Advice for Mulit-day Drift Trip

[agcampbell]

Hey guys, I bought a Boulder Boat Works Pro-Guide Drift boat and have had a blast fishing the Smith, Eel, Trinity, and Sacramento rivers in it here in Norcal. I feel like I'm a decent rower, having rowed in pretty low waters on the Trinity - but nothing real serious. I now want to bring my boat somewhere in the US to fish for summer trout on a multi-day trip. Where in the western US is there a good DIY 3-5 day float with decent fishing and fairly easy rowing? Thanks!

[pgw]

South Fork of the Snake (Idaho)...begin in Swan Valley (day float) and continue through the canyon...3 days total.


Then, when you can handle C-III stuff, do a September/October float on the Deschutes from Lone Pine (just downstream of Maupin) to the mouth (at the Columbia River), 3days, the C-III stuff are the 3 rapids right at the end of the drift.

Have fun,
Paul

[Charlie S]

Check out the Deschutes in Oregon....you can make some fantastic multi-day trips there. From Max Canyon down to the Columbia is a great one and you can get a shuttle easily. In September you can catch both nice trout and steelhead. Great river, great fish...check it out on line, there's a bunch of information.

[agcampbell]

Thanks guys! Yeah the Deschutes has always intimidated me. Especially the Whitehorse rapids section. I watched this video and lost interest -

http://oregonflyfishingblog.com/2008/06/20/boat-salvage-at-whitehorse-rapids-61108/

The video is at the bottom of the blog. The Snake sounds great!

[pgw]

Charlie & I are talking about the lower 30 or so miles of the river...downstream from Maupin, the three technical pieces I mentioned (Gordon Ridge, Colorado, & Rattlesnake rapids) are about a mile apart with Rattlesnake being about 3 miles from the takeout at Heritage Park (at the Columbia)...Whitehorse Rapids is a long run that's above Maupin, about 70 miles from the Columbia.

Contact Frank Amato publications to see if their river map of the Lower Deschutes is still available.

Paul

[agcampbell]

Thanks! - I wasn't aware of the Deschutes had a long easier section. That's a much better drive than the Snake from here. It would be awesome to get a couple trips in this summer!

[shawn kempkes]

The lower deschutes is no cakewalk and a novice boater shouldnt float that river blind without going with somebody else first, all of those rapids will eat you for lunch if you miss a stroke on the oars especially in a driftboat. There are many you tube videos of the rapids on that section you can watch. Whitehorse is a piece of cake. You need to get out and scout it.

This boat is on the access road above maupin and was pulled of ohshit rock.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/fishhawk1/IMG_0095.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/fishhawk1/IMG_0099.jpg



I would suggest going to the John Day river. Before july if you want to small mouth or in november if you want to fish for summer steelhead.

[agcampbell]

I appreciate the replies guys! I've read a little on the Snake now and the John Day. The idea of floating a river sight-unseen is a little nerve racking. I mean I did it after plenty of practice on others rivers (the Trinity, Klamath, Smith, and Eel) - but there was plenty of accurate, good information on these rivers. Plus the commitment was as "minimal" as it just about can be. Does anyone recommend a good guidebook for the Snake? I've looked at some in the Eureka Fly Shop but they didn't have the info I was looking for. A boating guidebook not a "how to fish this river" book would be great.

Thanks!

[shawn kempkes]

The guide book for oregon rivers is called soggy sneakers.

Here is what I do on the deschutes I do a two day float I camp the first night at beavertail
The early in the Morning I launch the boat at pine tree and fish from there to beaver tail that day. Camp at beaver tail that night and than fish from beaver tail to macks canyon the next day. I set up a shuttle in advance with henrys deli.So my truck is at macks canyon when i get to the take out. There s no big rapids and more water than you can fish in two days.

[ownfl4g]

Just out of curiosity, how does one coordinate transportation between launch and takeout on a multi-day trip? Especially if your driving to another state to do it.

[shawn kempkes]

Just out of curiosity, how does one coordinate transportation between launch and takeout on a multi-day trip? Especially if your driving to another state to do it.

theres several companies on rivers that do shuttles. just google IE deschutes river shuttles and several pop up. They charge based on how long your shuttle is.