Waiting for the last red light to turn green as I headed out of Campbell River starting my journey to Nootka Island was torture. I’ve always loved going to the West Coast, but I’d yet to set foot on Nootka Island. It was the beginning of June, so the black bears ran ramped from about the Buttle Bridge all the way into Gold River. Great picture opportunities for lovers of wildlife. I arrived in Gold River two days before my buddies, Snorri and Matt, so I made sure to get a round of golf in before the boat ride out to Nootka. If you’re a lover of golf, the course in Gold River is a hidden gem: large elevation changes, no crowds and wildlife up and down the fairways.

One of my best friends, Temple McPherson, lives in Gold River and he happens to be a fishing guide with great knowledge of the waters in and around the area. So, we need not worry about a ride or inexperience. The boat broke water around 1pm and within an hour and half the lines were in the water, just off the lighthouse at Friendly Cove, Nootka Island. Before leaving, we booked a cabin at Friendly Cove for about $100.00 per night. There’s a trailer down by the docks in Gold River where a person can book the cabin before heading out. The cabin was great, but it really is just a roof over your head. However, the beach and views are well worth it. Anyway, we got out to Muchalat Rock in the mid-afternoon, and we weren’t expecting to catch anything before we went in to claim our spot for the night.

As luck would have it, I turned my head and saw one of the rods bouncing in the rod holder. I grabbed it and reeled in the slack before setting the hook. Fish on, after about a ten-minute fight, we netted a nice looking Chinook in the lower teens. Later, a Grey Whale appeared, which pretty much killed the fishing, and we took some pictures of it before going in for dinner.

After walking up the dock, Temple introduced us to Ray, who’s the caretaker out at Friendly Cove. He lives out there with is family and takes care of the cabins and such. If you have a bunch of gear, Ray will throw it on the 4 wheeler and take it out to your cabin while you walk in.

Temple had cleaned the fish at the dock, so we started a fire on the beach and while it came up, the cameras came out and the picture taking was under way. Friendly Cove is great for slow exposures and landscapes. The tide surges on the beach and the rock formations are definitely suggestive of the west coast. Once the fire was ready, one fillet of the salmon went on. Hands down, it was the best salmon I’ve ever had. No condiments, just the natural oils of a fish that was alive within the hour, amazing.

Bedtime came early, as well as the following morning. The sun was gone and the clouds rolled in, but the ocean was calm and smooth as far as swells go. We motored about 12km offshore looking for a good spot to target Halibut. I’ll admit, I’m not sure of the following hour because I’d tucked my self into the bow bed for a nap, but when I got up there was a large ling and two huge snapper sitting in the fish hatch. We’d also made our way back towards Machalat Rock. Matt asked if I wanted a turn on the rod and no sooner had I said, “yes”. Bang! The rod went straight down and Temple informed me there was a halibut on the other end. It was like trying to pull up a spare tire from the ocean’s depths and then it would just scream out line as it ran. Finally the fish came to the surface and Temple readied with the harpoon. Of course, just like the movies, as soon as Temple sunk the harpoon he and I looked back at Matt who had the rope for the harpoon wrapped around his leg as the halibut went for its final run. Matt got his foot out of the tangle just before the rope went tight, hilarious. We landed the 41-pound halibut and headed to the Gold River Fishing Lodge, where the owner was expecting us for dinner. The cook took a chunk of Halibut and did it up with some chicken, rice, and salad. The fish was cooked just perfect. After some time relaxing and having a couple of pops, we headed back to Gold River at dusk.

Without a doubt, our little exertion to Nootka Island was one of my favorite trips in along time. I wish we could have stayed another night, but isn’t that always the case. If you are interested in going to Nootka, I would look into getting a guide to take you out of Gold River or Tahsis. It can be pricy, but if there’s a group of people it will cut the cost dramatically.

 

Tags: fishing, friendly cove, gold river, guides, halibut, muchalat, nootka island, west coast, yelloweye

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