Golden West Outings: The Heart and Soul of Our Club
We take off for spots all over Northern California on a dozen or so trips a year that range from a day to a week, from float tubing lakes to boating spring creeks to horse packing small streams to tackling blue ribbon trout rivers like the Pit, the Trinity or the Truckee. Most trips are over weekends, when we'll stay in cabins or motels, but camping is often arranged. Occasionally we plan a more far-flung trip, to Oregon or Montana, or even further afield like Belize or Alaska.
Outings are not limited to the traditional trout season either, as we seek out opportunities for steelheading in the winter, and lake fishing before April and after November. Outings are conceived and led by our own members who want to share their favorite destinations.
We find that we can learn more and improve our skills quickly in a group setting, and the fringe benefits of sharing good meals and trading stories about fishing and other subjects make our trips a high point of the season.
Outings
skill level legend:
Absolute Beginner: Come and learn from other members.
Advanced Beginner: Minimal casting skills and gear required. Fishing
advice cheerfully provided, but you must be able to fish on your own.
Intermediate: Good casting skills and fishing experience required.
Advanced: Tougher conditions; well-developed skills are suggested
for best results.
gwwf.org
2010 Outings updated 6/10/10
June 17-20 (Thu - Sun) Hat Creek- Burney
Hat Creek is the classic spring creek in Northern California. The fish not only know where you bought your flies but they know how much each cost. However since the middle of June is relatively early in the season perhaps last years fish have not yet passed on their knowledge to this year’s fish. There will be at least 3 different places on Hat Creek to fish, using dries or nymphs. We will stay in the town of Burney. It is about a 41/2-hour drive from the S.F. area. It is a long drive for just a little fishing if you have to leave after work on Friday. If you can take Friday off and then at least get to do some fishing Friday evening it will feel better. I will be there from Thursday night on. There are several motels in Burney, all managed by one organization. The rooms are just fine, and the prices moderate. Friday night we will probably meet at one of the local old time restaurants, but the Saturday night plan is yet to be determined. There is no real wading at Hat Creek except at the Power Plant. So this is an OK trip for a beginner, if you can at least tie on your own flies and cast a bit. . For those who want to experience Fall River, one half hour away, that is also a possibility. For Fall River you need your own boat, but short of that you can hire a guide, for the day, which is the best way to go on Fall River. Fish mistress will be glad to give you the name of a guide. This is an area of Northern California that you really want to experience if you haven’t been there before. For more information and to sign up contact fishmistress Arlene Marcus at mamarcus@cal.berkeley.edu
July 5 - 11 Big Horn River, Montana
Come fish one of the west great tailwater rivers with us. We will be fishing the Big Horn River in Montana; fishing the Big Horn. We will stay at the Kingfisher lodge in Fort Smith, Montana, check out their website www.bighornkingfisher.com. For more information, contact Fanny at 415-752-0192 or fannykrieger@mac.com
July 9-11 Lower McCloud River
Fish the beautiful Lower McCloud River below Lake McCloud has been re-scheduled for July 9 - 11. Camping is at Ah-Di-Nah campground at the river's edge. You can fish at the campground or at the famed Nature Conservancy stretch. If you stay in a motel in nearby town of McCloud (45 min. drive), you will need to make your own arrangements. A $25 per person donation to the McCloud River Preserve secures your spot on this outing. Contact Fishmistress Anne-Marie Bakker at (707) 721-6184 or bakkersmith@sbcglobal.net and/or send your check for $25 (made out to Anne-Marie) to 1295 Calle del Arroyo, Sonoma CA 95476.
