Photos and video by Chase White and Asher Koles
/Often during a fishing trip the level of success can be gauged upon how many fish were landed or how many chances at fish were had. Is this really the only things we should be taking away from a fishing trip?
Having the chance to work here at Frontier Steelhead Experience has opened my eyes to everything else that encompasses a visit to a fishing lodge. Every detail has been paid attention to from start to finish. At the end of the day there are things we can control and things we can’t. What we can do is make sure we do everything we can to ensure the greatest experience possible and hope that the fish will cooperate during the day.
Starting the day with a coffee delivered to your room followed by a delicious breakfast in the lodge is pretty hard to beat. You then walk out to the wader room, which has vented pipes your waders have been sitting on all night drying and getting warmed up. You have your own hangers and a designated section for sitting and getting ready to head out on the water. Your guide is ready for you outside with the truck loaded up ready to go. Headed out to the piece of water your guide knows better than anybody else (as they spent almost everyday of their 10 week season guiding in there). You spend the morning trying to wrangle in some steelhead maybe with a hot coffee break complete with a little homemade snack prepared by our amazing chefs.
Soon enough its lunchtime and your guide is preparing a nice fire to sit around while they pass out hot homemade soup and delicious sandwiches prepared that morning. Before long you realize you’ve been sitting around the fire mesmerized by great conversation and great company for a half an hour or longer, nobody is rushing you – it is your vacation after all. The following few hours you spend fishing surrounded by incredible views in the Bulkley valley and wildlife potentially around every bend. The day of fishing is over in the blink of an eye but that’s just the beginning of the experience.
On the way back to the lodge your guide asks if you’ve ever played disc golf as we’ve built a custom 16 hole course on the beautiful property with mountain views on nearly every hole. Or perhaps you want to go for a walk on the trail we’ve cut down along the riverside. There isn’t any pressure though drinks and appetizers start at 7pm so perhaps just a bit of chatting in the wader room with the other friends you’ve made so far this trip about the days fishing.
You come back into the lodge for drinks and a tasty appetizer that was freshly prepared for you. A bartender makes you whatever your heart desires behind our fully stocked bar. As you sit down for an incredible 3-course meal a half hour later your greeted with views of Hudson bay mountain through the windows of the lodge beside your dining table.
As the sun sets you notice some lights and the glow of a fire down by the river. You’re informed that there’s going to be a fire under the stars tonight riverside. You finish the last bites of desert, toss a jacket on and walk down the lit trail through the hay field to the fire and sound of music playing. There’s benches surrounding a warm fire with fully stocked coolers and a couple bottles of wine and spirits.
A couple groups are playing horseshoes and yard pong surrounded by the hung string lights. The other few people are sitting around the fire sharing stories of travel, fishing, and life. Long into the evening you forget about the importance of catching fish and are in awe of this amazing place you get to call home for the next six days. As the night winds down and you climb into your own private cabin and comfortable bed you can’t help but be excited for the experience tomorrow is going to bring you.
