A special place, unique in so many ways... - We spent 4 nights and 5 days at Blackfish Lodge and loved every minute of it. There are dozens of quality lodges in British Columbia and we searched... read more hard to find the best one. Our efforts were rewarded. My review tries to high-lite what sets Blackfish apart.
There were 5 of us. Blackfish is small and intimate. Our group had the entire lodge to ourselves. It's amazing how that really sets the tone and interaction with one's hosts. Everything they did was dedicated to making our trip that much more special. We didn't want to spend a week with 45 of our "new fishing best friends".
The lodge is in the Inside Passage, just off of the Johnstone Straight. The waterways east of the straight are full of wonderful islands, sea passages, and incredible waterway nooks and crannies. The horizon was filled with snow-capped peaks. The beauty was incredible, but the most significant benefit for all of this was how protected the water was. Rough water and waves were never an issue. Remote, yet protected. I recall one lodge that advertised their halibut fishery, but when you dig a little you find out it's an hour boat ride on open ocean. The halibut one of us landed was caught within three miles of the lodge.
Blackfish Lodge is a small, floating lodge, in a delightful cove of Baker Island. The lodge is the only thing at Baker Island. Access is by float plane or boat. One would think this could present logistical challenges. Not at Blackfish; the float plane ride (a blast, and certainly part of the adventure) was all arranged and details shared by the Blackfish team. Very easy.
The food was certainly a highlight. The quality was top-shelf all the way. We had fresh (harvested day of) crab one day, the next fresh prawns. We had fresh salmon and even fresh halibut fish and chips. Did I say desserts? Yum! And truly, the best granola (house made) I have ever had.
The wildlife bonanza was on par with the scenery. We saw humpback whales, killer whales, a black bear, seals and sea lions, and eagles galore. And while not "wildlife", Isla the camp dog, was a sweetheart.
And of course the fishing. The guides were all first rate, helpful, and fun. We all learned much, even the more advanced of us. We caught King Salmon, Silver Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Halibut, Ling Cod, and Rockfish. Fishing was in both salt water and fresh water. With private access to the Wakeman River, Blackfish sets itself apart again. A beautiful float trip down the river with my fly rod was my personal highlight.
We looked at many, many lodges to host our big trip and anticipated that Blackfish would check all the boxes. They certainly far exceeded our expectations!