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 his is a partial list of resources for those planning a trip to Idaho's Clearwater River. The resources listed here are ones that I have personal experience with. See also Fishing Idaho's Clearwater.
General Information about the Area
- Hells Canyon Visitor Association. See their website at http://www.hellscanyonvisitor.com for information on the Clarkston, Washinton and Lewiston, Idaho area. The website includes some of the hotels and other services in the region.
- Lewiston, Idaho (http://www.lewistonchamber.org for Chamber of Commerce website). This is a big town (for Idaho) and has all the restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, and ways to get into the trouble that you could possibly want. See their website for some details.
- Clarkston, Washington (http://www.clarkstonchamber.org/ for Chamber of Commerce website). Accross the Snake River from Lewiston, Clarkston is more of the same but a little smaller. See their website for some details.
- Orofino, Idaho (http://www.orofino.com for Chamber of Commerce website). Orofino is at the confluence of the Clearwater's North Fork with the mainstem. It's in the middle of a lot of good fishing. While Orofino is a small town, there are motels, restaurants, and groceries. Some are in the "downtown" core and others are along Highway 12.
Fly Shops
Red Shed. The Red Shed (http://redshedflyshop.com/) is just off Highway 12 on Big Canyon Road, on the way to Peck. There's a good selection of flies, tying material, leaders, accessories--and more spey rods, reels, and lines than you'll see in most big city fly shops. Owner Mike Cummins, known to all as "Poppy," loves to talk to anglers about spey casting. He keeps a stack of demo rods for you to try out. You'll find stuff here that you can't get anywhere else.
Places to Stay, Eat
- Quality Inn and Suites, Clarkston, Washington. (http://www.qualityinnclarkston.com/). I've stayed here several nights. It's a large, nice motel located on the Snake River, so you've got water nearby and a view. There's a very pleasant RV park right next to the motel; it's also on the Snake. If you're fishing the lower end of the Clearwater, this is worth considering.
- Best Western, Orofino. (http://bestwestern.worldexecutive.com/directory/usa/orofino/hotels/13057.html). I've stayed here several nights. It's a good place--clean, new, and right on the Clearwater. In fact, there are a couple of good steelhead runs right in front of the motel. Breakfast comes with the room, and unlike some motels where you're lucky to get days-old rolls and weak coffee, the breakfast is superb--the best I've ever had in a motel--and includes everything from scrambled eggs to waffles. The motel includes the best fish cleaning station I've ever used (guests only).
- Helgerson Hotel, Orofino (http://www.helgesonhotel.com). This recently renovated hotel in downtown Orofino is a great place for two guys. You can get a suite with two bedrooms, single bath, common sitting area, and small kitchen--all for a very good price. Unlike a motel with one room and two beds, you can close the door on your fishing buddy's nightly snore-fest.
- The Guides Shop (http://www.theguideshop.com). In addition to being the largest fishing guide services in the area, with both fly and non-fly guides, The Guides Shop has lodging. Their "Bunk House" sleeps up to eight people in four rooms and has a kitchen and two bathrooms as well as a living room.
- Krystal Cafe, Orofino. Located near the Helgerson Hotel in downtown Orofino, the Krystal Cafe is open from 4:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. so you can get a decent breakfast before you go fishing at the cracking of bleeping dawn.
Scott Richmond is Westfly's creator and Executive Director. He is the author of eight books on Oregon fly fishing, including Fishing Oregon's Deschutes River (second edition).
Uploaded 08/28/2006.
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