I learned steelheading the hard way. I fished mostly solo for 13 months, with no fish, until I got my first one that 1+ year after starting the quest. After that, it became 'easier' in the sense I started catching a few here and there, then finally got to the point where I could reliably count on at least a hookup every few trips or so.
In that time, I surely spent WAY more time and money to figure things out.
Last year, even though I considered myself proficient enough on my own by then since I've got a handful of years under my belt now, decided to book a trip with Ed Fast on the Sandy just for grins and to see if the raves about him and his guiding were considered and worthy. My trip with Ed is the only guided trip that I have taken to date. Ed floats on a pontoon, but all fishing is from the bank, and I was told that he will answer all kinds of questions one might have about technique, water, fish holds, etc., so it fit what I might want from a guide as a bank angler.
I think I spent $150 or so and after the day was over, in retrospect, it would have probably been a good idea to do such a thing earlier in my steelheading.
Ed was fantastic. He is laid back, informative, easy to fish with, quick to talk all kinds of fishing, a wealth of knowledge, helpful and plain knows how/where to fish. I hooked 3 fish within a couple hours with that guy and had a good time out there with him. All rigging was done by him; if I broke off, he handed another rod to fish, while he re-rigged for me, gave me a couple free beers, handled fish cleaning after the trip, just plain easy day of fishing and nothing else.
Nothing is guaranteed, but the guides with the rave reviews obviously get results and know the systems they guide; your odds of hooking/catching go WAY up when in their service.
I have not gone with Tanner, but I have fished with a couple people on this forum that have gone and from what I've heard, Tanner will provide similarly to my experience with Ed (gladly share info, tips you can use when on your own, etc.). Given the raves and props Tanner gets, I plan to book a trip shortly just to meet this man; he sounds like a great guy and just plain fun to fish with.
opcorn:
