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Army veteran leads fishing trips in Washington state

Twisted Waters Guide Service knows

Chris and Marc Bush will take you trout, steelhead and salmon fishing. Courtesy photo

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The guide at Twisted Waters Guide Service is not just a military veteran, he is also a fishing veteran - so who better to take you out and show you where to cast your line?

Marc Bush, who owns the company with his wife Chris, has been fishing all of his life and always had loved being out on the water. After taking so many buddies out in his boat, one suggested that he should start professionally guiding and so, in 2009, Twisted Waters came into existence.

"The goal was to build the business up and then be able to retire and just do that," said Bush, who did indeed retire from the Army in June 2013 after almost 21 years serving in Special Forces.

His wife, Chris, runs the business side of the house and is still a fulltime employee at Madigan Army Medical Center ... though sometimes she does go out and hook a few fish herself.

Twisted Waters Guide Service focuses on catching trout, steelhead and salmon, fishing on the Cowlitz and Nisqually rivers as well as the Satsop and Chehalis rivers, among others.

"We have the experience, the knowledge and just about everything that you will need that day," Bush said.

Clients are guided in a 20-foot Alumaweld boat outfitted with a 150-horsepower Mercury outboard and although Twisted Waters does provide all the gear, customers must bring their own lunch and wet weather clothes.

"It is Washington and it does rain ... so please be prepared," Bush joked.

All fishers also need to get a Washington state fresh water license ahead of time and a Columbia River endorsement is also great since it's required on not only that river, but all of its tributaries.

So far the clientele has been made up of 50 percent military and some retired servicemembers, but there are also the people that just see the sticker on Bush's truck and then call him up to go fishing.

"The military is great for word-of-mouth advertising and referrals," he explained.  "And then we also get to work with visitors so that they can see what they might not normally see in Washington and expose them to the fishing culture of the PNW."

Bush is happy to work with all levels of experience when it comes to anglers and has taken a lot of children under the age of 10 out who subsequently caught their first fish. He is also looking at acquiring his Coast Guard license, which is necessary to grow the business since it is required in order to guide on certain rivers and waterways.

Trips typically start at first light and last between 8 to 10 hours, though Bush was clear that it's up to the client how far and long they go.

While there are not a lot of days when the fish are not out in full force looking for lures, if there really are no fish while they are out one day, Twisted Waters offers the next trip at half price.

"I cannot guarantee fish but I can give you the best opportunity to get fish ... it's why it's called fishing and not catching," Bush stated.

Tours are available seven days a week, but Friday through Monday are the most popular and frequently booked days. To book a tour, there is a two-person minimum and rates are $150 per person, though kids under the age of 14 are $75; there is also a $25 discount for military.

For more information, call 253.468.0610 or visit twistedwaters-gs.com

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