Staying true to the rest of the season, Peregrine Lodge’s last trip for the 2010 season proved to be phenomenal in terms of weather and of course, fishing! Over the course of the trip almost all of the guests were able to hook into a Tyee. With multiple hats and pins being passed out each night, guest, Brooks Stapleton, took the pool for largest Chinook and even received an “Over 40 Pounds” hat for his 43 pound released Chinook. Nice fish! A very relaxed group from start to finish, the last guests to leave Peregrine went home with slightly crispy noses, full fish boxes and stories of a trip of their lifetimes.

Since opening in 1988, Peregrine Lodge has been privvy to many amazing seasons. The 2010 season was no different. Record breaking catches include Kevin Gleason’s 18 pound Coho, William Zoghbi’s 87 pound Halibut, Wayne Nordick’s 57 pound retained Chinook and Ken Zutz’ 76 pound released Chinook. Although a few names made it to the top, each guest that jumped off the helicopter onto Peregrine’s grounds was guaranteed to enjoy top-rate fishing, unbelievable food, breathtaking scenery and a friendly lodge atmosphere. The number of Tyees that were caught and released was fantastic; best catch numbers for big fish the lodge has seen in years!

The owners, management and all of Peregrine Lodge’s staff would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every guest for choosing Peregrine in the Haida Gwaii to visit for their ‘big fish’ adventure this season. We look forward to seeing familiar faces for seasons to come and of course, welcoming new ones. With fishing this good, we look forward to many more seasons just like 2010’s!

Thanks again.

Remember – You’ve got lots of line and lots of time – See you soon!

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With Peregrine Lodge’s season coming to a close quickly, the fishing has certainly not slowed down in the slightest! The seventeenth trip marked many more impressive Chinooks running past Naden Harbour on their way to spawn. The guests were able to intercept some for pictures, thrills and to be shared with family and friends back home.

The first day the guests got out on the water started off with a great snap at the ever-plentiful Snake rock. Guest, Richard Roche hooked into a fighter in the calm waters of Snake Bay. As the rest of the fleet cleared way for the boat as it chased the salmon, the angler’s smile widened. 9 AM and already a Peregrine celebrity? What a way to start the day. The Chinook measured out to 43 by 26 inches; a 39 pound Chinook put back to reach its river! Richard’s luck stuck around for yet another day. Yet again in Snake Bay, he caught and released yet another 39 pounder while mooching. He received a pin to go with his brand new ‘Tyee’ hat he received the previous evening. He was a quite a decorated gentleman by the trip’s end.

The rest of the first fishing day followed the same pattern. In tight, many big fish were hooked. As the morning progressed, the fish moved offshore. Guide, Brian Whaley, and guests, Rich Ambrose and Ken Thomas, has great success offshore in 120 feet of water. Chinook after Chinook, all 25 pounds or larger, the anglers had their pick!

Partial clouds mixed with blinding sunlight is what the guests were hit with as they headed out on the water on the second day, August 17. Sunscreen applied, measuring tapes brought out, the hunt was on for the next ‘big one’. Guest, Randy Belliveau had to wait until 2:00 PM, but he got his moment of glory. A mile off shore east of Bird, Randy’s rod tip dipped slightly. His guide was on it; some line was stripped out and the hooks were firmly set. Randy and fishing partner, Jack Skea, followed the fish from Bird all the way past Cape Naden. Constant head shakes and stubborn runs, the salmon refused to make an appearance. This only added to the already incredible anticipation. After an hour, the trio finally caught sight of the behemoth. It was huge! A couple more feeble runs, the Chinook was finally in the bag. 43 inches long by 26.5 inches around, the Chinook was 41 pounds according to the release charts. An exhausted but happy Randy had quite a story to retell that evening in the dining room.

Each day filled with non-stop Chinook action, the guests had more than enough fish for their freezers; but more importantly, they had many fishing tales to bring home to their families of their unforgettable experience in the Haida Gwaii at Peregrine Lodge.

You’ve got lots of line and lots of time – See you soon!

