Halibut Resorts & Lodges

Mother Ships of British Columbia

by John L. Beath, Pacific Northwest editor, Western Outdoors

Peering out the window of the Turbo Otter floatplane, vast wilderness rain forests, high peaked mountains and a clean greenish/gray ocean void of human intrusion filled every window of the plane. As the plane began to descend and bank slightly, a small, protected bay came into sight. Soon the M.V. Salmon Seeker, a 180-foot oasis of a sport fishing ship came into full view. A fleet of new 20-foot v-bottom Boston Whalers equipped with trolling motors, downriggers and fishing tackle floated alongside. A group of anglers hosting ear-to-ear smiles waited for our plane to arrive and take them and their fish boxes back to civilization. As the plane slid to a splashy stop the plane load of anxious anglers became the next group of anglers would no doubt enjoy one of British Columbia’s most unique and rewarding experiences – fishing from the comfort of a B.C. Mother Ship on the west coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands.

Upon seeing the well-appointed Mother Ship, my fishing partner, J.D. Wade simply said, “Wow!”

Not long after arriving we joined Ryan, our guide for the duration of the trip. He briefed us on the fishing techniques and gave us a quick tour of his Whaler. Within minutes our arrival we found ourselves trolling peacefully along a shoreline inside Kano Inlet. Being so close to some of the best fishing in North America was by no means an accident with the help of the “Mother Ship” we could enjoy the comfort of seaworthy fishing boats without the need to travel great distances to find fabulous fishing. Throughout our stay we caught chinook salmon, multitudes of lingcod, rockfish and halibut. We also enjoyed searching for lost treasures along beaches that few others have ever trekked.

These great sport fishing opportunities have been made possible throughout British Columbia because several companies recognized the need and practicality of having Mother Ships that can follow the fish or simply choose a single great spot and anchor there throughout the sport fishing season. Oak Bay Marine Group of Victoria Canada operates the largest fleet of Mother Ships in B.C., which include the M.V. Salmon Seeker, M.V. Charlotte Princess, and M.V. Marabell. Because of the vast remoteness and lack of any other sport fishing operations in the area, the Salmon Seeker offers only guided fishing trips. Many anglers love this option because they understand they will be with an experienced guide who knows exactly where to catch the most fish on any given day. It costs slightly more for a fully guide trip, but it is worth the price.

Oak Bay’s other Mother Ships offer un-guided fishing opportunities and caters to anglers who like to bait their own hooks and steer their own boat. The Charlotte Princess and Marabell set anchor at tiny Langara Island on the northwestern tip of the Queen Charlotte Islands, a locale proven as one of the very best salmon and bottomfish locales in B.C. Midway through the season the Marabell weighs anchor and moves south to Hakai Pass, on the central coast of B.C.

During my first-ever Mother Ship fishing adventure, I fished at Langara Island and stayed aboard the Marabell, a vintage 136-foot lightship converted to provide sports anglers with a comfortable home away from while on the fishing grounds. That first trip hooked me on the Mother Ship idea because little time was ever spent getting to where the fish could be found in unbelievable numbers. Between my fishing partner, and me, we scored two big chinook salmon over 40 pounds, released dozens of 15 to 25-pound halibut, and kept one that weighed 100 pounds even. The area also introduced us to incredible all-day action on 10 to 35 pound lingcod and a near blitz of rockfish. All of these bottomfish eagerly grabbed our lightweight jigs, no matter their color or size. But the most amazing part of the whole experience was the amount of fishing we enjoyed. From sunup to sundown we had our baits in the water which equated to more fish on the line. While some anglers stopped to enjoy quiet times aboard the Mother Ship, we simply ate meals and slept aboard. That’s the beauty of having a floating, full-service hotel on the fishing grounds and why the Mother Ship concept has taken off in British Columbia and continues to grow in popularity and companies offering different packages.

As this relatively new industry continues to thrive and grow, anglers will enjoy many options this season. The following list of Mother Ship operators provides slightly diverse opportunities with different focuses on the experience. Not all of the providers are listed, but these are the Mother Ships I’m familiar with and know to be reputable and provide quality sport fishing experiences.

The largest Mother Ship in B.C. waters, the 236-foot St. Johns is a former B.C. ferry converted into a massive floating lodge capable of hosting an entire fleet of sport fishing boats from remote locations. Early in the season the big ship sets anchor in Caamano Sound, to take advantage of early returning chinook salmon. As the migration moves south so do they, to Milbank Sound 80 miles away, on the edge of the Pacific Ocean near Bella Bella. Last year guests enjoyed tremendous fishing for jumbo chinook heading back to several coastal rivers systems including Rivers Inlet. Both anchorages also offer lots of great bottomfishing for halibut, lingcod and rockfish.

