Press Room
Resort at Squaw Creek Fly Fishing Center Led By Certified Instructor
Programs Offered for all Abilities
Olympic Valley, Calif. - The snow is slowly retreating from the alpine valleys near Lake Tahoe, and streams and ponds are filling up. For the AAA Four-Diamond Resort at Squaw Creek, that means fly-fishing season is not far away. North Lake Tahoe's Resort at Squaw Creek pairs luxury accommodations with the true wilderness adventure of fly fishing unlike any resort in the region.
"By day, you can be taught the skills of fly fishing on our very own ponds by Matt Heron, a certified instructor with over 23 years of experience," said Heimo Brandstatter, assistant general manager for Resort at Squaw Creek. "By night, you have all the luxury of a Four-Diamond resort, with amenity-rich rooms and suites, exceptional dining options, a world-class spa, pool and hot tubs to soak in."
The resort features private, on-property, trout-stocked ponds in which, last year, a 10-pound rainbow trout was among the fish pulled from the waters. Plus, the location offers quick access to the Truckee River.
Matt Heron, fishing since the age of three, earned the tools of the trade fishing the fabled trout waters of the historic Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York, and by the age of 10, with fly rod in hand, was chasing the huge trophy steelhead, brown trout and salmon of the great lakes tributaries every fall and spring. Later, his passion for fishing lead him to be trained in the National Outdoor Leadership School in Chilean Patagonia. Before moving to Lake Tahoe, Heron spent time working for the Federation of Fly Fishers in Livingston, Montana. There, he fished numerous rivers including the Yellowstone, Missouri, Big Horn and Blackfoot River, made famous by the Norman MacLean novella and subsequent movie, A River Runs Through it. It was during his time in Montana that he earned the Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Casting Instructor designation.
Most recently, Heron spent two months traveling 7,300 miles to promote the sport around the country with AEG Media and the Fly Fishing Film Tour showcasing the industry's top films.
In spite of fishing some of the most famous rivers in the country, Heron deeply admires the location of the Fly Fishing Center at Resort at Squaw Creek. "We offer a gorgeous setting to learn or perfect the art of fly casting," said Heron. "And with the private, stocked ponds, odds of catching a fish are high."
The Center offers a variety of fly fishing classes and excursions, from the "Fish On" clinic to "Advanced Fly Tying" to guided fishing trips on the Truckee River and surrounding streams. One class that is popular with all ages - and particularly families -- is the "Aquatic Macro Invertebrate Sampling." The class answers the question: "What do fish eat?" This educational course begins with a short PowerPoint presentation on aquatic insects, before taking students to a hands-on class on the water. However, the most popular class remains the 3-hour "Cast n' Catch," which combines 1.5 hours of casting instruction with 1.5 hours of fishing on the stocked ponds.
Of course, as North Lake Tahoe's most complete resort, mountain biking, guided hikes, tennis, and golf are all steps from Resort at Squaw Creek's door. The Resort's outdoor recreation department, known as High Altitude Adventures, also offers Mountain Buddies, a comprehensive program that introduces children ages 4-12 to mountain recreation and activities.
For information or reservations, visit http://www.visitsquawcreek.com/, or call 800.401.9501.
Resort at Squaw Creek is a Destination Hotels & Resorts-managed property. Recently recognized as one of Condé Nast Traveler's "Top 50 Ski Hotels" in North America, the 405-room and suite Resort at Squaw Creek is situated at the base of Squaw Valley USA, five miles from Lake Tahoe. The property features diverse dining options, a full-service spa, and a year-round pool complex with seasonal waterslide. During the summer months, guest can enjoy the on-site Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Championship Golf Course, river rafting on the nearby Truckee River, miles of bike trails and variety of water activities at Lake Tahoe.
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High-resolution, downloadable images of the Resort at Squaw Creek and images of other properties in the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection are available by visiting www.leonardo.com/destination.
