Your Typical Day At The Trailhead Fishing Resort

An adventure experience like no other awaits you at Trailhead Resort and Fishing Lodge.

Starting with your drive up the beautiful and world famous west coast arrive to find comfortable and modern accommodations and amenities amidst Vancouver Islands Rain Forest. and the rustic charm of the Lodge.

Relax that evening to be ready the next day for an early start the next morning for world class fishing for Halibut and Salmon … with lots of wildlife and scenery to take in along the way followed by the dinner of a life time featuring as the main dish the fish you have caught yourself.

Below is a description of what you would expect from a typical day with us at Trailhead Resort! Click on one of the links or scroll below to read and see more of what you will find at Trailhead Resort.

Your Arrival
Get Comfortable
Serve A Hot Breakfast
Out On The Water
Now You’re Fishing
Heading Home
Cleaning Your Catch
Dinners On
Time To Relax

Arrival

A scenic two-hour car trip west along Highway 14, from the British Columbia or Washington State Ferry terminals near Victoria, takes you to the seaside town of Port Renfrew. You pull into the Trailhead Resort parking lot, and step into the resort's office and well-stocked tackle and souvenir store.

A friendly, helpful staff member will sign you in, and provide you with the correct saltwater fishing licenses if needed.

Get Comfortable

She will direct you to your spacious, kitchen-equipped cabin or motel room,

then invite you to enjoy the resort's gardens and grounds;

the amenities and comforts of the main lodge;

and the hot tub nearest your quarters, to soak away your travel weariness.

Go to bed early and get a good night's rest, because your Port Renfrew fishing adventure starts around 5:00 a.m. the next morning.

Serve A Hot Breakfast

Coffee's on, along with a light continental breakfast of muffins, toast, fruit, and cereal.

Those with heartier appetites can have an omelette with bacon by 5:15 a.m.

Trailhead Resort uses two 10-metre Silver Streak welded aluminum sport-fishing boats, with a slightly smaller boat in reserve. All boats are equipped with the latest in navigation and fish-finding electronics, as well as radar, to travel offshore in almost all weather conditions. The boats have dual four-stroke outboards and a four-stroke trolling motor for safety and reliability. With a cabin heater, head, walk-around decks, and plenty of seating, the big, beamy boats can comfortably take three or four guests on combined salmon and halibut fishing trips, with all tackle, lures, and bait provided. A big cooler of sandwiches, salty and sweet snacks (including home baking), and plenty of refreshing, cold drinks is provided for each fishing party.

Out On The Water

Most of Trailhead Resort's fishing takes place at Swiftsure Bank, a shallow underwater plateau west of Port Renfrew, about 30 kilometres offshore at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Depending upon the migratory runs, there are times when the resort boats will fish closer to Port Renfrew, but the most consistently reliable fishing is found at the bank. A pre-dawn departure will often avoid most of the thermal winds that rise with the sun, and allow for a smoother trip to the fishing grounds.

Strong ocean and tidal currents cause tremendous nutrient-rich upwellings from the deeper waters surrounding the bank. Huge schools of baitfish thrive in these waters, providing prey for flocks of sea birds, numerous marine mammals, salmon, and many varieties of bottom fish. Frenzied bird activity above, on, and even below the surface will herald your arrival onto Swiftsure Bank. During the 90-minute run offshore, you will have a good chance of seeing resident and transient pods of killer whales, seals and, in season, migratory species like grey whales, humpback whales, and sea lions.