Who We Are?
Photographer Jeff Putnam, 2008
The Kasiks River, a major tributary of the lower Skeena River, Britsh Columbia.
Our Mission
Jeff Putnam’s Fly Fishing Schools has been educating the fly fishing community for over 35 years in Northern California and Southern OR. We specialize in fly casting both single handed overhead casting and spey casting, two handed and singlehanded. We offer classes on various fly fishing techniques to help anglers prepare for their next fly fishing adventure.
Photographer Mark Hayes, 2021
A tributary of LLiamna Lake, AK
Experiences
At eleven years of age, Jeff traded in his spinning rod for his first fly fishing outfit and started fishing many trout-filled streams in the Sierra Mountains. It was not long before fishing challenging gin-clear spring creeks, emerald green coastal steelhead rivers and fertile lakes all over the Western U.S. that Jeff realized fly fishing was more than just a sport. Jeff began fly tying commercially at 13 and started guiding fly fishermen on Northern California’s waters as early as age 16. He has participated with the F.F.F. as a Certified Casting Instructor; both CI and THCI and was the 5 th individual in the world to complete and pass the Double Handed Certification Test.
Core Values
Jeff has worked many positions in the industry including retail fly shop sales, manufactures rep, fly fishing guide for 17 years throughout California, Montana and Colorado. Jeff has also been fortunate to have traveled to some of the top fly fishing destinations around the world in search of the ultimate fly fishing experience including the Dean River for monster steelhead, Tsiu River in Alaska, tropics of Belize for tarpon and Christmas Island for bonefish.
Jeff directed and hosted his self-titled series of instructional fly fishing videos DVD’s, including the first 3D Blu-ray fly fishing video. He provides seminars and presentations for fly fishing expos, fly fishing clubs, fly shops, fly fishing manufacturers and corporate groups. Jeff consults with many fly fishing equipment manufactures as a field tester and prostaff member. He runs one of the largest Northern California and Southern Oregon fly fishing schools and assists individuals and groups on fly fishing travel and outfitting.
Jeff recently started his custom line of two handed spey rods for sale through his website. He possesses a true angling passion for steelhead on a spey rod, matching the hatch for spring creek trout and searching the tropical saltwater flats.