Tag Archives: Steve Culton

Take my class, “Beyond Cast & Strip — Presentation Flies for Stripers with Steve Culton” at the Edison Fly Fishing Show, Friday, Jan 26, 2pm-4:30pm

New year, new kind of class at the Fly Fishing Show in Edison, NJ. Rather than a tying class, it’s now the closest thing we can get to an actual lesson in the salt! I’m really excited about the change, and everyone who attended my class in Marlborough gave it rave reviews. So, instead of spending a few hours on a salt marsh or estuary, we’ll gather in a cozy meeting room and learn all about tying and fishing presentation flies for striped bass. If you’ve ever wanted to fish with me, but have been unable to do so, this will be a great opportunity to get some quality instruction.

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Jeff took this class at Edison last year. Here’s what he’s been doing since then! Photo by Jeff Carson.

What are presentation flies? They’re flies that rely on specific materials — mostly natural — specific construction — mostly sparse — and specific presentations — to create the illusion of life. Presentation flies are highly impressionistic. They look alive and like something good to eat, even when at rest. Most of all, you don’t need to strip them in, ad nauseum, to get stripers to eat them. In this class, I’ll talk about materials and construction and, if the group wants, demo at least one pattern.

So, how and where do you fish such patterns? We’ll cover that, too. I’ll show you how to build a saltwater team of three flies; we’ll discuss different bait and feeding scenarios; we’ll talk about the different kinds of water where presentation flies shine; and of course, we’ll dive into presentation — you know, that thing you do when you’re not treating your fly rod like a glorified spinning rod.

You must pre-register for this class. You can do that here.

Bigger bass don’t like to chase. The key is to bring the fly to them — and you can learn how in this class.

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

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.

A thin blue line and and a thin pink line, or: I just tested positive for COVID

I most certainly picked this up in Marlborough this weekend, either at the show or at a restaurant. And I’m fully vaxxed and did plenty of masking. They say this current strain is particularly virulent, and so here I am in bed. My symptoms first appeared yesterday and steadily worsened today. If you took one of my classes or attended one of my talks, and were in close proximity for an extended period, I wanted to let you know. I hope everybody is feeling well, and I hope to kick this thing’s butt by NFL playoff Saturday!

This just in from the CDC: You cannot get COVID from kissing a steelhead.

Another Marlborough Fly Fishing Show in the books!

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.

Steve Culton Schedule for Marlborough Fly Fishing Show (this weekend!)

It’s going to be a fun and busy weekend January 5-6-7 at the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show. As you can see, I’ve got a full boat of talks, classes, and tying demos. Here’s a PDF:

And here’s a jpeg in case you can’t see the pdf:

I’m hoping for a strong turnout from you, my readers. And may I add a not-so-subtle plug: classes are a fantastic way to improve your fly fishing game. These are structured as if we’re doing a lesson on the water, only we have the benefits of video and protection from the elements, and they’re a fraction of the cost. You can register for a class here.

And as always, please come say hello!

Currentseams Best of 2023 #1: Landing Steelhead Number 200

When I was a kid, I counted every fish. That continued for a few decades, along with a resurgence when I started fly fishing. Numbers was how I measured success.

As I’ve gotten older and more experienced, I find the energy has drifted away from “how many? and moved toward other questions. Were the people nice? Were there any people at all? Did I enjoy myself? Did I fish well? I think on a subconscious level, I still track numbers. Everyone likes catching a lot of fish, right? In the case of a dwindling supply of stripers, numbers tell a story outside of personal pride. But if it’s just about numbers, sooner or later you’ll be disappointed. If there is a state of Nirvana to be reached in fly fishing, surely it cannot be connected to volume.

Steelhead are different.

They can be maddeningly difficult to hook and land. One day they’re eating, the next day they’re not. You can do everything right during a battle and lose the fish (and that may be your only hookup of the day). The conditions under which you fish for them can be downright unpleasant, if not brutal. And, more often than not, you’re jockeying for position and territory, first finding it, then maintaining it, something that I do not enjoy.

It took me 40 hours of fishing time to land my first steelhead. Then it took me about 13 years to land the next 99. Astonishingly — at least to me — it took me just 2 and 1/2 years to get to 200.

Part of it was good fortune — being able to find and fish water that held a lot of willing steelhead. Part of it was a renewed commitment to steelheading, due to some very good runs in recent years. Part of it was branching out to new waters. A lot of it was newfound skill and acumen and careful observation and study, thanks to guide friends Bob Packey and Row Jimmy, who present a master course in steelhead fishing every time I head out with them. Gentlemen, I have learned so much from you!

And so, dear reader, you’ll forgive me for counting each and every steelhead. In fact, I hope you’ll celebrate along with me. 200 in the hoop!

“He gave her three kisses and great was the smack.” — nearly the lyrics from an old folk song. Number 200, the second fish of the morning, gets the now traditional buss. It felt good to get it done early. How could I know there would be 19 more to come that day? What an embarrassment of riches!

