Drift boat and Jet boat Fishing for Idaho Steelhead

1/15/2008

Winter fishing is here. The river looks great, the temperature is staying at about 34F. The bigger fish are also starting to show up. We have had quite a few fish in the 30-34 inch range recently. We will be booking trips as river conditions permit. Our driftboats have already had some outstanding days this year. Call us for updates, forecasts, or just to see what is going on in Riggins. Don't forget to enter the Riggins Steelhead Derby this year too, you could walk away with cash and other prizes for your big steelhead.

If you are interested in finding out some of the techniques used by the Steelhead guides in Riggins, you should check out the video by veteran guide Norm Klobetanz. Norm's how to video "Driftboat Fishing for Steelhead" can show you everything you need to know about Steelhead fishing out of a driftboat, and has some great fishing action as well! You can find info about this video at www.suncloud.biz Happy fishing!

See you on the river,
Dave Bingaman-Exodus Owner/Guide

For the ultimate freshwater fishing experience, join us this fall or spring for another Steelhead fishing season on the Salmon River. These migratory fish are hatched in Idaho, make their way to the Pacific Ocean and return to Idaho after spending 1-3 years in the ocean. During the course of our season we see fish in the range of 6-18 lbs. Our early fall trips feature the most ferocious steelhead with vicious takedowns on plugs and flies. Once the water cools toward the end of October we start seeing some of our bigger B run fish. These are the real monsters of the river, from November on through the rest of the season we see lots of fish in the 10-16 lb range.

We offer fly fishing and spin fishing by heated drift boat, and from our custom jet boats. We run day trips on the Main Salmon (as far upriver as the South Fork of the Salmon) by jet boat. We also offer multi-day trips from Mackay Bar to Vinegar Creek. This section of the river lies within the Wild and Scenic section of the Salmon River. With the help of our jet boat, we can offer a 2 day wilderness lodge to lodge drift boat trip unlike any other trip in Idaho. Our drift boats are the ultimate fishing experience. Enjoy the quiet of the river and the beauty of the canyon with only 2 fishermen per boat. Our jet boats, which are licensed and certified by the United States Coast Guard and comfortably fish up to 6 people, allow us to fish a lot of water in a day and access some remote stretches of the river. The Coast Guard also licenses our jet boat guides for your safety. On our jet boats, we don't take more than 6 people, that means everyone fishes from the boat all day...we won't ask you to fish from shore unless you want to. All of our boats are set up with a complete set of casting rods and a complete set of plug rods, that eliminate the need to switch tackle between holes. Find out about our 2 day Main Salmon trip with an overnight stay at Mackay Bar Guest Lodge. If you have a big group that would like to fish together on driftboats, we can usually fish up two boats in the same section or you can request our big 20 foot driftboat that has seats (and plenty of room) for 4 fishermen.

On all of our trips, we provide all of the necessary equipment, tackle, and experience to provide fishermen with the best possible chance to hook and land several fish per day. On our day trips we provide a deli lunch, as well as snacks and hot and cold beverages. Our drift boat trips include shuttles for the boat and our vehicles. We know that you come with us to fish not drive around and look at the river.

Our steelhead fishing season runs from September 1 through March 31 each year, with the peak of the run in mid October through mid November. Our spring season is best in February and early March. Our spring Salmon Season runs from April through June when season is allowed by Idaho Fish and Game. You can also combine any of our fall fishing trips with upland game bird hunting for Chukar and Hungarian Partridge, and Quail. These trips require you to be in good shape and willing to walk over rough terrain. Our guide will provide pointing dogs or you can bring your own dog with prior arrangements. You must also supply your own shotgun and ammo.

Every year we also provide guests with the opportunity to join us on our annual Lower Gorge Cast and Blast. The Cast and Blast combines the best elements of a river trip with every sportsman's dream. You can fish for Steelhead and bass and hike through some of Idaho's best Chukar Partridge country. On these trips, we spend 4 or 5 days fishing and hunting from our drift boats while our supply boat goes ahead to set up camp. You can arrange to spend more time hunting or fishing depending on your interest. In the evenings, we arrive at our camp where you can sit by a crackling fire and enjoy the fine food that the Exodus guides are famous for. On the Cast and Blast, we provide all the fishing and camping equipment. We also supply great food and experienced guides. You must provide your own fishing and hunting licenses, guns, and ammo. We can provide dogs, or you can bring your own. Idaho fishing and hunting licenses can be purchased in Riggins at the Hook, Line and Sinker, or at the Riggins One Stop Convenience store. You can also choose to do an overnight trip through the roadless Green Canyon. This 2 day trip is a great opportunity to get away from the crowds. Ask about our 2 day jetboat trip on the Main Salmon featuring 2 days of fishing with an overnight stay at either Mackay Bar or Shepp Ranch guest ranch.

To see daily and year to date fish counts visit the Fish Passage Center's website at www.fpc.org or contact: Idaho Steelhead and Salmon Unlimited or Idaho Rivers United for information on Idaho's anadromous fish runs.

Be sure to visit our slideshow of big fish to see what we are catching each week.

1 day 2007/2008 Steelhead Prices

$200/person-driftboat(based on 2 fishermen)

$1100/boat-up to 6 fishermen on 1 jetboat

*price includes: all fishing equipment, bait, lunch, snacks, hot and cold drinks, propane heaters, and shuttles for our driftboats.