Question 1

What rivers do you Hunt Chukar on?

Accepted Answer

Hells Canyon Sport Fishing provides guided Chukar Hunting and Fishing opportunities on the Snake River in Idaho, Oregon and Washington and also on the Salmon river in Idaho.

Question 2

What does a typical day on the river look like?

Accepted Answer

Our guests will meet their guide at the Heller Bar boat launch usually around 7 am (daylight) in the morning. Your guide will introduce himself and help you get your gear loaded into the boat and out onto the river ASAP. We normally head 20 miles up river to the mouth of the salmon river to start our day.  Plan to be back to the launch around 4 pm based on an 8-10 hour day.

Question 3

How long do we stay out on the water?

Accepted Answer

Our guides are flexible and can accommodate whatever time you need. Most days are a minimum of 8 hours and may last up to 10 hours on the water. Our guides love to fish and hunt so do be surprised if you are out all day!

Question 4

When is the best time to hunt Chukar in Hells Canyon?

Accepted Answer

From the opener on the 3rd Saturday of September until mid-October the birds are often concentrated closer to the river where they can drink water due to warmer temperatures. As the weather cools in mid-October the birds will be less concentrated but in predictable and accessible places where more hiking is required but very rewarding!

Question 5

Do we need to bring our own shotguns?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Bring your own shotgun and please be familiar with it and know how to use it safely. The day of your trip is not the right time to be learning how to load and unload your firearm! Our guides usually pack an extra gun on the boat just in case someone has an equipment failure.

Question 6

Do I need my own shotgun shells?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We recommend #6 lead shot heavy game loads. 2 boxes of ammo per person each day will be more than enough.

Question 7

What gauge shotgun should I bring?

Accepted Answer

Bring any shotgun you are familiar with, shoot well and are completely safe with. 12- and 20-gauge guns are most popular.

Question 8

Do I need a plug in my gun?

Accepted Answer

Idaho does not require a plug so if you have a semi auto or a pump gun you can load it to its full capacity. Washington and Oregon do have a 3-shell max requirement and require your limiter plug to be in place.

Question 9

Can I bring my hunting dog?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! We allow dogs on our boats on leash and in the lodges if you have them in a crate.

Question 10

Do your guides provide hunting dogs?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our guides can provide seasoned hunting dogs. We primarily run with Brittany’s and Labradors.

Question 11

What licenses do we need and how do we get them?

Accepted Answer

For all our trips on the Snake and Salmon rivers you will need an IDAHO FISHING AND HUNTING LICENSE. You can download your Idaho license through the Go Outdoor Idaho smartphone app. Idaho offers a 3-day small game license that meets the requirement for Chukar Hunting, and a 3 day Salmon / Steelhead license that meets the requirements and tags for Steelhead, Salmon, Sturgeon Trout and Smallmouth fishing. Anyone whose trips begin at Heller Bar will need a Washington State parking pass or Discover pass to park your vehicle. If you were born after Jan 1st, 1975, Idaho will not sell you a hunting license unless you have proof of completing a hunter safely course.

Question 12

What kind of boats do you use?

Accepted Answer

All our boats are open guide style jet boats. These are welded aluminum river specific boats with no top to impede your fishing experience. We are proud of our fleet of boats and certainly have some of the finest guide boats on the river. Our boats range from 23’ - 34’ in length.

Question 13

How big will our boat be?

Accepted Answer

Our boats get bigger with group size. For example…If you book a 2-person trip we would schedule you to fish in one of our 23’ outboard boats. If you book a 4–6-person trip we would use one of our 26’- 34’ boats.

Question 14

What species are we going to fish for?

Accepted Answer

We fish for Steelhead, Salmon and Sturgeon as our primary species. Smallmouth Bass and Rainbow trout are also caught in good numbers. We coordinate with our clients to book your trip dates based on which species they want to target.

Question 15

Do we need to bring our own fishing gear?

Accepted Answer

No. We provide top quality and appropriate gear for all anglers on our trips. If you have equipment you prefer to use, please bring it along!

Question 16

Do we need to bring waders?

