Phil Dawson Photos
FROM TIME TO TIME - PERHAPS TWO OR THREE TIMES IN A GENERATION - THE FATES CONVERGE TO
produce a Picasso, a Modigliano, or a Hieronymous Bosch, who, in turn, produce works of artistic brilliance to share with the world. In geographic terms, River's Inlet, B.C., is quite possibly the perfect expression of natural forms - a convergence of land and water through which life thrives in abundance. All five of the Pacific salmon species exist here: Chinook (King), Coho (Silver), Pink, Chum and Sockeye. Other sport fish like ling cod, rock fish and halibut, dungeness and king crab, prawns, and yellow eye have all found nirvana in the waters that ply the Inlet coastline. Frequent sightings of grey whales, bear, bald eagles, otters and dolphins lull you into a contemplative state and speaks of a simpler time. But River's Inlet provides grace not only to sport fisher's; the ebb and flow of the natural world - an ever-changing canvas that shifts with the seasons – provides amazing visual stimulation for the novice and pro-photographer alike. There are a few areas of interest people often discuss about Legacy Lodge after returning home. It’s much more than a fishing trip, it’s an adventure. For the first time guest to the lodge, the moment they step off the plane they are taken back by the sheer beauty of their surroundings. The smell of cedar forests, the beauty and vitality of the ocean, and the profound sense of being in the deep wilderness. Then there's the fog laying in the lulls of the mountains as first light breaks in the morning; there's the continuous parade of humpback whales that feed past their boats... The beauty of Pendleton Bay, the deep rich colours
LEGACY LODGE at River's Inlet
of the BC forest and the realization that they have finally arrived in that pristine place they have always dreamed about is priceless. But there is also the anticipation of the fishing still to come.
Under the calm, protected dark water eagerly awaits North America’s largest Chinook and Coho, and you’ll find yourself out on the dock at 3:00 AM checking your gear, testing your knots, looking for the perfect bait, and wondering how the adventure to come will play out. "We fish dead calm and usually no further than 3-18 minutes from the lodge," says Phil. "Our guests receive a true wilderness experience as we fish away from other lodges; simply put, we can fish areas that others simply can’t reach. And here
we fish differently, depending on conditions: on flood vs. ebb tides. A geographic anomaly, the Inlet is located about 125 km southwest of Bella Coola and about 65 km north of the northern end of Vancouver Island. As though engineered exclusively to provide for and sustain all of the resident sea-life, River's Inlet reaches some 45 km back into the Coast Mountains. The sheltered central channel runs an average depth of around 1050 feet; lush, deep rainforests push down mountainsides and come to rest on wild ocean shores. The Kilbella, Chuckwalla, and the Wannock Rivers, all surge into the Inlet from mountain passes to the east. The Wannock itself is fed by the 50km long, Owikeno Lake, which in turn is supplied by the Tzeo, Sheemahant
Enter to win a trip from Charlotte Queen Adventures at
www.thesportfishingguide.com 65
BIG FISH, BRIGHT WATERS by Dean Unger
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