Crescent Spur Lodge

Upon arrival on an afternoon flight to Prince George, you will be driven to Crescent Spur Lodge, about 45 minutes due east of the airport. The lodge is a classic log-constructed compound that includes the main lodge building and all guest accommodations. After arriving, your hosts will show you to your room, where you can unpack and get settled. The bar is open, and appetizers are served at 6, and dinner is at 7 p.m. sharp. Don't stay up too late — breakfast starts at 7 a.m., and the chopper leaves promptly at 8:30 each morning. 

You'll gear up in the lodge's spacious wader room — keep in mind, this place is a ski lodge in the winter, so there's lots of room to spread out — and wander out to the helipad for your first flight in the Jet Ranger, a capable and comfortable helicopter that transports Crescent Spur guests into the backcountry. From the lodge, the flight can vary anywhere from just a few minutes to half an hour or more. Your guide will often ask the pilot to dip down into a drainage and fly just a few dozen feet off the ground to get a look at a river and its likely holding water for the big bull trout that are migrating into these smaller waters from larger rivers and lakes well downstream. Eventually, the bird will land, and, before you know it, you'll be standing at the head of classic run, getting ready to let your streamer swing through the emerald-green water in search of one of these massive native char. 

As a migratory fishery, one might assume that finding these big fish as they move throughout the complex network of rivers and streams on their annual migration can be quite difficult. Truth be told, bull trout can, indeed, but a bit ghostly. That said, Crescent Spur's team of seasoned guides have been at this for a while. Generally, when the fish are found, the action is fast and unforgiving. Bull trout well over 36 inches are caught every summer, and, for the most part, when the fish are found, several come to hand before it's time to radio the chopper pilot and find a new run to swing a streamer. 

The lodge's Jet Ranger is made for this country. It's able to dive into the canyons, and fly just a few feet over the tops of the tall cedars and spruce trees that thrive in this inland rainforest. Your guide and your pilot work together as they scope out the deep, green holes, gorgeous, fishy runs, and perfect tail-outs that make for likely holding water. If you're lucky, you'll be into fish just a few minutes after the rotor stops spinning. 

Central BC's bull trout migrate into the Cariboos from downstream rivers and lakes, like the Fraser. On this last day, the hunt is on for a true behemoth — a bull trout stretching the tape well over 30 inches. And the best place? Where the big, glacial rivers meet super-cooled, snowmelt fed streams that course down out of the mountains. It gives new meaning to the phrase "fish where it gets dirty," and you'll soon understand why that is when a massive migratory char absolutely savages your streamer just a second after it hits the water. It's a great way to end this native char odyssey in one of Canada's most beautiful landscapes.

Say goodbye to the lodge's wonderful staff that has worked its collective tail off to ensure a top-tier experience during your stay. Over the last five days, you've enjoyed premium beers, wines, and spirits, off-the-charts chef-prepared meals, spacious rooms (single or double occupancy — no solo-angler surcharge), and a much-need nightly soak in the hot tub. That it all happens in a gorgeous and traditional log-hewn lodge with plenty of room to spread out will have you making plans for a return trip as soon as you're able. For now, you'll remember the things you loved about this wonderful lodge, and the people who made your trip so special.