The Professionals at Hyde are dedicated to ensuring that your fly fishing experiences are moments that you will remember for years to come. Each member of the team is a fly fishing expert and every day they use their knowledge to guarantee that Hyde products and services are provided at the highest levels. Each boat, accessory, or fly fishing adventure we create carries the Hyde name and that is not something we take lightly.
From ensuring that your day on the river is memorable, to building the finest drift boats in the world, at Hyde we take a tremendous amount of satisfaction in knowing that our customers are outfitted with the equipment they need to enhance their angling experience.
This is not just a job for us, it is much more. We love what we do and that translates into our relationships with our customers. We hope you’ll give us a call or stop by and talk to us when you are in the neighborhood. We’d enjoy spending some time discussing your adventures on the many rivers of the world.
LaMoyne & J. Ann Hyde - Owners
In the 1950’s I started to fish the Salt River in Wyoming with my brothers and my father. My father had several bamboo fly rods with automatic reels. Those bamboo rods are how I learned to fish. The rods came with two tips so that if you broke one, you always had a spare. As boys will, we broke the tip several times so we just kept patching them by moving the tip lower and lower until we were soon fishing with a 6’ fly rod instead of an 8’ rod.
From that beginning I have had the opportunity to fish most of the rivers from North Alaska to Southern Chile. I have been asked many times which river I prefer and my answer is always the same, “My favorite is the river that I am on at the time.” I have found that I really don’t have a favorite, I like them all. I have fond memories of so many good experiences on many different rivers.
Fly-fishing has been the method of fishing in the Hyde family for 6 generations. It is still the preferred choice of fishing for most of us. My grandsons have taken up the sport and have become very accomplished with the fly rod and also rowing our drift boats. This is especially nice, so that their grandfather can get a little fishing in with them.
Drift boat manufacturing came naturally to me as I spent many of my early years building airplanes and learning about the dynamics of flight. I have been involved in the great outdoors all of my life and know personally how demanding the rivers of the world can be. My first and foremost goal is to build the strongest, safest, most maneuverable drift boats to ensure the safety of our customers. With my sons and grandsons, we now have three generations in the boat business. The staff at Hyde are committed to making your fly fishing experiences the most pleasurable, and we hope to see you on the great rivers of the world in a Hyde drift boat.
Please give us a call and see the difference our employees can make in helping your decision to purchase your next drift boat. Email
We hope to see you soon on the river.
Matt Hyde - Sales
Matt Grew up in the Hyde Company. . and as a child would fall asleep in the bow of the boat as it would rock him to sleep. . .(some Fisherman?) as he grew he had many opportunities to instead sleep was to row. . Matt started Rowing Boats at 11 years old on the Salmon River for steelhead. .then the Beaverhead river, the South Fork of the Snake and now Many different Rivers he has been able to Navigate. Matt is most well know for the How to Row a drift boat Video where he stars in flipping the boat, Matt has said many times “had I known That was what I was going to be famous for, I would have let someone else row the boat. . . And yes it was an Accident.”
Matt Still enjoys the thrill of the White water and is willing to hit any river that carries a few class 5 rapids. .even though no one has the benefit to see the rivers that Matt hasn’t flipped in. he still smiles and enjoys all rivers and takes the harassment at each boat show since 1994 to current with the same question at each show, “What were you thinking?”
Matt went to college for his degree in Computer science where he met his Bride and decided that Fishing was way more enjoyable than looking at a computer screen. . .so He and his wife moved to Idaho to Start Work after college as the Fly shop Manager in Island Park and he has moved up in the business.
Matt now takes his 4 girls down the river and his oldest now out-fishes him. They are his pride and Joy and takes them on the river ever chance he and they can get.
Matt Likes to think that even if his last name wasn’t Hyde that he would still work for Hyde Boats for many reasons. But the Main reason why is He can Go fishing with His family and rows the river in Style with His own Hyde Drift Boat. Email
Chris Lieckfield - Sales
I was born and raised in the Great Lakes State where I learned to fish from my Grandfather at an early age. I was always fascinated with the sport of fishing and couldn’t wait until the next outing. I grew up in the Detroit area where I pursued a hockey career. My career took me to Lincoln Nebraska, Dallas Texas, and eventually a full ride scholarship at Ferris State University back in Northern Michigan. While at Ferris I found myself back at home and much closer to the streams I grew up on. I became a licensed guide in Michigan and began taking clients Fly Fishing for Steelhead and Salmon. I now live in Newaygo Michigan where I work as a Sales representative for Hyde’s Michigan location. My time after work is spent with my wife Kelley and daughter Grace. Email
Jim Kunz - CEO
Jim grew up in Teton Valley, Idaho and spent many hours fishing near the headwaters of the Teton River. His great uncle started the Teton Valley Fishing Lodge and he has many great memories of that stretch of the Teton River. After college he went to work in the radio and television broadcasting industry and was the Vice President and General Manager of KIDK-TV in Idaho Falls, Idaho for many years. During his years at the television station he found additional ways to stay close to some great fishing, in fact, he helped plan and host large group fishing trips to Alaska and Northern Canada every year for almost 20 years. Those large group trips have now been replaced by quiet fishing trips with his wife and twin sons. Jim, Katie and their family are proud to call Southeast Idaho and the Teton Valley area their home.
As a member of the Hyde team, Jim is interested in making your fishing experience as good as it can be and that means making sure you have the opportunity to experience fishing from a Hyde Drift Boat, the world’s best drift boat and leader in the industry. Email
Danielle Steele - Executive Secretary
Danielle Steele was born and raised in this area. She grew up with an appreciation of our beautiful surroundings. She enoys spending time in the outdoors and also likes to read and spend time with her family. She hasn’t been out in the boats much since she has a small fear of water. As the administrative assistant she is the glue that keeps the company together. Email
Richard Sherwood - Manufacturing
Richard Sherwood is originally from Seattle, Washington. He came to Idaho Falls in 1996 to take advantage of the abundant fishing and hunting opportunities in Southeastern Idaho. Shortly after arriving in Idaho Falls, he began working in the weld shop for Hyde Boats. Rich is now the Production Manager at Hyde Drift Boats.
His hobbies include fishing, hunting 4-wheeling and enjoying the Great Outdoors with his two girls. Email
Jim "Bear" Peterson - Fly Shop
Jim “Bear” Peterson was introduced to fishing by his uncle at the age of 7. He began fly fishing the Boardman River near Traverse City Michigan in the 70s. He attended Michigan State University and graduated from Grand Valley State with a B.S. in Business. Bear began fishing western rivers when he moved to Utah in 1975. He purchased a drift boat and began floating the Green River in 1976. Bear began guiding and became a partner in the Red Rock River Company in the mid eighties.
He now travels extensively with his wife Cheri who is an avid angler herself. Her father was the first person to successfully navigate the Northwest passage from Point Barrow to Greenland in a canoe.
Bear worked as the chief tram operator at Snowbird Ski Resort for 14 years. He spent over 3000 days skiing the mountains in Utah before moving to Idaho recently. Exploring new fishing adventures with his wife is Bear’s passion in life.
Andrew Stanfield - Webmaster
Andrew is originally from Dayton Ohio and came to Idaho for school (graduating from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a B.S. in Business Managment). Andrew started working for Hyde Outfitters Last Chance Lodge in 2007 booking guided fishing trips and running the hotel in the evening. It was during this summer Andrew gained a love for the great sport of fly fishing. He started working again for Hyde Boats Corporate Headquarters (Idaho Falls) in 2009 managing online marketing and web design. Andrew loves spending time in Idaho's great outdoors with his wife and two sons. Email
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