Posted on by

Lake Almanor Fly Fishing Guide has openings for the coming June Hex hatch.

by Tim Loomis - SCFF Club Member

Starting June 22 thru June 29th I will once again be guiding at L. Almanor for the world famous Hexagenia hatch that starts in mid June and goes on into early July. This will be my 21st year fishing the lake. The Hexagenia is one of the largest Mayflies in North America.

California is one of about 6 states that have these Mayflies. Michigan is also famous for the stupendous Hex hatch they have. Often times the department of Public Works in many Michigan towns spend hours cleaning up spent Hex carcasses over 2 feet deep from underneath highway lights. We should be so lucky! However, we do have a pretty significant Hex hatch of our own at L. Almanor. Lake Almanor is located about 35 minutes east of Mt. Lassen along Rte. 36 out of Red Bluff. You can camp at Lake Almanor West in the state campgrounds above Prattville or stay in one of the many motels on the lake or in Chester on Rte. 36. Customers have a good chance of landing giant rainbows and browns (8-12lbs) along w/smallmouth bass up to 22”. The lake also has 1-3 lb. landlocked salmon that are often landed and make excellent dinner fare.

My guiding starts at 3pm w/a short presentation on “How To Fish” for the Hex out of a float tube or pontoon. We cover the gestation period for the Hex nymph and the Hex migration to the surface. I offer 3 styles of fly fishing – nymphing w/an indicator, stripping a nymph/streamer combo and dry fly fishing. We try to get on the water by 5pm and continue until dark around 9:30pm.

My rates are $200.00 for individuals / Lower rate for groups of 3 at $190.00 apiece. Club members get a discount to $175.00 apiece. I supply float tubes and fins, rods/reels, tippet and flies. Customers need to supply their own waders and are encouraged to use their own water craft and fins if they have them. Contact me with questions and dates.

Big Sur Styles Guide Serv.
Tim Loomis
C 831-345-8411
H 831-426-4683

2021 fish during guide

Posted on April 19th, 2022

Posted on by

April 2022 Table of Contents

General Meeting……………………
  Green river with Gordon Tharrett
  April in-person Raffle Prizes
  Donations from Doug Severin’s Estate
President’s Line…………………….
Fly Tying……………………
  Green Drake
  Callibaetis Dun
Conservation Concerns……………
  Plastic in Our Oceans—Revisited
Membership Notes…………………
  April Fly Casting Meetup – Jade Park
  Need Newsletter Editor and Content Publisher
Reel News …………………………
  NCFFI Newsletter – April 2022
Fishout Schedule…………………
Cartoon…………………………..…

Posted on March 25th, 2022

Posted on by

In person raffle and door prizes

GOOD NEWS: Big club fishout at Pyramid Lake the first week in April. ?
BAD NEWS: There will be no online raffle Prior to the April meeting.?
HOWEVER: There will be a raffle, and door prizes, at the April 6 meeting held at the Aptos Grange starting at 6:30 pm.?

Take a look at these great raffle prizes.

Let’s start with 200 plus pages of beautiful trout artwork by world renounded artist James Prosek. His famous work “Trout of the World” deserves a special spot on any fly fisher’s book shelf.

Next take a look at this custom wood laminated release net. Perfect size for serious trout and Black bass as well as school sized stripers. Low visibility soft vinyl netting is gentle on the catch. Included is a magnetic release and a carbineer clipped tether cord.

Classic is a word that comes to mind when describing this St.Croix “Triumph” rod. It is a 4 weght eight foot medium/fast action 4 piece rod perfect for small stream trout. It is match with a Sougayilang CNC machined aluminum alloy reel for light weight and balance.

Great prizes to win, come to the meeting and buy some tickets; ones dollar each, twenty bucks gets you 25.

Posted on March 25th, 2022

Posted on by

Donation from the Doug Severin Estate at April Meeting

by Elaine Cook

If you enjoyed receiving items from Doug’s estate at the January and March club meetings, you will have the opportunity to do that again at both the April club meeting. His desire was that club members would have the opportunity to receive his fishing belongings .  Some will be in raffles but those at the club meeting in April will be free for the taking. Donations will be welcomed if you so choose. The pictures show a lot of the items that will be up for grabs . The doors will open at 6 PM at the Grange and the meeting will start at 6:30. Don’t miss out come early to choose what you would like. The meeting will also be via zoom, so if you wish to come for some donated items and then go home to do a zoom meeting, that will be fine.

Posted on March 11th, 2022

Posted on by

Pilgrimages

by Tom Hogye

April showers bring May flowers.  What does May flowers bring?   Pilgrims.

We can only hope for April showers, given California is once again entering another few years of low water (drought).

Isn’t pilgrim a funny word?  Who came up with that one?   We never use that word to define someone entering a country anymore.  Sound more diffusing, comforting, than the words immigrant or migrant.   Writing this caused me to look up the word.   I figured it was just because they were people discovering a new country.   Turns out, it is “a person who journeys to a sacred place for religious reasons”.   As in the English Puritans fleeing religious persecution on the Mayflower and landed here in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620.

A person who travels on long journeys – pilgrimage.

I like traveling on long journeys for fly-fishing reasons, which we could all argue are in fact religious.   Aren’t they?

Don’t we all meditate, flee reality, think deeply, clear our minds, take deep breaths, sigh a big relief, love friends, love the outdoors, and pray considerably in all manners of the exercise of this sport?

How many times I’ve asked God for just one fish, or for my son, my daughter, my wife, my friend, to catch a fish while we are out.  So they know how exciting it really is to cause one of these creatures to take this bundle of fur and feather on a tiny hook, bring it to hand, admire it’s beauty.  The enormous power we have over it, but how gently and carefully we act to watch it swim away.   That feeling when it has left our hands.  A gift it was to us, and a gift we gave back so that it could continue living.

How many times I’ve stopped, looked around, shook my head and sometimes cried because I couldn’t believe how beautiful it is where I am standing, with whom I’m standing, and how fortunate I was to be there.    How hard it was to get there and how many times I figured I might not get there.     But oh how worth it, it was, and how you couldn’t imagine making another decision, glad you did.   If it was easy, everyone would do it, and it just wouldn’t feel the same – would it?

A pilgrimage, perhaps several, is necessary for all of us.   Living – I mean really living – requires them.   Some of them are small – perhaps a morning, an afternoon, or an evening.   Some, you make sacrifices, working hard for several months, several years, perhaps much of your life.  You save, plan, organize, and maybe you pray it all works out.   You battle, ‘should I go, or should I not go.’ Sometimes over and over again.  Sometimes in the middle of the night when work, family, or something else stirs you to thinking you shouldn’t go.   You pray it’s the right decision to take the time and go.   Some might say it’s just fishing – and aren’t you lucky, or they tell you there are other, more important things you should be doing.   But there aren’t.   This is it.

You know when you’ve left, when your feet are finally in the water, all of those things you battled before you made the trip, are gone.   In a second.   They washed away as soon as you stepped in the water.    Your first cast makes you take a deep breath, exhale, and you feel an enormous weight lifted; gone.   Your focus turns completely to that bundle of fur and feather, ten, thirty, sixty feet away from you, drifting in the column of water.   Nothing else comes to mind but that tiny little bundle at the end of that line, in that body of water, on this entire planet.   Nothing.   You wait, you watch, you listen.   You pray.

When I was a kid, my pilgrimages where to my Gram’s Cottage on the weekends, leaving school, my paper-route, and any issues my parents might have, grabbing my Ugly Stick, tackle box and heading for the water.   Even those were tough to get to at times.   As we “mature”, pilgrimages seem to get larger, a bit more involved, riskier.  As they should.  But I suppose the more grand the adventure, the more religious, the experience.

I really didn’t mean to write this with pilgrims or pilgrimage in mind.   It was the fact it was raining, that we haven’t had any rain, and my hope for April showers, and maybe even some May and June showers, would help us get through another low water year.    But I learned a bit more about pilgrims and pilgrimages.

