If you want to chase Steelhead then Vancouver Washington continues to be one of your best choices in the Pacific North West for it. Here at Wiseguides: All we do is Steelhead. Within 45 minutes we can fish six different local rivers and in an hour and a half we have access to fisheries. Forks Washington on the Olympic Peninsula is 4 hours away. Because of the large number of rivers we have access to there is always a run happening somewhere.
You will be fishing from either an 14′ Odyssey fishing raft or 16′ Hyde drift boat. The craft we choose depends on the river we are going to fish that day. Both are very comfortable. Drift boats can feel a bit roomier and offer a hard floor to stand on. Both the raft and drift boat have thigh braces. I like to use the raft when fishing for Steelhead on rockier rivers. The raft is exceptionally quiet and makes a stealthy approach much easier.
Captain James Wise is a Coast Guard-certified Captain with an OUPV license and First Aid & CPR certifications. Since 2016, Captain Wise has been a year-round full-time fishing guide. In the Fall and Winter he freelances with The Evening Hatch. June through the end of September are spent guiding near Bristol Bay at Tikchik Narrows Lodge in Southwest Alaska.
Your safety is our top concern. Our guides have decades of experience navigating whitewater and are current on their First Aid and CPR certifications. Each angler will be provided with a Personal Flotation Device and signal whistle. Each water craft has a throw bag, First Aid kit and the all important “Fall in Bag.” This bag has full change of clothes and other essentials so if someone does get wet they will be able to fish comfortably for the remainder of the day.
Your safety is our top concern. Our guides have decades of experience navigating whitewater and have First Aid and CPR certifications. Each angler will be provided with a Personal Flotation Device and signal whistle. Each water craft has a throw bag, first aid kit and “Fall in Bag.”
The rods we use are made by Echo, Orvis, Redington and Sage . They are 7wt and 8wt single hand or two hand rods. Rod lengths vary from 9′ to 13′. We use Hatch, Lamson, Ross and Sage reels.
Hello, my name is James Wise and I’m the owner of Wiseguides. I’m from Vancouver Washington and have been fishing and running white water in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska my entire life.
Learn more about Captain James Wise
