A Heli-fishing Odyssey for Angling A-fish-ionados with Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort

Explore the unique heli-fishing adventure offered by Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort, a must-read for enthusiasts of bass flies for fly fishing. This article details the exhilarating experience of helicopter-assisted fishing in remote wilderness, targeting steelhead, salmon, and trout, with insights from seasoned guides. It's a blend of luxury, sport, and nature at its best.

A heli-fishing trip to BC's Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort is on many anglers' bucket list and adding in owner Craig Murray and long time friend and helicopter pilot Peter Barratt as your guides is like taking a member of the Cousteau family along with you as you explore the oceans.

An Angling Odyssey with Murray and Barratt takes anglers – via helicopter – into the 50,000-square-miles of wilderness surrounding Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort to fish for steelhead, salmon, and bull and rainbow trout. It may be booked for groups of two or four anglers for two, three or four days. Rates start at $3,995 Cdn per person, per day and include your own helicopter with Murray and Barratt as your personal guides.

Murray founded Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort more than 30 years ago and turned it into one of the top fishing and wilderness resorts in the world. Barratt is the co-owner and founder of West Coast Helicopters and he first introduced Murray to the concept of using a helicopter to access the more than 30 river systems that surround the resort.

“In 1983, I had my first heli-fishing experience. It literally and figuratively lifted me up and set me down in a different place. It changed my thinking on the future of Nimmo Bay,” says Murray, “The ability of helicopters to reach inaccessible water, bringing man and nature closer together was the future of remote adventure travel. With my son Fraser now running the resort, I can take time to guide guests to some of my favorite fishing locations, where few men or women have gone before!”

An Angling Odyssey offers anglers the opportunity to tap into Murray and Barratt's more than 70 years of combined fishing and guiding experience; their knowledge of angling; and the coastal history and geography of the area are unsurpassed. Barratt has been flying for more than 41 years; starting with the Canadian armed forces and progressing into civil aviation, Barratt co-founded West Coast Helicopters in Port McNeill in 1994. Although his day-to-day work involves operating four bases and 12 helicopters, he still flies an average of 250 hours a year.

Whenever guests choose to come, Murray and Barratt know where the fish lie in wait of anglers' flies and lures. August through October are the best months for Coho salmon, summer steelhead and trout heli-fishing, while mid-April to June are the best months for winter steelhead heli-fishing. Often a sought-after trophy fish, steelhead in the area range in size from 13 to 30 pounds, while Coho salmon commonly referred to as Silvers, tend to be 10 to 25 pounds. All fishing at NimmoBay Wilderness Resort is catch-and-release using single, barbless hooks, bass flies for fly fishing.

“While serious about fishing, we are just as serious about having fun, eating great food and seeing some of the most incredible scenery in Western Canada, flying above the clouds between fishing,” says Murray.

Anglers are also required to have at their command a list of new jokes and humor that Murray and Barratt have not as yet heard – known for their fame and prowess with a rod, reel and helicopter, these two gentlemen's jokes and stories, gathered from years of listening to the stream-side humor and fishing tales told by countless anglers, are just as legendary.

All guests to Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort will also enjoy luxurious accommodation and amenities that include a floating fire dock with Adirondack chairs and warm blankets; two cedar hot tubs next to the cascading waterfall; a waterfall plunge pool; a yoga studio; and a games room with a poker table, billiards table, satellite television, wood stove, comfortable couches and a complimentary self-serve mini-bar. Additional services include: master masseurs; a photo program so each guest receives a memory stick with photos of their trip taken by Nimmo Bay staff; and the provision of all adventure and fishing gear. Taxes, fishing licences, return transportation to Port Hardy and gratuities are not included.

From Vancouver (YVR), via Pacific Coastal Airlines it is a one-hour flight to Port Hardy (YZT). From Port Hardy, guests may reach Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort via boat or helicopter. Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort is happy to arrange transportation from Vancouver or Port Hardy for guests.

For more information about An Angling Odyssey, phone 1-800-837-4354 or, visit www.nimmobay.com.

About: Nimmo Bay Resort