Happy Tuesday, fellow Currentseamsers. Happy September, too. Where did the summer go? Seems like just yesterday I was heading out to Block with Jenks for some early summer stripers. Anyhow: Thank you for being part of the Great Eight 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) How are you managing with the pandemic? Are you fishing more or fishing less? One entry per person. Deadline for entering is 11:59pm September 15, 2020. 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.
As Mick Jagger said, “You could be mine you could be mine all mine…”
currentseams.com 
Well I am fishing more, in fact I am fishing the Beaches in Southern RI as we speak.and tying flies for a group trip in a month back down here. Keep your tip up Jerry kells
That was yesterday and it looks like you had good conditions. Hope you had fun!
working through the pandemic, I have not flied fish since May , went striper fishing once in June no luck
A Spartan existence. Perhaps some water time this fall?
I have been managing this pandemic one day at a time and only worry about what I can control. I always wish I was fishing more but would think it is more the sane as last year.
Sounds like you have a good handle on things. There could always be more fishing, right?
I have been dealing with the pandemic just like any other speed bump in life, and that’s to take it slow and try not to get too wrapped up in things which I cannot control. As for fishing I’ve actually gone a bit less in the surf than in a normal season but in its place I’ve branched out quite a bit and have even gone to the dark side and gotten back into trout fishing while adding the fly rod to my arsenal.
Hard times for control freaks like me. But I get your energy and I try to do the same.
My family is managing the pandemic as best we can. Everyone is healthy so we are grateful for that.
As for fishing, I am fishing less than I normally would because the rivers are so low. I go to a local reservoir a couple of times a week (with permit of course) and throw a Jitterbug around about sunset for largemouth bass.
Hi Gary, I saw your response from last week and you’re in. 🙂
I have fished less freshwater due to heat. Heading to fish RHody soon. A lot of gardening.
From what I’ve read it’s been a major year for gardening. Mine did pretty well this season, and is still going strong.
The damn-demic management system:
Breakfast: Baileys in coffee
Lunch: a lovely porter
Snack: port
Dinner: wine to match dinner
Dessert: bourbon and cigar before attending meeting.
Fish more, tie more, drink more, work less.
Fly fishing is social distancing.
A sound policy, if not one that will get you napping more than fishing. 🙂
Steve,
Congratulations on 800! Happy to be among them. Managing ok. Truth be told, fishing less than a normal summer. But for the weekend we fished together, haven’t made it back to the Farmington. Couple of local trips to the Croton, but not very satisfying after being spoiled by the Farmington.
The Farmington will do that to you. It was a mixed bag this summer, some really good days, others where you had to work for your fish.
I was fishing more, but now zooming more (more than I’d like). In person work, starts soon. But I’ll be done again next June….to fish even more. What am I?
I just did my first fall Zoom last night for the LI Fly Rodders.
In general I’ve been fishing a lot less. The already challenging saltwater shore access has been further decreased by resident only parking rules in many of my preferred areas. I’ve started thinking about targeting freshwater bass and am accumulating materials to tie up some of the flies you describe here!
I have noticed the same (the Farmington has been an exception) access issues. In many cases, I have not been pleased.
Fishing more now than before
That’s the way to do it!
Gettin’ by with the pandemic – do my job remotely with a wife who keeps after me for masks, gloves, hand washing. More fly tying, including PHWFF fly donations. Fishing less. HAven’t even put my kayak in the water yet this year. For a couple of months recreational fishing was verboten in Md. but fishing for “sustenance” or “subsistence” was cool. Alarmed a lot of catch & release anglers here in the Old Line State. When I have been out, it’s been to PA to fish some blue lines.
Sounds like you’re finding a way through, which is good. Here’s to more fishing in the future!
Fishing has been slow. Met a few TU friends and had some safe outings. Took a guide lesson from Steve and had a terrific experience. Broke my Sage rod landing a page brown…but it has been repaired and ready to fish. Crossing my fingers that a DSR salmon trip still happens in October.
Yeah, I’m not really sure how the fall is going to play. Strange days. Glad you got that stick fixed!
