SANTA BARBARA FLYFISHERS newsletter | january 2026

PRESIDENT'S POST

SANTA BARBARA FLYFISHERS - JANUARY 2026

Happy new year!

Another year and we celebrate 31 years since a group of like-minded fly fishing enthusiasts formed the Santa Barbara Flyfishers. There's much to look forward to this year especially fishing. I've learned from several newer members that they joined the Club to learn to fly fish and to find someone to fish with. Many consider fly fishing a solo sport and in many ways it is. But it is a great way to foster friendships. When I joined the Club in 2009, a major reason was to make friends. I'm glad I did, because I've made some rewarding friendships with members who share a passion for the experience and camaraderie. So come to meetings, classes, clinics, gatherings and outings, meet fellow anglers and enrich your fly fishing journey

2026 Club Outings

I'm excited to announce that Rick Ferrante has volunteered as our Outings Leader. Rick, who's also the trip leader for our High Sierra Horse Packing adventure, will work directly with other trip leaders to help organize outings. Last year we organized 10 fly fishing outings, some local and some not. This year we're scheduling 11, including:

• Lake Cachuma
• Santa Ynez River
• Fall River
• High Sierra Horse Packing
• Rincon Beach
• San Francisco stripers
• Troy Meadow
• Channel Islands
• Rock Creek/Mammoth
• Kern River
• Lower Owens

There's something for all anglers of all skill levels in the salt, on a river or a lake. Check the Calendar for registration and more details. More info about each outing will come out to you soon in our newsletters and at monthly meetings.

Community Event March 31, 2026

Once again, the Santa Barbara Flyfishers will host a community film event at the Lobero Theater on March 31, 2026. For the past two years the we have hosted community events at the theater to bring the Santa Barbara community together around film, the outdoors, art and conservation. Hundreds attended both events held in March of 2024 and 2025.

Check out the short video of our March 2025 event. Click on the YouTube image below:

"A River Runs Through It" - Special Event, Special Guest

This year, we'll host a screening of "A River Runs Through It" the 1992 film based on a story by Norman Maclean, directed by Robert Redford and starring Craig Sheffer, Tom Skerritt and Brad Pitt.

Just prior to the screening, a distinguished panel of speakers, including Tom Skerritt, will gather to share insights into the film and its influence on the sport, conservation and the fly fishing industry.

Prior to this a VIP reception will be held in the Courtyard of the Lobero, when guests will have the opportunity to meet and greet Tom and the other panel members. At this reception, Tom will preview a documentary film project he is producing, "Reflections of the River".

This epic film is a reminder that we shouldn't marginalize the role art and cinema can play as a catalyst for change in conservation and fly fishing.

last cast

I'm heading to the Amazon jungle in Brazil later this month to fish with Glenn Ueda and his group of intrepid anglers. I've travelled to South America several times before for trout in Argentina and golden dorado in Bolivia. I especially enjoy fishing in this part of the world not only for the opportunity to fish for some unique species in wild lands and for the cultural experience of the people, customs and food.

For me, fly fishing is more than catching fish, it's about the adventure, nature and the people that enter my life when I do.

MONTHLY EVENTS

• Monthly Meetings
• Second Salt Saturday
• Third Saturday Casting Clinic

sbf CONSERVATION

MARK ROCKWELL

CONSERVATION REPORT | January 2026

Happy New Year to all of you. To all who are committee members I apologize for the fowl-up with our last meeting. It appears that we now only have one user for our club Zoom account, President Vince Narez. As such, he must open the meeting using his email address. That was not possible on our meeting date and it took about 15 minutes to transfer to my account and get a meeting & link set up. By that time most people had left, or were confused. So sorry for this issue and mistake. It will be fixed by the next meeting.

SBF Conservation Committee Meeting - 6:30pm on Thursday, January 22, 2026 | email Mark for Zoom link

We continue to move forward on identifying necessary barrier issues on Mission Creek. We’ve engaged meeting with a host of local agencies and groups. • Deena Hansen - Southern Steelhead Coordinator for CDFW • City of Santa Barbara Sustainability & Resilience - Creeks Division • Brian Trautwein - Environmental Defense Coalition (EDC) • Candice Meneghin - Coastal Ranches Conservancy • Moe Gonzales - South Coast Habitat Restoration • Russell Marlow - Cal Trout South Coast Senior Project Manager • Dave Meurer - Director of Western Community Affairs, Resource Environmental Solutions • Paula Hinkle - Project manager, Resources Institute • Staff - Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens

All of these people and more are important to our effort to restore steelhead populations in Mission Creek. Our stated goal of our Save Santa Barbara Steelhead Campaign is: To begin an enduring effort by our club and local community members to begin to recover Southern California Steelhead in our Region. We will focus on local streams, yet include the larger streams to our north & south, leading to removal of the endangered status of this iconic fish species.

Once we began to work on this effort it became obvious that there is a lot to do, and the fish are running out of time. We feel strongly that we have to move as fast as possible on multiple barriers within Santa Barbara, and that we can only do one stream at a time.

Our goal on Mission Creek is to get it fully passable from the ocean to the headwaters in both upstream and downstream directions, and to engage our community in the process. We are in discussions with most of the players now, and are narrowing in on the exact barriers that need to be removed or modified. Easy passage from the ocean to spawning and rearing habitat, and return to the ocean is what is needed.

Steelhead are a most miraculous fish in that they are born in the mountains around us where fresh water is cool and habitat available, and they move downstream as young adults to the ocean where they mature and grow. When they feel the urge to reproduce - usually 2-3 years in the ocean - they return to their stream of origin to spawn. They are genetically adapted to warm, dry weather here, and are the most hardy of all steelhead anywhere in the world.

