Our Ultimate Guide to Cast & Camp Adventures for 2025

At Fly Water Travel we are unabashed champions of overnight float trips. We love fishing until the sun goes down, campfires, drinking beverages out of tin cups, sleeping under the stars, and listening to the river’s music from a warm sleeping bag. We also like waking up to crisp morning air, warming hands on cups of hot coffee and the ability to fish independently early and late in the day as the crews make and break camp. All these little moments add up to a grand outdoor adventure. These trips offer full immersion into the environments we cherish most as well as a chance to more deeply know and appreciate the countless nuances rivers and their fisheries provide.

Please check out most favorite float and camp options for 2025 and let us know if we can help you get out-of-doors, under the stars and into some backcountry fish this upcoming year:

Deschutes River Float Trip, OREGON - Renton River Adventures

Originating in Oregon’s central Cascades and flowing north to the Columbia River, the Deschutes River is one of the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic wade-fisheries. The lower Deschutes, from Pelton Dam to the Columbia offers incredibly scenic and fruitful fishing opportunities. Trout fishing on the Deschutes, especially the famed salmonfly hatch, is something that every serious trout angler should experience once in their life.

Deschutes River - Salmon Fly Hatch Availability:

• May 5 - 8, 2025: 6 spots open
• May 10 - 13, 2024: 6 spots open
• June 2 - 5, 2025: 6 spots open

From $2,000 per person

Middle Fork of the Salmon River, IDAHO

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River is one of the world’s finest multi-day wilderness float trips. Coursing through steep dramatic Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, it combines dry fly fishing, whitewater, wildlife, scenery and sophisticated comfortable camping in a way that few other experiences can. Early in the season, the trip is more of a wilderness whitewater trip with some fishing. Later in the season, the trip becomes less about whitewater and more about fishing. The trip is fantastic anytime during the season, but in September, the outfitter offers special departures focused specifically on fishing. September is a great time to be on the Middle Fork, as the water is cold and the pressure on the river is lighter. If you are interested in a September trip, the time to book is now, as they tend to fill up quickly. Here is what is available for these special departures.

Upper Middle Fork Availability - September 16 - 20, 2025:
This is a very unique and special trip with very few people on the upper end of the river in late season, one angler per boat, and the water is cold. The fishing tends to be very good.

• Starting in Stanley, flying back to Stanley 
• Floating from Boundary creek down to Cougar Creek (approximately 40 miles)
• 5 days / 4 nights - The flight out on day 5 is early. Guests will have 4 full days of fishing
• 1 angler per boat fishing in fishing rafts

From $4,500 per person

4 Day Fall Fishing - September 16 -20, 2025

• Starting in Salmon ending in Salmon
• Fly into Indian Creek or Thomas Creek to start trip (approximately 65 miles)
• 5 days / 4 nights
• 2 anglers per boat fishing in fishing rafts

From $3,300 per person

Lower Middle Fork Canyon - September 21 - 25, 2025

• Starts in Salmon, ends in Salmon
• Fly into Loon Creek (approximately 50 miles)
• 5 days / 4 nights
• 2 anglers per boat fishing in fishing rafts

From $4,125 per person

Late September Middle Fork Canyon - September 26 - 29, 2025

• Starts in Salmon, ends in Salmon
• Fly into Flying B Airstrip (approximately 30 miles)
• 4 days / 3 nights
• 2 anglers per boat fishing in fishing rafts

From $3,300 per person

Smith River Float Trips, MONTANA

Plain and simple, the Smith River is a natural masterpiece and one of the most sought-after trout float trips in the country. It’s a chance for you to leave the rigors of civilization behind and enjoy the best of what nature has to offer. Towering limestone cliffs, deep pools, fast riffles, abundant wildlife and fantastic fly fishing for wild brown and rainbow trout makes this the trip of a lifetime. This Smith River adventure is a 5-day and 4-night float down 61 miles of pristine water in remote country.

Smith River Float Trip Availability 2025

• June 4 - June 8, 2025: 6 spots open
• June 10 - June 14, 2025: 8 spots open
• July 3 - July 7, 2025: 8 spots open

From $6,000 per person

Bow River Camp, ALBERTA

The Bow River is a big fish river. It is among North America’s most unique trophy trout systems. While not a traditional down river float trip, this riverside tent camp is easy to reach, affordable, and offers a high-quality camping and fishing experience. The Bow River is a fishery that really shines in the month of August when other systems are negatively affected by the height of summer heat. For 2025, master guide, chef, and commercial fly tyer, Arron Caldwell is running three very special weeks at this fantastic program.

