If I get home safe they are all good trips. I do this for fun and relaxation if that doesn't happen then you are doing it wrong.

A great trip usually involves kids. On Veterans day I took out a Veteran and his 10 year old. They had never been river salmon fishing except trolling with guides. The east wind was howling all morning, and I was struggling to keep the boat from blowing into the shore, and there was a ton of crap blowing into the river. We were throwing spinners. It was going to be a hard day, especially for beginners.

I knew we were on lots of fish, but I could not get the boat still enough to really make good casts/presentations. The kid was all over it, casting into trees, into logs, well up onto gravel bars, but he was smiling and jabbering and having an overall good time. It was so much fun to watch a kid who loved to fish like I did when I was his age.

He caught 4 silvers all by himself and was just stoked out of his mind. Especially because his Dad got skunked. When his Dad told him it was time to go, was the only complaint I heard all day. I'm still smiling about it. Seeing kids having a ball fishing, is what makes for a great day.