Trip information

FAQ

Most frequent questions and answers
  • A fully licensed & insured, knowledgeable, and friendly fishing guide with nearly 20 years of professional experience guiding guests in Oregon and Alaska. I am also First Aid and CPR certified as required by law, as well as enrolled in a random drug testing program as required by USCG.
  • Clean and spacious boats with well maintained motors, and all of the necessary safety gear –inflatable life jackets, flares, vhf radio, first aid kit and throwable device
  • Top of the line fishing equipment and gear– Gloomis rods, Shimano reels and Mustad hooks
  • Specially cured and prepared baits or lures for each individual fishery
  • Cutting edge techniques used to put more fish on the end of your line and into your cooler
  • REQUIRED–Valid License and Tag (always), and shellfish license (when crabbing) – Be sure to either download app or print out all pieces of paper and bring with you

  • Lunch/beverages
  • Sunglasses, hat, sunscreen
  • Cooler for your catch, left in your vehicle. Bring the BIGĀ  cooler
  • Dress in layers. Even in August, the mornings can be cool, especially in transit across the water. I typically dress with long pants, long sleeved shirt, tee shirt, pullover sweatshirt and a coat. I would rather be too warm than cold and miserable. I also wear comfortable boots, rain bibs and a jacket most days.
  • Raingear or waders, and waterproof shoes/boots- When fishing for salmon at the coast, this is probably the most important item. Often the coast forecast can be different than Portland’s. Rain gear also helps keep the spray from the boat during transit across one of our beautiful bays or rivers. Ponchos are ok, but legs get wet. Occasionally I have extra rain gear, but yours means that it will fit!

We meet early in the morning, usually prior to 6am. Which boat ramp we are meeting at can change during the course of a season, sometimes even overnight depending on conditions. Chris will usually make the decision the evening before heading out. We want to be where the fish are, if possible.

The short answer is yes, most times, and everything depends on the current regulations. We are allowed to keep hatchery fish (most of the time), and are required to release wild fish (most of the time). Don’t worry, if we are able to keep the fish, we will because that’s what we came for! If we do retain a fish, or your limit, I will often field dress your fish and have a bag ready to transport home in the cooler you brought. During our trips, your catch is kept in a kill bag, after it is bled out, insuring the quality of your catch remains as fresh as possible. Some seasons I have the fish processed and cleaned for you by the pros. They offer vacuum packing at an extra price, but often it’s worth it!

I consider my sled “full” at 4 anglers, and my drift boat full at “2”. In other words, if you book a party of 4, I will not go look for 2 more people to get in the boat that day, even though I can take 6 passengers. Same for booking 2 people for the drift boat. I want you to have a quaint, personalized experience, not often found on a larger charter boat. Now, there are seasons where my seating is extremely limited, and a lot of people want to go fishing with me. I may ask you to combine with another smaller group to fill the boat to “4”. Rarely, I will ask a party to go to “5” guests, but I leave that answer up to you. Same for adding a 3rd person to the driftboat.

No experience is necessary. My expertise ranges from kids and adults just learning to fish, to the experienced anglers looking for a new area to learn how to fish, or a day off from driving their own boat. We can talk about your expectations when we book the trip.

Safety is my #1 priority for all of my guests. That begins before you step into my boat, and continues until you get behind the wheel to drive home. Please remember that I do not serve or provide alcoholic beverages. If you wish consume alcohol legally and safely, feel free to indulge. If I feel that you have become a safety risk to yourself, me, or the other passengers, you will cease consumption immediately. You may smoke or use smokeless tobacco, but please be mindful of other passengers and wind direction, etc