On February 5, 2010 cast over to the World Fishing Network for an exciting line twist to the reality show genre. Queen Charlotte Lodge will host the first season of WFN’s The Lodge reality TV show.

The Lodge Premieres Friday February 5 on WFN!

To help us catch a glimpse of what the show is about, producer and creator of ‘The Lodge’, Gary Cooper, shares that:

“You see what a guest does not see. A fractured yet tight group of young men and women working at a Lodge in an untamed wild environment called the Northern Haida Gwai. An archipelago that sits off the northern shores of British Columbia Canada near the Alaskan border. For three weeks a crew of eight with five cameras documented the tears, laughs, heartaches and heartbreaks of these 80 staff members as they strive to create a magical playground for the 80 guests attending The Lodge”

With 13 reality-packed episodes - The Lodge will air every Friday at 7:00 pm ET on WFN.

The idea of this kind of reality show tweaked some interest in me. I sent some questions to a member of QCL’s marketing team, Brittany Yu and she was able to pass them on to a couple of significant individuals at the show. They are:

• Duane Foerter – Marketing Manager at Queen Charlotte Lodge
• Gary Cooper – Produce and Creator of The Lodge

Here are the questions and their responses.

1. Getting chosen for a reality TV show indicates to me that your Lodge has earned this opportunity. Can you summarize the top 3 things that you do as a “Lodge’ that contributes the most to your success? (answered by Duane Foerter)

• At QCL we like to go the extra mile to ensure that our guests’ fishing adventure experience is the best that it can be. In this business, critical components like the fishing and the weather are beyond our control. So we work extra hard on the controllable elements like hospitality & foodservice and I think our guests really appreciate that.
• We get so many great compliments on our staff. While our guests really love the facilities and the programs we’ve put in place, it’s the staff that they go out of their way to tell us, and others, about. Living up here in the middle of nowhere for more than 3 months at a time is not for everyone. But I really think our crew enjoys being here and doing what they do, and it shows.
• Since we opened the doors back in 1991 I think one thing we’ve tried never to lose sight of is the value of our relationship with our guests. We realize that there are lots of places to take holidays and lots of places to go fishing. But we really want them to return and to feel that they have their own little piece of this place that’s special to them and that they can always find that whenever they come back.

2. What was/were the most challenging issue(s) related to filming an ‘Outdoors’ reality TV show at your location? (answered by Gary Cooper)

The hardest part in filming this series was getting the staff on board. The fear was that their private actions could jeopardize themselves and their employment. We knew the stories were happening but how could we put them to tape and be real. The answer resulted from my selection of cameramen that I had enlisted. Each personality befriended other personalities and the stories started to develop. Midway through the shoot we were on a roll as we shot 140 hours of incredible stories, scenes and personalities. The job then was to narrow and edit it down to 6 1/2 hours of entertainment.

3. If you are able to share the details…what episode would you recommend viewers (in case they are out fishing) to NOT miss? Why? (answered by Gary Cooper)

With so much good material it is impossible to say that one episode is stronger than the other. I think different people will love different episodes. An experienced angler will love a different episode than someone in the hospitality industry. Each department of the Lodge has some great characters with some hilarious moments. You will have to watch and tell us what you think the best episode is.

4. Besides the entertainment value of this type of show, what are some of the ‘other things’ you would hope WFN viewers would take away from the show? (answered by Duane Foerter)

• I think “The Lodge” provides a great window on a unique lifestyle in an incredible part of the world. Just take a look at a map; it really is “out there” on the very edge of the continent, totally away from everything. Very few of the locals ever get out to these remote locations so we’re very privileged.
• Going fishing is one of those traditional activities that are ingrained in many of us; it’s part of our culture. “The Lodge” lets us share some of that with viewers, the vicarious pleasure of going away to somewhere different and sharing the experience.
• Peeking “behind the scenes” adds a whole new dimension to this show. It shows the human element; the people who make it happen for the guests. And sometimes it’s not quite what you’d think!

Will Queen Charlotte Lodge Be Your Next Fishing Adventure?

Be sure to watch the first season of The Lodge on WFN. Find out for yourself what all the other anglers will be watching! If you are looking for a place to ‘fish till you drop’ at a Lodge with ‘Lunker Class’ amenities – Consider Queen Charlotte Lodge.

*Muskoka Outdoors would like to thank Brittany Yu, Duane Foerter and Gary Cooper for making the time to respond to my questions.