Tag Archives: Farmington River guide

Farmington River book news: August 4 it is, pre-orders, and who wants to buy a signed copy directly from me?

The Fly Fishing Guide to the Farmington River is getting closer. I had my first conversation yesterday with my book publicist. (I’m going to let the fact that I have a book publicist go to my head for about 15 seconds — it feels good — and now I can get over it and move along.) We have a lot to talk about.

As was foretold by fearless forecaster Chuck G., the official release date is Tuesday, August 4. That’s about 4 months of wait time. If we keep busy fishing this spring and summer, it’ll be here before we know it.

There will be multiple ways for you to get a copy. The first is to pre-order from your favorite bookseller. (The publisher encourages pre-orders.) You can also inquire at your favorite fly shop to make sure they’re aware of the book release. I will be reaching out to several popular fly shops in the state to set up book signing/promo events. (Naturally, I’ll tell you about those here and on social media as they come to fruition.) If you attend the Fly Fishing Shows in Marlborough, Edison, and Lancaster, the book store at those shows will certainly be selling copies. If you’re taking a lesson from me, or having me speak at your club, I’ll try to always have a few copies with me.

Then, there’s this way, which is beginning to roughly take shape: get a copy directly from me, which I will personalize and sign and ship to you. The cost is TBD; the cover price is $39.95, plus I’ll have to add on shipping/materials cost. While I’m researching that, if you’re interested in going this route, please do this: Send me an email or reply to this thread saying that you’re planning on getting a personalized copy from me. I need to gauge the interest before I commit to this. Also, please note, if this happens, it will be a one-time situation deal. I have no desire to be an online merchant. Payment will likely be by cash, check, or P2P payment app like Venmo or PayPal. There may be a chance that I can get these copies out before the official release date, but don’t quote me on that. Sorry, no international orders — way too hard.

It’s all tremendously exciting. And I thank everyone for your patience and interest and readership.

The new official release date for the Farmington River book is…

August 2026. I know we were all hoping for June, but it is what it is. Believe me, I’m ready to have the Fly Fishing Guide to the Farmington River out right now, but I don’t get to make these decisions. So we’ll all have to be patient.

I do have a call scheduled tomorrow with the publicist, and if I learn anything new I will pass it on post haste. I’m still working on how to make a limited number of copies available on currentseams — the idea being to get you a personalized, signed copy of the book. I need to work out the numbers and then gauge interest. That’s all I have to share right now, other than Tom Petty being right (I you know, you know.)

I don’t know if it will be August 1, but I’ll try to find out tomorrow. Good thing we’ll have four months of prime fishing between now and then to keep us busy!

Lancaster Redux and no fishing today.

I should be out on the river today with two clients, but I could tell yesterday from the rising gauge heights and the rain yet to come, we’d be cancelling. So here we are today at currentseams.com headquarters. Aside from high water, I’m sure this cold front and wind isn’t doing the bite any favors. We’re looking at almost 1,800cfs in the PTMA. It feels really good not to be second guessing my decision.

Back from Lancaster, and it’s bittersweet now that show season is officially over for me. I still have three talks this spring — one this week at the Cape Cod Flyrodders — but I never realized how much I love doing the Fly Fishing Show until I thought about this being the last blast until IFTS in November. I’d never done the Lancaster Show before this year. Here’s what I can tell you. It has a very chill, comforting vibe. The people are pleasant and inquisitive and enthusiastic. It’s a small show, which adds to its charm. I can’t wait to do it again.

Saturday was typical busy for me at the FFS, with two talks and a class. The wild card this weekend was that my wife was with me. She planned to golf while I was doing my thing. At 10am Saturday, I made my way up from my tying table to the seminar room. That’s when I discovered that my laptop was missing. Rut-roh. It’s in the Jeep! Fortunately, I had the talk on a thumb drive, was able to borrow a laptop (thanks, Emily!) and get it configured with the projector (thanks, Frank!) and start just about on time. I can’t thank the show staff enough for coming to my rescue. I didn’t know what to expect, but I drew a great crowd for my 10:30am Modern Wet Fly Strategies talk. The post-talk Q&A was likewise excellent. Meantime, my wonderful wife came back to the show to drop off my laptop, which I had in time for my noon Farmington River talk. Another strong showing, so, as they say during a rock concert, “Thank you, Lancaster!”
Sunday was far more relaxed; I had only my tying table (a FFS first for me) and another noon Farmington talk. I took the time to put my money where my mouth is when it comes to learning. I had Lou DiGena show me how to tie his wonderful crayfish jig pattern, the CE (Close Enough) Crayfish. I had Fritz Miller demonstrate how he ties in bucktail to form a thin, veiled collar (Fritz also sells some exceptional bucktail). I asked Bart Lombardo about tying small poppers for smallmouth. The Fly Fishing Show remains a tremendous opportunity to watch and talk and ask questions and learn from the best.

