Everyone loves a great success story. I would be hard-pressed to think of a worthier one than that of Adrian O’Connor and his longtime business partner Angie Vincent.
Gibbs spoons proved to be lethal weapons in the arsenal of the RO Guides.
I first met Adrian via email and a phone conversation in late 2010 or early 2011. I was looking for a new place to enjoy some great BC salmon/bottom-fishing and to share that experience with the readers of STS. To my great delight, in July of 2011 my friend Bob Peterson and I were able to enjoy a few days at their new fishing lodge in Zeballos, BC. For those who might still have a collection of the old magazines, you will find that article in the March 2012 issue of STS.
In that piece, I spent a good deal of time reviewing the history of Vancouver Island, and the long tug-of-war between the British and Spanish in the late eighteenth century over claims both made to the region. British Capt. George Vancouver and Spanish explorer Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra spent much time exploring the island and surrounding areas.
By all accounts, they had a very cordial relationship and partook in many meetings together. As you might notice looking at a map of Vancouver Island and surrounding areas, many of the original place-names given by the Spanish still survive today. I will spare you the history lesson this time around, but suffice it to say it was a very interesting time, one which I very much enjoyed researching. Obviously, the island was ultimately named after the British seafarer who initially explored Puget Sound and much of the Pacific Northwest in general.
An excerpt from my original article describes Zeballos as such: “The small village of Zeballos, BC is located at the northernmost end of Esperanza Inlet, just north of Nootka Sound. Named for Lt. Ciriaco Zevallos, a member aboard an early Spanish ship, Zeballos remained relatively obscure until the 1930s, when the village grew exponentially to near 5000 people during a gold rush in the region. After WWII, logging became a predominant industry and later still, both commercial and sport fishing became popular, as well as sight-seeing and eco-tourism. Its 2006 population was a whopping 189 residents.”
The Reel Obsession Fishing Fleet.
A mere shadow of its once former glory, Zeballos remains a top destination for both sportfishing and eco-tourism, with logging still a going concern as well. Adrian had been introduced to the Zeballos fishing scene by his uncle and was so mesmerized by the magic of the place, he began working to make a dream come true. He purchased a home in Zeballos ideally situated facing the serene and undisturbed northern end of Esperanza Inlet. With a dedicated desire and an intense drive to make a successful living born out of his passion for fishing, he fittingly named his new operation Reel Obsession Sport Fishing. He and Angie began refurbishing the place, adding an additional story and rooms to the garage, making it into the ideal and incredibly peaceful fishing retreat it has become.
Both Adrian and Angie have been busy over the last decade and a half adding boats, guides, guest rooms and lodge staff, turning Reel Obsession into a thriving, enormously popular and incredibly successful salmon, tuna and bottom-fishing operation. Theirs is an amazingly well-oiled machine. Since I first visited during its early inception, I have always wanted to return to do a follow-up piece on the growth and continued success of their operation. 2025 was the year we made it happen and I could scarcely contain my excitement at the thought.
In 2011, there was only a couple boats in the fleet, one being a 26’ Sea Ray named No Doubt. Bob and I absolutely slayed salmon on that boat with Adrian. I will never forget the day he guided Bob and I off Nootka Island at Ferrier Point. I kid you not, we went through five-dozen packages of bait, every last one of which was devoured by a frenzied, feeding salmon. It was without question the single hottest ocean salmon bite I have ever experienced. Today in 2025, there is an entire fleet of incredibly fishy offshore boats with a cadre of skilled guides to skipper them, all part of the growing Reel Obsession family.
On this trip I was again joined by my lifelong friend and fishing partner Bob Peterson, as well as two newcomers to BC fishing. I invited my buddy Bryan Peck to join us and he brought his pal Barry Dubnow to enjoy the adventure as well. While both Bob and I are experienced BC salmon fishers, Bryan and Barry had never had the pleasure. I told them this trip would vault them directly into the Premier League of sport fisheries and that they should prepare themselves for a longing to return annually. There is simply nothing that compares to the sound of those big single-action reels screaming as a large chinook smokes line off of them. That tug is definitely the drug and surely, they would find themselves as addicted as Bob and I have been for many years now.
