Learn To Fly Fish Program

The GGACC's Learn to Fly Fish Program (LTFF) is offered to GGACC Club members who have already learned to make basic casts with a fly rod and want to put their new casting ability to good use on the water. The goal of the LTFF program is to teach fly fishing knowledge and skills to beginners so they can better enjoy our great sport.

Through a combination of classroom teaching, in-the-pond casting instruction, and mentored or guided fishing outings (called "fish-outs"), the comprehensive 3 year LTFF program helps its students learn both how to fly fish and where to go in Northern California and beyond. It is one of the most popular programs offered by the GGACC.

NOTE: The LTFF program and its fish-outs are not intended for the club's more experienced fly fishers, or other members in general. The Club's Rendezvous (Rondy) Program is designed for membership at large. "Rondies" are not mentored and are therefore generally designed for experienced fly fishers.

The LTFF's mentored program is three years long for most of its students. The first two years (Level 1 and Level 2) are focused on teaching fly fishing fundamentals and target trout as the primary species. The third year (Level 3) explores trout as well as other species, including shad, bass, stripers, surf perch, and steelhead.

LTFF students can expect to make many new friends and hopefully some life-long fishing buddies. A key element of the program is the opportunity to engage with other students and club members in all activities.

The LTFF program is open only to GGACC members who have paid club dues for each year of their participation in the program. You can join the club and pay annual club dues online at the Club's website: www.ggacc.org. Dues paid in December cover the following calendar year for new or current members.

You must be 18 years or older to participate in the GGACC Learn To Fly Fish program.

The LTFF program runs on an annual basis. Prospective students for each year's classes must sign-up, beginning in December of the prior year, for the first posted February Class Day for the Level 1 or Level 2 classes on the club Events calendar at ggacc.org. Enrollment is on a "first to register" basis. Students from the previous year's Level 1 or Level 2 classes will have registration priority, and will receive an advance email alert for signing up for the coming year's Level 2 or Level 3 classes.

Entering participants in the LTFF program should be able to make both a roll cast and an overhead cast with a single-hand fly rod to a distance of 25-40 feet. All students should be able to demonstrate these minimum casting skills prior to formal entry into the program. We have learned through experience that it is important to require this level of casting proficiency for entry into the program. Fish-outs can cost the student several hundred dollars, and it's not only frustrating, but a poor return on investment to be struggling with casting fundamentals on the river or lake, when you can hone your casting skills for free at our fabulous GGACC casting ponds.

The casting qualifier skills can be found at the end of this program description. All new registrants will be asked to successfully demonstrate per this qualifier at one of two events scheduled in January.

Students should have (or will purchase after the classroom sessions) their own fly rod (preferably a 9' long 5 weight) with fly reel and a matching floating fly line (i.e., a WF5F line); breathable chest waders; wading boots; and a wading staff. Outfitted with this minimum equipment, they receive specialized casting instruction in the ponds during Level 1 and 2 classes (when club rods are also available) and can participate in the LTFF program's fish-outs offered for their class.

Those coming into the program with previous fly fishing experience may petition the Program Director (see contact info below) for written approval to skip the Level 1 class and register for the Level 2 class instead. This approval will be based on a verbal or written explanation of the applicant's prior experience, which at a minimum should include the ability to successfully fish small streams on their own, including the ability to select their own flies, tie up their own two-fly nymphing and dry-dropper rigs, and wade safely. Having fly fished only with guides is not considered sufficient experience to qualify for Level 2.

LTFF students are strongly encouraged to attend the Club's monthly Free Casting Lessons at the GGACC's ponds, and the Skills Building Program lectures (also free). These lessons and lectures are usually offered on the 2nd Saturday of every month.

Level 1 and 2 students must be enrolled in their respective "class day" events before signing up for any of that class's scheduled fish-outs. A release form must be signed to participate in fish-outs. Not all students can be guaranteed a spot in each fish-out since the number of openings is limited. An online wait list option is offered whenever the event limit is reached. The Program maintains a strict "no refund" policy, however if a registrant finds they need to cancel they can work with the Program Leader to find potential replacements from the waitlist on a best-effort basis.

The fees charged for the classes and fish-outs are the minimum necessary to cover the LTFF program's costs. The Program is managed with volunteers, including the Program Leader

The annual LTFF fee due at registration into the Program is as follows:

Level 1 $100/year

Level 2 $125/year

Level 3 $125/year

Pending weather, water conditions, availability, and participation, the generally planned fish-out destinations for each level in the Program are shown below. These may change year-to-year and Level 1 and some destinations will be open to two, or all three levels.

Level 1 Beginner Fish-outs: Upper McCloud, North Fork Yuba River, Yosemite

Level 2 Fish-outs: Luk Lake (primarily for bass), Lower Sacramento River, Truckee River, NF Stanislaus River, Hat Creek

Level 3 Intermediate Fish-outs: Pyramid Lake (Nevada), Lower Sac (for shad), Pacifica Surf (for surf perch), Missouri River (Montana), SF Bay or O'Neil Forebay (for striped bass), Upper Sac & McCloud Rivers, and Trinity River (for steelhead)

Students will pay a fee when registering for each fish-out to cover expenses. These fees will vary from $100 to several hundred dollars based on the particular destination. Fees generally cover guide costs (if applicable), supplied flies, and lodging and food expenses. In some cases the students will arrange their own lodging and food at their own expense. Fish-outs are primarily held on weekends, usually including at least either Friday or Monday or both.

The GGACC Learn To Fly Fish program is very popular, and is usually over-subscribed. We have expanded enrollment in recent years, but seek to balance the quality of instruction and the experience with availability to as many as possible. As such, expectations are that if you are one of the fortunate to gain entry into the program, you will readily engage in all classroom and on-the-ponds instruction, as well as as many of the fish-outs as available. If a student finds that they are unable to participate as expected, we will ask that they step aside and allow a wait-listed student to replace them.

