April 8, 2025 Drift Boat, Experience, Fuzion, Guide, Nemesis, Tips & Tricks

From Rivers to Ocean: St. Laurent Guide Service Runs on Willie Boats

When you’re booking a guided fishing trip on the Oregon coast, you want more than just a day on the water — you want someone who knows every twist and turn of the rivers, every shift in the tides, and every run of salmon or steelhead before it even hits the nets. That’s exactly what you get with Daniel St. Laurent of St. Laurent Guide Service, based in Tillamook, Oregon.

Daniel has been guiding for over 16 years, and from the beginning, he’s trusted one brand to get him through the rugged Pacific and the shallowest backwaters: Willie Boats.

“We’ve been with Willie Boats for 16 to 17 years, ever since I started guiding,” Daniel says — and for good reason.

St. Laurent Guide Service runs a versatile and highly capable lineup of Willie Boats tailored to every kind of water the Oregon coast can throw at them.

• 28ft Willie Nemesis – This beast handles bays, the open ocean, and the lower Columbia with ease. Outfitted with suspension seats, it’s built for comfort even when the swells are rough.

“When you’re fishing in the ocean, which I do well over 100 days a year, it makes the ride comfortable and saves your spine,” Daniel explains.

• 21ft Willie Fuzion – Perfect for navigating Tillamook’s shallow rivers like the Wilson, Trask, Kilchis, Nehalem, and Nestucca, this boat goes where others can’t.

• 20ft Willie Drift Boat – Ideal for floating the coastal streams, this boat is Daniel’s go-to during fall and winter steelhead season.

At St. Laurent Guide Service, the day doesn’t end when the boat hits the dock. After a full day of chasing salmon, halibut, or crab, Daniel brings his clients back to his fully equipped shop in Tillamook.

Here, the fish are filleted, vacuum-sealed with commercial-grade equipment, and iced down to keep everything fresh. If you’ve pulled crab pots that day, the crab are cleaned, cooked, and ready to enjoy. It’s this full-service approach that sets Daniel apart.

“We take care of everything — from water to table,” he says.

Daniel’s success on the water is built on a close relationship with Willie Boats, a manufacturer known for building custom boats that cater to serious anglers. And for Daniel, it’s not just about quality — it’s about collaboration.

“If I can dream it, they will build it,” he says.

“They stay in communication during the build, send photos, and if there’s anything I don’t like, they change it. Very few manufacturers will do that.”

From deep-sea excursions to skinny water floats, Willie Boats are built to handle it all — with the strength, comfort, and customization serious guides like Daniel St. Laurent rely on every single day.

Whether it’s pounding through Pacific swells or slipping through shallow coastal rivers, Willie delivers performance, durability, and attention to detail that sets them apart — because when your livelihood depends on your boat, second best isn’t an option.