Copper Bay Lodge

Copper Bay Lodge prides itself on having assembled an elite guide staff that possesses the instructional skills and knowledge to ensure a memorable and successful experience! Copper Bay Lodge is located on the island of Haida Gwaii or more commonly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands. Epic Steelhead fishing happens here!

Haida Gwaii Island, Canada winter steelhead fishing is not for the faint of heart. The surrounding seas can be angry, rough and very cold. The fishing on this archipelago happens in the streams. Yes, islands with streams. Streams running ripe with winter steelhead.

Picture the month of November, standing streamside under a dripping canopy of massive Sitka Spruce, Cedar and Hemlock. Steelhead, still luminous from the sea, climbing through riffles, runs and pools. Now picture March…or December. Make it January. Steelhead move into these waters from early Autumn through early Spring. Yes, this place is unique. The fish are unique. 8-12lb steelhead. Some, but not many go up to 20 lbs. Bring 15 lb. Maxima. You’ll need it.

Copper Bay Lodge is located on Haida Gwaii. This is where you will stay and enjoy evenings off the water, great food, friends and a welcoming experience tempered by the dramatic anadromous watersheds found just beyond the walls of the lodge. Copper River, the lodge namesake, offers excellent steelhead angling and it’s located only minutes away, but there’s more. More rivers that is.

Headed out on your next adventure with us? The Fly ShopⓇ has you covered. As a thank you to our travel guests, enjoy 15% off all retail purchases for a year! — the perfect chance to gear up before your trip.

Whether it’s flies, leaders, apparel or a new rod and reel outfit, we’ve got everything you need to make your journey more comfortable, more successful, and more fun. (some exclusions apply)

Seasons

The Queen Charlotte Mountains shield Haida Gwaii's eastern coast from most of the rain making the east coast of the Islands drier than the west coast.

The Climate of the islands off the west coast of British Columbia is typically wet and cool almost anytime of year. The driest months are found from late spring through the summer. The rainy season can begin as early as August in some years. The east side of the islands are drier than the west which can accumulate as much as 200 - 320 inches of rain a year. That's an amazing amount of rain. Typical rainfall totals for Haida Gwaii is ~52". Snowy and icy conditions happen, but don't last long.

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Getting There

Getting to Copper Bay Lodge on the island of Haida Gwaii is easy and safe. In most cases you will fly from home to Vancouver British Columbia (YVR) where you will clear immigration and customs.

From Vancouver British Columbia, Canada (YVR) you will take the short afternoon flight from the city of Vancouver BC to Sandspit, Queen Charlotte Islands (YZP), via Air Canada. You'll be met at the airport and transferred to the Lodge by staff. Expect to be swinging flies by the last few hours of daylight.

Departure Day from Lodge:
Wake up at 7:30 AM, and breakfast at the lodge. Depart the lodge by 8:30 AM for a partial day of fishing on a local river. You will return to the Lodge for lunch at 1:00 PM for a quick lunch and to prepare to head to the airport at 2:15 PM Your departure should be scheduled from Sandspit (YZP) at 3:25 PM to Vancouver YVR).

Lodging

Copper Bay Lodge is Steelhead fly fishing off the grid, on the Islands of Haida Gwaii. There are not many steelhead rivers as remote as these, in the Pacific Northwest, and the team has it dialed. Surrounded by pristine wilderness, this rustic lodge overlooks the Hecate Strait and is located on a private beach, with access to more than 5 excellent winter steelhead rivers within a 40 minute drive… One of them only 5 minutes from your bedroom door.

The lodge offers both single and double occupancy rooms depending on preference and an additional cabin with a queen-size bed and private bath. It is the perfect size for groups of 4 - 6 anglers. Copper Bay is a small lodge that caters to groups looking for a unique, and very exclusive experience. Groups are kept small to ensure personal service and a relaxing atmosphere that is hard to find in the larger salmon lodges of Haida Gwaii. These guys specialize in serving the best of the island's traditional cuisine, combined with gourmet North American dishes and matched with wines.

Fishing

Copper Bay Lodge’s daily guided trips are primarily conducted with inflatable rafts on the Yakoun River, which is larger water. Drifting offers anglers a peaceful means to access the very best runs, riffles, and tail-outs this river has to offer. On the smaller streams, walk and wade fishing is the norm and allows the easiest and most efficient access to the daily beats. Fishing on Haida Gwaii is strictly catch-and-release. This always equates to better fishing, without people netting and bonking the fish, like we regularly see on rivers closer to home. There are literally dozens of rivers and streams on the islands, and with minimal pressure from the general public, anglers enjoy a rare opportunity to fish relatively untouched water every day of the week.

Reservations & Rates

The cost of the week-long Copper Bay Lodge package in 2026 is:
• $7,375 USD per person + $100 Conservation Fee (double occupancy)

• Shorter packages may be available depending on availability of guides and lodging - please give us a call for details.

Inclusions:

Meet and greet in Sandspit on Saturday, transfer from Sandspit to the lodge, all guided fishing, single/private accommodations (shared bathroom) at the lodge and river camps, home cooked meals, toiletry articles’ including shampoo/conditioner, hand creams, soaps, beer and wine served.

Non-Inclusions:

Your fishing license (approximately $250 USD), gratuities, booze, transportation between Vancouver and Sandspit, GST, and PST taxes

Travel Insurance:

The Fly Shop® is not in the insurance business, but we recommend Travel Guard coverage as a service with a desire to see your best interests protected. It is impossible to know when an unfortunate situation (loss of luggage, fly rods, illness in the family, or an accident) may occur. However, such things can and do happen, and this insurance can provide a means of recourse against non-refundable financial losses.
• Travel Insurance Information

Seasons Details

Seasons

Getting There Details

Getting There

Lodging Details

Lodging

Angling Details

Fishing

Inclusions Details

Reservations & Rates

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