As far as the pandemic goes not much has changed except for wearing a damn mask everywhere. I’ve actually been fishing more. Congratulations on your new milestone!
Thanks for reading and commenting! I’m trying to fish as much as possible — which is the way it should be.
I have been fishing more during the pandemic although not in the usual places and I had to cancel a fishing trip to Montana. Without fishing I would have had a more difficult time dealing with the pandemic.
As Mick Jagger said “.. lose your dreams and you will lose your mind.”
Sorry to hear about your Montana plans. Hopefully next year!
Since striper fishing has been poor, I’ve fished the small streams on the Cape for native brookies more often than usual. Typically I fish these waters after the saltwater fish depart. I’ve caught several trout larger than 12”this summer, probably cause the fish are more active in these warmer months than in the winter. They fall for root beer colored crystal buggers. It’s tight quarters, so ya gotta get the fly on downstream drift into the deeper holes. Soon I’ll shift to peanut bunker imitations in hopes of a salter.
Jim, that sounds like a swell way to spend a summer. Send me a pic if you run into a salter.
The pandemic means I don’t have to commute to work. Though I’m ready to get back to the pre-pandemic rythme of life.
I’ve fished about the same amount just closer to home. Its forced me to explore new waters and that in itself has been fun.
I’ve had my explorer hat on a few times this year, too. Seems like the right thing to do.
Congrats on the growing following – well deserved! Fishing a little bit less since work picked back up but looking forward to the fall run up here on the South Shore of Massachusetts
Thanks Josh. Here’s to a healthy, strong, fun fall run!
When the virus first started to emerge in CT, there was much unknown. Because of my age, I was considered potentially higher at risk. So I stayed out of work for six weeks in late March and April. To keep me busy, I built two outdoor sheds, one to store three cords of firewood, the other to enclose some outdoor lawn equipment. This keep me busy from morning to dark, not to mention losing about fifteen pounds in the process. I am back to work now taking the common sense precautions.
The virus has seriously impacted my fishing. I have not been up to the Farmington this year nor to NH for my annual trout fishing trip. I just did not want to be dealing with the crowds of people. I was invited to go Atlantic Salmon fishing in Labrador this summer. I have never done this before and was looking forward to this experience. The Canadian border is closed to US citizens. This trip was postponed till next year. I have for the last twenty years fished in Montana in September. I am not going this year because the number of cases in MT are increasing, and I would have to quarantine for two weeks upon returning to CT. Finally I have been fortunate to travel down to Patagonia during our winter which is their summer for perhaps the last fifteen years. I doubt that I will make this trip this year. Patagonia in both Argentina and Chile is a special place, great people, superb fishing, with no crowds. One of my fishing connections from Montana who introduced me to Patagonia describes this region as what it was like to fish in Montana fifty years ago. I have wet my lines on many stripers this summer and maybe will get a chance to hook up with some albies on LI sound.
This virus is not to be messed with. It is highly contagious and has a high mortality rate in a certain population of people. We should not live in fear of it. We should continue to live our lives, but we need to take some common sense precautions until a vaccine is available or an effective treatment is discovered. Until then, my love of fly fishing is taking somewhat of a back burner. Bummer.
Roger Mitterling
Sent from my iPad
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Sorry to hear about all those missed opportunities. If it makes you feel any better, I spent a good amount of time this spring building the ultimate critter-proof garden fence…
I have been fishing less mostly due to the drought than any thing else. Trying to stay busy working on the house and tying fly’s. Hope to be heading North the end of September to fish the Conn. River. And than it getting set for the Steelhead fishing in New York.
This drought sucks. Flood or drought, it’s the new normal. Hoping steelheading still works…
Mostly managing the pandemic by social distancing which has a plus side of lots of tying. Diane and I are fishing somewhat less, but having success on soft hackles and a variety of ant patterns. I sent some Ellis Hatch originals of the Hatching Pupa to Tim Flagler which he put on video. A great soft hackle. Try it. Tight lines…..Ron Sharpe
Thanks for the tip, Ron. Here’s to soft hackles!
How are you managing with the pandemic?
I am lucky to have a job where I can work from home. I am tying lots of flies in my free time!
