Ted and Alison Edwards bring the term ‘fly in’ guests to a whole new level.

Visiting Ucluelet from Belfast in Northern Ireland, this lovely couple joined Skipper Keith on the Salmon Princess for a true west coast sport fishing experience.   This is the Edwards' third visit to Ucluelet and third time fishing with the Canadian Princess Resort.  They were on a holiday visiting Vancouver Island and we are so glad they decided to stop in for another fishing trip with us.  It was great to see them again!

““Everyone is well organized and friendly.  We feel very welcome here,” said Ted.  The Salmon Princess brought in lingcod, halibut, and salmon that day.  Here is Ted with his halibut Catch of the Day.

“We don’t go fishing in Ireland.  It’s just not comparable to Canada!” shared Ted.

I guess some things are worth traveling for.  Thanks again to the Edwards for another great day out on the water.  We hope to see you again soon.

Tight Lines,

Amy

“That fish was too big to keep any way!” said Ulysses Davidson with a smile, commenting on the fish that fiercely grabbed his lure and snapped the line.  Even after 6 bites that failed to produce and the fish that broke the line, Ulysses kept his positive attitude and finally got a 16lbs-02oz halibut onto the deck of the Coho Princess.  Persistence paid off and this fish was the Catch of the Day for halibut.

This was Ulysses sixth time fishing with the Canadian Princess Resort, but his first time landing the Catch of the Day. 

“I used to fish a lot back home in Scotland before coming to Canada in 1983,” shared Ulysses.  “I love fishing here.  You see a lot of wildlife.  We saw a killer whale and lots of dolphins!”

Meanwhile, aboard the Chinook Princess the Eggers family was enjoying their family fishing vacation.  Two sons and their father were visiting from Kennewick, Washington.  The sons have been fishing with the Canadian Princess Resort before and wanted to share the experience with their Dad.

Lance Eggers caught the Catch of the Day for salmon with this 15lbs-01oz Chinook.

There is rain in the forecast for the next several days, but the swell is minimal and the winds remain low.  The fish certainly don’t mind the rain and we predict the bite will be on!  Even though there is just a 40% chance of precipitation this Wednesday to Friday it is always smart to be prepared for the worst.  A local Ucluelet angler said it best when he said:

“There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.”

Remember to bring your rain gear!  If you need to purchase rain gear you can find that in our gift shop in the main office at the resort.

Tight Lines!

Amy

It was a beautiful day out on the water, and an educational one at that!  On this particular trip guests caught a Tiger rockfish and a Spotted Ratfish.  For many, it was the first time seeing and learning about these species.  Among these interesting catches, Alfredo Marrello landed a very impressive lingcod that weighed 27lbs-16oz.  Here he is proudly holding up his trophy fish.

That lingcod was the biggest fish he caught this trip, but he also reeled in 3 other rockfish throughout the day.  Alfredo and his co-workers were visiting us from Vancouver on a three day fishing trip and shared his experience with us.

“We had a very good experience and the staff and crew were very helpful,” said Alfredo.  “We are going to make this an annual trip because we had a blast!”

Alfredo has done a lot of fishing along the BC coast including the Lower Mainland, Haida Gwai (Queen Charlotte Islands) and up the North Coast.  His most memorable fishing moment was when he caught a 56 pound Chinook salmon on the Vedder River near Chilliwack, BC.  Now that is a fish photo we would love to see!

Tight Lines,

Amy

Fishing off the west coast of Vancouver Island or ice fishing in Eastern Canada?  They are obviously very different from angling adventures but still, they are both FISHING!  Richard Owen was visiting the Canadian Princess Resort for this week and told dock staff that he has spent a lot of time ice fishing in the east.

“I go five or six times a year to ice fish in Ontario,” Richard said.  “I have friends there who own a cottage there.”

Richard Owen from Aldergrove, BC landed the Catch of the Day for halibut while fishing on an all-day trip aboard the Ucluelet Princess.  His halibut weighed 25lbs-08oz. 

Along with this catch, guests on the boat also hauled in a couple of salmon as well as two sole.  The Pacific Northwest is home to two species of sole:  Dover sole and English sole.  Sole are related to halibut, but are a much smaller flat fish.  Both species are bottom dwellers that feed on small fish, molluscs, and crustaceans.  These particular species can be found along the coast from Baja, Mexico all the way up to the Bering Sea. 

You have probably seen sole in your grocer’s freezer.  Not only are they caught in the sport fishing industry, they are also sold and marketed commercially.  Most commercial fishing for sole is done in Washington, Oregon, and California.

