Jim and Lynda McLennan
McLennan Fly Fishing Schools
McLennan Fly Fishing Schools
Welcome to the Fly-Fishing section of the website.
Our scheduled schools for 2018 are complete.
Looking to 2019.
If you have a group that would like to claim a specific weekend for this season,
we do have a few dates saved for you.
Your weekend can be in the Crowsnest Pass as a full package or
we can arrange a 2-day Intensive.
We might also add a McLennan concert as well.
Let's talk!
Here you’ll find information on fly-fishing schools, programs and events,
which take place in a number of different formats and a number of
different locations in southern Alberta, Canada.
In the old days people who wanted to learn to fly fish had two choices – read a book
or learn from a friend. While it's still possible to learn from both of these, today there are other choices, including video and DVD, but the best way to earn is from a qualified instructor.
Over the last 30 years literally thousands of Alberta’s (and beyond) fly fishers have learned the sport under the instruction of Jim or Lynda McLennan.
Both are skilled fly fishers (with more than 75 years' combined experience on the water),
but more important for you, they understand the distinction between knowing how to fish and knowing how to teach fishing. Both Jim and Lynda are University-trained teachers (University of Alberta and University of Calgary), and are experienced in both the ways of the
water and the ways of the classroom.
They have instruction available for people who are completely new to fly fishing and
for people who have been fly fishing for years. Instruction is available in evening seminars,
one or two-day schools, and multi-day destination events.
Take advantage of their combined 75 years’ experience in teaching fly fishing
and let Jim and Lynda help you have more fun on the water.
Immediately below you'll find descriptions of our various schools.
Scroll down farther and you'll find the month-by-month schedule.
Gift Certificates Available for all occasions.
2019 Schools now scheduled. Have a look below.
Updated Dec. 4, 2018
2-Day Introductory
Fly Fishing School
2-Day Introductory
Fly Fishing School
May 4/5
May 25/26
June 1/2
July 5/6
Our most popular and effective school for newcomers. You'll learn about tackle, knots, trout food, reading water and much more. The first day includes classroom and two dry-land casting sessions. The second day we have a bonus casting session before heading out to a nearby trout stream.
Includes: access fees, booklet and instruction. Equipment (rod, reel, line, leader) can be supplied for the school.
Cost: $375.00 Can. + gst
Limited to six students per instructor. Maximum of 12 students.
1-Day River Techniques
1-Day River Techniques
May 5
May 26
You have your equipment and you understand a little about trout food and can tie your flies on but you would like instruction on the different fly-fishing techniques.
There will be a casting session before going to the river.
Includes: access fees,
Equipment (rod, reel, line and leader) can be supplied for the day.
Cost: $195.00 Can. + gst
Limited to six students per instructor.
Maximum of 12 students.
The Emergent Fly Fisher
The Emergent Fly Fisher
May 11
An Introduction to the Foundation and Principles of Fly Fishing
Spend a day getting the lowdown on taking up this great sport. What tackle do I need? We'll tell you.
How do I cast? We'll show you.
Both classroom and on-the-water time included.
Equipment provided for the day.
Topics include: Understanding and selecting tackle - must-have, and nice-to-have. Two simple knots; Trout Food; Fly Casting; Basic dry, nymph and streamer methods.
Number of students: 6
Price: $195.00 plus gst
Instructor: Allard van Everdingen
New for 2019:
Down and Dirty
New for 2019:
Down and Dirty
July 13
A Day on a southern Alberta trout stream, focusing on the details of fishing beneath the surface.
Learn about fishing small nymphs, big nymphs, and streamers in water of all depths.
Topics include:
Tackle for sub-surface fly fishing
Nymphing methods, including Euro-nymphing
Casting weighted nymphs
Strike indicator choices
Attaining maximum depth
Mending
Reading water
Streamer methods
Streamside entomology
Cost: $225.00 Can. + gst
Limited to 4 students
Instructor: Allard van Everdingen
New for 2019:
Clean and Dry
New for 2019:
Clean and Dry
July 14
A day on stream perfecting the delicious delicacy of dry-fly fishing, with a big emphasis on casting, which is the foundation of dry-fly fishing. Learn about big dries, small dries, prospecting, rising fish.