Are you fishing more or fishing less?
Less, but only because work has been keeping me very busy. I moved out west last summer and am learning the ways of beach fishing for coastal cutthroats in Puget Sound, and exploring the west slopes of the Cascades for west slope cutthroats.
Ooh…now that sounds like a cool series of adventures!
Steve,
Just to let you know I’m still alive:
I’m fishing less, but I’m fishing for stripers more than normal. Kayak fishing at night into and after a high tide. Any suggestions? I just read Ken’s book Striper Moon. Now I’m tying flies and trying to find a source for good flat-wing saddles.
The pandemic kept me from making my annual June-July trip to Montana for trout fishing. But, I’ve already purchased my ticket for my trip next May 29.
Way more than you really wanted to know…
Stay safe,
Good to hear from you, Ray. I’m not sure what kind of suggestions you’re looking for…send me an email if you like.
Unfortunately less fishing and more yard work. , also too much heat. Fall sort of starts now so it should be cooler here. Did tie some new lies and really want to get out and try the hopper soft hackle.
The Hopper Hammerdown doesn’t always get whacked, but when it does it’s usually at least a decent fish. 🙂
I haven’t suffered personally with the pandemic but have had collateral damage when my dental hygienist retired early and my eye doctor decided it was time to retire. Oh, and my barber stopped working, too. That was the worst part for me. I’m usually off by myself working or hiking in the woods anyway.
I’ve actually been fishing more which is a cruel joke due to extremely low flow rates and warm water here in eastern half of the state. But I did have a 52-fish day a couple of weeks ago when there was a slight uptick in the Shetucket’s flow and the smallies were in prime feeding mode. Forty-three of them on the same fly until a little bugger inhaled it so I cut it off. Can’t wait for October and New Hampshire salmon.
I would love to hear more about fishing for smallies in the Shetucket. Any size to them?
No comparison to water like the Housatonic. The Shetucket flow has less volume (especially this year). The days when the flow was around 100 CFS the fish were 6″-13″ long with a few to maybe 14″ and most were 9″ to 10″. When the flow ebbed to 50-60 CFS most of the fish were 4″ to 8″-9″ long. Still a source of pleasure on a light rod and with the entire river to myself.
Managing OK pandemic wise, but had to cancel a few big family trips in the Spring (Italy and Hilton Head). Probably fishing less cause the kids were home from school and the wife was working from home 😂.
Here’s to better and more fishing in the future!
Managed to fish about the same, just without friends. No out of state trips
Solo has been the word here too, except with family.
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Gary, you get the award for the most uniquely coded message. 🙂
Working from home now and closer to the Farmy, which allows me to fish more often. My dry game has improved!
That’s good to hear. A better dry game never hurt anyone on the Farmy!
I am fortunate and thankful that my workload has not changed due to Covid so my fishing hours have not changed because of career. However, I am fishing more to deal with the overall stress and uncertainty of the times. Preaching to the choir but fly fishing is a Zen-like form if meditation for me.
How many times have you been stressed and worried and you get on the river and on the drive home you forget what was bugging you?
1) How are you managing with the pandemic?
have been staying a safe distance from everything except fishing.
have not been to many places due to this pandemic. Trying to stay local.
Are you fishing more or fishing less?
fishing a lot less, reading more
Hope you’re reading something enjoyable….maybe a fishing book or two?
Hi Steve, like everyone else coping as best as I can through this craziness. Staying close to home and puttering around the house. Managed to do a little tying as I haven’t stream fished since mid June. Low, warm water conditions; felt it best not to stress the trout. Congratulations on 800!!
Thanks, Larry. I have a puttering around the house to-do list about 10 miles long…
Fishing less than before
Hopefully that changes soon!
Working from home with my favorite estuary at the bottom of the street has been great, been able to get out most days even if just for 40 minutes at lunch. I had to postpone a couple trips I had planned (and my wedding!) but all in all feel very lucky to be able to get out on the water and take my mind off all the craziness.
Now that sounds like a highly ideal work location…reminds me of when I used to work 10 minutes from the Farmington…
Been following all the safety rules. Totally believe in the science part of this pandemic. Fishing more than usual as I try to get out and stay away from most people and recharge.
