Yamsi Ranch
Williamson River / Hyde Lake
Fri - Sun
June 22-24, 2012
Fishout Location:
Yamsi Ranch
30371 Williamson River Road
Mile Post 24
Chiloquin, OR,
Caution: Make sure you follow
directions below as GPS and map source
will not get you to Yamsi.
Fishmaster: Rick Davis
Accommodations:
Yamsi Ranch Guest House
http://www.yamsiflyfishing.com/services
accommod.html
Cost: $510 (includes lodging, rod fees for
both the river and lake, Friday dinner,
Saturday breakfast, bag lunch & dinner,
and Sunday breakfast./ and lunch
Guest house - Beds for 8 / 2 queens and
3 twins
Payment by check payable to Flycasters.
Deposit of $200 due by the January club
meeting with the balance of $310 by the
April club meeting.
Gerda Hyde’s house for overflow
2 bedrooms downstairs / 3 upstairs
Phone: (408) 406-4323
Email: smileybugger@gmail.com
Lake/Stream/River:
Max # Attendees: 10
Upper Williamson River
Hyde Lake
Directions: The Yamsi Ranch is a 5,000 acre working cattle ranch located off OR Hwy 97 approximately 30 miles East of Chiloquin,
OR, and Chiloquin is on US Hwy 97 25 miles North of Klamath Falls. The Google Maps distance from San Jose is approximately
423 miles, or about a 7 hour drive. Take I-5 North, resisting the strong urge to exit for to visit the Redding Fly Shop, to the Weed
Exit 747 where you’ll pick up US 97 North to Klamath Falls. When coming into Klamath Falls continue on the 97 North Bypass
that will take you around to the North side of Klamath Falls. Continue North on Hwy 97 past Klamath Lake, over the Williamson
River bridge to the Chiloquin exit. Turn right into Chiloquin and follow the road as it turns to the right into town. Cross the RR
tracks and turn left at the Shell station onto Sprague River Rd. Go 5 miles, turn left onto Williamson River Road, and then go 24
miles to milepost 24 where you’ll see signage on your left for the main driveway into the Yamsi Ranch. Turn left into the ranch
and follow signs bearing left to the guest house and quest parking. The 1st house on your left as you come down the guest drive
is the guest house, and the house across the lawn is Gerda Hyde’s house.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
Websites:
http://www.yamsiflyfishing.com/index.html - Yamsi Ranch
http://www.insideangler.com/yamsi.html - Inside Angler on the Yamsi Ranch
http://thecentralcascades.com/yamsi-ranch/ .
http://www.flyfishingstillwaters.com/triphyde.asp - Denny Rickard’s on Fly Fishing Still Waters and Hyde Lake.
Meals provided:
Friday dinner – Ranch family style
Saturday – Ranch breakfast, bag lunch and dinner (steaks on the grill outdoors)
Sunday – Ranch breakfast & bag lunch
Wine/beer/liquor – BYOB
Marshmallows, cognac, single malt (anyone like McCallan 12?), Jack Daniels, Crown Royal (,John & Jerri’s favorite), cigars and lots
of fish tales & a great opportunity for lots of fish stories outside around the fire ring after dinner.
Fish: Trout: Red Band
Rainbows, Brookies
Suggested
Equipment:
Rod Wt(s)
Line
Leader
Fishing strategy:
River – wade - dry fly/wet fly/nymphing/streamer
Hyde Lake – float tube/pontoon boat – dry fly/wet fly/nymph/streamer
4, 5 and 6 wt work, but be prepared for 20+ inch fish both in the river and the lake
River – floating, sink tip
Lake – floating, intermediate, full sinking
Lake 7-12 ft 2x to 4x - River, 10-12’ 4x-5x
Suggested
Flies:
Tippet
Other
Patterns/
Sizes/etc.
2-4 ft 3x to 6x – big fish & clear water
Waders, wading staff – For much of the river waist-high waders work well.
River: Black Drake and PMD duns and nymphs, along with damsel adults & nymphs and
dragonfly nymphs. Expect lots of dry fly fishing opportunities. During our time on the river the
Black Drake hatch should be in full swing, so if you can’t find or tie BD patterns, river proven
patterns are available at the ranch./ also have a good assortment of streamers and buggers,
Lake: Buggers, leeches, damsels and Callibaetis cripples & nymphs
NOTE: The ranch has a complete selection of Yamsi Ranch proven-to-catch-fish patterns, along
with a selection of very nice fishing shirts from Simms.
Other Gear suggestions:
Personal Flotation Device (PFD) is required by Club rules in float tubes and pontoon boats. Walkie-talkie / GPS
Details / Comments:
The Yamsi Ranch is a 5,000 acre working cattle ranch supporting 400 mother cows and 700-800 yearlings. The ranch has been
owned and operated continuously by the Hyde family since inception in 1911. The family matriarch, Gerda Hyde, still takes a
very active role in the ranch, and at her current age of 82, last rode a her horse 1 week ago at age 82 (when you meet Gerda
you’ll understand). In addition to being our hostess, Gerda prepares our meals that we’ll be eating in her dining room in the
ranch house that Uncle Buck Built in 1928. Gerda remains at 82 a very sharp Stanford grad who grew up in the Bay Area before
marrying into the Hyde family and spending virtually all of her adult life on the ranch raising her family while running a very
successful ranch.
The following links give a very good perspective on Gerda and the Yamsi Ranch style of life:
http://www.rangemagazine.com/features/spring-04/holistichyde-20.shtml
http://www.countrynaturalbeef.com/ranchers/Yamsi.php
The Yamsi Ranch is managed by John Hyde, Gerda’s son and our host. John and his wife, Jerri, live in a ranch house located 200
yards from Gerda’s that they built by hand from Ponderosa Pines harvested and milled on the ranch. John is a, Oregon State
grad with a degree in Ranch Management, and he and Jerri raised their 3 children on the ranch. With the children’s schools
located 50 miles away in Klamath Falls, life must have been interesting. All 3 kids are accomplished college graduates who live
way from the ranch with families of their own. John and Jerri are fantastic, very warm people who embody Western Ranch living
365 days a year. The ranch is almost entirely self-sustaining with generators, wood burning stoves for cooking, well water, Jerri’s
garden, etc, etc, which means that when things break or something goes wrong the monkey is on John’s and Jerri’s backs to fix it.
As a result, not only is John an accomplished and highly successful rancher, but he’s also an accomplished carpenter, plumber,
welder, roofer, mason, mechanic, (you get the picture). You’ll enjoy getting to know a couple of very nice people in John and
Jerri Hyde.
John is a very accomplished fly fisher and FFF certified casting instructor. He’s also the primary guide for fishing the river, and
since he continues to put lots of structure into the river he has intimate knowledge of all the best spots to fish. John will give us
an orientation to the river that will include taking groups of 2 to the best holes and spots to fish.
John is also available for ½ day, or full day guide services. John’s ½ day rate is $175, and his full day rate is $225.
Williamson River – The primary headwaters of the Williamson are on the Yamsi Ranch property where numerous springs release
their cold, clear 42 degree water year around making it a perfect habitat for trout and their favorite foods. The river meanders
through a grassy pastoral setting for 22 miles on the ranch with lots of room for long back-casts without fear of snagging a tree.
The river bottom is mostly sandy with firm footing, lots of grasses and very few rocks making to make wading easy. It’s also a
very productive habitat for the bugs and critters trout love most. When we’re there expect lots of Black Drakes along with some
PMDs, damsels and dragonflies. With the grasses growing right up to the river’s edge you can also expect to see hoppers and
beetles. The river has structure mostly in the form of downed trees that John has strategically placed to create great trout
holding habitat. Much of the ground approaching and adjacent to the river is grassy and flooded, which means you’ll be in your
waders walking through grasses that range from knee-high to waist-high as you approach the river’s edge. There are lots of
Muskrats, so when walking through the grass approaching and close to the river’s edge, you’ll need to be watchful for the dens
and trails these critters create to avoid the sudden surprise of stepping in a deep hole (I speak from experience). The areas of
the river that John will direct us to support a large population of wild fish that should make your day(s) on the Williamson an
experience to remember.
Hyde Lake – Hyde Lake is a runoff-fed lake that was constructed in the mid 70’s by John’s Dad with help from all the kids. The
300 acre lake is located approximately 15 miles West of the ranch on the road back to Chiloquin. John stocks Hyde Lake each
spring with 8-10” rainbows that double their size/weight by Fall due to all the rich bug life. Hyde Lake has a grassy bottom that
supports large populations of Callibaetis, leeches and damsels, and it’s easily fished out of a float tube or pontoon boat. Notably,
Hyde Lake is one of Denny Rickard’s recommended big fish stillwater fisheries, so it’s best to fish it well prepared for 20+” fish.