Learn To Fly Fish Program

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Level 1 $100/year

Level 2 $125/year

Level 3 $125/year

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bruce Greenwood - ltff.ggacc@gmail.com

 

LTFF Casting Pre-Requisite Qualifier

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Upcoming events

  • LTFF Level 3- Surf Fish-out

    • 03 Jun 2023
    • 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • Linda Mar Beach, Pacifica (off Hwy 1 near Linda Mar Blvd)
    • 0
    Join waitlist


    REGISTRATION FOR THIS LTFF LEVEL 3 EVENT WILL OPEN THURSDAY, APRIL 27th at 12 Noon.

    This LTFF Level 3 Surf Fish-out will be Saturday June 3rd 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 Wednesday, May 17th  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.

    Contact: Bruce Greenwood  ltff.ggacc@gmail.com

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  • LTFF Lake Almanor/Hamilton Branch Fish-out -- Level 1 Students

    • 03 Jun 2023
    • 7:30 AM
    • 04 Jun 2023
    • 5:00 PM
    • Hamilton Branch/Almanor Campground
    • 0

     

    MAY 22, 2023:

    THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED DUE TO HIGH FLOWS AND WATER COLOR.



    Lake Almanor is located south of Mt. Lassen in northeastern California, approximately a five hour drive from San Francisco.   You will be fishing on the Hamilton Branch stream that feeds the lake on the northeast side.    The Hamilton Branch stream feeds cold spring water into Lake Almanor. It is a free stone stream that holds large rainbow trout.  

    Two groups of 6 currently registered, Learn To Fly Fish Level 1 student anglers (one on Saturday, and one on Sunday) will enjoy a day long fly fishing clinic with Lance Gray.   Lance will share his exceptional expertise on fly fishing this stream. The groups will camp at Almanor Campground on the west side of the lake; Hamilton Branch is about a 20 minute drive from the campground.

    There are several hotels and resort lodges within 10-15 minutes of the campground, although all students are encouraged to join the group in the evenings to share learnings, stories, and enjoy the event with your fellow LTFFers.

    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 2023 California fishing license.

    Your registration fee of $120 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 two sessions or groups of 6 anglers each.  The first group will fish arrive on Friday evening and fish on Saturday. The second group of 6 will arrive on Saturday evening and fish on Sunday.

    Camping Equipment:  It is suggested that you have 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:  There will be NO hosted group dinners for anyone on this fish-out.  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 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 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.

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

    Registration Fee:  The registration fee is $120 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


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  • LTFF students: prepare for Montana!

    • 03 Jun 2023
    • 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
    • GGACC ponds
    Register

    This event is intended specifically for 2023 LTFF students registered and paid for the Craig, Montana fishout.

    This will be the first coaching and practice session, specifically to prepare you for the trip to Montana.  Steve Morikawa will host a casting session to learn and practice the reach cast, feeding line, and setting the hook on dry fly takes.

    Please register so we can get an idea of how many to expect for this event.


    Bruce

    ltff.ggacc@gmail.com

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  • LTFF Level 2 Fish-out - Hat Creek, June 9th -12th

    • 09 Jun 2023
    • 7:00 AM
    • 12 Jun 2023
    • 5:00 PM
    • Cassel Campground, Burney, CA
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    LTFF Hat Creek Fishout – Level 2 Students - June 9th - 12th

    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.

    Jessica Grey and John Chung will be your fishout leaders, taking charge of the logistics. Jessica is a LTFF alum who loves to fish the Burney area rivers, especially Hat Creek and the (much more difficult) Pit River. We will have at least two 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 Jessica's 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 $175 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.


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  • LTFF students: prepare for Montana! Session 2

    • 24 Jun 2023
    • 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
    • GGACC ponds
    Register

    This event is intended specifically for 2023 LTFF students registered and paid for the Craig, Montana fishout.

    This will be the second coaching and practice session, specifically to prepare you for the trip to Montana.  Steve Morikawa will host a casting session to learn and practice the reach cast, feeding line, and setting the hook on dry fly takes.

    Please register so we can get an idea of how many to expect for this event.


    Bruce

    ltff.ggacc@gmail.com

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  • Learn To Fly Fish Level 3 Montana Fish-out

    • 06 Jul 2023
    • 6:00 AM
    • 11 Jul 2023
    • 4:00 PM
    • Missouri River near Craig, MT
    • 0
    Join waitlist

     

    Montana Fish-Out

    Registration for this fishout will open to all current 2023 LTFF Level 3 students only on Monday, February 27th at 12 noon.

    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 clinci on the river, followed by 3 days of fabulous guided drift fishing, you'll want to do it.  

    Arrivals:  Evening of Thursday, July 6th

    RIver clinic:  Friday, July 7th

    Guided fishing:  Saturday, Sunday, and Monday  July 8th, 9th, 10th

    Departures: Tuesday morning July 11th

    These dates are the weekend following the July 4th weekend (which is never a good time to fish this river due to the crowds).   

    We will be float (or drift) fishing on a famed tailwater stretch of the upper Missouri River for 3 days (on Saturday -- Monday 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 6-11.  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 Thursday afternoon, July 6th.  And you won't need to leave the house until Tuesday morning, July 11.   We will confirm specific check-in and check-out times at our planning meeting.

