Fly Fishing,    donnie beaver,    HomeWaters Alliance,    lefty kreh,    Opinion,    spring ridge club

Donnie Beaver's Spring Ridge Club Pops Up Again - with Lefty Kreh in Tow

By Tom Chandler 5/28/2010 5 minutes

I understand the concept of luxury establishments just fine, and even if I didn't, I largely lack the class warrior gene. If the rich want to pay through the nose to catch pellet-fed trout, then more power to 'em.

Still, when Donnie Beaver enters into the equation - the much-disliked "entrepreneur" who has repeatedly tried to illegally bar public access to public waters - then I'm also completely willing to howl at the moon a little.


It appears Beaver's (Ward, I'm concerned about the Beaver) westward expansion has resulted in a the HomeWaters Club (Official Motto: Never Again Be Forced to Fly Fish With Common People).

This from the "Luxist" web site:

HomeWaters Club is a theme based private club, with multiple locations and reciprocal rights of use in each, similar to an equity-based destination club, but with a fly-fishing identity. It was formed in 2009 as an alliance between Spring Ridge Club of Pennsylvania and Alpine River Club of Colorado, to preserve, and offer members access to 35 miles of trout and steelhead waters across Pennsylvania and 40 miles of the streams and rivers in Colorado. At present, there are nearly 200 members, and the club is expanding to other areas of the US. But right now, the locations span from central, northeastern and Erie, Pennsylvania, to Vail and Steamboat Springs Colorado areas.

So far, it's pretty standard marketing puffery, albeit for a company whose bylaws include a hoofprint signature from the cloven-hooved deceiver himself.

But in the next paragraph, note the appearance of a well-known fly fisherman's name:

Recently, a new dimension was added to HomeWaters Club, and that is is HomeWaters University. This is a new program designed to offer a two-day fly-fishing immersion experience. With a staff of 20 fishing guides, HomeWaters University can teach beginners and experts, children and parents, from how to cast for the first time, all the way to learning new casting skills. Housed at the HomeWaters Club new River Village in Spruce Creek, Pennsylvania, the center-piece of HomeWaters University is the first-ever Lefty Kreh Challenge Course
offering a range of dry-land, still-water and moving-water stations.

Ahh, Lefty - fly fishing's Biggest Self-Promoter Most Recognized Name. Did you really have to do it?

Clearly, fly fishing isn't a route to a lifetime of riches or early, yacht-based retirement.


That said, you risk being exposed for feet of clay when you mess with the folks drawing the attention of a lot of airborne rotting vegetables.

See you on the river, Tom Chandler.
Destinations
Basalt Colorado
 (1)
Most everyone has heard of Aspen, known for its physical beauty, great access to skiing, high-end resorts, and home to innovative think tanks and institutes. Yet just a ½ hour drive ... morenorth on I-82 will take you to Basalt, a mile-high jewel of the Rockies. Surrounded on all sides by the White River National Forest, Basalt is also where two of the state’s best fly fishing rivers come together – the Gold Medal Frying Pan and Gold Medal Roaring Fork – and it’s a mere 30 minutes to the Colorado River.

Named for the nearby rock formations on Basalt Mountain, this town like many others in Colorado began in the late 1800’s as a mining and railroad junction. Trains were used to move people, charcoal and charcoal kilns, which at the time brought people to the area and employed many. Today the Frying Pan Kilns at Arbaney Park are an important tourist attraction.

Adventure sports and outdoor activities are the major tourist draw to the area. Within the White River National Forest there are 8 areas officially designated as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, including Eagles Nest, Flat Tops and the Hunter-Fryingpan. In addition, there are 10 peaks with elevations in excess of 14,000 feet including Snowmass, Castle and Gray’s Peak. The area also features a dozen ski areas including Aspen Mountain and Aspen Highlands, Beaver Creek, Snowmass and Vail.

Anyone planning a fly fishing vacation along with others not interesting in casting a line, there are scores of alternative activities to keep them engaged. They can choose from White water rafting on the Roaring Fork, boating on the Ruedi Reservoir, and needless to say, skiing. For those who like to bike, there are over a dozen, world class, cross country bike trails, as well as lift accessed down-hill biking throughout the valley. Hiking trails are numerous, varying in length, elevation and difficulty.

Not to be outdone by Aspen, Basalt is home to the Rocky Mountain Institute’s (RMI) new “Net-Zero Innovation Center,” located on the banks of the Roaring Fork. The Roaring Fork Conservancy is also currently building a new, state of the art center near RMI’s.

