FRAA Awarded the Order of Loaded Pizza (with NE-Style DIPA Clusters) and the Question of the Day

Jan19

Many thanks to the Farmington River Anglers Association for hosting me Wednesday night. I presented to an enthusiastic crowd of two dozen anglers at Brewery Legitimus in New Hartford. I very much enjoyed the pre-talk pizza, and it’s pure genius to hold meetings at a craft brewery. The subject was tying and fishing wet flies and soft hackles, highly appropriate since the Farmington is a fantastic wet fly resource. We followed up with a lengthy Q&A session that was loaded with some outstanding questions. Here’s one that I think will resonate. Q: How and when to you add weight to your wet fly rig? A: (click here for my article, “Adding weight to a wet fly team.”

A surprise guest, Steve Culton, at the FRAA this Wednesday Night!

Jan15

This Wednesday night, 1/17/24, I will be speaking at the FRAA meeting at Brewery Legitimus in New Hartford, 7pm. The talk will be “Tying & Fishing Wet Flies.” This is a good one, folks, and if you’re not already tying and fishing wet flies, you’re really missing out. If you are, I bet you’ll learn some stuff you didn’t know before. The meeting is open to the public, and of course, what a treat that it’s at a craft brewery!

The timing on this is serendipitous as I’m feeling much better (as of Sunday noon I was no longer contagious). The FRAA’s scheduled speaker had to cancel, they asked me to fill in, and here we go. I haven’t spoken to the FRAA in very long time, so I’m looking forward to presenting. This is my only (as of now) scheduled local speaking event this winter, so I hope to see you there!

Come find out why this fly is a must-have in your Farmington River box. I know, I still you owe you a Marlborough report. And the Edison show is coming up in less than two weeks! I’ll get all of this information out to you ASAP.

Landon Mayer at FRAA this Wednesday, Jan 22, 7pm.

Jan20

I’ll be giving you the story on the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show soon, but right now let’s talk about Landon Mayer, author of The Hunt for Giant Trout (book review here.)

From the UpCountry website: “Landon Mayer, maybe the top sight fishing trophy trout guide in the country, is doing a FREE presentation on catching trophy trout. It’s open to the public and will take place at the upcoming FRAA 7pm meeting this month on Wednesday, Jan 22nd at the Farmington Senior Center in Unionville (321 New Britain Ave, Unionville, CT 06085). His latest/4th book is “The Hunt for Giant Trout”, and there will be copies of it for sale at the meeting and you can get them autographed. All are welcome to attend, and what you will learn is 100% relevant to the Farmington River as Landon spends most of his time fishing pressured tailwater fisheries in Colorado targetting above average trout. He has also ventured out East to fish Great Lakes tributaries for giant fall Lake Run Browns & Steelhead, and he has fished central PA for trout too. There will be plenty of opportunity for Q&A with Landon at this event.”

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Matt Supinski at FRAA Wednesday, January 23, 7pm

Jan22

Come see my friend Matt Supinski speak at the FRAA meeting tomorrow night, Wednesday January 23, 7pm, at the Farmington Senior Center, 321 New Britain Avenue, Unionville, CT. His presentation is Into the Mind of a Brown Trout, and it dovetails nicely with his new book, The Brown Trout Atlantic Salmon Nexus. Matt is a fun and engaging speaker, not to mention he knows how to fly fish — and then some! The meeting is FREE and open to everyone.

The official event poster.

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Thanks to the FRAA for hosting me

Nov19

You’re never sure how a new fly fishing presentation will play out, but the feedback is in and the final tally is, “The Little Things” does not suck.

Many thanks to the FRAA for hosting me. There were a lot of familiar faces, and it’s always nice to not be the youngest person in the room. And thanks for so many post-presentaion questions. Speakers like lots of questions. Except maybe if you’re President Nixon during a Watergate-era press conference.

“The Little Things” matter in fly fishing. I caught this brown this summer in the shallows just a few feet off the bank as darkness fell.

Presenting “The Little Things” at the FRAA Meeting, Wednesday, November 19

Nov15

IF YOU WANT TO CATCH MORE FISH, PAY ATTENTION TO the little things. That’s the title of my newest presentation, and I’ll be delivering it this upcoming Wednesday, November 19 at the FRAA monthly meeting.

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 minor factors that can make a big difference in your fishing.

The meeting starts at 7pm, and it’s held at the Farmington Senior Center, 321 New Britain Avenue, Unionville, CT. For more information, visit fraa.org. Hope to see you there.

Many thanks to the FRAA for hosting me tonight

Oct16

Tonight I presented my “Wet Flies 101” program to the Farmington River Anglers’ Association. Good crowd, plenty of familiar faces, and many engaging questions. I hope everyone who attended had as much fun as I did. Thanks again.

“Wet Fly 101” at the October FRAA meeting

Aug22

I’ll be the featured speaker at the Farmington River Anglers Association meeting, Wednesday, October 16, 7pm in Unionville, CT. My presentation will be Wet Fly 101, a basic overview of wet flies and wet fly fishing. Wet flies have been taking trout for centuries, and the fish haven’t gotten any smarter. If you can’t make the September Hammonasset presentation, hope to see you at this one. You can learn more about the FRAA at their website, fraa.org. As always, If you’re interested in having me speak at your club meetings, you can contact me through this site.

A Hackled March Brown