WRO Drift Boat Options

WRO will now be offering drift boat options.  We now have two Koffler aluminum drift boats for people who have a special fishing interest.  Each boat can carry two passengers.  On the Middle Fork of the Salmon a drift boat makes for an unparalleled trout fishing experience.  Being able to hold in a particular fishing hole better than a raft makes catching fish much easier and even more enjoyable.  On the Main Salmon we will be offering some late season steelhead fishing trips.  Steelhead are an anadromous (ocean going) rainbow trout.  Like salmon, steelhead also return to their original breeding grounds to spawn. Unlike salmon, steelhead usually do not die after spawning, and can even rejuvenate and return to the ocean and start the cycle over.  Steelhead range from 20-40 inches in length and can weigh up to 20 pounds. Combined with an aggressive and territorial demeanor, steelhead are prized by anglers for their size and strength in fight. A major migration artery for both native and hatchery steelhead, the Main Salmon in the fall is an ideal sport fishing river trip.  Steelhead trips will be offered in early November on the Main Salmon River.  Call to check on date and drift boat availability on the Middle Fork and Main Salmon Rivers in Idaho.

Seth Tonsmeire

The Snow is Falling.

In central Idaho the snow has finally started to pile up.  It was a little later than normal, but now winter is here in full force.  The last two days the Lost Trail Ski Resort (Salmons local mountain) has counted 28 inches of new snow, with lots more fresh the week before.  Me, my family, and a hand full of other WRO crew have all been enjoying the great powder days lately.  This also bring fourth a bright light on next summer.  More snow now mean more water in the rivers next summer.  In Idaho the Salmon River Basin is now at 90% of normal snow pack right now.  The Bruneau and Owyhee River basins are currently well over a 100% of normal snow pack, this is good news. It means good chances of having water in the desert for next years spring river trips. The Flathead River Basin in Montana is 78% of normal so far, with still plenty of time to get up around 100%.  SNOTEL for Alaska is not currently available, but I will guarantee those glacial rivers will have plenty of water. This data can be found at NRCS SNOTEL (www.nrcs.usda.gov).  I will keep you posted on snow packs for WRO trips through out the winter.  In the photo Matt Westfall, a WRO guide from Salmon.

Seth Tonsmeire

WRO Building Project

The beginnings of the addition to the warehouse have been a struggle to finish all the needed dirt work and concrete before winter sets in for good.  It has been a mild fall around Salmon, which has been nice for the project.  Today though there has been a change in the weather, I woke up to 4 inches of snow and its still coming down.  A couple more things with the septic system and the framing should begin later this week.  Hopefully we can get the framing done quickly, so we can move into the shell and work in the indoors since it will be the middle of winter before long.  With colder weather and snow in the future, will make for a good challenge to build anything.  I am very excited to be building my own house, which will surely be a great learning process.  The addition will be 1200 sq feet, with 600 in the basement.  The addition will be one bedroom, small office, one bathroom, small kitchen, and in the basement will be a living room with hopefully a ping-pong table.  I have a spot for a horseshoe pit out back and might try to put in a Frisbee golf course in the lower field.  The new addition should make for a fun guide house for the following summers, and lucky for me year around.

Seth Tonsmeire

Amy's First Steelhead!!!

Me, my sister, and my mother went out steelhead fishing this fall for Amy's birthday in October.  We got down to a favorite fishing hole on the Main Salmon later in the afternoon.  Having not done much steelhead fishing before I got my new drift-boat we were trying a couple of different methods trying to get one of those elusive steelhead on for Amy on her birthday.  Not long after being in the hole, she looked back at me and said, "I think I may have something."  Sure enough she did have a wild Idaho steelhead on.  When the excitement hit the boat it was a little chaotic, not going to tell you otherwise because it was.  After this wild steelhead fought all the way to the boat, I got it with the net.  It was a wild fish, so we let it swim away to continue on with its migratory path.  Here is even picture evidence that this is not just another fish story.

Seth Tonsmeire

A message from Seth.

When I first heard someone say blog, I had no idea what that meant.  So many new things are come out with the Internet it is hard to keep up with it all.  A blog is an easy way to keep current news on the web, a place to post current pictures, and most importantly a way to keep in touch with our greatly valued clients, YOU.  I will try to keep current WRO news posted on our blog.  If you are curious what we do in off-season this will be a great way to keep you up to date.  This will also be a great way to find out how our WRO guides are spending there time when they are not on the river, that is if I can talk them into posting anything.  Well now that you know what a blog is, if you did not already know, here is ours wildernessriver@blogspot.com.  Go check it out the next time your clicking around out there on the Internet!  If you are reading this message here, you did check it out.  Nice Work.

 

Leading into this next year there are many pieces to put in order, the preparation has already started.  After cleaning and fixing anything that was broken last year it is time to move into getting ready for next year.  I am also building an addition onto our warehouse for somewhere to call a permanent home.  This project should be fun and challenging, a great winter project.  With this building project, steelhead fishing coming to an end, and snowboarding/skiing season coming right up, I have been anything but bored since summer has ended.

 

I have set up an e-mail that you can reach me at on the go, which is seth@wildernessriver.com.  This email is by no way replacing our other email address, just a way that you can drop me a quick question that I can get anywhere.  Also just because I am posting news on our blog and using e-mail, don’t think that this means that you can’t pick up the phone and give us a call the old fashion way:  (800) 252-6581. Well I hope that this finds you well, and I look forward to seeing some of you on the river next summer. 

 

Seth Tonsmeire

Wilderness River Outfitters now has a blog.