For any questions about the LTFF program, please contact the Program Director

Bruce Greenwood - ltff.ggacc@gmail.com

 

LTFF Casting Pre-Requisite Qualifier

  • General standards for every task:
    • 5 attempts allowed
    • Loops can be any size
    • Leader must land relatively straight
    • No limit on the number of false casts
    • Only a few "tailing loops" are allowed (i.e., end of fly line crossing bottom leg of loop)
    • Only a few "ticks" are allowed (tick = fly touching water before hitting target)
  • Station #1 - Accuracy
    • Hit target rings at 20', 30', and 40'
    • 5 attempts per target allowed
    • No need to strip in the fly after an attempt
  • Station #2 - Roll Cast
    • Make a roll cast with fly landing near a 35' target (this is not an accuracy task)
  • Station #3 - Change of Direction
    • Make a 30 degree change of direction cast with at least 1 false cast
    • Change direction once to the left and once to the right
    • Fly must land near a 30' target (this is not an accuracy task)
  • Station #4 - Line Management & Slipping Line
    • Demonstrate use of the line hand when slipping line from 30' to 40' while false casting several times
    • Fly must begin near the 30' target and land near the 40' target (this is not an accuracy task)

View a short demonstration of each of these tasks: LTFF Casting Qualifier Task Demonstration

You may also find this document helpful as you practice and train for the qualifier: LTFF Casting Qualifier Description and Tips

All of these skills are taught in the GGACC second Saturday free casting lessons. If you are interested in private coaching, the following instructors are FFI certified casting instructors.

All of these suggested instructors are Fly Fishers International (FFI) Certified Instructors, or are currently in the process of attaining certification. Certified instructors have demonstrated a high level of both casting skills AND instructional skills (they know how to teach you the required skills).

These are in no particular order or preference....

Chris Korich ckorich@gmail.com (970) 376-3201

George Revel Lost Coast Outfitters george@lostcoastoutfitters.com (415) 483-2278

Gary Turri gjturri@comcast.net (925) 786-5184

Steve Morikawa stevenmorikawa@msn.com (707 315-2020

Russ Carpenter catfishdawg@gmail.com (605) 670-1602

Erik Duisenberg erik.duisenberg@gmail.com (415) 722-2910

Ken Gotelli kjgotelli@gmail.com (415) 286-1194

John Anderson jca35otl@gmail.com (415) 990-0936

Jeff Hogan jbhogan@ucdavis.edu (530) 979-1743

You can contact them directly to discuss lessons, fees, etc.

Upcoming events

    • 24 Mar 2024
    • 5:00 AM
    • 25 Mar 2024
    • 4:00 PM
    • Pyramid Lake, NV
    • 0
    Join waitlist


    Location & Guides:

    Pyramid Lake is a desert lake on the Paiute Tribe Reservation, approximately 35 miles northeast of Reno, Nevada. We will be using Salty Cutthroat Outfitters (SCO) Guide Service https://www.saltycutthroatoutfitters.com/

    Fishing Technique & Suggested Gear:

    You will be fishing from platform stepladders set up in the lake to allow you to cast out over the drop-offs and to stay as much out of the water as possible (that lake water is cold!) The guides provide these ladders. This fishing is great fun since it is very social, and these fish can get big; some may go as much as 5-10 lbs or more!

    For the best experience, we recommend that you come prepared to both indicator nymph fish and retrieve beetles and buggers since one may be more productive than the other at any particular time.

    For Nymphing: we recommend a 6-8 wt single-handed fly rod with floating lines. Large, buoyant indicators (such as Thing-a-ma-bobbers or Air-Locks) and some heavy split shot if you are not using tungsten bead head flies. Flies used include large (up to size 12) chironomids (midge larvae) in reddish patterns or with balanced leeches. 

    For Retrieving Beetles and Buggers: 7-8 wt single-handed fly rods with shooting heads of a fast or extra fast sink rate (Type 6 or T-14, to sink 6-7 ips). Two-handed switch rods that can be easily overhead-casted only will do (no Spey casts!) but are not particularly popular with our guides (there is little room between the ladder spacing for maneuvering the long rods). A stripping basket may be handy if you have an intermediate running line rather than a floating running line. Retrieved flies are unique wooly bugger patterns and foam beetle patterns fished on a 2-fly rig.

    We strongly encourage all students to sign up for the shooting head/sinking line clinic on February 4th, 2024, hosted by GGACC's talented casting instructors.

    Leaders: Long 2X-3X tapered leaders for nymphing or just straight tippet in 10-15 lb. works fine, especially for stripping/retrieving; 12 lb. fluorocarbon tippet may be best.

    Flies: Our guide will provide flies specifically for Pyramid Lake.

    Gear: Bring your wading boots, chest waders, warm socks, long underwear (that lake water is cold!), fleeces, rain jacket, gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, buff, and hat (bring a beanie, in addition to a billed or brimmed hat). Layering is the key as the temperature can range from very cold (in the 20s during our trip last year) to warm.

    Fish-out Expenses: Registration for the fish-out is $500, which covers the following:

    - Two days of guided fishing

    - Flies: The guides will be providing recommended flies for this trip.

    - Meals at the lake: The guides will provide a light breakfast and a big lunch each day at the lake, as well as an assortment of beverages (no alcohol allowed! Tribal rules.) 

    - "No Frills" Group lasagna dinner at the group Airbnb on Sunday night

    Additional Expenses: The additional expenses that the student will need to cover for themselves include the following:

    - Permits for two daysRefer to SCO's website (at the top of the site under "About – FAQ" to buy and print out a tribal fishing license before leaving home. Don't forget this! (And no, a Nevada fishing license is NOT required for fishing on the Indian reservation.) 

    - Transportation: We recommend 4-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicles or carpooling with those that do to avoid getting stuck in the soft sandy lakefront. 

    - All food not mentioned above.

    - Lodging: Students will be responsible for lodging on Saturday and Sunday nights. The fish-out leader will share recommended options with the trip registrants, including a group AirBnb that can accommodate a portion of the group.

    - Guide gratuities

    Other Logistics: We will start early each morning (5 AM). You will drive/carpool to the lake; the trip takes about 20 to 60 minutes, depending on your lodging location. We will meet up with the guides, who will want us on the ladders by the first hint of daylight since this can be when the bite is often the best.

    After fishing, we recommend rinsing your fishing gear thoroughly since this lake is very alkaline and not much different than saltwater. Rinse your waders and boots thoroughly as soon as you get home for the same reason (and the fact that you always clean and dry them well before putting them away). 

    Fish-out Leader:

    Mike Nelson will lead this fish-out. He is a graduate of the LTFF Program. Mike is familiar with Pyramid Lake and has fished with some of our guides at Pyramid Lake and Montana. He will be your contact for planning, logistics, and any questions you might have about the trip. Mike will conduct a Zoom meeting with the registrants to share more about the lake and the trip's logistics. All Level 3 students will receive an invitation to this meeting so you can learn about Pyramid Lake whether you are attending the fishout or not.

    Sign up for this opportunity now! EVERYONE has to try this at least once -- but beware; you might get hooked since these might be the biggest trout you'll ever catch. Fishing Pyramid Lake is truly a unique experience, unlike anything you'll do anywhere else, and these big fish are really FUN! 

    Contacts for further info:

    Fish-out Leader: Mike Nelson (micnel@protonmail.com)

    LTFF Program Leader: Bruce Greenwood (ltff.ggacc@gmail.com)

    Cancellation Policy:  There are no refunds. If a student cannot attend for any reason, he/she may resell his slot (rod) to another LTFF member (by first pulling from the waitlist, if one exists). It is the sole responsibility of the student to manage this transaction.

    • 06 Apr 2024
    • 7:00 AM
    • 07 Apr 2024
    • 6:00 PM
    • Luk Lake, Corning, CA.
    • 0
    Join waitlist


    NOTE:  THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FROM APRIL 13 & 14 TO APRIL 6 & 7


    This fishout is open to 2024 "Learn to Fly Fish" registered Level 3 students ONLY, unless otherwise announced.  

    We will have two groups of 7 anglers each.  Group 1 will fish on Saturday, and group 2 will fish on Sunday.  

    Arrival and Departure Times:   The on-site lodge is not available to us for this outing, so registrants should plan to stay at the Rolling Hills Casino, or in one of the local motels in Corning, just a short drive from Luk Lake. 

    Group 1 students should plan to arrive at the lake by 8AM on Saturday morning-you may plan to leave very early Saturday morning for the 3 1/2 drive from San Francisco, or stay in a local motel with a short drive to the lake, arriving on Friday evening.  You will be able to fish until dusk on Saturday evening.

    Group 2 students should plan to arrive at the lake by 8AM on Sunday morning-you may plan to leave very early Sunday morning for the 3 1/2 drive from San Francisco, or stay in a local motel with a short drive to the lake, arriving on Saturday evening.  You may fish until dusk on Sunday evening.

    We will plan a no-host group dinner on Saturday evening, so both Group 1 and Group 2 students may plan to attend this dinner.  Details will be shared in the pre-fishout meeting.

    General Info:  Fishing on Luk Lake is a great opportunity to catch some of the big bass this lake is known for with "topwater" bass flies, especially with the warmer water and amount of weed growth expected then.  

    Luk Lake (it's pronounced "luck", possibly because it's so close to the Rolling Hills Casino?) is a small private lake located off Interstate I-5 just a couple miles south of the little town of Corning.  Corning is about 45 minutes (50 miles) south of Redding.  This lake is a very good fishery for largemouth "black" bass, rainbow trout, and the occasional scrappy sunfish or bluegill (we've caught both "panfish" there).   

    Instruction:  Once again, we are fortunate to have Willy George join us at the lake.  Willy will conduct a bass clinic at the beginning (8AM) of the day for each group.   You will find Willy's clinic one of the best you experience in the LTFF program, and you will learn a lot about successful lake fishing.  Willy will also be on the water with his own (electric) motored pram and will be coaching and helping students while fishing.  Don't miss this chance to learn from the expert!

    Boats:  We have rented 4 small rowboats to fish this lake.  Luk Lake can ONLY be fished from a small boat (rowboat, pontoon boat, kayak, or electric-powered skiff) or from a float tube since there is virtually no shoreline access due to the heavy tule growth around the lake. (Note: Float tubes may not be practical at this time of year due to weed growth.)  Unless you bring your own permissible watercraft, students will be expected to fish from the rented rowboats. There will be two students per boat, who will be responsible for rowing and safely managing it while fishing through-out the day. 

    Safety:  After Willy's bass "clinic" down at the lake starting at 8:00am for each group, there will be a brief safety and orientation talk before launching the boats.  All fishing on this lake is strictly "catch-and-release" only, with barbless hooks required.  So remember to pinch your barbs on ALL flies you use (doubly important when fishing together in small boats) and be kind to the fish.  Trout should always be revived before releasing.  Bass and panfish are much hardier and can usually be dropped or lightly tossed back into the lake. 

    Must wear a PFD:  Four rowboats (~12' prams) will be provided with oars, anchors, and (hopefully) life preserver seat cushions to sit on. However,  you should bring your own wearable personal floatation device (PFD) to wear.   We have a limited supply of loaner PFD's should you need to borrow one.

    Note:  Wearing a PFD is mandatory while fishing from any watercraft NOT operated by professional guides on any GGACC club outings, and is always recommended to be worn on any small craft, especially in float tubes, pontoon boats, or other inflatable crafts.

    Personal Gear:  There is no shore or wade fishing possible at this lake and we will NOT be wearing waders when fishing from these prams, but you should bring water sandals, old tennis shoes, or similar footwear to allow you to step into the water when launching or beaching your boat.  Also, be sure to bring sun protection (including brimmed hat or visor, sun lotion, and buff / sun gloves if you use them), polarized sunglasses, rain jacket, and other clothing appropriate to the possible weather (it is likely to be very cool in the early morning and cool off in the evening no matter what the day's high temp is).  We have not had any issues with mosquitos in past years, but come prepared.  And bring a headlamp to fish up to sundown.

