Farmington River Mini-Report 8/6/26: Wet flies rule!

This can be a challenging time of year to fish the Farmington, but I arrived on the river with a plan: swing wets in snotty, treacherous pocket water, then find a dry fly spot for the evening rise. The water bump from the dam, which put the flow in the PTMA at around 290cfs, was a welcome enhancement. (I got 54 degrees just above the PTMA at 6pm, which is wheelhouse water for trout.)

I was wading and swinging a team of three (Drowned Ant on top, LaFontaine’s Diving Caddis in the middle, my Iso Soft Hackle on point) by around 5pm. After a slow start, I connected with what would be the first of 6 trout on the wets — 5 of those fish were wild browns. And 5 of the 6 fish took the Iso soft hackle. While I didn’t see a single Isonychia flitting about — I’d rate the overall hatch activity on this evening a 2/10 — this underscores the importance of that bug as a food source for trout. Every year, some of the biggest fish I hook on a wet fly come in August on the Iso.

I’d already locked into a mid-teens wild brown when a big old buck ate the fly. Prior to this hookup, every take had come on the dangle. This one was on the dead drift, close enough to the surface for me to see the take. Three times the fish bulldogged its way upstream, twice, he seemed ready for the net, only to bolt. Between the speed of the current and the size of the fish, my forearm was on fire. I carefully walked downstream to a more favorable LZ. Finally, to the net.

Best trout of the year. No wonder this guy looks so excited!

The dry fly action from 7:30pm to 9pm was rather disappointing, having nothing to do with already landing such a fantastic fish. I found one fish working a foam line, but he was small, and though I rose him 4 times on three different patterns, there was no hookset. Finally, on the walk out in the fog, I spied a sipper that ended up clobbering my size 12 Catskills-style Light Cahill.

My victory cigar was one that I truly relished.

This is fly, minus the bead. This time of year, in lower light situations and moderate flows, there’s a good chance the fish will be looking up.

International Fly Tying Symposium moves to Lancaster, PA

IFTS has a new town and a new venue — the Lancaster, PA Convention Center! Previously held in Somerset, NJ, the Hilton location that hosted the event is closing, hence the new digs. From the IFTS website: “Join us in November for our 35th Anniversary International Fly Tying Symposium. This year’s Symposium will be held at the Lancaster County Convention Center, Lancaster, PA. The weekend will be full of seminars, classes and fly tiers with many overseas artists demonstrating and lecturing.” So mark Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22 on your calendars.

Fly tying is serious business, especially if you want to learn from some of the world’s best tyers. On the other hand, fly tying is a hoot, as Barry Ord Clarke, Tim Cammisa, and the guy in the middle demonstrate.

I realize this new location will put the show out of practical reach for many of you in New England; you’ll have to make the call on whether or not to drive the new distance. I can tell you that this is one of my favorite shows, and the location is excellent. I’ll have a tying table and will be doing a seminar on wet flies, day/time TBD. I hope to see you there!

Fly Fishing Guide to the Farmington River official release tomorrow August 4, On The Water feature article, IFTS moves to PA

If you ordered the Fly Fishing Guide to the Farmington River through an outside vendor, it should start shipping tomorrow. Yeeeee-hawww!!!! I’ve changed my tune a wee bit on selling copies directly to you; if you would prefer to get a signed, inscribed copy from me, you still can. You’ll find out how if you click here.

I’m pleased to announce that once again, Tony Lolli has featured me in his At the Vise column in On The Water magazine. The format has shifted a bit; instead of a “guide flies” focus, it’s more of a profile, and it also features the book.

You know that guy! On The Water is a terrific magazine with excellent photography and printed on a paper stock that feels good in your hands. Well worth seeking out. There’s an digital version, too. Many thanks to Tony for letting me play again.

Finally, the International Fly Tying Symposium has moved from Somerset, NJ, to Lancaster, PA. Lancaster is a ~most excellent~ space — it’s where they hold the Fly Fishing Show. This year’s IFTS is November 21-22. More details to come!

Meanwhile, back on the Farmington…

I have neglected the Farmington this month most cruelly. I understand the fishing has been excellent in spite of the low water, but I have been pulled in some other directions.

