Let’s Talk Hook-Up: Pete Gray’s 2025 Trip Recap at Haida Gwaii Safaris
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Pete Gray and the Let’s Talk Hook Up crew for joining us this season and for sharing such a thoughtful recap of their experience at Haida Gwaii Safaris. Pete’s words capture the heart of what we strive to provide each guest—authentic adventure, exceptional service, and unforgettable memories. Here’s his recap of their trip with us:
Let’s Talk Hook-Up: 2025 Trip Recap
By Pete Gray — Let’s Talk Hook-Up Radio
Valerie Hoperich is an amazing person. She owns Haida Gwaii Safaris, formerly known as Queen Charlotte Safaris. Valerie decided to change the name to honor the First Nation people of Canada and the incredible island archipelago. Though the name has changed, the unforgettable experience she delivers has not. Valerie has been at it for over 20 years, and it’s not an easy job. She runs a fishing fleet, a hotel, a restaurant, a transport service, and a whole lot more. Valerie does it all with a smile and incredible support from her staff.
We had two trips this year, the first hosted by Cory Sanden and the second hosted by Harold Davis and me. Both trips were fantastic, but I’ll report on ours.
Getting to Haida Gwaii Safaris
It’s super easy to get to Haida Gwaii Safaris. You fly into Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, then take a 1.5-hour flight to Sandspit. Valerie and her team pick you up at the small airport, and within five minutes of boarding the shuttle, you’re at the lodge. We checked into our super-comfortable rooms and prepared for the next day’s fishing.
All you need to bring is layered clothing—the lodge supplies rain gear, boots, and fishing tackle. Being the fishing geek I am, I brought my own AFTCO rain gear, a couple of rods and reels, some of Cory’s MC Swimbaits Slugs, and a few Shimano Butterfly Jigs.
Day 1: Incredible Bottom Fishing and a Strong Start
Our first day brought fantastic weather. Our boat, with Captain Nathan at the helm, joined most of the other lodge boats for the 15-mile run south to The Pinnacles. After a scenic cruise between the two Haida Gwaii islands from the east side to the west, we arrived at the spot and dropped our plastic baits to the bottom—about 100 to 150 feet deep.
We were immediately hammered by lingcod and rockfish. Within an hour, we had our daily limit of lingcod (three per angler), all 20–40+ pounds.
I brought along one of the Shimano Ocea Jigger 25LD reels loaded with 65-pound PowerPro Max Quatro, and I was totally impressed with the power this super-light reel delivers—no need for a two-speed!
We then moved a couple of miles inside to one of Nathan’s halibut hot spots, and within 15 minutes we had our halibut limit. After that, we switched to salmon fishing and caught a few nice kings and silvers, though not quite our daily limit. That was fine, we still had two more days to go.
Day 2: Salmon, Rain, and a Crab Feast
Day 2 brought lots of rain in Sandspit, but by the time we reached the west side of the island, it was intermittent and we stayed mostly dry. We headed north and concentrated on salmon. We caught enough kings to fulfill half our limit, several silvers, more lingcod, and a few rockfish. Most of the other boats did even better, absolutely slaying the salmon—with several big kings up to 30 pounds!
On the way out, we dropped a crab pot and checked it on the way back. It was loaded with Dungeness crab, which made for an amazing appetizer before dinner.
Day 3: Kings, Lingcod, and a Surprise Halibut
Day 3 brought some wind that kept us fishing in the prime salmon area called The Wall, where we were mostly sheltered from the weather. We nailed the rest of our king salmon limit and picked up a few more silvers.
With about an hour of fishing time left, we ventured a couple of miles off the point in calmer weather to one of Nathan’s secret spots. Within 15 minutes, we’d filled our limit of lingcod—and Bruce even caught and released a 100-pound halibut he hooked on a swimbait!
Why Haida Gwaii Safaris Leaves a Lasting Impression
Haida Gwaii Safaris is truly a special place. The natural beauty of the islands, the wildlife, and the incredible fishing are unmatched. The food is five-star, and the hospitality of the lodge staff is amazing.
The harvest you bring back is also fantastic. All packages include processing your catch, vacuum-packing, and boxing it to take home on the plane. My harvest for three days of fishing was two boxes—90 pounds of fillets!
One of the impressive things about Haida Gwaii Safaris is how many couples it attracts. Of the 24 people we had, 18 were couples, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Many of those guests re-booked for next year, so if you want to join us next August, visit qcsafaris.com and book your spot now!
🎣 Ready to plan your own 2026 Haida Gwaii adventure?
Give us a call at 1-877-815-2892 or visit qcsafaris.com to learn more.
