Testimonials
Here's what some of our satisfied customers have said about us:
Great trip out of Kitimat on a charter with James McGillivary up the Douglas channel. James was an awesome guide, who was excited as we were when we landed fish, and was just as disappointed when we lost one. Halibut fishing was hot, starting with a double header. Lines tangled while bringing them in, loosing one before coming to surface. The one we got to the boat was oversized and had to be released. The next hit was a 105cm Halibut that we successfully landed and were able to keep. After landing the fish, and a few photos as I went to lean over the side of the boat to wash my hands the rod beside me folded over. We brought the Halibut to surface, and it looked to be the same size as the 105cm we just caught. As we were preparing to gaff the fish, it ran peeling off line catching the ladder at the back of the boat and broke off. We caught two rock fish, and were able to keep 21 Dungeness crabs out of the traps we set. Any one looking to book a fishing trip out of Kitimat contact James.
- Kevin Noble
June 2023 trip of a lifetime with James McGillivary
Passion. Perseverance. Profession. These are just three words that describe James. This guy is the real deal. A fisherman through and through (I think he has scales). This guy knows fish. And boy does he have the Kitimat area dialed in.
My brother and law and I spent 4 days fishing with James. We hit the water June 28. Each day was a truly life changing fishing experience. Our first day witnessed over a dozen chinook, two beautiful halibut, a trap of crab, rockfish, a coho and a pink salmon. Day 2 we decided to slow our roll a bit and get out of the wind. We got to catch up, see the beauty of the region and catch fish at a more leisurely pace. Full transparency, my wrists could not handle another nonstop day. What was on deck for our last 2 days will forever be engrained in my mind. We spent the night preparing for two days in what is referred to as the ‘outside’.
The outside for those unfamiliar is where the Douglas channel meets the open ocean. Should you continue further, the next stop would be Japan. This area is incredible. Islands, whales, orcas, eagles, and fish. Did I mention the fish?
The outside is home to several species, but our target was ling cod and chinook. The lingcod fishing experience was the best and most exciting day of fishing I have ever had. You drop you jig down 60-100 feet and hold on for dear life. These things are freight trains. James masterfully managed the boat while we put a beating on these fish. We limited out in 2 hours with fish ranging from 15-30 lbs.
We settled in at the end of day 3 on a remote island where we made a campsite, had a wonderful fire, and enjoyed a dinner of lingcod tacos. We chatted, told some fishing stories, reminisced and hit the sack. We had unfinished business on day 4.
Day 4 we aimed to get our final chinooks. This would round out our limits for all species. We landed over 8 that day, or more (I lost count). I landed my biggest, at 25 lb fish. My brother-in-law landed one of similar size. Of course, no fishing story would be complete without the one that got away. But yes, I did manage to lose a >30 lb fish that did two acrobatic leaps and tore the hook right off the spoon. Yes, these fish are strong!
All in all, I can’t count how many fish we caught but it was in the hundreds. Between two guys, we went home with 130 lbs of cleaned, frozen and vacuum sealed fish. The value of this fish is worth more than the flights to and from Kitimat for two guys. Unbelievable.
In summary: get out on the water with James. This guy will show you an experience you only thought possible in your dreams. The action is intense. The comradery second to none. The sheer beauty of the area will last a lifetime. James, it was a pleasure to share the boat with you. We cannot wait to be back.
Review from August 4th 2025
“We wish to extend our sincere thank you to James McGillivary from Fish Whisperers Charter for
a great memorable day trip to Open Water. James was always professional with his fishing
charter and very attentive and assist in everything that we needed to catch fish.
James operated his charters onboard a 28’ Kingfisher boat with twin 150 hp Mercury with lots of room both inside the cabin plus lots of room on deck for 4 of us fishing.
James was very knowledgeable about the prime fishing spots and we had tons of action in catching some huge lingcod plus lots of rock fish and sea bass etc. He also knew exactly where we were able to get our limit of halibuts and we also caught quite a few of coho salmon. And it was a bonus to pulled up tons of huge carbs on our way back to MK Bay. We ended up with well over 150lbs of fish plus 24 crabs. And we were more than happy with James McGillivary for providing us with such a fantastic fishing trip.
We would definitely recommend James and his company The Fish Whisperer Charter for anyone who wish to have a memorable fishing experience.”
Hugo Tse
Review from August 2025
Sheena Grover
Chetwynd, BC
I am writing to offer my highest respect and recommendation for James McGillivary as a professional ‘Fishing Charter Guide.’ My family and I had the great pleasure of booking a last- minute charter with James in August 2025. We thoroughly enjoyed our fishing charter and even tagged out on Lingcod and Halibut. Corey (my partner), Coalton (my son), Jayde (my daughter) and I enjoyed our trip so much that we have booked another 2-day trip with him in July 2026. I am extremely impressed with James’s expertise, professionalism, and genuine passion for providing an outstanding experience on the water. His passion is recognizable and he transfers that to his clients. My son Coalton does not warm up to people fast but let me tell you that James’s warmth, passion and patience won him over. He talks about James all the time and is looking forward to our trip next year.