With so much fishing coming through the resort, we are always looking for new delicious and healthy ways to cook them up.  After doing a little research, I found this yummy recipe in the New York Times Recipes for Health series.  It sure looks good to me!

Tight Lines,

Amy

Oven-Poached Pacific Sole With Lemon Caper Sauce

A fish piccata of sorts, this dish is easy to make and the sauce is perfect for delicate fish like sole or flounder, as well as more robust fish like swordfish.

• 1 1/2 pounds Pacific sole or flounder fillets
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 1 cup dry white wine (you can also use rosé; the sauce will have a pink hue)
• For the sauce
• 1 plump garlic clove, minced or puréed (more to taste)
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil or butter one or two baking dishes large enough to accommodate the fish fillets in one layer. Lay the fish in the dish(es) and season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small or medium skillet and add the shallot. Cook, stirring, until tender and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the wine to the pan, bring to a boil, and pour the wine and shallots over the fish. Return the skillet to the stove (make sure the heat is off) for later use. Cover the baking dish with foil and place in the oven. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until the fish is opaque and pulls apart easily with a fork.

3. While the fish is in the oven, whisk together the garlic, capers, lemon juice and olive oil. You can also mash the garlic in a mortar and pestle and work in the capers, lemon juice and olive oil, though I prefer the capers chopped, even some intact, and not puréed.

4. When the fish is done remove it from the oven and carefully transfer to a platter or plates. Cover and keep warm. Pour the liquid in the baking dish into the skillet and turn the heat on high. Reduce, stirring often, to about 1/4 cup – it should be thick – and stir in the garlic and caper mixture and the parsley. Whisk together, taste and adjust seasoning, pour over the fish and serve.

Yield: Serves 4

Advance preparation: This is all pretty last minute, but you can prep the sauce before you begin cooking the fish.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_sole

You can hear the water gently lapping up the side of the boat.  The rods are resting in their holders and the lines are set as you troll along.  The scenery is breathtaking as you pass rocky shorelines backed dense rainforest within Barkley Sound, off the shores of Ucluelet, BC.  This moment is completely serene.  Then it happens.

SNAP! The clip comes off the downrigger and the tip of your rod dives towards the surface of the water.  You quickly grab the rod out of its holder, jerk it up to set the hook, brace yourself and begin reeling in the line.  It feels heavy!  The fish fights back, diving deep into the ocean and you let it take the line down with it before starting to frantically work the reel again.  This happens again and again as your fishing companions cheering you on! 

Finally see the splash of silver and white 20 feet from the boat.  The best fish put up the biggest fight!  Your fishing partners grab the net as the salmon is reeled closer to the side of the boat.  With a quick scoop your catch is on the deck of the Boston Whaler Outrage.  This fish is HUGE!!!

Last summer, the Canadian Princess Resort was excited to introduce our new fleet of Boston Whaler Outrages!  These new fishing boats allow you to troll for salmon in the more protected waters of Barkley Sound.  Guests can choose from our tested-and-true Delta Cabin Cruisers, or embark on a different kind of fishing adventure aboard a Boston Whaler Outrage.

Fishing with one or two other people, your Boston Whaler Outrage fishing charter gives you completely personalized service.  Your experienced guide will take you to the most productive fishing grounds on this 8 hour trip.  The 20’ vessels can get you into the hard to reach fishing grounds to help you reel in the likes of salmon, halibut, ling cod, and rock fish.  Since it’s just your personal party on the boat you can customize your trip and the options are endless!

The Outrages are stocked with top of the line fishing gear, and everything is provided to you including durable rain gear if required.  If you have your own ‘lucky rod’ you are more than welcome to bring that with you.

Last week the Canadian Princess Resort had a staff training trip on one of our Boston Whaler Outrages.  Check out what they came home with!

Contact us for more information on book your fishing package. 

Tight Lines!

Amy

What a great weekend out on the water!  Three generations of fishermen were aboard the Barkley Princess with Skipper Keith on Saturday when Cliff Mountstephan landed the Catch of the Day with a 14lbs-09oz Chinook salmon.  Cliff was visiting the Canadian Princess Resort with his two sons Marvin and Barry, and with his grandson Dustin.  It was their first time in Ucluelet.

“I haven’t done a lot of fishing before and this was my first salmon ever!” Cliff said.  “That is because it is also my first time ever salmon fishing!”