And while it was certainly not a need to flee religious persecution, or flee for any reason, I’m not often given an opportunity to take some time and plant my feet in a big river for a few days.    So, at this writing, I’m making a bit of a pilgrimage to the Rogue to fish with Kait and James from Humble Heron Fly-Fishing, casting my thirteen six, eight weight spey rod, swinging big flies for steelhead.   Grateful for Rich’s invite, even though he cannot make it, which I will miss a lot.  But, I certainly cannot wait to get in the truck with Mike, and get my feet in the water, feel everything wash away, take a deep breath, focus on that bundle of fur and feathers and pray for the opportunity to bring a Steelhead to hand, witness a beauty all its own, and know that feeling of letting it slip out of my hands, back to the water it belongs to.   Maybe a few times!

Each one of them changes you.   Recharges, renews you.   Make a pilgrimage or twelve.

Posted on March 19th, 2022

Posted on by

April Fly tying – Green Drake


Apr 13 6:30 PM : Green Drake
Green Drake

Green drakes are a mayfly that hatches out in June and early July in the western United States. We will be tying the adult version. This is a large mayfly and should work well via zoom. And for you who are new to our fly tying classes, all materials except for thread are provided for the class which is free. 6/0 thread will be used in this class. If you need to borrow tools vise and or thread, that can be made available to you. Beginners are always welcome, but need a little instruction ahead of time via FaceTime.  Call to sign up and a packet of materials will be put at my front door for you. 831-688-1561

Future tying classes. Dates and subject may change, please go to URL to see the current information.

Monthly Speaker Date Excerpt
CricketMay 11 Cricket

– dry fly for trout – streams and rivers thought the West – black 6/0 thread

Dali LamaJun 08 Dali Lama

John Steele, Instructore – The Dali Lama is our go to fly on the Tsiu for silver salmon.

Pat’s Tungston Bead Head Rubber Legs - JULY Fly tyingJul 13 Pat’s Tungston Bead Head Rubber Legs - JULY Fly tying

Dar Naghshineh, Instructor – Pat’s Tungston Bead Head Rubber Legs is primarily for trout, but also black bass.

Fluke Fly - Aug Fly tyingAug 10 Fluke Fly - Aug Fly tying

Greg Foy, Instructor – Fluke Fly is a jig to target Black Bass and Sunfish

Foam Run CaddisSep 14 Foam Run Caddis

A simple great drive fly pattern for this month.

CicadaOct 12 Cicada

Fly for bass, trout and carp!

Posted on March 25th, 2022

Posted on by

Callibaetis Dun

by Elaine Cook—-fly tying chairman

side-view
top-view

There are 15 species of callibaetis in the western United States in Canada. They emerge in spring, summer and fall, and are usually larger in the spring and smaller in the fall. Their distinguishing features are two tails, tan under body and modeled wings. They prefer still water but can be found in slow moving water as well. Use a floating line, apply floatant, leave still on water or dead drift.
HOOK: TMC 100. Sizes 12-16. Crimp Barb.   Crimp Barb.
THREAD:   Tan 8/0
Apply mid shank. Wrap forward to 1/3 back on shank. Cut thread tag.
WING: Hungarian Partridge
Using two feathers, pull barbs off base of feather until a narrow fan is formed. Length of fan should equal hook shank length. Attach feather to top of shank tips,  forward and stems to rear , at junction of feather and stem. Pull feathers upright and make several wraps in front to hold in place.  Tie down 1/8 inch of stems behind wing cut access. Make several thread wraps around base of wing to hold upright. Wrap thread to rear of shank.
TAIL: dun microfibetts
Make thread ball with 8 to 10 X thread wraps on top of one another. Wrap thread forward 1/3 of shank. Select 6-8 fibers(keep tips lined up). Lay on top of shank, tips extending well to rear. Tie to shank with four touching three thread wraps toward ball. Pull fibetts forward to make tail equal to shank length. Divide fibetts with bodkin. Pull the fibetts on far side away from shank and slightly upward, take one thread wrap toward ball. Grab remaining fibetts,  pull them toward you and slightly downward. Take another wrap of thread toward ball. Repeat last two steps a couple more times.  Ending at the ball. Cut access.
BODY: Tan super fine dubbing
Advance thread one wrap. Dub a narrow tapered body up to wing.
HACKLE: Grizzly, barbs equal to hook gap
Form a crew cut at butt end of feather by cutting 5 to 6 barbs short on each side of stem. Tie crew cut in at base of wing with dark side of feather toward you and tip to rear.
THORAX: Tan super find dubbing
Dub around base of wing. Taper dubbing forward to one hook eye length behind eye. Spiral hackle forward, two wraps behind wing, to in front of wing.  Tie off cut access. Tie thread head. Whip finish, cut thread.

Posted on March 25th, 2022

Posted on by

Plastic in Our Oceans—Revisited

by Conservation Chair Bob Garbarino

It’s amazing how much plastic is a part of our world. It’s hard to imagine how we could go about our daily lives without the utility and convenience it provides. However, our planet is becoming overwhelmed with plastic—especially in our oceans. Here are some statistics that appeared in a recent article in Fishbio titled “Toxic Soup in the Plastic Age”.

  • By the year 2050, the amount of plastic in the world’s oceans may outweigh all of the fish combined.
  • Plastic use will triple in use by 2050
  • Almost a third of the plastic produced each year is not disposed of, and much of it eventually makes its way to the sea
  • Plastic is ingested by more than 700 species of marine wildlife including fish, birds, and marine mammals
  • Once present in the food web, plastic particles can end up in market species such as tuna, and eventually humans
  • They tiny pieces of plastic that result from degradation can persist for hundreds to thousands of years
  • Our country disposes of 30 billion plastic bottles a year

This all sounds overwhelming and we are going to drown in our own creation. So, what can we do? Here are ideas from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

  • Support policies to reduce single-use plastic
  • Cut back on single use plastic
  • Recycle properly
  • Get involved

For more specific actions you can take from these ideas from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, go to
https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/act-for-the-ocean/plastic-pollution/what-you-can-do

Posted on March 11th, 2022

Date:  April 30, 2022

Time:  2:00 PM

Place:  Jade Park, Capitola

Posted on by

April Fly Casting Meetup – Jade Park

by Steve Rudzinski - Casting Chairman

Where: Jade Park, Capitola

When: April 30th, 2:00 – 3:30 pm  (beer thirty afterward?)

Bring your lawn chair, and fly rod to practice casting with other SCFF club members.  Casual atmosphere with plenty of room for social distancing!

Location

4400 Jade St
Capitola
CA
95010

Next Event

No upcoming events
Loading Map....

Upcoming Events

<li>No events in this location</li>

Posted on March 25th, 2022

Posted on by

Looking for one or two club members to be the Newsletter Editor and Content Publisher

by Scott Kitayama - Newsletter Editor

After nearly 5 years of serving as President, Tom Hogye, will be stepping down at the end of 2022.  I told the board that I would run for the President position in 2023 if we could find someone(s) to take over the newsletter.  Please take a look and see if you or someone you know in the club is willing to help.

The Newsletter Editor is an SCFF Board Position that is responsible for acquiring, editing, and laying out the award-winning Santa Cruz Fly Fishing newsletter. The contents of the newsletter comes from other board members responsible for speakers, fly-tying, conservation, fish-outs, membership, as well as contribution from members at-large. The editing takes about 2-4 hours around around the 3rd weekend of the month. The Editor needs to be proficient with computers, email, and web-based word processors. Experience with WordPress is a plus.

The Online Content Publisher can also be a Board Position working closely with the Newsletter Editor to ensure the timely distribution of the monthly newsletter. The Publisher updates SCFF’s WordPress website to ensure the the monthly newsletter is available online. The publisher will also create and distribute the notification email to the membership with pertinent information such as speaker, raffle prizes and fly tying. Publishing is done around the 4th Wednesday of the month after completion of editing and takes 2-3 hours. The Publisher needs to be proficient as the Admin for WordPress or other website-building systems.

If you have any interest in helping, please contact Scott Kitayama at scottkitayama@gmail.com.  BTW/ if you have a child or grandchild who is proficient with technologies, this might be a great activity to add to the resume.