    We will cook our own group dinner on Thursday night, but our dinner on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights will be catered (which will provide left-overs for Monday night).  Lunches will be provided by the guides on Sat.-Mon., 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 afternoon, as well as lunch and dinner on Friday. 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 $1,900 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:  $1,900 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 (brucegre@pacbell.net)

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  • LTFF Level 2 Fish-out - Lower Sac River Float

    • 22 Jul 2023
    • 7:00 AM
    • 23 Jul 2023
    • 5:00 PM
    • REDDING, CA
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    This Lower Sacramento River Float Trip on Saturday and Sunday, July 22 and 23, 2023) is offered initially to those students registered for the "Learn to Fly Fish" Level 2 Class for 2023 as part of the club's LTFF educational fly fishing program offered to club members only.  

    This fishout will be available to 7 students on Saturday, and 7 students on Sunday.  There will be two anglers in each drift boat (7 students, plus a flishout leader for 4 drift boats total each day).

    The Lower "Sac" is a famous wild rainbow trout fishery, probably the best in the state for numbers and size of fish. Due to the relatively deep and swift flow of this big river, it is primarily fly-fished by nymphing from drift boats since there are rather limited dry fly opportunities and little wading access most of the time.

    Guides:  We will be fishing from guided drift  boats, with two anglers and one guide per each boat. All of our guides (provided by Confluence Outfitters) are very experienced on the "Sac" and, in addition to guiding trout anglers, they may also guide steelhead, salmon, or shad trips on this river. The guides will provide excellent instruction -- in addition to any gear that you don't have, including all flies and rigging, water or sodas, and a nice lunch on the river.

    Arrival Time:  A specific gathering time and location will be provided at the pre-fishout zoom call for this event.   Generally, you should plan to meet at a location in the Redding area at around 7AM.

    Driving:  It is suggested that you arrive Friday night (Saturday fishing) or Saturday night (Sunday fishing) to get a good night's sleep as this will be a long day on the water.  We encourage you to stay the evening of your fishing as well.  Driving home this far after fishing all day is strongly discouraged.  

    Suggested area motels:

    Recommended Lodging: Sheraton @ Sundial Bridge: 820 Sundial Bridge Dr, Redding, CA 96001. Call 530-319-3451 or email grouprooms@sheratonredding.com and mention "Confluence Outfitters" corporate rate, or book via website using code "S3144". King or Queen Guest Room $189+tax from January through May, $224+tax from Memorial Day through Labor Day, $194+tax from Labor Day through December 31st.  Includes Club Level Access (Complimentary Breakfast and nightly Beer/Wine Reception) plus complimentary Wifi and parking.

    Recommended Lodging: Gaia Hotel and Spa: 4125 Riverside Place, Anderson, CA 96007. 530-247-7712. www.GaiaHotelSpa.com.  "Confluence Outfitters" corporate rate: $104+tax for a King or Queen Guest Room including full made-to-order breakfast. Click Here to book online and receive our corporate rate.

    Recommended Lodging: Oxford Suites: 1967 Hilltop Dr, Redding, CA 96002. (530) 221-0100. www.OxfordSuitesRedding.com.  "Confluence Outfitters" corporate rate: Executive Queen Suite: $107+tax, Studio King Suite $110+tax, Executive King Suite $125+tax. Executive Two Queen Suite $135+tax. Use Promo Code "CONFLUENCE" when booking online.

    You may want to email or talk to others who sign up about carpooling, sharing a room, or even a group of you booking into the same motel to get to know one another better.

    What to Bring

    6 or 7 weight rods from 9 to 11 ft long are ideal.  A powerful  5 wt rod can work, but you might struggle at times.  The good news is that our guides will provide rods,  leaders, tippet, indicators, split-shot, and all flies. If you have a rod you would like to use, your are welcome to, or use gear provided by the guides.  Waders are not required and generally not recommended as you may overheat in the August weather.  Wear wading sandals, boots, or other footwear that allows you to step into the water while getting in and out of the boat. Bring hat, polarized sunglasses, sunscreen, rain jacket, and of course, your fishing license and steelhead card which your guide will need to record before starting your day on the water.

    NOTE:  Both a valid California fishing license AND a steelhead card are required for this outing.  It is highly recommended that you purchase these in advance of the outing.  You should have hard copy of both on your person the day of fishing.

    The registration fee is $350, which covers the boats, guides, and your lunch on the river,  but NOT the cost of your guide's gratuity or your own lodging.

    Suggested guide gratuity $45-$70

    This fish-out is intended for students who are previously registered for the LTFF Level 2 Class ONLY. 

    SIGN-UP QUICKLY FOR THIS FISH-OUT SINCE WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF BOATS AVAILABLE.  If you do miss out, be sure to sign up for the wait list in case a spot opens up later. 

    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.

    Contact:  

    Bruce Greenwood   brucegre@pacbell.net




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  • LTFF Level 1 Fish-out -- Yosemite High Country

    • 03 Aug 2023
    • 06 Aug 2023
    • 2 sessions
    • Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite Nat'l Park
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Yosemite High Country - LTFF Level 1 Fish-out

    Two Groups of 10 Anglers. 

