The right boat for the right fishing trip

Jamison runs three boats, each well-suited to the different conditions in which they operate.

Boat	Capacity	Used For
20-foot Willie’s Raptor sled	Up to 4 guests	Ocean bottom fishing, bay salmon trolling, crabbing
18-foot ClackaCraft drift boat	Up to 3 guests	River salmon, steelhead
Raft	Up to 2 guests	Upper river steelhead, remote access trips

You’d not want to run the raft on the Pacific Ocean and you’d not want to try and access a remote steelhead hold in the sled.

Willie’s Raptor Sled

ClackaCraft drift boat

Drift Boat River Fishing

Float the Rivers of Tillamook

The drift boat is the classic Oregon guide boat—and for good reason. An 18-foot ClackaCraft is one of the finest purpose-built river fishing boats made. It rows quietly through water where a motor would spook fish, it handles technical river sections with precision, and it covers miles of river in a single day, hitting runs and holes that bank fishermen can’t reach.

Jamison uses his ClackaCraft on the Wilson, Trask, Kilchis, and Nehalem rivers—working the mid-river sections that are too technical for a sled but floatable for a drift boat. Steelhead in winter, salmon in season, with the added dimension of experiencing the rivers from the water rather than the bank.

The Experience

A drift boat day is different from a bay or ocean trip. It’s quieter. You’re reading the river—watching for current seams, tailouts, and the soft water behind structures where fish rest. Jamison rows while clients fish, positioning the boat to give each angler the best shot at productive water. There’s a rhythm to it.

Three people in a drift boat is close-quarters, in the best way. It’s an intimate trip—you’ll spend the day in real conversation, see wildlife, and cover water that most visiting anglers never see.

Raft Fishing—Remote Upper River Trips

Access Water Few Else Can Reach

Few fishing guides would ever go where Jamison goes on the raft. Up above the standard drift boat launches on the upper Trask and upper Wilson rivers, there are stretches of water that see almost no fishing pressure—not because the fish aren’t there, but because getting there isn’t easy.

Jamison drags the raft down through the brush to non-traditional put-ins. There are no designated boat ramps. The water up here isn’t marked on most fishing maps as guideable. That’s the point—that’s why Jamison is the perfect guide in this environment.

The Experience

If you’ve ever wanted to feel genuinely remote – not just away from the crowds, but actually off the map – this is that trip. The upper river is flanked by old growth and Douglas fir. You’re not going to hear traffic. There are no other boats. It’s just you, Jamison, and miles of wild river holding steelhead that haven’t seen much pressure.

“People feel like it’s a real adventure,” Jamison says. “Just you and the scenery and the river.”

Who This Trip Is For

Raft trips are for guests who are reasonably fit and up for a bit of physical effort because it involves dragging gear to the put-in, navigating a raft through moving water. You don’t need to be an athlete, but this isn’t a flat-water float. Two guests maximum; these are intentionally small-party, high-access trips.

Tillamook Area Fishing Adventures