can be said of the lodge. For those of you that missed the pleasure of being at her table this season, we would like to introduce you to Chef Morgan Bouquot.

Morgan grew up in Whitehorse and is as at home adventuring in the mountains, in the snow, or on the water as she is when she’s in the kitchen.  Wherever she goes she brings a warmth and energy that infects those around her. In recent years Morgan has been dazzling steelhead anglers by fall and heli-skiers by winter with her wares – we were fortunate to have her on our team in 2020. If you haven’t experienced Morgan’s desserts – you haven’t really lived. Or better yet?  Her salads. Swoon. You can taste the love and the care that goes into every bite of Morgan’s creations.

Morgan’s passion for nature had her on the water more nights than not experiencing the wonders of Dundas Island from her paddleboard. By the end of the season we’re sure that the humpback whales accepted her as part of the territory.

Keep reading …

So You Think You Want to Catch Fish More than Me?

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A glimpse into the dark mind and motivations of a saltwater fishing guide.

written by Hayden Harsch, aka ‘Halibut Cheeks’

For the vast majority of anglers fishing is a hobby. Its digging the rods out of the attic, shaking the dust off, and making a couple casts – taking in the summer on the lake. Or, for others it is spending hours meticulously planning and preparing to make the most of each second they get on the water. From first-time rookies to the hardest of weekend warriors millions of people get outdoors every year – chasing fish or a feeling. Out of these millions of anglers on the rivers, lakes and oceans, a hardy few turn this hobby into a way of life. These anglers going out into the wettest, windiest and coldest of weather … with smiles on, spending countless hours on the water taking all the ups and downs, all the unpredictability that fishing has to offer. The question is: what makes them tick?

Competitiveness

Fishing is rooted in competition. Anglers since the beginning of time have sought after two things: the most, and the biggest – whether it was to feed their villages, or to beat their buddies, the goal was the same. This is not lost on the Haa-Nee-Naa guide crew. We are a team through and through: we share information on and off the water, we give each other encouragement and praise, share tips and tricks we have gained over our short life-times of different angling experiences. That being said – in all successful teams there is a healthy amount of friendly competition happening both on and off the water. There is an unspoken tally amongst the guides (and guests alike!) of most and biggest. We give a nod to the top boat of the day, and the odd friendly razz to the guides that may have had a few fumbles on the water. That little bit of healthy competition pushes me to get out of bed and fish hard day in and day out – even if I’m not guiding! I like to see other boats in the fleet hooking fish, but I LOVE it when it’s my guests.

Wonder

Getting to spend so much of my life on the water I have been lucky enough to experience some breathtaking moments, humpbacks diving just feet under the boat, school of bait getting smashed by coho on top of the water, and watching a new angler experience the thrill of a monster chinook smoking line off a single action reel for the first time. All of these things have one thing in common: they all happened while I was fishing. Whenever I skip an opportunity to get outdoors I always have the sense that I’m missing out on something – a nagging question of ‘What if?’. Sometimes the bed is a bit too comfy on an early morning, or maybe I convince myself the weather isn’t to my liking. If I decide that today is a day better spent doing anything other than fishing I am plagued by these constant scenarios that pop into my head: today could have been the day I land my personal biggest, I could have had the most productive day I’ve ever had, I could have experienced something magical. A sense of wonder and that question of what if push me to get up on those tough, early mornings, head out to the herring grounds and make sure I don’t miss out on those ‘what if’ moments.

Pride

When I started off at Haa-Nee-Naa I wasn’t the most accomplished angler. With only a couple years of ocean experience, and being introduced to a whole new style of fishing, my first season had more then a few stumbles and rookie mistakes. I’m told that what I lacked in experience I made up for in passion. After a few more seasons on the water my confidence in my ability as an angler has increased, and after suffering through the growing pains of being green out there, fishing next to the likes of 198 and Longhorn, I’m keen to show off my ability on the water and prove each day that I deserve to be driving that boat. Being able to make a living while doing what I love everyday is a privilege that I could have only dreamed of, so I feel like I owe it to all of you who fish with me to give it my all every chance I get on the water.

Keep reading …

Photo credit: Jeremy Koreski

For the Love of the Game

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written by Clayton Vanier

As they say, time flies, when you’re having fun. Well, I’m in the twilight of my career the memories of the ol’ days haunt me more than ever. While grinding it out in the rain and wind last season for that hard-to-get salmon bite, I couldn’t help but reminisce about the old days. I told story upon story, about the good ol’ days – where the sun was shining, the seas flat and fish jumping in the boat. My stories were met with as much skepticism as ever from my audience. Sometimes I feel like I’m in a bad dream: COVID, dwindling fish stocks, crappy weather, government bureaucracy, lodge fires, blown up engines … what can you hit us with next? What I continue to be proud of though is our resilience, with my 2 fabulous business partners by my side, we have always strived to make the lodge experience better each year. Whether it is finding fantastic staff, improving the facility, or upgrading our gear – this is truly a labour of love for us. 

Photo Credit: Jeremy Koreski

They say: “Become a lodge owner, your life will be easy!”. While I disagree – what I will say is that it has enriched my life beyond measure. The memories, the stories, the people and friends I have met – a lifetime of work has come down to many fabulous and sometimes colourful memories. Although not a traditional life, its one I wouldn’t trade for anything. There is no room for monotony in this vocation. There are always fires to put out – sometimes literally, engines to fix, fish to be caught and smiles to be shared. Forever the optimists, we drag herring along searching for those silver ghosts to make more and more memories … like a junkie looking for his next fix. Every day is different and that’s what I love about it. What does the future hold? I’m not really sure right now, but as long as I’m healthy and happy I’ll be on the north end of Dundas Island, chasing dreams and making memories, just for the love of the game.

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Outlook for 2021

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It is always hard to predict or anticipate what the DFO regulations may be. Here is a quick look at what the upcoming season may have in store for us. For the most current information on DFO regulations click here:

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Chinook

No management restrictions have been announced thus far for the 2021 season, which leaves us at 2 chinook per day, with 4 in possession. The last couple of years from mid-June to mid-July we have experienced an in-season reduction in daily limits for chinook to 1 per day, 2 in possession. I expect this trend to continue as the number of returning adult fish in the Skeena watershed are still of some concern. Hopefully they will start showing some signs of stability this next season with all the hard work on conservation the recreational industry has done. Skeena river fish make up a good percentage of our catch and when their numbers are low it stands to reason that our catch stats will be affected.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Koreski

Coho

2021 regulations for coho are: 4 salmon per day with an aggregate limit of eight salmon. Nothing has been said about a regulation change to this point, but numbers have definitely been on the decline for our northern fish stocks.

Halibut

A bright spot for this upcoming season will be halibut. Halibut biomass and TAC (total allowable catch) has not decreased coast wide, this means regulations should remain the same as they were in 2020. The limits are currently 1 halibut per day, 2 total possession if both of your halibut are under 90cms. You may only possess 1 fish if it is between 90 and 123 cms. The Sport Fish Advisory Board is still strongly advocating for a daily retention of two and a possession limit of three, however unless the current biased allocation plan (which allocates 80% of the halibut catch to the commercial fishery and 20% to the recreational anglers) undergoes an overhaul this will not likely happen.

Lingcod & Rock Fish

Lingcod is also anticipated to remain at 2 per day and 4 in possession for the 2021 season.

Rockfish retention is anticipated to remain the same as 2020 with a daily retention of 3 and a possession limit of 6. You can only retain either 1 Quillback, 1 Tiger, or 1 China rockfish out of those 3 per day. Yellow-eye rockfish remain closed for retention in 2021.

Keep reading ….