Below is our club calendar of upcoming events. This calendar changes often so check back frequently.
Should you want to add an event to the calendar, please submit your request on the Event Request Submission Form found here.
This Beginner Fly Tying class will teach the basics of fly tying and the skills needed to tie most flies, including wet flies, dry flies, and nymphs. This class is designed for people with little or no fly tying experience. Tying materials will be supplied, as well as fly tying vices if needed.
The 1st of 4 sessions of this repeated Beginner Fly Tying class that's offered to GGACC club members only, begins on Friday, April 26, from 6:30pm to 9:00pm. Classes will be held on four consecutive Friday nights beginning at 6:30pm.
Students are responsible for bringing their own small sharp scissors, a fly tying bobbin with 6/0 fly tying thread, hackle pliers, whip finisher, and (optional) a fly tying vice to each class.
The (4) sessions of this class will be held on the following Friday evenings from 6:30pm to 9:00pm:
April 26
May 3
May 10
and
May 17
There is a $50 online registration fee for this class to cover the cost of supplied materials.
NOTE: This class will be limited to the first 10 students to register on the April 26 posted calendar event date only. This one registration will cover all 4 class sessions.
Note: All registered students are requested to email Fred Virgilio (fredvirgil03@gmail.com) with their names and phone numbers so that Fred can contact you if there are any changes to the class.
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.
Rondy: McCloud River Walk & Wade
Dates: May 4-5, 2024
Leader: Tony Tredway mailto:tony@tredwaymade.com
Number of anglers (including leader): 6
Description: We will be 6 experienced anglers going to the lower McCloud River at Ah-Di-Nah campground, and maybe Ash Camp. Because of their incredible vigor and resilience, the McCloud River rainbow trout have been transplanted and established themselves in many of the greatest fly-fishing locations in the world. For dry-fly aficionados, the McCloud can be surprisingly good. Both high-sticking and long line nymphing also work very well.
This outing is not for anyone with serious medical conditions since the stream access and wading are difficult, and the location is far from medical services. There is no cell phone reception in the McCloud River canyon. Everyone will be staying at the Ah-Di-Nah campground.
Suggested Gear: 3-6 wt fly rods with the usual lines, leaders, etc., to fish dries, nymphs, and streamers. You'll also need a wading staff, sturdy waders, studded boots, warm clothing, and a rain jacket.
Cost: The fee for this Rondy is $25
Other expenses will include travel, food, and a small campground fee.
Cancellation Policy: There are no refunds. In the event that a member is, for any reason, unable to attend, he may resell his slot (rod) to another GGACC member (by first pulling from the waitlist if one exists). It is the sole responsibility of the member to manage this transaction. This is not the responsibility of the leader or club.
Casting Lab is an opportunity to come work on your casting and receive coaching. Our focus will be on the FFI Fly Casting Skills Development Levels but all are welcome to attend and get coaching on their casting. Hosted by GGACC Members and Casting Instructors Alan Dye, Thomas Knoble, Mike Healy, and Adrian Cardenas.
Fun and friendly casting competition held in conjunction with the Oakland Casting Club and San Jose Flycasters, but open to any registered person who would like to participate to test their skill against others or to just take part in the training to be offered as part of these casting games this year -- all are welcome, including beginning casters!
The casting games at the Oakland Casting Club casting ponds have been scheduled to be typically held on the first Sunday of each month from 9:30am to about 12:30pm. But be sure to check the calendar each month for the actual date for this event.
There is a $1 entry fee required for each casting event that you choose to compete in -- to be paid to the event host. Registration is by appointment via the contact person below.
All GGACC and OCC Casting Games will be conducted under ACA rules and will be ACA "registered" events (UON).
To REGISTER, or for further information or rules explanation, please contact: Alice Gillibert alicegillibert@comcast.net
THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO ALL CURRENT GGACC MEMBERS (UP TO OUR LIMIT OF ZOOM CALL PARTICIPANTS).
AS OF APRIL 5 WE HAVE REACHED OUR ZOOM CALL CAPACITY FOR THIS EVENT. AS IS TYPICAL, NOT EVERYONE WHO REGISTERS ACTUALLY ATTENDS ZOOM EVENTS, SO IF YOU REGISTER, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO JOIN THE LIVE EVENT. ALL REGISTRANTS WILL RECEIVE A LINK TO THE RECORDING FOLLOWING THE EVENT.
NOTE: IF YOU ARE NOT A CURRENT GGACC MEMBER, WITH 2024 ANNUAL DUES PAID IN FULL, YOU WILL BE REMOVED FROM REGISTRATION PRIOR TO THIS PRESENTATION.
Please register in order to receive the Zoom link.
This LTFF Surf Clinic will be held as a Zoom call at 7:00pm on Monday, May 6th 2024, for LTFF Level 3 students who think they might want to try fly fishing on our coastal beaches and those portions of the San Francisco Bay subject to surf conditions, or just want to learn more about this before ever hitting the beach or wading into the surf -- our truly closest fishery! We are also making this on-line clinic available to all current GGACC members.
All class registrants will receive an invite by email with the Zoom call specifics.
Attendance at this clinic will be considered mandatory for any LTFF Level 3 students who will register for the LTFF Level 3 Surf Fish-out on Saturday May 25th, 2024 down at Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica since this clinic will serve as a pre-meeting for that fish-out.
Our presenter Bill Scharninghausen, a well-known Northern California guide, has conducted surf clinics in past years for the former California Fly Shop (where he was on the pro-staff), the GGACC, and many other fly fishing clubs. He has a great amount of surf fly fishing experience in our immediate coastal area especially.
Before trying to fly fish in surf conditions, it is important that you attend this special clinic. Surf fly fishing is a definitely challenging and Bill’s presentation can make all the difference in preparing you to enjoy this experience rather than causing you to possibly fear it instead.
Please REGISTER here on the club calendar for this clinic so you can receive the Zoom invite information. You are welcome to attend this clinic if you do not register for the LTFF fishout.
Contact: Bruce Greenwood (ltff.ggacc@gmail.com)
GGACC Women’s Casting Evening
Come enjoy our second Thursday of the month Women’s casting at the casting ponds.
