Expand Your 2005/2006Flyfishing Horizons with:FlyfishFirst!™ ClassesFishWithUs!™ClinicsFishFirst! Guides

2 www.fishfirst.com Albany 510 526 1937 Chico 530 343 8300

FlyfishFirst!™ ClassesLearning to flyfish is fun! Start off on the rightfoot by getting the basics from seasoned pros.Our classes give beginners a solid foundation inbasic flyfishing skills. For more experiencedanglers, we offer several flycasting and fly tyingclasses designed to strengthen your existingskills and broaden your flyfishing horizons. Our knowledgeable and enthusiastic instructorswill speed up your learning curve and help makeflyfishing a fun and rewarding experience.Whatever your current skill level or specificinterests, we have a class that’s right for you.

Evening Flyfishing PrimerAn in-shop overview for the beginning fly angler. No priorknowledge or experience needed. This introductory class is agreat refresher course for fly anglers whose skills are a littlerusty. Topics include: equipment, rigging and knots, basic ento-mology and fly selection, reading water, and basic flyfishing tech-niques.

Class size Limited to 6 studentsCost $35 per person (includes take-home instruc-

tional booklet)Location Albany and Chico stores Dates First Tuesday evening of every month

Flycasting ClassesFlycasting is the essence of flyfishing, and probably the mostimportant skill you need to catch fish consistently. Although flycasting is not intuitive and requires practice, it’s neither physi-cally demanding nor difficult to learn with the guidance of anexperienced casting instructor. Above all, flycasting is fun, evenaddictive. FishFirst! offers a variety of flycasting instruction toanglers of all skill levels, including classes for specialized castingtechniques such as heavy shooting heads and two handed rods.Personalized one-on-one instruction is available.

Beginning Flycasting THE class for every beginning flyfisher. Our experienced castinginstructors will teach you the essential casts: the roll cast andoverhead cast. For anglers with previous flycasting experience,we will focus on the elements of a smooth casting stroke, con-trolling the size of your casting loop, and “shooting” line.

Class size: Limited to 6 studentsCost: $60 per person (rod and reel provided) Location: Albany and Chico stores Dates: Second Saturday of every month

Beginning Spey Casting Trout anglers broadening their flyfishing horizons to includesteelhead and salmon are increasingly turning their attention totwo-handed rods and spey casting. Our experienced spey cast-ing instructors will quickly teach you how to handle a two-hand-ed rod with confidence. Different spey casts (switch, doublespey, circle, and snap-t) will be covered, as well as selection ofthe proper equipment for different river types and species ofgamefish.

Class size: Limited to 6 studentsCost: $75 per person (rod and reel provided) Location: Sacramento River, Road 48 Dates: October 8; November 12

In their classes, it’s very easy tolearn from the Fish First! instruc-tors. I look forward to taking theiron-stream clinics. -Peter Mourns, Oakland

Basic rigging is made easy in the Intro to Flyfishing Class.

Introduction to Casting Shooting HeadsWhether you’re casting heavy sinking lines in the Delta forstriped bass or in the Sacramento River for shad, being able todistance cast can mean the difference between catching fish orbeing a “few feet” short. Casting 8 to 10 weight fly rods, heavysinking lines, and bulky flies requires a technique that’s entirelydifferent than trout rod casting. Our expert striped bass guideswill teach you the essentials of casting a heavy rod and shootinghead for maximum distance with control and accuracy.

Class size: Limited to 6 studentsCost: $75 per person (rod and reel provided) Location: Albany Dates: June 11; October 8

Introduction to Fly FishingA combination of the Flyfishing Evening Primer and BeginningFlycasting classes, followed by real live fishing! The day startswith an in-depth discussion covering the essentials of flyfishing:equipment, rigging and knots, basic entomology, reading water, and an overview of basic flyfishing techniques. After theinformation-packed discussion session, we’ll teach you the fun-damentals of flycasting. And best of all, we will conclude the dayfishing a private pond that’s loaded with bass and bluegill.

