Tag Archives: Wet Flies 101

Happy New Year and “Wet Flies 101” at the Edison Fly Fishing Show

Happy New Year greetings to all! With this devastating arctic cold, I stayed home yesterday and binged on bowl games. Good stuff, along with a plate of pasta and hot Italian sausage and a glass (or two) of a tasty Tuscan red.

We start 2018 with 580 currentseams followers. It goes without saying: thank you for your loyal readership. As always, when we get to the next century mark we’ll do a giveaway. Also, a reminder to Connecticut readers that it’s time to renew your license. Geez, where did 2017 go?

Speaking of reading, the word machine is humming along. Much planned for publishing in the coming year. Of course, I’ll keep you posted

I am confirmed for the Fly Fishing Show in Edison, NJ. I will be appearing Friday only, January 26, at 9:45am in the Release Room, with “Wet Flies 101”. While the structure is the same, this is an updated, improved presentation with new video and photos and other groovy content. I hope to see you there. The link to a pdf of the Edison show brochure is below:

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And of course, the tightest of lines to all in 2018.

I remember shorts and boat shoes and t-shirts and eating burgers outside. Now I’m wearing layers of fleece and shivering in my lonely writer’s garret. 

LIFlyrodders

Marlborough Fly Fishing Show Jan 19-20-21 Brochure

Lots of good stuff to see, buy, and learn about. I’ll be there — hope you will, too. Still waiting to hear about Edison. Here’s a pdf of the brochure:

2018_Marlborough_FINAL

Two presentations at the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show

I’ve been invited again to speak at the 2018 Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, MA. On Friday, January 19, 1pm, I will be giving a seminar in the Catch Room: “Wet Flies 101.” If you’ve already seen WF101, this is a new version with upgraded content and video, so don’t miss it! For those of you looking to explore the ancient and tradition art of subsurface fly fishing with wet flies, this is a great introduction.

On Saturday, January 20, 11am, I will be in Room A of the Destination Theater for “Trout Fishing for Striped Bass — How to catch the stripers that everyone can’t.” This is a new presentation that focuses on using traditional trout and salmon tactics to catch more striped bass, especially the difficult and larger fish that escape most anglers. Tackle, flies, tactics — this will cover it all.

The Edison, NJ show is the next week. The schedule hasn’t been set, but I’ll give you the details as soon as I know them. Hope to see you in Marlborough!

I love talking about and teaching fly fishing, and wet flies and striped bass are two of my favorite topics.

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Winter 2017 Appearances and Presentations

There’s still fishing, but winter is prime presentation season. Hope to see you on the river, at a club meeting, fly shop, or a show. There may be more additions to this list, so stay tuned. (Like right now. I’m adding a date on January 17th.)

“The Little Things,” Wednesday, January 11, 7pm, at Candlewood Valley TU, Bethel, CT. This is the original Little Things (there are currently two with a third on the way) presentation. From the CVTU website: Our meetings are free and open to members, guests and the general public. They are held at Stony Hill Fire Department, 59 Stony Hill Road, Bethel and start at 7:30 p.m. but doors open at 7 p.m. for pizza, soda and some good conversation with fellow anglers. For more information, visit cvtu.org.

“The Little Things,” Tuesday, January 17, 7pm, at Thames Valley TU, Bozrah, CT. Like above, this is the original Little Things. From the TVTU website: Fly tying starts at 6:00 p.m. and the meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. Meetings are open to the public and there is no charge so come and join us. For directions and stuff, visit thamesvalleytu.org.

“Wet Flies 101,” at the Fly Fishing Show, Marlborough, MA, Friday, January 20, 1pm, Catch Room. We’re in the big room for this one, so come out and support your friendly local fly fishing writer guy! I may be tying after the presentation. I’ll let you know if that’s so. For more information, visit the Fly Fishing Show website.

“Wet Flies 101,” at the Fly Fishing Show, Marlborough, MA, Saturday, January 21, 10am, Destination Theater, Room A. Smaller room, same energy and information. Ditto maybe tying after the presentation. For more information, visit the Fly Fishing Show website.

