Frequently Asked Questions
What to expect and more information about booking with a fishing guide
- 1. General Questions
- 2. Fees & Booking
- 3. Planning for your Trip
- 4. Travel Tips
- 5. The Day of Your Trip
- 6. What to Expect
- 7. Equipment & Qualifications
- 8. When & Where to Fish
- 9. Your Catch
There is a multitude of benefits to hiring a fishing guide. Here are a few of the best ones:
- Spending quality time out fishing with your friends, family, and colleagues is a great way to make lasting memories.
- Especially if you’re traveling, it’s can be more affordable to hire a fishing guide than renting your own boat and purchasing new gear, bait, and tackle.
- Anyone can fish. You don’t have to know anything about fishing to book a trip with a guide.
- You get to relax and have all the fun. Our guests get the luxury of sitting back and relaxing while their fishing guide does all of the hard work for them.
- Prime fishing locations, what gear to use, and which baits the fish like can take years to figure out. Your guide has this nailed down for you.
- Owning a fishing boat takes time and money to maintain. Many of our clients have sold their boats and now book trips with their favorite fishing guide several times a year so they can enjoy the best parts of sport fishing without the hassle or expense.
Your guided fishing trip includes:
- All gear, rods, bait, and tackle needed to catch fish
- A trip in our 22′ River Wild aluminum power boat or custom built 18′ Willie drift boat
- Cleaning, filleting, and bagging of your fish
- Life jackets and necessary safety equipment
Yes! We love taking large groups out fishing. We make arrangements with other guides to get your entire group out on the water so no one gets left out of the fun. Anchoring up near the other boats means you can still enjoy the company of the whole group while having plenty of room for everyone to fish. A healthy competition between boats can also make the day more exciting.
Group fishing trips are perfect for:
- Large families
- Family reunions
- Corporate parties
- Employee appreciation
- Fishing tournaments
- Team building
- Church leadership groups
- Bachelor and Bachelorette parties
- Guys/Girls weekend trips
Not at all! We can show you how to cast, reel in a fish and everything else you need to know. Guided fishing trips are perfect for everyone, from beginner to advanced anglers.
Nope, you don’t need to bring any gear, rods, or bait. We have it all covered for you.
Sorry, we can’t guarantee we will catch fish on any guided fishing trip. There is a multitude of factors that affect our ability to catch fish. Often times those factors are beyond our control. With all of that said, you won’t find a harder working fishing guide on the river to get you those prized fish in the boat.
Yes, we love taking children out on fishing trips. Mike has a son of his own that’s been out on the boat since before he could even walk.
Some types of fishing are better than others for little ones. For instance, drift boat fishing for steelhead January through March can be too cold for kids to enjoy the trip. Once the weather warms up a bit in April would be a better option.
Give us a call and we will help you decide what will work best for your family.
Portland International Airport (PDX) – The travel time from the airport ranges from about 30 minutes to an hour and a half depending on where we are fishing that day.
The next closest airport is Seattle-Tacoma Airport (Sea-Tac/SEA) – 2.5 to 4 hours of travel time depending on where we are fishing that day.
Living in the area for over 15 years means we know a thing or two about what’s good, and not so good. We can make all sorts of recommendations of hotels, restaurants, and activities for your vacation. Let’s chat and we’ll give you the inside scoop.
Our current rate is $250/person for an all day trip. There is a $50/person deposit due at booking to hold your date. The remaining balance is due the day of your trip via cash or credit card. Gratuity is not included.
For your convenience, we accept cash and all major credit cards for both your deposit and the balance due the day of your trip. Being a small family run business, credit card fees take a fair amount away from our family’s income. Therefore, we do prefer cash.
Yes, we take all major credit cards, but we do prefer cash.
Yes, tips are customary across the fishing tour guide industry. Although, your choice to tip, and how much to tip is always up to you.
Yes, we love being able to offer an opportunity for you to gift a memorable fishing trip to a loved one. After purchase, we will mail you a printed gift certificate to present to your recipient. You can choose the date for the fishing trip for them, or let them decide after they receive their gift.
Something to keep in mind when gifting a single seat on the boat; it’s always more fun to share a fishing trip with a friend or family member. Perhaps consider who your recipient might like to invite on the fishing trip with them and book multiple seats.
Gift certificates are perfect for:
- Birthdays
- Anniversaries
- Graduations
- Mother’s/Father’s Day
- Retirement
- Weddings
- Just because
It is recommended to book as far in advance as you can commit to a fishing date. We have a limited calendar, and even more so when fishing regulations dictate that.
Last minute trips are available. Call us for availability.
Yes, oftentimes our guests can’t commit to a full day fishing trip. Although, we do not discount trips in most circumstances since that limits our ability to book a full day trip otherwise.
