Fly By Nyte Guide Fishing

My father-​in-​law is an avid fisherman from Nevada who wanted to fish for walleye in the Columbia River, so we chartered a guide boat in Rufus (26 or so miles from The Dalles) for our adventure.
First off, if you’re staying in Rufus (pop: 210), be forewarned: there isn’t much there. Two motels, one restaurant/​bar, a gas station, an RV park and a few homes. But since your destination isn’t likely to be the town itself, that hardly matters.
Our guide, an affable old guy by the name of Touché (well, it’s a nickname, but he insisted we call him that), met us for breakfast at the local restaurant-​slash-​lounge at 6 AM on a Saturday morning. I thought it was odd that we’d sit down and share a meal with a stranger, but he’s a great guy — real easy to get along with — and since we were at his mercy for the next 8 hours, it served as a nice little icebreaker. During breakfast he’ll go over details of the fishing trip, and you’ll order lunch. Fly By Nite provides a sack lunch, and it’s a generous one: a good-​sized sandwich of your choice, side (chips/​coleslaw/​potato/​macaroni salad), fresh fruit, and a cookie or slice of pie. The pie, I should point out, is to die for. After breakfast, you’ll walk across the street to pick up licenses from the bait shop, then follow Touché the ½ mile or so to the boat launch area. You’re on the water by 8 AM.
The boat itself is comfortable and fully decked out. It’s got a covered cabin with bench seats, and four additional swivel chairs where you do the actual fishing. All rods and reels are provided, as well as bait. If it’s cold out, the boat is heated. We lucked out and had sunshine and warm temps. Touché is a great guide; he knows all the best places to catch fish, and is not afraid to abandon a spot if the fishing doesn’t pan out. We made several trips up and down a good portion of the river, from the John Day Dam to the Dalles Dam. When bathroom breaks were needed, he pulled to the shore. Throughout the excursion he regaled us with stories, and shared tips on proper trolling and baiting techniques. At one point we stopped for lunch, and he pointed out some Native American drawings on a rocky hillside; these would have gone completely unnoticed if not for his expertise. 8 hours (and six fish — it was a slow day) later, we docked where we had started, then followed Touché to his shop in town, where he cleaned, filleted and vacuum-​packed our fish for us.
I highly recommend Fly By Nyte if you are in the mood for a fishing excursion. Whether you’re a novice like me or a pro like my father-​in-​law, you’re sure to have a good time!