Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: Machias on December 07, 2007, 11:55:24 AM

Title: Steelhead
Post by: Machias on December 07, 2007, 11:55:24 AM: 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 @$$ !! :IBCOOL: I'm going 23 Jan! Yehaw.

P.S. What is an appropriate tip for a day of steelhead fishing in a drift boat? Thanks
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: ICEMAN on December 07, 2007, 12:01:04 PM: 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!
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: jackelope on December 07, 2007, 12:05:50 PM: Quote
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.

Quote
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.
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: boneaddict on December 07, 2007, 12:26:25 PM: 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.
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: jackelope on December 07, 2007, 12:34:20 PM: 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.
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: Machias on December 07, 2007, 12:45:44 PM: 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!
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: boneaddict on December 07, 2007, 12:48:53 PM: We need to get some winter steelheading shots on here Jack to get Machias fired up.
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: Cougeyes on December 07, 2007, 02:00:16 PM: 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.
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: ICEMAN on December 07, 2007, 02:52:20 PM: Hey Cougeyes, don't ya think you are putting the SPF lotion on a bit heavy? :chuckle:
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: Machias on December 07, 2007, 02:58:52 PM: 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!
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: Ironhead on December 07, 2007, 03:06:33 PM: Machias these aren't the Clearwater but they are close on the Grand Ronde.
(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10011/nice_colors.jpg)

(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10011/6.jpg)

(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10011/Grande_Ronde_05.jpg)

(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10011/jig_caught_hen.jpg)

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.
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: Machias on December 07, 2007, 03:31:04 PM: :) Thanks for the photos, they are awesome and thanks, even if I don't hook into anything I'm gonna have a blast!!
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: WAmuleyHunter on December 07, 2007, 04:16:06 PM: 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!!!!!
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: Cougeyes on December 07, 2007, 04:32:13 PM: 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).
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: Machias on December 07, 2007, 08:41:44 PM: Swiftwater Outfitters. The company bought several spots last year and all the guys said it was excellent!!
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: Cougeyes on December 07, 2007, 11:10:43 PM: 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.
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: Intruder on December 10, 2007, 11:01:20 AM: 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.
Title: Re: Steelhead
Post by: Machias on December 10, 2007, 11:35:24 AM: Awesome, nice fish, thanks for the photo!!