    Fishing Gear:  

    You will definitely want to bring either an 8 weight rod (a 7 weight will suffice if that's what you've got) with a floating line--preferably a bass taper or a RIO Outbound short full floating line.  You will want this setup to present the topwater bass flies effectively.   Your 5 weight just won't work for these flies.

    An added suggestion as well, is to bring along a 5 or 6 weight second rod with a floating line--and if you have it, a spare spool with an intermediate sink line.   This 2 rod approach is recommended for all, giving each angler an ideal setup to go after both topwater bass as well as trout and panfish with the lighter rod.  You may have opportunities for all of these at Luk Lake.

    You will need 15-20 lb. (0X or stronger) Maxima or other mono tippet for topwater bass flies (bass are not generally leader shy).  For fishing dries to any rising trout or even for stripping Wooly Buggers and other small streamers, bring 9' long tapered leaders in 3X or 4X, with tippet spools from 3X-5X in either mono, fluoro, or both. You may have to indicator nymph to reach trout during the day, in which case small indicators (especially those with "tell-tales", i.e., little flags) are useful, in addition to size BB or heavier split-shot to get down deep enough. You'll need a liquid floatant to dress your bass flies and any dries you might try.  And of course, bring nippers and forceps.  A landing net is useful for landing trout or small panfish to keep them from being accidentally dropped in the boat and for helping to revive them before releasing (bass are more easily handled by "lipping" with thumb and forefinger).

    You do need a valid 2024 Calif. fishing license so if you haven't bought one yet, now is the time. 

    Flies: All registrants will be provided with a fly assortment at the lake included in your registration fees, including 2-3 bass flies. But you should still have some of your own flies along in the event you may want to try something different than all the rest of the folks, and in case you lose the supplied ones -- there is no nearby source for flies or other fly fishing gear. (The Fly Shop near Redding is 45 minutes north of the lake.)

    Group Meals:  We will plan a no-host group dinner Saturday evening at a nearby restaurant.

    Fee:  The registration fee for this fish-out is $300, which includes the costs for the lake access fee, boat rental, and the fly assortment.  Registrants will be responsible for all meals and lodging.   

    Lodging:  The Rolling Hills Casino immediately off of I-5 is adjacent to the lake property.  You may choose to stay there, or otherwise select one of the more modest priced motels in Corning only a few miles further north on I-5.  There are fast-food and other chain restaurants available in Corning as well.

    Limited Registration:  This fish-out is limited to the first 7 students to sign-up for each group (we will have 4 boats, plus our fishout leader), after which an online waiting list will be created for possible replacements for any registrants who may later learn that they can't make it.  But in line with the LTFF policy, there will be no refund possible if there is no one on the waitlist willing to take your spot or if you can't find your own replacement.  

    For further info, contact Bruce Greenwood (ltff.ggacc@gmail.com)

    Cost: $300


    • 16 Apr 2024
    • 22 Apr 2024
    • 2 sessions
    • GGACC Ponds, Golden Gate Park
    • 45
    Register

    YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED STUDENT IN THE 2024 LEARN TO FLY FISH PROGRAM TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE SESSIONS.

    THIS TRAINING SESSION WILL BE IN THE EAST POND AT GGACC

    This is the Level 1 Introduction to several important topics in preparation for your first LTFF fishout on the Upper McCloud.

    Wading Safety--we will discuss both the proper gear, as well as techniques to keep you safe on the water.

    Landing a Fish-- Oh no!  I actually caught a fish!  What do I do now?    Our LTFF program is entirely based on "catch and release", and not only do we want to properly hook and land that fish, but we want to treat it such that we can release it back into the stream and survive.

    Presentation-- A successful angler understands that "presenting" the fly imitation so it looks like real food to a fish is critical.  You can have the best fly imitation in the world and if it is not properly presented to the fish, it won't matter.   This takes some practice---we will introduce you to the basics and will return to this topic many times over the LTFF program.

    This event was originally targeted to be held on moving water in the Bay Area, but we have not been able to find a satisfactory location, so we will do this instruction on the GGACC ponds.  Given the change to daylight savings time, we can hold this class in the evening up until about 8pm

    There will be two sessions--you need only attend one, whichever is most convenient for your schedule.

    Group 1:  6:30 to 8pm on Tuesday evening April 16th

    Group 2: 6:30pm to 8pm on Monday evening April 22nd.

    We will be in the EAST POND (closest to the Polo Grounds) to stay clear of preparations for Spey O' Rama.

    Bring your waders, wading staff, wading belt, as well as your rod rigged with a yarn fly.  Please be set up and ready for the class to begin promptly at 6:30pm

    For questions, contact:

    Bruce Greenwood   ltff.ggacc@gmail.com




    • 04 May 2024
    • 09 Jun 2024
    • 4 sessions
    • Upper McCloud River, Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort
    • 0
    Join waitlist



    LTFF Upper McCloud River Fish-outs -- Level 1 Students

    These four Upper McCloud River Fish-outs days-- May 4,5 and June 8,9 are exclusively intended for  registered 2024 Level 1 students in the GGACC's "Learn to Fly Fish" (LTFF) program. Lottery registration will be opened at a date and time to be announced to the entire LTFF Level 1 Class via email.  There will be 10 openings for each group.  

    Group 1 arrivals are on Friday evening, May 3rd, with guided fishing on Saturday May 4th. 

    Group 2 arrivals are on Saturday evening May 4th, with guided fishing on Sunday May 5th. 


    Group 3 arrivals are on Friday evening June 7th, with guided fishing on Saturday June 8th. 

    Group 4 arrivals are on Saturday June 8th, with guided fishing on Sunday June 9th.


