We will also feature fishing properties we know have some significant fishing resource or potential resource that can be further developed.

For those who are considering buying waterfront property, we offer an evaluation consultation to help you gauge the quality of the property not only now, but into the future. From a site review we can forecast lake or stream management issues the potential owners may face in the future. Often times unanticipated lake management expenses arise with the homeowners bearing a great financial responsibility. We strive to help potential property owners avoid poorly planned waterfront developments. There are times this will require a site visit and other situations where we can develop a relatively comprehensive evaluation from our office if we have access to the history of the water as well as a range of data that is easily collected locally. People are very often surprised what we can decipher from a handful of old photographs of a lake or stream. A waterfront property inspection service may sound novel at first, but ask a few lakefront or riverfront property owners how they would have felt about a waterfront evaluation before they became financially responsible for maintaining a lake.

Often people will search in vain for the ideal quality in waterfront or lakefront property. In this case we are uniquely qualified to evaluate land to build the lake you desire. There are wide differences in lake construction costs that can be minimized by finding well suited land for a lake. Additionally, dry land is potentially much less expensive than an existing waterfront thus the owner has an economic advantage in developing their own lake or waterfront property.

An investment in experienced professional pre-purchase advice is most often rewarded many fold in both construction expense and the ultimate value of waterfront recreation property.

The value of waterfront properties is strongly influenced by the emotional value our aquatic habitat designs provide for our clients. It remains difficult to assign a monetary value to crystal clear water ponds and lakes with trophy size fish. This value is reflected in the higher property selling prices our clients receive for their pond, lake or stream waterfront property when compared to other waterfront property.

The investment potential of professionally designed lakes, ponds and streams is unique. Developing highly aesthetic natural landscapes that offer rare recreational benefits and a true "one-of-a-kind" niche in its market, tends to elevate our projects from the real estate commodity market into the dream property catagory. When a potential buyer can look out from the home and see eight-pound trout in a crystal clear pond or lake, they realize two things: they have to have this property and they are not going to be able to negotiate a lower price.

* SOLD * The Horseshoe Ranch on Oregon's famous Wood River.

The Horseshoe Ranch sits on a crystal clear spring fed river filled with steelhead size wild rainbow trout that feed in Klamath Lake. The only other dry fly river we know of in the lower 48 states that can rival the Wood for oversized rainbow trout is the Williamson River which also feeds Klamath Lake. Significant trophy fishing properties are rarely available on either of these rivers because of their fishing quality. The scenery of the surrounding country is on a par with the fishing. Crater Lake National Park is less than ten miles from the Horseshoe.

This property is a prime candidate for either a conservation easement or a private wildlife preserve, including all of the associated tax benefits. Some of our clients prefer to fund and direct their own wildlife preserves instead of donating to other nonprofit organizations.

The river itself is in pristine condition. There are only a few light touches we would apply to augment hiding cover for the trout. There is also a potential to add a small lake in order to extend the fishing season and further enhance the pristine aesthetics of this property. Take a look through the websites above for photos.

A twenty minute drive from The Horseshoe Ranch will put you on some of the best fishing on Klamath Lake. We coined the phrase "raincoat trout" long ago for these fish since even on sunny days we wear raingear when fishing from a float tube. It's the only way to stay dry on good fishing days. This is NOT an exaggeration. An average fish here runs over four pounds and no one gets excited until the fish reach double digits. These are the same fish that swim past the front door of the Horseshoe Ranch on their way to spawn.