On the second Thursday of the summer and fall months we will be hosting a casual casting get together at the ponds. This event is for the Women of GGACC and registration is requested. We will be casting for the first hour or so and then we will have a group session the second half of the evening. Sessions content will be announced in advance.
The dates are: May 9th, June 13th, July 11th, August 8th, September 12th, and October 10th.
June 13th, July 11th, August 8th, September 12th and October 17th between 6:00pm to dark,
Please check back each month as we will update the topic and or activity we will focus on.
We hope you can join us to get together to cast, give each other tips, and catch up and socialize. If you have any questions at all, please reach out to Lisa Pardini at ljpardini@yahoo.com and Libby Wolfensperger at elwolfensperger@me.com.
We look forward to seeing you, tight lines.
This is the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Directors for the Golden Gate Casting & Angling Club, for which the meeting room in the Anglers Lodge is reserved from 8:30 - 9:45am.
As always, GGACC members are welcome to attend. Please contact the club president (Libby Wolfensperger, elwolfensperger@me.com) if you have any new business to present to the board.
The Golden Gate Angling & Casting Club's (GGACC's) Monthly Free Fly Casting Lessons are open to both Club members and the General Public. These free fly casting lessons are generally held on the 2nd Saturday of each month year-round from 9:30 AM - 12 Noon at the Golden Gate casting ponds. Free loaner equipment is also available on a first come, first served basis, but please try to arrive by 8:45 AM to take advantage of this limited free equipment.
A few points to consider –
Classes target four different skill levels (the classes are held concurrently):
Please pre-register for these casting lessons in order to help determine the number of needed instructors . To register, simply click on the large "Register" button to the left of this event description (or above it if using your smartphone).
Finally, if you are interested in joining the casting instructor group or training for Fly Fishers International (FFI) "Casting Instructor" (CI) certification, please contact Willy George.
Rondy: Lower Sac Shad 2-Hand Rods, Single Hand Rods w/ Shooting Heads
Dates: May 16, 2024
Leader: Ryan Stahl ryan.w.stahl@gmail.com
Number of anglers (including leader): 10
Description:
A day of shad fishing with sinking lines (NO INDICATORS) on the Lower Sac. We'll take jet boats up and spend the day on a gravel bar where we'll wade and swing flies for shad.
Anglers should be self-sufficient at casting Skagit lines with sink tips and/or single hand shooting head lines. We are using Orland Outfitters as the guides. They have been great hosts in the past but do not have the capacity to provide detailed instruction on two-handed casting.
Please, if the shad are holed up and you are on the sweet spot, share the spot with your fellow member so everyone can catch fish.
This is a day trip and most people are likely to drive up and back on the day of the Rondy (roughly a two-hour drive time back to the Bay Area). Our guides will provide flies, drinks, and a meal. We will likely meet at the Irvin Finch River Access boat ramp near Hamilton City on the day of the Rondy, but the exact location will be confirmed before the trip. We will plan to fish the afternoon/evening session with the exact times to be communicated by the Rondy Leader closer to the actual trip.
Website for the guide is http://www.orlandoutfitters.com/index.html
Suggested Gear: 6-8 wt spey rods with Skagit lines and sink tips or 7-8 wt single hand rods with full sink and intermediate heads. The guides will have shad flies. Depending on the temperatures and your tolerance, wet wading may be an option.
Cost: The fee for this Rondy is $275.00.
Other expenses will be transportation, parking fee (bring small bills), and guide gratuities.
Rondy: Lower Sacramento Trout Spey
Dates: May 17, 2024
Leader: John DiCerbo mailto:johndicerbo@gmail.com
Description: This is a one day jet boat trip to the lower sac for trout/micro spey. The guides from Confluence Outfitters will jet boat us to the best bars where we will swing for trout and the occasional Steelhead mixed in. We will be 2 boats, with 3 anglers per boat and the fee is based on those numbers. Here is a link to their description http://www.confluenceoutfitters.com/lower-sac-spey.aspx
Suggested Gear: 3-5 wt two handed fly rods. Note that the guides will supply these micro spey rods if needed.
Cost: The fee for this Rondy is $275.
Other expenses will be guide gratuities, travel and lodging if needed.
Rondy: Manzanita Lake "The Armando Memorial"
Dates: May 17 - 20, 2024. Leader: Patrick Cousens pdcousens@gmail.com
Description: In honor of the late, longtime GGACC member Armando Bernasconi. Manzanita Lake was his favorite place to fish. So we are declaring this Rondy the "The Armando Memorial". Come see why he loved the place: Big picky rainbows and browns in perhaps the most beautiful setting in California. These dates will be soon after "ice out" when the fish will be very hungry after a winter under the ice. For this trip, float tubes or other crafts are required (not a wading trip) as well as Personal Floatation Devices which is club policy for safety reasons.
We will be camping at the Manzanita Lake Campground in Lassen National Park. Camping spots have been reserved already. More info to follow.
Suggested Gear: 4-6wt single hand rods. Floating and intermediate lines. A float tube or other craft is required, as well as PFD's. Fish take dry flies, nymphs and streamers.
Cost: The fee for this Rondy is $38 which includes camping fees.
Other expenses will be the National park entrance ($30 per car but FREE with various National Parks passes), your transportation and food.
The center and east ponds will be reserved on Saturday, May 18th 9AM to 12 Noon for this Learn To Fly Fish event.
This is for the LTFF Level 2 Learn To Fly Fish class. Students will be learning presentation casts with GGACC casting instructors from 9AM to Noon.
Level 2 students should arrive, and be rigged up and have name badges, ready to begin this clinic promptly at 9AM.
John Murphy will be hosting this clinic with instruction from Jeff Hogan and Steve Morikawa
This event is open only to the 2024 Level 2 LTFF group as currently registered.
Contact: Bruce Greenwood ltff.ggacc@gmail.com
This LTFF Level 3 Surf Fish-out will be Saturday May 25th starting at 6:00AM that day (unless advised otherwise). Our guide, Bill Scharninghausen, is a very experienced Northern CA surf fisherman. He will be leading up to (6) LTFF Level 3 students to Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica, CA.
