was thinking about booking a trip on the cowlitz. just wondering who you guys think is the best guide on the river. heard a guy named bear runs a good outfit. opions please

There is always Clancy's. I know he fishes the Cow. I have fished with him on the Lewis and Columbia.

J R s guide service.


Oh I forgot about Cowlitzfisherman!

It sounds like he knows quite a bit about the mighty Cow Pie!

Maybe we will all be so lucky and he will come back from retirement.

I have to vote for Clancy Holt. He is the fish catchingest guy I know. A day on the Cow with Clancy is as close to a sure thing as you can get.

I've never fished him, but Clancy would be my vote. On a slow weekend for Columbia Springers when several guides said we'd hook up and One guide skunked us, Clancy was honest and said don't bother coming. Honesty is #1. To those other's who lied out their A$$, bad Karma will get you in the end.

I've been with all three of these fellows on the Cowlitz. All great ethical and involved full time guides. Each of varying styles always a great day in store! No bossy old farts in this group.

Bob Barthlow (Rapid Robert) of Rivers Northwest Guide Service.

Jim Bain (Fishdoc) of...sorry to busy catching fish to remember his company name. Just ask for Jim he's around.

or The Supreme Chalupa with sour creme and guacamole on the side Don Huntley (Wildoutdoorsman) of H-O-O-K EM UP Guide Service.

Give em shout...they all contribute here!


FJ...out.

Oh almost forgot fp...I hear he is getting that drift boat boondoggin down on the Cow. :p

That would be a sight!


FJ...out.

clancy holt would be your best first option. he knows every seam on that river. he'll surely put you on something. otherwise just put aboout ten other guide names in a fishbowl, and draw one. if they cant hook you up at least once on the cowlitz, then they should'nt be guiding.

clancy holt would be your best first option. he knows every seam on that river. he'll surely put you on something. otherwise just put aboout ten other guide names in a hat, and draw one. if they cant hook you up at least once on the cowlitz, then they should'nt be guiding.

At least one?

Well heck then if Clancy is busy...I bet he would endorse Bob or Jim from what I know.

These guys can put a 0 behind your one for starters.


FJ...out.

i am a full time fishing guide.i spend a lot of time on the cowlitz.i will also agree that clancy is the best cowlitz guide there is.good luck if you go.scott
http://www.scottguides.com

Doh!

Sorry Scotty!

I haven't fished with Scotty but I have seen him slide his boat!


FJ...out.

I don't know any of the fellas guiding down there this time of year personally, so I can't make a good recommendation;)

BUT, a question, especially going into February and March, why the COW??

Any of the better guides on the more northern OP streams are:

gonna have every bit as good of a shot at numbers as a Cow boat;

take you down in a much prettier setting;

take you down with fewer people around;

take you down in a quieter setting, no power;

give you a better shot at a greater variety of ways to catch a fish;

and certainly give you a shot at bigger fish!

Just a thought I can see the Cow fellas sending nasty notes already :p

My list wasn't compiled in any order! :p


FJ...out.

Bob, why miss out on:

1. A 1/4 mile hike through the woods to the river

2. Ankle deep garbage

3. Shoulder to shoulder COMBAT fishing

4. Sleds crashing into each other

5. A 1/4 mile hike back to your car

Why that would be like missing out on Hoodsport huh Easy?

Sturgio wasn't making inquires about booking a trip for the Holy Grail.

Sturgio...if the Cow is you quest book for June through late August for summers or late Nov. through Jan. for winters. All other times...seek the Holy Grail!


FJ...out.

Well Bob, on the 'Cow' you can take home and EAT whatever you catch.....Which is not the case on the OP...... simple enough! :p

Hey Peri...I do not think that is the truth!...Look in the regs...the Cowlitz has fish in the system eventhough they are illegal to take. :p ...such as wild coho, wild steelhead, chinook...which in the system at times that it is closed to the taking of them.

...you are getting combative in your older age Peri!

There are many good guides mentioned above. I find when fishing, I want to have a fishing trip, not just a catching trip...what I mean by this, is I look at a guide who is into providing a fun day along with the fishing. This includes allowing some flexability to allow the angler to try some different things that the client may want to try. Some guides put a rod in your hand and tell you how and where to fish without exception. While I know you pay a guide to take you fishing to catch fish and they know where the fish are, sometimes I like to play around and try some different stuff especially if the fishing is slow.

In this regard, I would recommend you give Scott's guide service a try. I have had the pleasure to fish with Scott on a number of occassions and we always have a fun day and catch fish.

Give him a try and see what you think...I don't think you will be disappointed.

Giz...

Bob, Its just alot closer for some of us.

FJ - I don't mind combat fishing at all.

I just throw some elbows around and people make room. :p

Dont know if you are wanting drift fishing or sled but is you are looking at a sled trip I would highly recommend Mike Kelly of Hells Anglers At 1-509-243-fish. I have been out with Mike and he is very professional. I have caught fish everytime I fished with Mike.
Aslo see his web page at:

Hells Anglers Home Page

thanks for all the help guys, like gizoman said, i am looking for a guide who will not only put me on fish, but also a guide who will give me advice and tips that i could use when not on his boat. sounds like there are a lot of quality guides on the cow. thanks.

I agree with Bob, why go to the Cowlitz when you can have serenity and some good fishing as well as company. Book a trip on river on the Olympic Peninsula.......instead of hearing sleds and guys yelling at each other, you may get you yell...fish on.....and get a "nice" fishie to slip back into the water. In other words, beautiful native full of fight!

But then again, if you can't get out there and the Cowlitz calls...it's still fishing and better than staying home and putting moss killer on the lawn. (Can you guess what I have to do?)

Ng

I'm not so sure that tere would be fewer boats on the Cowlitz than on most of the OP rivers in late winter. After the December mayhem things ususally quiet down a lot down there, especially when fishing is slow.
And the guides who stay still get into fish if they work at it. Most of them move up to the OP with everyone else and his dog.

I'd bet my favorite wiggle wart that you could count more boats on some of the Hoh, Bog, and Sol duc runs than on the Cowlitz after Jan. 15.

Would that wiggle wart be green with with all those scratches on it?

Ng

Sorry....that one is in my tackle box now....have you looked lately?

All right; I've heard of dirty tricks before, but that is going too far! I'll give you any one of my rods.. no wait.... any one of my kids, one of the smaller ones anyway, to get that plug back. Remember when Ben about went swimming for it . There was a reason. Next time we used it , it went 5-0 vs our other two various plugs.

GIVE IT BACK OR ELSE!

GS

Trade it for one Taxidermed (SP) 40 plus KIng!

LOL

Ng

Another plug here for Scott's Guide Service www.scottguides.com .

I have fished the Cow with him 5 or 6 times now, and haven't been skunked once. We catch 'em in the crowd AND away from the crowd. Plus, like Giz said, I get to fish, not just have poles handed to me.

I have been fishing the Cowlitz since the late 60's and I would have to say that Clancy Holt would be my choice on the river. He has been on the river longer than most of the guides put togeather. As with any guided trip, what you see and learn on the trip can always be used at a later date. If you are really wanting to learn something on the trip, be up front with the guide and tell them what it is you are looking for. I have done that up on the Fraser River with Harrison Bay Guide Service. Told them up front that I am there to see and learn some of the river.