And then, it was over. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat about wet flies. Thank you to the girl who was so excited to see a Snipe and Purple that she was jumping up and down (you made my weekend!). Thank you to Fritz Miller and Alan Rupp for being such swell tablemates. Thank you Heather Purvis for the fly. Thank you for the opportunity to talk and teach and share the wonderful sport of fly fishing. See you at the IFTS in November.

Steve Culton Lancaster Fly Fishing Show Schedule and class space still available!

Come one, come all to my debut appearance at the Lancaster, PA, Fly Fishing Show. I’m really looking forward to this, and as usual, I have a fairly tight schedule on Saturday, March 14. It starts with my 10:30am Seminar in the Release Room, Modern Wet Fly Strategies. At noon, I’m in Destination Theater Room E, presenting The Farmington River. And from 2:00pm-4:30pm, it’s Classes With The Experts: Tying & Fishing Wet Flies with Steve Culton. These classes are a tremendous opportunity to learn in a very favorable student:teacher ratio environment. Click HERE for more info or to register.

Sunday gives me a wee bit more breathing room. At 12 noon, I’m Destination Theater Room D, The Farmington River. And at this show, I’m be doing something I’ve never done at any Fly Fishing Show: tying at table on the main show floor. You’ll find me there both days when I’m not talking. Please come say hello!

Here’s a PDF of the above image:

Farmington River Report 3/9/26: “These two guys walk into a river….and nothing happens.”

It seems ridiculous to say — especially since I wrote the book — but yesterday was my first day in 2026 fishing the Farmington River. I was going to go last Friday, but I deemed it too cold, and decided to wait for more clement conditions. Turns out, the giddy sun and warmth had zero impact on the catching.

We (Farmington River guide Steve Hogan and I) decided to fish above Riverton based on two factors: the water would be warmest there (we took two readings and got 38.5 and 44(!) degrees), and it would be lowest and clearest due to it being above the Still River. As you can imagine, the false late spring weather drew crowds of anglers; I can’t remember the last time the Riverton town lot next to the bridge was jammed so full of vehicles. Nymphing was the game, and we hit multiple pockets and runs between the dam and the town. Parking wasn’t easy as there was still a substantial amount of snow lining Hogback Road.

I told Hogan that I grade myself when I’m fishing and not catching, and I gave me a B+/A-. I do this because If I’m not catching, I want to make sure that it’s not because I’m committing some fundamental error or missing strikes. Folks, I was on the bottom all day and I no longer have the flies to prove it. I dredged up several nice sticks. We saw midges and olives and couple other un-IDed bugs. What we didn’t see was a fish caught. Not us. Not anyone. But, better fishing is coming. A lot happens this month. We’re just three weeks away from April!

Early March is one of the toughest windows to fish on the Farmington. We gave it about 3 hours, then called it a day, which, given the sunshine and warmth and cigars, was not bad at all despite not having even a courtesy tap.

Steve Culton is officially a J.Stockard Pro Tyer!

I’ve been a long-time customer of the online fly tying supplier J.Stockard. As you know, I don’t endorse or represent anything that I’m not a big fan of, or enthusiastic user of, and that’s certainly the case with J.Stockard. In addition to being a customer, I’ve written a few articles for their site over the years, but this now means that I’ll be doing some more of that in the future. We’ll see what shape or form these contributions take; naturally, I’ll still be writing for my website! I’m honored to be a part of their Pro Tying Team — you’ll remember I recently joined the Regal Vise Pro-Staff — and I’ll do my best to represent well.

Now: this may seem like a wee bit of a dichotomy, because I’m also a firm advocate of the concept and practice of “support your local fly shop.” I happen to also be a long-time customer of UpCountry Sportfishing in New Hartford, not to mention the state’s two Orvis stores and the Compleat Angler in Darien. There’s also the new kid on the block, the Local Fly Company. My association with J.Stockard doesn’t change any of this, and I’ve been very upfront with J.Stockard on my thoughts about local fly shops. Can we all get along? I believe we can.

Either way, here I am.

FVTU Chapter awarded the Merit of the Cheeseburger with IPA clusters

What a treat to return to see my friends at the Farmington Valley TU Chapter last night. FVTU understands that a fed presenter is a happy presenter, and I relished my delicious burger, piled high with mushrooms and onions, washed down with a tasty Headway IPA draft. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you! The subject was “Wet Flies 2.0,” which takes a deeper dive into the subject. This group is filled with many dedicated, inquisitive anglers, and I particularly enjoyed the post-talk Q&A session. There was a palpable excitement in the room for the Farmington River book, and I’m planning on returning in the fall for a talk on the book and the river.

Photo courtesy of an unknown FVTU member. The meeting room at the Back Nine Tavern in New Britain is a terrific venue for presenting.

Stuff I Use: Renomed Flytier SuperCut Straight Scissors

This review is a layup. It’s not just that I love these scissors. It’s that they are, by far, the best fly tying scissors I’ve ever owned.

