Summer

“Tell a man where to fish and he is happy for a day.
Teach a man how to fish and he is happy for a lifetime.”

Entering the World of Fly Fishing

Beginner Clinic for All Ages

In this clinic, we cover the anatomy of the fly rod and terminal tackle, essential knots, fly selection, basic fly casting, fish-finding skills, and on-the-water fishing tactics. The first portion of the clinic will be held at the local park. We then move on to one of the area’s beautiful waters where we will apply our techniques.

5-hour clinic includes: flies, complete wading gear, rod/reel, terminal tackle and beverages.

I bring along a digital camera to capture those special moments!

1-2 anglers: $350
Add extra anglers: $75 (per person)

Full-Day and Half-Day Trips

Custom Trips for Novice to Advanced Anglers

These trips are designed to meet your visions and goals. I specialize in a variety of Eastern Sierra waters; from Bishop to Bridgeport, including the Upper and Lower Owens River, the Owens River Gorge, Hot Creek, Crowley Lake, San Joaquin River, upper lake basins of Mammoth Lakes and Bishop, McGee Creek, and the East Walker River.

8-hour full-day trip includes: flies, complete wading gear, rod/reel, terminal tackle and beverages.

5-hour half-day trip includes: flies, complete wading gear, rod/reel, terminal tackle and beverages.

Full day (1-2 anglers): $550
Add extra anglers: $125 (per person)

Half day (1-2 anglers): $450
Add extra anglers: $75 (per person)

Mid-Summer Trout Hunting and Casting Clinics
Sundown Dry Fly Fishing or Evening Before Casting Clinic

The warm summer evening Caddis hatches can be excellent for Sundown Dry Fly Fishing. The grabs are explosive and the action can go on until last light. During these clinics we work on “matchin’ hatches,” simplifying presentations, and learning tricks to see small flies in low light. I recommend these clinics for intermediate to advanced anglers.

Evening Before Casting Clinics are designed for the folks that want to get their ‘home work’ done the evening before their guide trip. Whether you are a beginner or you would just like a refresher clinic to get that winter’s dust off the fly rod, this class will improve your odds on “game day.”

Two-hour clinic (1-2 anglers): $150

Add extra anglers: $25 (per person)

The Magic of the McCloud River
Experience Fishing One of California’s Finest Trout Waters

Intermediate to Advanced Anglers*

In the spring of 1995, I served an internship in Northern California under Dick Galland and the guides of the Clearwater House on Hat Creek. During this Ivy League education in guiding, I fell in love with the waters of the area and vowed never to go long without spending time on them. One of these waters is the McCloud River – a 6-hour drive plus a bumpy, 30-minute dirt road away from Mammoth Lakes. This river starts as a spring-fed creek and then dumps into the McCloud Reservoir. We fish the milky cobalt blue tailwater out of McCloud Dam, its source ancient glaciers high atop Mount Shasta. The river’s edge is surrounded by old-growth pine giants that have seen hundreds of years of Native Americans, pioneers, and fishermen.

My daily goals are to teach the art of fishing a river. You might think of it as drawing a parallel between being an accomplished golfer and an accomplished angler; the drive, the approach, and the putt are essential to having a complete game. I will teach classic puff-ball rigging and techniques for fishing the big, deep, slower pools that the Mac is famous for (the drive.) Then, we shorten up our system to fish the tail-outs and deep structure (the approach shot.) Then, lose the indicator and hit the fast water (the putt.) That’s where I teach my spin on Czech nymphing or Northern California tight-line high sticking. After dinner, we ditch the spit-shot all together and hunt fish until dark, using the dry fly. Generally, we fish with four or five wt. fly rods with floating lines. The bug hatches you can expect this time of year are Pale Morning Duns, Pale Evening Duns, Green Drakes, Caddis, and Giant Salmonfly.

We camp streamside and enjoy the feeling of being in the middle of the land that time forgot (but with flushing toilets.) Our mornings begin with coffee at 8:00 am as we discuss the complexities of the day- whether to fish upriver or down. We usually fish water about a stone’s throw from camp or travel by car fifteen minutes to the McCloud Nature Conservancy, where only ten anglers are allowed to fish per day.

If camping isn’t your bag, then the charming little city of Mount Shasta is only forty-five minutes away, offering excellent accommodations and restaurants. If you’re traveling light, I recommend a flight to Redding and a one-hour drive by rental car to Shasta City.

I am also permitted to guide the Upper Sacramento and Pit Rivers. The techniques, fishing, and overall beauty parallel the McCloud. They are must-fish if you’re in the area and within shooting distance from the Mac.

Full day (1-2 anglers): $550
Add extra anglers: $125 (per person)

Half day (1-2 Anglers): $450
Add extra anglers: $75 (per person)

Jaeger’s College of Trout-Fishin’ Knowledge

Summer fishing Camp Designed for Kids

This 4-day school is recommended for young anglers ages ten through sixteen. Camp begins each morning at 9:00 am at the Trout Fly in Mammoth Lakes and ends there each day at 5:00 pm. The experience level and age of the anglers will determine our game plan. Some topics we might cover are: beginner to intermediate fly casting; wading and water safety; nymph, dry, and streamer fishing; still water midging; stream entomology; catch and release education; and stream etiquette. We’ve also been known to spend an afternoon doing a bike ride on Mammoth Mountain or taking a soak in the hot springs. On the last day, camp meets in the local park where we present a student casting demo for the families, hold a graduation ceremony, and close with a barbeque.

8-hour camp Includes: flies, complete wading gear, rod/reel, terminal tackle, lunch and beverages.

Angler per day: $225
Maximum anglers per guide: 3

Booking/Cancellation Policy

Please secure your reservation with a Visa/MC. A full deposit with a personal check or money order is required within 30 days of your scheduled trip date. All rates quoted are cash or check prices.

In the event of your cancellation:
1. Your deposit is fully refundable prior to 14 days of your scheduled trip date.
2. For cancellations within 14 days of the trip, the full amount is non-refundable.

Please be prepared with a current California fishing license, sixteen and older. Please remember fishing is an outdoor activity. You must come prepared for the elements. We do not issue rain checks/cancellations for inclement weather conditions.