    • Session 1 fishing Thursday-Friday August 3-4
    • Session 2 fishing Saturday-Sunday August 5-6


    This outing is exclusively intended for currently registered Level 1 students in the GGACC's "Learn to Fly Fish" (LTFF) program.   There will be two sessions of 10 openings for a total of 20 fishing spots.


    Cost: $200 / 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 only sign up for this event if you are in shape to hike up to 4 miles a day at high elevation.

    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. Unlike the LTFF fishouts you've been on recently, this event re-introduces club mentors to allow us to break into smaller groups and spread out on the water each day.  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.

    Itinerary

    • Wednesday: Drive to the Lee Vining area, camping at the Aspen campground
    • Thursday: Group 1 will fish the Lyell fork
    • Friday: Group 1 will fish the Dana fork
    • Saturday: Group 2 will fish the Lyell fork
    • Sunday: Group 2 will fish the Dana fork. If leaving Sunday (ill advised), leave by 2pm.
    • Monday: Return home.

    Those fishing in group 1 are encouraged to stay in a neighboring campground for the weekend, but are asked to not fish the same locations that the group 2 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 limited parking available at the campground. Students (and mentors) will need to carpool to ensure we are not over our limit. Please plan accordingly


    Gear Needed:  (not a complete packing list):

    • Don't forget your CA 2023 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 Thursday and Saturday nights. 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 $200.00 is non-refundable. It does not cover your travel costs, motels (if you decide not to camp), food (except lunch), or other sundries. Online payment of registration fee must be made within 15 minutes of starting the registration steps and your registration is not completed until notice shows of email confirmation sent. 

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

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




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  • LTFF Level 1 Fish-out - Lower Sac River Float

    • 19 Aug 2023
    • 7:00 AM
    • 20 Aug 2023
    • 5:00 PM
    • REDDING, CA
    • 2
    Register


    This Lower Sacramento River Float Trip on Saturday and Sunday August 19 and 20, 2023) is offered initially to those students registered for the "Learn to Fly Fish" Level 1 Class for 2023 as part of the club's LTFF educational fly fishing program offered to club members only.  

    This fishout will be available to 7 students on Saturday, and 7 students on Sunday.  There will be two anglers in each drift boat (7 students, plus a flishout leader for 4 drift boats total each day).

    The Lower "Sac" is a famous wild rainbow trout fishery, probably the best in the state for numbers and size of fish. Due to the relatively deep and swift flow of this big river, it is primarily fly-fished by nymphing from drift boats since there are rather limited dry fly opportunities and little wading access most of the time.

    Guides:  We will be fishing from guided drift  boats, with two anglers and one guide per each boat. All of our guides (provided by Confluence Outfitters) are very experienced on the "Sac" and, in addition to guiding trout anglers, they may also guide steelhead, salmon, or shad trips on this river. The guides will provide excellent instruction -- in addition to any gear that you don't have, including all flies and rigging, water or sodas, and a nice lunch on the river.

    Arrival Time:  A specific gathering time and location will be provided at the pre-fishout zoom call for this event.   Generally, you should plan to meet at a location in the Redding area at around 7AM.

    Driving:  It is suggested that you arrive Friday night (Saturday fishing) or Saturday night (Sunday fishing) to get a good night's sleep as this will be a long day on the water.  We encourage you to stay the evening of your fishing as well.  Driving home this far after fishing all day is strongly discouraged.  

    Suggested area motels:

    Sheraton @ Sundial Bridge: 820 Sundial Bridge Dr, Redding, CA 96001. (530) 364-2800. Website.  "Confluence Outfitters" corporate rate: King or Queen Guest Room $169+tax from January through May, $204+tax from Memorial Day through Labor Day, $174+tax from Labor Day through December 31st.  Includes Club Level Access (Complimentary Breakfast and nightly Beer/Wine Reception) plus complimentary Wifi and parking.

    Gaia Hotel and Spa: 4125 Riverside Place, Anderson, CA 96007. 530-247-7712. www.GaiaHotelSpa.com.  "Confluence Outfitters" corporate rate: $104+tax for a King or Queen Guest Room including full made-to-order breakfast. Click Here to book online and receive our corporate rate.

    Oxford Suites: 1967 Hilltop Dr, Redding, CA 96002. (530) 221-0100. www.OxfordSuitesRedding.com.  "Confluence Outfitters" corporate rate: Executive Queen Suite: $107+tax, Studio King Suite $110+tax, Executive King Suite $125+tax. Executive Two Queen Suite $135+tax. Use Promo Code "CONFLUENCE" when booking online.

    You may want to email or talk to others who sign up about carpooling, sharing a room, or even a group of you booking into the same motel to get to know one another better.

    What to Bring

    6 or 7 weight rods from 9 to 11 ft long are ideal.  A powerful  5 wt rod can work, but you might struggle at times.  The good news is that our guides will provide rods,  leaders, tippet, indicators, split-shot, and all flies. If you have a rod you would like to use, your are welcome to, or use gear provided by the guides.  Waders are not required and generally not recommended as you may overheat in the October weather.  Wear wading sandals, boots, or other footwear that allows you to step into the water while getting in and out of the boat. Bring hat, polarized sunglasses, sunscreen, rain jacket, and of course, your fishing license and steelhead card which your guide will need to record before starting your day on the water.