From the moment we boarded the boat, it was clear to me that James is exceptionally knowledgeable about the local waters (Prince Rupert), seasonal fishing patterns, safety procedures and the best strategies for anglers of any skill level. We had never ocean fished before and James faithfully worked with all of us, making sure we were physically, mentally and emotionally capable of getting those fish in our boat. James went above and beyond to ensure a safe, enjoyable and successful outing (sharing fishing tips/advice and patiently helping beginners learn the basics of ocean fishing).
James is an extremely knowledgeable and personable individual. He is reliable, friendly, observant, precise, and attentive on creating a fun fishing excursion, all the while still maintaining a strong focus on a safe space, safety and professionalism.
Thanks to James McGillivary, my family and I made memories that will last a lifetime. Not only was the fishing amazing, we witnessed a whale jumping from the water, dolphins in the distance, and eagles swoop down to the boat. Our charter consisted of conversations and laughs that have deeply embedded into our hearts. He is an amazing man. I have confidently recommended numerous people (family/friends) to book a fishing charter with James.
I highly recommend and strongly feel that James would be an amazing asset to any client, organization, or company that is seeking an extremely dedicated, hard working, capable and trustworthy fishing charter guide.
Sincerely,
Sheena Grover
Review from July 2025
I am writing this in recommendation of the Fish Whisperer Charters.
My work colleagues and I have hired James now on 3 separate occasions and I look forward to the next 3. Each trip was better than the last and with his extensive knowledge of the area and uncanny ability (fish whisperer) to get us right on the fish every time every moment was full of excitement. James gets everyone involved and has a great leadership ability while adhering to the highest of safety standards.
The Boat itself was in incredible condition and his housekeeping and tooling ensured for an incredibly comfortable experience.
The best experience I had was with my Daughter as James went above and beyond teaching her how to read the scanner and find Bait Ball’s, teaching her all the in and outs which she just loved and due to her Social/Anxiety issues this was quite heartwarming to see her open up to James as she did. That is a testament to James’s professionalism and likeability.
I do not only recommend James to my friends but insist they try him out and as of yet I have heard nothing but great stories from all who board the Fish Whisperer.
Mark Fitzsimons
Review from August 2025
I am writing to recommend the Fish Whisperer Charters – James McGillivary to your company.
I have had the pleasure of being on his boat for 2 fishing charters now with 2 more booked in August of 2026. James McGillivary is not only very professional, but he is a very skilled operator of his boat. He puts safety first and makes everyone on board feel not only safe, but comfortable and at home.
His leadership skills go above and beyond when working with clients such as myself and my family to ensure we get the best experience and learn as we go with his kindness and patience in not only teaching us new skills but making sure we are safe while doing them.
James is highly skilled and dedicated to professionalism and has strong work ethic.
Not only will my family and myself be dedicated yearly clients of James we highly recommend The Fish Whisperer Charters and James as an amazing guide with great experience and memories.
Kind Regards
Jennifer Miller
Review from June 2025
I have known James McGillivary for a few years now and The Fish Whisperer Charter company is the only charter that I will use and recommend for ocean fishing. I am not a comfortable ocean person and I am so at ease with James and how he is incredibly knowledgeable, and calm with his boat handling skills. Rough water, and I feel completely comfortable being out on the ocean with myself and my son, while in the care of James . All interactions I have had with James, have been very professional and I also see him as a great role model/mentor with my teenage son, Jack, who is also an avid fisherman.
The Fish Whisperer Chater Company, is the only company that I recommend to friends and family, as I know they will be treated well, and have a safe time out on the water.
Sincerely,
Dawn Thomas
Review from June 2025
We are pleased to recommend The Fish Whisperer Charter with James McGillivary to your company. We chartered James in Kitimat for one day during the 2024 season and two days in Prince Rupert for the 2025 season. Having previously booked with several other outfits, we now choose James for our annual trips, thanks to his outstanding service and dedication.
James truly goes above and beyond with safety, his professionalism shines through, with a clean, tidy boat and his constant gentle reminder of boat safety, specifically during chaotic moments.
We wholeheartedly recommend The Fish Whisperer Charter with James McGillivary to anyone seeking an exceptionally friendly professional person. His handling of any boat he has taken us on shows his skill and knowledge of equipment (such as navigation, and safety systems like GPS, chartplotters, radar, communication and radio devices).
Cheers
Larry Vavrek
