Fly Fishing & Fly Tying Classes
Our goal is simple. To outfit you with the tools and skills to attack the water and be successful. Near Portland we have a ton of different bodies of water, all with their own unique characteristics and “moods”. We want you to be educated on those differences so you can pick the best fit for your day out on the water.
Days off can be hard to come by, and spending your day off on a river that is out of season can be frustrating. Without some sort of guidance, knowing all the little details can be overwhelming, and can take years to figure out on your own. Luckily, we have the ability to save you those years of trial and error and get you fishing the right water at the right time to get you into fish as often as possible.
We offer classes to all skill levels of angler and tier. We have years of personal experience guiding and teaching people from every walk of life and skill level. Even if you have never touched a fly rod before or tied a fly, we’re here to help you get started. What you will typically find is that fly fishing is more intimidating to watch than actually do.
While it will take years to be in the so called “expert” or “pro” skill level, it really doesn’t take a whole lot of time on the water to be able to go out for a day, hit the water, catch a few fish and have a great time. As with any hobby or sport, you can travel down the rabbit hole as far as you want to. Over the years, we have met enough people with masters degrees that end up being career fishing guides to know the rabbit hole is pretty deep. In fact, we still haven’t found the bottom.
If you have always wanted to learn to fly fish, but it always seemed to hard, if you have always wanted to tie your own flies, but don’t think you have the patience (the #1 excuse by the way), if you have been out freezing your tail off and just can seem to hook a winter steelhead, or if you want to take your spey casting from 70′ to 100′, we can help. Take a look at our classes below and see what fits your needs, and check back often, as we are consistently updating the offering based on seasons and demands.
All Classes will require a $100, non refundable deposit to hold your spot. In the event of a cancelation, the deposit will go directly to the guides. If we cancel the class for any reason, the $100 deposit will be fully refunded.
Fly Fishing Classes
Introduction To Trout Fly Fishing Classes
The Portland Fly Shops beginning class is instruction to learn all the fundamentals of fly fishing. This class is taught by our experienced guides who have a passion for fly fishing, and 
teaching our clients the necessary skills to be self-sufficient on western lakes and streams. Our beginner’s fly fishing lessons run from March through November, and is open to men, women, and children 14 and over.
The Portland Fly Shop keeps our fly fishing classes small, with no more than 3 anglers per guide. This is to ensure that every client in our beginning class gets the personal attention to learn the skills and knowledge to be a successful angler. The class is composed of 2 segments. The first segment will be a 2 hour class, in the beginning of the day, covering fly fishing equipment, knots, and basic entomology, as it pertains to fly selection. We will also go over where and when to meet on the river and fit you with waders and boots if you need them.
The second segment is 6 hours on the water fishing. This session will include rod rigging, casting, reading water, and some more entomology. The class will work towards the development of casting, fishing dry flies, and nymph fishing techniques.
Most Classes are held on the Deschutes River near Maupin, Oregon unless weather requires us to go to the Mckenzie, Upper Willamette Rivers or Harriet Lake
We will typically stay off the Deschutes from mid July-Late August due to high water temps.
You will need a fishing license for this class that can be purchased ahead of time at:
Cost: $175.00 per person
2024 Class Dates:
March 10th – FULL
March 17th –FULL
April 7th – FULL
April 14th – FULL
April 27th *NEW*
April 28th – FULL
May 5th – FULL
May 20th – *NEW*
May 26th – FULL
June 2nd – FULL
July 14th
August 4th
September 8th
October 6th
November 3rd
Intro To Euro Nymphing
This class will cover the basics of European Nymphing. This newer style of fishing has taken the world by storm and is a very effective way to target fish when dry flies aren’t working. Our instructors will teach all the fundamentals including; how to build your own leaders, fly selection, different casting techniques, and the most affective ways to fish the right water. All of these skills will help you become a better angler and bring more fish to hand.
This introductory course is perfect for the Euro Nymphing beginner who has never tried this style fishing or someone who has casual Euro nymphed who are looking to sharpen their skill set. The first part of the class will be taught on the bank, where we will discuss equipment, lines, knots, and flies. The second part will move to the river and will go through casting, reading water, and fishing techniques. This class is typically taught on the Deschutes River near Maupin and will run about 6 hours. The aim of this course is to give you confidence that will allow you to bring your Euro Nymphing skills to any trout stream.
Basic knowledge of fly fishing is recommended by not required. Rods and lines can be supplied if you don’t have access to those materials.
Things you will need to bring for this course:
- Wading gear (boots, waders, wet wading gear)
- Fishing license
- Tippet
- Flies to use during the class
2023 Class Dates
TBA
Cost: $275.00 per person
Beginning Steelheading
The rivers surrounding Portland have amazing opportunities to chase Summer and Winter Steelhead. Our class is held on the Clackamas River, about 40 minutes from town.
Winter Steelhead are the ultimate trophy for the fly angler in the Pacific Northwest. Standing in a cold river, casting flies into runs while getting pelted with rain, searching for that one fish to play along takes a different mental approach than any other fishery we know of. You will work for every fish you hook, and when you land your first Winter Steelhead on the fly, you will never forget it. 