Topics include:
Casting - overhead casting, casting trajectory, accuracy, reach cast, slack cast
Leaders
Fly selection
Fishing upstream, across and downstream
Fishing to rising fish
Fishing the Water
Streamside entomology
Cost: $225.00 Can + gst
Limited to 4 students
Instructor: Allard van Everdingen
New for 2019:
Ladies Only
1-Day Intensive on a Small Stream for 4
New for 2019:
Ladies Only
1-Day Intensive on a Small Stream for 4
July 21 Ladies Only
We have listened to your requests and added a ladies school for you.
This school is limited to four women, which allows plenty of one-on-one time with the instructor. Done on a small stream southwest of Calgary, you'll learn the finer points of reading water, line management, and fishing with dries, nymphs and streamers.
This school is for women who have taken an introductory school or have had experience fly fishing on moving water.
Take your fishing to the next level.
Cost: $225.00 Can. + gst
Limited to 4 students.
New for 2019:
Seasons of The Bow Package - 2 Days
New for 2019:
Seasons of The Bow Package - 2 Days
July 21 and Sept. 15
Learn what to expect in July and later in September when fishing the Bow River.
The Bow River is one of the best, yet one of the most frustrating rivers in the West. Spend some time with Jim, who "wrote the book" on fishing the Bow (Blue Ribbon Bow). Learn where to fish, and where not to fish. We'll talk about fly patterns, reading big water, presentation and methods.
Held at our private location on the Bow downstream of Calgary.
Includes access fees.
Cost: $380.00 Can. + gst
Maximum of 6 students
Instructor: Jim McLennan
Weekend Fly Fishing Retreat
Weekend Fly Fishing Retreat
July 26, 27, 28, 2019
Weekend Fly Fishing Retreat
Great for beginner to advanced fly fishers to attend together.
York Creek B&B in Coleman
Cost: $850.00 per person + gst
2-Day Intensive
Fly Fishing School for 4
2-Day Intensive
Fly Fishing School for 4
Aug. 17/18
Spend one day on a small stream and one day on the Bow River. You'll learn the differences in the way you read, approach and fish these different types of streams. Topics will be adapted to meet the needs of the students, but will include casting, dry-fly, streamer, and nymph fishing.
Includes: access fees.
Cost: $390.00 Can. + gst
Limited to four students.
1 - Day Private
Fly Fishing School
1 - Day Private
Fly Fishing School
Spend a day with Jim or Lynda on a southern Alberta trout stream. It can be you alone, or you and a companion. Along with your instructor, you'll decide on the location and the "curriculum" for the day. Date to be chosen in consultation with instructor, and is subject to availability.
Cost: $560.00 Can. + gst
for 1 or 2 students.
Private Group School
Private Group School
Only your imagination can limit the type of school we can put together for you.
Fun, on the river, casting, friendly competitions. Learning is fun.
Number of students: 4 - 30.
Free Casting Clinic
Free Casting Clinic
A dry land clinic for all levels.
Date: May 1 Wed. evening
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Location: TBD
Equipment supplied if needed.
Many thanks to all who came last year and supported the day. Thank you to our instructors and helpers.
Rick and Thelma Harding
Dave Whitehead
Mark Blessman
Jacquee McKay
Allard VanEverdingen
Ken Javorsky
Private Casting Clinic
Private Casting Clinic
Casting is the backbone of fly fishing and everyone (everyone) can improve their casting skills.
Jim and Lynda are casting specialists and these two-hour, dry-land sessions are very popular with people who just want to improve their overall casting, who want to learn a particular technique, or who are preparing for a trip to an unfamiliar destination.
Cost: $180.00 Can. + gst
for 1 or 2 students
Northern Lights Lodge Fly Fishing Retreat
Northern Lights Lodge Fly Fishing Retreat
July 11 - 16, 2019
See below for information.