    NOTE:  Both a valid California fishing license AND a steelhead card are required for this outing.  It is highly recommended that you purchase these in advance of the outing.  You should have hard copy of both on your person the day of fishing.

    The registration fee is $350, which covers the boats, guides, and your lunch on the river,  but NOT the cost of your guide's gratuity or your own lodging.

    Suggested guide gratuity $45-$70

    This fish-out is intended for students who are previously registered for the LTFF Level 1 Class ONLY. 

    SIGN-UP QUICKLY FOR THIS FISH-OUT SINCE WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF BOATS AVAILABLE.  If you do miss out, be sure to sign up for the wait list in case a spot opens up later. 

    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.

    Contact:  

    Bruce Greenwood   ltff.ggacc@gmail.com




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  • LTFF Level 1 Fish-out -- Kings Canyon/Central Sierra

    • 25 Aug 2023
    • 28 Aug 2023
    • Cedar Grove, California Kings Canyon
    • 0
    Join waitlist


    Kings Canyon/Central Sierra - LTFF Level 1 Fish-out

    Two Groups of 10 Anglers. 

    ·         Session 1 fishing Friday-Saturday August 25-26

    ·         Session 2 fishing Sunday-Monday August 27-28

    This outing is exclusively intended for currently registered Level 1 students in the GGACC's "Learn to Fly Fish" (LTFF) program.  There will be two sessions of 10 openings for a total of 20 fishing spots.

    Cost: $200 / person

    Overview

    This trip offers fly fishing for several trout species in a pristine high alpine setting. Each day includes several miles of day-hiking at elevation. Please only sign up for this event if you are in shape to hike up at high elevation.   This event will compare closely to our Yosemite event, so we encourage LTFF Level 1 students to sign up for only one of these two events to give everyone a chance fishing these beautiful and productive locations.

    We will be camping and fishing off of California State route 180, east of Cedar Grove (and generally east of Fresno).  We will fish the South Fork of the Kings River and its tributaries in the area. 

    Note: Cedar Grove is a 5 to 6 hour drive from San Francisco.

    This is a new LTFF event for 2023.   Steve Slater from Lost Coast Outfitters, will serve as our lead guide and has extensive experience on these waters.   He will lead us to stretches of small alpine streams and others in the area that he knows well. We will have club mentors supporting this outing, allowing us to break into smaller groups and spread out on the water each day.  We have a great group of LTFF alumni and club members with great experience to show you strategies and skills for this water. Between the club mentors and Steve there will be a wealth of angling knowledge at your disposal with a small student-to-mentor ratio for hands-on mentoring.

    You can get an idea of the location and conditions with this Youtube video…(please don’t use this guy as a model for casting and angling skills!  He would have benefited from some GGACC mentoring!)  You may find a number of other Youtube videos for the South Fork of the Kings River in Kings Canyon.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAIWQOYF4BY

    Itinerary

    ·         Thursday: Group 1 drive to the Cedar Grove area, camping at a group campground (details to be shared in prep calls)

    ·         Friday and Saturday: Group 1 fishing and exploring, including specific skills clinics on the water

    ·         Saturday evening—Group 2 arrives

    ·         Sunday and Monday: Group 2 fishing and exploring, including specific skills clinics on the water

    ·         Tuesday: Return home.

    Those fishing in group 1 are encouraged to stay in a neighboring campground for the weekend, but are asked to not fish the same locations that the group 2 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.

    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.  We should also have the opportunity to try some streamer fishing.

    Registration fee includes:

    ·         Guide fee

    ·         Sack lunches each mentored day

    ·         1-2 dozen selected flies

    ·         Campground fees

    Other Student costs:

    ·         Guide gratuity (Steve Slater)

    ·         Possible additional campground fees, depending on whether we are successful in finding an open campsite in any of the nearby campgrounds. 

    ·         Lodging costs for motels, condos, or other local lodging.  Accommodations:

    We will be camping at a campground to be determined, most likely near the Bubbs Creak and Rae Lakes Loop Trailhead.

    If do not want to camp, Cedar Grove/Kings Canyon National Park presents the most practical options---note that you may have a 30-60 min drive each day to reach our fishing location.  There is a small lodge in Cedar Grove, which is the closest to our target camping area.

    Gear Needed:  (not a complete packing list):

    ·         Don't forget your CA 2023 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, chair, etc) if you plan to camp

    ·         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).  Split shot and indicators as well.

    ·         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. It’s a good idea to bring along waders as there may still be snow melt run-off this year in August.

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

    Food

    We strongly encourage a group dinners for camping. 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.   Areas to re-supply are limited to Cedar Grove in a reasonable driving distance, so plan accordingly to bring necessary food and supplies.

    Carpooling

    There is limited parking available at the campground. Students (and mentors) will need to carpool to ensure we are not over our limit. Please plan accordingly.


    Your registration fee of $200.00 is non-refundable. It does not cover your travel costs, motels (if you decide not to camp), food (except lunch), or other sundries. Online payment of registration fee must be made within 15 minutes of starting the registration steps and your registration is not completed until notice shows of email confirmation sent    . 