Posted on March 26th, 2022

Posted on by

April Fishout Schedule

mobile scrollable table 

EVENT NAME EVENT DATE SPECIES FISH MASTER
Trinity River FishoutNov 07 - Nov 09
Pyramid Lake Ladder Fishout – March 2026 – UPDATEDMar 15 - Mar 21
Green River – UtahApr 25 - May 02
Pyramid Lake Floatie Fishout – June 2026 – UPDATEDJun 04 - Jun 05

Nov 07 : Trinity River Fishout


Trinity River Fishout
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster:
Trinity River Fishout
The fishery:
The Trinity River is located approximately 1 hr west of Redding, and runs along Hwy 299. It has a wild and hatchery run of Steelhead. The season typically runs from September into March, depending on weather, as well as the flows of the river.

There is plenty of walk wadding access. The river can be fished from a drift boat/raft as well. The majority of fish are caught using nymphs drifted under an indicator. The Trinity has excellent runs where one can swing flies. The average Trinity Steelhead is 5-7 pounds, with bigger fish caught frequently. Over the past few years the Trinity has seen an excellent return of fish, and based on early season returns, should be an excellent year.

Basically,  this is a Steelhead Trip. There are some resident trout, including some really nice brown trout. I

Lodging:

This is a do it yourself trip, to be arranged on your own. Camping is an option, but most of the campgrounds  close by early November. There are various motels in the area. Weaverville is the main town in the area, there is also Douglas City and Lewiston. All have motels/hotels available. There are many restaurants in the area. Weaverville has an excellent market. If there is an interest, we could also try and book an Air B & B for the group.

Weather:

The weather in November can be cold and rainy, but there are many days where the sun is out and it warms up. Be prepared for all possible conditions, even a possibility of snow.

Skill Level:
All skill levels. This is a good opportunity to learn to fish for Steelhead. I will be available to assist in those wanting to learn or improve their fishing skills. I have a passion for using 2 handed rods (Spey Casting) and for those interested in learning or improving how to Spey cast, I will be available for instruction. I will be teaching a series of Spey casting clinics, in September and October in preparation for the upcoming season
Tackle:
Single hand rods, 7-8 wt rods, using floating lines with indicator set up. Typical flies used are Egg patterns, Copper John’s, Stonefly imitations like Rubberlegs,  Dark Perdigons. Sizes ranging from Size 8-14.
Spey or Switch rods, usually 5-6 wt in the Fall, I use a 7 wt in the winter. Skagit or Scandi heads, with floating to heavy sink tips, depending on the river conditions and season. Flies that work well include leeches, intruders, HoBo Spey, Traditionals, as well as dry fly patterns ( Skaters) in the early Fall.
Amenities:
Weaverville is the closest town, where there are good restaurants, motels and a really nice Holiday Market. It’s kind of the hub. There is an RV park in Weaverville,  but no campsites.
Camping is available in Douglas City  area as well as Junction City and further west on 299. The town of Douglas city doesn’t have much, other than a small mini mart. Indian Creek Lodge is a few miles east of Douglas City. The town of Lewiston is just below the Lewiston dam. It offers some camping and motels. There is a really nice motel west of Junction City (I believe it is called Steelhead Lodge?). It’s an excellent place to stay if one wishes to fish below Junction City.
General Notes:
Contact Alex Ferber if you are interested in going on the trip.  After knowing how many people are interested, it will be easier to plan logistics (camping? motel?).    You can text Alex at (831) 419-0564  or alex.ferber74@gmail.com.  If you want to go on this trip, it is highly recommended to attend the Spey Classes.
———————————-

I am a licensed guide on the Trinity and will be available for those interested in floating the river for the day. The trip can be designed as an Indicator trip, Spey trip or combination of both.

Please feel free to contact me for any questions

If you can, please let me know if you are interested in joining us and if you would be interested in some type of group accommodation to be arranged

Alex Ferber

831-419-0564



Mar 15 : Pyramid Lake Ladder Fishout – March 2026 – UPDATED


Pyramid Lake Ladder Fishout - March 2026 - UPDATED
Pyramid Lake (Click for address and map)
Fishmaster:

Fishmaster: Mike White

Greetings fellow Santa Cruz Fly Fishing Club Members

I have been leading the Pyramid Lake fishing trip for the past ten years. It has always been a remarkable fish out, and one of the best attended too.

This one is similar to trips we’ve done in the past except on a smaller scale. I have reserved 2 trailers and can accommodate 10 people.  The dates are March 15th through the 21st. The weather can be very unpredictable in March, but we have had good times in the past fishing this time of year.

The cost will range from $250 -$300 for lodging and typically meals are worked out by each trailer lead. For example, I lead trailer 9, and make a group buy of food for breakfast, lunch, and then each person is responsible to cook one dinner which they provide.  It usually works out to $60 per person for the group buy, and whatever your dinner costs. It’s a very reasonable investment for a five plus day trip.

So, if you want to join us please contact me right away, like today. I have already  paid the 50% deposit on the trailers. As of September 24th we have five people signed up to attend the fish out. I can be reached at 831 706-5556, text or call. Or email me at lumberguy73@hotmail.com

Again if you want to go, get back to me now.

General Lake / Shore Fishing Information: 

Equipment: 6-9 weight rods with hi-speed, hi-D shooting heads or fast sink integrated lines to fish the bottom in 6 to 9 feet of water, and a floating line for indicator fishing. You should bring a stripping basket and a ladder that will accommodate it. A ladder helps to get you up out of the cold water and enables you to cast out to where the fish are. You can still catch fish without one but not with nearly as much consistency.

Flies: Woolly buggers in black, white, purple, olive, midge, caddis and mayfly nymphs to name a few. Flies may also available from club member Jim Hall who ties some very good flies specific to Pyramid cutthroat as well as other species at reason-able cost. His number is (831) 713-6835. There is a general store with provisions as well as tackle and an assortment of flies.

How to get there: Take US 80 to Reno-Sparks, take the Pyramid Blvd. off ramp and go north about 35 miles. Crosby Lodge is at Sutcliff, near the Ranger Station.If you have any questions about equipment or how to get there, check the “Gearing up” columns in the March 2007-2009 archives on our great club website, or call Mike White at (831) 706-5556.If you are considering going to Pyramid again this year with the club and you have not already done so, please contact the person who is booking the trailer you stayed in last year. Trailer-masters, if your trailer has gaps or cancellations, you can call Mike so he can pass the names of members who don’t have lodging to fill the empty spots.

Fishing, Camping, and New Ladder Regulation: Fishing and camping permits can be purchased online prior to the fish-out. We would highly recommend doing this. Go to www.plpt.nsn.us to obtain your licenses. There is also an RV Park available at (775) 476-1155.

As with any great fishery there are always a long list of rules and regulations. We would recommend you review them on the website above. Suffice to say those of us who have been go-ing to Pyramid Lake for many years are a good source of information as well. We will help inform and guide all newcomers.

15.6 USE OF LADDERS, ETC.: Any ladders, milk crates, boxes or other objects used in the water as a fishing aid must be occupied or closely attended (i.e. remain in the area) by fishermen at all times. Any person who leaves such objects unoccupied in the water for more than one hour will be deemed guilty of littering. 15.6.1 Fishing aids described above must have a permanent tag affixed that has the name, address, and phone number of the owner of the fishing aid. If the permitted angler using the fishing aid is not the owner, the owner will be the responsible party for any infractions by the permitted angler.

I have observed people parked closer than 100 feet to the lake. I asked several of them about it, and the response was the Rangers weren’t enforcing it. This prompted me to contact the lead Ranger by phone. He said, “We are most definitely going to enforce the 100-foot ordinance!” So, when parking your vehicle, you must be a minimum of 100 feet from the lake’s water line. Also, you need a permanent tag affixed to your ladder with your name, address, and phone number on it. Most of us who use fiberglass ladders use a heavy black magic marker to write the necessary information directly on the ladder. There are also tags which can be purchased from local fly shops, for a fee.