Class size: Limited to 6 studentsCost: $175 per person (includes take-home instruc-

tional booklet and use of all equipment)Location: Clear Creek Sports Club Dates: May 21; June 25; August 6

I felt very comfortable and at easeduring my introductory class. Theinstructor was patient and down-to-earth. I even caught a few fish!

-Elaine Hill, Kensington

For details, visit our website:

Sign up Online for all Classes & Clinics

www.fishfirst.com

Women’s Introduction to Fly FishingAn all-women class for aspiring women flyfishers. No prior fishing experience is required. This introductory class is a combination of two classes: the Evening Flyfishing Primer andBeginning Flycasting. At the end of the day, you will put yournew skills to the test while catching bass and bluegill on a private pond.

Class size: Limited to 6 studentsCost: $175 per person (includes take-home instruc-

tional booklet and use of all equipment) Location: Clear Creek Sports Club Dates: June 11; July 30

Below: Trout anglers expanding their skills in the Beginning Spey Casting Class.

For details, visit our website:

Sign up Online for all Classes & Clinics

www.fishfirst.com

4 www.fishfirst.com Albany 510 526 1937 Chico 530 343 8300

Beginning Fly Tying Nothing is more satisfying than catching a trout on a self-tiedfly. This four-session Wednesday evening class will introduceyou to the terminology of fly tying, the essential tools, and thebasic techniques used to tie dry flies, nymphs, and streamers.

Class size: Limited to 5 students Cost: $95 per person (includes fly tying materials

and take-home instructional booklet) Students must supply tying vise and basic tying tools

Location: Albany and Chico storesDates: Wednesday evenings every month

Striped Bass SeminarDelta striped bass are quickly earning a well deserved reputa-tion among fly anglers as a prime gamefish. Stripers are big,strong, aggressive fish that eat flies in shallow water. The mostamazing thing is that the Delta is within an hour’s drive of theBay Area or Sacramento. If you have wanted to try this fishery,or have tried it with limited success, our seminar is for you.The morning session will cover the habits of striped bass, rigging and equipment, fishing locations and techniques, andknot tying. Afternoon session will include shooting head castinginstruction, fly tying, and on-the-water demonstration.

Class size: Limited to 24 students (3 instructors)Cost: $150 per person (includes lunch and

take-home instructional booklet)Location: Sugar Barge Marina on Bethel Island Date: October 1

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Fly Fishing for KidsSame curriculum as the Introduction to Fly Fishing class, but tailored to younger anglers’ needs—breaks with snacks are partof the fun. Best of all, students will have the chance to catchtheir first fish on a fly in our private pond loaded with bass andbluegill. Parents are welcome to fish the pond or take advantageof Rolling Hills Casino located adjacent to the Clear CreekSports Club. Recommended for ages 10-15.

Class size: Limited to 6 studentsCost: $125 per person (includes take-home

instructional booklet, equipment, and snacks)Location: Clear Creek Sports Club Dates: June 18; July 23

Top: FishFirst! instructor with a successful young angler.Above: Our striped bass seminar gives you the skills you need to catch fish like this.

FlyfishFirst!™ Classes

Small Stream Fishing Perfect for beginning and novice anglers, experienced flyfisherswishing to introduce friends to the sport, or family outings.Small stream fishing is the essence of flyfishing, and the smallstreams surrounding Chico are home to eager rainbow andbrown trout. There’s no better way to get hooked on flyfishingthan to watch your fly disappear in the mouth of a hungry troutand to feel the tug of the fish on your line! We will introduceyou to the basic aspects of flyfishing: equipment; entomologyand fly selection; reading water; safe wading skills; basic dry flyand nymphing techniques; and proper catch-and-release meth-ods. Most importantly, you will have plenty of time to cast overtrout and practice your new skills.

