The Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club

I enjoyed my visit to the casting pools. While I wasn’t actually casting but rather just needed a little quiet time away from the city this was the perfect stop! The casting pools were very beautiful and the facilities were kept up nicely!

This place makes me feel like a kid again. So cool that you can practice casting right in the middle of the city. Don’t have a rod and reel? On the second Saturday of each month (except August) you can check out a club pole and get free casting lessons all morning. I had fished quite a bit when I was younger but still learned a lot — they break the free lessons into four skill levels.

Hidden gem in Golden Gate Park with some of the nicest bathrooms, and nicest people, in the area.

Pretty fly.
Almost surreal and definitely serene scene of people perfecting their casting technique. No fish to be had. Just practice makes perfect.
We only stayed for a few minutes but easily could have lingered for a while longer. In a city getting busier by the moment, gems like this are more important than ever.

I heard about the casting pools in Golden Gate park some 4 years ago when we first arrived our new home, San Francisco and it wasn’t until yesterday that my fly rod and I made it out to this little urban oasis.
The casting pool is available year round to the public and at no charge.
The GGACC is a membership club and entry is available for a very, very modest annual fee.
I hadn’t had fly rod in hand for some time and I was without doubt rusty. No worries however as there are many GGACC members about the casting pool who are willing to interrupt their zen-​seeking moment to provide as much or as little input as to how to achieve sexy loops as you might desire.
I’d like to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to Golden Gate park for providing such a facility to what must be a very niche slice of the San Francisco population! I am grateful.
I am also grateful to GGACC for being there as and when needed.
If you, like me, need practice and are in search of zen moments, try doing some casting at the Golden Gate park casting pools.

Cool idea, but it would be better if they had fish in the ponds. Not sure why someone would come here for fly fishing practice if there are no fish. But what do I know? Nothing really so ignore my review. On the other hand it’s pretty cool to have something like this smack in the middle of the city.

Huge practice pool with lots of targets and almost no one around. Amazing secret!

Wow.
Simply… wow.
Something like 28 years and I had never found them until today.
My lady and I were enjoying the bison… (BTW. get a stud for the ladies and keep em goin!)
What an awesome hideout and little place to get some practice in.
Awesome treat… neat escape.
Beautiful and fun… thanks again GGNRA!

I first came here in summer camp when we were playing large games of hide and seek all over the park. The fact that many people don’t even know this place exists, certainly helped when hiding.
However, I was a little disappointed when I went there about a month ago. The pools had more algae than water and I couldn’t find any fish, no matter how small. There weren’t even any cool water-​skimming bugs. And yet, I’ll keep coming back. It’s so peaceful.
(Oh, and there are bathrooms there, which is good since there aren’t too many on that end of the park.)

I just like to go and watch people get their Angle on. Very relaxing. Also, easy parking for that side of the park.

Wow, what a treat for this Midwestern fly angler to stumble upon the home of the historic Golden Gate Angling club while taking a walk in the park! Seriously, I’d read about the club’s history and knew the club existed, had casting pools, etc. but never figured I’d have time or reason to check it out during my short stay in town on vacation.
Having spent a couple hours one Saturday afternoon, I can say that this is a world class operation. I really enjoyed touring the clubhouse, looking at all the historic pictures and framed flys hanging on the walls and so on. The history is palatable here. Watching the other anglers practice their casting was a treat too!
This is just a really cool place to see, whether you’re a reasonably experienced fly fisherman like me, or not even interested in the sport– on a nice day, this spot in the park offers something for everyone.

This is another SF treasure. Rods, not poles (they are for telephone wire), can be checked out with a license and smile free of charge. Old timers and seasoned fly men are always about and more then ready to provide lessons in the ways of the cast. There is something magical watching a serenely perfect double haul on the glassy ponds. Fog, fair, rain and shine, you will always find a handful of friendly folks out there to give a hand and story. If the weather gets really lousy, the guys will que up some video of old Alaska footage and relive the old days. These stories are priceless. The building, like some of its membership, is a landmark and is kept in pristine condition. The coffee isnt bad either but it will cost you a quarter with compliments included.

Fantastic place for first time casters or old hand looking for a relaxing afternoon of practice makes perfect in Golden Gate Park. The first time I went I was a little intimidated being the only girl there but an older woman approached me and was more than happy to teach me the basics & a very fine roll cast! I have found that cast incredibly useful on more than one occasion in the past few years since I began learning. They also have nice picnic tables so you can relax have a bite to eat and chat with people. Hard to find but worth the inner city adventure when you can’t make it out of town.