Pyramid Lake Lodge at (775) 476-0400

NOTE: Due to insurance regulations, all attendees must be paid up members of Santa Cruz Fly fishermen, so get your member-ship paid up if you haven’t done so yet.



Apr 25 : Green River – Utah


Green River - Utah
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster:

Green River – Utah

General Information –

It is necessary for us to pay upfront to reserve the accommodations. The club’s standard approach to this is for each angler to pay his individual portion of the rental fee for sleeping accommodations.
Each angler will be responsible for the weekly rate of $TBD. This is a nonrefundable fee.

If an angler decides not to attend, they are responsible to sell their portion to another angler or forfeit their portion of the rental. I’m counting on everyone on the list to send their payment and secure their place on the trip. If not all 12 people commit by payment, there will be a increased adjustment in the weekly fee for each angler since the rental cost is based on the number of people.

Steve Andersen will be handling the food end of our trip. Our desire is to have group dinner meals. So one or more of us will stop in Salt Lake City and stock up on provisions for these meals along with lunch makings. Breakfast will be up to the individual, whether they want to cook it or eat out. We will provide basic breakfast foods. Scott’s email is included in the email list above. Please if you have any dietary restrictions advise him of specialty item possibly needed for your meals. The fee for food will be a separate fee calculated after our arrival at the fish out. If you intend to cook your own food, you’re welcome to use the kitchen, but keep in mind there are no grocery stores within 50 miles. So remember to stock up before you leave civilization! There are three different restaurants in the area.

There are many guide services available for the Green River float, along with raft rental. Over the next few weeks, we will provide a list of potential recommendations so you might want to book your float trips? There is plenty of access along this river for wading a 7 mile trail system along the A section of the river.

Elaine Cook has offered to hold a fly tying class especially for the Green and will provide patterns that will accommodate that time of year. There is a great fly shop Trout Creek Flyer https://troutcreekflies.com/

We will start an ongoing thread of emails to this group. I will start to suggest that you think about if you’re going to fly or drive. If you fly, you fly into Salt Lake City and you can rent a car and split the cost with another member or 2.. The drive time from Salt Lake is about 4 1/2 hours. Drive time from Santa Cruz is probably 14 1/2 or 15  hours.

 

2025 Green River Fishout!

A BUCKT LIST Fly Fishing Trip | Green River-Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEZ7X2eeph8

Fly Fishing for BIG BROWN Trout on a LEGENDARY Trout Stream | Green River-Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gwUTUknv0Q

 

 

 

 

 



Jun 04 : Pyramid Lake Floatie Fishout – June 2026 – UPDATED


Pyramid Lake Floatie Fishout - June 2026 - UPDATED
Pyramid Lake (Click for address and map)
Fishmaster:

Fishmaster: Mike White

Greetings fellow Santa Cruz Fly Fishing Club Members,

I have reserved June 4th and 5th for 2026 with Rob Anderson. He can take a max of 14 people. I am going to put together the details of the trip, and provide all the necessary information once you commit to the trip. Each person is responsible for their own lodging. The cost for the trip is $375. All your meals are provided.

If you are interested in attending please contact Mike White at 831 706-5556 or email at lumberguy73@hotmail.com

We must have a 50% deposit by January 1st in order to hold our spot.

Two-Day Float Tube Outing Information: 

Two-day Float Tube Outings

Our outings are the most popular thing we do and are a great way to spend a couple days on the water with our guides and chef and have a chance to experience our favorite times of year to be at the lake. Ever since the introduction of the Pilot Peak strain of the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout we have been targeting these enormous fish. Early in the fall and again late in spring these fish stage in areas that allow us to fish for them from float tubes and pontoon boats.

You will meet us at the lake the late afternoon before the first day of fishing. We set this time aside to go over everything you need to know before the fishing starts. We will do everything from rigging up rods, setting up our floating devices, if you are camping with us we help you get settled in for the event. We always have a camp set up at the lake so you can leave gear at the lake each night. We will have some type of comfort food available. If you cannot make the Pre-Trip gathering one of our guides will help you as much as possible the first morning to get rigged up and on the water.

We will have some type of comfort food available. If you cannot make the Pre-Trip gathering one of our guides will help you as much as possible the first morning to get rigged up and on the water.

We will spend two + days on the water fishing and learning. Our Team will accompany you on the water helping to fine tune the techniques we have developed to catch these fish. We will be there to help you land and take pictures of your fish of a lifetime catch.

A complete Pre-Trip Planner will be sent to you once you are signed up for the outing. Included in the planner are the things you will need to bring. Some of the items are pretty mandatory including a fly rod with a fast-sinking shooting head with a sinking running line and something to float in like a float tube, kayak, or pontoon boat, and a good anchor.

Gear – Equipment is not included in our float tube outings unless prior arrangements have been made. We do offer limited Pontoon Boat rentals which also need to be arranged ahead of the outing.

Accommodations – Deals at local hotels will be available and in our Pre-Trip Planner. Camping at the lake is a blast this time of your and we encourage you to join us at the lake. You can dry camp at the beach we are fishing or there is an R.V. park at the lake with full hookups. Camping permits are required and need to be purchased in advance.

Permits – You will need a fishing permit to fish on the reservation. You will also need a camping permit if you intend to camp. Links to both of these will be in our pre-trip planner.

Food – This is a fully catered event. During the outing we will serve dinner at our Pre-Trip gathering and also the next night for those who camp with us and also hot lunches both days. In the mornings there will be coffee and some snacks. Kicking back and having a meal served for you while hanging out on the shores of the lake is a big reason why we have such a high rate of return from our outings customers.

Cost of the Outing is $375– Not included in the price are Tribal Permits, gear and gratuities to the staff and guides.

PS. You must have your 50% deposit mailed to Rob Anderson by January 1, 2026.

How to get there: Take US 80 to Reno-Sparks, take the Pyramid Blvd. off ramp and go north about 35 miles. Crosby Lodge is at Sutcliff, near the Ranger Station.If you have any questions about equipment or how to get there, check the “Gearing up” columns in the March 2007-2009 archives on our great club website, or call Mike White at (831) 706-5556.If you are considering going to Pyramid again this year with the club and you have not already done so, please contact the person who is booking the trailer you stayed in last year. Trailer-masters, if your trailer has gaps or cancellations, you can call Mike so he can pass the names of members who don’t have lodging to fill the empty spots.

Regulations: Fishing and camping permits can be purchased online prior to the fish-out. We would highly recommend doing this. Go to www.plpt.nsn.us to obtain your licenses. There is also an RV Park available at (775) 476-1155.

As with any great fishery there are always a long list of rules and regulations. We would recommend you review them on the website above. Suffice to say those of us who have been go-ing to Pyramid Lake for many years are a good source of information as well. We will help inform and guide all newcomers.

Pyramid Lake Lodge at (775) 476-0400

NOTE: Due to insurance regulations, all attendees must be paid up members of Santa Cruz Fly fishermen, so get your member-ship paid up if you haven’t done so yet.

 



Posted on March 25th, 2022

Posted on by

March 2022 Table of Contents

General Meeting……………………
  Fisheries of the Central Coast & Iceland with Dagur
  March Raffle Prizes
  Donations from Doug Severin’s Estate
President’s Line…………………….
Fly Tying……………………
  Popper Class
  Red & Black larva lace midge
Conservation Concerns……………
  Steelhead Spa-What’s That?
  Prairie Creek Restoration
Membership Notes…………………
  Remembrance: Matt Murphy
  Remembrance: Jim Black
  Remembrance: Pat Murray
Fishout Schedule…………………
Marketplace…………………
  Wanted: Pyramid Ladder
Cartoon…………………………..…

Posted on February 23rd, 2022

Posted on by

Fisheries of the Central Coast & Iceland with Dagur Guðmundsson

The March Meeting will be both in-person and on Zoom. Doors at the Aptos Grange will be open by 6:00 pm while we set up and test the system. The Zoom meeting will start by 6:30 pm, the link is here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83842895848



Fisheries of the Central Coast & Iceland with Dagur Guðmundsson

Dagur Gudmundsson was born and raised on the wind-swept rock of Iceland, where he grew up chasing everything from arctic char and ice age brown trout to Atlantic cod and pollock. During his teenage years, he moved to the Central Coast of California where the fishing is quite different from the cold waters of Iceland.

