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Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Washington and Oregon Fly Fishing Guides: Dave Carpenter | Fly Fishing Guide
Average Customer Rating:
Rating Snapshot (14 reviews)
5 stars
13
4 stars
0
3 stars
0
2 stars
1
1 star
0
13 of 14(93%)customers would recommend this to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Review 1 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
He has done this before..,
May 17, 2013
By: Bigskycountry
from Salem
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
"I cant imagine a more skilled, well prepared, and pleasant guide than Dave. I am reluctant to go with anyone else, because he has spoiled me. He makes handling the boat seem easy,but since I grew up boating, I know its not that easy on that type of river."
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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Review 2 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
Great drift trip,
May 16, 2013
By: MBarrett84
from Stayton, OR, USA
Billing / Reservation:
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
"I took a trip down the North Santiam river with Dave on May 15 2013 it was a fantastic trip. The knowledge and gear that Dave provided was second to none. I am looking forward to planing future trips!!!!"
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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Review 3 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
great trip but no fish,
May 13, 2013
By: mofish
from Missouri
Billing / Reservation:
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
Additional Thoughts:Excellent Guide
"Dave was great, really knowledgeable about his river and how to fish it. Great ORVIS equipment. Grilled steaks on the gravel bar for lunch. Wow! We went for steelhead and salmon. Several "grabs". Unfortunately no fish. Probably just a little early for that river. May 11, 2013. But Dave still made it a very enjoyable trip down a beautiful river."
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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Review 4 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
Oct flyfishing,
October 24, 2012
By: Robertdad
from Salem, OR, USA
Billing / Reservation:
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
"Another great trip with Dave. Great weather, beautiful river, wonderful lunch, and lots of flyfishing. Everytime I go I have a great time and learn how to be a better flyfisherman. The Santiam is a wonderful river and Dave is a great guide. Highy recommend booking a trip."
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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Review 5 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
Matt & Jeff's Excellent Adventure,
October 10, 2012
By: MattandJeff
from Santiam River, Oregon, USA
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
"A slew of old buddies that get together from time to time to "rip lips," whether it be Belize bonefish, or trout in New Mexico or California, but always with varying degrees of skill and success.
There were several guides an boats, with Matt and I fortunate enough to land Dave as our guide for this event on the Santiam.
What a pleasure.
Very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the river, where to anchor, where to float and where to wade, even some of the nooks and crannies.
A pleasure to have as our guide and companion for a day on the river.
(For fellow HP fans -
Hopper, dropper, hopper, hopper...
Snap, snap, snap, land it hard, skate, skate, look at me... Dave gets it.)"
Hopper, dropper, hopper, hopper...
Snap, snap, snap, land it hard, skate, skate, look at me... Dave gets it.)"
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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Review 6 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
Jillians First Fly Fishing Trip,
September 28, 2012
By: FishkillerKevin
from Santiam River, Oregon, USA
Billing / Reservation:
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
Reviewer Images
(click to see full-size image)
"Wow what a great trip! Dae was so patiet and is a wonderful teacher. Jillian caght a couple of trout -and one giant steelhead that got off th hook at the last second. Food was fantastic and the equipment was top knotch. Can't wait to call Dave again next year!"
Video Review:
Jillian's First Fly Fishing Trip
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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Review 7 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
Plowing the river,
September 24, 2012
By: Salsaman
from Santiam River, Oregon, USA
Billing / Reservation:
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
Additional Thoughts:Great guy
"Beautiful fall Oregon sunshine weather.
My guide was a very genial person who had plenty of helpful hints to water reading, technique and dry and nymphi ng techniques .
We hoped to catch Steelhead but despite efforts only trout were found . On another given day I'm sure our thorough water coverage would be fruitful. As the saying goes time on the water will yield success."
My guide was a very genial person who had plenty of helpful hints to water reading, technique and dry and nymphi ng techniques .
We hoped to catch Steelhead but despite efforts only trout were found . On another given day I'm sure our thorough water coverage would be fruitful. As the saying goes time on the water will yield success."
