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Hells Canyon, ID-OR
Hells Canyon 4-Day Bass & Sturgeon Fishing Trip
4 days / 3 nights
The best smallmouth fishing in the US
Camping Trips
Class II
Class III
Class IV
OVERVIEW
The best smallmouth fishing in the US
Trophy smallmouth and a shot at a white sturgeon, 70 to 100 bass per boat a day, two guests per guide.
4 days / 3 nights
Duration
Up to 8 guests
Group Size
7
+
Min Age
Camping Trips
Trip Style
DATES
Upcoming Dates
Mon
23
Rogue River Lodge
8:00 AM
Wed
25
Rogue River Lodge
8:00 AM
Fri
27
Rogue River Lodge
8:00 AM
Highlights
Best Parts of The Trip
- Best smallmouth bass in the US We cover 32 miles at about 8 miles a day, so your time goes into fishing.
- 70 to 100 bass a day Expect that many smallmouth per boat each day, plus great rainbow trout along the way.
- A shot at a white sturgeon We find a hole and wait for the dinosaur of the Snake, a white sturgeon up to 8 feet.
- Bass taco fish fry Night 3 is a fish fry with fresh bass tacos and our Dutch oven nachos.
- Two guests per guide With a maximum of 8 guests, you get lots of line time and plenty of help.
INSIDER TIP
From Our Guides
Make sure you spend time fishing for sturgeon, and do not miss your shot at an 8-foot dinosaur of the Snake. Sturgeon are not a cast and retrieve fish, so we find a hole and wait.
Your boat
Boats on This Trip
ITINERARY
Day by day
Day 1
Shuttle to Hells Canyon Dam and launch. We fish slowly, and camp is only between mile 5 and mile 8 today. Not much sturgeon fishing yet.
Miles covered
5 to 8
miles
hells-canyon-4-day-bass-and-sturgeon-fishing-trip
1
Day 2
The whitewater day. Almost all of the big rapids happen today, and it is the best chance at sturgeon.
Miles covered
miles
hells-canyon-4-day-bass-and-sturgeon-fishing-trip
2
Day 3
More fishing, and the sturgeon chances continue. Bass taco night.
Miles covered
miles
hells-canyon-4-day-bass-and-sturgeon-fishing-trip
3
Day 4
More fishing. We end the trip between 2:00 and 3:00 PM and have you back in Riggins by 4:00 PM.
Miles covered
miles
hells-canyon-4-day-bass-and-sturgeon-fishing-trip
4
Inclusions
What's Included
Guides and gear
- Guides and all river gear
- All spin tackle and sturgeon gear
- Fishing frames on the rafts
- Dry bags
Where you sleep
- Tents up before you arrive
Meals
- All meals and snacks
- Beer or wine, 3 drinks per person per night, and you are welcome to bring more
Getting there
- Shuttle from Riggins
Bring or rent
- Sleeping bag and pack pillow (or rent them from us)
- Binoculars for the bird watching
- A second pair of shoes for camp
- Fly fishing gear if you want to fly fish
- Oregon fishing license (an Idaho license is best too)
ACCOMMODATIONS
Camping Trips
Nights are a mix of historic lodge rooms and guided riverside camps, depending on the launch.
Rogue River
Lucas Lodge
Sadie Lucas built this lodge around 1912 on a ranch where the Illinois River meets the Rogue, and her family has welcomed guests for seven generations since. Your last night on the river ends here with a prime rib dinner served family style.
See the full stay
Owyhee River
Owyhee Camps
Desert canyon camps on the Owyhee, set below rimrock and red rock spires that light up at sunset.
See the full stay
Lower Salmon River
Lower Salmon Camps
Every camp is a big white sand beach with a good swimming hole, and your tent is up before you arrive.
See the full stayMain Salmon, River of No Return
Main Salmon Camps
Big sandy beach camps under the pines. When you pull in, your tent is already set up, your sleeping pad is in it and your dry bags are stacked and waiting.
See the full stay
Snake River in Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon Camps
Riverside camps below the walls of Hells Canyon. Your tent is up before you arrive, and evenings start with a cold drink under the shade tarps.
See the full stay
Rogue River
Rogue River Camps
Riverside beach camps on the Rogue. Your gear boater runs ahead so camp is ready when you pull in, with tents up and dinner served family style.
See the full stay
Rogue River
Paradise Lodge
Paradise has the big deck where we do movie night, with lodge cooking and a real bed. Every room has its own hot shower and private bathroom.
See the full stay
Rogue River
Black Bar Lodge
Black Bar sits right on the water. You pull in at the end of Day 1 to a home-cooked dinner and a real bed, and every room has its own hot shower and private bathroom.
See the full stay
Food & Drink
What To Expect During Meal Time
We do a fish fry on Night 3 with fresh bass tacos, and fresh rainbow trout on the evenings we come across them. In Hells Canyon we always do bass tacos with the Dutch oven nachos.