 

When he was 18, Dagur started guiding at the world-class salmon river West Rangá, which in addition to having some of the most prolific Atlantic salmon fishing in the world, also has huge native brown trout in its upper reaches.

In between spending his summers guiding in Iceland, Dagur attended California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, where he acquainted himself with the local fisheries through lots of trial and error. He recently started a fly fishing guide service in San Luis Obispo with a focus on the area’s overlooked fisheries when it comes to fly fishing, such as bass, carp, and surf perch. Dagur also ties and sells flies, is a regular contributor to California Fly Fisher magazine, and teaches clinics on carp and bass through the Central Coast Fly Fishing fly shop in Carmel.

Future Speakers. Dates and speakers may change, please go to URL to see the current information.

Monthly Speaker Date Excerpt
May 04 Virtual Speaker: Fly fishing for Corbina with Al Q
Jun 01 Striper Fishing on the Lower Sac with Hogan Brown

Posted on February 23rd, 2022

Posted on by

March Raffle Prizes

Whether you’re throwing midges under an indicator or stripping Beetles along the bottom you will need some serious gear to do battle with the monster trout of Pyramid lake.

Either a 9 foot 8 WT Echo ION XL 4 piece rod or a bit heftier 9’8″ 9 WT G.Loomis IM6 2 piece rod.
The matching Katuysha 6071-T6 aluminum alloy reel is corrosion resistant and has a large arbor for increased backing capacity and a fast retrieve.
Speaking of Beetles and Midges, take a look at these Pyramid lake beauties. We have a dozen Beetles and 16 midges packaged up in a pocket size Adamsbuilt two sided case. Keep them handy in your shirt pocket to save yourself a trip off the ladder back to your truck when you need to re-rig. Proven Lahontan Cutthroat winners.
A great new book by John Gierach: “Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers”? It is a great collection of short stories, there is even one about Pyramid lake! A book like this is also great for those dark winner nights that are too cold to walk to the bar.

HOW TO BUY TICKETS
The online ticket sales are available and will close at noon on Wed. March 2nd. Tickets are a dollar each. 20 bucks get you twenty five. Click on this link to purchase tickets:
https://santacruzflyfishing.org/raffle

Posted on February 19th, 2022

Posted on by

Donations from the Doug Severin Estate

by Elaine Cook

If you enjoyed receiving items from Doug’s estate at the January club meeting, you will have the opportunity to do that again at both the March and April club meetings. His desire was that club members would have the opportunity to receive his fishing belongings .More fishing items and fly tying materials will be available at the March and April club meetings.Some will be in raffles but those at the club meeting in March and April will be free for the taking. Donations will be welcomed if you so choose. The pictures show a lot of the items that will be up for grabs . The doors will open at 6 PM at the Grange and the meeting will start at 6:30. Don’t miss out come early to choose what you would like. The meeting will also be via zoom, so if you wish to come for some donated items and then go home to do a zoom meeting, that will be fine.

Posted on February 19th, 2022

Posted on by

Let’s Get Together!!

by Tom Hogye - President

We have a lot of talent in our community.   For a fly-fishing club, in a surf community that was once mostly a retirement town with surfers and outdoorsy people, we became a fly-fishing club.

You might find it interesting, that we really don’t have that much fly-fishing around here anymore.    Certainly not a “trout stream”.    But did you know that as far back as the early 20’s, hatcheries were built along the San Lorenzo for the purposes of supplanting year round trout fishing?    That’s right!  Back in the 20’s, clear through the 50’s, you could fish the San Lorenzo, and most, if not all, of her tributaries for trout – all year.    And your limit – per day?!    25 fish.   At least for a while.    Then it went to something like 5 or 10.

True!   I remember Jim Lazarotti, who spent his life here, from the 50’s until he passed away in 2008, working to save the San Lorenzo, telling me that he would fish Zayante Creek before school catching fish his mom would make for dinner.

We often marvel at the catch rates from the old days, but I also wonder if those catch rates were not also kill rates, would the rivers and tributaries have been better today.    Probably not.

The surf, cars and airplanes, have provided us the ability to be fly-anglers with plenty of opportunities to feed our desire to be out of doors, in the water, marveling at fish, and all things within those elements of the healthy habitats where we find these creatures.  Fluttery things, crawly things, four footed and two footed (Big Foot and Sasquatch! – just seeing if you’re paying attention), perhaps some peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of being stuck at home or afraid to go somewhere, with or without a mask, because of a pandemic.  Which, by the way, is ending.  Funny how it’s now called an endemic.    Weird cuz it wasn’t called a begindemic.    Never mind.

I hope if you’re reading this after February 27th, you got to go to the Fly-Fishing show in Pleasanton on the 25th to the 27th.   I am so excited to be going again, especially since so many of you are also going.   I’m sure there is something I still need there even after now 30 years of fly-fishing under my belt.

I’m also excited about our March meeting as it will be at the Grange, with a raffle, an in person guest speaker – Dagur – from Iceland.   And a chance to see some of you who I only just met these last 2 years via Zoom – in person!    At this meeting, we are also going to work on our “hybrid” solution, which is to run the meeting in person and via Zoom for those who can’t make it.   Please bear with us as we may bump along at this meeting, trying to dial in the technology we need to become our own 1 million subscriber YouTube channel.   Okay, kidding.   We really just want to be good for those who can’t be at the meeting in person and can still enjoy the club meeting.

In this newsletter you will also read some beautiful tributes to three of our long-time members who left this planet this year.   Matt Murphy, Jim Black and Pat Murray, all of whom were beloved members, family and friends with their own special gifts they bestowed on the club, their family and those who were very close to them.

If you have a knack for writing – please note that you can write a nice article, or even just a few sentences, and publish it in our Newsletter.  Yes – You!   Just find the tab on the website, under Newsletter, Article Submission, fill out the details, the write your article.   Easy.  We’d love to hear from you and put your input in our newsletter.

Michael McGannon has been our Marketing and “merch” guy for several years.   I’m super grateful for Michael, because every time we’ve been together, he’s often drawing on a napkin – which I’m constantly stealing from him to hide in my own personal collection.   The Picaso fish, the multi-caster, the tangled mess, and others he’s drawn up.    At one of our last meetings, I explained to the board I wanted to have something related to Santa Cruz – Santa Cruz Fly Fishing.   So what better way to describe that than on a surf board!    This is an initial rendition that Michael drew up for me, and I love it.   Note the Striper in the waves.    Truth be told, is I got this idea from an old advertisement Salz Leathers used to promote a leather they made called “Surfer”.    It was a waterproof leather we made for the likes of Timberland and Wolverine boots.   Similarly, it was a heifer surfing.   Likely a native heifer – but that’s another story.      I envision this one being refined a bit, then being available as a T-Shirt – Santa Cruz Fly Fishing.   Who knows, maybe we can get the “Santa Cruz” logo on it and sell it in the surf shops!!  Wouldn’t that be a hoot!    Thank you Michael!!

I’ve really enjoyed our Zoom meetings.   I don’t know what we would have done if it weren’t for that technology which until then, was just a way for companies to hold fancy meetings in conference rooms and offices and for those who might have been “remote” for one of those meetings.   I am certain Zoom never thought they’d be taking on the whole world when the begindemic occurred.   And while we often use fly-fishing to get away from it all – it all – meaning technology, that very “technology” has made fly-fishing infinitely more enjoyable, perhaps a bit easier to learn, and Zoom gave us a chance to break down barriers, not otherwise possible.

But I sure am looking forward to seeing you, shaking your hand in person.  My only regret is that I won’t be able to “mute” you all when it comes to start the meeting.

See you soon!!  Really – not kidding!!