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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Review 8 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
Father/son outing,
August 20, 2012
By: Robertdad
from Salem, OR, USA
Billing / Reservation:
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
"Dave did a great job as our guide yesterday. This was my son's first time with a fly rod and we had a wonderful time. Dave was patient, pleasant knowledgeable and safe. And the photo's were a pleasant bonus. Dave made my son's first fly fishing trip a joy for both of us."
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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Review 9 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
Fishing with Kids,
August 6, 2012
By: PDXMomma
from Portland, OR
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
"I bought my son his first fly rod for his 8th birthday this year. My attempts to take him fishing were not yielding good results. I booked a "Kids Fish Free" float with Dave and hoped for the best. Dave suggested a 3 hour float and it was the perfect length of time to keep my son engaged and enjoying the experience. Dave was a master at knowing how to teach children, keep them catching and introducing them to the joys of fishing. My son was thrilled at the end of the float and has memories to last a life time. I was so thankful for Dave's knowledge, skill and most of all patience. I will be booking a trip with him in the future."
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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Review 10 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
Poor Experiance,
July 22, 2012
By: AvidFisher27
from Nor Cal
Billing / Reservation:
2
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
2
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
3
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
4
/
5
Additional Thoughts:I had to call him the night before at 9pm just to confirm the trip.
"First, Dave is a very nice and personable man....but I knew we were in trouble when our he tried to have us fly fish us side by side in the front of a drift boat. IF YOU ARE A GUIDE THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!!! Luckily we both knew what we were doing and never got tangled but it limited our abilities to cast greatly. Guide never changed Flies once despite not getting hit on great drifts through prime locations. I do not pay a guide to stick a pink bead 4' below an indicator. We stopped for lunch and he spent 20 min on his own casting for small trout on a steelheading trip, Give me a break. Orvis endorsed Fly guide handed me a old St. Criox rod."
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? No
Response from Orvis:By Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Operations, August 13, 2012
Dave Carpenter of Oregon Outdoor Excrusions, LLC, provided the following response to this review:
"Dear AvidFisher27,
Thank you for taking the time to submit a review of my guide operations. The information you provided is extremely useful in helping me improve my services to anglers such as yourself.
Having only been in the Orvis Endorsed Program a couple years, I do not yet have a full array of Orvis gear available. At the time of your trip, I only had the following rods, some of which you were able to try out:
1. Orvis Helios 905-4 with Mirage LA-III reel
2. Orvis Hydros 107-4 with Mirage LA-IV reel
3. Orvis Helios 1368-4 spey with Mirage LA-VI reel
I also have ordered an Orvis Access 116-4 Switch with Access MA-IV, but that will not be here until late August. I will continue to acquire more Orvis rods so that I have a better selection of gear for anglers to try out.
Another weakness you pointed out was the arrangement of my drift boat. I am aware of this problem and am taking steps to rectify it. Prior to joining the ELOG program, my client base was heavily weighted towards gear anglers. The past couple years that has shifted to around 70% fly casters. Even though a lot of those folks are spey casters and we exit the boat and swing flies, there are other times when the bulk of a day on the water consists of casting from the boat, as your trip was. There is a local SmokerCraft dealer that has agreed to take a look at the boat and recommend options for re-configuration. If that does not work out, I plan to take the boat down to Grants Pass and have the Willie shop do the conversion in the off-season.
I was pleased to hear that you did have your primary objective met – learning that lower section of the North Santiam River. I’m glad you were able to spend more time in the area and find success!
I would love the opportunity to be of service to you again in the future, once I am better equipped to handle the type of fishing trip you expect. Again, I take your feedback very seriously and will strive to take what I’ve learned and make improvements.
-------------------------------------
Dave Carpenter
Oregon Outdoor Excursions, LLC
www.oreoutdoor.com
503.767.BITE
dcarp@wvi.com"
"Dear AvidFisher27,
Thank you for taking the time to submit a review of my guide operations. The information you provided is extremely useful in helping me improve my services to anglers such as yourself.
