(Below are pictures of Bass being harvested please understand that these non-native fish are wreaking havoc on our native Steelhead and Salmon and that their numbers desprately need to be controlled)
Below are some of John Allendorfs (one of our valued clients) thoughts on fishing with Guerilla and what you can expect from a typical Smallmouth trip. Thanks guys see you soon!
"Here are a few pictures from the much awaited trip down the Grande Ronde River, into the Snake. Three days of fishing. The guide, Travis DeBoer (Son of Christy, From Fed Judge Kellison's court in Redding) had us on fish for 8-9 hours a day. So much so that all three of us were taking aspirin in the morning, again about 1300 hrs, and again when we got back to camp. Literally our wrist, neck and shoulders were getting sore from casting and setting hooks!!!! Turns out, Travis is an ex Army Ranger who thought us old fat guys could keep up with him.
The two guys with me are Mike Kimmell, my best friend in High School, who ended up as an Army Colonel (ret), Byron Blanton, retired from Peroia, IL Fire Dept. and yours truly.
If anyone is interested in Smallmouth or Steelhead fishing with a hard-working professional guide, check out the web site for Guerrilla Guide Service in Winchester, Idaho. The three of us are in the process of setting up a Steelhead trip in March on the same river. Best damned fishing trip I've ever had!! "
-J.W.
Day 1 (It's worth noting these are different days and these are just the few bass these guys decided to keep!) Left to right- Byron Blanton, John Allendorf, and Colonel Mike Kimmell
Day 2 (That big pink thing on the right is not a man, it is a machine! That is my new "Byron Brand" fish finder, best on the river!)
Day 3 ( we are all tired of lifting these stringers at this point, so here is a cool water photo!)
One more great reference from a great guy, thanks for the kind words Gary (see ya soon!)
Early in 2011 my neighbor and I scheduled a fishing/float trip with Guerrilla Guide Service for a couple of days on the Grande Ronde river in southeastern Washington state to fish for Smallmouth Bass. The trip was originally scheduled for mid-June but due to weather and other personal scheduling conflicts we were forced to rescheduled two to three times. Each time Travis was more than accommodating and eventually we ended up on the river in late July.
First I would like to comment on the fact that Southeastern Washington is an overlooked corner of the country and offers the outdoor enthusiast plenty of wide open spaces, great scenery, numerous notable rivers for boating and fishing without the crowds found elsewhere. Specifically the Grande Ronde river which straddles the Oregon,Washington, and Idaho boarders is a sizable river from 100 to 300 yards in width and flows through nearly uninhabited, beautifully rugged canyon lands. To the north of the river lies the Blue Mountains and a delightful campground called Field Springs State Park, only 10 miles from the river, where we car camped during our stay. The campground has a lodge, RV and tent campsites, clean toilet and shower facilities all at very reasonable prices. Also there are miles of trails through the park which offer spectacular vistas of the surrounding mountains and the river canyon below. Night time temperatures are cool and perfect for sitting by a campfire and sleeping due to the park's 4000 foot elevation and nightly breezes whispering through the trees.
Travis picked us up at our campsite every morning and took us to the launch site on the river. His fishing boat is an aluminum Dory type, custom built for this type of river fishing/floating all welded construction with comfortable seating and adequate for passengers and gear. Travis also supplied the fishing gear and tackle which is of the highest caliber. Additionally he provided lunch and plenty to drink. We all know that the best equipment is no better than the person operating it and Travis is well suited for the mission. He is a life long resident and outdoorsman of the area, a former Army Ranger, currently an EMT and an all-around great guy. His skill as an oarsman is self-evident, and his last paddle stroke of the day is as powerful & enthusiastic as his first.
As for the fishing itself I must first tell you that I am a lifelong fisherman with a particular passion for Bass, although I have never fished for smallmouth bass in a fast flowing river from a boat, so this was a new experience for me. So between the fishing action, the excitement of the float trip and the unparalleled scenery this is a world class adventure. We landed 25 to 30 bass per day in the 1 to 3 pound class and lost half again as many. There are bass in the 5 to 8 pound class in the river which we actually saw a few of those in the water but never hooked one. As for Travis' performance as a fishing guide, he more than earned his keep by rowing almost constantly to get us to and keep us in the best fishing waters and even tied on new plugs and jigs when we lost one on the rocks. We covered roughly 10 or so miles of river per day in about 8 to 9 hours and nobody was looking at their watch. We stopped along the rivers beaches as often as necessary to take a break from the action and enjoy the scenery, and at the end of the day Travis fillet our catch - How can you beat that?!
All in all I can honestly say that this was the most enjoyable AND productive fishing I have ever gone on and I am sure I'll be back. Carry on soldier.
Sincerely, Gary M.
PO Box 450 Winchester ID 83555
Email guerillaguideservice@hotmail.com
# 208-924-8685
Grande Ronde Steelhead Guide