    No doubt you have heard of the McCloud River if you have talked with many fly anglers in Northern California, since it is truly one of our state's most treasured fisheries for rainbow and brown trout.  However, most of that reputation comes from the larger Lower McCloud River that comes out of the McCloud Reservoir and runs down to Lake Shasta through some picturesque but rugged canyons that cross both public and private lands, including limited access into the Nature Conservancy waters and members-only access to some very exclusive club water.  The Lower McCloud is particularly well-known for big browns that come out of Lake Shasta in the fall to spawn.  

    But the Lower McCloud is not a good river for teaching beginners how to fly fish, especially in the spring, so we are headed to the smaller Upper McCloud River instead, in the section of the river best known to campers, sightseers, and hikers for its scenic Lower Falls and Middle Falls.



    Since much of the water for the Upper McCloud River comes from springs, we're hoping to find a little less run-off and high water than currently expected on Sierra streams, giving us a chance to teach you dry fly, dry-dropper, and indicator nymphing techniques as well as how to read water and wade safely.  We will both professional guides from Confluence Outfitters as well as experienced club volunteer mentors. These guides will be primarily teaching and not acting as normal guides would -- meaning that they are not going to be doing everything that they would normally do for you (except casting or catching and landing fish).   We will have 2 students for each mentor/guide. We have selected Confluence Outfitters and these guides specifically for their teaching expertise.  

    Under the watchful eyes of these guides and mentors, the students will be deciding how and where to start fishing, rigging up their own rods, selecting and tying on their own flies, untangling their own casting messes, and landing their own fish (hopefully). The guides will be helping to instruct you wherever you need it and offering suggestions about the required casting techniques, how to approach the water and what to look for there, while helping you select a target for your cast and suggesting how to move safely into position for that cast.  You learn best by listening carefully and then attempting it on your own with subsequent critique from your guide about your mistakes. Wading safety will be emphasized, as well as other safety precautions. We will hold a preparation session (zoom meeting) prior to this event to prepare you as well for the outing.

    Meeting Location EACH morning at 8:30AM (time subject to change):  You will meet and check in with your fish-out leader on your guided fishing day in Fowlers Campground at a specific location there still to be confirmed with the guides. The leader will be sure you receive your flies and then assign you to a guide for the day. We will provide ingredients for you to prepare your lunch for the day prior to departing the campground.  You are expected to arrive, wader up, and be ready to listen/learn at 9AM and, after some instruction in rigging from your guide, head to the water soon afterward to start fishing. 

    Fowlers Campground is 5 miles east of the town of McCloud on CA Hwy 89 and about 1 mi. south of the highway on Fowler Public Camp Rd.  Look for a sign "Fowlers / Lower Falls" and turn right just after the sign to go another mile south.  Once you cross River Loop Rd., the left fork goes to the campground and the right fork goes to the day use area for the Lower Falls.  Watch for further info about where to park.  GPS Coord. for the campground:  Lat. 41.2448556, Long. -122.0232556

    Camping or Lodging Options:   We have reserved group campsites at Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort, which is off I-5, a short distance first west and then south of the town of Mt. Shasta, about 4-1/2 hours north of SF (without traffic) and about a 30 minute drive west of your fishing day's meet-up location at Fowlers Campground. (Use Google or other online map app for the I-5 exit and street directions to the lake resort.) 

    We will have campsite reservations for our group.   Fees for these campsites are included in the registration fees.  Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort will have restroom facilities available for campers.   You must bring your own camping and cooking gear and food/drink for your stay at Lake Siskiyou.  Students are strongly encouraged to stay at the group camp and enjoy the opportunity to get to know your fellow anglers.  But, if you are absolutely opposed to the idea of camping, motel accommodations can be found in the nearby towns of Dunsmuir, Mt. Shasta, Weed, or possibly McCloud.

    Gear Needed:  Other than any camping gear that you may decide to bring, your fishing and other gear should include:  a 4 or 5 wt fly rod with floating line, at least two or three 7.5 ft. 4X tapered leaders, mono tippet spools in 3X-5X, fluoro tippet in 4X-5X, a few medium sized indicators of your choice, split-shot in at least AB & BB sizes, forceps, nippers, gel (or liquid) silicon fly floatant, dry-shake dessicant floatant, and a small or medium sized fly box (preferably watertight).   Your registration fee includes a selection of both dry flies and nymphs for the Upper McCloud.  We will be discussing entomology and fly imitations during our preparations meetings to help you purchase flies or tie your own to bring with you besides the limited number of flies being provided.

    Bring a pack of some sort, or a fishing vest with large back pocket, suitable to carry your fishing gear, lunch, and at least one liter of drinking water, plus a packable rain jacket or water resistant shell if there is any chance of rain or cool weather.  Other items that you MUST have include a wading staff with a lanyard, a hat with brim or bill, polarized sunglasses, and at least one wading belt for your waders.  

    Bring waders and wading boots (either felt-soled or studded rubber-soled, or even studded felt soles) and, if you really think that you might prefer to wet-wade (if it's very hot), a pair of neoprene guard socks (to wear over cotton wading socks to both fill your wading boots and help keep sand out of your socks).  Be forewarned though, a spring-time alpine stream -- whether spring-fed or snow-melt -- can be quite cold when you need to stand in it for more than a few minutes to make casting easier. 

    Don't forget your 2024 fishing license (guides are required to record your license into their guide log, it's a steep fine if caught fishing without one on your person, and it's a long drive back to get a duplicate copy), sunscreen, and bug repellent.   Optional gear includes sungloves, a buff, a landing net on a stretchy lanyard, a marine safety whistle, tiny first aid kit, small toilet paper or kleenex pack, and a little note book & pencil -- and maybe a stream thermometer and small fishnet or sieve if you are really getting into it.  

    Registration fee of $275.00 is non-refundable and covers the guides' fees, flies, and campground fees. It does not cover travel costs, lodging (if you decide not to camp), food, or the guide's gratuity / tip.  (Suggested gratuity is $30-$50 cash per day per student for this particular trip)

    Students should remember to personally thank and tip their guide at the end of each day (based on how much you learned from him, not how many fish you caught). 

