Great year on the river! The Middle Fork, Main Salmon and Rogue River all treated us well. Counting down the days until next season already
By McKenzieDriftBoat.com
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Kelsey Helfrich
- 26, Female
- Springfield, OR
- United States
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Kelsey Helfrich commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
Sounds good Mike, just let me know if you would like to pick up a pair. Nice picture from the Illinois too! You'll have to tell Will hi for me. Sounds like their new business and river center is coming along great.…
Mike Dearing commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
Kelsey, thanks for the phone #, I'll give your dad a call if I decide to go this direction, which I probably will. Hope your season goes well!
Larry, I hear ya on overstressing other things and have definately thought about that. I do…
lhedrick commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
Mike,
I have been on trips and seen oar locks bent. Last season we had a raft go over at Lava and a steel frame bent at the base of the tower. This changed the angle and it became difficult for the rower to get the blade down in…
Dave P commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
Thanks for the response. No I have not done the middle. The permit is for July 26. Not my best choice but was invited, and HAVE to go. I am experienced, ex guide in Colorado, bla, bla, but rubber only. New wood (boat) and want to use it, ya know.
If…
Kelsey Helfrich commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
All of our guides and all of my river friends have now switched over to these oarlocks without a single complaint. They just simply work better than anything else out there. They are smooth, durable and they also look better (which is…
Kelsey Helfrich commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
Dave,
The Middle Fork will not typically get much below 1.5' during our season but it has happened and we do still run them. We have not ever decided it is too low to run the drift boats but our guides are also very experienced on the…
Dave P commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
Hi Kelsey, what is the lowest water level you recommend running the MF in a wooden boat? I've heard your company runs it down to 1 1/2 or 2? Is that correct?
Your boat looks great and have a great summer.
Mike Dearing commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
Kelsey,
I have bent two Nrs Superston oarlock shafts on two of my last five Illinois river trips rowing a fairly light cat. I have no idea how either one got bent as my boat was never upside down. I really like these locks cause they are the…
Kelsey Helfrich commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
Thanks, I really love this boat. It was built by Dan Bentsen in Springfield. He does amazing work. He is a guide for us on the McKenzie, Rogue, and Middle Fork of the Salmon so he knows the type of abuse our boats take on those…
Stephen Blalock commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
Beautiful Boat! Could you comment in the seat covers, and paint type.
chris towles commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
curious about the design of your boat. is it a 16x48 with a 4' flat spot? looks very nice and well suited rocker profile for our western rivers.
Status posted by Kelsey Helfrich
Mike Dearing commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
Well it sure gets the blood pumping that's for sure! Boating season has been great, but its not over yet, we're praying for rain this week so we can hit the Illinois this coming weekend, so far things look good, but we'll see, you…
Kelsey Helfrich commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
Ha Ha! Yeah I think we have all had runs through the coffee pot that got our attention or makes us want to go back up and run it again. Thats part of the fun of boating down there right? : )
How was your season?
Herb Jacobsen commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
Great Rogue River photos. They bring back a lot of memories. I really enjoyed the years I spent on the Rogue.
Fishing those half pounders was always a treat. Mule Creek Canyon always seemed to get the heart to pumping.
Mike Dearing commented on Kelsey Helfrich's photo
When you gonna let me follow you down. I need to learn what to do in the coffee pot, I've had some hairball experiences there. IMO its the scariest place on the Rogue in a driftboat.
Profile Information
- Hometown:
- Leaburg, OR; Park City, UT; Salmon, ID...
- About Me:
- I am a fourth generation fishing guide in the Pacific Northwest. My spring, summer and fall are spent guiding fly fishing and whitewater rafting on the Middle Fork of the Salmon, Lower Main Salmon, Rogue, and McKenzie Rivers. I am absolutely in love with running rivers! There is something about maneuvering my wood drift boat through challenging whitewater and then guiding someone to catch a beautiful fish on a fly rod. It has been a challenge being one of the first women to work at a drift boat guide but if it wasn’t a challenge, it just wouldn’t be as much fun. : )
I am currently finishing my newest wood boat. The boat was custom built by Dan Bentsen in Springfield Oregon to fit my smaller stature. Dan does amazing work! Now I just have to work on finishing it... if I could only choose a color for the outside...
- Website:
- http://www.helfrichoutfitter.com
- Boats I own:
- Two Dan Bentsen Custom Built Wood Driftboats
Kelsey Helfrich's Photos
Comment Wall (3 comments)
- At 5:55am on September 22, 2009,
Robb Sipler said… - Good to see you here Kels. Some of those pictures look awfully familiar for some reason. Makes me miss the Middle Fork even more....
- At 8:36am on May 27, 2009,
Randy Dersham said… - Hello Kelsey,
It must be about time for you to get on the river.
When you are back on the river to see family please stop in at the shop. I would like to hear about your boat and the changes you had Dan make for you.
I would like to spread the word to others about how knowledge and experience is critical to good boat handling. I believe that guiding a drift boat is more like using a fly rod than shoveling gravel. You have a unique and valuable story to share.
- At 6:34pm on May 18, 2009,
Greg Hatten said… - Kelsey,
Welcome to the site and all the wood boat "chatter"... post a question about the color you should choose for your boat and you will get flooded with ideas.
GH
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