TOP FIVE BENEFITS OF STREAMBED ENHANCEMENT [While these benefits are listed individually, no doubt improving one will have a beneficial effect on everything else!] As a ranch broker for over 16 years, I am often asked “What should we build, remodel, or add, to increase the value of our property?”  Some of the more popular answers include; updating your kitchen, applying a fresh coat of paint, building a barn, and adding some landscaping. However, quite possibly the highest return on investment in your property is maximizing the quality and quantity of your water resources.  As Sporting Property specialists, we can not stress the importance of how valuable your recreational resources are.  Whether it be hunting, fishing, equestrian, snow sports, or just the immeasurable value that wild places and spaces provide, it’s our job to find buyers who see the value in all of it.  That being said, if there is one property attribute that buyers desire more than any other, it’s live water, i.e. rivers, streams, and ponds. INCREASE PROPERTY VALUE Taking the time and effort to maximize the water dynamics on your property brings as much added value and enjoyment as anything else you can do property-wide.  Luckily, streams and ponds can be readily improved through the combination of physical, scientific, and monetary efforts.  The economic and intrinsic values that a productive, healthy, and diverse, river and/or lake provides will undoubtedly set your property apart from all others.   According to a NOAA report, recreational fishing sales exceeded $98 Billion in 2020, and the number of people that participated in fly-fishing in particular tip the scales at 7.6 million people in 2022.  So there is no question that there are a lot of people who see A LOT of value in the fish that inhabit our rivers.  Simply put, improving the fishery on your property will help it stand out to at least 7.6 million people! EROSION CONTROL It seems like in the past decade our western states have seen just about every extreme that Mother Nature can throw at us: floods, droughts, wildfires, and record temperatures to name a few.  Implementing a streambed enhancement plan will help strengthen river banks, increase vegetation and root structure, create additional channels in the river system, and actively prevent the build-up of silt and other unwanted deposits.  All of which will increase your water quality and water flow.   INCREASE IN DESIRED BIODIVERSITY Similar to soil and forest management, rivers and ponds require the creation and implementation of a plan.  I heard a good saying recently that goes something like “In today’s world, if you’re not managing your river (property) with a goal, then you’re managing it for invasive species.” Being intentional about what grows in and around your live water will positively affect every other aspect we discuss here.  In general, the more diverse your ecosystem is, the better the fishery will be.  However, that is easier said than done.  It takes a trained and experienced eye to know what should be added, and what should be removed, to create the ideal habitat for your unique fishery. CLEANER WATER, AND MORE OF IT Unless you are in the business of raising mosquitoes, the more movement (flow) you have in your water source, the healthier it is.  Moving water helps immensely in solving two of the most vitally important water quality issues: Oxygen levels and Water Temperature. While much more subtle, but equally important, is the nutrient sources that are entering your live water sources.  Excessive nutrients, especially phosphates can cause algal blooms, especially during the spring if bright sunshine is combined with low flows. Spring algal growth can suppress the growth of other valuable water plants, which support invertebrates including the blue-winged olive, caddis, and mayflies, all of which are vital food for trout.   BIGGER FISH, AND MORE OF THEM If you are a fisherman, then you have seen firsthand what successful river management will do for the trout size and population.  Without exception, productive streambed enhancement will be aimed at diversifying the dynamics (topography & flow) of the river.  This includes, but is not limited to, preventing bank erosion, deepening pools, creating weirs and barriers, and ensuring a diversified mix of riffles, runs, pools, and eddies.  Doing this creates opportunities for spawning, winter survival, invertebrate growth, and temperature/oxygen regulation.   TOOLS OF THE TRADE As you have probably caught on to by now, diversity in a river is a good thing, which also holds true when it comes to the physical characteristics in and around the river/pond.  This includes the ideal combination of riffles, deep pools, eddies, weirs, channels, and pocket water.  Each one of these parts of the river serve their own purpose to the health of the river as well as the trout and invertebrates that inhabit it.  It takes a skilled and experienced eye to plan, design, and execute the perfect mix of these attributes.  A fisheries specialist will take into consideration both your current, and desired, water flows, graduation, native plant life, invertebrates, and water quality, and trout populations.  They will use everything from computers to excavators to make your river/pond the healthiest and productive it can be.  I can tell you from personal experience, spending the time and effort to transform and enhance your river is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding improvements you can do on your ranch. I'M SOLD!  WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP? Effective and lasting river restoration is surprisingly nuanced and scientific. I encourage you to reach out to your local St. James Sporting Properties broker.  Not only do we have an active list of potential buyers for your unique property, but we can help guide you to a reputable and reliable team of experts who can design and implement your streambed enhancement plan.  Mike Callan is a licensed broker in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.  He can be reached at mike@sjsportingproperties.com , or 970.407.8335.