But not yesterday. Yesterday was one of those summer flow spikes I look for, the kind that puts some color in the water and chases most of the anglers away. The plan on those days is to throw streamers and look for a big ol’ brown that’s been hiding under a logjam for the past few weeks and is now in the hunt for a protein payoff. Yesterday I fished a full-sink tip line with an assortment of weighted and non-weighted streamers — trying to present at several levels in the water column — in both muted and bright colors. I walked about 500 yards of water, pounding the banks, waiting for that roll at the surface or that dull thud below.

It never came. The plan was go big or go home, and since I didn’t do the former — not a touch in two hours — I did the latter. But oh, man, it felt wondrous to be back.

Bring your waders if you want to sit. The water was moderately stained, 650cfs, and 64 degrees in the PTMA. As you read this, the flow has dropped dramatically and has cleared up, making for excellent conditions this weekend.

If you reserved a signed Farmington River book from me, please get the transaction ball rolling

First, thank you to everyone who requested a personalized, signed copy. I received over 50 requests, which was fantastic!

But less than half of you have mailed a check or made an e-transfer. The situation is that I’m not going to the P.O. every day. I’m waiting to get at least 12 orders processed before I make a trip, and I’d like to be done with this ASAP. I don’t want to be doing this in September. The first dozen books went out last Friday. The next dozen are going out tomorrow. Then, it’s wait for 12 more orders to be finalized. So please don’t delay. Besides, you really, really need this book now. Dontcha?

In case you missed it, here’s what you need to do: 1) Pay me. Between the my cost of the book, packaging materials, and postage, it’s a nice, even $50. You can do one of three things: mail a check to me at Steve Culton, P.O. Box 657, Durham, CT 06422; pay me via Venmo (@Steven-Culton) which I prefer, or second choice PayPal (Steven Culton). Easy-squeezy.

2) Send me your address. Email your shipping address to swculton@yahoo.com. Please do not post your address on this website. Please remember I cannot ship outside the U.S. Ditto easy-squeezy.

3) Wait. Hopefully, just a little. I’m not going to schlepp down to the P.O. every day; rather, I’ll try to send them out in batches of 10 or 15 or whatever, as orders trickle in. I’ll send you an email back when your book is shipped.

If you’ve already squared up, this could be your book…

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your book purchasing engines!

Finally, the day you’ve been waiting for! I got a visit from the UPS guy, who dropped off three cartons of shiny new books for me to sign and send off to you.

If you’re one of the 50 or so people who signed up for a personalized, signed copy, here’s what you need to do:

1) Pay me. Between the my cost of the book, packaging materials, and postage, it’s a nice, even $50. You can do one of three things: mail a check to me at Steve Culton, P.O. Box 657, Durham, CT 06422; pay me via PayPal (Steven Culton); or pay me via Venmo (@Steven-Culton). Easy-squeezy.

2) Send me your address. Email your shipping address to swculton@yahoo.com. Please do not post your address on this website. Please remember I cannot ship outside the U.S. Ditto easy-squeezy.

3) Wait. Hopefully, just a little. I’m not going to schlepp down to the P.O. every day; rather, I’ll try to send them out in batches of 10 or 15 or whatever, as orders trickle in. I’ll send you an email back when your book is shipped.

I thank you for your excitement, your enthusiasm, and your patience. I can’t wait for you to read this book!

Back from Block and book order information to (hopefully) come this week!

Let’s get the bad mojo out of the way: the Block Island stripers-from-the-shore fishery has officially cratered. Five nights, not a touch. (What?!?!?!) More details on the misery to come.

On the exciting news side, my author’s copies of the Fly Fishing Guide to the Farmington River have arrived. These are not the ones I have earmarked for sale to you (those people who have said they want a signed copy, and if you haven’t, it’s still not too late to reserve one). The book looks and feels great, and I’m beyond pleased with how it came out.

For those who have reserved a signed copy: my order with the publisher has been placed. My guess is that the books will arrive sometime in the next two weeks, hopefully on the shorter side of that. The mailers have been ordered. I just need to calculate the cost to you, and set up payment, which will be check, Venmo, or PayPal. I’m hoping to have that information to you this week. I thank you for your patience. Really. Hang tight, and you’ll be reading before you know it.

Look, ma! I wrote a book!