Class Size: 3 students per instructorCost : $160 per personLocations: Small streams in the Chico areaDates: June 4, 10, 18, 24; July 2, 8, 16, 22;

September 3, 24

FishWithUs!™ ClinicsThe perfect way to learn new skills, refine oldones, or fix a bad habit that’s been nagging youfor years. Our friendly, top-notch instructors areeager to share their flyfishing knowledge andexperience. Clinics are open to anglers of ALLskill levels. Students will leave clinics with theknowledge and confidence to flyfish on theirown. On-stream clinic dates are chosen to coincide with optimum fishing conditions. Small clinic size ensures a low student-to-instructor ratio, with plenty of individual atten-tion and hands-on instruction. Fish better witha FishWithUs!™ clinic.

Select clinics may be conducted on streams and rivers under SpecialUses Permits with the Lassen & Plumas National Forests. The USDAForest Service is an equal opportunity service provider and employer.

Top: A nice rainbow from a Chico area small stream. Above: Typical pocket water for the Tight Line Nymphing clinic.

Tight Line NymphingTight line nymphing is the most effective close-range pocketwater fishing technique. It requires holding the rod high, elbowlevel with shoulder, and using enough weight to keep a “tightline” to the fly bouncing on the bottom of the river. We willteach you how to quickly master this productive technique withour unique pinch-on indicator “training wheels” method. Muchof the day will be devoted to fishing, as the instructor helps youperfect your technique. “Reading” pocket water and specialtechniques for playing and landing trout in pocket water willalso be covered.

Class Size: 5 students per instructorCost: $160 per personLocations: Pit River, North Fork Feather RiverDates: May 14, 28; June 11, 25; September 4;

October 15

6 www.fishfirst.com Albany 510 526 1937 Chico 530 343 8300

Slack Line NymphingSuccess on large rivers requires specific techniques in order toquickly and thoroughly cover the water and locate trout duringnon-hatch periods. We will teach you the specialized techniquesof slack line nymphing, such as “stack mending” and “shakingout” line, that allow you to achieve long dead-drifts. You willlearn casting techniques that help keep a big indicator, split-shot,and two-fly rig from becoming a giant bird’s nest. Also covered:selecting rod length; fly lines and rigging; and reading water inorder to achieve better drifts.

Class Size: 5 students per instructorCost: $160 per personLocations: Lower Yuba River, Lower Feather RiverDates: May 7; October 22; November 19

Steelhead and Salmon Techniques Each year steelhead and salmon migrate from the Pacific Oceanto their natal streams that line the North Coast. To successfullypursue them requires understanding the factors that influencetheir migration, and knowing when to use traditional swingingor slack-line indicator nymphing techniques. You will learn tradi-tional fishing techniques for swinging flies as well as slack lineindicator nymphing techniques for single-handed and two-hand-ed rods. This clinic will teach you: Choosing fishing techniquesfor different water conditions; timing the run; selecting equip-ment and flies; and the merits of using single-handed versustwo-handed rods.

Class Size: 5 students per instructorCost: $160 per personLocations: Feather River, Sacramento RiverDates: October 1; November 5; December 3

Surf PerchLooking for something close to home? Give surf perchin’ a try. The beaches from Monterey Bay north to Bodega Bay areloaded with eager, willing perch. This clinic will teach you theessential skills required to successfully catch these scrappy surfzone fighters. Equipment selection, rigging, casting sinking lines,reading the water, safe wading, and productive beaches toexplore will be covered. The skills you acquire will open up awhole new element of fly fishing and are easily transferred tothe pursuit of other species, especially striped bass. This clinic isdefinitely not just another day at the beach.

Class Size: 5 students per instructorCost: $160 per personLocation: Beaches north of San FranciscoDates: June 25; July 30

For details, visit our website:

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Top: Getting the hang of slack line nymphing. Above: A double hookup of surf perch from the Pacific shoreline.

