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barbless hooks, big nets and huge trout...
The eight stillwaters of this fly fisherman's paradise were created over thirteen years ago, the water is perfect habitat for trout to forage and grow. They hold an abundant population of Brown, Rainbow, Tiger, Brook trout and the acrobatic Donaldson  Steelhead. These large fish provide a wonderful challenge to anglers of all skill levels. Perfect your cast from the banks or enjoy testing your skill in one of our float tubes or pontoon boats. The stillwaters provide an excellent learning ground for beginning fly fishers and hold many trophy size fish to excite the most seasoned fly fisherman. The largest fish to date has been recorded at 32 inches with the average fish being in the 18 to 20 inch range. There is no way of knowing in which of the eight stillwaters the next big fish will be caught.
Each stillwater has its own secrets and idiosyncrasies that provide endless challenges and variety. These waters are catch and release with barbless hooks only.
Beautiful facility, excellent service, great lake fishing on-site with multiple local stream fishing options. WOW!
Bernie E. - California 2003
| Catch and Release
Fly fishing is one of the few sports where you can actually catch a wild creature, admire its incredible beauty up close and then release it unharmed.
Don't waste time. Quickly play and release fish. A fish played to long may be to exhausted to recover.
Avoid touching a fish you are going to release. Removing its body slime makes it vulnerable to disease. And do not remove it from the water; its internal organs don't handle gravity very well. If you must handle a fish that you plan to release, wet your hands first to reduce damage to its protective slime.
If your fish is small, slide your hand down the leader, grasp the barbless hook, and twist it free. If your fly is deep in the fish's mouth, you may try using a pair of pliers or forceps to retrieve it, but its chance of survival is much better if the leader is cut and the hook is left in place.
To subdue larger fish, use a net made of soft material or rubber that will not hurt the fish, and keep it in the water if you can.
Revive exhausted fish. Hold it upright in the water (heading upstream in streams) and move it back and forth to force water through its gills. When the fish revives and begins to swim normally, let it go to survive and challenge another angler. |
Habitat Improvements
In the spring of 2004, after careful consideration and research, the water was piped as it comes into the canyon from the top of the north rim. Water now travels inside an underground pipe into Nighthawk and waterfalls about four feet into that lake (aeration). This is saving water that has been lost in the past to evaporation and that was soaking into the ground, it also brings it in six to ten degrees colder. The overflow water from Nighthawk is piped from the bottom of that lake into Inspiration where it again falls about four feet into that lake. The overflow water from Inspiration is taken from the bottom and run into Swallow, where it is piped from the bottom of that lake into Mountain Sheep by way of another waterfall. The water from Mountain Sheep spills into Green Meadow by culvert. From Green Meadow the water flows by stream into Arrowhead. From Arrowhead it is taken by pipe to create the waterfall at Willow Falls, from there it is returned to the bottom of the canyon and travels to the ranch below.
Overall, these changes have provided colder, cleaner, and more oxygen rich water to all five of the top lakes. The added aeration and lower temperatures have produced bigger fish than ever.
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