Black Bear Lodge

Trip Overview
The Black Bear Lodge is located riverside on a remote stretch of the upper Columbia River near the Canadian border just upstream of the massive Lake Roosevelt. This stretch of river is home to a wild strain of rainbow trout that is believed by many to be a landlocked strain of Columbia River Steelhead. The river is absolutely enormous with normal flows often in excess of 100,000 CFS! The river is incredibly fertile with very good hatches and sometimes great dry fly fishing throughout their season. This is a trip for anglers that are looking for a truly unique, off the beaten path experience for trophy rainbows!

Lodging Details
The Black Bear Lodge is a beautiful facility located right on the banks of the Columbia River just on the upstream end of massive Lake Roosevelt. The house has four bedrooms (each with different bed configurations) and a large living room area with a large flat-screen television. There is a wrap-around deck overlooking the water – a great place to gather in the evenings to share fishing stories from the day. With a maximum capacity of only 6 guests per week, the Black Bear Lodge staff is able to concentrate on the important things – taking great care of each and every guest. Amazing fishing, great accommodations, and home-cooked meals!

Food and Beverages
All meals are home-cooked, western cuisine, and served family-style. Breakfast and dinner are served in the dining room, and lunch is on the water with your guide.

Non-Angling Activities and Options
There are quite a few things to do in the area for the non-angler. Interpretive scenic river floats, birding tours, day hikes, and winery tours can all be arranged.

Internet / Communications
Wireless internet is available, and there is spotty cell coverage at the lodge. Please check with your service provider about specific coverage in the area.

How To Get There
The Black Bear Lodge is located just outside of the small town of Northport, Washington. Guests should book their flights into Spokane, WA (GEG), and rent a car for the 2 hours drive to the lodge.

Arrival and Departure Details / Times
Trips can be booked and scheduled any day of the week and anglers can arrive and depart on any day of the week. Check-in time is typically 7 PM because there are times when there will not be anyone at the lodge during the day and they need time to clean and prepare the lodge after other departing guests. Please try to wait to check in until at or near this designated check-in time.

Documents Required
A Washington fishing license can be purchased online.

Travel Arrangements
Yellow Dog provides airline reservations ad ticketing assistance through etcTravel Group, and a full-service airline logistics agent that can help book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, and more. You can click here to request a quote or contact Yellow Dog for more information at 406-585-8667. etcTravel Group offers dedicated support services for all Yellow Dog clients. Service fees may apply when booking or researching tickets, and etcTravel will discuss this with you before sending quotes. 

Travel Tools
– Airline Ticketing
– Moon Phases
– Rent This Rod
– Trip Insurance and Emergency Evacuation
– Global Rescue Membership

General Information
The Upper Columbia in northeast Washington is one of the better-kept secrets in the lower 48 states. Over the past 20 years, Jack Mitchell and his crew have literally pioneered guiding on this fishery. The Upper Columbia sports incredible insect hatches seasonally. Water temperatures on the river typically range from 40-65 degrees year-round, providing great habitat throughout the season for insect propagation and making for some hard-charging fish! While the hatches are not guaranteed day in and day out, the trout are at times incredibly tuned-in to the surface.

Tactics vary throughout the season. During the early spring months, most of the fishing is done using single-hand and spey swing tactics with wet flies. May through July bring on the hatches and the dry fly fishing! During the summer months, there are often blizzard caddis hatches with good numbers of green drakes, brown drakes, and pale morning duns. The late summer hatches are typically October caddis and baetis mayflies, with good hopper and terrestrial fishing.

The predominant target fish on the Upper Columbia are rainbow trout averaging between 18 -19 inches long and weighing 2 to 3 pounds. Every summer there are fish landed on dry flies in the 24 – 30-inch range! There is also Westslope cutthroat in the system that are often caught and can be well over 20 inches. This truly is a trophy fishery!

The main focus while at Black Bear Lodge is the main Columbia River but there are several smaller tributaries in the area that can be fished. The most notorious of these is the Kettle River.

Boats and Equipment 
The guides at the Black Bear Lodge use jet boats to access the river and pick up guests at the lodge. The boats are set up for rowing and fishing with a standing brace in the bow. All of your fishing equipment and flies are included in the price of your package.

Package Rates
Remember that Yellow Dog’s services are completely free! When you book a trip with Yellow Dog, you never pay more than when you book directly with the lodge.

2026 Pricing (based on double occupancy)
2 nights / 2 days = $1,490.00 per person
3 nights / 2 days = $1,640.00 per person
3 nights / 3 days = $2,235.00 per person
4 nights / 3 days = $2,385.00 per person

Included

• Lodging
• Guided fishing
• All meals
• House beer and wine with dinners
• All flies, tackle, and needed equipment provided by the guide

Excluded

• Airfare
• Transportation to/from the lodge (rent a car)
• Fishing license
• Waders/wading boots
• Alcoholic beverages on guide trips (BYO)
• Gratuities for guides or lodge staff
• Special liquors (BYO)
• Lodging taxes

Black Bear Lodge (Northport, Washington)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS – CANCELLATIONS
A deposit of 50% per person is due at the time of booking for all trip packages and reservations, and final payment if due 90 days prior to arrival. All trip cancellations must be received in writing, sent to Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, LLC. For all cancellations outside of 45 days of scheduled arrival at the lodge, a full refund or a trip credit (minus a $100.00 per person Yellow Dog cancellation fee) will be issued. For cancellations inside of 45 days, deposits and final payments will be forfeited, and no refund or credit will be issued. If a cancelled package is resold by either the lodge or by Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, then a full refund will be sent minus a $100.00 per person Yellow Dog cancellation fee. In the case of cancellation by the client, both deposit and final payment may be transferred to another guest or angler for those same (original) dates if facilitated and arranged by the client. Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgment that registrant has read and accepts the deposit, cancellation, refund and responsibility clauses for these packages. Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures strongly recommends that anglers and guests purchase travel insurance for this trip.

Payment Terms for All Yellow Dog Trip Bookings  
Unless otherwise noted on your invoice, for all trips less than 90 days out, full payment is required after receipt of the confirmation email to secure guides and reservations. For trips outside of 90 days, a 50% deposit is required upon receipt of confirmation email to confirm your reservations.   

Yellow Dog accepts on-line payments via a secure payment portal – a quick and easy way to complete your trip reservation. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com to gain access. 

Yellow Dog Flyfishing Standard Forms of Payment 

• Debit card (fee-free) and credit card (3% convenience fee) - to pay via card please utilize the customer payment portal. If you need assistance, reach out to 406-585-8667 ext. #3 
• Wires - please include name and/or invoice number for reference on your wire. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com for wiring instructions. (client is responsible for wiring fees) 
• Physical check - please include your invoice number in the memo. Mail checks to 213 S. Willson Ave. Bozeman, MT, 59715

If you have any questions about alternate payment methods, please contact Yellow Dog at (406) 585-8667 ext. #3. We are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM MT.