Category Archives: General Ramblings

Celebrating summer

July is a darn good month to be an angler in these parts. I just returned from a week on Block Island, and while the fishing wasn’t great (spotty action and smaller fish) I did get into bass every night. Detailed report and pics to come.

I’m really looking forward to getting back to the Farmington, in particular to swinging some wets. The spring’s cool temps and voluminous water supply should make for some terrific wet fly outings over the next several weeks. Speaking of wet flies, there’s one more opening in Sunday’s UpCountry Wet Flies 101 class. Jump on it and become the envy of all your trout angling friends. You can’t sign up with me; you have to do it through the store here.

Speaking of jumping on things, if you’re planning on booking a lesson/outing/trip with me, best to inquire now. My days are filling up (two gigs next week) and I am going to jealously guard my personal fishing time. You know where to find me.

Client John with a fine example of what is possible on the Farmington River at noon on a sunny day in July.

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Thanks for taking me fishing, dad

My dad took me and my friends fishing on the Salmon River in Colchester — this would have been in the mid-1970s — and upon our arrival he announced, “I’m going to walk downstream and fish. You guys go upstream.” His intent was to find a little peace and solitude away from a pack of 14 year-old boys. Fifteen minutes later, he turns around and sees us in a line behind him, shadowing his every move. Where else would we be? He was catching all the fish.

Thanks for taking me fishing Dad. I wanted so badly to be as good an angler as you. I think the greatest fishing skill set you taught me was reading water and finding where the fish are. It’s come in pretty handy over the years.

Most of all, Happy Father’s Day.

Another generation of Cultons learning from old pro Paul.

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Wet Fly 101 class, articles, and guiding trips

Busy as usual, but I think there’s some fishing light at the end of the tunnel! Sulphurs, grass shrimp, Block Island sand eels, evening spinner falls, walking some snotty water swinging wets….these are all on my mind right now. And tying. I don’t know about you, but my fly boxes need some serious attention. But first…

Sunday, July 9, 9am-2pm, Wet Flies 101 class through Upcountry Sportfishing. This is both a stream side and an on-the-water class. It’s intended as a basic intro to wet fly fishing. Given our early season water levels, I think this will be a dynamite summer for wets on the Farmington. If you want to catch more fish, the art of the wet fly is a skill set you should have. Please note: you cannot sign up for this class here. You have to do it through UpCountry. For more information, click this link.

Taken on a soft-hackled March Brown on a hot August afternoon. The lengthwise opening of the net is 17″. As your GPS would say, “recalculating…”

20" brown on a soft-hackle

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I recently saw the galley proof for my summer smallmouth article. It’s titled, “Hot Bronze,” and you can read it in the August 2017 issue of Field & Stream. Multiple articles coming up in American Angler, too. And if you’re in charge of booking speakers for your club, some new presentations as well.

Finally, if you’re planning on doing a guide trip with me, its a good idea to get out the calendar and pick some date options. Summer is as time-space continuum-challenging for me as the school year, with multiple sports camps/tournaments for the boys and me mostly doing pickup/dropoff. For more information on my philosophy, rates, and contact info, click here.

And as always, thanks for reading currentseams.

 

 

All this damn work!

Last month, fellow Farmington River guide Mark Swenson shouted out to me across the river, “Don’t you ever work?!?”

The answer is yes, and if you’re wondering where all the fishing reports have gone, you can blame all this damn work I’ve got to do. I’m right in the middle of a huge (non-fishing) writing project, with another big one on the way. Then there’s yard work. ‘Tis the season, and I am so far behind my flower beds must be wondering what the hell is going on.

OK, I have been able to get out this month for a few late night striper forays (with mixed success). And I’m going to play hooky for a couple precious hours today. In the meantime, I hope you’re getting out. Let me know how you’ve been doing.

I just need a little time…we’re talking a pinch here…to go fishing.

Jack Torrance

Contest swag is on its way!

All good things to those who wait (and my apologies for the delay). The 500 followers contest winners are getting their flies shipped today. Coming to a mailbox soon near you:

Drew gets this section of early season bugs. Clockwise from 7 o’clock: SHBHPT, Hare and Copper variant, Frenchie variant, Squirrel and Ginger, Dark Hendrickson winged wet, Hendrickson spider. 

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Pete wins the classic North Country spiders, tied on light wire hooks with Pearsall’s Gossamer silks. Left cork: Winter Brown, Black Magic. Right cork, clockwise from 3 o’clock: Orange Partridge, Snipe and Purple, Grey Partridge, Poult Bloa.

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Greg gets this selection wet flies for the Farmington and Housasontic. Clockwise from noon: Pale Watery wingless (Magic Fly), Drowned Ant, Squirrel and Ginger, BWO spider, SHBHPT, Partridge and Light Cahill.

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Tight lines, gentlemen. And thanks to everyone for reading and following currentseams. Another 60 or so followers and we’ll do it again!

 

HFFA receives the Order of the Cheeseburger with IPA Clusters (and other ramblings)

Many thanks to the HFFA for hosting me tonight — and for understanding that a fed presenter is a happy presenter. Yummy burger, yummy beer, good company. On top of that, I was gifted some flies and a lovely La Aroma De Cuba El Jefe Corona Gorda. Thanks for your generosity. Thus endeth the 2016-2017 speaking season.

Speaking of flies, my apologies to the contest winners for the delay in getting your swag out to you. I have one more dozen to tie, then off they go. Your patience and understanding is appreciated.

The writing machine is humming along. Look for more stuff soon from yours truly in Field & Stream (summer smallies) and American Angler (streamers for trout). I’ll try to get some article reposts up on this site, too.

Looks like some swollen rivers this weekend. After last year’s drought disaster, I’ll take the surplus.

The Hous at 100cfs. You won’t be seeing any of those rocks this weekend.

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