Maximum 10
8 spots remaining
Northern Lights Lodge Fly Fishing Retreat
Northern Lights Lodge Fly Fishing Retreat
Sept. 18 - 23, 2019
See below for information
Maximum 8
5 spots remaining
May Fly Fishing Schools
May Fly Fishing Schools
May Fly Fishing Schools
May Fly Fishing Schools
1
1
Free Casting Clinic
Free Casting Clinic
Location: TBD
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
4/5
4/5
2 - Day Introductory Fly Fishing School
2 - Day Introductory Fly Fishing School
Location: Day 1, TBD
Day 2, on the Bow River south of Calgary
Cost: $375.00 Can. + gst
5
5
Oct 10
1-Day River Techniques for 6
1-Day River Techniques for 6
Location: the Bow River
Cost: $195.00 Can. + gst
11
11
The Emergent Fly Fisher
An Introduction to the Foundation and Principles of Fly Fishing
The Emergent Fly Fisher
An Introduction to the Foundation and Principles of Fly Fishing
Location: TBD
Cost: $195.00 Can. + gst
TBD
TBD
Stream Sense - an Evening with Jim McLennan
Stream Sense - an Evening with Jim McLennan
Location: Okotoks Firehall Station 1
Cost: $25.00 Can
25/26
25/26
2 - Day Introductory Fly Fishing School
2 - Day Introductory Fly Fishing School
Location: Day 1, TBD
Day 2, on the Bow River south of Calgary
Cost: $375.00 Can. + gst
26
26
1-Day River Techniques
1-Day River Techniques
Location: the Bow River
Cost: $195.00 Can. + gst
June Fly Fishing Schools
June Fly Fishing Schools
June Fly Fishing Schools
June Fly Fishing Schools
1 / 2
1 / 2
Oct 10
2 - Day Introductory Fly Fishing School
2 - Day Introductory Fly Fishing School
Location: Day 1, TBD
Day 2, on the Bow River south of Calgary
TBD
TBD
Oct 10
Special Casting Clinic for Hook and Hackle Club
Special Casting Clinic for Hook and Hackle Club
Location: Calgary, Alberta
We are looking forward to another day with Hook and Hackle members and friends.
July Fly Fishing Schools
July Fly Fishing Schools
June Fly Fishing Schools
June Fly Fishing Schools
5/6
5/6
Oct 10
2 Day Introductory Fly Fishing School
2 Day Introductory Fly Fishing School
Location Day 1: TBD
Day 2, TBD according to river conditions.
Sheep, Highwood, Old Man or Crowsnest River.
Cost: $375.00 Can. + pst
11-16
11-16
Oct 10
Hosted trip to the Northern Lights Lodge
Hosted trip to the Northern Lights Lodge
Location: Likley, B.C.
Maximum of 10 participants
Cost: $3600.00 Can. + gst and licenses
13
13
Oct 10
New for 2019: Down and Dirty
New for 2019: Down and Dirty
Location: A southern Alberta trout stream
Maximum of 4 students.
Cost: $225.00 Can. + gst
14
14
Oct 10
New for 2019: Clean and Dry
New for 2019: Clean and Dry
Location: A southern Alberta Trout Stream
Maximum of 4 students
Cost: $225.00 Can. + gst
13 / 14
13 / 14
Oct 10
New for 2019: Package: Down and Dirty and Clean and Dry
New for 2019: Package: Down and Dirty and Clean and Dry
Location: A southern Alberta Trout Stream
Take these two days as a package.
Max of 4 students.
Cost: $390.00 Can. + gst
21
21
Oct 10
Ladies Only added for 2019: 1-Day Intensive for 4
Ladies Only added for 2019: 1-Day Intensive for 4
Location: A small stream within driving distance from Calgary to be determined by water conditions
Cost: $220.00 Can. + gst
July 21 and Sept. 15
July 21 and Sept. 15
Oct 10
New for 2019: Seasons of the Bow Package
New for 2019: Seasons of the Bow Package
Location: Our private location on the Bow River south of Calgary
Cost: $380.00 Can. + gst
27-29
27-29
Oct 10
Weekend Fly Fishing Retreat
Weekend Fly Fishing Retreat
Location: Coleman, AB York Creek B & B
Cost: $850.00 Can. + gst
August and September Fly Fishing Schools
August and September Fly Fishing Schools
Happenings you shouldn't miss in the weeks ahead.