Occasionally, fishing can be so good we can limit out early in the day. This can happen most often during Buoy 10 fishing near Astoria. This is when we will schedule half-day trips.
Yes, simply book a fishing trip at our regular rate. Then after your trip, write us a testimonial, tell your friends about us, and if they mention your name when they book we will give you $100 off your next trip.
Hazen’s Guide Service Cancellation and Refund Policy
Client Cancellation – We will refund your deposit in full up to 7 calendar days prior to your scheduled trip date. Any client cancellations within 7 calendar days before your trip date are non-refundable. Although, your deposit may be applied to a future trip within 30 days of the original date booked.
Guide Cancellation – We reserve the right to cancel or change your reservation at any time due to changes in fishing regulations, guide availability, weather and waterway conditions. With guide cancellation, if your trip is unable to be rescheduled your deposit will be refunded in full.
At your guide’s discretion, we may need to reschedule your fishing trip due to water or weather conditions. If your trip cannot be rescheduled a full refund will be provided.
- Fishing license and applicable species tags:
- Oregon fishing license
- Washington fishing license – valid for fishing with us on the Columbia River only
- Lunch, snacks, beverages
- Weather appropriate clothing
- Multiple layers – we can see all weather types within one day
- Rain gear
- Don’t forget:
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Camera
Your comfort is key to a great day out fishing. Without the proper layers of clothing, you might be miserable and it could put quite the damper on your trip with any fishing guide.
Rain gear:
- Quality rain gear is crucial if there’s rain in the forecast. Our favorite brand is Grundens rain gear. Make sure your coat and pant labels say “waterproof” or “waterproof – breathable”, not “water resistant”. Here’s a great article on the topic of waterproof vs. water resistant clothing.
Dress in Layers:
- The key to being prepared for Oregon weather is to wear more layers that you think you might need. Outside of summer, we suggest wearing long underwear as a base layer underneath. Morning time can be quite a bit chilly, but the sun might come out blazing later in the day.
- You can always remove layers, but you can’t add them if you didn’t bring them. We have lots of storage space on the boat to keep your extras secure and dry when you aren’t wearing them.
Items that may increase your comfort level:
- Warm gloves
- Warm hats
- Wool socks
- Long underwear or base layers made for cold weather
- Choose synthetic over cotton materials – once wet cotton will feel extra cold
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
Yes, you will need an Oregon fishing license to fish with a licensed fishing guide, or on your own.
If we are fishing on the Columbia River, a Washington Fishing license for Washington residents will work.
Before your trip, Mike will check with you to make sure you have the right fishing licenses and appropriate species tags.
You can obtain your fishing license from the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife through their online system.
You can choose to purchase a fishing license from an authorized vendor/agent or print it at home. If you choose either of these options will want to be sure to store your license in a ziplock bag to keep it safe from the elements since it will be printed on plain paper.
For Washington residents, a Washington Fishing license is valid for fishing on the Columbia River.
For Washington residents, a Washington Fishing license is valid for fishing on the Columbia River only.
Waders are nice to have particularly for drift boat fishing and if you want protection from the rain. They are not required though.
We don’t provide lunch unless specifically requested. For $15/person we can provide a custom boxed lunch that includes a deluxe sandwich, chips, cookie, and a soda. Boxed lunch orders must be placed 48-hours in advance.
We love allowing your canine friends to join us on the boat as long as they are well behaved, and don’t cause a safety hazard to us or our guests.
A full boat in an action-packed fishery might be a good reason to leave them behind since things can get a bit chaotic.
WARNING: Prior to bringing along your furry friend do be sure you are knowledgeable about salmon poisoning in dogs, and that you bring them on the boat at your own risk.
YES!! We strongly encourage you to capture all of your exciting moments and memories made on your fishing trip. You can tag us on social media as Hazen’s Guide Service. Feel free to send us your photos and video after the trip so we can share them as well.
We will be fishing from either our 22′ River wild aluminum power boat (seats 6) or 18′ custom built Willie Drift boat (seats up to 3). We also partner with other guides to accommodate larger groups in multiple boats.
Mike Hazen is licensed as an outfitter guide through the Oregon State Marine Board.. This license requires a guide to have a certain amount of training, education, and sea time to qualify. These requirements include CPR and first aid certification, a valid USCG Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), and a current certificate of insurance.
In addition to the minimum requirements above, Mike has over 20 years of fishing and boating experience under his belt. He has earned an Associates degree in fisheries from Mt Hood Community College leading to an over 15-year career in fish culture and fisheries through ODFW.
