School me on a Devils River trip

Will start off by saying im not a kayak fisherman, but have fished out of several over the last few years.


Looking at trying to do a trip down the Devils. Who would be the best to contact about either guide or an outfitter to get everything set up and make the trip as painless as possible? What type of equipment would I look at being needed to be purchased? Would prefer to rent, if that's an option.

Shane Davies is a guide on the Devils River. I hear a lot of good things about him. Might want to look him up.

I second Shane Davies. He is the hardest working guide I have ever been with. I have only done the Brazos with him but he has made many trips down the Devil's River. He would be the guide I would want to do a trip like that with. He is the best!

Go with Shane Davies.

Thanks,

I will look him up. I knew he did Brazos trips, but didn't know he went down there.

www.reelfly.net
Brent and his staff are the fishiest guys I know. Check them out. You'll catch fish and be sore from laughing. Brent owns the fly shop in Sattler. You won't be disappointed. Ask him about his tarpon trips this year.

Thanks for the help guys.

Still looking at our options for the trip. Tyring to come up with the cost association. What do rentals typically go for?

We used Darren Carr @ Amistad expeditions and it was $480 for six of us and I was happy with their service. http://www.amistadexpeditions.com/#!shuttle/cfvg

The rentals were $65 a day and they were nice kayaks. I used a cuda 12 because I already had one but 3 people I went with rented these Coosa's and they are perfect for the river. I have since then acquired a coosa for small waters. You can never have to many kayaks
http://www.amistadexpeditions.com/#!kayaks/cpf5

This was 100% my fault for not understanding the process but the biggest headache was coordinating the permits with the State of Texas and the outfitter. Bottom line is the the state will not take your reservations until you confirm you have an outfitter booked but the outfitter doesn't know how many permits have been issued so they could accept your deposit for a specific day and the permits have already been issued. The state only allows 12 people (I think that is the correct number) to be dropped off in the river per day.

My suggestion would be to get Plan A dates and Plan B dates nailed down that your group can go. Then call the state (be prepared to be on hold. I called 3 times and was on hold over 45 min each call before talking to somebody) to verify that the permits are available for both Plan A and B days. Then call the outfitter to see if they can take you that day and pay your deposit to the outfitter. Then call the State back IMMEDIATELY and buy your permits and hope somebody didn't call in between those two times our your up a creek and you will have to reschedule with the outfitter.

I tried calling the State right after I paid the Outfitter but was on hold for more than an hour and didnt get to try again until the next day. Turns out the permits were already issued and so I had to call the outfitter back and reschedule and then call the State back and pay them.

Hope that all made sense. Overall it was well worth the headache. Absolutely beautiful river.

Last I knew, Shane wasn't guiding trip down the Devils, only up from the lake, which the first 10-12 miles is lake, and then you'll go a couple miles up the actual River. You'll catch fish no doubt, but if you are looking for the river experience, you need to ask him that specific question.

PM me for details on the river if you'd like, I've been a bunch.

Brady

Kevin with Expedition Outfitters is also an awesome guy.

http://expedition-outfitters.net/id7.html

I've never been on one of their Devil's River trips, but I can vouch for what stand-up people they are and great fly fishing instructors.

River Run Guide Service offers fully outfitted trips up and down the entire 48 miles of the Devils River.

Personally, I don't know why anyone would make the trip and not do Bakers to Rough Canyon at least once. 4 nights 5 days and we water taxi out from Big Satan to Rough Canyon. Trip of a lifetime.

Other options are available and trips can be tailored to suit individual needs

If you book a trip and there is room, I would go. Been wanting to do Devils River for a while.

Will defiantly keep that in mind. Right now I am still on the research end of this thing, but I will be making this trip.