The sun came out for us on Sunday and the bite was on, especially for Daryl Lucier who landed the Catch of the Day for both halibut and salmon.  The salmon weighed 14lbs even.  The most impressive catch this weekend was his massive halibut, weighing in at 33lbs-02oz. 

“The most memorable thing about this trip so far was catching the big one,” said Daryl, referring to his enormous halibut. 

Congratulations to these anglers for landing the Catch of the Day!

With summer just getting underway there will be lots of opportunities to fire up the grill and create some delicious fish dinners on the barbeque.  I have shared one of my favourite halibut recipes below. 

Bon appétit!

Amy

Barbeque Halibut Steaks

This quick and easy barbequed halibut recipe will be the highlight of your backyard barbeque.  This recipe is for 4 servings.

Ingredients:

2 ½ tablespoons of butter

2 ½ tablespoons of brown sugar (I’ve also used pure Canadian maple syrup instead of sugar)

2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

2-3 teaspoons of soy sauce (I use a low sodium soy sauce)

¾ teaspoon of ground black pepper (or to taste)

4 halibut steaks (you can also use fillets, just watch your cooking time)

Directions:

Preheat the grill for medium-high heat.

Place butter, brown sugar, garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce and pepper in a small saucepan.  Warm over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Lightly oil grill.  *Brush your halibut in the sauce and place on the grill.  Cook for 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, or until fish can be easily flaked with a fork, continuing to baste with the sauce until complete.

*I have also pre-made the sauce and put the halibut steaks with the sauce in a ziplock bag, letting it marinate for 2-3 hours.  This was delicious but depending on how much time you have basting the fish while cooking is still tasty.  Instead of oiling the grill, I have barbequed the fish on top of a sheet of aluminum foil.  You still get the same barbequed taste, but with a little less mess if you can’t get your heat just right.

This week ended off with some great weather.  The winds held off until later in the afternoons, allowing for ideal offshore conditions during the early morning hours.  As they say ‘the early bird gets the worm’ or the early angler gets the salmon!

That was the case for Jim Glover who reeled in a 12lbs-3oz salmon with Skipper Don on the Coho Princess.  Jim is visiting us from Friday Harbour in the San Juan Islands.

“I have been fishing most of my life and have fished all over Canada,” said Jim, sharing that he has also fished in Alaska, Hawaii, and Mexico.

“I like Ucluelet a lot and I like Canada the best for fishing.”  Jim laughs, “Also, it is the easiest to get to!”

While Jim was fishing on the Coho Princess a Canadian Princess Resort staff fishing trip was out too.  Our staff member Megan Burns caught this 12lbs beauty.  Way to go!

The day before, Casey Beal landed the Catch of the Day aboard the Chinook Princess.  His Chinook salmon weighed 14lbs-02oz.  Casey and his wife enjoyed their first fishing trip in Ucluelet, commenting on the beautiful coastal scenery and wildlife sightings.   Their total catch included salmon, rock fish, and ling cod.

Don't forget to take advantage of our Dad's Stay Free Special that is valid June 9th-23rd.  Get 50% off the nightly room rate at the Canadian Princess Resort!  Treat your Dad to an unforgetable fishing holiday with rooms starting at just $74 per night.

PLUS get $25 off your fishing trip or another marine adventure when you book!  Subject to availability.  Some restrictions apply.

Tight Lines,

Amy

Nick Postnikaff and his two sons had a great Father-Son fishing trip with the Canadian Princess Resort.  They were fishing with Skipper Kyle on the Boston Whaler Outrage #5 when they caught a combination of salmon and halibut.   They caught 8 fish total!  These Alberta born boys will have a great bounty of fish to take home with them, perfect for backyard barbeques throughout the rest of the summer.

Shawn Postnikaff caught the halibut Catch of the Day with a fish weighing 21lbs-07oz.  Nick landed the salmon Catch of the Day with a 13lbs-03oz catch.  Photo top right: Nick, below: Shawn

Nick Postnikaff was married last year and had both of his sons stand up for him at the wedding. 

“Visiting this fishing resort was a thank-you present to my boys,” said Nick.  “So far it has been pretty amazing!”

The Postnikaff’s are avid fishermen.  Owning their own boats, they have been able to get out onto the water often and have a lot of fishing experience.  Even though they are no strangers to the rod and reel, this was their first time experiencing a fishing experience with the Canadian Princess Resort and they have enjoyed their time together here.

“The scenery is awesome, the food at the Canadian Princess is great, and the room we got is super nice.”  Nick continued, “We are very impressed with the resort.”

