Tri City Guide Service has offered quality sportfishing trips on the Columbia River, Snake River, and surrounding Eastern Washington waters since 2003, run by owner and full-time guide Chris Benson, a Tri Cities native with more than 40 years of Pacific Northwest fishing experience. The business specializes in local-knowledge trips, fishing only the waters Chris has spent decades learning rather than traveling to unfamiliar locations.
The year-round fishery lineup includes salmon from April through November, steelhead from November through February, walleye year-round with a peak from March through August, smallmouth bass from April through August, shad in June and July, and monster white sturgeon available throughout the year. Trips run aboard a custom-built Alumaweld boat powered by a reliable Mercury Marine outboard, with six large comfortable seats, state-of-the-art electronics, a Garmin autopilot, and a Minn Kota electric motor that keeps the boat positioned precisely while freeing up the captain to focus on customer service. High-quality gear is used throughout, including custom rods hand-built by Chris using North Fork Composites blanks from Gary Loomis.
Every booking of four to six anglers gets a private boat, and mixed parties are capped at four anglers to keep the experience high quality, with Tri City Guide Service partnering with other local, fully licensed guides to accommodate larger multi-boat or corporate groups. Full-day trips run eight hours on the water for $250 per person, while half-day trips run four hours for $190 per person. For those wanting a more scenic outing, the business also offers Hanford Reach river tours, an 80-mile, 6-hour private boat tour for up to six people at $850, or a shorter 50-mile, 4-hour version at $650. Lunch is available on request for $25 per person, and all prices include Washington state sales tax.
A $75 per person or $300 full-boat deposit reserves a date, refundable with at least 30 days’ notice, and gift certificates are available for any occasion. With over 300 sunny days a year in the Tri Cities, weather cancellations are typically limited to high wind conditions above 30 mph.
For anglers looking to fish salmon, steelhead, walleye, sturgeon, bass, or shad on the Columbia and Snake Rivers with an experienced, longtime local guide, Tri City Guide Service offers a well-equipped, private-boat fishing experience out of Kennewick, Washington.
