Benefits of Membership
As a non-profit, all-volunteer organization built around a unique sport which people usually pursue for intrinsic satisfaction, we don't employ a hard-sell approach when recruiting members. There are no membership drives. Our goal is to continue being a great club, not a large club. We aren't the local 24-hour health club extolling our amenities. While most members continue membership due to the camaraderie and longtime friendships spawned by the Club, some of the more tangible benefits are as follows:
Meetings
General meetings of the Pasadena Casting Club are held on the second Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m., except for the March Fundraiser and December Holiday Dinner. The first portion of the meetings generally include announcements about upcoming events, brief “fish stories,” and a raffle. Following a refreshment break, the evening continues on with a program given by a guest expert on a current fly fishing topic. Speakers include authors, fishing guides, conservationists, and photographers. Over the years, our speakers have included such luminaries as Lefty Kreh, Gary Borger, Gary LaFontaine, and Mel Krieger.
With a couple exceptions, our meetings are free and open to the public. Winter meetings (October to May, with the exception of December) are held at the San Marino Masonic Lodge, 3130 East Huntington Drive, San Marino, 91108, just east of San Gabriel Boulevard. Summer meetings (July to September) are held at the Clubhouse. The March meeting is our annual fundraiser auction and raffle, held at the San Marino Masonic Lodge, which starts at 4:30 p.m. and includes a meal. It requires a reservation but is still open to the public; details are posted on this site prior to the event. Our December meeting is a holiday party which culminates with the annual presentation of awards, and is generally held at a local country club or restaurant. The December meeting is the only one not held on the second Thursday of the month; the date is publicized prior to the event.
Newsletter
The Pasadena Casting Club provides a wealth of information to members through Fish Tales. Published monthly, the newsletter presents articles on outings, programs, fly tying, and conservation, as well as a calendar of events. These articles are written by members, other local fly fishing groups, and nationally known experts.
Fishing Trips
The Club organizes a number of fishing trips each year, which may range from informal day trips to professionally guided trips out-of-state. Some of the destinations have included Hot Creek, the East Walker, the Kern, the Kings River, the San Gabriel River, the Big Horn River, and the Green River.
Website
PCC members have access to the members-only sections of the website, including the "Experts' Page," a resource which lists club members who are highly experienced on certain waters and willing to share their information with others. This can be invaluable when planning trips. The members-only section includes a wide variety of discussion topics on the Forum page.
Seminars & Clinics
The Club conducts a number of educational events throughout the year open to the public. The Annual Fly Tying Class introduces the art of tying flies to beginners. For over 38 years, the Annual Fly Casting Clinic has offered instruction in fly fishing to all levels of needs, focusing on the basics of casting a line, reading a stream, and selecting equipment. Depending on demand, we often offer intermediate level classes in both fly tying and fly casting. These classes are open to the public and reasonably priced. Other seminars, clinics, and demonstrations from experts are offered throughout the year.
Conservation & Community Activities
The Pasadena Casting Club has long supported many of the regulatory and legislative changes which protect wild and native trout, steelhead, and salmon in California. Over the decades, we have also worked on streams and rivers to improve the habitat and to restore spoiled waterways. Projects have included assisting fisheries biologists in stream studies, replanting eroded river banks, trash cleanups, and graffiti removal.
The Club has sponsored programs to teach fly casting to disadvantaged youth, women's programs, Scouts, and wounded veterans, to name just a few. We believe that one of the best ways to promote conservation of our natural resources is to introduce others to the value, beauty, and enjoyment of these resources—awareness works wonders. We also believe that there is nothing more therapeutic than an afternoon spent on the water with a fly rod, regardless of whether the fish cooperate. We offer members a variety of chances to contribute their time and resources to deserving causes.