Lita and I have arrived home after a three day fishing trip to British Columbia, Canada. We have been fishing in the Discovery Island area, where we were,  for some 30 years. We have stayed at the Dent Island Resort in the past and for the last several years we have been staying at Sonora Lodge where we were on this last trip. 

There are numerous fishing lodges in the Discovery Island area. Sonora Lodge where we stayed is located near on Sonora island across from nearby Stuart Island. Stuart Island has several fishing resorts. Morgan’s Landing Wilderness Retreat has a custom hand built Cedar Lodge with rooms and fishing guides. The Nanook Lodge also has fishing guides and boats year with everything necessary for salmon fishing. The Dent Island Lodge was originally built by the Nordstrom family and is a more elegant facility with a marina, dining and lodging facilities plus salmon fishing packages. 

Sonora Resort has been described as the “crown jewel of Sonora Island” and combines five-star service plus accommodations as a member of the Relais & Chateaux group of fine luxury hotels. Located in the heart of the discovery islands, the Lodge offers outstanding fishing plus comprehensive amenities for non-fishing people. It provides full clothing, gear and equipment for salmon and fly fishing with fishing guide. There is a gourmet dining and full-service bar, a spa center, indoor tennis courts and outdoor activities as well. It has swimming pools, hiking and biking trails, a basketball court, a putting green and a golf simulator along with a 12 seat movie theater and a 350 volume library. It has a game room with everything from shuffleboard to other activities. The resort has a helicopter eco-touring trip and other outdoor activities such as Eagle watching, bear watching and whale watching trips. It is a true luxury facility in the wilderness of B.C. In addition, it is in a beautiful location with tides that can be as much as 14 feet, creating some of the world’s most impressive title rapids which can reach speeds of 20 knots.

 We fly with Kenmore air on a floatplane to the Lodge and return the same way. On this trip, we were alone on a deHavilland Beaver floatplane on the way up there and returned on the larger Otter with a full airplane. The trip up is beautiful. 

We fished again this year with a guide from Campbell River Canada, about one hours boat ride away, South of the lodge. The guide, Don Parrish, has lived his whole life in this area and has been salmon fishing since childhood here. He’s been a guide for about thirty years knows the area well. Thanks to his skill, even though it was late in the year for good fishing, we kept four fish from those we caught, which is enough for us. Lita and I even had fish on at the same time. Not only that they were beautiful Coho salmon. Mine was 22 pounds and hers was 27 pounds so they were good size salmon. We had the Lodge send the fish to a processing company in Canada who will ship the salmon after it has been processed the way we selected. We also brought some fresh filet's with us and had one that night for dinner at home.  

The weather cooperated as well. The first day was relatively sunny. The other days were overcast with some occasional light rain but not cold and not uncomfortable. The advantage of fishing this late in the season is that there are not a lot of boats around. However, the Lodge was busy. People were there from around the world and the United States. One couple was from London and were releasing all of their salmon because they couldn't take them home and did not want to ship them. Another couple got married while we were staying there. There was also a group of friends who travel to the Lodge together. There was a lot of activity. Some people didn't fish. They went on Eagle and bear watching  excursions as well as other activities the lodge offers. The people who work at the Lodge are helpful and friendly. It was a fun experience. 

I’m thankful we were able to travel and enjoy fishing again this year.