Having only been in the Orvis Endorsed Program a couple years, I do not yet have a full array of Orvis gear available. At the time of your trip, I only had the following rods, some of which you were able to try out:
1. Orvis Helios 905-4 with Mirage LA-III reel
2. Orvis Hydros 107-4 with Mirage LA-IV reel
3. Orvis Helios 1368-4 spey with Mirage LA-VI reel
I also have ordered an Orvis Access 116-4 Switch with Access MA-IV, but that will not be here until late August. I will continue to acquire more Orvis rods so that I have a better selection of gear for anglers to try out.
Another weakness you pointed out was the arrangement of my drift boat. I am aware of this problem and am taking steps to rectify it. Prior to joining the ELOG program, my client base was heavily weighted towards gear anglers. The past couple years that has shifted to around 70% fly casters. Even though a lot of those folks are spey casters and we exit the boat and swing flies, there are other times when the bulk of a day on the water consists of casting from the boat, as your trip was. There is a local SmokerCraft dealer that has agreed to take a look at the boat and recommend options for re-configuration. If that does not work out, I plan to take the boat down to Grants Pass and have the Willie shop do the conversion in the off-season.
I was pleased to hear that you did have your primary objective met – learning that lower section of the North Santiam River. I’m glad you were able to spend more time in the area and find success!
I would love the opportunity to be of service to you again in the future, once I am better equipped to handle the type of fishing trip you expect. Again, I take your feedback very seriously and will strive to take what I’ve learned and make improvements.
-------------------------------------
Dave Carpenter
Oregon Outdoor Excursions, LLC
www.oreoutdoor.com
503.767.BITE
dcarp@wvi.com"
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Review 11 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
Wonderful Day,
June 20, 2012
By: pipehanger
from stayton ore
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
"Both my son and I had an excellant day fishing with Dave Carpenter. Having lived close to the Santiam river all of our lives we seem to forget what a wonderful fishery and beautiful river it truly is. Dave opened my eyes again to its beauty and bounty. He is a great guide and boatman and I would recommend him to anyone who loves to fish. Also the food was excellent. Thanks Dave we will do it again soon."
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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Review 12 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
Outstanding day on the river,
June 19, 2012
By: Santiamoldman
from Salem, OR
Billing / Reservation:
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
"Even though the river was higher than we would have liked, Dave provided a very enjoyable experience. Very professional and very personal. His lunch was much more than expected...a real surprise. I would highly recommend Dave to any of my fishing buddies."
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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Review 13 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
Review,
June 13, 2012
By: PortlandClient
from Portland, OR, USA
Billing / Reservation:
4
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
Additional Thoughts:Billing site did not work with FireFox 13.
"Dave is a very knowledgeable angler, guide and instructor.
Dave expertly and safely navigated the Santiam River while proving lots of fishing opportunities.
This is my first time fishing with Dave, in fact my first honest time fly and spin-casting for trout and steelhead.
I would use Dave's services again - if he'd have me. My modest skills did not permit me to take full advantage of Dave's expert level knowledge.
In any case, the trip was a worthwhile and educational outing.
Thank you."
Dave expertly and safely navigated the Santiam River while proving lots of fishing opportunities.
This is my first time fishing with Dave, in fact my first honest time fly and spin-casting for trout and steelhead.
I would use Dave's services again - if he'd have me. My modest skills did not permit me to take full advantage of Dave's expert level knowledge.
In any case, the trip was a worthwhile and educational outing.
Thank you."
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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Review 14 for Fishing Guide - OR - Dave Carpenter
Overall Rating:
awsome day on the river,
June 13, 2012
By: rawbee
from Salem, OR, USA
Billing / Reservation:
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on knowledge of the sport or activity::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on his/her ability to instruct and communicate::
5
/
5
Please Rate your Guide/Instructor/Host on overall enthusiasm and personality::
5
/
5
Reviewer Images
(click to see full-size image)
"this was my first guided trip ever and it was awsome! our guide dave carpenter was very nice and knew the river well and put us right on top of a 30 inch steelhead. great guide, great lunch, great service."
Would you recommend this experience or trip to a friend? Yes
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