The pay off makes all the work worth it. You will remember what day, the temp, the fly, the river…everything.
During your time with our guides, you will lean all about casting, reading water, picking appropriate flies for different conditions, managing depth, and managing line speed. You will come out of the class with a solid foundation in to the world of winter steelheading and will be confident to hit all the rivers in the Portland/Metro area on your own, and be effective while on the water.
What Items are needed for Class?
The use of fly rods, reels, float tubes, packs, waders, and boots are provided by The Portland Fly Shop. The clients will need a fishing license, leaders, tippet, and flies.
Cost: $295.00 per person
2024 Class Dates:
Jan 28th
Feb 25th
The “Bridge” Steelhead Class
You have some gear and have been out a few times, but still have a ton of questions about Steelhead on the swing. 
This class is offered exclusively as a one-on-one 6 hour float on either the Sandy or Clackamas
River and will dive deep into the tactics, methods and mentality needed to make the most out
of your time on the water. By the end of the day you should be able to approach a piece of
water in any condition and feel confident in your ability to fish that water efficiently.
The majority of this class will be taught while you are actively fishing. You will be wading,
swinging runs and learning along the way.
The class focuses on swinging flies with two-handed rods and is broken up into the following
sections.
• Spey Casting Mechanics and Rigging
• Sink Tips and Depth Control
• Reading Water
• What Makes A Good Run
• Fly Choice
• Fly Presentations
• High Water Tactics
• Low Water Tactics
If you’re new to swinging flies and are struggling and are looking for an all encompassing
workshop, this class is the perfect bridge to get to the next level.
Cost: $295
To book please call or email the shop and we will put you in touch with an Instructor
Fly Tying Classes
Steelhead Fly Tying Workshops
Winter Steelhead flies are some of the most complex flies to take on. We focus on a larger profile, lots of movement, often a decent amount of weight, without adding too many materials and making sure it’s as easy as it can be to cast. It’s not uncommon to put 3 or 4 in the trash before you get the “one”. It needs the stance, color, flash, and perfect look to be considered worthy to spend a day swimming on the end of your rod looking for a Steelhead. We get it. We have round filed more flies than we care to admit to finally get that one gem that will spend a day out with us.
We will go over making the perfect dubbing loops, using natural and synthetic materials, weighting options, durability, hook selection, proportions, and overall fishability as it related to casting, sinking, and movement.
Our Winter Steelhead classes are taught by Jason Osborn Jason is on Pro Tube’s Pro Staff, and both has years of experience teaching people of all skill levels how to put feathers on a hook in a way that both you and the fish will find attractive. Jason will be teaching both shanked flies and tube flies, with a focus on tubes. Tube flies offer much more versatility and durability than shanked flies, and have quickly become a favorite of winter steelheaders everywhere.
All the materials and tools are provided by us. Just show up. The class is 1 night, focusing on 1 fly, and will last about 2 – 3 hours
Cost: $75 per person. 4 people max
Class Dates – 3.30 PM At The Shop
Jan 7th 2024 – Intruders 101
Jan 21st 2024 – Intruders 101
Feb 4th 2024 – Intruders 102
Feb 11th 2024 – Intruders 102
Beginning Fly Tying Classes
Every remarkable fly angler I have ever met also ties flies. When you learn to tie, you also learn about the bugs you’re trying to imitate, you learn about how your flies behave in the water, and you learn about the life cycles of the insects trout eat. Without even really trying to, you will become much more in tune with the life in the rivers and lakes and what fish feed on. You’ll be able to spot the difference between a mayfly and a caddis adult just by how they fly in the air, and more often make the right choice when it comes to change up flies. Learning basic entomology in a trout stream will get you more fish to hand, period. Tying your own flies will, by default, give you that education, while you also get the rewards of catching fish on flies you crafted yourself.
Tying your own flies has never saved any money, so If you are thinking about learning to tie to save some coin, your still better off buying flies. What it does offer is the river away from the river. If you can’t get out, or the rivers a blown, you can still hit the vise, crank out some bugs, and daydream about all the fish that are going to eat those bugs once you can get back out. You can pick any size, weight, or color variations you choose, and you can custom build anything the local shops may not offer.
In our Beginning Fly Tying Class, we assume you have never touched a fly tying tool or vise in your life and teach the class according to that. We will walk you through all the basics in materials and tools and get you comfortable tying all the standard flies that will catch trout in nearly every river they live in.
Tools and materials are provided by us.
10% off Fly Tying materials for enrolled students on each class day
Cost: $95 per person, 5 people max. Start at 5PM At the Shop
Date:
2 part class
Jan 6th & Jan 13th
Feb 3rd & Feb 10th
Euro Nymph Fly Tying
Learn to tie some of the most effective euro flies to ever hit the water. In this class, Devon will teach you all the skills to master any euro pattern out there.
One night crash course with a pro
Tools and materials are provided by us.
10% off Fly Tying materials for enrolled students on class day
$50 – 6 People Max – 5PM at the shop
Dates:
Jan 20th
Spey Casting Lessons
One on One Lessons:
$100 hr / $150 for 2 Consecutive Hours
Equipment provided if needed