Customer Comments

Our Guests Say It Best

Over the years, many people have enjoyed their time at Blackfish Lodge. Some have been moved to write us in thanks and, also, to recount their British Columbia fishing vacation. And don’t miss Kris Olsen’s Northwest Fishing Holes Magazine article about his Blackfish Lodge experience.

We’ve recently joined Trip Advisor. To see our reviews, click here.

 

June 20-25, 2015
After many years fishing in BC, I believe I have found the best of all fishing worlds at Blackfish Lodge. As operated by Chris and Hannah Bennett, the Lodge is a calm refuge for the devoted angler and an exciting place to seek the wild salmon. Blackfish Lodge is best seen as a homey B&B matched to a schedule befitting serious anglers. The Lodge is small, the waters and inlets vast. Chris and the experienced guides he oversees are not quite obsessed — but stone-cold dedicated to put any guest over salmon, including 120 feet of water.

Hannah is a great chef, providing that personal touch that so many large lodges cannot match. This is no cookie-cutter operation, the days are arranged to maximize fishing opportunities yet the evenings and those clear nights are the true openings to the heart of the BC wilderness, including the dinner-time feeding of the eagles. I enjoyed the Finnish sauna some nights, other evenings a long sleep. I brought home my limit of salmon — in the Spring run, no less —  but more, I brought home some wonderful memories. ~Jim V. Seattle, WA

August 24-27, 2014
“Before my sons, Mark and Matthew, and grandson, Kai, and I, boarded the plane for our return home, a week ago, I told you that I would be sending a gratuity for the wonderful time we spent at your lodge. This includes the home-cooked meals provided by your lovely wife, Hannah and her assistants, and for the accommodations (I am an expert on the quality of beds, since my bad back tells me very quickly if I am to have a decent night’s sleep-which I did). It would be unprofitable to determine which one of us had the best time-since each of us called this trip outstanding. I suspect there will be other trips to BC, now that we have “broken the ice,” but my wife and I have traveled a fair amount over the years and, for me, this was one of, if not the most satisfying excursion of them all. Having been joined by our sons and our grandson made it particularly satisfying. Thanks to Ted, Mark caught his first quick look and photo of a grizzly bear. Ted knew when it would be wise to fish another part of the river. Grandson, Kai, just about wore himself out each day of fishing, but he seemed to rapidly recover …and then some, upon his return to your lodge each evening-once he met your Steve and Robin. He is normally a quiet kid. I hope he left your lodge, as well as your son and daughter, more or less intact. We all agree that he will remember this trip for the rest of his life. We were particularly grateful for the attention and patience given to him by Geoff. I had not expected a nine year old could become so involved in fly fishing that he was only too willing to spend eight or more hours on the water each day. The thirty pound Chinook salmon that Kai witnessed his “Uncle Matt” catch seems to become larger each time Kai tells the tale. This suggests to me that Kai is endowed with the most essential quality of a fly fisherman. It’s unlikely he will ever ask for advice on these matters, but if he does, I will encourage Kai to someday return to your home, to see if your Robin will marry him-as long as she would allow him to fly fish, of course. My wife could not have given me a better gift than this trip for my eightieth birthday. Thank you all.” ~David from Ashland, Oregon

October 12, 2012
A lovely article was written about Blackfish Lodge and published in the in-flight magazine of Kenmore Air, one of our great travel partners. You can find it here.

August 12-16, 2010
“Blackfish Lodge gave me the fishing trip of a lifetime! No one, and I mean no one, works harder to catch you fish. I highly recommend Blackfish Lodge for your fishing adventure.” ~Doug, Bend Oregon

August 8-10, 2010
“I wanted to write you to let you know that Sam, Ben, and I had an exceptional time and to compliment you on the manner in which you handled us. Your enthusiasm for fishing, wildlife, and the environment that surrounds the lodge was exceptional. The time you spent with us and patience shown was certainly appreciated. We hated to leave but we brought home with us wonderful memories. Thanks so much.” ~Brad, Philadelphia, PA

August 4-8, 2010
“Thanks for such a wonderful week of seeing the Bennett family, the lodge, BC and wonderful fishing.” Fishing was Epic, 27 salmon caught by primarily 3 fisherman. (I landed 13 myself!!!)” ~Tom & family, Utah