    These four groups of 10 students each will allow every registered student in the 2024 Level 1 class to attend and fish on the Upper McCloud.  We will use a lottery process to assign students to their respective fishing dates.  You will be notified of your assigned group at which time you should finalize your registration by paying the invoice due for this trip  ($275).

    You will be getting rosters of the registrants in each group and their contact info so that you may choose to reach out to your group about further plans, etc.

    Your lottery registration is final, and there are no cancellations allowed.

    For questions, contact Bruce Greenwood   ltff.ggacc@gmail.com


    • 13 Jul 2024
    • 21 Jul 2024
    • 4 sessions
    • Elam Campground or Gurnsey Creek To be Confirmed
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Our Deer Creek fishing destination  is located south of Mt. Lassen in northeastern California, approximately a four hour drive from San Francisco.   You will be fishing on Deer Creek, a small to medium size Sierra stream that provides an excellent venue to hone your new fly fishing and wading skills.   

    We will organize 4 groups of 10 registered, Learn To Fly Fish Level 1 student anglers (Saturday July 13, Sunday July 14, Saturday July 20, Sunday July 21) to enjoy a day long fly fishing clinic with Lance Gray.   Lance will share his exceptional expertise on fly fishing this stream during a day- long clinic. The groups will camp at campground near Lake Almanor (to be confirmed) about a 30 minute drive from our fishout venue.   (Elam Campground or Gurnsey Creek to be confirmed)

    This is a great outing to gain more experience and confidence in your fly fishing game. Bring your waders and wading staff, along with your 5 wt rod and floating line.   Lance will provide the rest including terminal tackle and flies.   Of course, you always need to bring along your 2024 California fishing license.

    Your registration fee of $130 covers guide fees, campground fees, and a DIY lunch for the day.   You will be responsible for guide tip and your transportation.

    We will have four groups of 10 anglers each.  The first group will fish arrive on Friday evening and fish on Saturday. The second group of 10 will arrive on Saturday evening and fish on Sunday.  Along with Lance Gray, we will have 4 GGACC club mentors, offering a 2:1 student to mentor ratio.

    Camping Equipment:  You will need  your own tent (with tent stakes, footprint/plastic tarp, and rainfly)  Also be sure to bring:  sleeping bag; sleeping pad (or air mattress, or cot); headlight or flashlight; cooking stove; water container; cooking pots / cooking utensils; camp dishes / eating utensils; wash basin; biodegradable soap; butane lighter or matches; paper or cloth towels; garbage bags; and a cooler with ice for perishables.  All dry goods should be stored in the supplied camp boxes to keep away from rodents and jays.  Optional equipment might include:  lantern; camp chair; firewood; hand axe; coffee pot; small folding table; table cloth for picnic table; etc.

    Meals You are encouraged to organize your plans with your fellow students and share a meal at our camp site.  This is a great way to enjoy the event with a simple meal you prepare together after a great day of fishing.

    We will be providing groceries for making your own sandwiches for sack lunches on each fishing day only.

    NOTE:  Other than the sack lunch on your Group's fishing days, you are on your own to bring (and prepare) your own food, or buy dinners or other meals out.

    Fishing Gear:  We recommend bringing a 5wt fly rod with floating line (6wt rod max!). For dry flies, bring 9’ tapered leaders to 4X or 5X, with mono (nylon) tippet spools in 4X-6X.   Also be sure that you bring both a liquid (or gel) dry fly floatant and a dry shake floatant (dessicant-type) for treating your dry flies. For indicator nymphing, bring indicatorssplit shotone spool of say 0X to 3X mono tippet material (to use 5-7' of this for indicator/ depth adjustment), and spools of both 4X & 5X  fluoro  tippet for connections to nymphs.  

     Flies:  Lance will provide the appropriate flies for this location and timing.  It is recommended that you bring a small fly box to organize and have these flies handy and ready to use with barbs crushed.

    Other Stuff:  In addition to forceps, nippers, vest or pack for fly boxes and other gear, sunhat, sunscreen, bug repellent, waders, boots, belts, water bottle (or other means to carry, or filter, drinking water), don’t forget your wading staff!   A small net is always optional for trout, but it really helps in landing them with minimal stress and keeping them in the water while unhooking—both of which are extremely important for the fish’s survival.  Camping gear should include headlamps or flashlights —the former is especially good for tying on flies during late evening fishing. 

    Registration Fee:  The registration fee is $130 per student.  This fee will cover the cost of all the campground fees, guide/clinic fees, groceries for lunches, etc.  It does not include the cost of transportation, lodging, meals (other than lunch), guide tip, or any other expenses. 

    Cancellation Policy:  There are no refunds.  In the event that a student is, for any reason, unable to attend, he/she may resell his slot (rod) to another LTFF member (by first pulling from the waitlist if one exists).  It is the sole responsibility of the student to manage this transaction. 

    For questions, contact Bruce Greenwood  ltff.ggacc@gmail.com

    • 14 Jul 2024
    • 6:00 AM
    • 19 Jul 2024
    • 4:00 PM
    • Missouri River near Craig, MT
    • 0

     

    Montana Fish-Out

    LOTTERY SIGN UPS FOR THE 2024 LTFF LEVEL 3 WILL BE OPEN FROM SUNDAY FEBRUARY 11TH THROUGH WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14TH.  THIS FISHOUT IS OPEN FIRST ONLY TO CURRENTLY REGISTERED 2024 LEVEL 3 LTFF STUDENTS.

    This extremely popular fish-out is what most of you have waited your 3 years in the LTFF program for:  The Learn to Fly Fish trip to Montana always seems to be the highlight for most students in the program and is the one trip that just about everyone who goes each year ends up pleading to get the chance to go again.

    But we can never promise that and we can never take more than at most 10 from the class each year.  So, if you can possibly be one of the lucky 10 students that gets to go this year for a day long head hunting clinic on the river, followed by 3 days of fabulous guided drift fishing, you'll want to do it.  

