Amenities

The Critter Cafe:

Our licensed casual restaurant with a view of the fishing grounds is just what you’ll want after a full tide fishing or exploring. The Cafe hours are posted on the front door. Early July through to later in August we open at 5 a.m. for coffee, breakfast sandwiches and baking to take with you to 9 pm for soups and desserts. We don’t have servers to the tables, but you are welcome to order at the counter and sit inside. We usually have soups, chili, loaded baked spuds, sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, rice and pasta bowls. We have waffle cones and desserts. Guests often bring supplies and cook their own meals, so you are not required to join us in the cafe if you’re staying here.

The Pit Stop for Marine Gas:

Marine mid – grade gas with no ethanol.
Gas dock hours early July to late August are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
We accept cash, Debit, Visa and Mastercard.

Store:

Bait – Ice –Tackle –Clothing – Snacks – Boat supplies
 
The store is by the front desk and you pass through on your way to the cafe. 
 
In the tackle area we have the most popular Nootka fishing fare in stock – you’ll find plugs, spoons, hoochies, flashers, jigs, knives, nets, rods, anchovy heads, down rigger parts and more.  We strive to keep our prices competitive with bigger centres, and not inflated due to our location. We appreciate the support when you shop here. If you support our tackle store then we can afford to keep it in future years – and keep the prices reasonable due to volume purchasing – so please do. 

We are closely affiliated with Tomic Lures, made in Gold River, so if you have some favourites you’d like us to have, just send us a note through the contact page and if there’s enough notice (to make them and get a ride for them from Gold River) we’ll let you know, and they’ll be waiting for you at the front desk when you arrive.

Fish Cooler – check fish in or out from 7 am to 9pm.

If you have good luck fishing you will need to stow your catch. Some fishermen keep their fish in a cooler with ice on the dock outside their room. We also have a fish cooler that operates like a coat check. We bag and tag your fish when you’ve dressed it, then we keep it in our cooler just above freezing for $2 a fish a day. Note the heads must be off fish destined for the cooler (unless removing the head would make the fish under the legal size limit). Tails should always be left on salmon until you’re home, so that the fish can be identified by authorities if necessary.
Here’s a link to the regulations on packaging and transporting your catch: Fish Packing Regs

Mackerel Island:

We have an area for fishermen who like to catch fish off the dock.
Mackerel Island is located close to the cleaning station, so fishing is good and the kids are easy to watch. This dock is accessed by a narrow walkway, so it’s easier to control stray hooks and bait.

The Peetz Challenge Cup

Your name could be added to our Peetz Challenge trophy. The biggest salmon of the year caught by a Critter Cove guest using a Peetz reel wins for the year.
We have qualifying Peetz reels available to borrow if you’d like to participate and try out a Peetz.

Fish Cleaning Station & Vacuum packing Station:

There’s a fish cleaning station for our overnight guests. There’s a counter near the cleaning station with a power outlet for vacuum sealers, so BYO sealer & supplies and process your fish if you’d like. Note the rules on transporting your fish require tail and skin on. Here’s where you’ll find the regulations on how you may transport your fish: Packaging your catch legally.