There are several ways to reach Basalt, including:

Fly into Grand Junction Regional Airport and drive approximately 2 hours

Fly into Denver International Airport and drive approximately 3 hours

Fly into Colorado Springs Airport and drive approximately 4 hours

Fly into Salt Lake City International Airport and drive approximately 6 hours
Trips:
Colorado River Wade Trip with Frying Pan Anglers
Colorado River Float Trip with Frying Pan Anglers
Roaring Fork River Wade Trip with Frying Pan Anglers
All 6 Fishing Trips
Fishing Waters:
Eagle River Fishing Report
Colorado River Fishing Report
Frying Pan River Fishing Report
All 5 Fishing Water Reports
Fishing Waters
Blue River Fishing Report
Starting in the Tenmile Range near Quandry Peak, not far from Breckenridge, the Blue River can be thought of as a tale of two tailwaters. All 65 miles of the Blue have been classified ... moreby the state as a Blue Ribbon trout fishery. It follows the same basic route as the Williams Fork River; both run basically parallel to Route 9, which provides ample access to fishing in these waters.

Starting at an altitude well over 8,000 feet, the river courses north through the scenic, mountainous, Breckenridge area before it is impounded by the Dillon Dam, just shy of Silverthorne. The tailwater below the Dillon is flush with well fed, super-sized trout that obtain their girth from the consistent, ample supply of Mysis shrimp released from the dam. From here the river passes through town where access points are numerous, easy to find and easy to fish.

North of Silverthorne the river is impounded once again at the Green Mountain Reservoir; the water below this reservoir receives another distinction from the state, that of Wild Trout fishery. While the trout in this tailwater tend to be smaller than those pulled from the upper tailwater, they are still ample and sizeable. Below Dillon Dam, the river is managed as a year-round, catch and release fishery. Rainbows and browns dominate although cutthroat and brooks are also present. Kokanee salmon can be found during fall spawning season.

In addition to abundant trout, the river also flows through a variety of different terrain, providing a continuing feast for the eyes. Passing through the Blue River Valley, the Gore Wilderness Area and it’s looming peaks paint the horizon. There are other sections where the river runs through old cattle ranches, some dating back to the mid 1800’s. Wherever you are on this river, nothing disappoints.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Cutthroat Trout
Rainbow Trout
Kokanee Salmon
All 5 Fish Species
Williams Fork River Fishing Report
Many consider the Williams Fork River to be among the most beautiful of those that wind through the Colorado River Valley. Lined by majestic stands of Cottonwoods, Elk, Mule Deer and ... moreother wildlife are also frequently seen. The river flows through Grand County between the valleys of the Fraser River and the Blue River. The course of the Williams Fork runs nearly parallel to that of the Blue River.

Its headwaters are at the confluence of McQueary Creek and Bobtail Creek, near the Berthoud Pass, just west of the Continental Divide. A rather small river in length and width, the Williams Fork can be easily casted across at just about any point along the way. As a walk-in only river, (snow shoes may be needed in winter months) this river tends to remain uncongested throughout most of the year.

Despite its small size, the river has an extremely high gradient, meaning the water runs fast and hard. For most of its 35 mile journey the river flows uninterrupted until reaching the Williams Fork Reservoir - but it is here that the river becomes most desirable to fishermen. The two mile stretch between the reservoir and its confluence with the Colorado River is some of the finest tailwater found anywhere in the entire state.

First and foremost, the Williams Fork is a nymph fishery where subsurface fishing with strike indicators, straight lines and dry dropper techniques will all get the job done. It is primarily dominated by 12-16 inch brown trout and most of these are wild. Large rainbows may also be found, especially in the spring months when they move in from the Colorado.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Rainbow Trout
Brown Trout
St. Vrain Creek Fishing Report
The St. Vrain Creek or St. Vrain river as it is sometimes referred to is still a place where a flyfisher can find solitude. Simply put, it's a small stream fishing paradise. The St. ... moreVrain is a beautifyl creek that holds browns and rainbows in its lower reaches. The upper parts have good poplulations of brook trout and cutthroat trout.

Three main forks form the St. Vrain Creek. Highway 7 and Old St. Vrain Road follow the South Fork of the St. Vrain
Creek for 10 miles or so. Park and fish along the road. On County Road 96, just off Highway 72 you will find a trailhead for the South Fork which will take you back into the high country.

The Middle St. Vrain Creek rises along the continental divide, west of St. Vrain Mountain. It descends into a canyon to flow along State Highway 7 and past Raymond and joins the shorter South St. Vrain Creek about two miles below Raymond. Access the middle fork from a trailhead in the Peaceful valley.