Sept 9-11 Eastern Sierras
Come fish the waters of the beautiful eastern sierras with us. We will be staying the Tioga Pass - June Lake Loop area off of Hwy 395. There will be two lodging options for this trip. Option (T) staying at the Tioga Pass Resort (elevation 9600 ft) right off of Hwy 120. Option (J) will be staying in June Lake Loop (elevation 7600 ft) where there are many lodging/camping options available in addition to a fly shop. June Lake Loop in on Hwy 158. There is a smorgasbord of fishing options available in the area, such as East Walker, Owens, Hot Creek, Mammoth Lakes, Crowley, Rush Creek, and Heenan Lake to name a few. There is water for beginners to advanced fly fishers. Also there are great sightseeing opportunities such as Mono Lake, Bodie State Park and of course Yosemite. For more information about option (T- Tioga Pass Resort) contact Diane Whitehouse diane_whitehouse@att.net and Loretta Strickland lorvamp@hotmail.com about (option J -June Lake Loop).
Sept 13-19 Colorado, Frying Pan and Roaring Forks River
Stay at a private working ranch, The Luarks Ranch, and fish the Colorado , Frying Pan and Roaring Fork Rivers. There is room there for six very comfortable, 7 more cozy. We fished there last year and had a great time. For more information, contact Fanny at 415-752-0192 or fannykrieger@mac.com
September 24-27, Spinner Fall Lodge - Fall River
Come stay at Spinner Fall Lodge located on the upper section of beautiful Fall River. The sole public access to the upper river is via the Spinner Fall Lodge boat rentals, or by hiring local guides. Dry fly fish for healthy wild rainbows averaging 16", or swing zug bugs on sinking lines for a shot at catching one of those 20"ers lurking in the deep pools. If you prefer not to fish out of boats, there are lots of alternatives for wading nearby: Baum Lake, Hat Creek, Lost Creek, McCloud River, Pit River, and Burney Creek. Spinner Fall Lodge is a motel, right on the river, with a restaurant and bar next door. There are no cooking facilities for guests, but there are plenty of dining options available. Rooms sleep one or two. Rates tbd when the lodge begins booking for the 2010 season. $20.00 secures your spot. Contact Mary Hazlewood for more information: 530-336-5848, or mlhazlewood@gmail.com
October weekday trip (TBD)
Get in on the striper action at the O’Neill Forebay, which is about 100 miles from Oakland on I -152 off of Interstate 5. Nearest town is Los Banos. The Forebay also has largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill. This will be a great trip for personal watercraft such as kayaks, floats tubes, canoes, and prams. Check out what Dan Blanton has to say about the great striper action at San Luis/O’Neill Forebay. http://www.danblanton.com/SanLuisstripers.html Contact fishmistress Barbara Stevens for more information at fstev@sonic.net
November 19 - 21 Trinity River Trip (Joint trip with GWWF and Shasta Mayflies)
If it's November and you're fishing on the Trinity River it's to catch the wonderfully challenging steelhead. Please join us! There are a lot of places to fish on this river, near Lewiston, Douglas City and Junction City. You can fish from the shore or make guide arrangements. Significant others are welcome and a potluck is planned for both Friday and Saturday night. Lodging details/suggestions to be announced later, but basically it will be somewhere in the Lewiston/Weaverville area which is about an hour west of Redding. If you are interested, contact fishmistress Rebecca Blair at rebecca_blair@sbcglobal.net
GWWF
Outings Policy
All
members who sign up for GWWF trips are required to provide payment for the
full cost of the trip at the time of reservation (unless specifically noted
otherwise). If a member is subsequently not able to attend, it is her responsibility,
and not that of the Outings Chair or Fishmistress, to find a replacement to
cover her costs.
ANYONE CAN BE A FISHMISTRESS!
If you'd like to share a favorite spot, or spearhead an exploration to a new one, all it takes is a call to Outings Chair Loretta Strickland, and she'll help you organize it. No special skills are required - just pick a place, and be the contact person.
Also be sure to check the Photo Gallery for links to the online albums of our members!
Dierdre Moy - Montana
Lower Yuba Trip
Robin with fish and guide
on Lower Yuba
Middle
Fork Feather
Kelly O. and Barb K. pause
before casting.
Truckee
River
Lois R coaches Jane H
on Truckee subtleties. Click on the pic for MORE photos of this trip.
San
Luis Reservoir
Dorothy Z. floats and waits for the decisive moment on the
San Luis Reservoir Striper Fishout Feb 19-21