Tying at the CFFA Fly Fishing Expo & Banquet, Saturday, February 4, Maneely’s, South Windsor, CT. Come see why the Expo is the best little fly fishing show going. I’ll be there from the morning thru early afternoon. For more information, click here.

“The West Branch of the Farmington River,” Wednesday, February 8, at East Jersey TU, Rochelle Park, NJ. Have Farmington River enthusiasm, will travel. For more information, visit the EJTU website.

“Farmington River Favorites” Tying Demo, Saturday, February 11, 10am-2pm at The Compleat Angler, Darien, CT.  At this demo, I’ll be tying some of my favorite patterns for the Farmington River. There will be a little bit of everything: wets, dries, nymphs, and streamers, from traditional classics to new designs. These are all high-confidence, proven patterns, and I’ll also discuss how and when I like to fish them. For directions and stuff, visit the CA website.

“The Little Things 2.0,” Thursday, March 16, 6:30pm, at Farmington Valley TU, New Britain, CT. This is the followup to the original Little Things, and it’s currently one of my most popular presentations. For more information, visit the fvtu website.

Whew! That should keep me busy. I’m still trying to finalize some tying classes/demos as scheduling permits. Thanks for your support, and as always, if you come out to see me, please be sure to say hi.

Moving up to the big room in Marlborough, Friday, January 20, at 1pm.

Wet Flies 101

Big room news: “Wet Flies 101” at the Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, MA

Once again, I will be presenting “Wet Flies 101” at the the Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, MA. Only this time, on a bigger stage.

I’ve been elevated to Seminar status for Friday, 1pm, January 20th, as I present “Wet Flies 101” in the Catch Room. On Saturday the 21st, I’ll be making the same presentation at 10am in Room A of the Destination Theater.

And so, dear reader, I’d like to ask you a favor: if you’re planning on going to the show, please try to come to the Friday the 21st show in the big room. I’d to have as full a house as possible. If you can make it, good fishing karma and positive tight line energy shall be bestowed upon you. And of course, if you’re there, please come say hi.

For more information, visit the Fly Fishing Show’s Marlborough website.

Here’s your chance to visit Yorkshire without ever leaving New England.

Soft-hackles

“Wet Flies 101” at the 2016 Arts of the Angler show

The Arts of the Angler is a terrific regional show hosted by my friends at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum. It’s a weekend affair, and it happens this year on November 5th & 6th at the Ethan Allan Inn in Danbury, CT.

This year, I’ll be tying and presenting “Wet Flies 101” on Saturday afternoon, November 5th at 3pm in Room 1. I have a hectic morning, so I’ll be tying as soon as I am able, but it won’t be until 1pm or later. My Sunday is still up in the air — I may be tying on Sunday, too. I’ll update you with that information if it happens. Come out and support the museum, and of course please stop by and say hello.

Here’s the current presentation schedule (I am not responsible for changes):

Saturday, 11/5

For more information, visit the cffcm website.

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The fall 2016 appearance schedule is shaping up

Greetings, fellow fly enthusiasts and pursuers of all things piscatorial. I hope you all had as good a Labor Day family picnic as I did. Incredible food, some stellar wines, a My Father Le Bijou Box-Pressed Torpedo — not to mention some ruthless hands of setback (you don’t want to mess with Aunt Jennie). We’ve been right busy in the currentseams calendar hub. Thanks to all the clubs and shows who have reached out, and if you haven’t yet, but intend to, please do because the slate is filling up. Here’s what’s going on so far:

Wednesday, September 28: Narragansett Chapter TU 225, “The Little Things 2.0.” Coventry-West Greenwich Elks Lodge, 42 Nooseneck Hill Road, West Greenwich, RI. For more information and directions, visit narragansett.tu.org.

Tuesday, October 11: Mianus Chapter TU, “The Little Things 2.0” Waveny House, New Canaan, CT. For more information and directions, visit mianustu.org.

Thursday, October 13: Hammonasset Chapter TU, “The Little Things 2.0” (pretty sure we settled on this — if not, it will probably be LT 1.0). Quinnipiac Watershed Association Building, 540 Oregon Road, Meriden, CT. For more information and directions, visit hctu.org.

