Fishing Guide

West Coast Outfitters - Expert Guide Mike Schmitz

Fishing Guide

Fishing Guide : It is my pleasure to introduce you to Mike Schmitz, the owner and operator of West Coast Outfitters.

Fishing Guide Services. He fishes the rivers surrounding Forks, Washington and those only. Mike says, "You don't get to be a expert by fishing 20 rivers 4 times a year, you get to be a expert fishing 5 rivers 250 times a year."

He was born and raised in Forks and is a 2nd generation fishing guide. His dad moved to Forks in the late 70's and was a guide up until a couple years ago. Guiding is Mike's life.

Hunting Guide

Expert Guide: Expert Guide Services 

Mike Schmitz would love to be your fishing guide for your next fishing adventure.

Olympic Peninsula Professional Guide

Olympic Peninsula Professional Guide: Mike was named after his father who moved to Forks, Washington in the late 70's to pursue a career in guiding. Being from NW Oregon, he was very familiar with good fishing, steelhead and salmon, but Forks was and always will be top area to find trophy salmon and unbeatable steelhead fishing, not only just in Washington, - but in the world.

"Having a guide as a father, and a successful one at that, puts a kid a step ahead of the rest when it comes to growing up, learning techniques, rivers, woods, proper fishing etiquette and appreciating the outdoors for what it is."

"It all started very early in age, standing in the back yard, a 6 year old with a level wind in my hands, repeatedly casting the lead he had tied to it at a 5 gallon bucket in the back yard. Back handed, underhanded, behind the back, you name it and I was out there trying my best to get a splash."

Steelhead Fishing

Steelhead Fishing: "I'd caught many fish by this age holding a plug rod while dad on the oars but it was my first fish on drift riggin that hooked me.

Standing on the bank while dad up cutting firewood, I casted repeatedly into the riffle just happy to be casting at something other than a bucket. There were a few other adults I didn't know below me fishing the good water and dad of coarse didn't want me in there way so I had to fish above all of them in the shallows.

I remember the fish tugging before I grasped what was going on, being 6 and just used to the pole folding over the bow of the boat and Dad's voice cutting through me to jerk."

Salmon Fishing

Salmon Fishing: "I tried to remember all I could because dad being busy cutting wood couldn't see any of this going on, but that didn't stop me from screaming at the top of my lungs for his guidance once again, for I'd never even fished from the bank before and thought the fish could only be landed with a net.

Well, he never heard me, but I somehow got the 6 lb Hoh hatchery steelie on the bank, left my pole where it lay and grabbed the fish like I was carrying an infant and headed for dad, fish still flopping while I ran. Ill never forget the look on his face when he turned around, he was speechless and forever I was hooked."

Fishing Season Charts for the Olympic Peninsula

Fishing Season Charts: Salmon fishing and Steelhead fishing has specific seasonal aspects restrictions, and we must follow those rules. There are fish to be caught all year long, however.

... Read more about Fishing Seasons Here on the Olympic Peninsula here...

King Salmon Fishing

King Salmon Fishing: The Rivers of Washington State's Olympic Peninsula provide a regular run of king salmon.

The king salmon generally average around 25-30 pounds, with fish in the mid to high forties not at all unusual, and 50 to 60+ pound 'slabs' caught a few times each year on our Olympic Peninsula Rivers.

... Read more about King Salmon Fishing Here on the Olympic Peninsula here...