Tag Archives: Marlborough Fly Fishing Show 2025

“Matching the Hatch with Wet Flies” tying menu from Marlborough 1/17/25

This is the tying menu for my Featured Tier presentation at the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show, Friday, January 17, 2025. PDF format. Thanks for watching!

Steve Culton Schedule for the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show, January 17-18-19

Several of you have asked, and here you go! I’ve included a jpeg and a PDF for you to print out. I’m hoping for another strong turnout from Currentseams followers, so please find me and say hello! PLEASE NOTE: I have the wrong time for my Sunday Classes with the Experts. The correct start time is 8:30am.

Two Wet Fly Tying Demos from Steve Culton at the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show

I’m so honored to have the opportunity to twice be the Featured Fly Tier at the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show next weekend, Jan 17-18-19. I’ve added new content to one program, and the other program is entirely new. All Featured Fly Tier demos take place on the main show floor.

Up first is “Matching The Hatch With Wet Flies,” Friday, Jan 17 at 2:30pm. I debuted this presentation last November at the International Fly Tying Symposium. Since then, I’ve added some more specific visual reference about the characteristics of the hatches I’ll be covering, which I think takes the program up another level.

Not bad company. There’s a lot of talent on this list!

On Saturday, January 18 at 11:30am, “Farmington River Favorites” will have its premier performance — and you can be there when it happens! This program will cover at least one pattern from each of the four major fly groups: nymph, wet, dry, and streamer. If time permits, I’ll throw in a bonus fly. These are all proven producers for me on the Farmington, and of course they’ll also work on any river in the northeast.

Tying the old favorite Squirrel and Ginger last year. Come see me this year, where I’ll be tying some new patterns that belong in your box.

Marlborough Classes: Tying & Fishing Wet Flies, Saturday January 18; Beyond Cast & Strip: Presentation Flies for Stripers, Sunday January 19.

Once again, I’ll be leading two “Classes With The Experts” at the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show next weekend. This is a great opportunity for you to book some time with me for far less than the cost of a guided trip. Both classes are designed to duplicate a teaching session on the water. Here are some details.

Tying & Fishing Wet Flies. Saturday, January 18, 2:00-4:30PM. What you’ll learn: When, where and how to fish wet flies; how to tie classic spiders, soft hackles, winged and wingless wets (I will demo these patterns and discuss materials); leader construction and how to build a team of three wet flies; matching the hatch and fly selection; plus more. Did I mention having fun?

Wet flies have been fooling trout for centuries, and the fish aren’t getting any smarter. This lovely wild Farmington River brown savaged an Isonychia soft hackle on a steamy August late afternoon.

Beyond Cast & Strip: Presentation Flies For Stripers. Sunday, January 18, 8:30-11:00AM. What You’ll Learn: How to catch the stripers that other anglers can’t; why cast-and-strip presentations are ultimately limiting; how to target and catch bigger bass on a consistent basis; how to tie classic New England-style sparse flies like bucktails, soft-hackles, and flatwings (I will demo such patterns and discuss materials); the presentations that bring your fly to the fish; and more!

Being able to repeatedly catch big bass like this on the fly from shore is no accident. Take this class, and I’ll reveal my secrets of how I do it.

To register for these classes, you must go to the Fly Fishing Show website. See you there!

Currentseams Best of 2024: #7-#5

#7: Steelheading in PA. You can get spoiled pretty quickly on the Erie tribs. Not the case this year. A parching autumn drought kept the creeks at a trickle, and what did come up from the lake was skittish and in constant state of high alert. I fished Elk Creek in November with guide extraordinaire Bob Packey and solo. The water was comically low, and I saw more raptors in the trees than anglers on the water. I felt like King of the Creek with nine on the first day. Then, the heavens opened up and it poured. Too much of a good thing, for the next day the creek was the color of tea and milk and loaded with leaves. That was my first blank on Erie tribs ever. I returned in December with my middle son, and seeing as you just read about that a few days ago, I won’t make you do it again. Unless you want to, and in that case you can find it here. The point is: even when the fishing is at its worst, Erie tribs are frequently better than anywhere else.

As with small streams, it would be safe to say that I am addicted to steelheading — although the steelheading affliction is probably far worse.

#6: Featured Fly Tier at the International Fly Tying Symposium. This was my third year doing IFTS, but my first as Featured Fly Tier. I went on after Bob Clouser (what a tremendously nice guy!) and I think I crushed it. The subject was “Matching the Hatch with Wet Flies,” and you can see me do it again at the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show next month on Friday, Jan 17 at 2:30pm.

In addition to being featured tier, I really enjoyed seeing so many old friends, and making new ones. Plus all the tying swag that’s available, some of which I bought. Plus the chance to watch and learn from the industry’s best. You can do the same at the Fly Fishing Shows this January — see you there!

#5: Speaking at the Shows and to Fly Fishing Clubs. It was a busy speaking season for me. I did my usual full boat of talks at the shows, but I also spoke to eight different groups this year, both in-person and via zoom. Speaking/teaching/presenting is a true love of mine, and I hope that if you’re in the audience, you see that in my delivery. If you’re in charge of booking speakers for your group, you know where to find me!

