Enjoy the natural characteristics of The River Valley Estate, this stunning 500-acre master- planned community with its picturesque Florida River, broad grasslands, breathtaking mountain views, wildlife corridors, and trophy trout fishing. River Valley is located just a five minute drive away from Durango-La Plata Regional Airport (DRO), it is. The Teton River is an 81.5 mile-long tributary of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River. It drains through the Teton Valley along the western side of the Idaho-Wyoming border. It’s location along the Tetons provides the river with more rainfall than many other rivers in the region.
My dreams of finding a wonderful place to fly fish were boosted to the hilt when I visited Glen valley Lyon in Scotland, above the Tay and its wonderful river that runs through it!
I was introduced to the river Lyon by Ally Gowens, a respected and talented instructor and fly fisherman. I enjoy a lesson from this great man while on holiday at Kenmore, late August last year.
Ally, made me realize that I still had much to learn about this wonderful art of fly fishing. There was I, confident that my casting needed no advice and that I was there to learn how to catch more fish in fast running water… How wrong was I?
The advice on how to fish fast running water and developing a good understanding of the best rules to follow was my need. But this was not all that was offered! Ally was brilliant, giving all the above advice and then moving onto the finer points of my cast…
It was like being back and having my first golf lessons before becoming a golf professional ( yes another love ) just as difficult to understand. My brain took in all the details, and I tried to process it all straight away…No chance!
This was the same with my golf learning days. I soon realized you cant EVER think a good swing, you can’t read about a good swing and then do it. You can’t list the things to do, and then try and read them while swinging the club.
You can only feel a good swing and this comes with practice. A good golf swing is developed and does become part of you! Don’t get bogged down with too much technique.
This brings me back to my fly fishing lesson. I know and understand how a cast is, but listening to Ally, I was soon hanging on to his every word, his words being processed in my mind. The list of what I had to do just started to form, and it just got in my way! My natural ability to cast was for a while not allowed to flow smooth and easy.
I like to think my cast is ok, I’m sure I have more to do before I can say I am good. I learned a lot from Ally about fly fishing, but the most important thing I learned, is to feel the cast as I did with my golf swing. Feel the movement and allow yourself to do it. My old boss Peter Ballingall used to say “ Give yourself permission to do a good swing – and it will happen” and I sure this is true.
Flexibility, dexterity, touch, movement and positive thoughts are all part of a golf swing and also of a good cast. Allowing ourselves to learn each part is the lesson and once practiced they all become one feel, allowing you to hit that golf ball smoothly off the middle of the golf club time and time again; or casting the line off the water, back and forward with ease, allowing the line to deliver the fly with smoothness and accuracy.
They used to say you drive for show and putt for dough! – highlighting the short game in golf is equally or more important than long game. The same could be said of casting, You can cast the line above your head and it may look good, but you will only catch fish when the fly is on the water. Cast slow and smoothly, with feel allowing the line to flow through the rod eyes, turning over and landing that fly as natural as possible – results in a boat load of fish!
After my lesson, I was planning to spend the next few day’s with the family and taking some time out to practice my fishing… I was advised that the river Tay from Kenmore is worth a go ( more of that later). But I must try and visit the River Lyon, running through the Glen Lyon.
What a place to visit, especially the fly fisherman. I have heard it said that Scotland is beautiful,this valley is!
Just Fishing: River Valley Download Full
Drive up from the Bridge of Balgie, taking the 10 mile no-through road up to the Loch Lyon. Great views and a fantastic river running through the valley, eagles and buzzards all on view. Between the Stronuich Reservoir and up to Cashlie (a permit for £6.50 for the day from the post office) the river was great to fish. But my real joy was had on a stretch of river just above Cashlie (a permit is available from the first house in Cashlie on the right side £5.00 for the day). The centre picture in the views above show the river and surrounding river banks. Sheep keep the river banks like cut grass.The river varied it’s flow adding to the challenge of catching those brownies. We were fishing for nearly three hours, blue skies, really warm and a very sunny day. No wind, so it was great to practice my casting and catching as well. Eleven brownies, all on dry flies, the grin on my face was massive. A great place and I can’t wait to return and try the lower beats as well. Thanks to Ally for his advice and directions it was brilliant!