August 2-4, 2010
“As I did three years ago I had another wonderful trip to Blackfish Lodge. My daughter and (85 yr. old) mother-in-law thoroughly enjoyed themselves and they were both so thrilled to catch their limit of “Springer’s” on Tuesday. Please thank Chris and Hannah for us. Thanks!” ~Andy, Everett, WA

July 24-27, 2010
“Well, we could not have had a better time. The accommodations were very cozy. The food and service was beyond our expectations. The wine we had (very little) was very good. Yes, you were correct, Chris can talk about fishing for days. Guiding is such a hard thing to do….but he did a great job and the time we put in paid off very well. Chris is very considerate and extremely knowledgeable about the surrounding area. Thanks!” ~Greg, San Francisco, CA

June 27-30, 2010
“It has been a great trip all 3 years I have been up to Blackfish lodge. There are many things I like about the vacation. Some of them are: How easy it is to get away from Seattle – the floatplane is 15 minutes from my house in Greenlake, and by mid day I am away from everything, in a peaceful floating fishing lodge. None of the normal airport or other travel hassles. The fishing was really great this year, caught A LOT of salmon, including a 32 pounder! Chris continues to dial places in…! The food was great, we especially enjoyed the crab caught right off the dock and then served to us within 10-15 minutes of being in the water. It really can’t get any fresher than that! I appreciate Hannah asking about specific things I like to eat (or don’t like to eat!).” ~Dan, Seattle, WA

August, 2007
“Thank you for an unforgettable experience. You have put together an organization providing hospitality second to none which made our stay at Blackfish Lodge feel like being with family. Hannah’s meals were out of this world. Keri is an exceptional person with the ability to make one feel at home. Ted is a great guide and fun to be with. To you and Hanna, Robin, Ted, Keri, Lindsey and Bridey: a heartfelt Thank You.” ~Fred & Smokey from Indiana

August, 2007
“So on behalf on our family, we had a terrific holiday! Chris and Hannah are wonderful hosts, and all the staff worked hard to ensure that we were comfortable and not lacking in anything we wanted. Chris was our main guide and tried so hard to get us a tyee but we were unsuccessful. Desmond and I had to settle for a 22 lb. King each – which really isn’t anything to grumble at! Desmond’s was the white flesh, and I got the pink, so we got one of each to bring home to try out on the bbq. Hannah is an excellent cook, and the food was in abundance, and VERY generous portions. Hannah catered superbly to our individual whims and no one can complain about leaving the lodge hungry – and, yes, we did put on some pounds like you predicted! We knew our son would enjoy the fishing, but when our daughter even said she would like to go back next year and that comment, coming from a girl who loves a mall, is quite a compliment! Although a contributing factor could be that she loves babies and adored Robyn, and with Hannah expecting # 2, there’ll be two babies next year!!! The lodge was very comfortable with lovely hot showers and the lighting was so adequate that I think only my son used his flashlight once. Thanks for all your help and great tips in organising this holiday for us.” ~Cathy, Desmond & family from the Cayman Islands

June, 2007
“We had an absolutely spectacular time! All my expectations were met or exceeded. Both boys want to go back, now I just have to coordinate a time again. I was absolutely impressed with the professionalism and hospitality of everyone. I can’t believe how well they do things on a floating lodge. Chris worked very hard to get us some fish, and it payed off. Shaun taught us fly-fishing, and despite the windy conditions, I think we are starting to understand it. Keri was a fantastic hostess, always knew what we needed(or didn’t). Hannah was a marvelous cook, and was even able to get Neil filled up, which is a real challenge.” ~Walter from Seattle

August, 2005
“Dear Rick…….Having just recently returned from the Lodge, I wanted to let you, Chris & Hannah know what a fantastic week we had. First, Kenmore Air that flew us to the Lodge was terrific. We brought back about 250 lbs. of cleaned fish, which they packed & boxed for our trip home. The scenery from the float plane is second to none. Chris & Hannah are dedicated to the fisherman. I knew within minutes of arriving at the Lodge that management & Guides took fishing seriously. My group could not have wished for better fishing with people who know what they are doing and like what they do. The meals Hannah prepared for us were better than most we get at home. We all looked forward to the evening dinner for not only superb food, but to have fun discussing the day. We saw bear, otter, whales & eagles which, for people from the East coast is a real treat, and an unending source of dinner conversation. Although every member of the staff at the Lodge was super, I would personally like to thank my guide Steve, for not only being a fine young man, and a good, hard fisherman, but for also catching me an 80 lb. Halibut and a 34 lb Salmon. His Marine Biology schooling gave him a fascinating knowledge of the environment which he was able to share with to us as we fished. Speaking for myself & our group I want to thank all of you at Blackfish Lodge for one of the best weeks we have ever had in the most beautiful of settings we’ve ever seen.” ~Jack from New Jersey and group, August 21-26, 2005

