By now, I’d hoped to be back to my normal routine on these pages. But every time I think I’m in the clear, the book comes a callin’. So that’s why posts have been so spotty. All I can tell you is that when things do return to normal, you’ll be the first to know.
I just finished an article for Surcasters’ Journal. I’ll letcha know when it comes out.
Fishing in brief: Block Island stunk again this year: slow, slower, slowest. Then there was last week on the Farmington. I gave Andrew a wet fly lesson, and it was likewise a non-action fest. We fished three marks, and it wasn’t until the last one that we found some fish. But Andrew was enthusiastic and persistent, and we ended up with two in the hoop for the win. Great job Andrew! I stayed to fish the evening rise. The location was above the PTMA, and the hatch and rise activity was one of the worst I’ve experienced in a decade. Very little hatching (mostly dorothea) and, almost impossibly, nothing on it except for a few small fish. Highly disappointing. I managed two small wild browns on wet flies and one stocker rainbow on the way out after I could no longer see my fly. Blech!
Of course, we hav the blank canvas of this week, upon which we may paint spectacular fishing images. Yeah. Let’s go with that.
currentseams.com 
I think the Farmington River has been off for two years!
I’m hoping with the new flow regime that we can get back to some sense of “normal.”
l don’t fish the Farmington regularly, so I’m by no means familiar with its tendencies or moods but I thought I’d give it a try yesterday. I found a spot near Black Bridge Rd that looked good, a nice run feeding a pool. I nymphed it for 1.5 hrs with several combinations of nymphs, nothing. A guy came in and set up below me (fair distance), and immediately caught a decent brown and an even better rainbow on worms. I then went to a pull off above American Legion that had nice looking riffly water. Again, same drill, moving upstream as I nymphed, not a bump. Maybe it’s time for a lesson. (I’ve been fly fishing over fifty yrs).
Hi Michael. When it comes to catching fish, sometimes bait is better, and sometimes artificial flies are better. There are all manner of variables: season, flows, hatch activity, time of day, light, time of day, temperature….etc. Sometimes it’s as simple as moving around and not spending 1.5 hrs in an unproductive spot. As far as lessons go, you know where to find me…
I may look for you when things cool off some.
Hello Steve,
Michael Fass here on Block Island. We met last summer at the Channel late one night and then corresponded some. Sorry I did not run into you again on your recent BI trip, and sorry too to hear the fishing was sub par.
Your BI experience mimics mine, although I have fished less this past spring and summer than ever only due to a bunch of not serious medical all to be expected of an aged guy like me. However, most of that is behind me and I’m hoping to start in earnest as we head into the new moon. Reports I’ve heard from people I know or have run into are also pretty grim. There were mackerel around in June, and precious few stripers. I’ve rarely seen seals at the channel which is some indicator I think of how barren it’s been. It wasn’t until last week that I started seeing bait in good numbers, although I couldn’t tell what it was. I spotted a few schools of bait in the daytime not too far offshore (but well beyond casting distance) Crescent Beach with terns and seagulls feasting.
If the fishing improves, I’ll let you know.
Even though I’m not a fly fisherman, I’m looking forward to your upcoming book being published.
Best, Michael Fass BI
Thanks for reaching out, Michael. Sadly, the BI slog continues. Perhaps some day we’ll see a comeback. In the future, if you could send messages like this to my email, swculton at yahoo etc, that would be swell. 🙂