Pull into camp, crack a cold one under the shade tarps, then appetizers. The guides plate dinner right after the sun drops behind the canyon brim, followed by dessert, cards, music and the library box. We will have a campfire if we are able to, and most of the summer s'mores happen over the Dutch oven coals.
Meeting Logistics
Where & When To Meet
The night before, meet us at our Idaho shop at 1512 North Main in Riggins from 7:00 to 8:00 PM MT for a meet and greet. You will get your dry bags, go through the orientation and ask any last-minute questions. All of our Idaho trips run on Mountain Time.
On Day 1 we pick you up at 6:00 AM MT for the 3-hour drive to Hells Canyon Dam, with your trip leader along for the ride. Mornings start a little earlier and days run a little later than our other trips, so you get the most fishing time. On Day 4 the trip ends at Pittsburg Landing between 2:00 and 3:00 PM MT, and you are back at your vehicles in Riggins by about 4:00 PM MT.
TRAVEL
Getting there
Fly into Boise or Lewiston and drive to Riggins the day before. Overnight trips start with a 7:00 PM meet and greet at the Idaho shop.
Meeting point
Orange Torpedo Idaho shop
7:00 to 8:00 PM Mountain the night before at the Riggins shop, 1512 N. Main St. Day 1 pickup at 6:00 AM for the 3-hour drive to Hells Canyon Dam.
How to get there
Fly into Boise (BOI)
About 3.5 hours by car.
Fly into Lewiston (LWS)
About 2.5 hours by car.
Drive or fly private into McCall
About 45 minutes to Riggins.
Airport transfer
No OTT airport shuttle to Riggins. Rent a car at Boise or Lewiston.
Stay at Salmon Rapids Lodge and ask for the outfitter rate.
CONDITIONS
What to expect
Weather
Hells Canyon has a super mild climate. There is a low chance of rain from May through mid-June, and after that it is dry and hot for the rest of the season. Evening wind is pretty common in the canyon.
Whitewater Levels
Day 2 is the whitewater day. Almost all of the big rapids happen that day, and it is your best chance at sturgeon, continuing into Day 3. The rest of the trip moves slowly on purpose, 32 miles stretched over 4 days.
Seasonal Variability
Late May to September on set launch dates, roughly 1 to 2 trips a month or less. We cap it at 8 guests with two guests per guide, which is why this one costs more than our other trips.
PACKING
What to Bring
Bring a sleeping bag, or rent one from us along with a pack pillow. Binoculars, because bird watchers go nuts on Idaho trips. A different pair of shoes for camp so you can get your feet dry and the sand out of your toes.
We provide all spin tackle and sturgeon gear, but no fly fishing gear, so bring yours if you want to fly fish. You need an Oregon fishing license, and it is best to have an Idaho license too.
REVIEWS
What guests say
POLICIES
Cancellation timeline
90+ days out
Full refund of the trip payment
Minus any non-refundable permit fees.
30–89 days out
50% refund
Date changes may be available if space remains.
Under 30 days
No refund
Weather holds are reviewed case by case.
Refunds depend on how far out you cancel. Weather holds are handled case by case.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What time zone are the Idaho trips on?
Mountain Time. Every meeting time on our Idaho and Hells Canyon trips is Mountain Time.
What if I miss the pre-trip meeting?
Call or text us at 208-630-6668 as soon as you know. We will run the meet and greet checklist with you over the phone, drop your bags at your lodging, and tighten it all up in the morning.
Do I have to set up my own tent?
Not on a guided trip. Idaho trips are fully all-inclusive, with no tent setup, no camp teardown, guides have the tents up with pads inside before you walk into camp. On the Rogue camp trips the gear boater has camp set up ahead of you. On a Row Your Own the tent is yours.
Is alcohol included on Idaho trips?
We will have at least a beer or a glass of wine for you every night, and oftentimes more. If you would like to bring your own, feel free.
What wildlife will we see in Hells Canyon?
Mountain goats, bighorn sheep, bald and golden eagles, osprey, chukar, black bear, deer and elk. Chukar are a partridge brought over as a game bird that took to the high desert, and they are what we hunt on the Cast & Blast.
Do you provide fishing tackle on the Hells Canyon fishing trips?
Yes, all spin tackle and sturgeon gear. We do not provide fly fishing gear, so bring your own if you want to fly fish. You are also welcome to bring your own spin gear if there is something you are comfortable with.
How many fish will I catch?
A lot. We are catching 70 to 100 smallmouth bass per boat per day, more smallmouth than you will catch anywhere else, and you have a real shot at a white sturgeon.
What fishing license do I need?
You need an Oregon fishing license. It is best to have both an Oregon and an Idaho license, since the river is the state line.
Is there anything to do besides fishing?
Yes. All the standard Hells Canyon stops are there, hikes, history sites and swimming. History stops are optional and up to the group, and your guides will let you know what is coming up each day.
MORE TRIPS
Our Most Booked Trips
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4 days
|
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Hike the Rogue River Trail with a daypack, sleep in the lodges, and let the raft carry everything else.
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3 days
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Run the Rogue River Trail lodge to lodge with a light vest while the raft carries your bags.
