Steve Culton’s Iso Soft Hackle featured in On The Water’s “Guide Flies” column

Jun6

What’s this? Two posts in one week? Yessir, campers! As promised, we are trying to return to a regular posting schedule on currentseams.com. I want to thank everyone for their patience and loyalty over the past year. Let’s get to it.

The Iso Soft Hackle is a wet fly I prototyped several years ago. Then, I test it on the river for months or years to prove its worthiness before I pass it along to you. This is an outstanding pattern (he said, modestly). The past two summers, it has accounted for some of my biggest trout taken on wet flies. It’s easy to tie, and the materials are readily available. Here’s the fly and the recipe as outlined by Tony Lolli in his outstanding Guide Flies column from On The Water. So what are you waiting for? Get to the vise. It’s Iso time!

A jpeg and pdf for your viewing pleasure.

Farmington River Report 5/20 & 5/21/24: Creating another Dangerous Wet Fly Machine

May23

I guided Doug on Monday and Tuesday, and the results were fascinating. (At least they were to me.) Doug, who’s from northern Michigan, drove all the way to Connecticut for a wet fly lesson after hearing me talk about wet flies with Tom Rosenbauer on the Orvis podcast. We fished within the PTMA on Monday, and conditions were pretty spiffy: 330cfs, clear, cold, and a good caddis hatch, mostly tan, sz 16-20. The problem was uncooperative fish. We had a few risers to target, but nothing was coming up consistently. It was a struggle to put a couple in the hoop. Like many anglers new to the way of the wet fly, Doug needed some time to adjust to the casting, the mending and presentation, and waiting for the fish to do the hook setting.

**Day one: Doug scores a lovely Farmington wild brown, taken on a BHSH Hendrickson, sz 12. He went out after our lesson and stuck a few more fish. Little did we know he was just warming up for Tuesday.**

We fished the same time frame on Tuesday, 11am-3pm, only this time we headed to the lower river. 565cfs, clear, 55 degree water and glorious 80 degree sunshine. We focused on dialing in his presentation, covering water, and targeting fishy areas in some classic pocket water. What a difference a day makes! Doug stuck nine and landed eight. It was really cool to see him gaining confidence and making so many eat-worthy drifts. Fantastic job, Doug, and he scored a Farmington Hat Trick with browns, rainbows, and a brookie to hand.

From the Archives: Soft Hackles and Wet Flies on The Orvis Podcast with Tom Rosenbauer

Apr30

This one’s only about a year old, but in case you missed it, it’s certainly a must-listen — especially if you like to swing wets, if you’re considering learning how to do so, or even if you need a refresher course. Here’s the link to the original post, and within that you’ll find a link to the podcast. Enjoy, and beware: you’re about to start catching more fish.

**You should be fishing this pattern, the Dark Hendrickson winged wet, right now.**

From the Archives: W.C. Stewart’s Spiders

Mar11

I received a message last week from a fan of Stewart’s Spiders. He was delighted to find them so lovingly rendered on this site by yours truly, so I thought it might be a good time and place to revisit them. (Yup, I’m still encumbered with house stuff and other projects.) If you haven’t seen them, you’ll like. This is simplicity, elegance, and deadly rolled into a single pattern format. Here’s the article link.

**Midge or stonefly or caddis, anyone?**

Another Marlborough Fly Fishing Show in the books!

Jan8

The road warrior is back home after a splendid weekend at the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show. No time today for an in-depth report, but that will come later this week. In the meantime: Thanks for coming to see me. Thanks for all your kind words. And I’ll see some of you in Edison in three weeks!

**Tying up a Squirrel and Ginger soft hackle as a Featured Fly Tier Friday afternoon. Thanks to Steve M for the photo.**

Soft Hackles at the Yale University Fishing Club

Feb14

Class was in session last night on the historic Yale University campus. Only instead of pencils and books, there were vises and hooks. And pizza. What would a little Monday night fly tying be without pizza? Anyway, I did two tying sessions with the members of the Yale Fishing Club. We started each one with an abbreviated version of my seminar, “Wet Flies 101.” And then, we hit the vises and tied a simple soft hackle in the traditional North Country Spider format. Some of the members had only rudimentary tying skills, but we made it a no-fail, no-worry zone, and I think everyone had a swell time. I know the instructor did!