North St. Vrain Creek rises northeast of St. Vrain Mountain near Allenspark and descends in a canyon to the east along U.S. Highway 36. The two branches join at Lyons, at the mouth of the canyon. Use the trainhead at Wild Basin to take you into the high country of the Rocky Mountain National Park.

The St. Vrain is a tributary of the South Platte River.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Rainbow Trout
Brown Trout
Brook Trout
Fishing Trips:
St. Vrain River Float Trip with Colorado Trout Fisher
Trips
St. Vrain River Float Trip with Colorado Trout Fisher
$
225-
$
295
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 3 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
1 day
Steep canyon walls and fast and furious pocket water characterize the St. Vrain. The creek is located just outside of Lyons, Colorado just a short and scenic drive from Denver or Boulder. ... moreThe fly fishing is great and so is the scenery! One cannot help but drift back to the days of the old west as you drive through the picturesque clay canyons of the St. Vrain.

The creek is home to lots of opportunistic brown trout and a good sustainable population of rainbow trout. The Vrain is probably best known for the summer time caddis hatch, with blanket hatches of fluttering bugs happening most every evening, making the creek a dry fly fisher’s paradise.

We are also fortunate that the creek tends to stay ice free throughout the year. So don’t let a little snow stop you, winter fly fishing can be fantastic on sunny days in January and February. The midge hatch makes for some great surface action and this is the best winter fly fishing trip close to Boulder.

Another guide favorite, let one of our pro trout hunters show you the secrets of the St. Vrain.
Colorado River Float Trip with Rocky Mountain Adventures
$
360-
$
560
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 2 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
1 day - 2 days
The Upper Colorado River flows westward from its headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park. We float fish a section of the river that begins at the Pumphouse Recreation Area near ... morethe town of Kremmling, Colorado. The river is wide and the scenery is beautiful. Floating the river you will find broad meanders, moderate rapids and areas of calm water. We fly fish primarily for rainbow and brown trout which vary in size from 8 to 18 inches and, although cutthroat tout are not as plentiful, we do hook them occasionally. We offer an overnight trip where we camp on the banks of the river. Dinner and breakfast are cooked at camp.
Colorado River Float Trip with Frying Pan Anglers
$
400-
$
475
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 2 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
4 hours - 1 day
Destination:
Basalt Colorado
Book an incredible fishing trip on the Colorado River with Frying Pan Anglers. The Colorado is teeming with trout and Frying Pan Anglers will show you where to catch them. 
Outfitters
Rocky Mountain Adventures
Since 1993, Rocky Mountain Adventures has been helping people have fun. We offer whitewater rafting outings, kayaking classes and fly-fishing classes and guided outings. In addition, ... morewe have a full rental program for those of you wanting to venture on your own. Whether you're an outdoors enthusiast or are a little outdoors timid, we can help you find an experience that's just your speed.

If you're coming to Colorado on vacation, or you live here and are looking for a fun experience for your visiting friends or relatives, an adventure from Rocky Mountain Adventures may be just what you need.

LOCATION

We have four locations to serve you. Our main retail store and offices are located in Fort Collins at the corner of U.S. Highway 287 and Shields Street, just north of Fort Collins. This site is within easy reach of one of our most popular rivers, the Cache la Poudre River. It is from here that we shuttle you to and from your Cache la Poudre rafting trip. If you fish or kayak with us, we often have you assemble here as well.

Here you'll find convenient parking, bathrooms, a place to change into your river clothes, and an opportunity to purchase those last minute items like sunglasses, hats, film and sunscreen. We also have some great t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other casual outdoor wear. You can also meet our Pigeon Express™ pigeons and see how they live in their comfy loft.

Our Fort Collins store is also a full-service paddling shop, complete with several lines of kayaks and associated paddling gear. We specialize in whitewater, touring and lake kayaking. For rafting and kayaking, we stock gear for rent or purchase: life jackets, paddles, wet suits, booties, and helmets. We also carry kayaks, rafts, rescue equipment, dry bags, repair supplies, books and many other items.