    Arrivals:  Evening of Sunday, July 14th

    RIver clinic:  Monday, July 15th

    Guided fishing:  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday July 16th, 17th, 18th

    Departures: Friday morning July 19th

    We will be float (or drift) fishing on a famed tailwater stretch of the upper Missouri River for 3 days (on Tuesday-Thursday this year) out of Craig, Montana each day.  The dry fly and nymph fishing for the big strong rainbow and brown trout in this incredibly abundant fishery is world renowned.


    This year we will also continue the tradition of having an on-the-water clinic.  We will have this clinic BEFORE we go with our guides, so you will be ready to apply the techniques you learned for the following guided days. Suffice to say this is a day you will remember and you definitely don’t want to miss this opportunity!   

    We will be fishing with the HeadHunters Fly Shop's guides, some of the very best you'll ever experience. They will supply all the gear required including fly rods, leaders, flies, etc. However, you are welcome to bring your own gear if you desire.  

    https://www.headhuntersflyshop.com/

    You are of course invited to arrive prior and/or stay after our reservations and fish the Missouri or one of the other famous rivers in the area.    You are responsible of course for your own reservations outside of July 14-18.  Be aware that Montana is a popular destination and both lodging and guide reservations can fill up.  Plan early!

    Sandals or water shoes, rather than waders, are advised on these Missouri River drift boats for most of the warm sunny days at this time of year which, like most areas flanking the Rockies, may offer also a brief afternoon rain shower. You will likely want to have your waders available for our day-long clinic.  DO remember to pack a pair of rain pants along with a good-quality rain jacket. One cold, all-day-long rainstorm on our first day on the river a couple years ago taught us this lesson, and there's always the possibility of a cold rain or hail storm blowing through. 

    The transportation options, logistics, gear, licensing, the fish-out rules, etc. will be covered in a pre-fishout meeting, so do try to be there if you can.  We will record this zoom call meeting for those who can't make it, but you should look at the pre-meeting as a good opportunity to coordinate your travel plans or to discuss teaming up for traveling and fishing in the area, or for arranging to share a car rental from one of the local airports. 

    We will review our lodging accommodations on the prep call.   We will be staying together as a group in the Craig area.

    The tiny town of Craig, MT is located on Interstate I-15 about halfway between the cities of Helena and Great Falls (it's about a 50 mile drive northeast from Helena and a little shorter drive southwest from Great Falls).  

    If you are planning to fly there, the airports in those two cities are the closest possibilities, but there is also Bozeman, MT which is about a 2-1/2 hour drive away and Missoula, MT, which is probably just about as far. Flights fill up quickly, so start looking at your options and checking available flights and prices now before the first pre-meeting to be able to discuss your preference for driving there or flying to one of these airports. 

    You should plan to arrive at our accommodations sometime late on Sunday afternoon, July 14th.  And you won't need to leave the house until Friday morning, July 19th.   We will confirm specific check-in and check-out times at our planning meeting.

    We will cook our own group dinner on Sunday night, but our dinner on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights will be catered (which will provide left-overs for Thursday night).  Lunches will be provided by the guides on Tues-Thurs., and we will have enough food in the house for a quick breakfast each morning and for hors d'oevres and adult beverages for happy hour each afternoo. All should expect to volunteer for helping to cook breakfasts and some kitchen clean-up will be covered in the pre-meeting. 

    The total fee for this event this year is $2,300 which covers all 3 days of top-notch guided fishing and gear, our day-long clinic, 5 nights in the lodge, and all meals and beverages (including wine and beer) for  those 4 days. It DOES NOT cover your transportation expenses, a Montana fishing license (with a req'd. small conservation fee and separate aquatic nuisance fee), or the guides' gratuities. 

    Those who have gone on this fish-out before have had some of their best fishing days ever, and had such a grand time together, that they would go again in a heartbeat if we'd only let them.  So, if you regrettably can't make it, you may be making someone else very happy. 


    For lodging reasons, this trip is limited to only 10 Level 3 students, so sign up as quickly as you can so that you don't miss out!  

    Cost:  $2,300 payable online as a non-refundable registration fee (unless there is someone on the waitlist to replace you).  

    GGACC policy is that reservations are non-cancellable.  Please plan accordingly before you register!

    Contact for more info:

    Bruce Greenwood (ltff.ggacc@gmail.com)


    Guiding services provided by Get the Drift Outfitters LLC. Montana Board of Outfitters: MBO #9031 GTDO c/o Mark Raisler PO Box 252 Cascade MT 59421

    • 07 Aug 2024
    • 14 Aug 2024
    • 4 sessions
    • Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite Nat'l Park
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Yosemite High Country - LTFF Level 1 Fish-out

    Four Groups of 10 Anglers. 

    • Group 1 fishing Wednesday-Thursday August 7-8
    • Group 2 fishing Friday-Saturday August 9-10
    • Group 3 fishing Sunday- Monday August 11-12
    • Group 4 fishing Tuesday-Wednesday August 13-14


    This outing is exclusively intended for currently registered Level 1 students in the GGACC's "Learn to Fly Fish" (LTFF) program.   There will be four sessions of 10 openings for a total of 40 fishing spots.

    Cost: $250 / person

    Overview

    This trip offers fly fishing for several trout species in two pristine high alpine settings. Each day includes up to 2-4 miles of day-hiking at 9,000 - 10,000 feet. Please contact the fishout leader, Charles Marsh, if you have questions or concerns about your physical ability and this trip.   (senor.charles@gmail.com).

    This year we have a guide, Steve Slater from Lost Coast Outfitters, to lead both the mentors and students on to certain stretches of the following small alpine streams or possibly other streams in the area that he knows well.  We have a great group of LTFF alumni and club members with experience on this watershed to help you and show you strategies and skills for this water. Between the the club mentors and Steve there will be a wealth of Yosemite knowledge at your disposal.

    Those wanting to fish on days where they are not scheduled with mentors are encouraged to stay in a neighboring campground on other days, but are asked to not fish the same locations that the mentored students will fish. In the pre-fishout meeting, we will suggest alternative local fishing spots.