Bob Peterson, Kris Olsen, Bryan Peck and Barry Dubnow are all smiles upon arrival.
We all met at 7:30am sharp the morning of June 26, 2025 in Mount Vernon, WA. at the Skagit Station Park and Ride. If you call Skagit Transit customer service and give them your vehicle info, you can leave a rig or two there for a few days while you carpool up to the island and back. Bob had the nicest and most accommodating vehicle for our comfort, coolers and luggage, as well as many years of experience making the trip, so we elected him be our skipper. We each tossed in a couple hundred bucks to cover fuel and ferry expenses and off we went. This arrangement was perfect as it allowed me to make love to the back of my eyelids at will along the way.
After an uneventful northward border crossing and a 10:15am ferry sailing, we made our way up the island, making a brief pit stop in Campbell River. Somewhere just after 5 o’clock, we rolled into the little village of Zeballos, where we were greeted warmly by Angie and her staff. As I mentioned, they have added extra buildings to accommodate guests, including the original 1930’s Zeballos Hotel, which they now refer to as the RO Guest House. It is located one block from the main lodge and where our group found very comfortable lodgings that included full kitchens with refrigerators. At 7:00pm sharp, chef Chris began his nightly three-course dining extravaganza, a delightful experience in and of itself. His wizardry and culinary creations border on decadent and will leave you with a big smile and a very full belly.
The following morning at 6:00am, the boats were loaded with guests and the guides began heading down the inlet. Bob and I were lucky enough to fish with Adrian, while Bryan and Barry were teamed up all three days with Dave, aka “Sprinkles”. Strikes came early and often as the Gibbs spoons we were trolling were too much for the fish to resist. While the larger chinook seemed to evade us, we encountered enough line-peeling specimens to make even the most jaded angler crack a smile. When we hit the dock early that afternoon, our crew had half of our four chinook possession limits, with the largest two topping out at just over twenty pounds.
For the second and third day of our three-day trip, Bob and I were teamed with guide Kashes Redfern. The second morning we headed offshore in search of lingcod and halibut. Kashes taught us a new method for catching lingcod, something that doesn’t happen often for old dogs like us. Bob and I chose to stay after the lings while Barry and Bryan headed further out to get their halibut as well. While unique to many previous methods we have tried, we found Kashes approach very, very productive. I’m not going to give up the ghost on this one, you’ll have to make the journey north to find out how creative these guys are at finding new ways to fool an old quarry.
Barry Dubnow with a beautiful Chinook (left). Bob Peterson with a typical west Vancouver Island Chinook (right).
After a successful morning catching our white meat, afternoon saw us again trolling for salmon, trying two different locations. Bob recorded his last two chinook and I kept one. With one more day left I wanted to give myself a fair shot at the beast you always hope for when hunting chinook in these fabled waters. When we finally returned to port that second day, all the guide boats unloaded wheelbarrows full of lingcod, halibut, rockfish and salmon. Impressive catches to be sure, but in all reality, just another day at Reel Obsession Sport Fishing!
On our last morning Kashes returned us to Ferrier Point, that legendary location we fished with Adrian in 2011. The action was fast and furious, but Moby Salmon once again eluded us. I tagged a nice chinook to fill out my possession limit while releasing a few more after that. Many will tell you that finding the elusive Tyee is becoming harder and harder each year as the overall size of the fish seems to be dwindling, a trend found all up and down the west coast from Alaska to California. I’ve witnessed this on the Washington coast rivers for many years now. Twenty pounds seems to be the new thirty in terms of a trophy catch. That said, they all provide that awesome table fare we so enjoy, and there is no shortage of fish to provide lots of action. The big Tyee are still lurking, they simply are not nearly as numerous as they historically once were.
The lodge itself is located at the quiet and peaceful end of Zeballos Inlet, with a great deck and a super nice fire pit to enjoy a cocktail after a great day of fishing and evening of fine dining. We were blessed to share our dining table with two very fun, young couples from Calgary, Alberta who were enjoying their first big fishing trip. They did so in style as their guide Torsten, aka “Toasty”, kept them in loads of fish. Kira, Robin, Jon and Laura were a blast to chat and trade stories with around the table and fire pit. The laughs were genuine and the camaraderie of new friends are always a welcome addition to the mission at hand.