Westwind Tugboat Adventures, the Mother Ship operation that coined the phrase, “We follow the fish” offers a truly remarkable experience for anglers who want a change of scenery during their trip. Westwind Tugboat Adventures uses two classic 85-foot wooden tugs that have been totally refurbished to provide a luxury cruising and fishing experience. Their fleet of custom 18-foot welded aluminum catamarans provide an unbelievable seaworthy fishing platform and they’re handicapped angler friendly too. In June the two tugs follow the fish between Naden Harbor on the North end of the Queen Charlottes and Langara Island. In July they move to the Prince Rupert area to intercept large chinook heading to the Skeena, Nass and several rivers south of the area. In August they move south to the Bella Bella region.

Inter Coast Adventures one of the newer companies to enter the Mother Ship industry, carries a helicopter on the aft deck. Not only does their 110-foot Ocean Explorer vessel follow the fish along the Inside Passage of B.C., they also offer helicopter tours and fishing opportunities at several remote lakes, rivers and streams. Like many of the other Mother Ship operations, they provide anglers with a wilderness experience and all-day fishing aboard their fleet of fishing boats.

North King Lodge operates the M.V. Sealion, a converted 124-foot tugboat. In addition to the Sealion, guests also stay aboard a barge that has several condo-style rooms. The M.V. Sealion fishes the Caamano Sound region, an area known for lots of wilderness fishing areas and lots of migrating salmon and healthy numbers of halibut lingcod and rockfish. Guests of the Sealion fish from custom 17½ -foot aluminum boats and take advantage of all-day fishing and all-you-can-eat meals.

On the super luxury side of the Mother Ship operations in B.C., Shearwater Marine Resort offers an all-inclusive fishing and cruising adventure aboard their 45-foot super-luxury yacht the M.V. Pacific Lure. Guests can fish exclusively from the big yacht or use the yacht’s two 14-foot fiberglass tenders to fish from. The Pacific Lure’s captain and crew spoil guests with lots of fishing, crabbing, sight seeing or whatever guests want to do while aboard. Depending on length of stay, the Pacific Lure cruises throughout the Bella Bella and Milbank Sound region, one of central B.C.’s best salmon and bottomfishing areas.

Next time you plan your salmon fishing trip to British Columbia, don’t forget about the Mother Ships of B.C. – they might offer you the best fishing advice any Mother could hope to offer – follow the fish and you’ll catch more fish. It’s that simple.

About Mother Ship fishing trips

I've visited most of the Mother Ships listed in the story and those that I haven't maintain an excellent reputation. When choosing which Mother Ship fishing provider, ask lots of questions regarding the locations they fish, species and size of fish, method of fishing used most often and compare the total cost of the entire fishing package, including license fees, air transportation, alcohol and other associated costs, including fish packaging and transportation on the airplane. Each offers a unique fishing experience that blends wilderness fishing with a touch of luxury while enjoying the Mother Ship.

Typically anglers fly or drive to Vancouver B.C. and then board planes bound for various airports throughout coastal B.C. Oak Bay Marine Group’s package includes the flight from Vancouver, several others do not. Because most of the Mother Ships are located in more remote locales than the local airport runway, anglers typically take an additional flight aboard a floatplane. Some of the Mother Ships don’t include the cost of the flight to and from the ship so be sure to ask before comparing prices to other Mother Ship providers. Do consider however, the more remote the Mother Ship is to civilization, the more costly the trip will likely be.

What to bring

Avoid bringing hard-side luggage. Pack light, roughly 30 pounds per angler, and remember to bring warm clothes. Even during summer months these remote areas can get rather cold. Most operations provide raingear and float suits or float coats, but do ask about raingear and boots. During summer months in the northern regions of B.C. daylight lasts until 10 or 11 pm so be ready for long days and lots of time on the water. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, camera, lots of film and comfortable onboard clothes. You can bring your favorite fishing tackle too, but all of the Mother Ships have excellent gear and they know what works best in the areas they fish.

Who to contact

M.V. Salmon Seeker

M.V. Charlotte Princess

M.V. Marabell

Oak Bay Marine Group 1-800-663-7090

St. John’s Fishing Lodge 1-800-665-6020

Westwind Tugboat Adventures 1-888-599-8847

Intercoast Adventures 1-877-870-0677

Shearwater Marine, M.V. Pacific Lure 1-800-663-2370

Charbbonneau Charters, M.V. SeaTex (604) 240-3870

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