Once again, we find ourselves asking, “Where did the year go?!?” This was a tough year locally; it was one of the wettest on record, and in the midst of all the water the Farmington River was maddeningly low and warm. I hope you got the chance to get out and fish. It never seems like enough, does it? Sometimes the fishing’s good, and sometimes it isn’t, but getting out there is 80% of success. Looking back at the year, I found more than enough high points for my annual best of list.

#10: Currentseams.com Reaches 1,000 Followers! The good news is, an important milestone has been reached. The bad news is, if you won flies in my 1,000 Followers drawing, I still haven’t tied them. Well, that’s not entirely true. I have some flies tied. Don’t think a day goes by where I don’t feel massively guilty about not having them in your hot little hands. So: thank you, winners, for your patience. Thank you, readers, for your loyalty and enthusiasm. This is true: I couldn’t have done it without you.

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#9: A Banner Year Speaking To Fly Fishing Clubs. I spoke to eight different clubs and organizations this year, some of them old friends, some new to my presentations, some TU chapters, some independents, some college clubs. Whatever the legacy or organizational level, speaking in front of a group about something I’m passionate about is probably my favorite part of this job. Thanks so much for having me. Keep those questions coming. And if you’re in charge of booking speakers for your group, you can find one of the best fly fishing speakers around (he said modestly) here.

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#8: Salvaging a High Water Smallmouth Season. Stripers aren’t the only bass that are struggling in Connecticut. Between flood and drought and heat and poachers, it’s been a very difficult three years on our state’s waters. This year was both difficult and weird. The smallie fishing was generally slow…except when it wasn’t. I’m comfortable enough fishing in high water, and I had some off-the-charts days, numbers-wise, like I haven’t had in years. And some of those days, I hooked up with a very high percentage of quality bronze that put a burn in my forearms that I’m still feeling. OK, the topwater bite stunk — when the white flies came off, virtually nothing was feeding on the surface. (I caught one bass on a dry fly this year.) But when you’re landing fish that can be measured in pounds, you smile a certain sort of smile. Make sure you come to my smallmouth Seminar “Hot Bronze — Wade Fishing for Summer Smallmouth” at the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show, Friday, January 5, in the Release Room at 4:30pm.