Recently Mike has been certified as a Guide and Outfitter Recognized Professional (GORP) through the Oregon Sea Grant and OSU Extension Service. GORP guides have demonstrated professional-level skills and knowledge in the areas of local geographic features, natural features, 101 species identification, and history, as well as guest services and business management in the outdoor recreation and tourism industry.
Yes, we provide inflatable life jackets for adults for maximum comfort while fishing and non-inflatable lifejackets for children.
We pride ourselves on having quality gear to get the job done. Some of the name brands we use include:
- Shimano
- Abu Garcia
- G. Loomis
- Lamiglas
- Garmin
Salmon – level wind reels with long 9-10.5 ft medium action rods designed specifically for trolling and lure fishing applications
Steelhead – 9.5 ft spinning rods made for light tackle
Sturgeon – level wind reels on rods made for heavy action for up to 300 lb fish
Typically, we will meet at the boat ramp around 6 am. Sometimes we will meet a little earlier and sometimes a little later, depending on the timing of tides. Some days we will fish until late afternoon and some days we will be done early if we limit the boat out right away. An average fishing trip would be 6 am – 3 pm.
If you need to be off the water by a certain time we can usually accommodate. Mike will keep on fishing as long as it takes to catch fish, but when you are ready to go we will call it a day.
An average fishing trip would be 6 am – 3 pm. Many factors, including tides and fishing conditions, can change our departure and end times.
If you need to be off the water by a certain time we can usually accommodate. Mike will keep on fishing as long as it takes to catch fish, but when you are ready to go we will call it a day.
One of the perks of being out on the boat fishing is being out in nature and seeing the beautiful Oregon wildlife. Some of the most common wildlife we see are birds, river otters, sea lions, deer and occasionally elk.
Sure, if you want to enjoy a beer or two on your fishing trip that’s totally fine. Excessive drinking on the boat is not recommended for safety reasons. We reserve the right to discontinue the fishing trip without a refund if we feel it’s unsafe for anyone on board due to alcohol consumption.
Most people don’t have an issue with seasickness on our boats since most of our guided fishing trips are inland off of the ocean where the water can be a bit calmer.
Sometimes the Columbia River can get very windy and cause quite a wake where someone prone to seasickness might feel a bit queasy. When it’s going to be extremely windy we may reschedule a trip or call it a day when the wind picks up in the afternoon.
For those who are more sensitive to seasickness, you may consider bringing along with you a Seaband, Dramamine, ginger candies, or ginger tea.
Most places we fish do not readily have bathrooms available close by. In a pinch, we can drive the boat back to a boat ramp or stop on the bank to “go in the woods”. For the unbashful, we have a bucket available.
We don’t rely on weather forecasts more than a few days out. Near the Oregon Coast, the weather can change in just a few minutes. It’s not unheard of to experience all four seasons in one day out fishing during the fall through winter and early spring.
Being prepared with the right clothing and gear is essential to have a good time outdoors. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. Lots of warm layers and quality rain gear are key.
Yes, you get to keep the fish you catch as long as the fishing regulations allow you to do so legally. Native fish and sturgeon (outside of ODFW set retention days) are the most common fish we will release.
We will clean, filet, and bag your fish for you. We recommend bringing a cooler along for the trip home and stopping for ice right away after leaving the boat ramp.
We will clean, filet, and bag your fish for you. We recommend bringing a cooler along for the trip home and stopping for ice right away after leaving the boat ramp.
If you have a long trip home or want to have your fish shipped on dry ice we know of a couple of locations locally that provide these services.
If you have a long trip home or want to have your fish shipped on dry ice we know of a couple of locations locally that provide these services.
Yes, we know of a couple of businesses locally that can help you with this.
Yes, we love to share recipes! Until we update the content on our blog to add our favorites just ask and we will send them to you.
Yes! Bring a cooler and stop for ice immediately after your trip to keep your fish fresh.
Some would say it’s Buoy 10 salmon fishing in August near Astoria. Really it depends on your preferred style of fishing. We are happy to give recommendations based on when you’d like to visit and what kind of fishing action and style appeals to you.
In northwestern Oregon, there is almost always some sort of fishing available at any given time. Therefore, we operate year-round.
Salmon is the king of all fish to go fishing for in Oregon. Salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon are our preferred species to target at Hazen’s Guide Service.
You can also find wonderful trout fishing all throughout Oregon.
Yes, Mike loves to teach his guests how to improve their fishing skills. Have a question? Just ask!
We will let you know the location we will meet as soon as we have nailed down where we are fishing.
Check out our Google Map of the boat launches we typically use.
Yes, we love to help anglers learn to fish on their own. During your guided trip we can spend some time going over techniques and gear set-up. We can also set up a hands-on tutorial session for a nominal charge. Get in touch to set that up.
No problem. We have everything you need to fish and can show you everything you need to know.