Happenings you shouldn't miss in the weeks ahead.
August 17/18
August 17/18
Oct 10
2 - Day Intensive for 4
2 - Day Intensive for 4
Location: One day on the Bow River at a private location southeast of Calgary.
One day on a smaller stream south of Calgary.
Cost: $390.00 Can. + gst
Sept. 15 and July 21
Sept. 15 and July 21
Oct 10
New for 2019: Seasons of the Bow Package
New for 2019: Seasons of the Bow Package
Location: our private location on the Bow River south of Calgary
Cost: $380.00 Can. + gst
Sept. 18 to Sept. 23
Sept. 18 to Sept. 23
Oct 10
Hosted Trip to Northern Lights Lodge
Hosted Trip to Northern Lights Lodge
Location: Likely, B.C.
Maximum of 8 participants
Cost: $4500.00 Can. + gst and license
Hosted Trips with Jim and Lynda McLennan to
Northern Lights Lodge, B.C.
July 11 - 16, 2019
Sept. 18 - 23, 2019
Northern Lights Lodge, B.C.
Northern Lights Lodge, B.C.
Join us in July or September 2019, for four days of fishing at Northern Lights Lodge in B.C.'s spectacular Cariboo country. Northern Lights is one of our favourite fly-fishing lodges, partly because of the fishing, and partly because of the atmosphere of the lodge and the hospitality of the people who run it. Long-time owners Skeed and Sharon Borkowski have the know-how to make your experience something you'll always remember. Skeed will keep us entertained and Sharon and staff will keep us extremely well-fed.
The lodge can be reached by a four-hour drive from Kamloops, B.C., or flights from Vancouver to Williams Lake, where guests are met at the airport.
It's an "exotic trip" without the prohibitively
high cost of getting there.
When you're at Northern Lights, you never wish
you were somewhere else.
Northern Lights was named Fly Fusion Magazine's
"lodge of the year" in 2010
Northern Lights Lodge Hosted Trips
Northern Lights Lodge Hosted Trips
July 11 - 16, 2019
- 4 days guided fishing on Quesnel and Horsefly Rivers
Price: $3600.00 Cdn plus gst, pst and licenses,
based on double occupancy
Sept. 18-23, 2019
- 4 days guided fishing on the Mitchell and Horsefly Rivers
Price: $4500.00 Cdn plus gst, pst and licenses,
based on double occupancy
What's included....
- five nights lodging
- four days guided fly fishing
- pickup from and return to Williams Lake airport, if required.
- food, beer/wine
What's not included....
- travel to the lodge
(drive directly to lodge or fly to Williams Lake for pickup)
- licenses
- gratuities
- 5% government accommodation tax
More about the lodge? Visit nllodge.com
Questions for us or to secure your spot, send us an email.
What to expect....
What to expect....
What to expect....
These trips are ideal for people of varying levels of fly-fishing experience. While not suited for someone who has never fly fished, they are great choices for people with some, even if limited, experience. The two trips are both attractive, but with some differences. There is more variety to the fishing in July. It's high-summer and summer fly-fishing methods are the name of the game with dries, nymphs and streamers all effective. This is a place where solitude is part of the fly-fishing equation and it's rare to see other anglers on any of these streams.
July 2019
In July we'll fish the upper Quesnel River from driftboats, access the lower Quesnel River via jet-boat, and the Horsefly River from inflatable rafts. The three experiences are very different from one another. The Quesnel is a large river, but with two personalities: the upper is gentle and mainly slow-flowing; the lower is in a canyon with fast water, deep pools and big boulders. The Horsefly is a beautiful textbook medium-sized trout-river. On all three we'll fish with dry flies and nymphs for the resident, native rainbow trout as well as streamers for bull trout. The rainbows mainly run 12 to 18-inches long and the bull trout, while fewer, are much larger. On the upper Quesnel the fishing is almost entirely from the drift boat, on the Horsefly the fishing is a mix of wade-fishing and drift fishing, and on the lower Quesnel the fishing is all done by walking and wading.
