What to expect
Arrival
Pick up is at Fair Harbour at 1:30 p.m. by our guides. A 40 minute boat ride brings you to the lodge. Check in, have a snack and head out for an evening fish. A late dinner will be served on arrival day.
Your Stay
Mornings begin with a hearty breakfast served between 6:00-6:30 a.m. Departure from the dock is half an hour after breakfast. Lunches are made to go and sent on the boats. You will fish multiple species each full day, usually starting with salmon and followed by halibut, depending on weather and advice from our guides. Hot soup and fresh bread warm you up once you return. Relax, go for a walk nearby or get dropped off on an island for some hiking. Dinner is served around 6:30 p.m.
Departure
Departure time to Fair Harbour is at 10:00 a.m.
Choose between grabbing a snack and heading out on the water for a few hours on the last morning of the trip followed by a goodbye breakfast, or sleep in and relax before breakfast and departure.
We hope you enjoyed your trip and want to return soon!
From Vancouver
Coming from Vancouver, take the Nanaimo Ferry (please make a reservation) and head north past Campbell River, Sayward and Woss. 20 km past Woss, turn left onto the Zeballos Junction. Follow the signs to Fair Harbour.
Getting To Fair Harbour
From Campbell River drive north on Hwy. 19 (towards Port Hardy). Pass Sayward (good place for pit stop) and Woss, then 20 km past Woss turn left onto the Zeballos junction, which takes you down a 72 km gravel road (active logging, please drive cautiously). Follow the signs to Fair Harbour. We will be there to greet you.
Direct Flights To Kyuquot
Another option is to fly directly into Kyuquot via floatplane. We can arrange return flights departing from Vancouver, Campbell River, and Gold River. This is a great option for time-sensitive travelers!
Can we drive to Rugged Point Lodge?
Yes! You can drive or fly to Rugged Point Lodge. Depending on where you are coming from, you can fly into Comox Airport or Campbell River Airport and drive to Fair Harbour – where we pick you up by boat. It is approximately a 3.5 hour drive north west of Campbell River to Fair Harbour, and a 40 minute boat ride out to our lodge. Or, we can book you a flight on a float plane from Campbell River/Comox/Gold River/Vancouver directly to Kyuquot. We also have a shuttle service to and from the Comox Airport.
How do we get to Rugged Point Lodge?
Here are a few different options to getting to Rugged Point Lodge:
- Driving from Vancouver: Take BC ferry from either Horseshoe Bay or Tsawassen terminal to Departure Bay Nanaimo. Head north on Island Highway towards Campbell River. Follow directions from Campbell River below.
- Driving from Comox airport or Cambpell River airport: Head north on Hwy. 19 towards Port Hardy (NOT towards Gold River). You will pass Sayward (great place to fuel up) and Woss. 20km past Woss, turn left onto the Zeballos Junction (gravel logging road). Follow the signs to Fair Harbour. We will be there to pick you up by boat.
- Shuttle: A very easy and convenient way to get your group to Fair Harbour. Shuttle service from airport and/or hotel to Fair Harbour return is available for groups of 6- 15. Please contact us for info and pricing.
- Fly: Fly directly to our dock on a float plane. It is possible to fly directly to our lodge from Vancouver, Seattle, Comox, Campbell River, Gold River or Port Hardy. Please contact us for info and pricing.
What time do you pick us up in Fair Harbour on arrival day? And what time are we dropped off on departure day?
During our ocean fishing season June – September, pick up time in Fair Harbour is at 1:30 pm on your day of arrival. You will want to leave Campbell River around 10:00 am to make our pick up time. If you are flying into the Comox Airport or Campbell River Airport on your day of arrival, make sure to book your rental vehicle in advance and book the earliest flight you can find. On your day of departure, we drop you off in Fair Harbour around 11:00 am (leaving the lodge around 10:15 am). If you need to leave earlier because of travel arrangements, we can leave the lodge anytime that morning.