Keep it on the straight and narrow- the physics behind fly casting. You can spend a lot of money on a fly-fishing setup these days, like, A LOT of money; but none of that fancy equipment will equate to an effective fly cast if you don’t understand the physics of a fly cast, and apply it properly.  The goal behind a good fly cast is to transfer energy most effectively from the rod to the line, which carries the fly to exactly where (and how gently) you want it to land.  Many fly fisherman have a hard time making a long and/or accurate cast because the physics of their cast is working against them, trust me, I’ve seen it happen hundreds of times.  Physics has taught us that objects travels fastest and most accurately in a straight line.  The same holds true when it comes to the path of your fly and fly line.  Keeping that fly line on a straight plane parallel to the ground/water (Fig. 1) is key to transferring the energy from your fly rod effectively to your fly line.  The moment you allow the fly line to drop below that imaginary horizontal plane, (either on your forward cast or back cast) the energy is not transferred as efficiently to your fly line, and the effort required to keep that cast going becomes exponentially more difficult. Figure 1:  Keep the fly line as close to parallel to the ground/water as possible. If you haven’t heard it before, imagine a large clock facing your casting arm.  The starting and stopping points of your cast should be the 10 and 2 o’clock positions.  Doing so will automatically create that flat horizontal plane that you want your fly line to travel along.  Going outside of the 10 and 2 o’clock positions will allow your fly line to drop below that horizontal plane. Figure 2: The stopping points on your forward cast and backcast (10 and 2 o'clock respectively); and having loops the mirror each other on both sides of the cast. There are two things you can do to keep your fly line on that horizontal plane while casting; the first is to adjust the timing of your cast.  Timing adjustments take practice and a little bit of feel, but the idea is to wait until the fly line has fully unfolded in front of you without letting the fly line drop towards the ground once it unfolds, then begin your back cast (and vise-versa).  You will actually pause your cast for a brief moment at the 10 and 2 o’clock positions to allow your fly line to unfold.  The length of the pause will directly correlate to the amount line you are casting with (anywhere from tenths of second on short cast to over a full second on longer casts).  Second is to simply watch what your fly line is doing (or have someone else watch and provide you feedback).  Many fly fisherman forget that their head is on a swivel.  So while the forward cast may look okay (because they are observing it) the back cast may be a mess because they have no idea what that fly line is doing behind them.  A bad back cast can have no other result than a subpar forward cast, it plain physics.  Remember a good fly cast is symmetrical (Fig 2), so simply turn your head and watch your fly line on both ends of your cast (or have an observer watch your arm position, timing, and fly line travel, and provide you feedback as you make adjustments).  Observing both ends of your cast will help your hand-eye coordination and will allow you to see if your fly line is indeed unfolding nicely while still staying up on that imaginary plane.  As a side note, it’s also a good idea to just practice casting while looking behind you as many situations require an equally well place back cast as is the forward cast (e.g., a stream bank with high vegetation behind you). The third key to a good fly rod/fly line energy transfer (i.e., distance and accuracy) is how quickly, and at what point in your cast, you accelerate and decelerate the fly rod to store and release energy.  Let’s using driving a car as an example.  When at a stop, you slowly and steadily press your foot on the gas pedal to accelerate, the same holds true when you start to bring your cast forward; nice and steady (Fig 3). Figure 3:  Smooth acceleration at the onset of bringing your cast forward. Now here comes the most misunderstood part of a long and accurate fly cast.  In order to effectively transfer the energy stored in your fly rod during your forward cast, your stop, or deceleration, must be crisp and quick.  So, back to the car example again… slam on the brakes and anything unsecured in your back will immediately end up in your front seat due to momentum.  Translated to fly casting, instantly stop your fly rod at the 10 o’clock position so energy transfered to the fly line happens instantly,  and the fly line (and fly) will shoot forward as straight and as efficiently as possible.  Following these procedure is what creates tight loops traveling in a straight line, which equals a consistent, accurate and long cast that is so necessary when fly fishing.  Plus, an efficient transfer of energy from your fly rod means your arm is less tired and you can fish longer each day. Mike Callan is a licensed broker Colorado, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, and is a former Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Fly Casting Instructor and fishing guide in Colorado & Alaska; and a manufactures sales representative for some of the finest fly-fishing companies in the world.  Mike can be reached at mike@sjsportingproperties.com or by phone 970.406.8335.