FishWithUs!™ Clinics

Conveniently Located Near the BestNorthern California Fishing DestinationsFish First! stores are located within easy driving distance ofNorthern California's best flyfishing waters. Within an hour ofour Albany store, you can find great fishing for striped bass andlargemouth bass in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta, surfperch on the coast from Monterey to Bodega Bay, and winterrainbows in Putah Creek. Our Chico store is centrally locatedto a variety of fishing opportunities and species of fish. Excellent trout fishing is available on the Yuba River, the Upperand Lower Sacramento River, the Pit River and in the foothillstreams near Chico. Year-round steelhead on the Feather River,winter steelhead on Butte Creek, and largemouth bass in localponds are all less than a half hour away from the store.

FishWithUs!™ Clinics and FishFirst! guided trips are great waysto learn more about specific fisheries and fishing techniques.When you’re ready to fish, check out What's Hot and What'sNot (THE Northern California Flyfishing Report), a FREEresource on our website that will help you plan your next outing. On your way to the stream, be sure to stop by ourAlbany or Chico stores to get up-to-the-minute fishing conditions, restock your terminal tackle, and pick up any othergear you may need to make your trip a success.

Before I took the Slack LineNymphing Clinic I had no ideahow to approach large rivers.Now I'm armed with the knowl-edge it takes to catch fish on thistype of water. -Bernie Myers, Martinez

Redding

San Francisco

Pit River

Albany FishFirst!

Chico FishFirst!

Butte Creek

Upper Sacramento

River

LowerSacramento

RiverFeather River

Lake Shasta

Lake Oroville

Sacramento

NFFeather River

Yuba River

SacramentoSan JoaquinDelta

Clear CreekSports Club

Top: A beautiful Feather River steelhead. Above: Mark Schmidt with a nice largemouth bass from Clear Creek Sports Club.

Largemouth BassLargemouth bass, possibly the game fish most overlooked byflyfishers, provide fantastic sport on a fly rod. If you have everthought about pursuing bass on a fly, this clinic is for you! ClearCreek Sport Club’s 57 acre pond is the perfect setting to learnhow to catch bass on a fly. This clinic will teach you how tolocate structure, choose equipment, and to understand theeffects of weather, seasons and water conditions on bass behav-ior. Most of the day will be spent wading the edges and floattubing the pond.

Class Size: 3 students per instructorCost: $200 per person (includes use of float tube

and fins) Location: Clear Creek Sports Club Dates: May 8; June 4; March 25, 2006

8 www.fishfirst.com Albany 510 526 1937 Chico 530 343 8300

FishFirst! Guiding Northern California’s blue-ribbon fisheries,including the Lower Yuba River, Feather River,and Lower Sacramento River, are within easydriving distance of our downtown Chico store.Chico is also the gateway to many uncrowdedsmall streams in the Lassen and Plumas nation-al forests. The wide choice of fisheries andspecies of fish provides year-round opportunitiesfor top-quality angling. Our guides are expertson regional rivers and streams and are eager to make your fishing experience fun and memo-rable. Guided trips are $325 for one or twoanglers, lunch included. Half day trips are $225.Special arrangements can be made for groups ofmore than two anglers.

Select guided trips may be conducted on streams and rivers under SpecialUses Permits with the Lassen & Plumas National Forests. The USDAForest Service is an equal opportunity service provider and employer.

Tired of measuring your catch ininches? FishFirst! has the bestinformation, guides, and gear tohelp you catch striped bass totwenty pounds and beyond.

-Stuart Feldman, Berkeley

>Top Right: A rainbow that fell for a well presented fly. Right: A happy angler with a perfect catch from a Chico small stream.

> Photos from top: A beautiful Feather River steelie. A Yuba River rainbow falls preyto a dry fly. A successful angler with a FishFirst! guide on the Lower Sacramento.Driftboat fishing on the Feather River.

