Mac's first monster on a fly!
Ok, so this isn't one of our prams. Pretty cool though huh?
The picture to the left is of my daughter, Mackenzie ("Mac") and her dad (me) at a small lake in B.C. with the picture being taken by Brian Chan. As you can see it helps to have an experienced "guide" on the trip.
As everyone else in the world Mac and I have had some challenges and a life-altering event over the past couple of years which have affected both our business as well as our personal lives. Moving forward I make a commitment to you that I will try to keep up on changes and additions to the most informative site on the Internet regarding prams. There are some new and very exciting additions that will show up as we move forward with these updates. So, stay tuned!
NEW NEWS : We have delivered another boat to Desert Fly Angler in Ephrata and I don't think Darc has sold it.........yet. This one, another Stillwater Classic has the Electric Motor Cable Kit as well as anchor systems fore and aft. I will be starting another one for him soon as this one won't last long, just like the first couple boats. So, if you live anywhere in Eastern Washington feel free to go in and say hi to Darc and check out his shop in Ephrata. And, oh yeah, while you're there take a look at our Stillwater Classic.
Were now on Facebook. Whoo hooo! I'm not really sure what that means exactly
but we're there. I will be updating that from time to time and using it to
introduce new products such as our new 14' boat when it's in testing,
available, etc. as well as exciting new offerings from Stillwater Solutions. So, become a friend or whatever they call it. You should be
able to click on the Facebook link here and it should take you
there...........I hope.
Ok, here's the pram picture for you.
Spring Creek Prams is a family-owned business based in Tonasket, Washington the heart of the Okanogan Highlands. Spring Creek Prams is the largest manufacturer of custom built, hand-laid fly fishing prams in the world. This website is my way of not only telling you more about prams in general, my prams and accessories, but sharing some of the simple pleasures we realize from fly fishing from a well-built, well-designed pram.
To my way of thinking, there’s a lot more to fly fishing then just catching (and releasing) fish. Many times it's both who you're with as well as the where you are. When you put those two together it can be magic. Like the satisfaction of covering a rise with a long, accurate cast. Or the feel of the oars in your hands as you glide effortlessly over the perfectly still surface of a misty lake. It’s all part and parcel of fly fishing from a pram. My hope is that you will enjoy the experience of fly fishing from your Spring Creek pram just as much as I enjoy building one for you.
Jim & Shauneen (in memoriam) Wheeler
The Guts
Welcome to the most informative website on the design, construction and use of a pram, the most stable small boat platform on the planet. We continue to add more boats, more fish loving and stealthy color selections and many more things you don't see. We also now have a small fly shop in the office of our 2400sf manufacturing facility here in the sunny Okanogan Highlands just East of Tonasket stocked with the full line of Stillwater Solutions fly tying materials, more than anyone else in the country as well as many supporting products that you can't find at your local fly shop. We are also the nation's largest retailer of Stillwater Solutions so that says something about our interest and knowledge of the line. There is not a more well thought out line of stillwater tying materials on the planet. Those of you who have fished Ell Lake (many more than we thought) we have a view of the lake which gives you an idea of where we are. We also working on a line of hand crafted stillwater rods and all of our accessories for those of you building a pram or just upgrading whatever boat you have.
The best opportunity to see the quality and workmanship I put into each and every pram we produce is to see one in person but we understand that may not be possible. No big mega business producing big numbers of boats. Just one guy who really does give a damn about producing the absolute best prams available at the best price. It's all about value isn't it? The other way would be to take a leisurely drive to our shop about 18 miles Southeast of Tonasket.
Why a Pram?
Tired of the time it takes to get into your waders, fins float tube, to the water, etc.? We can reduce that time to less than 5 minutes. With the skyrocketing cost of pontoon boats a pram makes sense. Pontoon boats don't take the five minutes the manufacturers say they do to set up. If you are going to transport a pontoon boat on the top of your car, in the back of a truck, on top of a car or our favorite, on a trailer (don't laugh, we saw a minivan with a trailer set up to transport two fully inflated pontoon boats) why wouldn't you go with a pram......just a pram.....no waders, no fins, no pump and no set up? So, you were looking for another reason to ditch your float tube or pontoon boat this just might be it!
So, why a pram? Unmatched Stability - Versatility - Portability
Why a Spring Creek Pram?
Unsurpassed Quality
Known worldwide as the leader in pram design and construction
Long Term Value
Materials and workmanship far exceed all other builders. I believe in value over profits
Design and Product Testing
As most other manufacturers we too have product testers and owners that include fisheries biologists, authors and fly shop owners who have been chosen because of their ability to give us feedback to better our prams not to increase their profits.
WHY A PRAM (expanded version)?
Simple. STABILITY.
There has never been a more stable boat design as a hard chine pram. EVER! And now, with today's technology we are able to reduce the weight as well as increase the durability. Not to mention that as soon as you fish from a pram your float tube or pontoon boat will be spending much more time in the garage. With the proven fact that you're going to buy one sooner or later anyway (see below) why not bypass the additional steps and expense? Why buy a float tube and find out that it's cold, your range is very limited, they're very difficult to anchor effectively and it is very slow when you have to get to shore to unload that morning cup of coffee. And most of your time is spent dragging a leech. Oh boy, that's fun! Not. Or pontoon boats, where you are still in wet/cold waders and which are supposedly very portable but you always see them tied to roof racks. Hmmm? Don't get me wrong both the float tube and pontoon boats have their place. We just don't feel class I & II rivers and stillwaters are that place. Float tubes are great for packing into those high mountain lakes. Pontoon boats are great for class IV & V rivers. But the stability, comfort, range and quality of our prams are unequaled in ANY other form of watercraft.
Spring Creek Prams allows you many more features not found anywhere else. When you call to just ask questions or when you call to order your pram, you will probably talk to Jim Wheeler, owner and builder of our prams . He also designs and builds each and every pram which allows you to get your questions answered the first time from someone who knows. Your phone calls really will be returned as soon as possible by someone who is able to make the decision and have your answer. Based in North Central Washington State Spring Creek ships prams worldwide with a network of common carriers.
If you're looking for a "cheap boat" we're probably not what you are looking for. But, if you are looking for the best "value" in a hand laid, hand finished custom built fly fishing and/or hunting pram, made in the USA we unquestionably are. We spent and continue to spend countless hours researching what happens to a fly line in a boat, what it hangs up on and how to design interiors so you don't catch your fly line on anything but fish! And boy does that cut into our fishing time! It's what we do.
As mentioned above our prams are not built in another country and are not built by a machine. Each part in our boats are pattern cut for accuracy and hand laid for consistency. Each pram is handcrafted, one at a time. This ensures the utmost in quality, strength and consistency of weight. It also allows us to make modifications to custom fit your pram to your size and style of fishing. All our fiberglass prams have U.S. Coast Guard flotation. Other manufacturers skimp on that part and still claim that you can use their pram in remote mountain lakes. Hmmm, let’s see. It fills with water you sink, right? How much did your fly rod cost? Not an ethical way to do business in our opinion.
You inevitably took a great deal of time and research to pick your fly fishing gear based on many factors including cost and value received. When you take the time to research your watercraft the decision is simple, a Spring Creek Pram. That must be why prominent fly fishers like Brian Chan, Skip Morris, Gordon Honey and Philip Rowley all have purchased a Spring Creek Pram. I told you the answer was simple.