1. In terms of numbers of fish you hook, and the size of a few of them (all in the same day,) is this the single most productive fishing option in North America!? At our favorite spot on the Columbia River, our boat hooking into around 200 three-pound shad over the weekend is not unreasonable. Then, in the same day, you could hook multiple 5 to 10 foot-long oversized sturgeon!
2. Some of the most productive fishing in North America is situated 15 miles north of the Washington border, in BC, on the Harrison River. With our system, we can sometimes hook pink salmon right below the boat, within 12 seconds or so. On the Harrison, you never know what you might hook into. Dale released one king that was estimated at 50+ pounds, and another one that was probably 60 pounds.
3. You and a buddy hooking into a grand total of one thousand twelve-inch rainbows on a dry fly, over a scenic 5-day float trip, is not unusual on central BC's Blackwater River. This is a fly-in trip.
4. A father and two sons combining for 240 total hookups/weekend on the Bella Coola River in Western Central British Columbia is not terribly unusual. Here, we're referring to pinks/chum (but Kings/coho are available.)
5. Many people feel the Skeena River in northern British Columbia is the best salmon river in the Northwest, period. Here, we're referring to numbers of pinks and chums (but world-class-sized King fishing can be awesome.)
6. While using his 3-lure rig while casting for pink salmon on the Skagit River near Lyman, Washington, Dale can average almost one strike per cast. The #1 tip on our system there is to find where pinks are rising at least every 5 seconds w/in your casting range.
7. Kitimat River in Central BC for pinks + chums.
8. People in your boat combining for 300+ smallmouth bass over a weekend with our system would not be unusual on the Umpqua River in Southwestern Oregon. Two fish Dale caught the last day he fished there were caught on just a bare hook! Two different guides have guaranteed 75-100 fish per day during the peak period!
9. The most fish you’ll likely ever catch. You and your kids might combine for 700+ over a 2 day trip. No boat or license needed! Dip-netting for 6-8” Cowlitz River smelt. Timing is crucial!
10. Willamette River in NW Oregon can be incredible. In 1997 Dale saw a kid simply scoop 2 shad up out of the water, in one “swoop” of a short-handled trout net, while standing on shore. Fly-casting, Dale fair-hooked 5 shad in 5 casts where his “fly” was just a bare hook!
11. When the water temperature of Brownlee Reservoir in eastern Oregon hits this figure, it is not unusual for a boat to hook into close to 300 big crappie per weekend. Brownlee made one publication’s list of the top-five crappie spots in the nation. It made one publication’s list of top 15 catfish spots in the nation.
12. Dale hooked 124 shad his first day he fished from our shore spot near Biggs, Oregon, on the Columbia River. On most of our trips there, we hook them every 3 to 4 casts using our system. We now go when the shad counts on the Oregon side are over 8,000 per day; otherwise we haven't done very well.
13. Possibly continental US's best dry-fly fishing (cutthroat trout,) on guided float trip on fun white-water Middle Fork of Salmon River in N. Central Idaho. One day drive from Seattle.
14. At Cascade Locks on the Columbia River, Dale averages hooking about 120 shad per weekend, himself. Our studies indicate it's vital to go when flows are between 385,000 and 440,000 cubic feet/second, and when Bonneville shad counts are 30,000+ per day....otherwise our system works poorly.
15. In this section of the John Day River in Northern Oregon, 240+ smallmouth bass for a boat is not unusual over the weekend (during our recommended window period.)
16. Spatsizi Park Lakes in northern BC for trout….possibly the best wilderness fishing/adventure on this list. Fly-in.
17. Dale developed a computerized mathematical formula to rank trout lakes, and this lake near Wenatchee, Washington scored the highest of any lake in the NW. He had 135 hookups, himself (he counted) the first day he fished it.
18. Lake Padden, by Bellingham, Washington, the first 5 days it is open. We've sometimes had three trout on the same rod, at the same time, when we use 3 lures on one line. It is not out of the question for our boat to have totaled 180+ hookups over the weekend.
19. Some of the fastest Smallmouth Bass fishing in the world can be on the Snake River in Idaho, Hells Canyon, from a jet boat. Hundreds are possible, for the boat.
20. Most people don't realize that 22 miles "as the crow flies" south-west (yes) of Blaine, Washington, a boat with a father and two kids could total over 200 hookups in a weekend on smallmouth bass. It's our scenario on St. Mary's Lake on Saltspring Island in the scenic Canadian Gulf Islands.
21. On Brownlee Reservoir, in E Oregon, during this window period, 200 hookups on smallmouth bass for the boat over the weekend are very possible (might include some incidental crappie, catfish, perch, or trout.)
22. The Iskut Lakes in Northern BC can have some of the fastest rainbow trout fishing in the NW.
23. At this spot on Moses Lake in Central Washington, during this window period, you can sometimes see your line twitch just from so many huge spawning perch bumping into your line down below. We saw one guy who cleaned 80 fish that he had caught himself. One guy allegedly catches hundreds in a day....but please keep only fish you can use.
24. Dale will teach his little nephews to fly-fish here? Have lake to yourselves. At times, fastest lake fishing for trout Dale has ever had. D. Vedder wrote: "absolutely crammed with fish”. Pothole Lake in BC, for 7-8" trout. $24/rod (US).
