Brad Zeerip is a fishing guide by trade, but his heart has always belonged in the mountains. He made a yearly ski trip to Whistler for over 15 years before tales of the legendary terrain, deep snowfalls, and vast backcountry at Shames Mountain lured him to Terrace, BC.

 

One trip and everything changed. The draw of the mountains was undeniable. But the rivers were also stacked with some of the largest Steelhead and Salmon in the world.

 

Needless to say, Brad was hooked.

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Kim O’Black had spent time in the mountains before starting her family, and dreamed of one day returning to them. And when Brad was so excited after his first trip to Terrace, Kim decided she needed to see the place for herself. After their first trip there together, the couple knew they would move to “the heart of the northwest”.

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The town and the surrounding landscape had such a profound effect on Brad and Kim that they wanted to find a way to share that experience with others. When they first found their place on Sleeping Beauty Lane, Kim stood on the deck overlooking the Skeena River and knew that she and Brad had found the perfect place to start a fishing lodge.

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They bought the property and happily ran The Z-Boat River Lodge for 12 years. They’ve since retired and renovated the lodge into a Bed and Breakfast. Really, they’ve created the perfect place to show people what brought them to Terrace all those years ago.