Any year that I get to fish over a hundred days is by definition a good one. So be it with 2015.

There are far worse ways to close out a fishing season than by walking a small stream, alone with your thoughts and a Oliva V Melanio. An ideal day for a winter outing, with temperatures in the low 40s, gray skies, and enough snow to make things pretty without gumming up the walk. I fished downstream with a bushy dry, and I added a tiny BHSHPT dropper off the hook bend halfway through the session. I found a half dozen small wild brookies willing to slash at the dry, but the only one I brought to net took the nymph dropper.

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown.

Then I got greedy. A half hour after leaving Ye Olde Brook Trout Emporium, I was wading into the bracing waters of the Farmington River. For some time now I’d had it in my mind to fish a certain stretch with streamers (I’d never done so in the winter). Bingo. Three bumps, and although there were no hook sets, I know where they live. Fished the full-sink line and some Deep Threats.

And so, on to 2016. If you’re new to currentseams, thanks for subscribing, and welcome. I have quite a few appearances and classes scheduled this winter, and I’ll post those soon. Hope to see you at one or more of them. And of course, if our paths cross on the river, please come say hi.