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

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


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  • LTFF Level 2 Fish-out - NF Stanislaus

    • 07 Sep 2023
    • 7:00 PM
    • 12 Sep 2023
    • 9:00 AM
    • Sourgrass Rec Area / Day Use, near Dorrington, CA
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Two groups of 8 anglers.

    • Group 1 and will have mentored fishing Friday/Saturday
    • Group 2 will fish Sunday/Monday

    This outing is exclusively intended for currently registered Level 2 students in the GGACC's "Learn to Fly Fish" (LTFF) program.   Registration will be based on a lottery system to be announced shortly.


    Cost: $225/ person

    Overview

    The "Stan" River is an excellent rainbow and brown trout fishery.  We will be fishing the North Fork of the Stanislaus River in the NF Sourgrass Rec Area just above the Big Tree State Park.  This Rec Area is located off State Hwy. 4 way down below the little town of Dorrington (north of Arnold, CA) in a very picturesque canyon.

    This will be two days of fishing for one group of 10 students.We will have Lost Coast Outfitter pro-staffer and independent guide Steve Slater leading the instruction on this fishout, along with several other experienced club member mentors.   Registrants on this fishout will get two solid days of guided/mentored fishing on the North Fork Stanislaus. 

    We also have the option available to some participants to go on a side outing further up the Stand on one of the two days of the trip. This is about a 30 minute drive from camp plus a 1-2 hour rugged hike into a canyon led by John Anderson. The hiker is rewarded with some larger and wilder trout and a bit more seclusion. This side outing is optional and will be discussed and planned further during the pre-fishout zoom meeting. It is based on a regularly run Rondy from John Anderson.

    Other logistics and recommended gear will be covered in a pre-fishout meeting to be held roughly the week before the fishout.  Registrants will be notified of this Zoom call meeting.  This will be an opportunity to ask questions, meet others in your group, arrange carpooling, decide on whether to tackle group dinners, etc. 

    As always, your registration fees are non-refundable.  If you realize you have to cancel, finding a replacement is not guaranteed, and will be done on a best-effort basis.

    Campground

    Most of us will be trying to camp at the Stanislaus National Forest Service's Wakalu Hep Yo (Wild River) Campground.  This campground is super convenient, but not reservable in advance (available on a first-come basis only). As we have done successfully in the past, we hope that by scheduling this fish-out after Labor Day again that this allows us to find enough campsites there upon our arrival. There is no known group camp site in this campground, but the hope is that by possibly doubling up in campsites as needed, this arrangement should work to allow most of the students to camp together in adjacent campsites as much as possible rather than being spread out throughout the campground. This campground does have some showers and flush toilets!

    There may still be a camp host on site then to collect the campground fee of $20.00 per night. If not, there will be a drop box for this daily camp fee.   Camp fees are included in the registration fee.

    Motels/Hotels

    There is the old Dorrington Hotel in Dorrington, CA about 4 miles above the campground, and a few motel or hotel options farther back down Highway 4 in Arnold and Murphys for those not into either tent camping or possibly sleeping in their vehicle. There is also the Bear Valley Lodge and the even more rustic Tamarack Lodge about 20 miles farther up Highway 4.  Finding alternate lodging is your responsibility, but be sure to book it early!  

    Meeting Place

    Everyone will need to meet at the 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. 

    Note: There is only very spotty to non-existent cell phone service anywhere in this area -- try texting up there instead, but this is also extremely hit-or-miss.

    Driving Directions

    Use Google Maps for "Wakaluu Hepyoo Campground Amphitheater",  or enter GPS coordinates Lat. 38.322063, Long. -120.218558  (Elev. 3900').  The shortest route from the Bay Area is to follow I-580 E to I-205 E, to I-5 N to connect to CA-99 S at Stockton, and exit onto CA-4 E.  Follow CA-4 (about 75 miles of winding 2-lane hwy.) to Boards Crossing Road in Dorrington, CA.  (This road, marked with a street sign, is on your right directly across from the Dorrington Hotel.)  Follow Boards Crossing Road taking only left forks to reach NF Road 05N02 (Beardsley Rd.) and follow that road down the canyon to the campground on the river (it's just before you cross the new concrete bridge on NF-05N02, and not the old Boards Crossing steel trestle bridge). The drive to this campground is at least a 3 hour total drive time without counting stops or traffic getting out of the Bay Area (plan for perhaps 4 hours).   

    Camping Equipment

    Unless you have a vehicle that you plan to sleep in, it is suggested that you have your own tent (with tent stakes, footprint/plastic tarp, and rainfly) or have an agreement to share a tent with someone.  Also be sure to bring:  sleeping bag; sleeping pad (or air mattress and/or cot); a headlamp or flashlight with good batteries (wise to bring spares too); 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 food and dry goods should be stored in the campground-supplied camp boxes to keep away from rodents and jays, and the potential bear.  Optional equipment might also 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 (either together as a group if those in the group choose to organize this themselves, or individually), or there are other possible options such as a small burger joint in Dorrington (next to the hotel) or a few casual restaurants back in Arnold that smaller groups may decide to try.  

    It is recommended that students work together on a simple meal for Saturday evening—taco salad is an easy idea—enjoy being together and sharing your experiences of the day.

