Happy Tuesday, fellow Currentseamsers. Is it spring yet? Courage. We’ve made it through the worst of the winter, and soon the pips will be popping and the buds bursting. Thank you for being part of the Lucky Seven Hundred! To celebrate, we’re doing our customary flies-tied-by-Steve giveaway. Here are the rules:
1) No purchase necessary.
2) You must be a follower of currentseams to enter. (If you’re not one already, you become a follower by clicking on the “Stay current with currentseams” Sign Me Up button on the home page.)
3) To enter, leave a comment on this thread that responds to these questions: 1) What was your favorite fish from 2018? 2) Which fly should I feature in my next tying video? One entry per person. Deadline for entering is 11:59pm March 31, 2018 (no foolin’). Three winners will be chosen at random. The winners will be notified in the comments section of this thread or by email, and will be responsible for sending me their address so I can ship the flies out. Sorry, I can only ship to U.S. addresses.
4) All decisions by me are final.
Thanks again for reading and following currentseams.
Ooh. Ahh. Ohh. Maybe you’ll score an Orange Partridge (or two).
currentseams.com 
Hi Steve,
Count me in! My favorite fish of 2018 (of my life actually) was a 5 lb. plus Brookie caught on a size 20 midge pupa in Maine. (No lie.)
I’d like to see your tie of The Master Splinter. I know it’s not hard but my backs extend too far over to the side and I’d like to see the master tie it.
Alton
Best 2018 fish-13.5 lb sea run brown trout on an amazing Argentina trip.
Next fly- pmd wet dly
Favorite fish of 2018: 30 inch striped caught on a greased line swing using a black Big Eelie.
Next fly tying video: Ken Abrame’s Razzle Dazzle
Hi Steve, My favorite fish last year was a 24-inch brown, caught on a trip with my son, Tyler. Being with him was enough. The fat brownie was the gravy. Next up? Show us how to tie a CDC hendrixson dunn.
Thanks, Jefferson
Wild and buttery brown from Farmington caught on a swung wet at my favorite beat with no one else around. Perhaps you could tie a crippled dun variant?
17″ brown taken on a soft-hackled woolly bugger. For the fly I am wondering about a silver soft hackle as a midge. Heard they are used in Arkansas but have not found any more on them. Probably not a big mystery or anything one would have to be specific about. So maybe a bunch of ways of using oversized soft hackle on a small fly.
A small-stream smallmouth bass caught on a simple dragonfly nymph within walking distance of home. I’d be interested in crossover flies that you use for both trout and smallmouth bass. Thanks!
Favorite fish of 2018 was a schoolie striper caught in Maine with my dad that served a vital role in getting him hooked on saltwater fly fishing.
Would love to see you do a video on the razzle dazzle flatwing.
My memorable fish in 2018 was a 20 plus inch fat CT. River smallie. Anything you tie is always a learning experience.
10lb. Steelhead caught this spring Pulaski
NY.
Grenwells Glory.
25lb. Atlantic Salmon. Miramichi River, New
Brunswick Canada.
Grenwells Glory.
My favorite fish last year was a brightly colored 9″ autumn brookie from a very small Vermont stream, caught on my snowshoe dry muddler. I’d like to see you tie a large dark stonefly.
~Zak
“No life, my honest Scholar, no life so happy and so pleasant as the life of a well governed Angler; for when the lawyer is swallowed up with business, and the statesman is preventing or contriving plots, then we sit on cowslip banks, hear the birds sing, and possess ourselves in as much quietness as these silent silver streams, which we now see glide so quietly by us.”
~Izaak Walton, 1653
Congratulations on the 700, I think I go all the way back to the first 100.
As answers to your questions, my most memorable fish on 2018 was my first steelhead on the swing, I’m new to the two handers so it was cool.
As for the fly, all your fly’s are awesome so Its up to the rest of the 700 to give you direction.
Hope I win, but if I don’t, Ill be here when you hit 800 and beyond.
Mike
favorite fish- all of them.
fly I would like to see- your smallie fly for the Hous.
My favorite fish was a bright schoolie taken on a clouser around the corner from the Audubon Center in Milford. I struggled to and from the salt pond on two really sore knees. The right knee got replaced in July and the left knee in September. Hardest day was July 17th, when my boat came out of the water for the rest of the year. A PMD wet or a March Brown wet works for me.
My favorite was popper fishing for bass. Since my local waters were high a lot last year I went out of my comfort zone and fished for bass. It was really cool watching them smash poppers.
I would like to see you tie some winged wet flies for trout.
Thanks,
Bill
Greeting Steve!
Congrats on lucky 700!!
My favorate fish 2018 a Red Fish in Florida
Favorate fly to feature I love your flatwings
Bunker, sand eel, herring,
Best Charly Fish
Trout is and was my favorite fish . I love when they rise . Next fly to feature ? Light Cahill Emerger .😊
Hey, Steve. My favorite fish was the brownie I caught swinging a brace of three wets right after I took your wet fly class at upcountry. Looking forward to tying videos of micro zonkers or ‘bunny’ fly streamers. Congrats on the 700!