During our river fly fishing season September – October, pick up at Fair Harbour is at 3:30 pm. You want to be leaving Campbell River around 12:00 p.m. If your flight is later, we are flexible and can arrange a later pick up time – just let us know in advance.
When is the best time to fish in Kyuquot Sound?
Rugged Point lodge is open from the beginning of June until the end of October. During June, July and August we are fishing the ocean targeting Salmon, Halibut, Lingcod and sometimes Albacore Tuna. The fishing is very consistent throughout these summer months.
June is best for Chinook, Halibut and Lingcod. July is best for Chinook, Coho, Halibut and Lingcod. August is best for Chinook, Coho, Halibut, Lingcod and (in late August) Albacore Tuna.
From mid-September until mid- October we are fly fishing for wild Coho Salmon on the local rivers.
How many guests can stay at Rugged Point Lodge?
- Rugged Point Lodge can comfortably accommodate up to 15 anglers maximum. We have 6 guests rooms all with private washrooms and showers. The three upstairs rooms each sleep two guests, with two twin beds or one king bed for couples. The downstairs three rooms can each sleep up to three guests, with one twin bed and one bunk.
- During our river fly-fishing season we can accommodate six anglers maximum.
How many fish can I take home?
You can retain 8 salmon, 2 halibut (size limits) and 2 lingcod per person per trip. Four of those salmon can be Chinook and the rest can be Coho, Pink, Chum or Sockeye. Most guests will limit out on Chinook and Halibut. If you want to target Albacore Tuna your limit is 20 per day, but realistically most guests keep 6-10 total possession. Our guests usually leave with between 100-120 lbs of fish per person.
Do you process our fish?
SRP Processing is a fish processor right in Kyuquot Sound! They offer daily catch services, filleting, portioning, vacuum packing and flash freezing. Nice and simple. Your fish will be ready for you on departure day. This is an added cost, please let us know if you have any questions. Another option is to have us bag, tag and ice your fish and you take them home fresh or drop them at a different cannery or smokehouse.
What things do I need to bring for ocean fishing?
- Covid Update – now you must bring your own rain gear, gum boots and PDF
- Clothing that can be layered (weather is unpredictable)
- Sunglasses (polarized)
- Bring your own booze
- Motion sickness prevention medication TRANSDERM – V (Ear patches, please put on in advance)
- Fishing license with salmon stamp (Make sure you print your actual licence and not your receipt) Here is the link
- Personal Toiletries, camera, day bag etc.
- Large cooler for transporting fish. SRP processing also has styrofoam coolers for sale.
- We supply all meals, accommodation, transportation to and from Fair Harbour (or flights on a fly in trip) boats, guides and fishing gear.
What kind of boats do you fish in and how many people per boat?
Our fleet consists of five Grady White Boats, two 28ft Sailfish and three 23 ft Gulfstreams. All of our boats are fully guided with gear included. All boats are set up the same, including islander MR3 reels and Penn International Halibut reels. We fish 2 or 3 guests per boat plus your guide. If you are a family of 4, or two couples who wish to share a boat, then we offer packages to fish 4 guests per boat (price change per number of guests per boat).
Are your boats safe?
Yes. All of our boats are Transport Canada-approved and all of our guides have their necessary certificates to guide on the ocean and rivers. We also have PFDs for our guests and it is mandatory that they are worn. All boats are equipped with Lowrance electronics, GPS, Radar and VHF Radios. We also have a satellite phone in case it is needed. All of our guides have years of experience in Kyuquot Sound and have spent their lives on and around the ocean.
How do you say Kyuquot and what does it mean?
Kyuquot is a Nuu-Cha-Nulth name pronounced “Ky-YOU-kit” and means “Place of many winds.”
Still have questions?
We don’t want to leave you hanging! Feel free to shoot us a message and we’ll be happy to get back to you ASAP with more information.
Already booked?
If you’ve already confirmed your dates with us you’re almost there! We just need to get a few more details before you’re ready to go.