Kris Olsen with guide extraordinaire Adrian O’Connor.
I have enjoyed the company of countless fishing guides over the years. All of the staff guides at Reel Obsession Sportfishing are true professionals. With great skill and humor, they will most definitely get you exactly what you came for, but Adrian O’Connor is clearly one of the best to ever practice the trade. You cannot turn on a fishing show these days and not see him guiding someone into the fish of their lives. His attention to detail, hard-earned knowledge of the area and his constant speed and direction fluctuations keep your rods dancing like no other. If there was a Hall of Fame for fishing guides, Adrian would be a sure-fire, unanimous first ballot selection. It’s an honor to say I have had the pleasure to share a boat with him, several times now. I pray it will not be the last before the sun eventually sets on me.
Beginning in 2002, he and Angie have built and grown Reel Obsession Sport Fishing into one of the undeniable gems of the entire BC sportfishing industry. It was very satisfying to see the continued success of their operation since my original visit in the summer of 2011. Their fleet of boats are well-appointed, well-equipped and well-guided tools that are mission specific for the desired objective, to get you into the most dynamic sportfishing experience you will find anywhere on the west coast. Their processing team is every bit as professional at preserving and vac-packing your catch to last you many months of fine dining.
To borrow a line from my buddy Bryan, the investment in terms of money and travel time are significant, but worthy of every last dollar and minute it takes to make a visit to Reel Obsession become a reality. The staff are warm and inviting and will do everything in their power to make your visit as seamless and enjoyable as possible. The cuisine is exceedingly top-shelf, with a professional chef and dining staff who will make your evenings every bit as impressive and memorable as your days on the water. It’s also important to remember that the exchange rate for American anglers is usually very advantageous, so don’t forget to factor that into your equation.
Kris Olsen and guide Kashes Redfern with a typical BC ling cod.
There are a couple ways to get to Zeballos, either by float plane or by driving. Driving from the greater Seattle area is easy enough. I would suggest a truck or large SUV for storage and the thirty or so miles of gravel road nearing the lodge. It is easy driving all along the way, especially once you are on Vancouver Island. You simply head north up Hwy 19, known as the Island Highway. However, with a border crossing and a two-hour ferry ride to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, know that your actual travel time to Zeballos will consume all of one entire day.
Before you make the drive, you would also be well-advised to research drive-times and make ferry reservations to/from the island, as well as any overnight stays you may need to arrange in Nanaimo upon your return. On this trip, we departed the lodge after fishing our last day. With a five-hour drive back to Nanaimo, we had well in advance booked a room at The Inn on Long Lake, not far from the ferry back to the mainland. It was very comfortable and reasonably priced, perfect for our return to civilization.
Although accessible by float plane, driving is the better option if you truly want to “bring home the bacon” so-to-speak. Float planes usually limit your take-home load, where driving allows you to bring coolers that will easily hold your entire possession limit. With the generous amount of salmon, halibut, lingcod and rockfish available at Reel Obsession, your freezer will provide you with incredible dining options for a very long time to come.
Jon, Kira, Laura and Robin from Calgary had an amazing trip. This was their second day’s catch of their three day trip.
Be patient and enjoy the trek up Vancouver Island as it is a very scenic drive. Campbell River is the perfect place to stop for fuel, coffee and maybe lunch if you caught an early ferry. After a nice little break, you will find the highway north of there takes on an entirely different feel as you begin to depart civilization and the roadway goes from four lanes to two. It’s ninety-four more miles from Campbell River to the Zeballos cut-off, where you turn west to head across the island on an active gravel logging road. Upon your arrival in Zeballos, like us, you will be greeted graciously by the staff at Reel Obsession and very quickly your adventure will be off and running.
If you have been looking for that bucket-list getaway or are just a fanatical saltwater fisherman looking for an unforgettable outdoor experience, look no further than Reel Obsession Sport Fishing. The breathtaking beauty of the west coast of Vancouver Island along with the prolific sea life that abounds will take your breath away and leave
you yearning very much to return. A huge thank you to Adrian, Angie and their entire staff for making ours a very memorable and outstanding trip as always! You can find all
of their information at https://reelobsession.ca/.
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