One Dead, Two Injured in Klamath Boating Accident
According to the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office, two are injured and one dead following a boating accident Saturday afternoon on the Klamath River. A Cal Fire helicopter arrived at the scene and transported two victims with head injuries to an out of the area hospital.
A local fishing guide service posted about this on their Facebook page tonight.
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Very sad. Details? Are the guys in the picture wearing life jackets? Maybe inflatable and hard to see. Condolences to family and friends.
I knew Gary indirectly as I worked up there for years and I know his brother Ken pretty well. I have to assume with head injuries mentioned that it was a jet boat accident – dangerous river to boat.
Names of other 2 people in the boat?
I don’t know but he was a fishing guide, so I assume the other two were clients and quite possibly were from out of the area.
Oh no!!so so sorry to the family’s God bless you all
This man was an incredible fisherman and as nice as they get. I have no clue what happened, but by the report I would GUESS it was a jet boat accident. Probably hit a gravel bar or rock. Blessings to the family.
I bet when we get some news, it will be because of a heart attack or something like that. I cant imagine it was an “accident”.
I first fished with Gary in 1985 and have been coming to the Klamath and fishing with him almost every year since then including on 9/11. He was a great guy and one of the best guides on the river. I last fished with him on 9/20 of this year. I already miss him badly. RIP friend.
Jim
Gary Farley was one of those icon guides like Darol Damm, Bobby Brothers, Ray Chandler, Murrey Wolfe, etc who I looked up to when I started guiding in the late 80s. His physical presence and sense of humor will be missed, but his spiritual presence will always be a part of the Klamath River. My prayers to his Family and our close knit fishing guide family. My prayers for healing to the clients with him the other day. RIP Gary.
Guide Gary Farley Great Fishermen ! Great Man .He will Truly be Missed My Prayers go out to the family and friends .To Gary’s family if there is anything I can do for you please let me know Sincerely Jim Mitchell 707-951-5036
So sad. My heart aches for the Farley family. RIP Gary.
Gary Farley, you will be dearly missed my friend. May you RIP. Condolences to his family.
I was there that day on the river. We had just got done talkin with Gary. He went one way we went the other. Soon after that we knew something had happened on the river. Little later another great guide Mick come down and told us what had happened we were instantly in shock. We stopped fishing to time to say a prayer. It was a very sad moment in my life. Rip Farley
Any information on what might have happened?
I knew Gary for 30+ years as a fellow guide. Gary knew the Klamath like the back of his hand…
I had planned on being up there to fish with friends this past weekend but decided to stay local and fish the Sacramento River. I know the spot where it happened and depending on flow can be difficult to run as you have to veer right 90 degrees at full power to make it up the shallow riffle. Coming back down can be equally as difficult as you are headed down the shoot and headed straight for a rock. You have to slide down into the corner until your rail catches and then power out left. Last time up, I made it down but my friend bottomed out and almost threw a friend out.
My friends Al and Jeff were first on scene as they were fishing directly below and were waved up by Gary’s clients. According to his clients, they were heading upriver thru a shallow riffle and the boat bottomed out; entirely losing steering. Gary was pitched into the strong river current. With no steering, they could not assist him. Finally got his kicker motor going but by that time he had already been under water 20-30 minutes. Clients administered CPR and my friend Jeff said he checked but there was no pulse. Gary tragically drowned.
Very sad. My thoughts are with his family, his clients and those who assisted. Gary was a good guy and a knowledgeable; experienced guide.
Gary tragically died but we at least have some comfort in knowing he was doing what he loved most.
Where on the lower river did this happen?
Gary was a great guy i was just talking with him at Blue creek the day of our loss . He will be missed . Please be safe on the water and pray for his wonderful family .
Hi Jim, Sorry to hear about Gary, that’s you right, Jim Basenmer. Big hug, Jack Trout
I think the steering cable breaking happened before he “bottomed out”.
You are most likely correct. Hard to imagine bottoming out causing the loss/breakage of steering cable while heading upriver at full speed. Probably hit bottom after losing steering.
I have partly slid out of my seat there and have had to grab the wheel to pull me back up. Losing steering would make it an impossible situation.
Really sad!!
So sad. Just fished with Gary last Sunday on the Klammath. He put us on the fish and we had a great long run up the river. Peace to your family Gary and enjoy the everlasting river.
”SO SORRY” TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR ACCIDENT SAT. ALWAYS LOOKED FOWARD TO OUR YEARLY FISHING TRIPS ON THE KLAMATH, OR DRIFTING THE SMITH AND CHETCO RIVERS GARY,AT LEAST IT HAPPENED DOING WHAT YOU ”LOVED MOST IN LIFE”. CONDOLENCES TO YOUR FAMILY,R.I.P. GARY.
My brother in law and son have so much incredible good to say about Gary. It puts a hole in their hearts, and mine as well. One of the best on the river. Prayers for all involved. RIP
Peace !
It happened at VanPelt Riffle. Just above Rich Mossholder’s place; River’s West Lodge.
There’s that big rock there below the lodge and the river veers right.
Such an AMAZING man.. The comment was made He died doing what he loved so true. Prayers to the Farley family, friends and to our very large fishing family. RIP Gary……Love always the Townley Family
We will miss Gary’s big smile on the river. Paul Heinz Marc Mertens
Gary was one of the best guides ever. Sure was fun to fish with him.