September 2019
In September we'll fish the Mitchell and Horsefly rivers . The Horsefly River is a short boat ride from the lodge and the Mitchell River is a
1 1/2 hour boat trip to the north end of the lake where the Mitchell enters the lake. From there a smaller jet boat takes us up the Mitchell. The fishing in September is driven by the arrival of sockeye salmon to the Quesnel system. The sockeye spawn in the lake's tributaries, and rainbows and bull trout from the lake follow them to feed on the eggs. It's very much like an Alaska fishing experience - fishing with egg and flesh-patterns for larger-than-average fish. The rainbows run 12 to 22-inches, and the bull trout from 24 to 34-inches. The fishing on the Horsefly is a mix of fishing on the drift and walk/wade fishing during stops. On the Mitchell the fishing is all done by walking and wading.
Corporate / Private Group
Fly Fishing Schools
Corporate / Private Group
Fly Fishing Schools
We are often asked to provide fly fishing instruction to companies as team building
or customer appreciation events.
These can be held at a number of different locations
in or near Calgary.
Similarly, if you have a group of friends,
or a family group that would like some instruction,
we can plan a day to suit your
needs in consultation with you.
For information on either a corporate or
private group fly-fishing school,
McLennan Introductory
Fly-Fishing Schools
McLennan Introductory
Fly-Fishing Schools
These schools are for folks who are:
1. Folks who have been given equipment and are ready to put it to good use.
2. Total beginners
3. Folks who have been spin or regular fishing for a number of years and want to move to the fly fishing world.
4. Folks who used to fish and now want to get back into using that equipment hidden in the closet.
5. Folks who have fished for some time but have never taken any lessons. This school will fill in the blanks and make their days on the river more enjoyable.
6. Parents who are wanting to introduce their children (10/11 years old +) to their world of fly fishing. Come and share the day.
What to expect:
An understanding of:
Fly fishing equipment.
What to look for when buying equipment.
What equipment I need to buy and what is nice to have.
Trout Food. What do I need to know about what trout eat so I can use the correct fly pattern.
What are dry flies, nymphs and streamers?
What are mayflies, caddis flies and stoneflies?
What terrestrials can I use?
Casting
Dry-land casting sessions that will bring you accurate and easy casting for a life time of enjoyment. We make sure your equipment works well for you.
Connecting
2 essential knots you will need to know on the river.
How to work with your leader and tippet material for fishing with a dry fly, nymph and streamer.
Fishing Techniques
How do I fish with a dry fly, nymph and streamer?
On-the-Water practise Putting it all together.
See above for dates and prices.
Questions? Send us an email or call 403-558-2128
Questions? Send us an email or call 403-558-2128
Stream Sense - an evening with Jim McLennan
Stream Sense - an evening with Jim McLennan
TBD for 2019
Thank you to all who attended in 2018 .
An intimate evening with Jim McLennan
Join Jim for an evening talking fly-fishing.
What is stream sense?
It's a combination of actions, reactions and observations
that will help you find and fool more fish.
It's knowing how to do things correctly, when to change what you
are doing, and how not to screw things up too badly.
A lot of these things are "little things" that can make a big difference; things
we don't think about or don't pay attention to enough. There will be some
important things we don't often get the chance to discuss on the river.
Our hope is that it will fill in some of the "missing pieces" in your fly fishing journey.
This is a different type of evening than we've offered before.
Jim will have a plan but hopes that attendees will help him deviate from it with their thoughts and questions. It's a great chance to pick his brain and gain some insight from his 50-plus years of waving a fly rod around in Alberta.
Location: Okotoks Fire Hall Station 1 on Milligan Drive Time: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Cost: $20.00 + gst
Send us an email to register and add Stream Sense in the subject.
Thank You!
Thank You!
Thank you for choosing McLennan Fly Fishing.
We appreciate your support in all we pursue.
Questions: send us an email.
Jim and Lynda
Photo: Barry White