We will meet in the parking lot in front of NorCal Surf Shop, 5440 Pacific Coast Hwy, which is just off San Pedro Ave, -- an extension of Linda Mar Blvd after crossing Hwy 1. Both wader up & gear up upon arrival. Bill will offer a brief talk between 6:15-6:30AM before leading the group down to the beach. You will only be fishing the incoming tide through the morning cycle before returning home in late morning or early afternoon at the latest.
Fishing Gear: Rod, can be EITHER one of the following: 1) a 7-8wt single hand rod with an integrated shooting head (250 to 300 gr.) or a shooting head set-up with Type 4 or Type 6 heads; OR 2) a 7-8wt switch rod with sink tips (for overhead casting only, not Spey casting). It is best NOT to use coated type floating running line in the surf -- an intermediate running line or a slow sinking mono line will not be as impacted by wave action.
You will want to review and practice what you learned at Willy George's Shooting Head Clinic in February.
Leaders should be 10-15# mono, or preferably fluoro, straight tippet. Go light when fishing in the surf and carry only the barest essentials such as hemostats, nippers, a spool of tippet, and your surf flies in a waterproof fly box, possibly carried inside jacket pockets or in a small chest pack, sling, or hip pack (no fishing vests).
Also bring your waders (booted-foot type is best if you have them since they keep sand out of your boots); if you do a lot of surf fishing using your stocking-foot waders, then either scuba booties, Teva sandals, or "flats" boots are better than your normal wading boots (since saltwater can corrode the metal eyelets in std. wading boots).
Other gear includes: A wading belt (this is a "must have" -- and two belts are better); a good wading rain jacket (tied up tight at the bottom) or a kayak dry top; a hat with strap, or a baseball cap to wear under a buff or hood to hold it securely; sun gloves or a tennis/golf glove for your line hand to help land prickly fish; sunglasses with strap; stripping fingers or tape (stretchy pet tape or waterproof surgical tape) to wrap one or two fingers; and a stripping basket (optional, if you are comfortable using one). with plenty of drain holes in it.
A PFD is highly advisable -- (A wading staff is NOT recommended in the surf.)
Remember to be sure to thoroughly rinse all your gear (flies, rods, and reels especially, but also forceps, nippers, boots, etc.) in fresh water as soon as you can after fishing saltwater!
Anglers should have river fly fishing experience, be able to cast a sinking shooting head or sink tip, and be comfortable wading in turbulent knee-deep water.
There will also be a Surf Clinic (Zoom call), at 7:00PM on Monday, May 6th that you SHOULD definitely attend if you have not seen Bill's excellent "Surf Presentation" slide show previously. That clinic will serve as a pre-meeting for this fish-out, and therefore a prerequisite for attending this fish-out. Besides giving a thorough introduction to fly fishing in the surf, Bill will discuss what to expect, wading safety, reading the surf, surf fishing techniques, gear, and other logistics. Sign up for this free Surf Clinic on the club calendar now.
Surf perch, our primary target, eat a lot of mole crabs in the surf zone. But local surf flies (the best are usually tied in orange or root beer colors, or dark green with orange or root beer undersides, to imitate the mole crab's egg sac) can be rather hard to locate. This is another good reason for attending Bill's clinic since you'll be able to inspect all his flies and he may be able to tell you where you can get some good surf perch flies, in addition to a clouser or two. Note that Bill will not be supplying any flies or other gear for this fish-out.
The fee for this Level 3 Surf Fish-out is $120, which covers the guide's fee, but not his gratuity. You will need a valid California Fishing License if you have not yet purchased one this year.
The casting games at the GGACC casting ponds have been scheduled to be typically held on the third Sunday of each month from 9:30am to about 12:30pm. But be sure to check the calendar each month for the actual date for this event. Once the Lodge has been re-opened, these events will have priority use of the Lodge locker room and the center and east casting ponds during these hours.
All GGACC Casting Games will be conducted under ACA rules and will be ACA "registered" events (UON).
LTFF Hat Creek Fishout – Level 2 Students - May 31-June 3rd
Hat Creek! In the shadow of Mt. Lassen, this is both a beautiful and challenging fly fishing venue for LTFF Level 2 anglers. You will learn techniques to be on your game to catch trout in this great location!
We have a great group of LTFF alumni with experience on this river to guide you and teach you strategies and skills for this water.
Unless announced otherwise, this mentored Hat Creek fish-out is only being offered to a limited number of this year's enrolled Level 2 students in the club's "Learn to Fly Fish" (LTFF) Program. Do not register for this event if you are NOT in this class, or risk losing your registration fee.
We have structured this outing for two groups of 8 students, with 1 ½ days of mentored fishing. Group 1 will fish Friday evening & Saturday. Group 2 will fish Sat evening and Sunday. The two group will overlap for the Sat evening sessions. After a morning fishing session, we will take afternoon breaks while the fishing slows down. You may choose to rest or explore the area during the afternoon, and then return in the evening hopefully for a nice hatch and more great fishing! This arrangement of fishing the morning and evening is generally not available with guides since they need to make it home to their families.
The schedule then allows for a Sunday or Monday departure for the roughly 5 hour return drive to the Bay Area.
John Chung will be your fishout leader, taking charge of the logistics. We will have at least three other club mentors providing a 2:1 student to mentor ratio for great expert coaching!
Hat Creek is one of California’s most renowned trout streams and a favorite dry fly water for many of the state’s best fly fishers — especially on the Wild River section and other famous stretches of this special river that we expect to fish. And since this is a spring-fed stream, it should have a good water level regardless of run-off.
Campground: We will be camping at PG&E's public Cassel Campground (off Hwy 299 east of Burney). Campsite reservations won't open until later in April. We will detail the specific campsites in our pre-fishout zoom call. Camping with the group is highly encouraged for both proximity to fishing, as well as getting the most out of this great fishing venue.
In past years, we've been able to pitch 2-3 tents per campsite at Cassel without objection (the area mgr. actually suggested these particular "back loop" sites for us to do so). There are no group camp sites in either this or any other nearby campgrounds, but this arrangement should work to allow most of the students to camp together in adjacent campsites rather than being spread out throughout the campground. We have paid extra for up to 2 vehicles per campsite. Any more than that and we may have to park some vehicles at the gate to the campground (after unloading) -- or pay an extra $5/night for additional vehicles if there is space to park them off the loop road -- but the area mgr. may decide that when he sees how many vehicles we have (another good reason to carpool, if possible).