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It is the middle of August and the sixteenth trip of guests to visit Peregrine Lodge had the privilege to experience the warmest weather Naden Harbour has had all season! The guests stepped off the helicopter the first evening into full sunshine and balmy air; all were surprised. After conversing with the staff in the dining room that evening, they couldn’t believe their luck. Wonderful weather and a phenomenal season in terms of fish big numbers and size? Only the best at Peregrine Lodge.

The first day of the trip marked a season historical moment. Guide, Ukio Gochnauer, and guests, Jim Lockau and William Zoghbi were mooching in close at Cape Naden. An impressive bite off the back rod, Uki set the hook hard! William took over and the fight was on! Two impressive runs along the surface later, the fish started acting strange. Uki thought for sure it was a massive Chinook. No other species could generate that much speed and force right off the bat. Forty-five minutes later, each angler was thoroughly confused and anxious to satisfy their curiousity, the beast finally surfaced. A very large halibut! Uki scrambled for the shark hook. Heaving it into the boat, the guest watched in awe as their guide dealt with the fish. Back at the scale its tail touched the dock; 87 pounds and the new lodge record for largest halibut this season!

August 13 held true to the guests’ already high expectations. For guide, Dan McCauley’s annual guests, Andrew and Seth Purdy, this couldn’t be more true. The trio started their day at Cape Naden and were rewarded right off the bat. Running the gear quite shallow, Dan was able to maneuver his guests into three Tyee’s before 11 AM. A 31, a 39 pounder; that’s some father son bonding! 11 years old, Seth even managed to beat dad and take the largest Chinook of the day that day with his 39 pounder.

That same day, guide Bill Murray and guests, Kevin Ahnert and Lee Reynolds put on a show for the rest of the fleet who happen to be trolling around Cape Naden that afternoon. The rigger popped and Bill grabbed the rod. Setting into what he then knew to be a good sized Chinook he handed the rod off to Kevin. As Lee was bringing up the back rod, Bill rushed to the port side of the boat. The other rigger popped with a good bite. The rod corked over and stayed there. Bill handed Lee the rod and told him to play it like a barn door; he had a monster of a halibut on! Turning his attention back to Kevin, the three in the boat started a strange dance to keep the boat on top of both fish while trying not to get the lines tangled. After a good 20 minute fight, Kevin powered his Chinook to the starboard side. Bill, net in hand, was still coaching Lee to bring the hali to the surface. The impressive salmon was netted and quickly deposited in the boat. Not 30 seconds later, the slab of a halibut joined the Chinook on the floor of the boat. The weights that evening at the dock? A 30 pound Chinook and a 34 pound Halibut!

The rest of the trip followed suit. All guests ‘tubbed out’ on their allowable Chinooks, making this yet another fantastic trip for fishing! 6:30 AM, the guest headed out for their final day of fishing before heading back down to Vancouver that evening. The water glassy and the air laden with the scent of the temperate rainforest that lines the shores, the guests were in for yet another perfect day of fishing. The longtime Peregrine Lodge guides were baffled; each remarking that they had never seen such perfect conditions in which to release massive Chinooks in all their years guiding. Layers were peeled back and sunscreen applied as soon as the lines were in the water. It was so warm that most guests stripped down to their t-shirts! And by 2:30 that afternoon, five Tyees were released. What a day!

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Peregrine Lodge’s guests headed out for their first day of fishing on calm waters enveloped in a peaceful fog. The gentle swell lapped the shores just beyond the mist. All this tranquility however, failed to alter the ‘amped up’ mood of the guests. Ready to feel the powerful tug of a Chinook on the end of their lines, the breathtaking surroundings did nothing more than get everyone more excited to have the opportunity to fish the beautiful waters of the Haida Gwaii.

