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Aug. 03, 2007
Return to Harrison's Cove
My first trip to Harrison's Cove Lodge in Barkley sound, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada, was a couple of years ago with locals Jim and Debbie Mutton. I wrote then in this column, about the great fishing, hospitality and atmosphere of this secluded floating lodge. Well, I've just returned from another visit to the lodge founded by my friend Tim Harrison and his father in 1977. I was joined by Mark Fiorentino, his father Rick, father-in-law Jim Presser (known as Cow Pa), who is the owner and operator of Pest Off Pest Control in Las Vegas, and most importantly, 8-year-old son Gage. I consider myself as the adopted Uncle Dan, as this was obviously a family bonding guy thing. It worked as these types of outdoor activities always do, but I'll leave that for another column and Gage's story. This trip proved that you can return again as the fishing, hospitality and atmosphere were equal to our first trip. On the first day, at 4 a.m., not my usual waking hour, we were up and headed off shore to Big Bank for some halibut and ling cod fishing. This I usually consider deep drift-fishing, with a heavy jig, but discovered our guides had it right again. They trolled in 80 to 100 feet of water and took not only these fish, but king salmon, too. It didn't take long to figure out which was which. The halibut and lings would head straight for the bottom and try to stay there. Shaking their heads, they would try to throw the hook and only stubbornly give up line to a patient angler. Salmon, on the other hand, would make repeated runs, first away from the boat, and then directly toward it as they also tried to shake the barbless hook. Then they would dive as they came closer to the boat and finally to the net, and to a relieved fisherman with sore arms and a thumb burning from the pressure exerted on the line being stripped from the reel by these powerful, silvery, fresh ocean caught kings. Yes you read that right: barbless hook. The fish in this area are so plentiful one would have a very short trip if they kept the first caught limit of two. The guides encourage releasing all under 20 pounds. Keeping the second is always a tough decision, as the next one might be even bigger. They grow to 50 pounds in these waters. The days were filled with fishing, gourmet food, lots of laughter and fishermans humor, broken with a mid-day nap, and concluded with a marvelous dinner shared by the lodge guests as stories of the day's events were retold. Not surprisingly, the fish got bigger with each telling. The other days were as exciting as the first, but found us fishing among the many islands and coastal inlets for the migrating salmon. We lost count of the coho and kings caught and released, but we have pictures of the ones we kept, and of the beautiful coastline and it's wildlife consisting of bald eagles, sea lions, seals, otter, black tail deer and bear. Lest I forget the whales and dolphins. The area is home to an abundance of killer, grey and humpback whales. One humpback gave us a remarkable audio-visual show as it broached completely out of the water, splashed just yards from the boat (as Mark had a fish on) and continued splashing with its tail as it went westward, with the sun setting in the distance. It was movie time and I was able to catch the entire production on video. As remarkable as this trip was, the best part is yet to come. We'll hear a remarkable story of first fish, adventure, travel and three generations on a family Quest that brings them closer together. If you would like more information on Harrison's Cove Lodge, go to harrisonscove.com. Recipe The food at the cove is exceptional and here is their trademark recipe for salmon. It's my favorite and a well kept secret, so let's keep it between us and enjoy. Use your favorite whiskey. I prefer Canadian Rye, and don't forget a bit for the cook. Whiskey salmon Ingredients: 3/4 cup soya sauce; 1 cup vegetable oil; 1/4 cup whiskey; 3-4 cloves of garlic. Preparation: De-bone salmon, leaving the skin on. Cut into chunks and marinade for at least four hours in the refrigerator and bake at 350 degrees on parchment paper for 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the thickness. These are also great on the barbecue, 15 minutes turning once. -- If you have a story to tell, or a comment, give me a call at (775) 727-6444, or e-mail me at dansimmons@usa.net. |
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