Should you prefer to reserve a campsite of your own though to perhaps stay longer, then go to pge.com and under the "Find A Park" tab, search for Cassel Campground and book your own site very soon. (Another, but much smaller, PG&E campground in that area is North Shore Campground, if you can’t find any more open spots in Cassel.) Reservations for PG&E campgrounds usually open around Mid April.
Motels: For those who prefer not to camp, the motels in nearby Burney include:
Charm Motel (ph 530-335-3300, www.charm.burneylodging.com)
Green Gables (ph. 530-335-3300, www.greengables.burneylodging.com)
Shasta Pines Motel & Suites (ph. 530-335-2201, www.shastapinesmotel.com)
Meeting Place: Everyone will need to meet at John or Charles' campsite (UON) in Cassel Campground at 7:00AM each fishing morning to figure out who is going with which mentor, to make up your lunches, to get your flies, instructions, etc. This early start is intended to get everyone on the water as soon as possible each morning — so please don’t be late.
Driving Directions: Google "Cassel Campground”: the shortest route is to follow I-5N to Redding, from there take CA-299E to Cassel Road — about 5 hours total drive time without traffic (from Redding it is about 1 hr. 15 min. without traffic)
If you need them, follow these directions: Take Exit #680 off of I-5 for CA-299/Lake Blvd., keep right at the fork and follow signs for Burney/Alturas/CA-299E, follow CA-299E for 50 miles to Burney, continue east of Burney on CA Hwy 299E for 7 more miles (to 2 miles past the junction with Hwy. 89), turn south (right) onto Cassel Road, drive 3.6 miles and turn left at paved access road into the campground (just before the bridge and across from Cassel Post Office).
Camping Equipment: It is suggested that you have your own tent (with tent stakes, footprint/plastic tarp, and rainfly) or an agreement to share a tent with someone. 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: There will be NO hosted group dinners for anyone on this fish-out. You can cook dinners in camp, or there are at least two possible restaurants on Main St. in Burney that smaller groups may decide to use: Rex Club (ph. 530-335-4184, they also have cabins) Art’s Outpost (Steak House & Italian, ph. 530-335-2835)
There are also other diners, a Subway for sandwiches, pizza joints, and other fast food options in Burney: (www.reddingcentral.com/Dine/dine-Burney.htm)
We will be providing groceries for making your own sandwiches for sack lunches on each fishing day only. Lunches will most likely be held in camp with a chance to rest from the heat of the day and to reorganize mentors' groupings if requested.
NOTE: Other than the two sack lunches 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 3-5wt 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 (these fish can be picky!) 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 indicators, split shot, one 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. Bring foam hoppers or Chubby Chernobyl pattern flies for hopper (dry) / dropper rigging if you prefer this rather than indicator nymphing, or simply tight-line nymph instead (although Hat Creek has very little pocket water where tight-lining works best). "Swinging" of soft-hackled flies is another very good choice.
Flies: We will be providing at least a dozen flies to each student -- some dries, a couple buggers, and a few nymph patterns. These flies will likely only be packaged in sandwich bags for distributing to you, so you will need to put them in your own fly box along with your other flies -- and be sure to pinch the barbs! We will not be doing this for you. Also, bring your own flies, especially any that you picked up for (or tied for) this particular trip on a fly shop's or someone else's recommendation.
If you still need more of your own flies, or forgot some other gear after you leave town, there is "The Fly Shop" on your way up there (located just south of Redding on east side of I-5 backed up to the frwy.: take the Churn Creek Road exit, then head north about a 1/2 mile or so on the frontage road to see the shop on your left). There's also the "Shasta Angler" in Fall River Mills, which is 5-10 miles past the Hat Creek area on CA-299 (for good local knowledge from owner Matt).
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.
Wading: As a spring creek, Hat Creek can be pretty cold, but you may decide when you get there and test the water that you might prefer to wet-wade instead of wearing waders. If so, just be sure that you have sturdy closed-toe wading sandals or, better yet, use neoprene guard socks (or other neoprene socks) plus polypo liner socks to help fill-out your wading boots. Lightweight (i.e., nylon) long pants are recommended (in lieu of wearing shorts) for wet-wading to better protect your shins from scrapes on rocks, scratchy brush, poison oak, etc.
Registration Fee: The registration fee is $125 per student. This fee is needed to hopefully cover the cost of all the campground fees, the purchase of flies, groceries for lunches, etc. It does not include the cost of transportation, lodging, meals (other than 2 lunches), or any other expenses.
Communications: John Chung will lead this fishout and coordinate accordingly. (415)-577-5585 jschung1@gmail.com
Note: There is only spotty to very poor cell phone service in the Hat Creek area -- try texting up there instead, which is also hit-or-miss.
LTFF Upper Sacramento River Fish-outs -- Level 2 Students only
These two Upper Sac River Fish-outs on June 8 and June 9 (Group 1, fishing with mentors on June 8) and (Group 2, fishing with mentors on June 9) are exclusively intended for currently registered Level 2 students in the GGACC's "Learn to Fly Fish" (LTFF) program. Registration for these fish-outs is limited and based on a lottery system. There will be 8 openings for each group.
The Upper Sacramento River is one of Northern California's best known fly fishing rivers for rainbow and brown trout due to all the wadable riffles and pocket water, especially in its upper stretches, which are relatively easy to access from both Interstate 5 and the railroad tracks that parallel much of the river from Lamoine at the south end up to the Cantara railroad bridge that's just north of the historic town of Dunsmuir. Unlike the Lower Sacramento River, a big tailwater river, that flows out of Lake Shasta, this upper river follows a much more picturesque landscape of forested mountain sides and canyons, including the stunning mountain crags in Castle Crags State Park that borders this river. Most of the I-5 exits along the interstate here lead to some sort of access to the river.