We have another office in Estes Park where we meet for many of our fly fishing and lake kayak outings. The Clear Creek trips run out of our Downieville office. Downieville is situated near Idaho Spring which is just 30 minutes west of Denver. The town of Kremmling located within 45 - 55 minutes of Winter Park, Grand Lake and Steamboat Springs is the river office for all of our Colorado trips. The Downieville and Kremmling offices are run under our Mad Adventures company name so don't be confused by the different name.
Fishing Trips:
Outfitter Blogs:
"When I Die, Bury Me With My Phillipson Bamboo Fly Rods." Part One.
Review: Orvis Lightweight Pack & Travel Waders (Are Sonic-Welded Waders Reliable?)
John Gierach Talks About Trout Bumhood, Life, Fly Fishing's Class Wars, and Extreme Fly Fishing
All 4 Blog Posts
Type:
Fishing
AuthorPicture

Tom Chandler

As the author of the decade leading fly fishing blog Trout Underground, Tom believes that fishing is not about measuring the experience but instead of about having fun. As a staunch environmentalist, he brings to the Yobi Community thought leadership on environmental and access issues facing us today.

20 comments
Write a Comment
Brad1: Does anybody else have a problem with the Fly Shop, in Redding, CA, and their arrangement with the Westlands Water District to sell access to the Bolibokka Club reaches of the McCloud River? Yeah, this is wonky for sure. As you noted, Westlands bought the property to make sure there were as few roadblocks as possible to raising Shasta Dam (for example, if someone built houses on the property). ... more That they're now gaining some kind of return on that investment in the destruction of the property is pretty hinky. Here's another Fun Fact: after buying the property, Westlands briefly explored the idea of annexing it into their irrigation district, thereby gaining access to water rights senior to what they have now. It's a ludicrous idea, but it's yet another example of Westlands' willingness to function as a largely amoral entity. They're basically evil.
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Does anybody else have a problem with the Fly Shop, in Redding, CA, and their arrangement with the Westlands Water District to sell access to the Bolibokka Club reaches of the McCloud River? Westlands bought the property to make it easier for them to drown it in waters from a raised Shasta Dam to provide more water for Southern California. Westlands could just as easily have opened the waters to all, ... more like the Conservancy did near Ah-Di-Nah. Instead, they set it up so that they mitigate criticism for restricting access, the way the members-only club did, but that high-priced access is restricted to folks likely to be sympathetic to the needs of Big Ag and south CA development. Its an arrangement that keeps down the number of people who've seen how special the place is, that keeps down the number of people who might campaign to preserve the waters. And the Fly Shop is right there helping Westland achieve their goals. I don't mind when the Fly Shop helps a rancher get additional income from waters on his property through their Private Waters program, but I don't like it when they end up helping eliminate an incredible piece of water. Fun fact: When the Bollibokka Club was still owned by members (mainly the Mills family of coffee fame), they submitted their objections to the idea of raising the dam.
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No, you'd think someone was trying to privatize a public resource for personal financial gain, and that some of fly fishing's "celebrities" were willing to go along with it if they were accorded VIP status in the resulting pellet-head fishery. No, the world's not coming to an end. But yes, it's worth noting.
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So do you not feel that this country's legacy of public lands is a heritage worth preserving? Are you OK with individuals who are actively engaged in removing lands from public usage? Is wrongfully posting public land as "private" in order to keep out the "wrong sort" an acceptable practice to you? Should those individuals who evidently support such activities get a free pass? Just askin'... Because ... more this has much greater ramifications than just fishing.
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My God, you all need a life. All this uproar about who can't fish where in what water. Or that some guy sold his soul by making money, again all to do with fishing. You would think the world was coming to an end.
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It seems everyone has their price, including the fly fishing celebrities. Their silence has been purchased, probably at a discount price, since none of them got rich from writIng fly fishing books.
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I, too, am disappointed in kreh. Sam PA Troutguy has said just what I would say about kreh. Perhaps it is truly about self promotion. IMO, he, the becks, and joe Humphreys have all sold out to donny beaver and his evil empire and deserve no support from average flyfishers. I have dropped several magazine subscriptions b/c of their use of beck photos. Anyhow, it is truly sad what their support of the ... more evil empire says about their approach to fly-fishing.
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oh yeah as far is lefty is concerned if thats true. he is doing the opposite of what his whole life has been dedicated to. he has been known to seek out and fish for wild natural trout his whole life. with even books written on the subject, and has always promoted the challenges and rewards that go with it. so much for that. i guess its hell to get old.
