A wee video sampler of flat wing streamers for striped bass, also part of my new presentation, “Trout Fishing for Striped Bass.”
Tag Archives: Steve Culton
The Fly Casters of Boston awarded the Legion of Oysters
Many thanks the The Fly Casters of Boston for their hospitality. These gentlemen do it up wonderfully right. The Union Club is a traditional, comfortable venue, and the spread — oh, my! Let’s start with the oysters. I would drive back to Boston tonight for those cold, briny, succulent morsels. Dinner was pheasant, which I’d never had before last night — also pushing the delicious border into sublime. Most of all, the people: a dedicated group of passionate fly fishers who made me feel welcome and at home the entire meeting. Did I mention the presentation was “The Little Things?” That was fun, too.
Sunset over the Common. I can tell you that wine glass eventually got filled. (And joyously emptied.)
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Next week: “Trout Fishing for Striped Bass” at the Cape Cod Fly Rodders, Thursday, October 19, Hearth and Kettle, Rt 28, Yarmouth, MA, 6:30pm. This is a members only club presentation.
November: “The Little Things” at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum’s Arts of the Angler show, Ethan Allan Inn, Danbury, CT, Sunday, November 5 at 10:30. A great little fly fishing show. Hope to see you there!
Some striped bass soft hackles for your viewing pleasure
This is a short video sampler of soft-hackled flies for striped bass. It’s going to be part of my new presentation, “Trout Fishing for Striped Bass.”
Thank you, Connecticut Surfcasters!
Many thanks to this swell group of dedicated anglers. I think we all had a fun time. It was good to reconnect with some familiar faces, and of course, to meet some new ones. I have to admit I was a little nervous about how a fly fishing-based talk would go over with a largely spinning crowd, but you all made my job a pleasant and easy one. Plus, I got to treat myself to a delicious fried scallop dinner at Lenny & Joe’s.
Farmington River Report 10/3/17: On the edge of fishable
Once again, they’ve lowered the flow from the dam, giving us (with the help of the Still River) 75cfs in the permanent TMA. The water is plenty cold and the trout are still there, but it makes for some challenging fishing. David was up to the task, and we attacked multiple locations above and within the PTMA. While we found fish and had a few bumps, we were unable to bring any trout to net. David did a great job keeping up his enthusiasm — perseverance is a powerful asset when the fishing is tough. Short line and indicator nymphing were the methods. We saw a fairly strong caddis hatch above the PTMA at 10am. Most of the risers we witnessed came in the afternoon. The river was mobbed for a Tuesday afternoon in October — surprising given the conditions.
David fighting the good fight. We had a momentary rush of glory in this run in about a foot-and-a-half of water.
“The Little Things” at the Arts of the Angler show November 5
I will be presenting “The Little Things” at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum’s Arts of the Angler show, Ethan Allan Inn, Danbury, CT, Sunday, November 5 at 10:30. Unfortunately, due to prior commitments, I don’t think I’ll be able to tie this year. But I hope to see you in the presentation room. If you’ve never been, this is a terrific little show and event, with tyers and vendors and even a few good speakers. For more information, visit the cffcm website.
A reminder that I will also be presenting “The Little Things” at the October 4 — that’s Wednesday night — meeting of the Connecticut Surfcaster Association at the Surf Club in Madison, CT. The meeting starts at 7pm and is open to the public. For more information, visit the Surfcasters’ website.
If you want to catch more fish, pay attention to the little things. Cam and Gordo get a knot tying lesson from the man who taught me.
Conn-RI Coastal Fly Fishers awarded the Order of Cheeseburger Merit with Oktoberfest Clusters
Many thanks to the Conn/RI Coastal Fly Fishers for hosting me last night, and for recognizing that a fed presenter is a happy presenter. Burger and lager and company were all most excellent, and I thoroughly enjoyed our spirited Q&A session.
Next up: “The Little Things” at the October 4 meeting of the Connecticut Surfcasters Association at the Surf Club in Madison, CT. The meeting starts at 7pm and is open to the public. For more information, visit the Surfcasters’ website.
All this talk of surf and coastal and fly fishing has me daydreaming of Block Island stripers….
Farmington River Report 9/26/17: low and deep
I guided Ira and Dan yesterday. Hot, sunny, low flows (105 cfs above the permanent TMA), but the water was plenty cold. We spent the first half of the trip sifting through the pockets and seams of a 200 yard-long boulder field with a team of wets. After my success doing likewise on Monday, I was surprised that we didn’t get a touch. I was demoing a short line deep presentation in a deeper run when hook point connected with salmonid mouth. Armed with that new intel, we headed downstream and re-rigged for nymphing.
And that proved to be the difference between fishing and catching. We found fish in the hot water at the head of the run and just below in the front end. Both Dan and Ira proved themselves to be capable, thoughtful anglers, and it was rewarding to see their persistence pay off. The method was short line, no indicator, drop shot.
Ira probing current seams in the boulder field.
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A ray of light. Our first fish was this fine native, taken on a size 14 Frenchie variant.
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Dan being the man. He hooked a bunch of trout in this medium-sized pocket.
Farmington River mini-report 9/25/17
A quick dash to the lower river to see if anyone was home. Water was low, 175cfs, about half of what it normally is this time of year, and felt like it was in the 60s. (Brief editorial: I must confess the logic behind water releases from the dam often escapes me. If periods of drought are the new norm, and September and October are traditionally low water periods, why run 300+cfs from the dam from April through July? Would we have more water now if they only ran 250 or even 200cfs all those months? What am I missing here?)
To the fishing: I swung wets in two runs for about 15 minutes each and came up with two customers, a nice 11″ wild brown and a much bigger, recently stocked rainbow. Both fish took the top dropper, a Squirrel and Ginger caddis. Lots of bug activity (caddis, midges) but nothing rising to it.
A surprise guest, Steve Culton (at the Conn/RI Coastal Fly Fishers Thursday 9/28)
At the gigs just keep on coming! I’m a last minute replacement speaker for next Thursday night, September 28, at the Connecticut/Rhode Island Coastal Fly Fishers meeting. The presentation will be “The Little Things,” and it’s at the Elks Club in Groton, CT. You can get more information from their website. Hope to see you there — and man, do I need to get out out and do some fishing.
Time to tie up some September Nights! It’s a two-feather flatwing (three if you count the topping) with some sexy, soft marabou into the bargain. My favorite mullet fly. Did I mention it also works on trout? Do an internet search for the recipe.
currentseams.com 