We are introducing a special opportunity this year, courtesy of two of our FFI certified casting instructors---Steve Morikawa and Jeff Hogan. Steve and Jeff will be leading a "tight line" clinic for each day--with instruction on novel techniques you may have not seen. Students will receive on-the-water training and coaching on tight line techniques on the Upper Sac...a perfect place to introduce and hone these skills. We will have additional club mentors, allowing for a 2:1 student to mentor ratio.
It should be noted that the Upper Sac features excellent pocket water lending itself well to tight line techniques. However, various locations can present challenging wading conditions. You should be prepared accordingly.
Registration fees include ingredients for you to make your own lunch at the campground prior to morning departure. You are expected to arrive at the meeting spot, wader up and be ready to listen/learn. The fish-out leader will distribute flies to you and assign you to your guide for the day.
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 2-3 9ft. 4X 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) silicone fly floatant, dry-shake desiccant floatant, and a small or medium sized fly box (preferably watertight). Flies will be provided as part of the registration fees. Entomology and fly imitations will be discussed in prep meetings prior to the fish-out to help you purchase some extra flies to bring along or tie your own before the trip. While not necessary, if you have a euro-nymphing style rod setup (eg...10-11ft, 3-4wt with soft tip)--bring it!
Bring a pack of some sort, or a fishing vest with a 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. You must have 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 (felt-soled or studded rubber-soled) and, if you think that you might prefer to wet-wade if it's really 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). This river may be running pretty high still due to snow-melt and running pretty cold, so be sure you bring waders along in your vehicle no matter what you decide to do there.
Don't forget your CA 2024 fishing license (it's a long drive back to get a duplicate copy), also 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 notebook & pencil and maybe a stream thermometer if you are really getting into it.
Camping or Lodging Options: We have reserved group campsites at Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort, which is a short distance first to the west and then south of the I-5 exit near the town of Mt. Shasta. (Use Google or other map apps to get interstate exit and street directions to the resort.) Travel time from the City is about 4-1/2 hours -- without accounting for traffic, so be sure to leave early enough to not be making others unhappy by setting up your camp after most others have gone to sleep.
We have reserved group camp sites at Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort. 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.
Camping is strongly encouraged to get better acquainted with your fellow students. However, if you need a motel instead, there are motel accommodations possible in the nearby towns of Mt. Shasta, Dunsmuir, and McCloud.
Registration fee of $140.00 is non-refundable and covers , DIY lunch, flies, and campground fees. It does not cover your travel costs, motels (if you decide not to camp), food (except lunch), or guide gratuities.
For questions, contact: Charles Marsh (senor.charles@gmail.com)
Rondy: Upper Sacramento River Walk & Wade #1
Dates: June 15-16, 2024
Leader: Mike Downing mailto:mdowning1567@aol.com
Number of anglers (including leader): 9
Description: The Upper "Sac" is everything a freestone trout stream should be: It has riffles, pocket water, long runs, and deep pools. It is a wonderful "walk and wade" river that flows 37 miles from Lake Siskiyou to Shasta Lake. Rondy leader Mike Downing will lead 8 club anglers to show them good places to enter and fish the river. We will meet the first day at 7:00AM at the Ted Fay Fly Shop, located in downtown Dunsmuir. We will make a short drive to the river.
Suggested Gear: 4-5 wt single handed fly rods, with floating lines for dry flies and nymphing, 4X-6X leaders, 5X-7X tippet (Mono or Fluorocarbon), split-shot, indicators, and flies. Full wading attire and staff. Weather is always changeable - Be prepared.
Other expenses will include travel, lodging (there are several motels and campgrounds in the area - more information will be forthcoming), meals, and perhaps, the purchase of a few flies while in the fly shop (to help support the grateful owner Bob who personally ties most of his flies).
We will be using the EAST pond from 9AM to Noon for this casting clinic.
This clinic is open to 2024 Level 3 Learn To Fly Fish students only.
Fly presentation is always important for successful fly angling. Fishing the waters of the Missouri River in Montana, and enjoying the fantastic dry fly fishing and "head hunting" requires that your presentation skills are top notch.
Steve Morikawa, Jeff Hogan, and John Anderson---3 of our FFI certified casting instructors--will lead a 3 hour clinic to refresh and improve your fly presentation skills. We will work particularly on the REACH MEND which is critical for head hunting on the Mighty Mo', as well as casting accuracy.
This clinic is a MUST if you are registered for the LTFF Level 3 Montana fishout, but all Level 3 students will benefit from these skills on Northern California trout streams...
Level 3 students please register so we can properly plan for this clinic.
Bruce
ltff.ggacc@gmail.com
Rondy: Truckee River Clinic #1
Dates: June 16, 2024
Leader: Scott Martin. waltersmartin@gmail.com
Number of Anglers: 6
Description: This is a one day clinic led by Peter Stantley who's been guiding the Truckee area since 2006, followed by a day of fishing on your own with the knowledge gained. This informational day will be a combination of a brief tour of popular access points on the Truckee and Little Truckee River, tackle suggestions, productive rigs, hatches, flies and strategies.
Suggested Gear: Bring your fly rod (say 5-6wt rod, 9 ft. or longer) with a floating fly line, in addition to your usual fly fishing gear. Be sure to bring waders (with at least one belt!), wading boots, wading staff, sunglasses (polarized!), and sun protection. Also be sure to pack a lunch for yourself, as well as drinking water needed for the days.
Guide: Peter Stantley psantley@gmail.com
Meeting Time & Place: TBD
Lodging: Lodging and food available in Reno for those wishing to fish the second day as well as campgrounds in the area.
Cost: $135.00 for clinic day.
Other Expenses: gratuities, transportation and lodging
Rondy: Upper Sacramento River Walk & Wade #2 The Dick Swanson Memorial
Dates: June 20-21, 2024
Description: This Rondy is a memorial for Dick, to acknowledge the truly kind human being he was, for the time and energy he gave so freely to the club, and the way he touched people with his gentle grace and soul. When you fish this river, stop and listen, and take in the beauty that’s around you; you’ll know more about Dick than any words can tell.
