Douglas Lake Ranch Yurts

[Stillwaters]

Anyone been to the new Jerry's Lake yurt? Or the old cabin that used to be there? Have any stories you care to share?

[IslandNewb]

I havent been in the yurts at Jerry but I have stayed at the Crater Lake Yurts about 10 years ago. Very comfortable when compared to a tent and it is nice to wake up lakeside. I have fished Mellin in the past and if you are fishing for large fish you might be dissappointed but there were lots. I fished a few of the other ranch lakes as well if you'd like the info.

[Stillwaters]

Thanks for the info. I've stayed at the Salmon Lake and Wasley Lake yurts before. Wasley was great in early October last year and we're heading back in September this year. Definitely nice being lakeside. How big woud you say the average fish is in Mellin? I think they moved the Crater Lake yurt to Mellin. Have you ever fished Big Sabin or Pikes? I have often wondered whether the rod fees are worth it. I would love to stay at the Minnie Lake yurt one day, but I haven't been able to justify the price increase.

[IslandNewb]

No worries. I dont remember anything big in Mellin or Sabin and I havent fished Pikes. I'm thinking a 1 1/2-2lb for Mellin and maybe 2lb and a bit in Sabin. We did catch a few that were 3lb and a bit from both but not in significant numbers. I had a friend who took me into Minnie and Stoney every year in the late fall. Back then Stoney had fish to 5-6lb (supposedly larger) with an average somewhere around 2 1/2-3lb and Minnie had an average around 3lb with fish to 10lbs. We hit fish in Minnie that ripped the rods from the boat that were gone before we had a chance to see them. I remember reading or hearing that they had both Stoney and Minnie had some winter kill since then and my info for you is 10 years plus ago so you have to take it with a grain of salt... You know how fishermen's memories are with time.. I do have some pictures (actual paper photos) of a few fish from Minnie in 96. The fish in the pictures are around 5-6lbs so... ya..

Anyway, hope it helps. Cheers

[Stillwaters]

Thanks again. Anyone else been to Mellin or Sabin more recently? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

[markmendenhall]

fished Little Sabin a year ago - complete waste of time, water was high, fish were small; Big Sabin was unfishable, so have no idea if it was good or bad; Pikes was also a waste of time, nothing but small fish; 20 years ago those lakes were excellent with many fish up to 6 lbs in Pikes and great numbers of fish in the Sabins up to 22". One must remember those lakes are basically irrigation impoundments used for agricultural purposes first, recreational use is an afterthought. Fished Wasley last spring too soon after ice-out, water was still very cold and all the fish showed on the bottom of the lake, we could not move them; we were also visited by members of the First Nation who set up gill nets off the dock in front of the newer yurt, don't know if they netted fish or not; the yurt at Minnie is nice but very expensive and the lodge at Stoney is even spendier; lots of employee turnover on the ranch and inconsistent fishing year to year, so its always a bit of a crapshoot - that combined with unpredictable high winds can end a trip before it even begins

[johnk]

fished Little Sabin a year ago - complete waste of time, water was high, fish were small; Big Sabin was unfishable, so have no idea if it was good or bad; Pikes was also a waste of time, nothing but small fish; 20 years ago those lakes were excellent with many fish up to 6 lbs in Pikes and great numbers of fish in the Sabins up to 22". One must remember those lakes are basically irrigation impoundments used for agricultural purposes first, recreational use is an afterthought. Fished Wasley last spring too soon after ice-out, water was still very cold and all the fish showed on the bottom of the lake, we could not move them; we were also visited by members of the First Nation who set up gill nets off the dock in front of the newer yurt, don't know if they netted fish or not; the yurt at Minnie is nice but very expensive and the lodge at Stoney is even spendier; lots of employee turnover on the ranch and inconsistent fishing year to year, so its always a bit of a crapshoot - that combined with unpredictable high winds can end a trip before it even begins

How's that for negativity? Par for the course on forums when visitors to the ranch have trouble hooking up or timing their trips perfectly! Have had invites to fish Minnie and Stoney in the spring and fall every year and always manage to hook up with some hogs! Of course I can't make it out every year but the times I do, I find quality fish with a little work.

The photo below is of a fish that came out of Wasley and it was not me but on one of my specialty patterns and as you can see there are some hogs on the ranch.......and all along I thought it was just cattle!