Saturday, November 5: Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum 10th Annual Art of the Angler Show, “Wet Flies 101.” I’ll be speaking at 1pm, and tying before and possibly after. Since wet flies is the subject, that’s probably what will be on the vise, though as always I am happy to take requests. The show is two days, but I’m swinging Saturday only. For more information, visit cffcm.com/programs-events/art-of-the-angler-show/.

Looking forward to 2017, I have one local gig scheduled, and I plan on presenting again at The Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, MA, January 20-22. Subjects, dates and times are still TBD, and I’ll let you know as soon as I do.

Thank you all for your kind words, your enthusiasm, your questions, and for reading currentseams.

All this talking is going to make me thirsty.

EinBeer

NYCTU awarded the Order of the Black Shack Burger with IPA Clusters

Yesterday evening found me in the Big Apple presenting Wet Flies 101 to the NYCTU Chapter. Many thanks to the group for having me, and for recognizing that a fed presenter is a happy presenter. The Black Shack Holy Mole burger was delicious, as was the Smuttynose Finest Kind IPA. Thanks also to the midtown Orvis store for providing the venue. A great group and an outstanding post-presentation Q&A session.

That closes out the 2015-16 appearance schedule. We’ll kick off 2016-17 in September at TU225 in Rhode Island. Details later this summer.

Apparently, there’s a shortage of Guinness.

Beer Sign

The Marlborough Man

I hadn’t been to the Fly Fishing Show in years. It wasn’t due to indifference — mostly it was scheduling, and that I had made up my mind that my next visit would be in a professional capacity. This year the stars aligned (thanks for squeezing me in, Ben) and I did two days as a Destination Theater presenter in Marlborough, MA. (Cue up the “Theme from The Magnificent Seven”.)

My first gig was Friday at 2pm, and I got there early enough to be able to take a quick walk around the show floor, say hi to some old friends, and make some introductions to new ones. I also wanted to support my fellow local presenters, so I caught most of Rich Strolis’ Tying Flies for the Toughest Fish, and Strategies for Fishing Them. Rich likes to fish a basic emerger template for rising trout; he simply varies the size and color of the pattern to match the hatch. As a wet fly (and snowshoe rabbit fur) aficionado, I liked that.

Having no idea what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised by the crowd that gathered to see and hear Wet Flies 101. I counted close to forty people. If you were in attendance, thanks so much for coming out, and especially for laughing at all my jokes.

On the A Team. Good room, and an even better audience.

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Saturday was a little dicey because of the impending doom generated by the approaching storm. However, fortune smiled upon me as the drive up and back were relatively snow-free. As I set up in an empty room at 9:45am, I realized that I might be presenting to just a few hardy souls. Not a chance. What started as a flurry turned into a measurable accumulation by showtime, and I want to thank everyone again for taking the time to come out. I stuck around to see some of Marla Blair’s The Hatch & Body Language of Trout for Choosing the Right Patterns. Marla’s explanation of how the rise forms translate into the feeding attitude of trout is something I have long embraced (and I think we both love stupid fish).

Can’t say you properly attended a show without buying something, so at 1pm I was walking back to my truck with a gorgeous red flatwing saddle I found buried in the piles at the Keough booth.

See you next year.

Upcoming events:

Still a couple slots open for next Saturday’s (January 30) tying class at UpCountry, “Wet Flies and Fuzzy Nymphs for the Farmington.” Call the store to register at 860-379-1952.

I’ll be on Fly Tyers’ Row at the CFFA Show on Saturday, February 6, Maneely’s Banquet Facility, 65 Rye St., South Windsor, CT. I’ll be there from show open until early afternoon. This is one of the best local shows anywhere. For more information and directions, visit http://www.ctflyfish.org.

 

 

 

 

Still room in the 1/30 Wet Fly tying class at UpCountry

UpCountry called today and said they still have some slots open for next Saturday’s (January 30) tying class, “Wet Flies and Fuzzy Nymphs for the Farmington.” Call the store to register at 860-379-1952.

Had a tremendous turnout at Marlborough today for “Wet Flies 101” — thanks to everyone who attended. More on the show later.

Space still available. Jump on it like this hefty Farmington rainbow did with a Squirrel and Ginger nymph.

Big Rainbow 9-14