Find your first lesson
Beginner lessons, women's clinics, clubs and welcoming shops across California. Tap any listing for the details and a link to sign up.
Showing 10 places.
Golden Gate Angling & Casting Club – Women's Program
Women's education events, gear and trip-planning help, fly tying, mentoring. Free beginner-friendly Spey intro Nov 8, 2026, open to non-members.
San Jose Flycasters
Casting instruction, fly tying, rod building, knots class. Hosted a free National Women's Fly Fishing Day with a beginner casting class.
The Fly Shop – Women's 3-Day Fly Fishing School
Women-only 3-day live-in school for beginning and intermediate anglers: casting, tackle, knots, bugs, dry fly, nymph and streamer tactics, reading water, landing fish.
Casting for Recovery - Central Valley/Southern California retreat
Weekend retreat with fly fishing instruction, open to women at any stage of breast cancer treatment or recovery
Celine's Fly Gals Weekend (Southern Sierra Fly Fishers)
Saturday 'Learn to Fly Fish' classes for women plus a Sunday mentorship day fishing the Kern with a club member or instructor
Long Beach Casting Club
Free monthly fly casting class on the 2nd Sunday, open to the public with no reservation. Other public classes include Beginning Fly Tying (Tuesdays, 10/20/2026 to 3/2/2027) and Spey 101. Members can join the On-The-River Clinic (classroom Nov 7 and 14, 2026; river Dec 11-13, 2026).
Long Beach Casting Club - Ladies program (with Orange County Fly Fishers)
Program for women to learn casting and angling in a comfortable setting. It includes monthly casting practices, classroom instruction and outings.
Pasadena Casting Club
Free casting lessons. The clubhouse is open to visitors on Sundays, 1-5pm. A free Youth Learn to Fly Fish Clinic (ages 10+) was held March 8, 2025.
Santa Barbara Flyfishers
Club says it will 'educate and love newbies to the sport,' with most learning included in membership. The homepage advertises a 'Basics' fly fishing class, a Beginning Fly Tying class, and pre-meeting mini-classes such as 'Casting for All Levels.'
Santa Barbara Women on the Fly (Santa Barbara Flyfishers)
Two-day weekend for women new to the sport. Day 1 covers equipment, knots, fly tying, casting, etiquette, safety, conservation and entomology in small-group stations. Day 2 is guided fishing on the Santa Ynez River in groups of about five.