DaddyO Posted October 20, 2010 Posted October 20, 2010 I think that it would be cool to have a place like that and then add to it the ability to build your own Bamboo (or other material) fly rod on premise. You know, with an instructor and all of the tools and supplies. When you're done with the new rod, break it in at the stream. It would encourage multi night stays to build the rod and in the end the client has a new rod to go home and show his buddies tell his buddies about the experience. Thereby generating the, hopefully, continuous business. Which, in this economy, would have to be packaged and priced right. I've always wanted to build my own Bamboo fly rod, but I don't want to buy all of the tools and supplies for just one rod. DaddyO We all make decisions; but, in the end, our decisions make us.
Al Agnew Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 One thing is for sure...it wasn't working the way it is. Which, to me, means that something would have to change if it was to become profitable. It seems like they have everything there they need, but I fished it a number of times, and always found it to be too artificial an experience. I always went down to the creek above where the main part of the spring enters it and fished for the much less abundant trout there, along with fishing the pool between the spring branch outlet and the bridge. They have enough "length" to the branch the way they brought it through the "meadow" area, that I think with a better design of the part going through the meadow and some serious work on the upper part where it is a "lake" and choked with moss, they could eventually have a REALLY beautiful little spring creek. But that would take lots of dollars over and above the cost of buying it in the first place.
Trout Commander Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Some valid points have been brought up in this thread. The previous owners weren't making money obviously and that could be to any combination of those points: Not profitable due to startup costs, mis-managed etc. Also another point brought up was the fact that Rock Bridge is successful. I have dined there before and inquired as to the fishing rates which are $25 for one day of catch and keep plus (I think) $4.62/lb keeping everything you catch or $80 dusk till dawn in the catch and release area, so it could be that Westover was selling their product too cheap as well. I have spent most of my money on fly fishing and beer. The rest I just wasted. The latest Trout Commander blog post: Niangua River Six Pack
Gavin Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Its hard to make money on a property like that...especially if you have a significant amount of debt to service..Think the former owner owed the bank $6.5M on the place. I really dont think that the property is worth half...but the real estate boom was what it was.... It might work if you could pay cash for the place...Get it to the point were it produces a positive cash flow after taxes and expenses....and hope to sell it to someone else down the road.
KCRIVERRAT Posted October 22, 2010 Posted October 22, 2010 I say we move all operations such as this to Johnson County, Ks. (then we'll nuke it!) ... HUMAN RELATIONS MANAGER @ OZARK FISHING EXPEDITIONS
ColdWaterFshr Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 MDC ownership is the best and only real hope for the place, at least as far as we're concerned.
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