The Upper "Sac" is everything a freestone trout stream should be: It has riffles, pocket water, long runs, and deep pools. It is a wonderful "walk and wade" river that flows 37 miles from Lake Siskiyou to Shasta Lake. Rondy leader Mike Downing will lead 8 club anglers to show them good places to enter and fish the river. We will meet the first day at 7:00AM at the Ted Fay Fly Shop, located in downtown Dunsmuir. We will make a short drive to the river.
Suggested Gear: 4-5 wt single handed fly rods, with floating lines for dry flies and nymphing, 4X-6X leaders, 5X-7X tippet (Mono or Flourocarbon), split-shot, indicators, and flies. Full wading attire and staff. Weather is always changeable - Be prepared.
Rondy: Truckee River Clinic #2
Dates: June 23, 2024
Leader: TBD
Rondy: East Walker River Walk & Wade
Dates: July 11-14, 2024
Leader: Paul Kromhout mailto:pkromhout@comcast.net
Number of anglers (including leader): 8
Description: The Eastern Sierra Walk & Wade is a Fishing & Camping Rondy, based near Bridgeport, CA. We will fish the East Walker River in both California and Nevada, with the opportunity to also fish the Upper Owens River and Hot Creek.
This Rondy is for experienced fly fishers who are comfortable wading, hiking, CAMPING and, because of the distance from the Bay Area, driving. The base for the camping is approximately 15 miles from Bridgeport, CA and necessitates not only high clearance vehicles, but willingness and ability to camp away from town.
What’s required? Appropriate wading gear (boots, waders, belt, staff), camping gear, food & water, fishing licenses (CA & NV). First aid gear recommended.
We will fish without guides, but will have a primer/review of local techniques each morning/evening as demanded. Ability to wade safely on rocky river bottoms, negotiate roll and lob casts in tight quarters and capability of rigging flies and tippet are required. As such, this trip is NOT for novice fly fishers. You need to be able to fish unsupervised.
This trip will be limited to ten participants. We will be camping. If you do not wish to camp, please do not sign up for this Rondy. The cost for the Rondy is $25. Additional costs include, but are not limited to: fishing licenses, travel, food, gear.
The East Walker River flows east from Bridgeport Reservoir toward Nevada where it turns south. The tail water from the reservoir is a bug-rich environment that holds a healthy population of browns and rainbows. Dry, dry-dropper and nymph fishing are successful methods on the East Walker.
Further south, the Upper Owens River and Hot Creek run through not only different terrain, but offer marked contrasts in fishing styles.
Suggested Gear: 5wt or 6wt 9ft fly rod. A 10ft nymphing rod rigged for straight line indicator fishing is especially effective. Either floating or DT line for nymphs and dries and a sink-tip line for streamers. Waders, boots, wading staff, hat and glasses are a must. Camping gear as required. Our camping may take place on roads requiring reasonably high ground clearance. Please plan to coordinate your drive with someone owning an appropriate vehicle. If the weather is wet, 4wd will be your friend.
Supplies: While we will certainly attempt to coordinate efforts, participants should plan to bring an independent supply of water, food and personal items. The town of Bridgeport has a few stores, restaurants and motels and is a short drive from our fishing area. Bridgeport is a 5 hour drive from San Francisco, depending on traffic and route. Ken's Sporting Goods in Bridgeport is a go-to spot for everything, including Nevada fishing licenses ($19 for 1-day, approx. $7 each extra day; $81 for 365-day non-resident; pricing subject to change).
Cost: The fee for this Rondy is $25.00.
Other expenses expenses will include transportation, camping fees, meals/food, fishing licenses.
Rondy: North Fork Stanislaus River Backpack
Dates: July 12-14, 2024 (although dates could change to August 9-11 due to snowpack and high water conditions)
Location: North Fork of the Stanislaus River - 3.5 hour drive East of the Bay Area
Leader: John Anderson mailto:jca35otl@gmail.com
Number of anglers (including leader): 7
Description: The goal of this trip is for anglers to backpack into a majestic river canyon and fish for wild trout in an area that gets very little fishing pressure. This two-night backpacking trip starts Friday at 12 noon with a 4 mile drive down a steep 4X4 dirt road to a trailhead and then a 5 mile hike down into the North Fork of the Stanislaus River Canyon. There are no maintained hiking trails in this area, so anglers will have to do some bushwacking (long pants and walking/wading staff recommended). The camp site is located on the river and overlooks a 100 yard pool that holds some nice trout. There is a surplus of firewood, so we can have a camp fire unless there are fire restrictions. We will camp at the same site for two days.
Skills Needed: This rondy involves a challenging hike down a steep river canyon so participants should be experienced backpackers and fly fishers and fit enough to climb in and out of a 1000' canyon with backpacking and fishing gear. The hike should take about 3 hours each way. Participants will need backpacking and fly fishing gear and be prepared to camp for a weekend. There will be a pre-trip meeting to discuss the needed gear and other logistics (date tbd).
Suggested Gear: 2-5 wt single handed fly rods, with floating lines.
Other expenses will include your own transportation and food/supplies.
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 indicators, split shot, one 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.
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
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
Rondy: Desolation Wilderness Backpacking to fish
Dates: July 25 - 28, 2024 (alternate August 22 - 25 if snowpack and runoff conditions require)
Leader: Matt Didden - matthew.didden@gmail.com
Description: This Sierra Tahoe Rondy is a 3-night backpacking trip to fly fish the headwaters of the American River watershed located west of Lake Tahoe. This Rondy is limited to 5 experienced backpackers (6 including the leader).
We will fish the Rubicon River between Camper Flat and Clyde Lake, as well as the lakes near camp. This freestone river contains rainbows, with “some goldens” in the upper section, and the alpine lakes contain brookies. There will be opportunities to fish with dries, nymphs, and streamers.
The plan is to meet at the Rockbound trailhead near Wrights Lake off Highway 50 mid-morning of July 25, hike to Lake Lois (7.25 miles, 2,000’ elev. gain), and make camp early afternoon. We may move our camp for 1 or more nights. July 28 we will hike out. The elevation ranges from ~7,000’ to ~8,500’ with one pass to cross (Rockbound Pass, 8,650’). Temperatures can vary with very warm days and cool, sometimes windy, nights. Pack accordingly for all conditions!
