All Inclusive* 3-night Program Starting At:
$675/person - Double Occupancy
$900/person - Single Occupancy
* Includes lodging, meals, program activities and access to optional daily activities and recreational equipment. Learn More about the Great Camp Sagamore experience.
Program Overview
This intermediate fly fishing workshop is designed for anglers who have some experience and basic skills and are ready to advance them and grow their confidence on the water. It’s also a great refresher for those who have already participated in Sagamore’s Try the Fly 101. Spend the weekend with Cari Ray, an internationally-certified fly casting Instructor, former full-time fly fishing teacher and guide, and host of the Fisher of Zen podcast, as you build on your foundation and take your casting and fishing techniques to the next level.
The workshop will focus on the next level of casting mechanics, accuracy, distance, and line control, along with a deeper exploration of fly selection, reading water, presentation strategies, and fishing techniques. Through hands-on instruction and guided practice, you’ll sharpen your approach and gain tools to adapt to a variety of fishing conditions, including an introduction to casting and fishing techniques for nymphing and streamers.
Between sessions, enjoy unstructured time to fish independently, paddle a canoe or kayak on Sagamore Lake, take a walk through the forest, or unwind by the fire. This weekend offers space not only to advance your technical skills, but also to slow down, reconnect with nature, and rediscover the quiet rhythm that draws so many people to fly fishing.
Please join us for this enriching and restorative weekend exploring the deeper practice—the zen—of fly fishing. Bring your curiosity, current skills, and eagerness to learn. Registration includes meals, accommodations, rental equipment, evening activities, and an optional historical walking tour.
Program Activities
Advanced gear & tackle selection – dialing in rods, reels, lines, leaders, and rigging for specific conditions
Refined casting mechanics – improving accuracy, distance, loop control, and efficiency in varied situations
Fly selection & presentation – understanding patterns, hatch matching, and when (and how) to switch flies
Knots & rigging techniques – building strong, efficient systems for different water types
Reading water & locating fish – identifying holding lies, feeding lanes, structure, and seasonal behavior
On-water drifting & mending – achieving natural drifts through effective line control and current management
Cari Ray - Fly Fishing Guide and FFI-Certified Casting Instructor
Cari Ray, now Sagamore’s Sr. Director of Programs & Operations, is a former full-time guide, host of the Fisher of Zen Podcast, and founder of Zen Fly Fishing, a woman-owned and operated fly fishing school and guide service. She brings years of teaching and guiding in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, and the Adirondacks. She has always been committed to helping her clients and students become more independent and successful fly anglers. Her true passion, however, is in inviting them to leverage the sport of fly fishing as a sort of “moving meditation.” She believes that some of the most valuable “catches” found on the water have little to do with fish.
All Program Sessions
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