~

On that grey, damp day, the steelhead ranged from dime-bright freshies from the lake…
…to the darkest horse I believe I’ve ever seen, courtesy of Cam. What a fantastic job he did. For someone who doesn’t fly fish all that much, he turned in an impressive performance. Yup, we’re as happy as we look. The number sits today at 219. And April is coming.

Many thanks to you, my readers, for subscribing, reading, asking questions, and, most of all, for your support, kind words, and enthusiasm. I wish you a happy and prosperous new year, and the tightest of lines in 2024.

Currentseams Best of 2023: #4-#2

#4: Wesley’s First Trout on the Fly. Helping someone learn how to catch more fish is the non-monetary reward for being a guide. Helping someone catch their first trout on the fly, doubly so. But when it’s an eight-year-old kid doing it in front of his father, well, that’s something special. Wesley, who just about came up to my chest, was an unsure wader, and who can blame him on a big river like the Farmington? But once he found his “happy feet” place, he took direction supremely well, especially the part — we were indicator nymphing — about looking for a reason to set the hook on every drift. Suddenly, it wasn’t the bottom, and next thing you know, the rainbow is in the hoop. Fantastic job, Wesley!

One rainbow trout, two very big smiles.

~

#3: Guiding Members of Project Healing Waters. When PHW — here’s their website if you want to learn more or donate — reached out to book me for a large group outing over several days, I said yes. But I wasn’t sure how it would all go down. I wanted it to be good for everyone, and for everyone to feel like they got something out of it. And then, there was the weather and the flows to worry about. As it turns out, much fretting over nothing. What a great group of enthusiastic anglers. The energy was: we are happy just to be here, standing in a river, learning from you. Any fish hooked and landed are gravy. Well, we did some campsite picnic table classroom stuff. We did on-the-water lessons. We did small talk and life stories and fishing stories. And yes, we caught some fish. Thank you, PHW, for making my job not only easy, but also enjoyable. And thank you for your service.

Me and some of the gang. The fish were more cooperative later on this day, but we had a few players during out morning session.

~

#2: Appearing on the Orvis Podcast. It’s the gold standard of fly fishing podcasts. So when Tom Rosenbauer called me to set up a recording date, I was only slightly delirious. We recorded “How To Swing Soft Hackle Wet Flies with Steve Culton” one day, and a week later it was live on the air. In case you missed it, you can find it somewhere here. It’s the next best thing to taking a wet fly lesson on the river with me. And right now, a heckuva lot warmer. If you like it, send Tom and email and tell him.

Currentseams Best of 2023: #7-#5

#7: Marlborough and Edison Fly Fishing Shows and another International Fly Tying Symposium. You already know that I’m a big fan of The Fly Fishing Show. Where else can you meet and talk to some of the best fly fishers and tyers in the world, find all kinds of cool gear, and get those hard-to-find tying treasures — all under one roof? When I’m not speaking or teaching or tying, I’m walking the show floor, shopping, meeting and greeting, and sitting in on as many seminars and classes as possible. You should be, too. My 2024 Marlborough Schedule for January 5-6-7, is here, and here — now just over a week away!

Hey! I know that guy.

~

#6: The Great Diving Caddis Wet Fly Revelation. I’m a professional fly tier, guide, instructor, speaker, and all-around fly fishing nerd. Still, I don’t know it all. Far from it. And thank goodness! Learning new things and making new discoveries one of the things that makes fly fishing continuously thrilling. As evidence, I offer LaFontaine’s Diving Caddis wet fly. I read about it last winter, tied and fished it in the spring, and wow, did it ever produce. The first evening I fished it, positioned as my middle dropper, it accounted for two-thirds of the two dozen trout I landed. It produced untold numbers for my clients. It’s now a seasonal staple on my team of three. Brilliant!

All kinds of sizes and color combinations are possible. This is a size 14 in tan. You can find the recipe here.

~

#5: Completing My First Book Outline and Sample Chapter Draft. For years, people have been asking me, “When are you going to write a book?” Okay…how about now? The first pass stuff is off with a publisher, and I’m waiting to hear back from them. Fingers crossed. Oh! You’ll want to know what it’s about. The West Branch of the Farmington River.

Currentseams Best of 2023: #10-#8

Once again, we find ourselves asking, “Where did the year go?!?” This was a tough year locally; it was one of the wettest on record, and in the midst of all the water the Farmington River was maddeningly low and warm. I hope you got the chance to get out and fish. It never seems like enough, does it? Sometimes the fishing’s good, and sometimes it isn’t, but getting out there is 80% of success. Looking back at the year, I found more than enough high points for my annual best of list.