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Chico Small Stream Trout Combine small streams, light rods, dry flies and willing trout withuncrowded, beautiful surroundings in the foothills of Chico.Attractor and terrestrial dry fly fishing for 6”-12” trout providesexciting action, with lightning fast strikes from hungry trout.Wading is not difficult, but expect generous amounts of hiking andboulder hopping.

Prime Season: Late May through September

Feather River Steelhead The best steelhead fishing in the Central Valley can be foundwithin twenty-five minutes from our downtown Chico store.Excellent returns of adult fish and “half pounders” have made thefishing superb in recent years. The best fishing for large fish isduring the fall run. Each year our clients get hooks straightenedout by big, strong fall steelhead up to 10 pounds. Fishing thespring run provides a unique opportunity to catch wild fish in theFeather River. Spring half pounders average 12-15,” adults aver-age 3-6 pounds. Walk/wade and drift boat trips are available.

Prime Seasons: Fall Run: September through January Spring Run: late March through June

Lower Yuba River TroutHook into a Yuba River rainbow and you’ll wonder why youhaven’t fished this river sooner. All the fish are native, wild troutwith a reputation for their tenacious fighting ability. The high quali-ty of the dry fly fishing further distinguishes the Yuba River fromother Central Valley rivers. Hatches start with winter SkwalaStones and Blue Wing Olives. As spring approaches, March Brownmayflies, caddis, and Pale Morning Duns have added themselves tothe mix. Caddis, Golden Stones and Grey Drakes take over inJune, then hoppers in late July and August. Fall rounds out the sea-son with good evening caddis hatches and exciting emerger fishingon swung flies. Walk/wade and drift boat trips are available.

Prime Seasons: March through June September through November

Lower Sacramento River TroutHome to the largest population of wild rainbow trout in California,the Lower Sac provides great year-round fishing. The blizzard caddis hatch signals the arrival of spring and the beginning of thecatching season here. Fishing remains steady throughout the summer months due to constant water temperature releasesfrom Keswick Dam. Our favorite time to fish the river is duringthe fall and winter. When the salmon are spawning it’s not uncom-mon to catch multiple trophy trout over 20.” During the fall andwinter, you can also catch steelhead en route to the hatchery onBattle Creek. Drift boat trips are available.

Prime Seasons: March through JuneSeptember through December

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>Photos from top: A very nice fall run striper taken on Frank’s Tract in the Delta.Lower Sacramento shad on a warm summer evening. A hog of a largemouth basstaken on a fly rod.

FishFirst! Guiding

Delta Striped Bass Stripers are aggressive, opportunistic feeders that love to smashbaitfish in shallow water, making them perfect targets for the flyrod. Each year, tackle-busting stripers over twenty pounds arecaught by our clients. We have guided striped bass in the Deltasince 1994 and have logged more hours on the water than anyof our competitors. Our Coast Guard-licensed guides are veryknowledgeable about the feeding habitats and migratory patternsof striped bass. Our 18’ and 19’ center console boats allow twoanglers to fish simultaneously, and are equipped with fast out-board motors, state-of-the-art fishfinders, and remote-controlledtrolling motors. Our guide service is based out of the Delta Bed& Breakfast, a scenic recreational home on Bethel Island.

Prime Season: Mid October through December. Good fishing is possible January through March

Location: Sacramento/San Joaquin DeltaCost: $475 (one or two fishers, lunch included)

Lower Sacramento River ShadSometimes known as “poor man’s tarpon,” shad arrive in ourrivers in spring and stay well into summer. Fishing for these torpedoes is often fast and furious, and double-digit eveningsare not uncommon. But wading action is spotty due to poorpublic access. We have solved this problem with our half-dayevening float trips which access prime sections of the river andallow us to locate the schools of shad. This is an easy day tripfrom both the Bay Area and Sacramento.