Guests, Clint and Shayle Allen, alongside guide Butch Sakiyama, took centre stage from start to finish the first day of the trip. Butch took the couple to Parker to start the morning off in an area he knew to produce large Chinooks. Not long after checking the first roll and watching the depth on the rigger that Shayle’s tip started to dance. An exhausting fight accompanied from encouraging calls from the surrounding boats, Shayle was able to bring the Chinook alongside Butch’s boat. The measurements taken showed a 33 pounder on the chart! Nice way to start off the day! The day continued with multiple Chinook fights for the couple. Clint’s favourite number is 48; that’s exactly what the rigger was set to on his side of the boat. He had to wait most of the day; but his lucky number finally paid off at 3:30 PM. After a short jaunt up to Klashwun, they drifted back down to Parker. It was there that Clint had the opportunity of a lifetime to land a huge Chinook! He played the salmon like a champ and landed it! After Butch watched the Chinook kick out of his hands, he called the measurements on the radio so that James Mahon, the P1 Skipper, could refer to his charts. A 42 pound release! The salmon was even more valuable that evening in the dining room. It turned out to the largest Chinook of the day. Clint won the pool and had the opportunity to release one impressive fish.

The second day, Cape Naden was the place to be for first drop. Again, Chris Jarvis and guests, Paul Desaulniers and Terry Goulah, had the hot rods that morning. Boating 6 Chinooks in the first hour, guests and guide alike were amazed at their good fortune! The rest of the day; much of the fleet experienced the same sort of frequency in terms of bites as Chris and his guests had.

Day three marked a ‘first’ for guest, Mario Talarico. His guide for the day, Seth Lang and fellow anglers, Julio Muzio and Paul Desaulniers, headed to Klashwun to see what the ripping tide would stir up for them. Starting East of Klash and getting pulled by the tide close to Shag Rock, Mario managed to bring a feisty Chinook to the side of the boat. A measurement of 42 by 27.5 inches, Mario’s first salmon ever turned out  to be a 43 pound Tyee! He proudly wore his ‘Over 40 Pounds’ cap while boarding the helicopter that afternoon on his way home.

You’ve got lots of line and lots of time. See you soon!

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At the risk of sounding repetitive, Peregrine Lodge’ fishing records have been topped once again in terms of an amazing catch board and fish stories! Trip 14 marked many memories made for young and old alike. The guests headed out of Naden Harbour the first day of fishing in conditions similar to Trip 13’s. A slow morning gave way to a 12:15 PM hook up for one boat in particular just off Parker. Guided by an extremely passionate angler, Ukio Gochnauer, Wayne Nordick successfully landed and released a beast of a Chinook off his weighted rod. Forty three pounds! Upon netting the massive salmon, Ukio looked over at both Wayne and fishing partner, John Turney, and excitedly exclaimed, “this is why you came here!” After celebrating with his fellow fishermen in the dining room that evening while sporting a new ‘Over 40′ hat, Wayne decided to up his average the next day. The last drop before heading in for the day, guide Cory Wlodarczuk decided to stop at Cape Naden to see what he could hook into. Again, Wayne’s rod started to peel out line. Back at the dock, the fish that they landed weighed in at an impressive 57 pounds! It turned out to be the largest Chinook of the entire trip. Way to go Wayne and Cory!

Day two marked the busiest day for hooking into Chinook seen at Peregrine Lodge this season! The winds calmed down and the fishing grounds were wide open. The fleet, hungry for a change of scenery, took this opportunity to head to Klash 1. Avid fisherwoman, Karen Griffin and seasoned guide, John Williams, had the best day of fishing of both their lives. Hooking into countless double and triple headers, Karen finished the day by receiving 4 Tyee pins to add to her already decorated hat. Her final Tyee count? – 40, 35, 35, and 38 pounds. In total, the duo released 18 Chinooks all over 18 pounds that day. What a day!

