I will be presenting “The Little Things” at the Russell Library, 123 Broad St., Middletown, CT, 06457, on Wednesday, May 1, 6pm-8pm. This is my original “The Little Things” program, so if you haven’t seen it here’s your chance. As usual, we’ll have a post-presentation Q&A, and if there’s time I may tie some flies. Hope to see you there!
The original. Then came LT 2.0. And now, I’m building “The Little Things 3.0.” It should be ready to go for the fall of 2019.
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My wet flies event at Legends on Saturday, March 23, is sold out. Thanks if you’re one of the attendees!
I want to give a big shout out to everyone who packed the room yesterday for my “Wet Flies 101” presentation at the CFFA Expo. How wonderful to see every seat filled, and SRO in the back. Excellent Q&A session afterwards, great job everyone! I saw plenty of old friends, and made some new ones. (Thanks to Henry, who’s all of 10 years old, for trading soft-hackles with me. Gonna get a big one on that fly.) I’m grateful to the CFFA for inviting me, and for that delicious lunch. If your fly fishing club is looking to book a speaker, my late winter thru spring is fairly open, as is the fall. You know where to find me.
A little break from Tyers’ Row. Gone wet fly fishin’ talkin’.
A busy first few weeks, kicking off with the Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, MA, and Edison, NJ. If you’re the person in charge of finding a speaker for your group, now’s the time to book for 2019.
Wet Flies 2.0. This seminar takes a deeper dive into the ancient and mystical art of wet fly fishing. This will be almost all new material, and a natural extension of the very popular “Wet Flies 101.” Friday, January 18, 2:30pm in the Catch Room.
On Saturday, January 19, 10am in Room A of the Destination Theater, I’ll be presenting Targeting Big Stripers From The Shore. Catching bigger bass on the fly while wading is always challenging, even more so in these tough striper times. Come find out some of my secrets.
Speaking of secrets, we wrap things up Sunday, January 20 10am in Room B of the Destination Theater with Lost Secrets of Legendary Anglers. How do iconic fly anglers consistently manage to catch all those fish? Shhh…it’s a secret.
Moving on to Edison, NJ: one day only, Friday, January 25, Wet Flies 2.0 Seminar, 3:15pm in the Catch Room.
The best little fly fishing show is the CFFA Expo, Saturday, February 2 at Maneely’s in South Windsor. I will once again be on tier’s row; I have a coaching commitment in the afternoon, so I’ll only be there from 9am-12:30pm.
Sal at Legends on the Farmington is planning a cool weekend fly fishing/tying event at his lodge, I believe in February. More details on that and my level of participation as they come in.
As always, please don’t hesitate to seek me out and say hello. I always like to meet fellow currentseamsers — or a large truttasuarus.
For me, the next best thing to actual fly fishing is talking about it. That might sound scandalous coming from a writer, but I do love my speaking engagements. I did more gigs in 2018 than any other year, logging thousands of miles in the process. Print and the web are great for reaching a global audience, but there’s something far more satisfying about being able to hear people laugh at your jokes or see the ah-hah! light go off. I have several new presentations in the works for 2019: Wet Flies 2.0 (a deeper dive into the ancient and mystical art of wet fly fishing), Targeting Big Stripers From The Shore (’nuff said), and Lost Secrets of Legendary Anglers. Oh! How could I forget? Another, as yet untitled, about tying and fishing flatwings. Fishing club social committees, you know where to find me.
One of the more rewarding aspects of being a part of the fishing-industrial complex is sharing experiences and information face-to-face with fellow flyfishers. I’m a national-level speaker who loves teaching, and that positive energy comes across in my highly entertaining and interactive presentations. I also do an audience Q&A session after each seminar. Some clubs like to invite their speaker out to dinner; I try to accommodate those requests whenever possible. Rates vary according to travel time and expenses. And of course, Zoom presentations are the perfect way for us to gather across the miles and time zones. To book an appearance, or for more information, please email me at swculton at yahoo.com, or call 860-918-0228. For references and testimonials, please see the comments section below.
