Steelhead fishing with Snake River Guide Service – What you can expect.
New to steelhead fishing?
What you can expect from Snake River Guide Service.
Through the years we have introduced a large number of people to steelhead fishing.
Some of our clients have never fished for steelhead and want to try something new. There are others that have some experience but have decided to hire a guide and learn some different techniques or new sections of the river.
Primarily our service drift fishes the Clearwater River. It is probably the most productive method of producing fish for clients on this medium sized river. There are times we also use other methods such as backtrolling plugs or bobber fishing. This is dependent on certain special situations such as a client's request or certain river or weather conditions which are quite rare.
What exactly is drift fishing? Drifting is when you have your line weighted so it gently bumps along the river bottom; the baited hook is on a leader that flows along in front of the weight. When this bait travels in front of a fish, it will pick it up and mouth it and as the line becomes tight the fish may be raised off the bottom. When this happens he naturally moves to return. When this happen there is a soft tug and a sensation of pulling on the line. Generally there is nothing sharp or dramatic. Occasionally you may feel several sharp quick tugs and then that soft rhythmic pull.
Drifting requires the guide to take the anglers to the fish and then it is up to the fisher to hook and play the fish.
This method is a stand up, pay attention, and take direction type of fishing. It is challenging both mentally and physically, but anyone can be successful regardless of age. It is also one of the most satisfying methods for the angler.
During a drift, the guide will be watching each fishers rod and if need be, will coach them on when to set the hook and guide them in playing the fish. This is perhaps the most difficult fishing technique for a guide to learn and perform well. We find it is well worth our effort as it has been by far the most productive method of angling on the Clearwater for us.
We never fish a rod to hand off to clients. There are several reasons for not doing this.
- If a guide is fishing - he is not paying attention to his clients and their fishing.
- The second reason is one of ethics and legality - if a rod is handed off and a client fights and then cards that fish - this is not legal in Idaho.
- If a guide is hooking fish, he is eliminating those same fish that you, the paying client, might have hooked and caught yourself.
Our service prides itself on working with each guest to provide them a successful and rewarding day…patience and consideration for each person is first and foremost.
There are some things to remember especially for those who have never taken part in this type of activity.
This is true fishing, there are no guarantees of even catching fish…occasionally they simply will not bite. This doesn't happen often but it does happen. Even though many outfitters will have that ‘body count photo’ of three or four anglers holding their limits of fish up for all to see….this is generally the exception rather than the rule.
I am asked quite regularly ‘How many fish can I expect to catch?” This is a question that is difficult to answer…we have averages for the season but that includes those days with only one or two fish and then those spectacular days of 20 or more.. Another question is "What is the number of keepers verses wild fish?"…that is often about 50% but numbers do not mean much if you have one of those days that every fish you hook is a wild one…
The object of fishing is or should be to have an experience to enjoy…challenges to meet and time well spent. If you are only interested in having fish to take home, I would advise you to buy fish at the local market, because that is the only sure way of having a fish meal to eat.
We pride ourselves in providing an enjoyable experience whether fish are harvested or not. It is the thrill of fishing and being lucky enough to fight one of our beautiful Clearwater fish that is important.
We do not insist or require our clients harvest hatchery fish - that is your choice.
Our guides rarely fish in congested areas. We have found that our catch rate in areas that are not heavily fished are as good or better than those fishing the terminal areas. It is also a more relaxed and enjoyable experience for our guests.
The guides we have working for us are all excellent fishermen but most importantly they are professional guides. Their goal it is to provide their guest the best possible experience....patience, knowledge and willingness to share are all common attributes.
We encourage our fishers to help in baiting their own hooks and to participate in all aspects of the fishing experience. This is a simple procedure that is easily done and allows the guide to keep the boat in proper position for the other anglers.
Our service uses open jet sleds which are roomy and designed for comfort and fishing. These boats are stable and have room for the angler to move around. They were designed to be fishing platforms for this small river that has large fish. We are limiting the number of anglers to a maximum of 5. This is to help ensure the quality experience we promote.
Our goal is to provide you an unforgettable fishing experience.
We only run 2 or 3 dedicated sturgeon poles at a time, this helps in preventing lines from getting tangled and loss of fish. When a large fish is hooked we will pull the extra lines and move the boat into the best position for fighting the fish. Our experienced guides will utilize water flow and the boats movement to aid the angler to apply pressure on the fish.
We provide fighting belts to aid the angler in comfortably fighting the fish.
Unlike others with less experience we feel it is necessary to limit the time a fish spends on the line. We realize that every fish is different and every situation is different but we will do everything in our power to keep the time playing these animals to a minimum. This is to prevent over stressing these wonderful creatures which could possibility result in injury or mortality.
We perfer to see at least two people when fishing for trophy sturgeon. This allows for a shorter time period of having the fish on the line, this aids the anglers as well as the fish. We treasure our giants of the river and do everything to educate the public on taking care of them. We also want our guests to experience the excitement that only comes from the power and strength of a truly large fish.
There is nothing like seeing one of these fish jump or tail walk as so many of them do or having them do a line peeling run where you just hang on for the ride!
Our service has been guiding guests on the Snake since the mid 1990's, and we have fished it for our own recreation since the late 1960's. During this time we have gained a tremendous knowledge of both the river itself and the fish we pursue.
During the past 40 plus years fishing the Snake River, we have developed a great love and respect for these sturgeon. Our goal is to share some of the excitement of seeing these magnificent fish in their natural habitat. At the same time we hope that our guests come away from a day of fishing with some of that special respect and awe from experiencing the power and beauty of these ancientl fish.
We also like to present our beautiful river corridor and its wildlife to those who visit this area, Our goal is to help provide an unforgettable outdoor experience for everyone.
For the comfort of our guests, we had a top designed for our 24 foot custom built Riddle boat for sturgeon fishing. This boat is roomy and the high enclosed cab provides shade during the hot summer months. This option is not just a nicety but a real necessity during the hot sunny days.
It is well suited for all age groups, allowing for comfortable family fishing even during the summer months.
for additional information or reservations
Contact Us At:
Bus. 1(509)751-0410
or email us at pat@snakeriverguides.com
USCG Licensed
Bonded and Insured
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Fishing information
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Clarkston, Washington - Lewiston, Idaho
509-758-0410 Office hours 8:00 - 5:00