Bow River Camp Availability 2025

• July 29 - August 1: 6 spots open
• August 3 - 6: 6 spots open
• August 16 - 19: 6 spots open

From $2,750 per person

John Day River, OREGON - Cory Godell

Longtime outfitting friend of Fly Water Travel, Cory Godell, is running a special, four-week, float-trip season on Central Oregon's famed John Day River. The John Day is the 3rd longest undammed river in the country and home to an incredibly scenic canyon and remote backcountry camp sites.  With somewhat unpredictable flows, the early season only runs from June 10th – July 4th.  A float down this very remote, scenic canyon section of the John Day is a great trip for both beginners and advanced anglers. The river is a prolific smallmouth bass fishery with exceedingly high catch rates for smaller fish and the occasional trophy fish.  This trip is one of the great western multi-day floats for families, couples, or anyone wanting lots of action in a pristine wilderness environment.

John Day River Float Trip Availability 2025

• June 9 – 11, 2025: 2 spots open
• June 24 – 26, 2025: 6 spots open
• July 1 – 3, 2025: 6 spots open

From $1,900 per person

Black Canyon of the Gunnison River, COLORADO

A trip through Colorado's Gunnison Gorge Wilderness is one of the finest and most dramatic overnight fly fishing float trips in the lower 48. The float is only 14 miles long allowing anglers to take their time and fish intensively for hearty browns and rainbows amidst some the planet's oldest exposed stone.  This trip maximizes fishing time and with minimal down time or travel time. Guests will often overnight at Gunnison River Farms the night before and after their float trip, making this trip into a great rustic camp and comfortable lodge combo trip.  

Black Canyon of the Gunnison River Launch Dates 2025

• July 9, 15, 18: 6 spots open
• August 19, 21, 26, 28: 6 spots open
• September 1, 17, 19: 6 spots open

From $2,750 per person

Hooked on Alaska Float Trips - ALASKA

In the heart of Southwest Alaska’s untamed wilderness, legendary rivers like American Creek and the Alagnak River call to adventurous anglers seeking trophy rainbows and the thrill of the salmon run. The Hooked on Alaska experience is an exclusive 5- or 6-day float trip for just four guests, covering 40 to 65 miles of pristine waters. By day, guests float and wade through secluded sections, while guides set up camp each evening, allowing time for exploration. As the midnight sun glows, long summer evenings in June and July offer unforgettable top-water mouse fishing, blending remote wilderness, adventure, and world-class angling.

Hooked on Alaska Float Trip Availability 2025

• June 14 - 19: 4 spots open
• June 20 -25: 4 spots open
• June 26 - July 1: 4 spots open
• July 20 - 25: 4 spots open
• July 26 – 31: 4 spots open
• August 26 – 30: 2 spots open

From $5,700 per person

Deluxe Camping with Spring Creek Lodge - ARGENTINA

With access to multiple rivers full of abundant trout, stable weather, and a solid guide and support team, Spring Creek Lodge in northern Patagonia offers guests a unique and memorable experience on one of their multi-day float trips and deluxe riverside camps. This opportunity is available with their weeklong lodge program, and they know how to do it right; meals cooked over an open fire, single tent accommodations, and all the equipment needed for a comfortable night under the stars.

Spring Creek Lodge Float Trip Availability 2025

• March 8 - 15, 2025: 2 spots open
• March 15 - 22, 2025: 6 spots open
• April 12 - 19, 2025: 4 spots open

From $6,900 per person

Fish Mongolia Float Trips, MONGOLIA

When it comes to exotic, wilderness fly fishing float trips, Mongolia is the gold standard. Exquisite scenery, nomadic people, plush pre-set ger camps, the world's largest salmonids (taimen), and prolific high catch-rate dry fly fishing for grayling and lenok, make these trips truly in a class of their own.

Fish Mongolia Float Trip Availability 2025

Headwaters Expedition (9N/6D)

• July 13-22, 2025: 2 spots open
• August 17-26, 2025: 3 spots open

Classic Canyons Adventure  (10N/7D)

• June 16 - 26, 2025: 5 spots open
• June 26 - July 6, 2025: 2 spots open
• July 6 - 16, 2025: 6 spots open
• July 16-26, 2025: 2 spots open
• July 24 - August 3, 2025: 6 spots open

From $7,950 per person

There's nothing like falling in to the rhythm of the river on a multi-day float trip adventure. The cycle of crawling in to a warm sleeping bag after a dynamic day of chasing wild fish is beyond satisfying. It hard to get enough of evenings spent staring in to a campfire after a hot riverside meal and then waking to the birds singing at dawn, knowing your only goal for the coming day, is to do it all over again.

Let us help you find the perfect cast and camp float trip for 2025.