My favorite fish was the one my buddy caught. We were on the Farmington last spring in a pool you know of. Knowing my tendency to keep moving around as I fish, my buddy suggested to me that I should move downstream near a large rock protruding in the current. Instead I told him he should since he has tendency to keep working an area until he catches something whereas I am ready to move onto a new spot before he does… Well using a green woolly bugger, he hooked into a 20 inch rainbow that was thick and wide like a football. He yelled for me to come over to see him land it hoping that it would still be on as it bulldogged all over the river… I had my GoPro ready and filmed his netting it and then his attempt to hold the fish as it slipped out of his hands and plopped into the water! Amazingly he was able to catch it with his bare hands to finally hold it up for the camera for three seconds until it flopped back into the water… That video is available for all to see and is a memory we all can share. Love to send it to you!
My choice for a fly would be the Ausable Ugly. A fly that I have caught trout on in almost every river I fish in NJ, NY and CT. It can be fished dead drift, stripped or whatever. It is deadly. Only place you can buy it is from the originator on-line who lives in the Adirondacks or from local fly shops up there. Whenever I am up there I stock up on them.
Congrats on 700! My favorite fish was a 20″ brown caught on the Farmington–the first fish I ever caught while fly fishing (2018 was my first year fly fishing). I would like to see you feature blue wing olives in your next fly tying video.
My favorite fly, which took the best fish of 2018 was a “Squimpish Firetiger” pattern which took the biggest largemouth of the year, followed by the biggest pike of the year.
I think you shoukd tie a crawfish pattern that doesn’t spin the leader, ties up quickly, sinks to the bottom and I have no idea what pattern that would be but I know you like challenges! Now let’s get you to 1000!
Several smallmouth at the Housy on some white-yellow buggerish looking fly. I would like to see your top producer smallie fly for the Housy.
Best was a 21″ Brown on a size 16 Partridge and Green. Would like to see a Hendrickson Emerger.
Seventy trout caught one day at a private club. How to tie flat wings.
Hi Steve, My favorite fish was a particularly well colored native brook trout. I am intrigued with your flatwings and would like to see your take on trout sized patterns. Congratulations on 700; look forward to everyone of your posts!
Hi Steve,
I certainly enjoy reading your blog.
My favorite fish was a 20 in Brown I caught on the upper Delaware on a Fly I discovered in your article in Outdoor life”Sunkenn treasures.” The fly is the pale watery wingless or magic flies as you sometimes call it. It is not my go to fly on the Sulphur hatch.
The fly I’d like to see you tie is a green Drake soft Hackle. I I know you only asked for one fly but I’d also also like to see your March Brown soft Hackle. Thanks again
Hi Steve,
I certainly enjoy your blog. My favorite fish of 2018 was a 21-inch Brown I caught on the upper Delaware using the fly I learned from your article in outdoor life titled Sunken Treasures. The fly was a#18 pale watery wingless or as you call it the magic fly. I fly is my go to fly during the the sulphur hatch on or any other light-colored fly hatch for that matter. The fly I’d like to see you Thai is the soft Hackle green Drake. I know you only asked for one but I also like to see the soft Hackle March Brown. Thanks Steve best wishes and tight lines.
My favorite fish last year was a 20 inch brown from the Farmy.
Anything you tie would be super.
Keep up the great work.
Ron Ragaini
A 22″ steelhead on the Pere Marquette in MI. Any video you want – love the choices you give us.
A beautiful 9 1/2 inch steel colored wild brook trout caught in a stream no wider then 3 feet alongside one of my favorite bike trails.
It was caught on a little black cdc surface midge , Id love to see you feature it
Favorite fish, hickory shad. In June I was fishing a striper spot when a massive school of shad rolled in. For two hours it was a fish a cast.
Fly tying, it’s always fun to see a video on big flatwings.
My favorite fish was a 42 inch striped bass caught in the upper hudson river.
Would love to see a alewive herring flat wing video.
Big brookie on a mouse at night
George Harvey style night wets
If it wasn’t cheating, I’d say the 24″ rainbow my wife landed in October when we fished the San Juan. So…guess I’ll have to go with my first steelhead on the Dechutes. The late, great Ellis Hatch, came up with elegant Hatching Pupa (his name eventhough it’s really an emerger). I’d appreciate seeing you tie that pattern in “natural”. I eagerly anticipation your magical words and pictures each day.
Favorite fish in 2018 was the last brown I caught in 2018. Whitewater River SE Minnesota.
I’d like to see an early season BWO pattern.
Note – I just pre-tied 3 wet fly leaders using your formula. I’ve used this for the last two seasons and it’s worked very well. My only variation is an overhand knot in front of the triple surgeon for the two tags. Seems to assist in fewer tangles. Wet fly is still my favorite way to fish as it’s extremely relaxing.
Congrats Steve on this milestone.
My favorite fish of 2018 was a Ausable River 18″ brown trout my 90 years young father-law landed swinging a soft hackle.
Would appreciate a tying video of any Flymph pattern.
Greatly appreciate all the info you share with us.
Thanks
Hi Steve,
Love your blog – it got me thru the winter with my mind intact.
My favorite fish was a high teens (inches) striper taken on a sand eel pattern of my own design.
I’d love to see video of tying the razzle dazzle
Jack Swegel
Thanks for the entertaining and educational blog. Always enjoy reading! Favorite fish of 2018 was my 5 year old son’s bluegill that became lunch for a rather large snapping turtle before we could get it off the hook! Both my boys have talked about that since last summer. Hoping it’s just one of many adventures with them.
I would be interested to see a topwater pattern featured for trout or smallmouth. Thanks for all you do!