CLOSED: Learn to Fly Fish- STEP 1 "Beginners" Class Day 1 (Section A)

  • 03 Mar 2018
  • 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Anglers Lodge, Golden Gate Park
  • 0

Registration


Registration is closed

THE 2018 EXPANDED LTFF Step 1 BEGINNER CLASS HAS BEEN FILLED FROM THE WAITLIST AND THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER ADDITIONS TO THIS YEAR'S CLASS (or to the current waitlist).  Those wishing to join the 2019 Beginners Class should be sure to attend the October and/or November sessions of the club's 2nd Saturday "Free Fly Casting Lessons on the GGACC Ponds" in order to hear an announcement of exactly what date and time the next online registration will be opened for current club members only to register for this program (joining the club or renewing your membership in the last couple months of the year will be valid for the following calendar year).  Basic fly casting proficiency is a prerequisite to joining the LTFF program.  (If you have been promoted by the casting instructors to the Intermediate Level in the club's Free Casting Lessons, you have achieved this basic proficiency -- but don't stop there.)


THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION OF THIS LTFF BEGINNERS CLASS DAY 1 HAS BEEN CHANGED AS OF FEBRUARY 7, 2018, TO REFLECT A DOUBLING OF THE SIZE OF THIS 2018 LTFF STEP 1 (1st yr) BEGINNERS CLASS (now 40 students) AND OTHER REVISIONS AS NOTED BELOW.  

ALL ACCEPTED STUDENTS in the 2018 LTFF Step 1 Beginners Class shall be REGISTERED on THIS specific March 3rd calendar event -- "Beginners Class Day 1", (regardless of what the title or date suggests otherwise about the class) in order to create a single online class roster for everyone in the 2018 Beginner Class. This INCLUDES all those being moved from the waitlist to fill the expanded class size.   

There will be only one (now larger) Beginners Class for purposes of class communication and signing up for all scheduled class fish-outs or clinics.  However, this Beginners Class must be split into 2 separate "Class Sections" for the classroom instruction ONLY due to space constraints in our Anglers Lodge meeting room.   

Except for those who have previously requested an approved transfer to the Novice Class, everyone who previously registered for this 2018 LTFF Beginner Class on Dec. 4, 2017, for this Beginners Class Day 1 event will comprise Beginners "SECTION A" and attend class on the two SATURDAY mornings OF MARCH 3rd & 17th from 8:30am to 12:00pm each day.  

Unless advised otherwise, all those who have been added to the 2018 Beginners Class FROM THE WAITLIST for this event will now be in Beginners "SECTION B" and attend class on the two SUNDAY mornings of MARCH 4th  & 18th from 8:30am to 12;00pm each day.

REGISTRATION FOR THIS LTFF PROGRAM IS ON A FIRST-COME BASIS ONLY AND THIS YEAR'S CLASS FILLED VERY QUICKLY.  THE DATE AND THE EXACT TIME THAT ONLINE REGISTRATION WILL BE OPENED FOR NEXT YEAR'S CLASS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE OCT. & NOV. FREE CASTING LESSONS -- and to those still on the waitlist for this year's Beginners class via an email next fall.  

Note: GG Angler's Lodge (Board Room) is reserved exclusively for this scheduled event for those registered club members participating in this year's Learn to Fly Fish program. 

"LTFF" PROGRAM:  This Step 1 "Beginner Class" is for the first-year fly fisher in the GGACC's 3-yr. long "Learn to Fly Fish" (LTFF) Program who has done little or no fly fishing on his or her own. This program offers classroom instruction in each of the first two years, as well as an increasing number each year of mentored or guided fish-outs. This educational program is designed to help the Beginner (1st yr.) or Novice (2nd yr.) fly fisher to transition from the free casting lessons on the club ponds to fly fishing with club mentors (or, in some cases, professional guides) starting on small streams and later on lakes and larger rivers. Intermediate (3rd yr) students are offered advanced clinics and exposed to a wide variety of fisheries in both Northern California and beyond. Besides the knowledge to be learned and all the fun we have in this program, it is also a wonderful way to gain new friends and life-long fishing buddies. 

This LTFF Program is offered to new or current club members only and, in addition to the membership dues, does require the payment of fees as needed to cover the club's costs for hosting or reserving different events, both for the class and casting instruction as well as the fish-outs.  The Beginner Class Day cost is $100 total for the two days of classroom instruction and subsequent specialized casting instruction held on various announced 2nd Saturdays of the month.

Participation in this Learn to Fly Fish program, AS A PREREQUISITE, requires the ability to proficiently make basic casts to at least 35'-40'.  This includes both roll casts and overhead casts as taught by the club in the Beginner and Novice sections of the monthly free public casting lessons (typ. held every 2nd Saturday of each month, see club calendar to register for these free casting classes). Participants are encouraged to develop their casting skills beyond the prerequisite requirement as quickly as they can by attending as many of these free casting lessons as possible, and participating in the LTFF Casting Clinics held on some of those same days.  The GG casting ponds are open on most days of the year for individual practice when not reserved on the GGACC calendar for club events. 