    We will be providing groceries for making your own sandwiches for sack lunches on Saturday and Sunday.

    NOTE:  Other than the two sack lunches provided by your fish-out leader on your Group's fishing days, you are on your own to bring (and prepare) your own food for all breakfasts. other lunches, and all dinners (or for group dinners), or buy your own meals out.

    Fishing Gear

    Fishing License. Don’t leave home without this.

    We recommend bringing a 3-5wt fly rod with floating line. For dry flies, bring 9’ tapered leaders to 4X or 5X, with mono 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'-8’ of this for the indicator's 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 you might try tight-line nymphing instead (although the Stan has more pools than actual pocket water where tight-lining works best).  

    Flies

    We will be providing a dozen flies to each student  -- 2 each of some dry fly and nymph patterns, as recommended by Steve Slater.  These flies will be supplied and packaged by LCO and distributed to you at the meeting place, 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 have 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 a small fly shop (if open) as well as the Ebbet's Pass Sporting Goods in Arnold as you pass through that town (both are on the south side of the hwy.), or you can divert your trip up on I-205 for a few miles to reach the Bass Pro store in Manteca. 

    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 or cooking / setting up camp in the dark.  Bring spare batteries too. 

    Wading

    As a tailwater, the Stan can still be pretty cold this high up, but you may decide when you get there and test the water that you might prefer to wet-wade (not me!) 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 wool or polypo liner socks to fill-out your wading boots.  Lightweight (i.e., nylon) long pants are recommended for wet-wading over wearing shorts to better protect your shins from scrapes on rocks, scratchy brush, poison oak, etc.

    Registration Fee

    The registration fee is $225 per student (which includes paying Steve's super discounted fee  flies, camp fees,  and groceries for lunches.  Not included in the registration fee is guide tips, the cost of travel, lodging other than the camp site, and meals other than the provided lunches.

    Cancellation Policy

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

    For further information, contact:  Fish-out Leader, Charles Marsh (senor.charles@gmail.com), 415-902-0489.



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  • Learn To Fly Fish Level 2 Truckee River Fishout

    • 16 Sep 2023
    • 7:30 AM
    • 17 Sep 2023
    • 5:00 PM
    • Truckee, CA
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    This LTFF Level 2 Truckee River Fish-out on SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 AND 17, 2023 is offered initially to ONLY those registered 2nd year 2023 Learn to Fly Fish (LTFF) students. This fish-out will be limited to a total of 16 students—two groups of 8 students each.  

    Description:  This fish-out will be led by Matt Heron who has a very successful Fly Fishing School in the Truckee area.  Each group will have a day-long guided session with Matt’s team, with a 2:1 student to guide ratio.   You will fish either the Little Truckee or the Truckee depending on the best fishing conditions that day.   Your guide will help you understand this popular fly fishing destination,  including access points along the river, as well as various fishing techniques most effective for these waters.  

    Cost:  The registration fee will be $370 per person for the full day to cover guide fees and costs for supplied flies, and lunch.  See below for the plan for accommodations.

    Required Gear:  Your standard 5 wt, floating line setup , along with boots/waders, wading staff, sunscreen, hat, water, and sunglasses will work fine.  Studded boots help if you prefer.

    Specifically:

    4-6 wt rod/reel, and floating line.   9 ft rods are fine, 9 ½ ft and longer help on these waters

    Bring a selection of 9 ft leaders across 3x , 4x and 5x

    Tippet:  3x-6x….flouro helps

    Flies will be supplied and selected based on recent success on the river by your guides.

    Meeting Time & Place: We will meet each morning at 7:30 AM (time subject to change earlier, or later based on conditions) at the Truckee River RV Park.  The day will end in mid-afternoon…around 3:30pm.

    Accommodations: We will plan to camp at a nearby campground for the weekend.  If you prefer not to camp, you should make plans at your choice of lodging in the Truckee area (motel, Air BnB, etc.).

    Registration Fee:  The registration fee is $370 per student.  This fee will cover the cost of the guide/clinic fees, groceries for lunches, our group campsite reservation, and supplied flies.

    It does not include the cost of transportation, lodging (non-camping), 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 more info: Bruce Greenwood brucegre@pacbell.net


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  • LTFF Deer Creek Fish-out -- Level 1 Students

    • 16 Sep 2023
    • 7:30 AM
    • 17 Sep 2023
    • 5:00 PM
    • Hamilton Branch/Almanor Campground
    • 0
    Join waitlist

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

    Two groups of 6 currently registered, Learn To Fly Fish Level 1 student anglers (one on Saturday, and one on Sunday) will 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.  

    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 2023 California fishing license.

    Your registration fee of $125 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 two sessions or groups of 6 anglers each.  The first group will fish arrive on Friday evening and fish on Saturday. The second group of 6 will arrive on Saturday evening and fish on Sunday.

    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:  There will be NO hosted group dinners for anyone on this fish-out.  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.

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

    Registration Fee:  The registration fee is $125 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

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  • Learn To Fly Fish Level 1 Truckee River Fishout

    • 07 Oct 2023
    • 7:30 AM
    • 08 Oct 2023
    • 5:00 PM
    • Truckee, CA
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    This LTFF Level 1 Truckee River Fish-out on Saturday and Sunday, October 7 and 8, 2023 is offered initially to ONLY those registered 1st year 2023 Learn to Fly Fish (LTFF) students. This fish-out will be limited to a total of 16 students—two groups of 8 students each.  