Young guest, Travis Edgar, observed all the hoopla in the dining room each evening with people constantly congratulating each angler receiving hats and pins for their Tyess and decided he wanted a share of the limelight. Day three he got his opportunity. Mooching back at Klash 1 with his dad, Ron Edgar, and guide, Mike Orlowski, Travis set the hook into what he and guide Mike initially thought to be a large halibut. Once the fish made it to the surface, the situation changed drastically. Mike shouted, “It’s a salmon! Let it run!” That’s exactly what it did! Bringing the trio of anglers from Klash to Shag Rock over the course of half an hour, Travis handled the rod like a pro the entire time. Successfully netting, measuring and releasing the fish, Mike called the measurements over the radio; 39 by 26 inches. Travis had just let a 36 pound Chinook go! He received a hat and many of those congratulations he had sought after both on and off the water that day.

The fishing Peregrine Lodge’s guests have experienced in the past few trips is unbelievable.

You’ve got lots of line and lots of time. See you soon!

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An annual family trip marked Peregrine Lodge’s thirteenth trip. The Toigo family and guests had the run of the resort for yet another fantastic fishing week. Not to be forgotten, the Wiens group also got in on all the action. Following last trip’s turn of events, Peregrine’s staff did not think it possible to follow such a successful trip at Trip 12; but the guides and guests pulled it off. With wind whipping over the fishing grounds from the Northwest, the rain held off and down came the big fish.

The first day on the water after getting to the lodge the previous night and gorging on an amazing spread created by Peregrine’s Head Chef, Rick Gabel, the guests were fresh-faced and ready for the hunt. Boat twelve, driven by guide, Mike Orlowski, did not have to wait long to get into a fish. Marking the 9:24 AM tide change, guest, Mike Greene’s port side rod started screaming out line. With a firm hook set off a weighted side rod and pass off from guide to guest, the fight was on in the hog hole of Snake Bay. The massive Chinook made it to the boat and measured 44.5 long by 29 inches in girth. The verdict according to the charts? A 50 pound tyee! Hoots and hollering carried out over the water to the victorious anglers.

Not to be outdone by his cousin, Dominic Toigo saw to it to take the pool that day. Guide, Steve Larsen took Dom and Jon Toigo offshore Bird at 1:30 PM to see if they could hook into anything of size. Their efforts paid off. A few passes off the face of Bird, a wide tack produced a massive hit. A mighty salmon struck the cut plug with impressive force. Managing to fight the fish and stay upright in the chop, Dom landed an incredibly memorable salmon. Pictures quickly taken and the measuring tape brought out, the weight came back from the Peregrine One; a 59 pound Chinook for Dominic! He definitely earned major bragging rights in the family that day. It turned out to be the largest Chinook of the trip as well! Great release!

Nalani Toigo and Amir Alagheband both received ‘Over 40 hats’ during the awards ceremonies on August 3. Nalani posed for pictures with her impressive 41 pound Chinook at the dock that evening. It was her very first Tyee! Amir released the pool winner; a 42 pound Chinook.

The last day of the trip, the guests and guides experienced the same weather conditions as the previous two days. Now-seasoned anglers in any condition, the overcast skies and wind did nothing to dampen their spirits. With only a few hours left to fish before boarding the plane, the fleet left Peregrine’s dock at 6:30 AM. Danielle Toigo took full advantage of the early start to immediately hook into and release a beautiful 37 pound Chinook off the face of Parker. Mr.Hockey himself, Geordie Howe even got in on the action. Successfully landing a 27 pound Chinook in the sheltered waters of Snake Bay, he called out, “I did well even for an old guy!”

The staff at Peregrine Lodge always looks forward to hosting the Toigo family and can’t wait to share more fish stories with them next season!

You’ve got lots of line and lots of time. See you soon!

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The twelfth trip Peregrine Lodge has hosted was one for the history books. Even in a season where the catch board is riddled with full limits caught with a massive amount of released and retained Tyees, the lodge has not before experienced such a trip so loaded with huge salmon that the guests were rendered speechless in some cases . The weather complimented this fantastic turn of events nicely; calm water and sunny skies were the finishing touches on an already amazing trip.