We are very impressed with your catch!  Thank you for choosing the Canadian Princess Resort.  We hope to see you again soon!

Guests can choose between 43’ or 52’ Delta Cruisers and 20’ Boston Whaler Outrages when they book their fishing charter with the Canadian Princess Resort.  Both charters will target salmon and halibut, or rock fish on an afternoon bottom fishing trip, and offer a fully guided fishing experience in the productive fishing banks offshore and within Barkley Sound.  All the gear you will need is provided, but if you prefer to bring your own ‘lucky rod’ we welcome that too! 

Learn more about booking your Fishing Charter at the Canadian Princess Resort. 

Tight Lines,

Amy Hancock

Morning salmon fishing and afternoon adventures on the Wild Pacific Trail

“This is the first big fish I’ve ever caught and I love to eat fish,” Bonnie McMillan told dock staff when she was weighing in her Catch of the Day.  “Salmon is my favourite so this is awesome!”

Bonnie was visiting the Canadian Princess Resort from Ladysmith, BC.  She came down island with her boyfriend to help out with maintenance at the resort and was very excited about squeezing in a fishing trip with Skipper Lynette on the Nootka Princess in between projects.

“This was my third time fishing, and the best time since it was the first time I caught a big fish!” exclaimed Bonnie.  Her salmon weighed 12lbs-08oz.

While in Ucluelet the couple has done a little bit of exploring around town.  They hiked along the Wild Pacific Trail, a world renowned walking trail that skirts the rugged coastline of Ucluelet’s peninsula.  This well maintained gravel walking trail follows the rocky shoreline along cliff tops, pebbled beaches, and through ancient rainforest.  There are many access points right in Ucluelet and plenty of benches and viewpoints along the trail to rest, or spend some time taking in the amazing coastal scenery.

“We loved the Wild Pacific Trail, especially checking out the lighthouse,” said Bonnie, referring to the Amphitrite Lighthouse. 

This red-roofed, white-washed lighthouse is perched on a black rocky headland at Amphitrite Point.  The original lighthouse was built in the early 1900s and was lit by a Wigham Lamp, fueled by a large vat of mineral oil with a long wick that was drawn out by clock work.  In 1914 it was destroyed by a coastal storm and replaced a traditional lantern.  Currently the lighthouse is automated and un-manned.  Visitors can access it from the Coast Guard parking lot at the end of Coast Guard Drive.

Tight Lines,

Amy

Hook, Line or Spa?  For Dad!

Give your Dad the ultimate Father's Day gift this year with this amazing contest with the Victoria Times Colonist.  You an your Dad can celebrate Father's Day at Painter's Lodge, April Point Resort, or here at the Canadian Princess Resort. 

Grand Prize:  2 night's stay, dinner for 2, breakfast for 2, and a fishing adventure for 2 OR a spa retreat for 2 at the resort of the winners choice.

Subsidiary Prize:  Brunch for 4 at the Marina Restaurant in Oak Bay, Victoria, BC.

All you have to do is let us know which Oak Bay Marine Group Resort you'd like to take your Dad.  Tell us why your Dad would love to experience that resort and email your completed entry to obmgwithdad@timescolumnist.com.  One grand prize winner and one subsidairy prize winner will be chosen from the entries!

If you live in Victoria look for this promotion in the newspaper.  There is a special offer to Victoria Times Columnist readers from Oak Bay Marine Group that gives you 50% off the nightly room rate at the Canadian Princess Resort, as well as April Point and Painter's Lodge.  Plus, you can get 25% off your fishing trip or another marine adventure like Whale Watching when you book your trip.  Look for the special offer in the Victoria Times Columnist!

Subject to availability.  Some restrictions apply.

*Contest Details*  Email obmgwithdad@timescolonist.com and tell us what Oak Bay Marine Group resort the Dad in your life would love to experience. Contest opens June 1, 2013 and closes June 13, 2013 at 11:59pm.  The odds of winning are dependent upon the number of participants. The contest is open to all residents of British Columbia of the age of majority. One entry per person. Winners must correctly answer a skill-testing question. 1 grand prize winner will receive their choice of a 2 night stay with breakfast for 2 and a fishing adventure or spa package for 2 at the Canadian Princess Resort, Painters Lodge or April Point Resort & Spa. 1 secondary prize winner will receive brunch for 4 at the Oak Bay Marina. No cash value. Prize must be accepted as awarded. Full contest rules are available at the Times Colonist front desk, open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.