June 17-22, 2005
“My husband and I along with another couple have just returned from your lodge. We could not have had a more spectacular wilderness experience. The setting is pure Canadian Wilderness. The lodge is extremely comfortable and the fishing was great. But what really made the trip was Chris, Hannah, Carrie and Stephen. Hannah whipped up the most delicious fare from her kitchen. From early morning breakfasts to the the last morsel of dessert at the evening meal we were spoiled with a variety of dishes that kept our taste buds anticipating the next meal. Carrie was a most gracious helper, always with a smile anything one would ask for she was there to make sure it was granted. Hot tea, a sweet with my coffee, even a alcohol swab for a sore ear lobe. Steve, such fun and a good guide. He seemed to really enjoy driving the boats, took care that all occupants were comfortable. And of course making every effort to see that the guests caught some fish. And Chris, this man is one in a million. A true dyed in the wool outdoorsman. He would get more excited that we did when we had a fish on the line. It was just as much fun watching Chris than my husband or me when we had a “fish on”. His knowledge of the area, the fishing and the history kept us wanting to see more and venture out into different areas.

We had planned to do the Wakeman float trip, but opted to get another day of fishing in. The float trip is put on hold until next year. We hope to return next year around the same time. Thank you again for such a memorable experience.” ~Bob & Diane, Northern California

August 25-28, 2002
“We arrived at the lodge Wednesday around noon. The weather was calm, clear and sunny. Hannah had fresh Dungeness crab, homemade fresh tomato & red pepper soup, bread, cheese, fruit, and salad waiting for us when we arrived. We threw our bags down, ate, and got in the boats. We caught a few Coho. Julie caught a really nice one, probably 15 lbs.! That’s a thrill! None were marked as hatchery, so we had to release them all. Chris was showing off the wildlife, and Debbie and Liz got to feed an eagle! No Kings were caught that day. Hannah fixed an amazing dinner of stuffed chicken, gravy, potatoes, asparagus, salad, and flan for dessert. Thursday the tide change was probably at 4:30 am or so. We got to Flower Island about 6:00. There was no action early. Around 9 or 10 am it seemed like the bite was on. Julie caught a couple of Kings around 22 and 21 lbs. Debbie caught one about 24 lbs. But Liz and I with Alan were skunked for keepers, until about 3 pm when I caught a 27 lb at The Wall. The weather was completely clear skies, but windy with small craft advisories. We saw humpbacks breaching several times that day. Looked to me like they were frolicking in the sun! Also saw Killer whales several times. We went in probably about 7 pm, ate dinner about 8:30. Hannah fixed an amazing bounty of food again for dinner, including eggplant casserole, leg of lamb, and Pavlova for dessert. (The finest Pavlova I have ever had. The fruit was marinated in rum and banana liqueur. Nothing on your web site says anything about “gourmet” cooking!). Friday we were at Flower Island just at tide change (about 5:30am). Debbie caught a 32lb probably around 6 or 6:30. I caught a 19 lb early too. Liz and Julie were fishing with Chris. Liz caught a 15 lb Chinook, and Julie caught a 29lb. At about noon Debbie, Alan and I went to Craig (?) Rock. Julie, Liz and Chris stayed at Flower Island all day. At the end of the day, Debbie, Alan and I just couldn’t quit to go in so we went to fish at Flower Island a bit. We had to fish for just 15 more minutes! Sure enough, Debbie hooked into a nice 22 lb. Everyone caught more Coho that day, but we kind of lost count on how many and how big since we couldn’t keep them. They are fun though!! The weather was beautiful and not as windy as the day before. We saw the humpbacks several times during the day again, and the killer whales. The gourmet dinner this night was baked salmon, T-bone steak, more cracked crab (my request), salad, veggies, and homemade butterscotch pudding.

