Steelhead

[Machias]

Dang I love my company!!!! My boss bought me a guided steelhead fishing trip on the Clearwater River near Orifino, ID. $350 for the day, paid for!  All I have to bring is my happy @$$ !!       I'm going 23 Jan! Yehaw.

P.S. What is an appropriate tip for a day of steelhead fishing in a drift boat?  Thanks

[ICEMAN]

You suck!   

Just kidding, man am I jealous, I will be lucky to get a plate of homemade cookies at work. 

If the guide is good, and since you are getting a freebie, go big on the tip. Is it just you, or another guy on the boat...you may want to talk with the other guy? I have tipped $50ea for a sturgeon guide, four of us on the boat...

Congratulations for working for someone who acknowledges you  as a valuable employee!

[jackelope]

What is an appropriate tip for a day of steelhead fishing in a drift boat?  Thanks
 

base it on how the guide does for you. $50.00 would be a good tip if he lives up to it. thats a lot of rowing, not to mention the skill to guide you to fish. those guides are not guiding for the money.

All I have to bring is my happy @$$

jan. 23 you might want to bring yer long johns to keep your happy @ss warm. brrrr....
you'll catch fish for sure though, and it's a beautiful river.
that will  be a great trip.
wamuleyhunter did a guided CW trip last year if i remember correctly.

[boneaddict]

I was shed hunting on it about the 1st of February one year.  There were some HUGE STEELIES being landed.  Made me mad that I didn't take my gear with me.

[jackelope]

2 years ago christmas we were over there and i drove the river from the mouth up past lenore trying to learn the boat launches and stuff for a float some time in the future. there was ice stacked up on all the boat launches 12" thick and icebergs floating down the river that would sink a boat. i still haven't done a winter float to this day. hopefully the weather will cooperate. there were no boats on the river htat day that i saw, just a few bank fisherman here and there.

[Machias]

Iceman   I know, I do!!  Your absolutely right, I have worked for these guys for 5 years and you cannot find a better employer in the US. 

It will be me and one other guy.  The company bought 18 spots.

I will be dressed for the worst of weather!!  Thanks for the thoughts on the tip!

[boneaddict]

We need to get some winter steelheading shots on here Jack to get Machias fired up.

[Cougeyes]

That's funny you posted this topic, I was just going to post something up about the Clearwater and the Grande Ronde.  We're either heading to the Clearwater down by Orofino on Thursday-Sunday or going to hit the Ronde up, bringing a wall tent and big stove.  Might fish the Clearwater this Sunday to hopefully see if that may be the right choice for Thursday, bigger fish, but I dont like bobber and jig fishing as much as drift fishing on the Ronde, I'll hopefully be able to post some pics of some nice winter steelies when we get back.

Here is a nice one, 13.5 lbs on the Clearwater this year...about 3 weeks ago, I got skunked as usual. 

[ICEMAN]

Hey Cougeyes, don't ya think you are putting the SPF lotion on a bit heavy? 

[Machias]

Is the white out over your face there to heighten your other senses?    Just kidding, thanks for the photos.  The first couple of guys going are going on the 12th of Dec.  I give an update and hopefully have some photos when they get back. I think I am in the 4th group or two going, so I should have plenty of photos and reports befire we head down!!  Thanks again for the photos!

[Ironhead]

Machias these aren't the Clearwater but they are close on the Grand Ronde.








These fish aren't as big as the clearwater B runs but still a good time I will be on the GR Jan 1st. I hope you have a great trip Machias.

[Machias]

  Thanks for the photos, they are awesome and thanks, even if I don't hook into anything I'm gonna have a blast!!

[WAmuleyHunter]

Machias-

Hey man we usually go down once a year and go fishing on the clearwater.  Last year was awesome, i remember about 10 years ago i caught a monster steely down there it was right at 20 lbs. Not bad for a hatchery steely!!! But who are you guys using?? We are good friends with Evelyn at the Guide Shop out of Orfino, she is the best and has awesome quides and top notch gear.  Get ready to have a ball!!!!!

[Cougeyes]

Haha, that picture isn't of me and my buddy didn't give me permission to plaster his face over the internet, so instead i erased it.  We dont have a boat, we fish from the banks and do fairly well.....(usually).

[Machias]

Swiftwater Outfitters.  The company bought several spots last year and all the guys said it was excellent!!

[Cougeyes]

Just talked to my buddy tonight and he was down there today on the Clearwater, he landed two, one 8 lb, and one around 10 lb, his friend lost one in the North Fork, and landed one somewhere else that was 17 lbs. Lots of then rollin around out there he said, but the "bite" isn't on as he claims.

[Intruder]

To your original question.... Jack's response of 50 bucks is about right for a good day w/ a good guide.... somewhere 25 - 50 is reasonable.

I fish the CW 4-6 times each winter.  Generally we average about 2 - 4 a day for the boat.  That's usually drift fishing or bobber fishing.  I think you can do a little better w/ shrimp tipped spin-n-glos on a diver if your guide knows what he's doing.

Only been down there once this year.  It was colder than a well diggers butt.....  ice in the guides etc.  8 hours the 3 of us only got 1... 34" doe.
   

[Machias]

Awesome, nice fish, thanks for the photo!!