CLASS DAYS: The Beginners classroom instruction will cover basic gear, knots, entomology, reading the water, and wading safety  Specialized casting techniques will now be taught in LTFF Casting Clinics in the afternoons on 2nd Saturdays of the month for various months as announced later by emails. Casting instructors will work with you then to help prepare you for the planned "mentored" fish-outs to be offered beginning in the spring.

 We will be teaching classes for both the Beginners (1st yr students) and Novices (2nd yr, or by approval) on the same days again this year, with Beginners classes held in the mornings followed by the Novices classes in the afternoon each day. Since each day's instruction is only for the half-day, there will be no lunch provided for the students. 

Beginners will be spending each class day in the Anglers Lodge from 8:30AM to Noon. If you are not familiar with where this is, please see the map included on our website under the "About us" tab. Please arrive promptly to get a name badge and seat. There is no need to bring anything to class other than paper and pen to take notes with. There will be a quiz on the 2nd class day, and the class days are purposely spaced two weeks apart to give students time to read the issued book, study their notes and hand-outs, and to practice tying those knots taught on the first class day.

FISH-OUTS: The cost of the separately posted fish-outs will be listed on their event pages, but typically run from $100-200 depending on the destination and what the program's expenses are for that fish-out. These fees do not cover any equipment costs, guide gratuities, driving expenses, certain meals, and any lodging costs.  Only students who have registered for and attend the class days will receive emailed notices of when the Beginner fish-outs are first opened for online registration sign-up and payment.

Since there are not enough available weekends to create any additional weekend fish-outs in the program, previous one-day fish-outs on any weekend will be scheduled as two separate one-day fish-outs on that same weekend and two-day weekend fish-outs will become two separate two-day fish-outs on Friday-Sat. and Sunday-Monday.  For this reason, all of the fish-outs are now needing to be rescheduled and confirmed before posting on the calendar. You don't need to watch for these postings, however, since the class will be notified by email when your fish-outs are posted and what date and time registration will open for each. 

GEAR:  The special casting lessons on the dates that LTFF Casting Clinics are offered to the combined Beginners and Novices will generally require you to bring your own gear unless notified otherwise that club rods will be made available or used for these clinics. Unless told differently or asked to bring other gear, bring your fly rod (we recommend a 9' long 5wt -- but a 4 or 6wt will suffice -- with reel, floating line, and a 0X-3X tapered practice leader that's at least 6' lg), and -- when so requested -- also waders (with wading belt) and wading boots.  Owning your own "breathable-fabric, stocking-foot chest waders" and a pair of good wading boots (felt-soled or rubber-soled with cleats) will usually be needed to get the most benefit out of what will generally be "in-pond" specialized casting instruction, and necessary for most fish-outs.  The class instruction will cover all the gear you will need to purchase, as well as other gear that you may choose to buy, in order to participate in the fish-outs. Most fish-outs involve our camping in campgrounds (with motels as an added cost option).  Buying needed camping equipment (tent, sleeping bag, pad or cot, headlamp, lantern, stove, etc.) may be another expense.

REGISTRATION:  This year's Beginner class was quickly filled when the online registration first opened last fall, with a waitlist generated even longer than can be accommodated in the expanded class this year. Those interested in next year's class may sign this event's waitlist to be notified by email next fall of the announced opening date & time of the online registration for the 2019 class. After that, you will need to REGISTER QUICKLY to have a good chance at a spot in this limited class. Class size will generally be limited to the first 40 new members to sign up, but a prior year's Beginner student will be allowed to pre-register to repeat the class one time if that person is not ready to advance.

Registration Fee for the Beginner Class Days plus LTFF Casting Clinics is $100. This fee covers the cost of instructional materials and other miscellaneous class expenses only (all instructor's time is offered free by club volunteers). Registering and paying for the 1st Class Day covers registration for the 2nd Class Day.  Registrants will receive special badges to allow them to participate in the LTFF Casting Clinics. 

Additional Notes:  

You must be a club member in good standing to BOTH register for and to participate in this program. You can join or renew club membership for the following calendar year anytime after Nov.1 by clicking on the "Join us" tab on the Home Page.

All LTFF participants must be at least 18 years of age before registering for the program, and willing to provide valid proof of age identification if requested.    

Due to restrictions for the given destination, river etiquette or other factors, there will usually not be enough spots available for all class students to attend each fish-out. These spots can only be offered on a first come basis, so you are encouraged to sign up quickly upon receiving the emailed announcement of the fish-out registration opening.  

Students who have registered for a fish-out and later learn that they can't attend will be solely responsible for finding their own replacement to pay them directly for whatever they can collect if there is no one on the waitlist willing to take their spot. Since fish-outs must be scheduled months ahead and the program's expenses paid for in advance, club refunds are NOT generally possible.   

For further information, contact:

John Murphy, LLTF Program Dir., (jmurphy7599@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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