Saturday was a crucial day for Liz. She was the only one without a fish over 20 lbs. We were determined that she was going to catch a nice fish before we left. We hopped in the boats and left the lodge about 5:00 am. The water was like glass the whole way to Flower Island. That ride in the dark with the phosphorous creatures glowing in the sea foam was magical. We were at our fishing hole by 5:30 and Alan and Chris had to bait our hooks in the dark. It sounded like it was raining, but the noise was the herring splashing around us everywhere. It was incredible. We were ready for a lot of action. Finally the sun rose, but the early morning/tide-change bite never came. We were frustrated. We just had to get Liz a fish. The wind and water were super calm, with a little fog hanging in places. We could hear whales in the distance, and see the Dall porpoise swimming by. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Then through the fog, Julie, Chris and I heard the girls on the other boat hooting and hollering. Liz caught herself a fish!!!!! We spent the rest of the morning hoping for another King to give up his life for our dinner table, but it wasn’t in The Plan. We reluctantly headed in. At the dock we weighed Liz’s fish, and happily it was a 24 1/2 lb. beauty. We were all thrilled. We barely had time to throw our bags together, fix our hair, and snap a few photos. With tears in our eyes we got on the plane to go home.

Should the other girls read this recollection of events, they might need to correct me as to what time or who caught which fish where, but there’s no exaggerating here about how great a trip it was. We have pictures to back it up, so this ain´t no “fish story”! ~Caren & friends, Seattle, WA.

August 13-17, 2001
“Wow! How do I begin to attempt describing the most fantastic fishing trip I have ever been on. I guess, first is by saying thanks. Without your help in setting this up, we could not have enjoyed the fantastic time we had. I guess you have already heard from my uncle that we caught the fish of a lifetime….believe me, the smiles I saw on his face were worth a million bucks. The first day we were there, Tim’s step-dad, Gordy, caught a 37 pounder that was absolutely beautiful. I assumed that this would be the “trophy” of the trip. It was a trophy all right, but not the biggest one by far. The next day I caught one that weighed in at 44 lbs (back at the dock 3 or 4 hours later) and was 43 inches long. To say I was excited was an understatement. It looked like a submarine in the water the first time it came to the boat…I kept praying, please don’t let me lose this fish!!!!! Needless to say, that is one Tyee who is currently sitting at the taxidermist as we speak. I’ll send the pictures soon! And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, my uncle lands a monster (55 lbs) the next morning!!!!! Can you believe the luck we had??? Beautiful weather, great fishing, eagles, bears, whales, seals, porpoises, incredible scenery, and wonderful cooking (which oh by the way is causing me to do some drastic dieting this week)!!! All in all, we each limited out on the Kings, caught and released numerous 12-13 lb Cohos, and had a blast fly-fishing for trout with flies we tied the night before… one of them on the first cast of the day with a fly that I tied! I also caught a 38 lb Ling cod that I hooked within 30 seconds (no lie) of dropping the lure to the bottom. On the last morning of the trip, I hooked into a monster halibut that snapped 100lb test line and busted the handle off a reel…..It would have taken us all day to reel him in. My next trip I will have to prepare with some weight training!!!!! This has indeed been the trip I have always dreamed about. Like McArthur said, I shall return. ” ~Joe, San Antonio, Texas

August 9-13, 2001
“Howdy from Texas. WHAT A FISHING TRIP!!!!!!!!! Scott, my son-in-law, and I nailed ´em down. We fished so much that I can still hear the sound of the reel singing its tune of “yap, there’s another big-un on the line”. I will send some pictures and a VCR later. Flying with Dave as “co-pilot” on the Otter was a blast. Get two old pilots in the front seat and fly 500 feet off the water sets the scene for the making of a GREAT Fishing Trip…… Needless to say, I got some fantastic video from the right seat of the Otter. The ocean bay, rivers, islands, pines, mountains, fresh air, stars, and all its settings made a beautiful background for this ole Texan. I would have to say it is the “Fishing trip of a lifetime “. Ah yes, fishing. We caught several Kings (Tyees) in the neighborhood of 30+ lbs. We also caught a Ling Cod about 25 lbs. We caught and released Cohos daily in the 8 to 20 pounds class. We also caught and brought home several pink salmon. My son-in -law is still in the clouds. We really enjoyed the deep water fishing and catching the big fish, but Wakeman River trip was the most fun. I tackled three Cohos between 8 to 15 lbs. in the river which I fought for at least two hours all together. Scott also got a few Coho in the river and also hooked several cutthroat trout. It made my trip; catching, fighting, and releasing some of the nicest fish that I have ever caught in my life. Meeting Steve…on the Wakeman River was a “Hoot”. I would have loved to have visited with him more. After a long day fishing 12 to 14 hours, nothing was better that setting down to a glass of wine and a gourmet meal. Even on the boat, I couldn’t wait to see what the girls had packed for our lunch. I only gained five pounds. Chris is the best guide that I have ever been with. I have fished U.S. Mexico etc.. and no one I have fished with has met his professional ability that he showed to us. He is patient, knowledgeable, fun, and has a burning desire to please his clients and catch fish. The bottom line is that he will see that his clients will hook lots of fish and have fun. I also want to thank you for your many emails and information. Things went very smoothly as far as getting there and back home. Without all your emails, etc.., this trip would have not been nearly as pleasant. Now its time to close, light up a cigar, sip some Glenlevitt, and reminisce of a fishing trip of a lifetime. Thanks partner!” ~Mike, Dallas, Texas