Accepted Answer

If you have booked one of our river fly fishing trips, then YES please bring your waders. Otherwise, none of our other trips require water.

Question 17

I am disabled, can’t walk well or in a wheelchair can I participate?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can and please do! Our guides will always take the extra time and spend the extra attention needed to make sure all our clients have the accommodation they need to have an awesome experience. Fishing and Hunting with HCSF can be enjoyed by everyone!

Question 18

How many Hunters do I need to reserve a boat?

Accepted Answer

You can reserve a boat with as few as 2 hunters. We have 2-person minimum boats, 4-person minimum boats and 6-person minimum boats. Our most popular trip is our 3 days / 3-night cast n blast lodge package.

Question 19

What are our accommodations options?

Accepted Answer

On the Snake R. HCSF has partnered with Hells Canyon Resort and other lodges to accommodate our clients overnight and multiple night stays. For our clients that prefer to stay in town we highly recommend staying with the Hells Canyon Grand hotel in Lewiston, Idaho.

Question 20

How many guests can your lodge accommodate?

Accepted Answer

Our lodge can comfortably accommodate 12 or more guests. We never mix groups in our lodge. If you have a smaller group of, let’s say 6 guests, you will always have the entire lodge for yourselves.

Question 21

How do we best dress for the weather and river hunting conditions?

Accepted Answer

Fall weather can be cold in the morning and beautiful later in the day. You are encouraged to bring a small bag with all your extra clothes and rain gear to be prepared for whatever the weather of the day may bring. A typical day might be darn cold like 40 deg in the morning but warming up into the 70’s during the day. Cactus proof pants, boots and gloves are a big plus for hunting. Hunters’ orange is preferred and highly recommended by our guides.

Question 22

How do we book a trip?

Accepted Answer

It's easy! You and our team will discuss fishing and hunting options and dates the work for everyone. Once a date is decided we require a 50% deposit to lock in your spot on our calendar.

Question 23

Do you provide lunch and drinks?

Accepted Answer

Any trips that include overnight lodging with Hells Canyon Resort will include breakfast, lunch and dinner all inclusive. Day trips and clients staying in hotels or otherwise will need to bring your lunch and drinks each day. We have plenty of room for your cooler and a bag of food and such. Our boats always have cold water, sodas and a few snacks aboard just in case!

Question 24

Can we bring our kids?

Accepted Answer

Please do! We will help work with kids of all ages to catch fish, maybe even their first fish!

Question 25

Can we take our fish home to eat?

Accepted Answer

Hatchery Salmon, hatchery Steelhead and Smallmouth Bass are all fish you can take home to eat. Our guides will fillet and bag your catch at the end of the day free of charge. Sturgeon and Wild Salmon and Steelhead are 100% catch and release.

Question 26

Should I tip my guide and deckhand? What about the lodge staff?

Accepted Answer

Gratuities are always appreciated by our guides and staff. If you feel that you were well taken care of please, feel free to leave a tip. 15%-20% of the total trip cost is the average total given gratuity. Please tip your guide, deckhand and lodge staff separately.

Question 27

Can I purchase a Gift Certificate?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! Surprise that special someone for their birthday, Father's Day / Mother's Day, Christmas or any occasion with the gift of a guided fishing experience with HCSF!

Question 28

When do we pay for our trip?

Accepted Answer

A 50% deposit is required to lock in your dates at the time of your booking. The remainder of the trip is due 30 days prior to your trip date.

Payment can be made with check or credit card for a 3.5% fee.

Question 29

What is your cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

Cancellations must be received 60 days prior to your fishing trip in order to receive a full deposit refund. If cancellations occur 30-60 days prior to your fishing trip, we will issue a credit that expires 1 year from invoice date. If cancellations occur within 30 days of your fishing trip, there will be NO REFUND. Final payment is due 30 days before the time of the trip.
 
No Show Policy - Each guided trip is issued a start time. Fishing guides will wait for a reasonable amount of time (1 to 2 hours) for groups to show for their guided trip. When a group does not show for their guided trip, full payment is due, no refunds or credit is issued.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS