Antelope Creek Ranch

The "Disneyland" of Trophy Trout Fishing

This scenic ranch, surrounded by more than 65,000 acres of National Forest, is the jewel in the necklace of The Fly Shop's Private Waters and welcomes a limited number of guests from mid-May through October.

Anglers staying at Antelope Creek Ranch enjoy wonderful accommodations, great food, and absolutely terrific trout fishing that begins right at the doorstep. The lodge and guest suites are within a stone's throw of the serpentine, fish-filled private meadow stream and within walking distance of the ranch's two trophy trout lakes. There are nearly two miles of the creek on the ranch and 9 more miles of roadless stream above the fenceline.

Mike and Bertha Michalak, owners of The Fly Shop, purchased the ranch in 2002 and, using of a team of environmental experts, began one of the most ambitious private stream, meadow, wetland restoration and enhancement projects in this part of California.

The magnificent, two-story Antelope Creek ranch house accommodates 8 fishing guests in style. Each one of the spacious four bedrooms has a private bath and wonderful view. The cozy fireplace sets the mood, and you can watch deer stroll, stars fall, and trout slurp from the beautiful, new back patio.

The two-story lodge living room has a massive stone fireplace, a sunken bar, wraparound decks and windows looking out over picturesque Antelope Creek to the meadow and mountains beyond. There is a quiet, park-like atmosphere and the historic ranch is surrounded by nearly 35,000 acres of national forest. The hundreds of acres surrounding the lodge are beautiful, with large grassy meadows and an open panoramic vista of the surrounding mountain bowl. Guests can see for miles from the streamside patios and there are no other buildings, homes, or lights within sight to mar the view.

The historic cattle ranch is an ideal vacation spot for both serious fishermen and their families or friends. At just over 5,000 feet elevation, Antelope Creek Ranch is an ideal mid-summer and fall angling retreat. The ranch enjoys cool, pleasant weather and great fly fishing conditions all season long. There are several golf courses less than an hour away, two adjacent National Forests with hundreds of miles of hiking trails, and several of the American west's largest waterfowl nesting and viewing areas only minutes away.

Equipment & Flies for Antelope Creek

•  Three, four, and five-weight fly rods are ideal for fishing Antlope Creek Ranch

•  9' or 10' leaders tapered to 4x - tippet spools of 4x, 5x, and 6x diameter.

•  While many mid-summer fishermen wade wet in sneakers, sandals, or wading boots, hip waders are perfect for the stream or for fishing from shore on the lakes. Chest waders are needed if you plan on float tubing the lower lake. You'll be asked not to wade in the edges of the lakes as the drop-offs are steep. You may have to get your feet wet when landing one of the larger fish, otherwise please avoid wading. Also, keep your wading to a minimum when fishing the stream. You may cross when necessary, but please avoid wading up and down stream. Try to cross at shallow gravel runs to avoid stirring up silt, disturbing the insect life, and alerting fish downstream to your presence.

Lakes

Bring both floating and sinking or sink-tip lines (up to type III). You'll need long leaders tapered to 5x or 6x for the dry activity, and a little shorter leader tapered to 3x to 4x for wet flies and streamers. Expect a lot of action using emerging insects just underneath the surface. Many of our regulars fish some type of dry or emerger with a dropper, short or long, and a nymph or midge pupa attached. Expect midge activity to start in early spring and continue all year. Mayflies start in late spring and early summer. Terrestrials are effective most of the season, especially after early spring. Leeches, damsels & dragonflies patterns seem to work best from late spring on. A crystal bugger or leech with a nymph trailer can be deadly. You must experiment with various retrieves at different depths until you strike gold! Many lake fishermen have great success fishing nymphs at various depths underneath an indicator. Just let them sit there for a bit, patience is a virtue at this point, and then pull it slowly back for another cast. Water boatmen, especially from early summer on, are a staple on the lakes, especially the lower lake.

Stream

Shorter leaders tapered to 4x or 5x are appropriate when fishing the stream. Deer hair flies with short droppers or no droppers will produce. Nymphs of various sizes and colors should be in your box. Yellow Humpies, Stimulators & Elk Hair Caddis are high on our list for dries, but there are a number of other popular patterns, such as Parachute Adams, that will work well. Hanging a nymph underneath these high floaters can sometimes turn the trick. Black AP's, PT's, Prince Nymphs & Golden Stones are some of the nymph patterns we usually tie on first. Small nymph patterns will begin to be the best choice in late summer & fall. Almost any bead head nymph can work in the creek at various times.

Antelope Creek Flies

This is by no means an all exclusive list of flies. There are many other patterns that will work as well in many cases. However, this is a list of flies that represent patterns that any fisherman should have in their vest. Going to our private ranches or to public water with only three or four patterns will mean you stand a good chance of not having the right fly at the right time.
•  Hoppers are a must have middle to late summer

Nymphs

•  Zacks Zallibaetis,#14
•  Poxyback Callibaetis,#16
•  BH PT Nymphs, #14-20
•  Mercer's CB Micro Mayflies
•  BH Golden Stone, #10-14
•  Frostbite Midge Pupa, #16-20
•  Mercer's Zebra Midge, #18-20

Dries

•  Callibaetis Cripple,#16
•  Parachute Adams,#16-20
•  CDC Biot Spinners (Callibaetis) #16
•  Quigley's Sparkle Stacker (Callibaetis) #16
•  Yellow Humpy #14-16

Streamers

•  Beaded Micro Buggers, (blk/olive/brn), # 12

Terrestrials

•  Parachute Ant, #16-20
•  Para Foam Ant, #14
•  Chernobyl Ant, #8-12
•  Morrish Hopper, #8
•  TFS Damsel, (olive), #14
•  Zack Attack Damsel, #14
•  Idylwilde Hopper, #8 & 12
•  Barr's Dropper Hopper, #8 & 12
•  Hopper Grande, (tan), #12
•  Fox's Boatman, #12-14
•  Rainy's Water Boatman, #12

A Few Points To Remember:

Although Antelope Creek Ranch is private, we still operate under Fish & Game guidelines and regulations. Fishing licenses are required.

Procedures for Handling Trout

•  Try to bring each fish to net or hand as quickly as possible. The larger ones will do their best to interfere with you doing this, but remember, the longer you play one the greater the chance they will die later. If you do find yourself in a long battle with one of the bigger ones, never take it out of the water. Use an airless release only.
•  Use barbless hooks and avoid using the very large streamer hooks. Fish with size 8 flies or smaller.
•  Please, no hard nylon nets! The new rubber mesh nets are ideal, as they do not remove the protective coating on the fish.
•  Avoid dragging any fish up on the bank. Use the airless release at all times. You can either reach down with a hemostat or hook disengager and remove the fly while the fish is still underwater.
•  When taking pictures of your fish please get everything ready before lifting the fish up for the shot. Support the fish with both hands- don't squeeze- and keep it over water the whole time. Lastly---your trophy should not be out of the water for over 5 seconds.

Maps and Directions

Antelope Creek Ranch is located on the northeast side of majestic Mt Shasta. Traveling north on I-5 and then east on Hwy 97 out of Weed, it is approximately an hour and fifty minutes from Redding, the home of The Fly Shop. Every mile of this drive is a pleasure to experience, as the scenic highways circle around the forested base of Mt Shasta, with panoramic views of the region.

Upon your confirmed booking we will provide directions to the ranch in your confirmation paperwork.

Sample Itinerary at Antelope Creek Ranch

It takes a little less than two hours to drive to the Antelope Creek Ranch from Redding, or about an hour from Dunsmuir or Mount Shasta. If you'd like to fly private aircraft to Klamath Falls or Weed, arrangements can be made to pick you up and return you to either of those airports. Once you arrive, there is little need for anglers to have a vehicle on the ranch.

Guests are asked to time their arrival for the late afternoon (3:00 P.M. or later), allowing plenty of time to get settled, organize tackle, and get in some evening fishing.

The fishing at Antelope Creek Ranch has been tailored with the self-reliant angler in mind. It is particularly suited for the fisherman that prefer the sense of accomplishment associated with a well-earned bend in the rod rather than the hand-held, guided experience. Antelope Creek Ranch guests enjoy fine accommodations whether at the lodge or the guest suites.

The lodge is located roughly in the middle of the property, with lakes and stream both above and downstream from the accommodations. The creek and the lakes are yours whenever anglers wish, and all of the fishing is within walking distance of the lodge. Some anglers do choose to drive to the access point near the lower lake and take the short trail to the footbridge and across to the fishing, while many others simply prefer the exercise or to fish the stream down or up to one of the lakes.

Non-fishing companions have the run of the entire ranch and as much of the surrounding countryside as they'd like to cover for hiking and relaxing. There are three superb golf courses (Mount Shasta Resort, Shastina, and Running Y) less than an hour away in opposite directions, and it is less than an hour to two of the finest bird watching areas in the Pacific flyway (Meiss Lake Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges). Herds of antelope dot the nearby National Grasslands, and the wonders of both the Lava Beds National Monument and the surrounding Klamath National Forest are too numerous to list. Other non-angling guests may simply choose to relax at the lodge or the guest suites, or yield to the temptation of the always inviting streamside hammock.

Guests are asked to vacate their rooms after lunch (to allow them to be properly cleaned for any arrivals) and to depart no later than 3:00 on the afternoon of their last day at the lodge.

A Few Points To Remember:

The elevation of this ranch is too high for poison oak and poisonous snakes. The lodge and guest suites are non-smoking facilities and guests are welcome to enjoy cigars or cigarettes on the patio. This is a fire-prone region, so please be extra careful with any ashes from cigarettes on the ranch proper.

Contact

Please contact our excellent staff if you would like more information on Antelope Creek Ranch. All of our staff have been to this wonderful destination and will be happy to answer your questions.







Find Us

Click on the image below to get directions to The Fly Shop.

Antelope Creek Lodge is booked exclusively through The Fly Shop®

The Fly Shop, Inc.
4140 Churn Creek Road
Redding, CA 96002
800-669-3474
www.theflyshop.com

Store Hours:

Monday - Friday:  7:30 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday:  7:30 am to 6:00 pm