We owe it to them to open their rivers so their lifecycle can be completed. Join us in this effort. We need some helpers! Email me for more information or to participate.

Author, Dr. Mark Rockwell, D.C.

• Dr. Mark Rockwell, D.C.
• Fly Fishers International Conservation
• Santa Barbara FF Conservation Chair
• mrockwell1945@gmail.com
• 530 559-5759 (cell)

MONTHLY MEETING JANUARY 6, 2026

5:30-9:00pm

CHRIS LEONARD

Wintertime Techniques and Tactics for flyfishing the Lower Owens River in Bishop, California

The Lower Owens is familiar to us as the closest native brown trout fishery near the town of Bishop in the Eastern Sierra. But familiarity does not mean consistent success on this picturesque stream often surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Pleasant Valley Reservoir supplies water to the river, and cautious anglers closely monitor the dam's flow rates, measured in cubic feet per second (cfs). These can range from slow (60 cfs) to torrential, above 600. It is a delight to fish the “Lower O” in the winter months but catching can be challenging. The multi fish days of Spring and Fall prompt us to wonder where those fish hide when there is snow on the banks. To answer these and other questions we welcome back a local guide and expert who will take us through technique, fly choice and other tips to brighten up those winter outings. Even seasoned Owens veterans will learn something new from this exciting and thorough presentation.

THE MACKENZIE CENTER

3111 State Street

Santa Barbara, CA 93105

OPEN INVITATION TO JOIN OUR CLUB!

Our invitation to join is “open” all year long. No need to know a member to be invited into the club. No membership drives. Just email, call or sign-up online and become a member today!

WE EDUCATE AND LOVE NEWBIES TO THE SPORT!

Learn almost everything you need for fly fishing - for just the cost of membership.

OUTINGS ALL YEAR LONG!

The outings have been one of the many "jewels in the crown" for this club. We continue education on the water and the comradery, food and friendship is what this club is built on!

GOT GEAR? . . . NO? — NO WORRIES!

We have gear for you to learn from. Just let the leaders know in advance whether you're coming to the 2nd Salt Saturday - or on a camping/fishing trip. AND when you're ready to purchase fly fishing gear we are here to help -- and/or check out our auctions or club garage sales! Lots of great gear to be had at amazing prices!

Any questions about membership? Email Randy Ward at: sbf.secretary@gmail.com

Club Holiday Party

Report submitted by Larry Basham

The 2025 Holiday Party at the Chase Palm Park Center was attended by nearly 100 people! There was delicious food and drink, topped off with friends enjoying being together and meeting the many new members in the club.

Thanks to Susan and Ian Miller, who provided holiday music, and to Lindsay MacTavish and Mike Pugh, who made the centerpieces complete with wine and flies.

President Vince thanked all of those who provided service to the club throughout the year, contributing items for our raffles and auctions. He also noted the contributions of the Board of Directors for their help and encouraged others to contribute in any way they could.

RAFFLES & PRIZE WINNERS

Chris Hortinela served as master of ceremonies, called out the winning numbers for the raffle, and proved his worth as an auctioneer.

Congrats to Jim Tobin, who was the high bidder for the beautiful hand‑crafted rod made by club member Chiaki Harami, and to Chuck Hunt, who won the weekend at Jamison Lake in spirited bidding.

COMMUNITY EVENT ANNOUNCED

John Grace piqued our interest with a brief description of our upcoming film event at the Lobero Theater on March 31st, which will feature a discussion panel on how the movie "A River Runs Through It" changed the fly‑fishing industry. The movie’s co‑star, Tom Skerritt, who has appeared in numerous films including Top Gun, will be on the panel with other fly‑fishing notables. The movie will be shown after the discussion. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements.

AWARDS & THANK YOUS

Club Historian and Awards Committee Chair Lou Ternullo emceed the highlight of the evening, the annual awards presentation. Receiving the Diane Honaker Service Award for their service to the club were John Grace, Chris Hortinela, Mark Rockwell, and Mike Pugh.

CLEVENGER AWARD

The Mike Clevenger Fly Fisher of the Year Award was presented to Larry Basham for his contributions as Secretary and Membership Chair.

It was a great evening, and the club—now over 200 members strong—looks forward to more outings and fun in the coming year!

LAKE CACHUMA

MONTHLY FISHING REPORT

Lew's School - on Cachuma!

IF IT RAINS IT WILL FILL UP WITH WATER!

Most of us know or suspect that the lake is now full—up 15 feet, which is 98% full. It is very discolored from the flood, and debris from the shore has floated into the lake, making it look a bit like a coffee latte right now. This is the second time the lake has filled in December, the other year being 1983. It will take some time for things to settle, and we still have a couple months of winter before things warm into spring. Who knows what will transpire? Not many lake regulars are around who remember 1983 and how the lake fished that winter. Look forward to another trout plant, which will be of interest. This die‑hard will no doubt be poking around on the lake in a few weeks. Possibly I will be more insightful then!

Lew Riffle, past president

"The Doc's In"

Lake Cachuma is full now . . .

Lake Catchuma is full now, and lots of floating debris.

Winter fishing is normally slow with cooler water tempts. There are trout plants scheduled this winter, but are hard to target unless you happen to be there soon after planting. Expect these conditions to persist until March or April when warmer water gets the fish moving nearer the shore.

Ted "Doc" Ceder - Casting Director & more!