Prime Season: Late April through July

Largemouth BassFishFirst! is offering year round guided bass fishing at ClearCreek Sports Club’s 57 acre bass pond. The fishing begins inthe early spring for pre-spawn bass. Catching 20 fish a day isnot uncommon. Once the bass make beds, there is a 2-4 weekperiod of amazing sight fishing in the shallows for big bass 3-10pounds. Hot weather signals the start of exciting popper fishingin the mornings and evenings. Night fishing for “lunkers” is anoption during the summer. In fall and winter we target the hogsin the deep buckets. The majority of fishing is done from our16' drift boats outfitted with trolling motors. Bank access isabundant and productive.

Prime Season: February through June

Meet Our Guides

Doug LovellCo-founder and owner of FishFirst! CoastGuard licensed captain. Doug guides forstriped bass in the Sacramento/San JoaquinDelta.

FishFirst! guides are well-rounded, experienced fishermen,instructors and fly tyers. They have fished extensively through-out Northern California, in the western United States andCanada, and in many world-class international destinations.

Winter Fishing Wish you didn’t have to put away your fly rods each November?You don’t. Winter fishing is within easy driving distance of bothour Albany and Chico stores.

Butte Creek: Classic small stream fishing in beautiful ButteCreek canyon for wild steelhead. Good numbers of salmon areon their redds through the end November into the beginning ofDecember and the fishing can be quite good in the lower reach-es of the creek. Between late December and February 15, larger steelhead make their way into the upper reaches of thecanyon to spawn. Fishing the canyon is difficult, as most of theriver is lined with private property, unless you have privateaccess to the water - and we’ve got it! Walk/wade trips areavailable.

North Fork Feather River: The North Fork of theFeather River within Butte County is open all year and offersgood winter fishing for 12-16” trout. Tight line nymphing inpocket water is most productive, although fishing midge andblue wing olive dries can also be productive in the slick wateron sunny afternoons. Walk/wade trips are available.

Putah Creek Tailwater Trout: Little more than an hourfrom our Albany store, Putah Creek is the closest wild troutstream to the Bay Area and the perfect place to take a day offwork to enjoy some wintertime trout action. Putah is unique inthat it harbors lots of big rainbows. These large wary troutdemand light tippets, good drifts, and tiny flies. Our experi-enced guides will de-mystify this fishery and increase yourchances of hooking one of these feisty wild rainbows.Walk/wade trips are available.

Leo SirenCo-founder, owner, and manager of FishFirst!Albany. Coast Guard licensed captain. Castinginstructor. Leo guides for striped bass in theSacramento/San Joaquin Delta.

Michael “Mac” NobleManager, FishFirst! Chico. Editor WH&WN™fishing report. On-stream clinic instructor,guide. fly tying instructor. Mac guides on theYuba River, Feather River, Butte Creek, LowerSacramento River and Pit River.

Hogan BrownFishFirst! Chico guide. Idylwilde contract fly tyer.Author WH&WN™ fishing report. Introductoryclass, on-stream clinic, and fly tying instructor.Hogan guides on the Yuba, Feather, and LowerSacramento Rivers, bass ponds, and smallfoothill streams near Chico, and is a Federationof Fly Fishers certified flycasting instructor.

Ryan MillerFishFirst! Chico guide. Introductory class andon-stream clinic instructor. Ryan guides on theFeather River, Butte Creek. LowerSacramento River, and small foothill streamsnear Chico. Ryan is a Federation of Fly Fisherscertified flycasting instructor.

Marc NobleFishFirst! Albany guide. Introductory classinstructor. Marc guides on Putah Creek andalong the Pacific beaches near the Bay Area.

Below: Winter fishing at its finest.

1404 Solano Ave. Albany, CA 94706167 East Third St. Chico, CA 95928

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Our Chico store (top) and our Albany store (above) are conveniently located andfully equipped for all your flyfishing needs.

• Register for classes and clinics• Book guided trips• Get the latest NorCal fishing report• Get product information• Find Sale items