Ebb & Flow Week 8 | July 19, 2018

Summer...and the Living is Easy.

By Deepwater DonIt’s hard to believe. It seems like only yesterday that we dropped the first lines and here we are now coming up to the midway point in the season. The fishing this past week has seemed to have cooled down however guests have still enjoyed a few tyees and some nice fish in the 20's. North Island Lodge manager Todd McIntyre reported, lots of coho around with the odd chinook mixed in. Despite this wave of fishing, there are still a few nice fish around - like Jacob Richler's 33 lb released tyee below.

Guide Evan Minigan with Jacob Richler and a 33 lb released tyee.

Gerald and Darrel Whidden with a 30 lb chinook.

Roy Sommerfield, guide Morgan Johnston and Conrad Desender, with a 23lb chinook on a beautiful day.We’ll get to the highlights in a minute. But first friends, let me just emphasize that it is glorious summertime in Haida Gwaii, and just as the old Gershwin tune goes, “the living is easy.” In fact, the past four days have been very easy for the fishing foodies who gathered for the 12th annual David Hawksworth and Friends Culinary Adventure. It’s the marquee event of the year for The Club, a gastronomic odyssey that every July converts The Clubhouse into a temple of taste, where the congregation is ministered by some of the high priests of Canada’s culinary universe.

Chef David Hawksworth - host of our David Hawksworth & Friends Culinary AdventureEach guest chef was selected by Chef Hawksworth himself, who pulled out all the stops to ensure that this year’s event was far a fitting mid-season celebration of The Club’s 30th anniversary season. You can read about the evening meals, wine pairings and mid-day cooking demonstrations in the words of renowned food author Jacob Richler, editor of Canada’s 100 Best, in the days ahead. For now, suffice it to say that nobody, but nobody, has ever taken food and wine service to loftier levels in the marine wilderness than has The Club, owing to a long friendship with David Hawksworth, who is also an avid angler, and with Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants, the definitive guide to Canada's culinary scene.

Heirloom Tomato Salad - marinated eggplant, whipped ricotta, salsa verde, crispy garlic by Chef Phil Scarfone.

Mark Davidson pouring his hand-selected wine pairings.

Candied salmon served west coast style by David Hawksworth & Quinton Bennett.

Nightingale's Executive Chef Phil Scarfone leading guests through a demonstration of Sweet Corn Risotto, Roasted Poblana Salsa Verde, Sunflower Seeds.

Dino Renaerts, Executive Chef of Bon Vivant Catering & Hollyburn Country Club, conversing with Canada's 100 Best Editor-In-Chief Jacob Richler.

Chef Adam Pegg of La Quercia leading guests through la Piadina - a handmade Italian flatbread with meats and cheeses. And now, to the highlights of another week of fishing.Clubhouse Highlights:Read Screamer's latest report here.CH Top Fish Jacob Richler - 33 lbs releasedBob Benbow - 32 lbs releasedJack Charles - 30 lb releasedGary Gong - 30 lbsJames Duess - 29 lbsKim Maust - 29 lbs

North Island Lodge Highlights:

• The fishing has slowed down a fair bit however there are still a few nice ones around
• Guide Danny Snyder had two tyees in one day - a 30 & 31 lb
• Offshore pillar rock producing decent numbers of coho - very good average size in the 10 to 15 lb range
• Turkey halibut - a couple are around in the Langara Island waters

NIL Top FishAlex Christensen - 31 lbsDave Collins - 30 lbsDarrell Whidden - 30 lbsBob Smith - 25 lbs

Laurie Wilford with a 10 lb coho. Outpost Highlights:

• We had some of the nicest weather of the season last week with glass calm seas and sunny days. The temperature in Tian bay exceeded 20 degrees.
• Fishing has picked up around Selvesson Point & Lighthouse, off Hippa Island Lots of perfect-sized turkeys have been brought in the 30-40lb range
• We welcomed new guide Alex West to the team.

OP Top Fish Mike Pacey - 30 lbsLandon McInall - 30 lbs

Beautiful Beresford Bay on Graham Island. That’s it for this week friends. Hope to see you soon on the waters of mystical Haida Gwaii. Until then, stay safe and well.Tight Lines!