#10: Currentseams.com Reaches 1,000 Followers! The good news is, an important milestone has been reached. The bad news is, if you won flies in my 1,000 Followers drawing, I still haven’t tied them. Well, that’s not entirely true. I have some flies tied. Don’t think a day goes by where I don’t feel massively guilty about not having them in your hot little hands. So: thank you, winners, for your patience. Thank you, readers, for your loyalty and enthusiasm. This is true: I couldn’t have done it without you.

If I were doing this now, I might be done by the time you read this…I know. I Gotta do better.

~

#9: A Banner Year Speaking To Fly Fishing Clubs. I spoke to eight different clubs and organizations this year, some of them old friends, some new to my presentations, some TU chapters, some independents, some college clubs. Whatever the legacy or organizational level, speaking in front of a group about something I’m passionate about is probably my favorite part of this job. Thanks so much for having me. Keep those questions coming. And if you’re in charge of booking speakers for your group, you can find one of the best fly fishing speakers around (he said modestly) here.

Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.

~

#8: Salvaging a High Water Smallmouth Season. Stripers aren’t the only bass that are struggling in Connecticut. Between flood and drought and heat and poachers, it’s been a very difficult three years on our state’s waters. This year was both difficult and weird. The smallie fishing was generally slow…except when it wasn’t. I’m comfortable enough fishing in high water, and I had some off-the-charts days, numbers-wise, like I haven’t had in years. And some of those days, I hooked up with a very high percentage of quality bronze that put a burn in my forearms that I’m still feeling. OK, the topwater bite stunk — when the white flies came off, virtually nothing was feeding on the surface. (I caught one bass on a dry fly this year.) But when you’re landing fish that can be measured in pounds, you smile a certain sort of smile. Make sure you come to my smallmouth Seminar “Hot Bronze — Wade Fishing for Summer Smallmouth” at the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show, Friday, January 5, in the Release Room at 4:30pm.

This slob was taken on a Crayfish Jig Streamer fished under an indicator in some high, stained water.

Erie Tribs Report: The Quest for 200 (Part 2)

I didn’t think I would land 17 steelhead today, but you never know. Crazier things have happened. We — Number 2 Son Cam was joining me today, along with our guide Bob Packey — would be fishing Conneaut Creek in Ohio. I love this stretch of Conneaut. It’s got the ubiquitous sheer shale cliff faces you associate with Erie tribs, and while it does have its share of shallow, easy-to-read flat bottom, much of it resembles a traditional trout stream like you’d find back east.

The weather was cooperating. At least at first it was. Overcast, which was nice, but then it began to shower, building to you-need-a-raincoat strength. Then, the wind picked up, whipping piles of leaves into the water. That was a wee bit of a problem. But when it comes to steelheading, you get what you get and you don’t get upset. The water was lightly stained, and with the leaves, increasingly tannic. Not necessarily a bad thing.

We started off at the tailout of a deep pool, hard against a shale ledge. We fished this mark last year, and did very well, but for the first 10 minutes this year the fish weren’t having it. Finally, they began eating. This is a challenging place to play a fish, as the tailout dumps into a series of rapids and pockets. If the steelhead goes down the chute, you’re either chasing after it, which can be dicey, or breaking it off, which is lose-lose for all parties. Fortunately, the steehead gods smiled upon us. Conneaut has several sections where playing a fish is difficult due to swift currents and rocky substrate. Landing fish on this day was far more challenging than yesterday at Elk. I felt like I earned every fish.

~

Adding to the challenge was a mix of fresher fish, and water temps that were a decidedly un-December-like 47 degrees. Many of the fish, like this one, were hot players not long from Erie. But I like a challenge. It sweetens the pot.

~

We worked our way downstream, banging away at pockets and runs that looked like good holding water. This lovely hen came out of a swirling pocket at the edge of a waterfall. I can’t say enough about the fine coaching Cam received from Bob Packey — and about Cam’s fly fishing. You see, Cam really doesn’t fly fish. But he gets it. Sure, he’s had experience landing steelhead on the fly rod (I used to hand my rod off to him when he was little and let him have at it) but as anyone who’s done it can attest, steelheading isn’t easy! Great job, Cam.

And so, dear reader, this is where the story gets interesting. We fished a tailout that held dozens of steelhead last year. This year, not so much. Only two touches, and zero fish landed. However, the run below was Yahtzee. At one point I hooked up on six consecutive casts. My landing percentage was good. Some quick math, and I was at 198.

Two to go.

And then, the steelhead gods stepped in and waved their collective index finger at me. Now, now. Not so fast, Steve. I had a chrome skipper just at the net before it bolted, ran between two rocks and wiggled off. I got snagged on the bottom and could not free it. A walk upstream and some direct pressure and…the bottom fought back. Big steelehead. Battle ensues. The fish spit the hook and got fouled on the dropper. Off it went. We made the command decision to stay a little later and finish the job. Again, the steelhead gods with their wagging fingers. Foul hooks, tippet failure, bad luck, no fish where they should be…200 would have to wait for another day.

I can’t say that I was mortally disappointed. 15 in the hoop is very, very good day.