August 24-27, 2001
“We are back home from one of the most satisfying weekends I have had in many years. Our stay at Blackfish was everything I had hoped for, and more than I had expected.

Our hosts provided a most friendly and cozy retreat, just as advertised. The food was superb, the fishing was great, and our hard working personal guide, ( Al Johnson ), did an incredible job of keeping our bait in the water, while tending the motor and netting fish.

My son Paul, landed his first real salmon, a 28 pounder, which was followed a short time later by a 33 pounder. I also landed a 28 pound king and an 18 pound hooknose silver. Together we must have caught and released over a dozen other nice sized silvers. We were able to bring back well over 100 pounds of cleaned fresh salmon, ( kings and silvers), which Al had packed into a large Styrofoam cooler for our travel back home.

The combination of Pacific Coastal from Vancouver, and CorilAir from Campbell River, worked out very well, with no more than a one hour stopover in each direction. CorilAir charged $ .75 (CAN) a pound for the extra weight of fish, and Pacific Coastal did not charge extra since we were under the limit by carrying one of our bags onto the plane. The shuttle van service from the main airport in Campbell River arrived promptly and delivered us to the seaplane base about ten minutes later.

This was a wonderful trip that I would recommend to anybody looking for a smaller, quieter, and more personalized resort experience. Thanks for your help Rick.” ~John & Paul, Washington State

August 20-23, 2000
“My friend Joe and I want to thank you so much for helping us select Blackfish Lodge for our fishing trip this year. We have gone on many such trips in the U.S. and Canada in the past and this one was the first one to not only meet the description of the advertising literature, but to exceed it. The combination of unlimited guided fishing, beautiful settings, flat water, excellent meals and accommodations and a very friendly staff made this our fishing trip of a lifetime.

It was a real pleasure to watch a true professional fishing guide at work. Chris Bennett combines the skill of a man who knows the waters of the area with someone who respects nature……It is a pleasure to highly recommend Blackfish Lodge to anyone who is interested in salmon fishing as we remember it in the past…..It was hard to leave after 3 days, but we will be back next year.” ~G.R., Seattle, WA

July 3-14, 2000
“The lodge is located at one of the most beautiful places on this planet. The wildlife is breathtaking. Chris is the perfect guide. He loves fishing more than anything. He knows the spots, he knows the fish by their first name and it seems as if he can almost sense where the fish is going to be.

Back at the lodge Chris has a great team. He has a wonderful cook. She will get up at 3 a.m. to make sure you’ll get the right breakfast for a hard fishing day, she will supply you with freshly baked cakes, crab sandwiches and soups for the boat and when you get back at night she will have her four course dinner ready.

To sum it up: I enjoy nature and wildlife, I enjoy good fishing in nice company and I enjoy great food; Black Fish Lodge offered me exactly that!” ~J. K., Hamburg, Germany

September 9-12, 1999
“The trip last September…………was one of the best adventures of my life! It was filled with so many “firsts” that I doubt I’ll ever equal it. Starting with taking off from Lake Washington [Seattle] in a small floatplane, flying north for three hours and landing right alongside a floating lodge in the Canadian wilderness.

Chris is unequaled as a fishing guide. …….We caught a good number of fish every day and at the end we got a couple of “tyees” [chinook salmon 30 lbs or more], which was a fitting pinnacle to the trip.

If you have customers who are fishing fanatics, Chris is the guide for them. The lodge at Blackfish was a welcome comfortable haven with delicious food and soft warm beds. All in all, it was a hard place to leave at the end of the trip.” – J.S, Mountain View, CA