Day one marked the tying of the lodge’s record to largest Chinook caught and released. As the previous blog mentioned, guide, Brian Whaley, and guests Ken Zutz and Brian Smith, had the greatest fishing day of their lives. All long-established fishermen very familiar with the Haida Gwaii (Naden Harbour in particular) were not expecting to pull a 76 pound Chinook out of the bay East of Bird Rock when they set out that morning. But, at 11 AM, 13 pulls on an 8 ounce weight, that’s exactly what they did; with both Brians’ help, Ken was able to bring the massive slab alongside the boat close enough to net. So overwhelmed after the battle between man and fish, once the salmon gently swan out of Brian Whaley’s outstretched arms after a half an hour revival period, the three men in the boat sat in silence for over half an hour just taking in the magnitude of what had just happened. However, those three were the only ones who were silent during this time. Each and every boat in the fleet sang their praises out over the radio all day long. Ken Zutz and fellow angler, Brian Smith, were the guests of honour that evening in the dining room; made to retell the story countless times.

Not to be discounted, other equally impressive Chinooks were played that day. Guest, Dave Fuhr and guide, Butch Sakiyama caught and released a 69 pounder at 9:15 AM and later released a 33 pounder; Guisseppe Epifano landed and measured what was a 52 pounder; Steven Timmerman got to weigh a 47 pound Chinook at the dock; Guy Lapierre had photos taken of him and his 40 pounder before letting it go; Ken Zutz’ boat partner, Brian Smith, took a 35 pound Chinook home with him from that day; Susan Mersereau enjoyed the fight with a 34 pounder; and Joseph Jr. Janica received a hat for his 33 pound Spring. What a day! The trend continued for the rest of the trip. Seventeen hats were distributed during each evening’s awards ceremonies. Each hat accompanied by an uproar of congratulations bursting from each guest. All ecstatic for their fellow anglers who managed to earn a place in the coveted Peregrine Tyee club. With over 95% of the guests limiting on their Chinooks retention, each took home more than a full box of fish; stories of ‘big fish’ grandeur will surely be told of these memorable four days at Peregrine Lodge for years to come.

You’ve got lots of line and lots of time. See you soon!

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This past week at Peregrine lodge has been exceptional. With everyone so busy catching their limits, and fifty pounders being caught and or released daily, the staff are working overtime just to keep up with the volume of fish that has been hitting the docks. Tyees in record numbers are a daily occurrence since the lodge opened in June; but today was the most spectacular.

The day began with Butch guiding and releasing for his guest an outstanding 69 pound Spring salmon at 9:15 AM. Circling the east side of Parker Point, he was able to tease this mammoth sized Chinook onto his cut-plug herring baited rod off the downrigger. Guest Dave Fuhr was thrilled after the P1 skipper congratulated them on this magnificent release.

It wasn’t much later that guide, Brian Whale, called the P1 Skipper. Out of breath, Brian shouted the release measurements of 50.5 x 33.5 inches. James asked for a repeat of the call in measurements to ensure he heard the measurements correctly. Silence over all the radios of the fleet, as everyone waited anxiously for the released weight.

Peregrine Lodge had just caught another record setting 76 pound beast of a salmon! The boats all cheered with elation for Brian and his guest Ken Zutz. This is Brians fourteenth season with us and we could not have found someone more deserving of this most profound release!

The third largest fish of the day was caught by angler Joe Epifano. Opting to fish Cape Naden, guide, Jake Henderson was able to put his guest onto a Chinook salmon that had release measurements of a 52 pounder.

Awards and speeches ran late into the evening as the guests regaled in stories of their first day on the water.

We are in great hope that Allie our resident photographer will be able to return to the waters this week, so we can have pictures and stories that can only be done by her. We will try to blog later in the week, and keep you posted of the big fish that have arrived at Naden Harbor.

We await our arriving guests at Peregrine Lodge and if you have not booked yet, we have a few available spots for August 18-22

Phone Bruce at 1-800-663-0992 for your opportunity to catch one of these outstanding tyee sized springs. It’s our best season ever!

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Marking Peregrine’s tenth trip, the lodge welcomed its biggest group of guests yet. Although there were a few guests returning from previous years, the group largely consisted of fresh faces excited to experience all that Peregrine Lodge has to offer.