    A daily meeting point and time will be set before the fish-out to meet-up with the guide and mentors.

    Tuolumne's Lyell Fork

    At 9,000 feet, this stream starts at Lyell Glacier and only drops 500 feet in 10 miles. This provides a gentle stream that meanders through meadows and granite pools for a truly unique experience. 

    To get there from Tuolumne Meadows, we'll hike along the Dana Fork for about 1.5 miles until we arrive at the Lyell Fork. Here the meadow stream is waist deep and wide, offering dry fly fishing along the banks to Brown Trout. Traveling farther upstream, you move into Brookie and Rainbow territory, arriving at several large and shallow granite pools the size of small ponds. It's a great place to spot fish in clear water and practice gentle overhead casting. Traveling slightly further upstream, you pass through endless granite channels and pools mixed in with more meadows, with each section both memorable and unique.

    Most of these wild trout are in the 6-9 inch range, but a handful of fish are caught each year in the 18 inch range. Larger fish require more stealth and finesse, while the less spooky smaller trout will attack dry flies readily, often with acrobatic displays.

    Students will use overhead casts in meadow sections and practice roll casts in areas with trees. We'll use mostly small dry fly patterns with thin mono tippet (5x - 6x), but you may want to nymph the deeper holes. Come prepared for both dry fly fishing and indicator nymphing.

    Tuolumne's Dana Fork

    Similar to the Lyell Fork, the Dana Fork is a small mountain stream that meanders through meadows at 9,500 ft. elevation. This stream follows along Hwy 120, meaning slightly less hiking and easier access. There are many fish to be caught on a fly along this 2-mile long stream since each hole seems to have an endless supply of wild trout.

    Students will primarily use overhead and roll casts. Again, we'll mostly use attractor dry fly patterns with thin tippet (5x-6x), but we may resort to indicator nymph fishing if the dries aren't working.  

    Registration fee includes:

    • Guide fee

    • Sack lunches each mentored day

    • 1-2 dozen selected flies

    Other Student costs:

    • Yosemite National Park entrance fee of $30, good for 7 days. Annual pass is $80. Carpooling helps save on this cost.

    • Guide gratuity

    • Possible additional campground fees, depending on whether we are successful in finding an open campsite in any of the nearby campgrounds.  (NOTE:  In general, campsites in the Tuolumne Meadows / Yosemite area CANNOT be reserved in advance.)

    • Lodging costs for motels, condos, or other vacation rentals available in the area.  Students are encouraged to look into the many rental options in the Mammoth Lakes / Mammoth Mountain Ski Area about 1 hour south of Tuolumne Meadows.   

    Accommodations:

    We will be camping at a campground to be determined, most likely the Aspen campground. There are a number of campgrounds near Lee Vining that are not reservable, so we will have an advance party head up a day earlier to secure the campground and send out a note for the location.

    There are hotels and RV parks, but they are reserved very early.

    Carpooling

    There is extremely limited parking available at the campground. This impacts not only "where" (or if you can) park, but also limits the ability to sleep in your car.  Students will be required to carpool and tent camp (or stay elsewhere on your own) to ensure we are not over our limit. Please plan accordingly


    Gear Needed:  (not a complete packing list):

    • Don't forget your CA 2024 fishing license

    • Bring (or plan to buy) your own breakfast, dinner, coffee, and snacks for each day.

    • Camping equipment (e.g., tent, sleeping bag and pad, cooking equipment, etc) if you plan to look for an available campsite in any of the nearby campgrounds

    • Headlamp and extra batteries, especially useful at night in camp

    • Small backpack, large sling pack, or vest with a large back pocket to carry lunch, water, packable rain jacket, etc.

    • Water bottle(s) or water bladder large enough to carry a full day of water (1.5 - 3 liters); or a filter system to replenish a smaller water bottle.

    • Fly fishing gear (3-5 wt rod, a couple 4X or 5X mono leaders, 5X - 6X mono tippet, nippers, forceps, fly box with additional flies, net optional).  No split shot or indicators will be needed.

    • Dry fly floatants - flies need to be floating high on the water surface all day. It's virtually imperative to have BOTH the liquid (gel) silicone and desiccant "dry shake" versions.

    • Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, neck buff)

    • Wet wading shoes like Chacos or Tevas. Or wading boots with neoprene guard socks. Unless you just prefer to, there's very likely no need for wearing waders on this trip, which will be a little more difficult to hike in.

    • Mandatory items:  wading staff (or hiking sticks), polarized sunglasses. 

    Eating

    • We strongly encourage a group dinners for the evening following your guided days. Getting to know your fellow students and everyone on the trip is part of the experience. We will discuss this over email and in the pre-outing zoom call. Options could include making a taco salad at camp or a group visit to Lee Vining to eat there.

    • In Lee Vining options are available at Woah Nellie Deli (in the Mobil Gas Mart), right at the junction of Hwys.120 and 395, should you end up camping in the area and would rather not cook your own dinners. For a gas station mart, this is remarkably good food. The deli is open 7am - 9pm.

    • Other dining options are available in the Mono Lake area (Lee Vining) and further south in the Mammoth Lakes area; however they're sure to be more expensive.

    Registration fee of $250.00 is non-refundable. It does not cover your travel costs, motels (if you decide not to camp), food (except lunch), or other sundries.

    Cancellation Policy:  There are no refunds.  In the event that a student is, for any reason, unable to attend, he/she may resell his slot (rod) to another LTFF member (by first pulling from the waitlist if one exists).  It is the sole responsibility of the student to manage this transaction.

    For further information, contact:  Fish-out Leader:  Charles Marsh (senor.charles@gmail.com).





Questions? Please direct your inquiries to the appropriate mail box:

General Information:
club.ggacc@gmail.com

Social Media:
ggaccsocial@gmail.com

Learn To Fly Fish Program:
ltff.ggacc@gmail.com

Our Mailing Address:  Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club  ·  P.O. Box 591476  ·  San Francisco, CA 94159

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