GCFC Guided Trips
What is a Guided Fly Fishing trip? Why should you consider a guided trip, and how much should you expect to pay? What kind of fish do we fish for? These are great questions. Below, we hope to answer them and identify what trips we offer based on species.
Smallmouth Bass
(Micropterus dolomieu)
Oklahoma has a special jewel in its Smallmouth Bass fisheries. Both our native Neosho-strain Smallmouth and the planted Tennessee-strain Smallmouth are present in the Upper Illinois River system. Smallmouth
A typical trip is around 8 hours, weather and section dependent, floating on either a Stealthcraft Hooligan XL raft, Clackacraft Headhunter, or custom jet boat. We are typically casting bigger flies on a 6, 7, or 8-weight rods with sinking or intermediate lines, although in the hotter months, we will be fishing poppers. On the Upper Illinois, there's always the chance to tie into the Smallmouth of a lifetime!
Striped Bass
(Morone saxatilis)
The Striped Bass, or Striper, is an anadromous (can live in both salt and fresh water) fish that was transplanted from the East Coast into a few areas across the Central/Eastern US. In Oklahoma, we have a thriving population of Stripers living in the Arkansas River system! These fish will move into the Lower Illinois River below Tenkiller Lake every summer to enjoy the cooler water and abundance of bait (shad and trout). Monster Stripers are swimming around in the Lower Illinois every year (our state record was caught here!), so this is a great chance at finding one on the fly rod!
We HIGHLY RECOMMEND being able to comfortably cast an 8-weight all day, as we will be throwing bigger flies on sinking or intermediate lines depending on flows. Being able to double-haul will also help increase your success rate! This trip is only offered May-September.
About Guided Trips
At GCFC, we believe Guided Trips are all about you as the client, and we have high expectations for the guides we recommend. To that end, trips booked through our shop are $500/full day for up to 2 anglers.
A typical day of guided fly fishing, with a few exceptions, is around 8 hours. This is, however, dependent on weather and flows, but the day will usually start around sun-up. All gear, equipment, flies, etc., is provided by the guide! However, if you want to bring your own equipment, that is more than ok. Typically, we will have a DSLR camera on the boat with us to capture those special moments, such as the shot above of a client throwing darts!
Lunch and water are provided, which might be a hot shore lunch or fajitas, or quick cold sandwiches. It just depends on the weather. If you want any special drinks, you will need to bring those with you, but each boat is equipped with a cooler to keep your drinks cold!
As the client, you're responsible for your license, appropriate attire for the day (rain jacket, hat, etc.), and a good teachable attitude! We will do our best to accommodate the type of trip you're looking for if we know ahead of time, i.e., looking for a trophy fish, learning specific techniques, or just enjoying a slow day on the river.
Ready To Book A Trip??
If you're interested in booking a trip, click the button below and send us an email!