Posted on February 23rd, 2022

Posted on by

2 Day Popper class


Mar 12 12:00 PM & March 13 Class
& March 13 Class

We will be making poppers so that we can go for those big mouthed bass. In the past the class has spanned over 2 days and involved lots of paints, epoxies, glues, solutions, along with various other supplies. It is not reasonable to assume that everyone would have everything that would be needed to craft these beauties, and not practical via Zoom. In order to not miss out this year, a simplified method has been devised which will give everyone reasonable and useful poppers. The only thing you will need to complete your popper fly is clear nail polish and Supper Glue or equivalent. If you have 30 min epoxi, a variety of acrylic paints and rubbing alcohol, your finished fly will be more like the ones we usually craft. Some lead time for prepping and putting supplies together will be needed.  So please sign up soon but no later than Mar. 5th. It will still be a 2 day class, but fewer hours than usual. We’ll start at noon. Allow 2-3 hours each day. You beginners to fly tying should feel comfortable doing this class. As always, the class is free and materials provided. Very strong thread, any color, such as flat waxed nylon or monocord will be needed. If you need thread, or tools and vise if you are a beginner, the club can loan them to you. Materials , directions and tips for bass fishing will bagged for you to be picked up at my door. Call me to sign up @ (831)688-1561

Future tying classes. Dates and subject may change, please go to URL to see the current information.

Monthly Speaker Date Excerpt
Green DrakeApr 13 Green Drake
CricketMay 11 Cricket
Dali LamaJun 08 Dali Lama

Posted on February 23rd, 2022

Posted on by

Red and black larva lace midge

by Elaine Cook fly tying chairman

Midges, also known as chironomids, are available to trout year-round. Not only in their larval stage but hatches occur as well. In nature they vary a lot in size and color. For the club fishout at Pyramid Lake tie larger flies. I prefer size 8 hooks. For Crowley lake use smaller hooks. The best way to fish a midge is to suspend it under an indicator so it rides a little above the bottom.

HOOK: TMC 2457 or TMC 2487   sizes 6-16
Note: 2457 is a heavier hook and is typically the hook of choice for a bigger fish like it Pyramid Lake.
Crimp Barb.
BEAD: Silver, size to match hook.
Note, for a size 10 Hook use a size 5/32 inch.
Slip small opening on to hook first, and position behind hook eye.
THREAD: Red, 3/0 or 6/0 depending on hook size
Test thread with glue to be sure it doesn’t turn black when applied.
Thinner thread with larger hooks will require more thread wraps.
Attached behind the bed.
RIB: Larva Lace   Other brands also available. This is a vinyl strand with elasticity. Diameter is usually round, sometimes D shaped.
Micro midge for size 16 hooks, midge for 12 and 14, small for eight and 10, medium for size 6. Lay on top of shank with and slightly behind bead. Touching thread wraps halfway back on shank. Then pull on rib material to make thinner and continue with thread wraps halfway around rear bend of hook. Note spin thread counter clockwise to keep flat and avoid twisting.
BODY: Red thread.
Wrap forward with touching thread wraps to cover rib well up to bed. Spin thread as above. Use more touching thread wraps backward and forward to form a slender tapered body if necessary. Finish with thread behind bead. Make one half hitch.. Snugly spiral rib forward in opposite direction of thread wraps, 6 wraps to reach bead, each a little further apart. Secure in place with 5 to 6 snug thread wraps. Cut excess rib. Tie off thread, cut. Applied glue to entire body. Allow to dry.
COLLAR: Peacock hurl and black 8/0 thread.
Attach thread behind bead. Select one hurl from stem of feather with medium to long barbules. Break off fragile tip. Tie tip in behind bead. Make dubbing loop. Hold hurl down side of loop, insert dubbing tool, and twist to make chenille. Make several chenille wraps behind bead, tie off, cut excess. Apply glue to about 1/2 inch of thread near bead, whip finish behind bead, cut thread.

Posted on February 14th, 2022

Posted on by

Steelhead Spa–What’s That?

by Conservation Chair Bob Garbarino

If you are interested in fish-related scientific information, you should check out fishbio.com. They have articles on fisheries research, monitoring and conservation. I came across an article on steelhead kelt reconditioning. What the heck is that? First of all…what is a kelt. Not all steelhead die after spawning one time. Some spawn multiple times. Steelhead that return to the ocean or an estuary after spawning are called kelts. During the journey back down the river post-spawn, kelts are challenged by obstacles such as dams that are typically designed to aid juvenile salmonids—not adults. This is the case on the Columbia river. To help the fish survive, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and the Yakama Nation have been practicing kelt reconditioning. This involves capturing the fish and placing them in holding tanks where they are given medical attention, fed and allowed to rest for several months before release. The fish are also tracked by PIT tags after being released. For more information on this interesting subject, go to the link.

Posted on February 19th, 2022

Posted on by

Prairie Creek Restoration

by Conservation Chair

Save the Redwoods League, in partnership with Caltrout, the Yurok Tribe, National Park Service, California State Parks, California State Coastal Conservancy, NOAA Restoration Center and Wildlife Conservation Board has begun a project that includes returning Prairie Creek and adjacent floodplain habitat for salmon and steelhead back to a more natural state. The project is taking place adjacent to the former Orick Mill site north of Eureka in Humboldt County. For more information on the overall scope of the project and an inspiring video, go to the link.

Video: Work in Prairie Creek kicks off new vision for former mill site

Posted on February 19th, 2022

Posted on by

Remembrance: Matt Murphy

Thoughts from Steve Rudzinski (Stosh)

Matt and I met at Pyramid Lake trailer #7 ‘the Animal House’. He shared a room with his good buddy Dougald Scott, (the Snoring chamber) would shake as a wall separating the bathroom was pretty thin. The mornings Matt liked making cheese on toasted bread in the oven, and the coffee pot was set to go off early before first light.  Even at that time of day did not distract his natural smile and great humor.

We would fish nearby at Blockhouse beach waiting for that plastic ball to go under. Matt landed some fine fish and we all helped net them, I think of that place like the ‘senior citizens hole’. Good banter and when the fishing was hot…well it never got that hot. 

Matt brought me eggs from his hens at home and his elk stews and venison dishes in years when the elk eluded him was always our group meal the first night after fishing.  Wine and storytelling into the evening was fun and I enjoyed his sharp mind and humor and will miss him this year at the lake.   See you on the other side of the veil, – Stosh

Thoughts from Dougald Scott

Our club lost a colorful member and good friend in February. Matt Murphy had been an SCFF member since 2008. He was easily recognized by his massive white mustache and jovial presence. At our annual dinners, he was known for buying massive numbers of raffle tickets with high hopes of a new float tube or fly rod, and then accepting his final winnings of a calendar or hat with good humor. 
At Pyramid Lake fishouts, Matt was a fixture in Trailer 7, aka the “Animal House.” Cabin mates always looked forward to his wild-game dinners, especially his elk stew. He thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie of all of the club members, especially at fishouts. 
Matt had many stories to share from his rich life experiences. His early years were spent in Afghanistan, Hawaii, and Samoa. In Afghanistan, he expanded his love for the outdoors and spent most of his time hunting much needed wild game for the family’s table. For many years after high school in Davis, he was a white water guide on numerous rivers throughout the west. Later on he became a master craftsman and contractor building many fine houses.
Matt will be sorely missed, especially at the Pyramid Lake Fishouts.

Matt Murphy, Pyramid Lake 2009
Matt at Pyramid Lake with Dougald Scott

Posted on February 19th, 2022

Posted on by

Remembrance: Jim Black

by Michael Sherwood

Club member Jim Black passed away recently. He was an adventurous fly fisherman, traveling the western US and the world . Jim had a strong affection for the club, assuming the presidency in 2017 due to the incumbent’s illness; however his tenure was short, as he faced his own medical problems. He was able to continue on the board as Programs Chair often coming up with great ideas and funding some himself. Unfortunately his illness interceded one again.

One year, I was meeting Jim, Tom Welle, his son-in-law, and a bunch of Tom’s brothers to fish Henderson Springs, a series of lakes east of Redding. Tom and Jim stopped at The Fly Shop to pick up some flies. Low and behold, Jim realized his rods and gear bag had been left behind.