Yep, play it smart. I thought maybe you were going to say that you’d been tying up some yarn indicators (insert laughing emoticon here). 🙂
Hi Steve- I am managing well with the pandemic by trying to keep life the same or nearly the same as before. This goes for fishing as well. Enjoy reading your posts keep up the great work.
Jan Dommel 6 Birchwood Drive Barkhamsted, CT 06063 860-307-2036 jan.dommel@yahoo.com
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Jan, thanks so much for the comment and the kind words. Very much appreciated!
I’m actudally doing fairly well with the pandemic although missing getting together with friends. I’m fiishing maybe just a little bit more but much more of it alone than usual. I haven’t made it to the Farmington or Housatonic yet this year because of reports of crowds and I almost always make those long hauls with a fishing buddy. But planning to hit both in the fall.
Hopefully the crowding will diminish…but I wouldn’t count on it. Still, fishing is fishing.
The pandemic has put a monkey wrench into many of my activities, but not fishing. That being said, the lack of water in the streams and rivers has put a halt to my fly-fishing. I’ve been casting a lot of Jitterbugs lately in local ponds and lakes.
I had a couple of Fred Arbogast’s hard plastics in my bass box when I was a kid. My favorite was the Sputterbug.
I am not fishing more, about the same, but I am appreciating it more.
In these strange times, dealing with the necessary isolation due to the pandemic, I can relax and take my mind off the virus when flyfishing. I find I more thoroughly enjoy and appreciate nature’s beauty and quiet when I am on the Farmington River.
Well said, Dave. Your last sentence in particular resonated with me.
Hi Steve! Pittsburgher here excited for your upcoming talk at our TU! The virus has left me out of work so I’m fishing 3-4 days a week mostly camping/trip fishing the Central PA and W. MD stuff but I went out to Montana too so it’s been a good fishing season. Still haven’t found that 20″ brown I’m looking for though…
Great to hear from you, Alex. I’m looking forward to Thursday night, too!
Fish as much as possible
Rich, that is sound advice!
I’ve been fishing fishing fishing! Also been practicing my casting especially trout Spey technics. Practice it will greatly improve your fishing
Good to hear. I’m a big fan of carrying as many arrows in your fishing tactics quiver as you can.
Fishing less for sure. But I did land my personal best bow a few weeks back!
Well, that’s certainly something to get excited about! Congratulations.
Amazing how well the “grass trout” love your wet fly patterns….LOL!
Lots of practice casting in the yard……
The pandemic has kept me in my home office and less travel so far, so less fishing
Damn zoom meetings don’t allow me to sneak out to a local river….hard to hide that background!
Looking forward to hooking into some steelhead soon on the Salmon
Thanks for the great patterns to tie and try
Cheers
Jim, I’m hoping we have a good fall run of steelhead and that there are no travel restrictions. I suppose grass casting is better than no casting.
Congrats on 800! Fly tying and your Zoom presentations helped get me through the spring. I have actually been fishing less than I had hoped, but I am in Maine now for a few weeks and am hoping to catch the tail end of the striper season up here.
Enjoy Maine, Chase. It sounds like a swell place to be right now.
The pandemic has slowed life down for me. Which is good. Reminds me of the old days. Spending more time with my kids and family. Actually eat dinner together most nights. Planted a vegetable garden for the first time in 10 years. And of course been fishing a lot more with my brother on the Farmington and soon the salt. There is a silver lining in every dark cloud. Just have to look deep enough.
John, I’m glad to hear that you’re doing well and that you’ve found some true positives amidst all this negative mojo.
Hi Steve,
Being in the retirement crowd I am cautious going out (wearing mask, washing hands etc). I am fishing less only because the water flows on my local Croton watershed in NY are extremely low (I have actually not fished the watershed at alll this summer). I have been able to fish at least once a week visiting the Farmington (checking water temps and moving closer to dam as needed) and I have managed the Willowemoc when the water temps were in the low 60s. THanks for your blog site.
Ihor
Ihor, it’s good to hear from you. The drought is certainly a drag. At least the water coming out is cold!