What a treat to make a return to the FRAA in January. I hadn’t been in a while, and I must say that holding the meetings at Brewery Legitimus is a most excellent idea.

Steve Culton Schedule for the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show, Jan 17-18-19

It’s just a month away! The 2025 Marlborough Fly Fishing Show will be held Friday, January 17 though Sunday, January 19. I’ll be there all three days, along with some of the best and brightest in the fly fishing world. This is a great opportunity to up your skills, meet some exceptional anglers, and have a plain old great time. From demos to talks to classes, I’ve got a busy schedule:

Friday, January 17, 11am, Destination Theater Room A: The Farmington River: Southern New England’s Blue Ribbon Trout Stream. In addition to the river, I’ll also be talking about my upcoming book on the Farmington River.

What a fantastic resource, right here in our back yard. Oh! There’s this new guide book coming out, too…

Friday, January 17, 2:30pm, Featured Tier: Matching the Hatch with Wet Flies. Come see me on the main show floor as I talk about matching specific wet flies to popular hatches — then show you how I tie the fly. These patterns are all consistent producers that should be in your box.

If you aren’t familiar with the singularly awesome power of this wet fly, you should come get acquainted.

Friday, January 17, 4:30pm, Seminar (Release Room): Wet Flies: Fishing Under the Hatch. A new look at fishing wet flies and soft hackles. If you’ve ever wanted to be that person who is catching all the fish, come to this seminar. There are times when wet flies will dramatically out-fish any other style, and the angler who understands the hatches — and how to match them — will be handsomely rewarded.

Saturday, January 18, 10am, Destination Theater Room A: The Farmington River: Southern New England’s Blue Ribbon Trout Stream. In case you can’t make it Friday, a repeat performance. In addition to the river, I’ll also be talking about my upcoming book on the Farmington River.

Saturday, January 18, 11:30am, Featured Tier: Farmington River Favorites. Come see me on the main show floor as I talk about and tie some of my favorite Farmington River guide flies. My secret weapons revealed!

This lovely wild brown ate one of the flies I’m going to demo. You should have it in your box.

Saturday, January 18, 2pm – 4:30m, Class: Tying and Fishing Wet Flies with Steve Culton:  This is the next best thing to a lesson on the water! You too can become a dangerous wet fly machine. While not a tying class, I will demo tying classic North Country spiders, winged, and wingless wet flies that trout can’t resist, and show you how to rig and fish them. The course also covers basics like leader construction, matching the hatch, fly selection, where to fish wet flies, and how to fish them. All levels. Click HERE for more info and to register.

Sunday, January 19, 8:30am – 11am, Class: Beyond Cast & Strip: Presentation Flies for Striped Bass. Have you ever wanted to catch bigger stripers on a consistent basis — or the stripers that no one else seems able to catch? This class is for you! It covers traditional New England-style bucktails, soft-hackles, and flatwings, and how to fish them. These are sparse flies that look alive even when at rest and creat the illusion of life. While not a tying class, I will demo some patterns. All Levels. Click HERE for more info and to register.

Being able to repeatedly catch big bass on the fly from shore is no accident. Come to this class and I’ll show you how I do it.

Sunday, January 19, 3pm, Destination Theater Room A: Wet Flies 101. If you’re not fishing wet flies, you’re missing out. This is an intro to the ancient and traditional art of subsurface fly fishing with wets and soft hackles.

As usual, I’m counting on the currentseams crew to make a strong turnout. See you there, and please come say hello.

‘Tis the season! Give the gift of a class or guided trip

I don’t usually make posts like this. But if people want to know what to get you for the holidays, and you’re struggling with gift ideas, here are two suggestions.

Book a guide trip with me for 2025. There’s no real gift certificate, but there is the promise that we’ll go out fishing for four hours next year. Your gift giver pays now, but it’s at my 2024 rate (rates usually go up every few years). I build a 20% gratuity into the price, so all you have to do is show up with your gear on a mutually-agreed-upon date and time and we have at it. If you’re interested in wet flies, we’re looking at a May-Juneish window. Because of the book writing process, I will be limiting my guide trips in 2025, so this is a great way to lock in. Easy-squeezy…

Insert your likeness here.

Take a “Classes With The Experts” with me at the Fly Marlborough Fishing Show. With this, you get almost instant gratification. Two choices: Saturday, January 18, 2pm-4:30pm, Tying and Fishing Wet Flies with Steve Culton:  Watch Steve tie classic North Country spiders, winged, and wingless wet flies that trout can’t resist, and learn how to rig and fish them. The course also covers basics like leader construction, matching the hatch, fly selection, where to fish wet flies, and how to fish them. All levels.

Or, Sunday, January 19, 8:30am-11am, Beyond Cast & Strip – Presentation Flies for Stripers with Steve Culton:  Learn how to tie (Steve will demo) presentation flies – traditional New England-style flies that create the illusion of life even when at rest – and how and where to present them. All Levels.

For the Fly Fishing Show classes, you cannot register and pre-pay through me. You do that on the Fly Fishing Show Site, which is here.

I’m hoping to be offering the same for Edison on January 24-26, but that schedule has not been released. Stay tuned for my full Marlborough and Edison schedules.