    Description:  This fish-out will be led by Matt Heron who has a very successful Fly Fishing School in the Truckee area.  Each group will have a day-long guided session with Matt’s team, with a 2:1 student to guide ratio.   You will fish either the Little Truckee or the Truckee depending on the best fishing conditions that day.   Your guide will help you understand this popular fly fishing destination,  including access points along the river, as well as various fishing techniques most effective for these waters.  

    Cost:  The registration fee will be $370 per person for the full day to cover guide fees and costs for supplied flies, and lunch.  See below for the plan for accomnodations.

    Required Gear:  Your standard 5 wt, floating line setup , along with boots/waders, wading staff, sunscreen, hat, water, and sunglasses will work fine.  Studded boots help if you prefer.

    Specifically:

    4-6 wt rod/reel, and floating line.   9 ft rods are fine, 9 ½ ft and longer help on these waters

    Bring a selection of 9 ft leaders across 3x , 4x and 5x

    Tippet:  3x-6x….flouro helps

    Flies will be supplied and selected based on recent success on the river by your guides.

    Meeting Time & Place: We will meet each morning at 7:30 AM (time subject to change earlier, or later based on conditions) at the Truckee River RV Park.  The day will end in mid-afternoon…around 3:30pm.

    Accommodations: We will be reserving campsites at a nearby location to be announced.  For those who do not wish to camp, you may want to find lodging in a motel or AirBnB in the Truckee area.

    Registration Fee:  The registration fee is $370 per student.  This fee will cover the cost of the guide/clinic fees, groceries for lunches, and supplied flies.

    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 more info: Bruce Greenwood ltff.ggacc@gmail.com


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  • Learn To Fly Fish Level 2 Lower Yuba River Fishout

    • 21 Oct 2023
    • 7:00 AM
    • 22 Oct 2023
    • 5:00 PM
    • Smartsville, CA
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    This LTFF Level 2 Lower Yuba River Fishout on Saturday and Sunday, October 21st  and 22nd 2023 is offered initially to ONLY those registered Level 2 Learn to Fly Fish (LTFF) students.   This fishout will be limited to a total of 10 students---two groups of 5 students each.

    The Lower Yuba flows out of Englebright Reservoir in the Sierra foothills near the gold mining town of Grass Valley.    This is one of the closest wild trout fishing venues to the Bay Area; a roughly 3 hour drive from San Francisco.  These waters are known for athletic, hard fighting wild rainbow trout and steelhead.   The river below the highway 20 bridge is open year round for fishing.   The water above the bridge up to the Englebright dam is closed to angling from September 1st to November 30th for salmon spawning.

    The typical rainbow trout in this section of the river is around 12-18”…smaller than what you may encounter say on the Lower Sac, but you won’t forget the fight!  These fish jump and run---you will be in a fight all the way to the net.

    We will drift the river with 3 guides out of the local fly shop in Grass Valley, owned and run by Tom Page.  There are many guides along the Central Valley that guide this river: Tom and his crew know it very well.

    Late October is also when salmon are returning to spawn in the Lower Yuba river, some 200 miles worth of river and San Francisco Bay travel from the ocean.  It’s quite a sight to see these large salmon swimming in the river so far from the ocean.  Spawning salmon means that the trout are keyed in on salmon eggs, and we will likely be fishing indicator rigs with an egg pattern and a caddis nymph beneath that.   Tom and his team will provide a lecture on that sort of rigging setup.

    Cost:  The registration fee will be $375 per person for a full day guided trip.  This will include guide fees, terminal tackle, flies and lunch on the river.  It does not include guide tips, transportation, or lodging accommodations.

    Required Gear:  Your standard 5 wt, floating line setup, sunscreen, hat, water, and sunglasses.   You will not need waders or wading boots to float the Lower Yuba.  Although you may decide to bring along your waders and wading staff if you choose to fish another day, walking and wading the Lower Yuba.

    You MUST have your 2023 California fishing license AND a 2023 California Steelhead card to fish the Lower Yuba.

    The guides will provide leaders, tippet, flies, indicators and split shot as well as spare rods.   You are encouraged to bring your own as well to further engage in learning your knots and rigging.  9 ½ foot, 5wt tapered leaders with 5wt tippet (flouro often encouraged for nymphing, but your rigs will likely have split shot on as well).  

    Lunch and non-alcoholic drinks will also be provided by the guides.

    Meeting Time and Place: The exact meeting time will be updated in the pre-fishout zoom call, but plan to be ready to go on the river by 7AM on your guided day.

    We will gather on the south side of the river at the Highway 20 bridge near Smartsville. 

    Map coordinates:  39.218155, -121.336479

    Accommodations:  It is highly recommended that you plan to stay at least one night in the nearby area as it can be a very long day of both fishing and driving round trip.  Grass Valley/Nevada City is about a 30 minute drive from our meeting point.  You will find a good variety of Air B&B type options, small inns, as well as the historic Holbrooke Hotel in Grass Valley and the National Hotel in Nevada City---both Gold Rush era hotels that have recently been refurbished to high standards.  Marysville/Yuba City are also about a 30 minute drive in the other direction on highway 20 and offer a variety of adequate, motel type accommodations.