CURRENT PRESENTATIONS
WET FLIES 2.0 (Updated Winter 2021)
Wet Flies 2.0 takes a deeper dive into wet flies and wet fly fishing. Starting with the essential wet fly tackle and toolbox, Wet Flies 2.0 explores topics like matching hatches with wet flies (from caddis to mayflies to midges to stoneflies to terrestrials); searching tactics with wet flies; presentation and rigging options to match conditions and situations; fishing wet flies as nymphs or dry flies; wet flies on small streams; and much more! If your group has not yet seen Wet Flies 101, I strongly recommend you start with that introductory presentation.
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WET FLIES 101
As the title suggests, Wet Flies 101 is my introductory presentation on wet fly fishing. Wet flies have been taking trout for centuries — and the fish aren’t getting any smarter. More and more anglers are discovering that a wet fly is often the best way to match a hatch. Explore the wonders of the wet fly as we cover basics like wet fly types, leader construction, where to fish wet flies, and how to fish them.
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THE LITTLE THINGS 1.0
The Little Things is a series of some of my most popular presentations. There are currently three The Little Things, each one different and loaded with priceless information that will up your catch rate in fresh or saltwater. This is the original seminar. They say that 10% of the anglers catch 90% of the fish. If that’s true, it’s not because those 10% are supernaturally gifted angling demigods. It’s not because they are lucky. It’s because they do a lot of little things that other anglers don’t. As a guide, I have the opportunity to observe how people fish. I see their mistakes as well as their triumphs. When I’m fishing, I am constantly making adjustments and trying new approaches. That’s what The Little Things is all about – seemingly insignificant practices that can make a big difference in your fishing.
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THE LITTLE THINGS 2.0
If you liked the original, you’re going to love the sequel. We’re all looking for an edge when it comes to catching more fish. It is my firm belief that the little things are largely responsible for the fabled 10% of the anglers who catch 90% of the fish. The Little Things 2.0 builds on the theme of seemingly insignificant things you can do make your time on the water more productive. As with all seminars in this series, the lessons apply to multiple species fly fishing in fresh or saltwater.
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THE LITTLE THINGS 3.0
The Little Things 3.0: In this third installment, we cover more of the seemingly insignificant things that can have a huge impact on your catch rate. This is all new material, geared for both veteran and rookie fly anglers, covering fresh and saltwater, and popular species from trout to stripers to steelhead to smallmouth and more. Pay attention to the little things, and you may become one of the 10% who catches 90% of the fish.
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TROUT FISHING FOR STRIPED BASS
Anyone can catch aggressive, willing-to-chase striped bass. But what about the stripers that are holding on station, feeding on a specific bait? What about the larger bass — those that are measured in pounds instead of inches — that are not willing to chase a stripped fly? Many of the answers can be found within traditional trout and salmon tactics. Trout Fishing For Striped Bass reveals that stripers behave very much like trout. By taking a more analytic approach to striper fishing, matching flies to bait, and harnessing the power of the floating line, anglers can present flies like the naturals the stripers are feeding on — and begin to catch the striped bass that everyone can’t.
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THE WEST BRANCH OF THE FARMINGTON RIVER
Updated in Fall 2019 with new video, photos, and content. Those who live in or near southern New England are fortunate to be close to one of the finest trout streams on the east coast. The secret is out — this is blue ribbon trout water. There’s something for everyone on the Farmington: Classic dry fly pools. Mysterious pockets for nymphing. Spirited runs for swinging wets and deep holes for drifting streamers. A classic tailwater, the Farmington fishes well year round, and offers anglers an opportunity to catch stocked as well as holdover and stream-born wild trout.
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THE EASTERN BROOK TROUT
The only trout that is native to most of the eastern U.S., the brook trout — technically a char — has inspired generations of anglers with its stunning colors, aggressive nature, and often lovely habitat. The Eastern Brook Trout gives an overview of the species, its habitat and habits, and then the basics of small stream wild brookie fishing — from tackle to presentations to where to find brook trout water. Eastern brook trout populations continue to decline, and the more you know about these precious jewels, the better an environmental steward you’ll be.
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