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a great story that needs to be told. while fishing a very well known local wild trout stream in pa i happen to run into a very young fine young man, fairly new to the sport. i noticed immediately he was having some basic technical issues in wich we quickly resolved. he was a young college student with an unbeleivable passion for flyfishing for trout .after showing him a few basic techniques, he started ... more to land a few quality native trout. he had way too much line out and had his rod tip was too low to indicate a clean take. long story short he begins to tell me that last year he and his pap had a weekend with the beavers, and that he learned more in an hour than what he did not in 3 days, and that he had a fish on every cast on spruce creek that weekend. thats great ,lets take the future of our sport and teach them how to catch large hand fed trout all weekend and teach them nothing. in 2 hours i had him tying improved clinch knots, he had a good understanding of fly selection , he learned how to build a tapered leader, and considerably had a good natural nymph drift on a wild stream. obviously i got very little fishing in that day, but it was most enjoyable to pass on some knowledge to the future of our sport. the icing on the cake was when i showed him how to tie on the proper tippet size to cast 14 caddis and on the first cast he caught a nice wild brown on a dry fly. his final words. this was the best day fishing i ever had. thats what flyfishing is all about, not taking a new flyfisherman to some over stocked (hatchery) and not teaching him a thing. it was a good day.
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My beef with the Beavers has always been their tendency to illegally fence off water, something which has happened several times. That so many high-profile folks are happy to support that kind of behavior is interesting, to say the least...
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The concerning bit for me is the fact that they've been able to rope off 75 miles of water in 10 years. They now have 200 self righteous pricks with nothing better to do with their deep coffers than blow it on exclusive rights to the trout chow arenas and expanding their evil empire. I hear the BS argument a lot that "they're posting land that always was private anyway". What people have to realize ... more is that there are people who seek out remote trout streams on private land and then work with the landowner to get permission to fish on their property. This means fixing fences, bailing hay, cleaning up around the place or dropping off a fresh apple pie once in a while. With this group competing in that playing field, we can't win. The more access they buy and lease, the less chance any of us have of ever finding a mutually beneficial landowner/flyfisherman relationship. The homewaters website openly lists a large number of their followers, and I would urge anyone who feels strongly about this to review those names and in some cases companies to avoid helping them in any way. Two of their long time supporters are Barry and Cathy Beck. Unfortunately, TU features some of their photographs in their calendar. I tore their photo out and burned it to get my grill started. Sorry for posting on an old post. I've just been revisiting this issue lately and came across this post.
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I gotta say, the copy unimpressed almost as much as Lefty's reappearance in a Beaver endeavor. And they probably did get a copywriter... right off elance....
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I'm with Philip, but it gets even better. Any guide knows that you'll meet these folks sooner or later. They appear in your boat honed and ready to rock, with their diploma from Home Waters U (and a nice embroidered polo, too). If they are the effusive type they'll wax on about the top-flight preparation and experience they've had. Then they'll proceed to suck because they've met nothing but tame ... more fish and manicured water, having been quarantined from the real world. Oh, the hilarity. And you'd think they'd get a copywriter for all that jack. That's pretty turgid stuff for a high-end outfit. Let's hope they hired better trout-polishers and grasshopper-droppers for the actual fishing part. Dave
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Gotta admire this approach to an irritating subject. You win the Underground's "glass half full" award. As for the game farms, you may have a point, though if you've ever been at a shooting range during the fall "tune-up" period for all the once-a-year deer hunters, you'd know there's plenty of people out there wholly capable of endangering the rest of us - including a couple who literally couldn't ... more hit the side of a refrigerator box at 100 yards...
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Aw, hell, Lefty's gotta eat too. These kinds of clubs serve a good purpose, since they keep a bunch of witless clods off of our rivers; not unlike the"game farms" where the unskilled and clueless can be kept amused without endangering the rest of us. They also probably help the equipment makers.
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another rub from the pimple on the ass of humanity.Now we have to irritations to cause us to walk diffferent...please Lord if you have a sence of humor allow Mr. Buttbreath to meet me on a river bank.
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This issue should be referred to the Trout Underground's Special Covert Operations division. Publish the names and addresses of these wind knots in TU's "We Know Where You Live" directory. Also, a memo to TFO's Rick Pope, expressing a concern for a spokesperson who would promote private waters, and maybe, just maybe, that same spokesperson, for the same reason, may just endorse foreign fly rods.
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Most of the guys that have $88K to plop down on a membership for some fly fishing anything probably won't live long enough to see a real ROI on that investment. Just say'n.
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For $88K or whatever, the fishing really should be better....
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Ahh, Lefty. Last week pimping for Tennesee, this week it's, well, whatever place is paying him right now. Oh, Lefty, should I spend 25 large and go to Spruce Creek or out west? To which Lefty replies, “ “I told him not to go out west and said he should go to [Tennesee] [Spruce Creek] [where ever I am right now]. There's better fly fishing down there [up there, over there, somwhere] for trout than ... more there is out west now.” What a tool.
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