Some places earn their reputation the hard way.

Crazy Bear Lodge is one of them.

Not long ago, a wildfire came close to wiping it off the map—flames pushing hard enough to make you wonder if anything would be left when the smoke cleared. But sometimes, a place has a little luck… and a lot of grit.

Fire crews made the lodge their base of operations, holding the line from a rocky outcrop that’s now part of the lodge’s story. When it was over, Crazy Bear was still standing—untouched, ready for another chapter.

And like the country around it, it needed a little time.

The owners stepped back, let the land breathe, and gave the forest a chance to heal. What followed was something special—new growth pushing through, wildlife returning, and the river settling back into its rhythm.

Now, with the recovery in full swing, Crazy Bear is opening its doors once again—carefully, intentionally—welcoming select groups for the 2011 summer season.

This isn’t just a lodge. It’s part of a larger way of life.

The team behind Crazy Bear operates two additional fishing lodges in British Columbia. Come fall, you’ll find them along the Bulkley River, chasing wild steelhead in cold, fast water. The rest of the year, they’re working remote stretches of the Haida Gwaii, targeting salmon and steelhead where the crowds don’t reach.

2011 Season

The lodge will operate on a simple, time-tested schedule—Friday to Friday, throughout the summer.

Seven days.
Remote water.
And a pace that lets you settle in and fish the way it was meant to be done.

The rate is $3,550 for the full week, including air travel from Vancouver. For those planning a trip, Denis Dore and Derek Botchford are available to help coordinate the details and get you pointed in the right direction.

2011 Fly Fishing School

For those looking to sharpen their skills—or finally take that first step into fly fishing—Crazy Bear offers something rare.

A full week immersed in the craft.

This isn’t classroom theory. It’s hands-on learning in water that’s alive with fish. From your very first cast, you’ll be into trout—real fish, in real conditions. The kind of experience that builds confidence quickly and sticks with you long after the trip is over.

By the end of the week, you won’t just understand fly fishing.

You’ll feel it.

And maybe that’s the real story here.

Crazy Bear Lodge didn’t just survive the fire—it came back stronger, rooted deeper, and ready to offer something that’s getting harder to find these days:

Wild water.
Quiet country.
And the kind of fishing trip that stays with you long after you’ve gone home.