The two biggest problems with tying scissors are their price and their all-too-inevitable dullness. A double-edged sword, if you’ll pardon the expression, but they work fine until they don’t — and then you need to buy another pair. I used to use Brand X, which, out of my desire not to embarrass them, will remain nameless. It’s a popular brand name, and their scissors are generally available for between $20-$40. They’re nice and gleaming and sharp out of the pack, but before too long, you begin to notice that the blades just don’t have the edge that they used to. I’ve got about a dozen of these Brand X scissors littering the bottom of various receptacles in my basement, all long past their best use.

Enter Renomed. I’d seen other tiers using these scissors at the shows, and all parties had given rave reviews. Curious, I wandered over to the Renomed USA booth (this was at the Edison Fly Fishing Show) and introduced myself to Phillip, the owner. I asked him, what’s the deal with these scissors that everyone tells me are so fantastic? Less than 10 minutes later, I’m walking away with a new pair of scissors with their unique serrated blade and razor blade design.

That was a year ago. The blades still show no signs of wear. The scissors feel light in the hand, and move and operate with the kind of ergonomics you’d expect from a such a precision instrument. I like them so much that at this year’s Edison Show, I bought a larger pair, the FS8, to use for cutting deer hair and other synthetics.

The Flytier SuperCut Straight retails for $60. It’s worth every penny.

New Guide Rates for 2026

I was so busy with the book in 2025 that I kept my previous year’s rates in place. But, times change. Travel distances get longer, my cost of doing business goes up, inflation is a thing, and my altruism extends only so far. So, we’ve got new rates for 2026. Some things haven’t changed: I’m still a teaching guide; still guiding part-time only; still almost never guiding on weekends; you still need to call or email me to book a date. And — I can’t emphasize this enough — I’m strongly pushing the 4-hour lesson. Anything longer than that, and people begin to fall apart, so 4 hours is the best bang for your buck. I appreciate everyone who’s already booked time with me this year, and I’m looking forward to spending time with you on the water, and helping you improve your angling skills.

You can find my general guiding information page here, and my rates/trip checklist here.

Edison 2026 Redux

If it weren’t for the weather, this might have been the best show ever. But you don’t get to decide on such things, and when a once-in-a-decade snowstorm is thrown at you, you deal as best you can. But I come not to bury this year’s show (certainly not under 18″ of snow!) but rather, to praise it.

The Edison show is the largest fly fishing show on the east coast, and, perhaps, in the world. It has it all: vendors from rods and reels and gear and fly tying and books to guides and shops and lodges and fishing/destination travel. It’s got dozens of some of the best fly tyers in the world. If you want education, you’re in the right place: you can partake in presentations and seminars and demos and classes put on by some of the best anglers in the world. (If you want to be a rock star, you can’t hang out with Aerosmith for a few hours. If you want to become a better angler or tier, you can take a small class with George Daniel or Tim Flagler.)

Seminars! Getcher seminars here! What an honor to be included on a list with such fly fishing luminaries. All seminars are included in the price of your admission ticket. That’s a win for everyone. Classes require an additional fee, but it’s money very well spent — I get people telling me years after they’ve taken a class how much it improved their fishing. Thank you to everyone who took a class with me this year.

As a presenter, the Edison show is, for me, a multi-faceted journey into fun. I get to speak to (hopefully) large groups of people; that’s something I love to do. I get to reconnect with old and distant friends, and make new ones. I get to wander the show floor and discover all the fly fishing and tying items I didn’t know that I needed. I get to be a fanboy. And, I get to teach classes and turn other anglers on to new concepts that will help them catch more fish.

I did multiple talks on the Farmington River and was delighted by the size and enthusiasm of the crowds. The book is generating a lot of excitement, which seems to be growing exponentially. The Fly Fishing Guide to the Farmington River is at the printer, with a projected release date of June 2026. Stay tuned here for release details as they come in.
Fly fishing is serious business. Or not. A little pre-seminar festivity with Landon Mayer, Jason Randall, and Chuck Furimsky.
My annual pilgrimage to Wu’s Shanghai Dumpling in Edison. This is THE place for authentic Chinese dumplings and udon. I always make sure I get enough to take home. Not exactly low-cal dining, but oh-so-scrumptious.
My buddies Chris Steinbeck and Pat Dorsey from the Blue Quill Angler. The BQA booth is my safe haven in Edison; I can hang out between gigs, take a load off, and socialize with passers-by. If you’re going fishing in the Denver area, these are the people to see! I managed a little bit of shopping, coming away with four wet fly capes at a bargain price, and another pair of Renomed scissors. You’ll be hearing more about Renomed on this site soon, these scissors are, by far, the best I’ve ever used.

And then on Sunday, the snows came. But the show went on, as it always does. This year, I’m doing the Lancaster show, which is March 14-15. I’ll have a tying station. See you there!