The second day of the trip guide, Dave Uzzell and his guests decided to make it out to the fishing grounds for the first tide change at 6:47 AM. The run out to the gave everyone on the boat some time to get some caffeine into their systems and wake up in the Haida Gwaii’s rain forest fresh air. The early wake-up turned out to be well worth it. 7:30 AM, West Snake, Dave sent his rigger down to 37 feet. Only a few moments passed before the the reel was screaming. An epic battle between angler and Chinook ensued. An accomplished angler and long-time guest who is accustomed to playing and releasing salmon of this size, measurements were taken and shouts from the surrounding boats were heard before it was eased back into the ocean. There is no better reason to wake up ridiculously early than to catch and release a 50 pound Chinook! Despite the rest of the fleet’s best efforts, no one caught another Chinook that would beat the 50 pounder out of the running to take the pool that evening. It turned out to be the largest Chinook caught this trip. The guest received the highly coveted, hand-carved, silver-plated Chinook trophy to display alongside photos of the salmon on his mantle back home.

July 24, guide Brent Gibson decided to venture west in search of tyees. Running 4 rods, it was the two weighted rods that saw the most action. Fifteen poles on a 6 ounce and 12 poles on an 8 produced two tyees; 32 and 35 respectively. Caught during the flood tide, Brent had passed over the same spot and picked up both Chinooks exactly one hour apart. The last one caught at 11:30 AM, Brent and his guests spent the afternoon with big smiles on their faces preparing acceptance speeches for all the congratulations they were sure to receive once they hit the dock that evening.

Fishing picked up considerably this trip. With many tyees making it back to the dock each evening, the newcomer’s expectations were certainly surpassed. The group even took a break from the dining room one evening to try out the lodge’s other amenities only possible at a land-based lodge such as Peregrine.

You’ve got lots of line and lots of time – See you soon.

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Northwesterly winds met the fleet as they headed out to the fishing grounds the first day of Peregrine Lodge’s tenth trip of the season. Despite the breeze, the light cloud cover provided much needed protection from the sun and kept the warm air close to the fishing grounds. The ever-busy fishing hole around Parker Point was the place to be during that morning’s tide change at 8:30 AM. Weighted rods seemed to be the way to go early morning. Many guests had the satisfaction of setting their own hooks and reeling in the fruits of their labour during the early snap at Parker and Snake. That same area was lit up by a late-morning Orca show. Traveling from East to West in search of a meal, a pod of 12 beautiful whales cruised by the fishing grounds much to the delight of the guests.

Noon that day marked a memorable moment for Brigitte Bilodeau and Christian Gilbert and guide, Brent Gibson. In Snake Bay a large Chinook took the cut-plug and shot off like a freight train. The salmon was so powerful that it took both Brigitte working the reel and Christian holding onto the rod for over an hour to bring it alongside the boat. Now a mile and a half offshore, under the expert guidance of long-time guide, Brent Gibson, the three managed to land the Chinook. Too exhausted to celebrate at that moment, Brigitte enjoyed the lime-light at the scale that afternoon when her salmon weighted in at a Tyee hat-worthy 32 pounds.

Brigitte was not the only one to receive kudos and new headgear that evening during the awards ceremony. With 4 other solid tyees making it to the dock that evening, Dan Hewson took the Chinook pool with an impressive 46 pounder out of Parker during the morning tide change. A celebrity in the dining room, he received many handshakes and slaps on the back.

For the rest of the trip, Peregrine’s guests were privy much action on both weighted rods and downriggers; no matter the depth or fishing technique, each guest got to feel a fish fighting. Consistently boating beautiful 20 pound Chinooks and playful Cohos, both perfect for the BBQ, each guest was able to do some ‘catching’ during their fishing trip. The final day marked the quieting of the Northwestern wind. Guests took in the beautiful Haida Gwaii scenery and enjoy their last day on the water until next season.

You’ve got lots of line and lots of time – See you soon.

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