Tuesday - April 7, 2026
5:30-6:45pm: Pre-meeting mini-class
7:00pm: Meeting & Speaker
GUY JEANS
Fly Fishing the Kern River
PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION
"There are very few rivers left in California where you can stand in wild water, surrounded by steep canyon walls, and cast to native trout that have never seen a hatchery. The Kern River is one of those places.
The Upper Kern River is one of California's last truly wild trout rivers. Flowing nearly 70 miles out of the High Sierra, it winds through rugged canyon country and offers anglers the opportunity to pursue powerful native Kern River rainbow trout and wild brown trout in some of the most exciting pocket-water fly fishing in the state.
In this presentation, Guy Jeans will share what makes the Kern River such a remarkable fishery and why anglers return to it year after year. Drawing from decades of experience guiding and teaching on the river, Guy will explain how to fish the Kern successfully and the techniques he uses every day while guiding anglers on this incredible water.
Guy will also explore the diverse fly-fishing opportunities found throughout the Kern River watershed, including the 65 miles of the Lower Kern River, known for outstanding bass fly fishing, as well as the Stillwater opportunities at Lake Isabella.
Topics will include effective techniques, recommended flies, gear and equipment, seasonal strategies, and key locations to help anglers better understand and successfully fish the Kern River system.
Rivers like the Kern are becoming increasingly rare, and protecting wild places like this ensures that future generations of anglers will still have the chance to experience truly wild trout.
GUY JEANS BIO
Guy Jeans is the owner of Kern River Fly Shop and is a Certified Casting Instructor (CCI) with Fly Fishers International (FFI). He guides, lectures, and teaches more than 250 days each year throughout California's Southern Sierra, including Sequoia National Forest, Inyo National Forest, the Golden Trout Wilderness, Domeland Wilderness, and the South Sierra Wilderness. Guy also teaches and guides specialized Fly Fishing in the Surf classes along the California coastline.
In 2012, Guy was honored with the prestigious Lee Wulff Award from Fly Fishers International in recognition of his outstanding contributions to fly fishing education and outreach. He has fly fished extensively throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and is passionate about pursuing all species of fish on the fly, from alpine trout, all species of bass to saltwater species.
Guy was the host of the critically acclaimed fly-fishing show Sierra Fly Fishing and currently hosts the YouTube fly fishing series Fish the West, where he shares in-depth instruction, destination coverage, and conservation-minded storytelling. He is also a published outdoor writer, contributing fly fishing articles to magazines and newspapers throughout the western United States.
A Sage Fly Fishing School Casting Instructor, Guy is proudly supported by Sage Fly Rods and Waterworks Lamson and serves as a contract fly designer for Solitude Fly Company. His signature patterns, including the Kern Emergers and Carpilicious, are used and sold internationally. Beyond fly fishing, Guy hosts the Guy Jeans Podcast, where he discusses everything outdoors. He is also a musician, serving as vocalist, keyboardist, and songwriter for the ska/reggae band Stoneflys.
Guy additionally works as a fly-fishing consultant for the film and television industry, collaborating with production teams to locate authentic freshwater and saltwater environments and training actors to fly fish with a high level of realism. His work emphasizes authenticity, efficiency, and the safety of cast and crew in water-based environments.