Forgetting your fly rod; $500.
Remembering your reel and waders were in the bag; $300
Spending your son-in-laws 50th birthday with him and family; priceless.

We’ll miss you Jim.

Posted on February 23rd, 2022

Posted on by

Remembrance: Pat Murray

by Elaine Cook

Pat Murray, a dear club member of ours, passed away recently. She was introduced to the club in 2006 by long-term club member Gill Santos. You could find her at many club functions and fishouts ,and help at the annual fundraiser was much appreciated. On one particular memorable horse pack trip into Humphreys Basin in the High Sierra, she kept us entertained with her skills at playing bridge , which helped us deal with the cold rain and then corn snow which fell upon our tarps all day. The O’Neil Forbay was one of her frequent haunts. She really enjoyed catching those mighty Stripers. Thanks Gil for introducing us to Pat who was such a fun friend. – by Elaine Cook

Katalla River: Juno AK, September 2005. L-R: Gil Santos; Pat Murray; Ed Marcillac; Tom McMillan; Dougald Scott.

Posted on February 17th, 2022

Posted on by

March Fishout Schedule

mobile scrollable table 

EVENT NAME EVENT DATE SPECIES FISH MASTER
Trinity River FishoutNov 07 - Nov 09
Pyramid Lake Ladder Fishout – March 2026 – UPDATEDMar 15 - Mar 21
Green River – UtahApr 25 - May 02
Pyramid Lake Floatie Fishout – June 2026 – UPDATEDJun 04 - Jun 05

Nov 07 : Trinity River Fishout


Trinity River Fishout
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster:
Trinity River Fishout
The fishery:
The Trinity River is located approximately 1 hr west of Redding, and runs along Hwy 299. It has a wild and hatchery run of Steelhead. The season typically runs from September into March, depending on weather, as well as the flows of the river.

There is plenty of walk wadding access. The river can be fished from a drift boat/raft as well. The majority of fish are caught using nymphs drifted under an indicator. The Trinity has excellent runs where one can swing flies. The average Trinity Steelhead is 5-7 pounds, with bigger fish caught frequently. Over the past few years the Trinity has seen an excellent return of fish, and based on early season returns, should be an excellent year.

Basically,  this is a Steelhead Trip. There are some resident trout, including some really nice brown trout. I

Lodging:

This is a do it yourself trip, to be arranged on your own. Camping is an option, but most of the campgrounds  close by early November. There are various motels in the area. Weaverville is the main town in the area, there is also Douglas City and Lewiston. All have motels/hotels available. There are many restaurants in the area. Weaverville has an excellent market. If there is an interest, we could also try and book an Air B & B for the group.

Weather:

The weather in November can be cold and rainy, but there are many days where the sun is out and it warms up. Be prepared for all possible conditions, even a possibility of snow.

Skill Level:
All skill levels. This is a good opportunity to learn to fish for Steelhead. I will be available to assist in those wanting to learn or improve their fishing skills. I have a passion for using 2 handed rods (Spey Casting) and for those interested in learning or improving how to Spey cast, I will be available for instruction. I will be teaching a series of Spey casting clinics, in September and October in preparation for the upcoming season
Tackle:
Single hand rods, 7-8 wt rods, using floating lines with indicator set up. Typical flies used are Egg patterns, Copper John’s, Stonefly imitations like Rubberlegs,  Dark Perdigons. Sizes ranging from Size 8-14.
Spey or Switch rods, usually 5-6 wt in the Fall, I use a 7 wt in the winter. Skagit or Scandi heads, with floating to heavy sink tips, depending on the river conditions and season. Flies that work well include leeches, intruders, HoBo Spey, Traditionals, as well as dry fly patterns ( Skaters) in the early Fall.
Amenities:
Weaverville is the closest town, where there are good restaurants, motels and a really nice Holiday Market. It’s kind of the hub. There is an RV park in Weaverville,  but no campsites.
Camping is available in Douglas City  area as well as Junction City and further west on 299. The town of Douglas city doesn’t have much, other than a small mini mart. Indian Creek Lodge is a few miles east of Douglas City. The town of Lewiston is just below the Lewiston dam. It offers some camping and motels. There is a really nice motel west of Junction City (I believe it is called Steelhead Lodge?). It’s an excellent place to stay if one wishes to fish below Junction City.
General Notes:
Contact Alex Ferber if you are interested in going on the trip.  After knowing how many people are interested, it will be easier to plan logistics (camping? motel?).    You can text Alex at (831) 419-0564  or alex.ferber74@gmail.com.  If you want to go on this trip, it is highly recommended to attend the Spey Classes.
———————————-

I am a licensed guide on the Trinity and will be available for those interested in floating the river for the day. The trip can be designed as an Indicator trip, Spey trip or combination of both.

Please feel free to contact me for any questions

If you can, please let me know if you are interested in joining us and if you would be interested in some type of group accommodation to be arranged

Alex Ferber

831-419-0564



Mar 15 : Pyramid Lake Ladder Fishout – March 2026 – UPDATED


Pyramid Lake Ladder Fishout - March 2026 - UPDATED
Pyramid Lake (Click for address and map)
Fishmaster:

Fishmaster: Mike White

Greetings fellow Santa Cruz Fly Fishing Club Members

I have been leading the Pyramid Lake fishing trip for the past ten years. It has always been a remarkable fish out, and one of the best attended too.

This one is similar to trips we’ve done in the past except on a smaller scale. I have reserved 2 trailers and can accommodate 10 people.  The dates are March 15th through the 21st. The weather can be very unpredictable in March, but we have had good times in the past fishing this time of year.

The cost will range from $250 -$300 for lodging and typically meals are worked out by each trailer lead. For example, I lead trailer 9, and make a group buy of food for breakfast, lunch, and then each person is responsible to cook one dinner which they provide.  It usually works out to $60 per person for the group buy, and whatever your dinner costs. It’s a very reasonable investment for a five plus day trip.

So, if you want to join us please contact me right away, like today. I have already  paid the 50% deposit on the trailers. As of September 24th we have five people signed up to attend the fish out. I can be reached at 831 706-5556, text or call. Or email me at lumberguy73@hotmail.com

Again if you want to go, get back to me now.

General Lake / Shore Fishing Information: 

Equipment: 6-9 weight rods with hi-speed, hi-D shooting heads or fast sink integrated lines to fish the bottom in 6 to 9 feet of water, and a floating line for indicator fishing. You should bring a stripping basket and a ladder that will accommodate it. A ladder helps to get you up out of the cold water and enables you to cast out to where the fish are. You can still catch fish without one but not with nearly as much consistency.

Flies: Woolly buggers in black, white, purple, olive, midge, caddis and mayfly nymphs to name a few. Flies may also available from club member Jim Hall who ties some very good flies specific to Pyramid cutthroat as well as other species at reason-able cost. His number is (831) 713-6835. There is a general store with provisions as well as tackle and an assortment of flies.

How to get there: Take US 80 to Reno-Sparks, take the Pyramid Blvd. off ramp and go north about 35 miles. Crosby Lodge is at Sutcliff, near the Ranger Station.If you have any questions about equipment or how to get there, check the “Gearing up” columns in the March 2007-2009 archives on our great club website, or call Mike White at (831) 706-5556.If you are considering going to Pyramid again this year with the club and you have not already done so, please contact the person who is booking the trailer you stayed in last year. Trailer-masters, if your trailer has gaps or cancellations, you can call Mike so he can pass the names of members who don’t have lodging to fill the empty spots.

Fishing, Camping, and New Ladder Regulation: Fishing and camping permits can be purchased online prior to the fish-out. We would highly recommend doing this. Go to www.plpt.nsn.us to obtain your licenses. There is also an RV Park available at (775) 476-1155.

As with any great fishery there are always a long list of rules and regulations. We would recommend you review them on the website above. Suffice to say those of us who have been go-ing to Pyramid Lake for many years are a good source of information as well. We will help inform and guide all newcomers.