If the snowpack conditions prevent being able to hike to camp, the Rondy will be rescheduled with a start date of August 22. This will be finalized in May.
You must be an experienced backpacker and have the ability to hike with your pack up to 8 miles a day on rough trails. The leader is an experienced backpacker. However, the expectation is that all participants in this Rondy will be self-sufficient. You will need all the normal backpacking gear to take care of yourself on the trail. We may share some gear such as stoves, water filters, etc.
There will be a virtual pre-meeting to discuss logistics, carpool, gear, fly selection, shared supplies, etc. The date for this pre-meeting will be in May at a date to be set later.
Suggested Gear: 3-5 wt single handed fly rods
Other expenses will include your transportation and food/supplies.
Yosemite High Country - LTFF Level 1 Fish-out
Four Groups of 10 Anglers.
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. .
Rondy: 20 Lakes Basin Backpack
Dates: August 21 - 25, 2024
Leader: Scott Martin waltersmartin@gmail.com
Number of anglers (including leader): 5
Description: This Eastern Sierra Rondy is a 4-night backpacking trip to fly fish a small watershed located on the Northeast border of Yosemite. This Rondy is limited to 4 experienced backpackers (5 including the leader). We will fish mostly lakes along with the flows between the lakes. The loop trail is about 10 miles with several lakes along the route. The fishing will be mostly casting from the lake shores with some “wet” wading.
The plan is to meet at the trailhead at Saddlebag Lake off Highway 120 late morning of August 21, and hike into Cascade Lake and make camp. We may move our camp for 1 or more nights. August 25 we will hike out. The elevation is about 10,000’ the whole way with small areas of elevation gains and loss. Acclimating to the elevation will be the biggest challenge. Pack light! At this time of year, it gets cold at night so pack accordingly!
You will need all the normal backpacking gear to take care of yourself on the trail. We may share some gear such as stoves, water filters, etc. Bring your favorite fly rod for fishing deep-shored lakes and small rushing creeks. There will be opportunities to fish with dries, nymphs, and streamers.
You must also be an experienced backpacker and have the ability to hike with your pack up to 6 miles a day on rough trails. The leader is an experienced backpacker. However, the expectation is that all participants in this Rondy will be self-sufficient. There will be a pre-meeting to discuss logistics, gear, shared food, etc. The date for this pre-meeting is tbd.
Sage/Simms/RIO/Redington/Costa/Fly Water Travel Demo Day at GGACC Ponds
Saturday, August 24th, 9 AM - 3 PM
Tune Up Your Gear & Casting with RIO and GGACC
Fly lines are the most overlooked but clearly are one of the most important pieces of your fly casting system. This is true for both single-hand and Spey rods. Discover which fly line is right for you and your rods at their eighth RIO Line Demo Day at the Golden Gate Angling & Casting Club ponds in San Francisco. RIO Products experts along with local RIO pros will be on-hand with an assortment of RIO single-hand and Spey lines for you to demo on your own rods or on Sage and Redington rods that will be provided for the event. You are welcome to use the ponds to cast Spey lines so bring your waders and boots.
Come and Try Out All of the Latest Sage and Redington Rods
Back for their fifth year as part of this product demo event, two of the leading manufacturers of fly rods and reels, Sage and Redington will be on hand with all of their single-hand and two handed fly rods for you to try out on the casting ponds.
Simms will be there with their complete line
Simms is a leading manufacturer of waders, wading equipment, outdoor apparel and fishing gear. We are happy to have them here again this year with their line of fishing products, including waders and boots for us to try on at the ponds on Demo Day.
Costa Sunglasses will be there with a selection of their polarized sunglasses
We are happy to have Costa sunglasses back at our Demo Day this year and we are looking forward to being able to try on their various models and sizes of fishing specific sunglasses. The polarized lenses are a great aid in seeing fish under the water and the complete UV protection helps reduce eye strain over a long day fishing.
Fly Water Travel will be joining us for Demo Day this year!
Fly Water Travel is a leading fly fishing travel company and the newest member of the Far Bank family of top fly fishing brands. Fly Water Travel will be on hand for Demo Day to answer your questions about your next fly fishing adventure and to help you book your dream trip of a lifetime with one of their 225 operators of world class destinations.
Lost Coast Outfitters will be with us again to make your day complete
Lost Coast Outfitters, the San Francisco Fly Shop, will be pond-side at Demo Day to help you get the gear you want after you’ve tested, tried on, or otherwise made up your mind about the gear that you must have….now!
The event runs from 9 AM until 3 PM and is free and open to the public. There will be hourly raffle prizes and free lunch will be provided thanks to our world class product representatives. There is no need to register for this event.
The SubCommittee - Mare Island Chapter annual West Coast Fall Fun Run is a gathering of R/C submarines to be held in the West Pond on the weekend of September 28th and 29th. Fully functional scale model submarines both historical & military, scientific and fantasy boats from the local chapter members and other associated chapters will be on display and running in the water. The event is open to the public, come and join in the fun.
Rondy: 2 Day, 2 River Trout/Steelhead Drifts
Dates: October 13 - 14, 2024
Leader: Brad Bradford bradford@realpropserv.com
Description: We're going to be there, why not fish 2 days?? Why not fish 2 rivers?? This Rondy will start on the Trinity River for the first day and then move to the Lower Sac for the second day. We'll target steelhead on the Trinity and large rainbow (steelhead) on the Lower Sac. We'll meet the guides early on the 13th near Weaverville, fish for the day and then move to Redding to prepare to meet the guides on the Lower Sac early on the 14th. This will likely require you stay in the Weaverville area on the night of the 12th and in the Redding area the night of the 13th (maybe we'll meet for dinner in Redding). At the end of the drift on the 14th you are free to drive home or stay on the road.
Guides will be from Forrest Brizendine of NorCal Fishing Guides; norcalfishingguides.com
Suggested Gear: 5-6 wt single handed fly rods, with floating lines. Guides can provide gear if you prefer.
Cost: $675.00 per angler
Other expenses will be guide gratuities, transportation, food and lodging.