    Camping option:  Sycamore Ranch Campground in Browns Valley.  Go to https://www.yuba.org/departments/community_development/parks_&_campground.php  This campground is about 15 miles east of Marysville on Hwy 20.  The GPS address is 5390 Highway 20, Browns Valley and it will be on your right if you are traveling east. It is easy to miss so keep an eye on the odometer out of Marysville.  

    Reminder—it’s late October, so plan for cool evenings!

    This campground is also where we will EXIT the river float.  It’s about a 10 minute drive from the campground on highway 20 to where we will meet to start the float trip.

    The campground has paved roads, is lit at night, and has indoor plumbing and hot showers .

    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 more info: Bruce Greenwood brucegre@pacbell.net


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  • LTFF Level 1 and 2 Fish-out - Luk Lake Stilllwater Trout

    • 11 Nov 2023
    • 7:00 AM
    • 12 Nov 2023
    • 7:00 PM
    • Luk Lake, Corning, CA.
    • 0
    Join waitlist



    This fish-out is initially offered currently registered Level 1 and Level 2 "Learn to Fly Fish" registered students ONLY, unless otherwise announced.  

    Our Level 1 and Level 2 fishouts cover a variety of Northern California destinations, but most are moving water--streams and rivers.   This is a great opportunity to experience and learn STILLWATER fishing techniques on a private lake which our group will have entirely to ourselves.   We will be led by a professional guide, Todd Carnes, who will present a stillwater fishing clinic lakeside, followed by the remainder of the day with students paired in boats on the lake practicing these techniques with guidance and coaching from Todd.  Stillwater fishing requires a variety of new skills and angling techniques apart from fishing moving water---this is a fun and unique learning opportunity!

    Our primary target will be the beautiful, and often sizable rainbow trout in the Lake, but don't be surprised if you pull in a bass or two, as well as decent bluegill and sunfish.

    Luk Lake (it's pronounced "luck", possibly because it's so close to the Rolling Hills Casino?) is a 65+ acre private lake located off Interstate I-5 just a couple miles south of the little town of Corning.  Corning is about 45 minutes (50 miles) south of Redding.  Formerly known as Coffeecup Lake, it is a great wintertime and springtime rainbow trout destination and year round bass fishery.

    We will have two guided fishing groups, each with one day of fishing on the lake.

    Group 1  Fishing will begin at 8AM on Saturday and students are welcome to fish until sunset.

    Group 2 should arrive at the lake by 8AM on Sunday morning beginning with the shoreside clinic and followed by fishing until sunset on Sunday evening.  

    We will plan a no-host dinner on Saturday evening for both Group 1 completing their fishout, as well as Group 2 arrivals.

    Lodging:  Students should make their own lodging plans at the Rolling Hills Casino which is located adjacent to the Luk Lake property, or at one of the motels in Corning which is a short 10 minute drive from the property.

    Food:  Meals are not included.   You should plan to bring your own lunch, snacks and water/drinks.   We will eat lunch at the lake during the full days.  There is a Subway shop in Corning, as well as a Safeway store with deli in Corning where you can purchase a sandwich.

    Boats:  This lake can ONLY be fished from a small boat (rowboat, pontoon boat, kayak, or electric-powered skiff) or from a float tube since there is virtually no shoreline access due to the heavy tule growth around the lake.   Unless you bring your own permissible watercraft, students will be expected to fish from the rented rowboats. There will be two students per boat, who will be responsible for rowing and safely managing it while fishing through-out the day. 

    Must wear a PFD:  Rowboats (~12' prams) will be provided with oars, anchors, and (hopefully) life preserver seat cushions to sit on. However, it is strongly advised that you bring your own wearable personal floatation device (PFD) to wear in case you can't borrow one of the GGACC's (6) PFDs.

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

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

    Note: if you plan to use your own float tube, you will of course want to bring your waders as well.

    Fishing Gear:  Suggested fishing gear includes a 5-8wt rod and reel, with a floating line to use for dries, or for indicator nymphing for trout, bass, or sunfish. Our stillwater instruction will emphasize sinking line techniques, including retrieves and it is recommended that you have an intermediate line (1-1.5 ips sink rate).  A type 3 line can work as well, but nothing heavier than that.  Sink tips on your floating line can also be effective in the lake.

    For fishing dries to any rising trout or even for stripping Wooly Buggers and other small streamers, bring 9' long tapered leaders in 3X or 4X, with tippet spools from 3X-5X in either mono, fluoro, or both. You may have to indicator nymph to reach trout during the day, in which case small indicators (especially those with "tell-tales", i.e., little flags) are useful, in addition to size BB or heavier split-shot to get down deep enough. You'll need a liquid floatant to dress your bass flies and any dries you might try.  And of course, bring nippers and forceps.  A landing net is useful for landing trout or small panfish to keep them from being accidentally dropped in the boat and for helping to revive them before releasing.

    A 2023 California fishing license is required to fish Luk Lake.

    Flies:  A set of appropriate flies will be provided as part of this outing.   You are welcome of