Stuff I Use: REPULS Defense Spray

Back when I was a junior high schooler in hard-hittin’ New Britain, someone in my crew handed out whuppin’ sticks. This whuppin’ stick was a baton about a foot-and-a-half long and about 3/4″ per side. It felt like it was constructed of hardened rubber. Flexible, but solid. I never hit anyone with it, but no doubt this could raise welts, bloody noses, and even knock someone silly. Of course, being the non-violent type, I never used it. But I still have it. I keep it under the driver’s seat in my Jeep.

The problem with a whuppin’ stick is that you’ve got to get in close to use it. I fish in some sketchy areas, and while I never feel like my life is in danger, some of these places compel me to be on full alert. Wherever you are, though, you never know when a random that-element person may show up. What do do if you truly feel threatened?

Well, pepper spray works, and it’s non lethal. But, as the REPULS literature states, “pepper spray has shortcomings. Because of how it spreads through the air, when pepper spray is used it can accidentally impact the person spraying it and bystanders in addition to the person posing the threat. This not only has made it impossible to use pepper spray in certain settings, but it has also made people hesitant to spray it when they feel threatened.”

The unique selling proposition of REPULS is that there is virtually no collateral damage to the user or bystanders. According to the company, “REPULS is a non-lethal self-defense spray that is just as effective at immobilizing an attacker by causing involuntary closure of the eyes. REPULS only impacts the individual it is sprayed on eliminating the risk of blowback or accidental impacts. It can even be sprayed in enclosed spaces like an RV without worrying about contamination and extensive cleanup.”

So, I’m now carrying in a non-lethal sense. I have the 1.6oz can, which I keep in the truck, and the jogger/hiker size, pictured here, which fits into my fishing pack. The jogger/hiker has a hand strap, which I don’t use. There’s a larger home/office size, and a keychain size as well.

The keychain and jogger/hiker models retail for $17.95, which is a small price to pay for a sense of security. The 1.6 oz is $21.50. The home/office can, which is 12.9oz, will set you back $64.65. You can find out more, or make a purchase, on the REPULS website.

Using the REPULS jogger/hiker size is straightforward. I like that there’s a locking mechanism to prevent accidental discharge.

In the interest of full disclosure, REPULS sent me some free samples in exchange for this review.

From the archives: Culton’s Crayfish Jig Streamer

By now, most of you know me as an impressionist fly tier. That is, I’m not trying to carbon copy the bait. I’m trying to capture size, color, and profile. Most of all, I’m trying to create something that looks like it’s alive and like something good to eat. And that’s the Crayfish Jig Streamer in a nutshell. So many crayfish patterns go to great lengths to reach for the prize of realism. It’s all so unnecessary (see: Woolly Bugger makes a great crayfish fly). Our local waters are populated with the invasive species rusty crayfish. I colored this pattern likewise. The smallmouth approve. And oh, by the way, there are crayfish in the Farmington, too. Downsize the bead, and you’re good to go jigging for tailwater trout!

Here’s the article on Culton’s Crayfish Jig Streamer that appeared in On The Water Magazine.

Yeah. I’m pretty happy with this fly. The fish, not so much.

From the Archives: The Countermeasure streamer

We just watched “The Hunt For Red October” for the umpteenth time — my guess is that I’ve seen it at least 2 dozen times — so the Countermeasure streamer is currently top of mind. (If you haven’t seen the movie, you really should. It’s damn good.) If you’ve seen it, you may not completely understand why I named this pattern the Countermeasure. But if you have seen it, and you’ve fished the Countermeasure, then you get it with crystal clarity.

Countermeasures are released from a submarine to confuse homing torpedoes. The Countermeasure streamer is designed to fool predator fish that are looking for a target to kill. It’s an exceptionally versatile streamer. You can swing it. You can strip it. You can dangle it. But my favorite way to fish it is to cast it near where I think a fish may be holding, ready to ambush. Land it on the water with a loud splat, and then do nothing. If there’s a hungry fish within 15 feet that’s looking up, it will attack the Countermeasure with urgent, reckless fury. Bang! Torpedo in acquisition!

They don’t look like this perfect after they’ve done battle with a few angry fish.

The Countermeasure works on bass and trout, like this truttasuarus. (While it doesn’t look like a mouse, try it on your next night fishing adventure. You can thank me later.) It’s been featured in On The Water magazine. I know, you really want to tie some up, so here’s the tying video.

Just hold on to that rod good and tight.