Rondy: Deschutes River
Dates: October 13-15, 2024
Leader: Libby Wolfensperger mailto:elwolfensperger@me.com
Description: This Rondy is a 3-day guided float and wade fishing adventure on the lower Deschutes River in central Oregon, where we will fish for native summer Steelhead and "Red side" Rainbow Trout. Guides will take us through miles of gorgeous, remote canyon. Periodically we'll take out to wade-fish nymphs or swing flies (no fishing from the drift boats). Each evening we'll and stop and camp (it's really glamping - glamour camping) at amazing sites, where we'll enjoy top notch food served in a dedicated dining tent.
The trip will both begin and end in Bend, Oregon, at the Confluence Fly Shop, where we will meet our guides, get licenses, boat passes, pick up some flies, and park our cars (guides will shuttle us from the shop and back). We will put in near Madras (about an hour north of Bend) and then take out 3 days later near Maupin. Our guides will be http://www.deepcanyonoutfitters.com/
Bend, OR, is about an 8-1/2 hour drive from San Francisco. There is an airport in nearby Redmond for those who prefer to fly. We should plan on arriving a day early and staying over the night after the Rondy.
There will be a pre-meeting to discuss more logistics, gear, carpools, etc. (date tbd).
Suggested Gear: 5-7 wt single-handed rods with floating lines or 6-7 wt two-handed rods, studded boots, and wading staff. Anglers must also supply their own sleeping bags, pillow, personal items, liquor (if desired), and Oregon fishing license and boater's pass. Guides will supply very nice standing room tents, with cots and sleeping pads. Note that wading on the Deschutes can be tricky due to the large angular basalt rocks, and that there is no fishing from the boats. You must be prepared to wade confidently.
There will be a dedicated gear boat that will haul our gear, set up camp, and cook great meals. Personal items that are only needed in camp can be packed in a large dry bag to be supplied by the guides and transported in the gear boat. Bring your own small dry bag (or waterproof pack) with a change of clothes, rain jacket, fleece, and any small personal items that you may want to keep handy during the day in your boat.
This is an amazing multi day float at a great price. It is open to both single hand and two hand casters. Most anglers enjoy a little of both on this trip.
Cost: The fee for this Rondy is $1,865.00
Other expenses will be guide gratuities, transportation to and from Bend, and lodging the nights before and after the trip.
Rondy: Trinity River Steelhead Walk & Wade
Dates: October 30-31, 2024
Leader: Bill Corkery mailto:billcorkery@att.net
Description: This rondy is an excellent opportunity for Walk-and Wade fly fishing for Steelhead on the Trinity River near Junction City, CA. Bill Corkery, a GGACC Member, knows the area well and can take up to 4 anglers on this two-day fishing trip. The opportunity exists to catch both adult and smaller (i.e. "1/2 pound") steelhead.
There are several options for how to fly fishing for steelhead on this wading trip: 1) Indicator nymph fishing with a 5-7wt single hand rod with floating line and Fluoro tippet (1X-4X) and split-shot below an indicator; 2) Swinging steelhead flies with a 6-8wt single hand rod and floating or intermediate head line and sink tips with short 8-12# mono tippet; or 3) Swinging flies with a 5-7wt Spey rod with floating or intermediate fly line & sink tips with short 8-12# mono tippet.
Suggested Gear: 5-7 wt single handed fly rods for nymhing; 6-8 wt single handed rods for swinging; 5-7 wt Spey rods for swinging. Note that the weather can be very cold, bring multi-layers and good rain gear.
Other expenses will include travel, food, lodging (motels in Weaverville).
Rondy: Delta Stripers #2
Dates: November 13, 2024
Leader: Steve Swett mailto:steve@libertypainting.biz
Number of anglers (including leader): 4
Description: The Delta is a wonderful fishery for both Black and Striped Bass. It is a truly amazing area, and just 1-1/2 hours from San Francisco. Striped Bass are "hot" fish meaning that they provide a very noteworthy strike and resulting fight. We will be 4 experienced anglers for a one-day guided boat trip. The guides we are using are great their website is https://www.confluenceoutfitters.com
Suggested Gear: 8-9 wt single handed fly rods, with a variety of lines. Note: The guides will supply the gear if needed, which typically includes 9 ft. long 8 or 9 wt fly rods with a variety of lines including floating, intermediate, and T-14 sinking lines. They will also supply the terminal tackle and flies. Lunch and water is provided by the guides.
Cost: The fee for this Rondy is $350.00
Guides: Confluence Outfitters / Toby Uppinghouse
Other expenses will be guide gratuities.
Rondy: Trinity River Steelhead Drift #1
Dates: November 15, 2024
Leader: Patrick Cousens mailto:pdcousens@gmail.com
Description: The Trinity is a gorgeous river this time of year. We will be floating the river from a drift boat or raft - both with hard bottoms. We will mostly fish with nymphs and/or egg patterns under indicators with, maybe, some swinging using 2 handed rods. The guides will provide rods, flies, beverages, snacks and lunch. Anglers will need waders and boots (no studs please) along with weather appropriate clothing. You MUST have a current fishing license and STEELHEAD card.
Fish range from half pounders to 30 or more inches. 10+ pound steelhead are caught every year so be prepared.
The nearest town is Weaverville which is conveniently located within 30 mins of the river. There are several lodging and dining options to make for an enjoyable two-night trip if you so desire.
The trinity is a beautiful place with a fish of a lifetime waiting for your fly!
The guide service we use is great. They are:
Forrest Brizendine forrest@norcalfishingguides.com
Suggested Gear: 6-8 wt single handed fly rods for nymphing and swinging; 5-7 wt Spey rods for swinging. Note that the weather can be very cold, bring multi-layers and good rain gear.
Cost: The fee for this Rondy is $350
Other expenses will be guide gratuities, transportation, lodging and meals besides lunch on the boat.
Rondy: Trinity River Steelhead Drift #2
Dates: November 16, 2024
Questions? Please direct your inquiries to the appropriate mail box:
General Information: club.ggacc@gmail.com
Membership: membership.ggacc@gmail.com
Social Media: ggaccsocial@gmail.com
Rondy Program: rondyprogramggacc@gmail.com
Events: events.ggacc@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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