For some reason I’ve had Julius Caesar running around in my head for the last few days, hence the bastardized title reference. I really just wanted to update you on a few things. So, with apologies to the Bard, lend me your ears. (Or eyes, as it were.)
I’m working away in my lonely writer’s garret on a new presentation, The Little Things 2.0. I’m really liking how this one is unfolding. Lots of good stuff, and it will be ready in September for the fall presentation circuit.
I’m very likely going to be tying and making a presentation at the 2016 Art of The Angler Show. Details to come.
Still trying to finalize some appearances at the 2017 Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, MA. Ditto details.
Gadzooks! The writing pipeline appears to have gone dry. (That’s not entirely true — I should have a conservation piece in American Angler any issue now.) Not to worry. I have several pitches already accepted by editors, and just need to take fingers and brain to keyboard. Subjects will include floating lines in the salt, streamer fishing basics, and perhaps a few essay-type story pieces.
Finally, I see a lot of new names on the followers list. Why not stop in and say hi? In fact, I’d like to hear from everyone. Tell us about your fishing this summer, flies you’ve been tying, questions you may have — it’s all good.
And as always, thanks for reading and following currentseams.
Please stay out of the writing room when the red lamp in on.
currentseams.com 
OK, a question and I don’t want any smirks from the followers who maybe know how dumb this is….but. Low water and spooky leader shy fish means tiny flies, usually and light tippet, as in 7 X or worse. The worse is based on my aging eyeballs. So fluorocarbon is virtually invisible, but sinks and mono/ nylon is visible and floats. With a size 26-32 in mind, can fluorocarbon cut it without drowning the fly or must I use mono to prevent that from happening. Bear in mind that I have not tried flies that size yet but I see from my last few ventures that I will have to.
Joseph, currentseams is a smirk-free zone. No negative energy allowed. I have two rules when I teach: no such thing as too many questions, no such thing as a dumb question. To your question. I am from the school of “it’s not your leader diameter, it’s your presentation.” I tried 8x many years ago just have the experience, and it was not for me. May I suggest Frog Hair 7x? At 2.8 pounds you’re covered for 95% of the trout you’re likely to hook, and God bless you if you have the problem of hooking a 4 or 5 pounder. Try lengthening your leader/tippet system to at least 13-14 feet — say a 9′ tapered 6x and a 4-foot section of 7x — and see how that suits you. Pile and reach casts (look them up online) will give you a little more drag-free drift time. Good luck, and get those fish in fast.
Very interested in reading what you have to say on streamers. I’ve tried them a few times but gave up quickly. I just don’t understand when a streamer is going to out perform a nymph or wet. I’ve read blogs stating they use streamers in the narrow Driftless streams. I just don’t quite grasp how to present in such tight quarters. I learned a great deal on wet fly approaches from your previous writings and purchased the latest magazine with your article. And I now tie premade wet leaders using your formula for browns on the upper Kinnickinnic in Wisconsin. Your formula helped me lessen the dropper wrapping around the line by suggesting stiffer tippet. I’d say I feel confident with the wet thanks to you. My only challenge now is deciding which wet to use based on the season. I also have found store bought wets to fall apart too easily and no distinguishable weight for the point fly. So when to use a streamer? Keep us posted when you publish.
Dan,
The answer to when to use a streamer or not is: yes. I’m not necessarily being facetious, but sometimes I feel like fishing wets, and sometimes I feel like fishing streamers. Or dries. Or nymphs. And so I do, and sometimes I catch lots of fish, and sometimes I don’t, but I’m fishing the way I like and that is my reward.
On a more scientific level, streamers are usually a good choice when:
• The river is high and dirty (fish your streamers along the banks)
• It’s night time or dusk
• It’s winter (fish them deep and slow)
I don’t typically fish wets in the traditional manner (swinging) in the winter, although I will fish them slow and deep as the top dropper on a nymph rig.
Btw, I love fishing small streamers and weighted wets in the deep plunges and runs of small brookie streams.
I’m glad you’re finding the wet fly information helpful. As far as which wets to use, match the hatch and give the fish a choice.
Hope that helps.
Hi, Steve. Thanks for the clarification — I thought the Red Light meant “Stay Out – Cigar Smoldering”
Tony M
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It may very well mean that, too.
Steve,
We are looking for speakers at our Hammonasset Chapter of Trout Unlimited monthly meetings. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month. Our members have enjoyed your talks in the past. We need speakers for October and November, also again starting in January.
Jim
Thanks, Jim. Please contact me via email and we can get the ball rolling. swculton at yahoo dot com