FISHING standard offering of an anchovy in a teaser head was not used as much here during my trip. The primary reason was that the inlet had seen a large influx of jellyfish and weeds, which tend to foul trolled bait more often. Trolling hardware allows you to keep your lines clean and in the effective zone longer. Even with an impromptu fishing derby going on, and the boats from locals and other nearby lodges, there were no crowds. You have room to stretch out, and enjoy the surroundings without feeling like you parachuted into a combat fishery. During my trip, I needed to watch for cruising whales more than other boats. Ask Gibran White, marine operations manager of Nookta Marine Adventures, about this. The whales seem to prefer his boat, the Fish Hawg, more than any other. If you’re lucky enough to spend a day on the water with the G-Man, be prepared for some close encounters of the cetacean variety. It’s hard to beat great fishing, stunning coastal scenery and whale watching in the same day. Newton Cove Resort enjoys easy access to the prolific salmon runs that pass by on their migration to their home rivers. Massive numbers of Chinook, or springers, show up in May and June and run hard in these waters right through to early September. Thundering schools of coho arrive in late July and don’t drop off until late September. And don’t forget the easy offshore access to abundant bottomfishing and the tuna grounds. It’s why this place was built. While we were salmon fishing here in August, our longest run from the dock to a fishing spot was 20 minutes.
During author Todd Martin’s stay last year, a tuna tournament had to be cancelled because of rough weather, but a band playing oldies helped make up for it at the luxurious resort tucked into a remote cove. (TODD MARTIN)
After your daily fishing exploits, you arrive back at Newton Cove Resort to relax, tell stories and enjoy a few adult beverages. The creature comforts here are fairly decent, if you get my drift. You hop off the boat, and in 30 seconds, stroll into the lounge to grab a refreshment. Saunter outside and pull up a chair at one of the three outdoor gas fire pits on the dock to share your day’s adventures with other guests. The rugged west coast of Vancouver Island is your view, and the eagles provide the ambiance. Meanwhile, the staff will be jiffy on the spot with the appetizers. That’s west coast luxury fishing at its finest. As part of the festivities for the derby, Nootka Marine Adventures even brought in a local band to play classic rock one evening.
THE COMPANY RUNS three luxury fishing resorts in Nootka Sound. Their flagship and main operating base is Moutcha Bay Resort, which
GETTING HERE Getting to the mouth of Esperanza Inlet is an epic coastal adventure on its own. Once you arrive on Vancouver Island, either aboard the ferries to Nanaimo or Victoria, BC, head north on Highway 19 to Campbell River. Then travel west on Highway 28 for 91 kilometers (57 miles). Upon arrival in Gold River, keep heading straight, following the signs towards Tahsis. You will arrive at Moutcha Bay Resort, 43 kilometers (26 miles) north of Gold River. If visiting the floating resorts, you will take a boat from there. –TM 126 Northwest Sportsman
MAY 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com
can be easily reached by car. Along with Newton Cove Resort, they also have the expanded and updated Nootka Sound Resort, which is located in Galiano Bay, in the southern arm of Nootka Sound. You can access either floating resort by boat from Moutcha Bay, or from the nearby town of Gold River. Another option to reach Newton Cove Resort is to continue along the road to Tahsis and get picked up by boat from there. Numerous guests also arrive at either of the floating resorts by float plane. Northwest Seaplanes, Kenmore Air, Seair Seaplanes, and Air Nootka are some of the companies providing local air services. Newton Cove Resort was built primarily to cater to private groups, corporate retreats, fishing derbies and other special events for group sizes ranging from 10 to 44 guests. And yes, you can book it for your own exclusive use, if that is what you desire. It offers first-class meals, splendid accommodations and full fish processing in its long list of amenities. Along with being one of the largest recreational fishing operations in coastal BC and with three resorts they can offer customized fishing packages to suit any budget, Nootka Marine