At St. James Sporting Properties, it is obvious that we work hard to promote the wildlife, fish, and various recreational opportunities that exist on every one of our ranch listings. What may not be quite as obvious is how aware and appreciative we are of the Agricultural roots that many of our ranch listings possess.  There is a historical misconception that a ranch is either an agricultural property or recreational property. Understandably, owners of these ranches can be solely focused (or even against) one or the other. This article will help show the benefits of aligning yourself with a brokerage like ours that can realize and maximize both of these vitally important ranch attributes. Realizing a Ranch’s Agriculture Value/Attributes AMERICA FIRST Agricultural production not only benefits the landowner, but it keeps America’s ranching and farming families alive and well. America’s need to be self-reliant has never been greater. Agricultural production is one of the main areas in which we Americans can largely be independent from the who is of the global supply chain. It’s important to remember the effect that maximizing the agricultural component of a property has on our country as a whole. INCOME It goes without saying that the ultimate goal of agricultural production is to make a profit. There are different lease options available that benefit both the landowner and the agricultural tenant. Whether it be a Cash Rent, Crop Share, Net Share, or a hybrid approach, ranch owners who are primarily focused on hunting or recreation may still reap the benefits from leasing the land to an agriculturally focused tenant. TAX BENEFITS Many of our western states/counties assess property taxes at a significantly lower rate if used for agricultural purposes. Even if a landowner gains a relatively small profit from the ranch’s agricultural production/income, the tax benefits of qualifying as an agricultural property are well worth it.  GRAZING/RECREATIONAL PERMITS It’s becoming more and more common to see a ranch represented with its “Total Acres”. This is because the ranch owner, in addition to their deeded land, may often possess grazing/recreational permits on adjoining public and/or private Land. Whether it be National Forest, BLM, State Land, or nearby private property, these permits help expand the ranch’s grazing potential and carrying capacity while, at the same time, lowering the chance for over-grazing of the deeded land. Some state and/or private leases offer an agricultural lease as well as a recreational lease. This help expands a ranch’s grazing and hunting area at a very minimal cost to the owner/tenant.  HABITAT ENHANCEMENT It’s worth pointing out that the majority of property enhancements created to help farming and livestock operations can also benefit wildlife (i.e., Stock Tanks, Irrigation, Grass/Hay, Crops, Tree Rows, Shelterbelts, Noxious Weed Control, Nutrient Supplements, Winter Feeding, Predator Management, and Erosion Control). The list goes on, but more often than not, ranches with agricultural components tend to attract and hold more wildlife.  Realizing a Ranch’s Recreational Value/Attributes INCOME In the same way an owner can lease their land to an agricultural tenant, a livestock/farming focused rancher can also lease their land out for recreational purposes. Again, one has various options to choose from depending on their situation. These may include: leasing the hunting/fishing rights to a licensed outfitter, booking private hunting/fishing clients on their own, accepting a trespass fee for hunters to travel through the ranch, or (in some states) selling hunting permits assigned to the ranch to 3rd parties. BIG GAME LANDOWNER TAGS In certain states, like Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Idaho, qualifying ranches may obtain big game landowner permits separate from the general public draw. In these states, those tags may be sold or gifted to a 3rd party hunter and provide an additional source of income for the ranch owner. While other states, like Wyoming, allow for big game landowner permits, they are only valid for use by the landowner’s immediate family. Still, that does add value to the ranch and can help separate properties that qualify for landowner tags from those that don’t. *Please refer to each state’s wildlife agency for more details. FISHERY & STREAMBED ENHANCEMENT There is no better way to add value to a property than to enhance the live water that’s on it. Improving the fishery and wetland habitat not only adds enjoyment, but value, for the landowner. Working with Fishery & Wildlife Specialists to maximize the ponds and rivers’ ability to hold fish, waterfowl, and water itself, is always money well spent, especially in the West! NATURAL BEAUTY John Muir once said “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” There is value, be it economically, functionally, visually, or spiritually, in allowing a ranch to be what it has always been: A unique combination of water & winds, plants & animals, challenges & rewards, and peace & quiet. In an ever-growing world, the value of connecting with nature and the wild things that call it home has never been more important to future landowners FAMILY AND FRIENDS Most of us would agree that the time spent with our family and friends in the outdoors are some of the most memorable moments in our lives. At the end of the day, there is immeasurable value in having a piece of land to call your own. A place where family and friends can gather and explore. A place where a granddaughter’s first fish, or a grandfather’s last deer, is worth more than anything else money can buy. In conclusion, we understand the economic and intrinsic values that a ranch’s Agriculture and Recreational opportunities has to offer. Call the specialists at St. James Sporting Property today to see how we can bridge the gap between Ag & Rec in order to truly show everything this western land has to offer! Mike Callan is a Real Estate agent licensed in CO, ID, WY, MT.  He can be reached via email [mike@sjsportingproperties.com] and phone [970-406-8335].