Pre-Fishing Trip Rituals: Vancouver Escape Room

By Thomas Quine (Vancouver Dawn Panorama) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

It’s hard not to get overly excited as the days get crossed off the calendar. And no—I’m not talking about counting down to the holidays. I’m talking about marking X’s as my fishing trip with Escott Sportsfishing gets nearer and nearer.

Before my four days at Escott Lodge with my friends begin, I also always make sure to get in some quality time with the family. It used to be enough to take the kids for an afternoon at Granville Island’s Kids Market, but now that they’re getting older, it’s time to kick the pre–fishing trip tradition up several notches.

The best thing I’ve found for this year is a session at a Vancouver escape room—the latest entertainment craze. Since my kids are well into the scary stuff (just like the old man), it’s got to be Krakit Escape Game for us.

Located right by Lougheed Town Centre Skytrain station, Krakit offers rotating horror-themed escape rooms, including the Zombie Apocalypse, the Asylum, and the Saw Room (and they’re happy to adjust the scare level, if any little ones aren’t up to full fright level yet).

The only bad part about playing an escape game with the kids is facing the fact they might solve the puzzles before I do. But being outwitted by a nine-year-old is well worth it when it means we all get to jump into an experience together—in a way a movie night just can’t provide.

By adding a pre-trip tradition to my yearly fishing trip, I get to make some serious memories both with my friends as we haul in salmon after salmon, and at the same time I get to cement some special moments with the family as well. (And it’s certainly makes them as excited for my annual trip to Escott Sportfishing as I am.)

Before I know it, the boys will be old enough to take part in both parts of the tradition: the pre-trip family time and the fishing adventure in beautiful Haida Gwaii.

You can learn more about Krakit Vancouver Escape Game here.

Sport Fishing and the Art of Relaxation

Photo by Guy  Kimola

Every angler has their own reason for loving fishing, whether it’s the thrill of the chase, getting to be outdoors all day, or frying up the catch at home. But there’s another big reason that people head out onto the water: fishing is relaxing.

Although the word “relaxing” may seem at odds with the image of a fisherman fighting a massive Chinook salmon for an hour or two before getting it onto the boat, that is only one aspect of the sport. Because sportfishing takes you out on the water for hours at a time—often the whole day—there’s a lot of downtime between such battles.

These moments between tugs on the line are also what fishing is known for. In fact, the most common reason people fish is to relax, according to the American Sportfishing Association. 

Photo by Owen Perry

While waiting for the next battle, an angler can allow their mind to wander—but not too much, because you need to be able to react when the bite does come. This makes fishing an activity similar to mowing the lawn or painting a wall. That is, it engages part of your brain, but it doesn’t always engage all of it. You need to pay attention, but you don’t need to pay it all of your attention.

This makes fishing the perfect set up for letting your mind wander—and often the type of situation that gives rise to Eureka moments. 

Not only does fishing give you time with your own thoughts, but the constant casting and reeling means it’s a repetitive activity. Repetitive activities are stress busting. And diverting attention to repetition is not only mentally soothing, but actually releases physical tension too. 

Photo by Guy Kimola

Whether you're out with Escott Sportfishing trolling, mooching, or even saltwater fly fishing, you can expect the perfect mixture of excitement and relaxation—while soaking up the scenery of Haida Gwaii, which is always a relaxing thing.

The Fishing Seasons of Haida Gwaii

Beautiful Haida Gwaii is known for many things.

The undeniably stunning scenery, a decidedly relaxed way of life, the distinctive art of the Haida people, and its varied and lush wildlife. We’ve got humpback whales, bald eagles, harbour seals, and even spirit bears. But of most interest to Escott Sportfishing and our guests is—of course—the innumerable fish that populate its waters.

Haida Gwaii, formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, is considered to have some of the best salmon fishing grounds in the world. Made up of over 150 islands and classed as a temperate rainforest zone, the Haida Gwaii, with its many protected bays and kelp beds, couldn’t be more welcoming to salmon, halibut, and other game fish that end up on the business end of our fishing poles.

Millions of Chinook and Coho swim through the island chain on runs that take them south from Alaska to their home waters to breed. Masset, where Escott’s Haida Gwaii fishing lodge is located, essentially sits in the middle of this fish superhighway. Different species of salmon run at different times of year, with the Haida Gwaii salmon season spanning all the way from May until September.

But Tyees aren’t the only giants that swim these waters. Halibut hang about Haida Gwaii all year long, usually choosing to stay in waters much deeper than the salmon. Still, Escott’s hali fishing grounds are located only a half-hour boat ride from the Lodge, where depths plunge as deep as 275 feet.

If you book your Haida Gwaii sportfishing trip for September, there’s also opportunity to catch yet another of the prized fish that call these waters home—steelhead, otherwise known as rainbow trout.

With different species of quality sport fish swimming these waters all year round, there is no question why Haida Gwaii is known as a fisherman’s paradise.

            

Something Fishy: Bachelor Parties in the Great Outdoors

Make Escott Lodge your next stag destination!  

One of the more fun parts about getting married is having an excuse to get all your friends together to blow off steam before the stress of the big day.

Back in 2009, when The Hangover came out, Vegas seemed like the place to head for a bachelor party. But by the time Bridesmaids was released, only two years later, director Paul Feig said he didn’t want the cast to end up there for the bachelorette—because it was already tired.

Now, with 2016 weddings being planned, real-life wedding parties are taking a different approach to the bachelor/bachelorette party. Instead of brash and loud Las Vegas, many best men and maids of honour are taking wedding parties on more adventurous getaways, far from the beaten path. Whether escaping to a vineyard, renting a cabin in the middle of woods, or heading to a yoga retreat, pre-wedding celebrations are increasingly heading to the great outdoors.

Not surprisingly, a getaway to a sports fishing lodge also lands on the list of unique bachelor and bachelorette parties: it’s got everything you need for a special and memorable time—without all the slot machines.

Whether you’ve got a group of seasoned anglers or it’s everyone’s first time out in the boat, at Escott Sportfishing we’ll have each and every bridesmaid reeling in salmon. And as fathers and sons have known for centuries, there’s nothing like being out on the open waters to get everyone bonding.

Not only do our experienced guides take you out on the water each day of your trip, but every evening your party finds itself back in our first-class accommodations at Escott Lodge—included as part of your fishing trip package. Decked out with flat screen TVs, a pool table, a poker table, and a hot tub, our Haida Gwaii fishing lodge provides all the luxury a groom-to-be deserves before he takes the plunge. On top of it all, every meal at Escott is prepared by Executive Chef Mike Redinger, whose take on West Coast cuisine completes the experience. As does our fully stocked bar.

Taking a stagette party to beautiful Haida Gwaii is already enough to make it more memorable than most, but add in the days spent on the fishing boat with a group of your best friends and family, and it will become unforgettable.