15.6 USE OF LADDERS, ETC.: Any ladders, milk crates, boxes or other objects used in the water as a fishing aid must be occupied or closely attended (i.e. remain in the area) by fishermen at all times. Any person who leaves such objects unoccupied in the water for more than one hour will be deemed guilty of littering. 15.6.1 Fishing aids described above must have a permanent tag affixed that has the name, address, and phone number of the owner of the fishing aid. If the permitted angler using the fishing aid is not the owner, the owner will be the responsible party for any infractions by the permitted angler.

I have observed people parked closer than 100 feet to the lake. I asked several of them about it, and the response was the Rangers weren’t enforcing it. This prompted me to contact the lead Ranger by phone. He said, “We are most definitely going to enforce the 100-foot ordinance!” So, when parking your vehicle, you must be a minimum of 100 feet from the lake’s water line. Also, you need a permanent tag affixed to your ladder with your name, address, and phone number on it. Most of us who use fiberglass ladders use a heavy black magic marker to write the necessary information directly on the ladder. There are also tags which can be purchased from local fly shops, for a fee.

Pyramid Lake Lodge at (775) 476-0400

NOTE: Due to insurance regulations, all attendees must be paid up members of Santa Cruz Fly fishermen, so get your member-ship paid up if you haven’t done so yet.



Apr 25 : Green River – Utah


Green River - Utah
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster:

Green River – Utah

General Information –

It is necessary for us to pay upfront to reserve the accommodations. The club’s standard approach to this is for each angler to pay his individual portion of the rental fee for sleeping accommodations.
Each angler will be responsible for the weekly rate of $TBD. This is a nonrefundable fee.

If an angler decides not to attend, they are responsible to sell their portion to another angler or forfeit their portion of the rental. I’m counting on everyone on the list to send their payment and secure their place on the trip. If not all 12 people commit by payment, there will be a increased adjustment in the weekly fee for each angler since the rental cost is based on the number of people.

Steve Andersen will be handling the food end of our trip. Our desire is to have group dinner meals. So one or more of us will stop in Salt Lake City and stock up on provisions for these meals along with lunch makings. Breakfast will be up to the individual, whether they want to cook it or eat out. We will provide basic breakfast foods. Scott’s email is included in the email list above. Please if you have any dietary restrictions advise him of specialty item possibly needed for your meals. The fee for food will be a separate fee calculated after our arrival at the fish out. If you intend to cook your own food, you’re welcome to use the kitchen, but keep in mind there are no grocery stores within 50 miles. So remember to stock up before you leave civilization! There are three different restaurants in the area.

There are many guide services available for the Green River float, along with raft rental. Over the next few weeks, we will provide a list of potential recommendations so you might want to book your float trips? There is plenty of access along this river for wading a 7 mile trail system along the A section of the river.

Elaine Cook has offered to hold a fly tying class especially for the Green and will provide patterns that will accommodate that time of year. There is a great fly shop Trout Creek Flyer https://troutcreekflies.com/

We will start an ongoing thread of emails to this group. I will start to suggest that you think about if you’re going to fly or drive. If you fly, you fly into Salt Lake City and you can rent a car and split the cost with another member or 2.. The drive time from Salt Lake is about 4 1/2 hours. Drive time from Santa Cruz is probably 14 1/2 or 15  hours.

 

2025 Green River Fishout!

A BUCKT LIST Fly Fishing Trip | Green River-Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEZ7X2eeph8

Fly Fishing for BIG BROWN Trout on a LEGENDARY Trout Stream | Green River-Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gwUTUknv0Q

 

 

 

 

 



Jun 04 : Pyramid Lake Floatie Fishout – June 2026 – UPDATED


Pyramid Lake Floatie Fishout - June 2026 - UPDATED
Pyramid Lake (Click for address and map)
Fishmaster:

Fishmaster: Mike White

Greetings fellow Santa Cruz Fly Fishing Club Members,

I have reserved June 4th and 5th for 2026 with Rob Anderson. He can take a max of 14 people. I am going to put together the details of the trip, and provide all the necessary information once you commit to the trip. Each person is responsible for their own lodging. The cost for the trip is $375. All your meals are provided.

If you are interested in attending please contact Mike White at 831 706-5556 or email at lumberguy73@hotmail.com

We must have a 50% deposit by January 1st in order to hold our spot.

Two-Day Float Tube Outing Information: 

Two-day Float Tube Outings

Our outings are the most popular thing we do and are a great way to spend a couple days on the water with our guides and chef and have a chance to experience our favorite times of year to be at the lake. Ever since the introduction of the Pilot Peak strain of the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout we have been targeting these enormous fish. Early in the fall and again late in spring these fish stage in areas that allow us to fish for them from float tubes and pontoon boats.

You will meet us at the lake the late afternoon before the first day of fishing. We set this time aside to go over everything you need to know before the fishing starts. We will do everything from rigging up rods, setting up our floating devices, if you are camping with us we help you get settled in for the event. We always have a camp set up at the lake so you can leave gear at the lake each night. We will have some type of comfort food available. If you cannot make the Pre-Trip gathering one of our guides will help you as much as possible the first morning to get rigged up and on the water.

We will have some type of comfort food available. If you cannot make the Pre-Trip gathering one of our guides will help you as much as possible the first morning to get rigged up and on the water.

We will spend two + days on the water fishing and learning. Our Team will accompany you on the water helping to fine tune the techniques we have developed to catch these fish. We will be there to help you land and take pictures of your fish of a lifetime catch.

A complete Pre-Trip Planner will be sent to you once you are signed up for the outing. Included in the planner are the things you will need to bring. Some of the items are pretty mandatory including a fly rod with a fast-sinking shooting head with a sinking running line and something to float in like a float tube, kayak, or pontoon boat, and a good anchor.

Gear – Equipment is not included in our float tube outings unless prior arrangements have been made. We do offer limited Pontoon Boat rentals which also need to be arranged ahead of the outing.

Accommodations – Deals at local hotels will be available and in our Pre-Trip Planner. Camping at the lake is a blast this time of your and we encourage you to join us at the lake. You can dry camp at the beach we are fishing or there is an R.V. park at the lake with full hookups. Camping permits are required and need to be purchased in advance.

Permits – You will need a fishing permit to fish on the reservation. You will also need a camping permit if you intend to camp. Links to both of these will be in our pre-trip planner.

Food – This is a fully catered event. During the outing we will serve dinner at our Pre-Trip gathering and also the next night for those who camp with us and also hot lunches both days. In the mornings there will be coffee and some snacks. Kicking back and having a meal served for you while hanging out on the shores of the lake is a big reason why we have such a high rate of return from our outings customers.

Cost of the Outing is $375– Not included in the price are Tribal Permits, gear and gratuities to the staff and guides.

PS. You must have your 50% deposit mailed to Rob Anderson by January 1, 2026.

How to get there: Take US 80 to Reno-Sparks, take the Pyramid Blvd. off ramp and go north about 35 miles. Crosby Lodge is at Sutcliff, near the Ranger Station.If you have any questions about equipment or how to get there, check the “Gearing up” columns in the March 2007-2009 archives on our great club website, or call Mike White at (831) 706-5556.If you are considering going to Pyramid again this year with the club and you have not already done so, please contact the person who is booking the trailer you stayed in last year. Trailer-masters, if your trailer has gaps or cancellations, you can call Mike so he can pass the names of members who don’t have lodging to fill the empty spots.

Regulations: Fishing and camping permits can be purchased online prior to the fish-out. We would highly recommend doing this. Go to www.plpt.nsn.us to obtain your licenses. There is also an RV Park available at (775) 476-1155.

As with any great fishery there are always a long list of rules and regulations. We would recommend you review them on the website above. Suffice to say those of us who have been go-ing to Pyramid Lake for many years are a good source of information as well. We will help inform and guide all newcomers.

Pyramid Lake Lodge at (775) 476-0400

NOTE: Due to insurance regulations, all attendees must be paid up members of Santa Cruz Fly fishermen, so get your member-ship paid up if you haven’t done so yet.

 



Posted on February 23rd, 2022