Smith River Fly Fishing Guide
Ironhead Guide Service (IGS) offers a variety of fly fishing for Smith River steelhead including drifting and wading. Whether it is swinging flies with a single or double handed rod, drifting eggs and nymphs from the boat or even targeting a Salmon IGS can provide you with a fly fishing adventure of a lifetime. Professional guide Mario Gomez floats and guides the Smith River during the fall and winter and has been fishing this amazing river for 10 years and has over 30 years of personal fishing experience to ensure your fly fishing success on the Smith River.
Ironhead Guide Service is among the best in the industry when it comes to fishing the Smith River. Over the past 15 years pro guide Mario Gomez has become one of the top rated fishing guides on the west coast. Take a look at Ironhead Guide Service’s google reviews and see for yourself what people are saying about IGS. If you’re tossing around the idea of wanting to fly fish the Smith River, it would behoove you to book a Smith River fly fishing trip with a guide that knows the Smith River and its fish. Ironhead Guide Service provides customers with a quality angling experiences, and pro guide Mario Gomez owns a premier Smith River Outfitter service.
Smith River Fly Fishing
For thousands of years the native salmon and steelhead have been an integral part of life for the people inhabiting the Smith Region. The Smith River yields strong returns of Steelhead year in and year out. The Smith River also historically hosted a large run of Chinook salmon. A typical day of fly fishing on the Smith River for steelhead often includes hooking a handful of feisty trout combined with one or two opportunities at an adult steelhead. The Smith River is a real fly fishing treasure. The Smith River fly fishing trips have become a favorite of customers.
Smith River Fly Fishing Trips
Winter fly fishing on the Smith River can be considered by most to be prime time Steelhead fishing. This is when IGS’s clients typically catch the most fish. Winter fly fishing on the Smith River is when Ironhead Guide Service’s customers typically see the larger fish of the year. The Smith River is known for large steelhead and pro guide Mario Gomez of Ironhead Guide Service can attest, there have been some monster steelhead pulled out of the depths of the Smith in the winter. These are strong, wild fish that will keep anglers enthralled with aerial acrobatics, and long powerful drag peeling runs. The winter fish will usually start to show up after first big rains in December and can be available through March. As river temperatures drop this time of year, most of our Smith River fly fishing success for winter steelhead comes on nymphs and egg imitations presented on a dead drift. Winter Steelhead fishing on the Smith River can be amazing and IGS will put you on water that sees some of the largest steelhead on the west coast.
Smith River Fly Fishing Techniques
There are two main techniques used to fly fish for steelhead on the Smith River, swinging flies and nymphing under an indicator. Swinging flies is a traditional method to target steelhead and can be very effective during the early season when water temperatures are warmer, and the steelhead are more active and aggressive. This is the way fish are meant to be caught, once you’ve felt the tug at the end of a tight line, you’ll be hooked. Swinging fly’s, with single or two-handed rods, using various lines, sink-tips, and shooting heads is how IGS targets steelhead on the swing. The Smith River has miles of incredible Spey water for the two-hand enthusiast.
In the colder fall and winter seasons Mario prefers to drift nymphs under indicators on the Smith, as he has found over time fishing the Smith River that it is far and above the most productive way to catch steelhead this time of year. Nymphing is also very effective for those who prefer to fish from the boat, dead drifting an egg pattern or nymph can be absolutely deadly.
RATES FOR FLY FISHING:
1 or 2 people $550 a day + gratuity
WHAT WE PROVIDE:
- Heated Willie Drift Boat
- Licensed, Insured, Professional Guide
- Cooler for Drinks and Lunch
WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING:
- State Fishing License and Tag
- Fly Fishing Rod, Reel, Tackle, and Fly’s
- Waders and Wading Boots
