Putting in work
Got any early season rituals?
Salutations, CFStrians,
Do you have any early season rituals? Opening Day was always a big deal growing up in Michigan. But here in Oregon, where we can fish year-round, we adjust our approach to suit the conditions and regulations. So May 22, the west side opener, is a much less important-feeling date.
Either way: It's all coming together for one of the main events, summertime trout fishing. PNW folks, be ready. And the big kickoff to that main event? Salmonflies are ramping up on the Deschutes (Come to Maupin!). We've got a bevy of events and activities to help you get things going, just read on.
Wherever on this wet planet you are, I hope you've been able to get out, knock the dust off, and start the season off right.
What are your early-season rituals? Do you have anything that signals the start of the fly fishing season to you? Hit reply and let me know.
New event: Evening casting practice in PDX
We're hosting free, come-as-you-are evening casting practice sessions on Friday, May 22, and Friday, June 5 at Westmoreland Park in SE Portland. I'm going to be joined by Lisa Amato, a friend and fellow FFI CI candidate, to offer feedback and share what we know about how to improve your cast.
We'll have some games, drills, and a variety of rods to try. If you'd like to join, please register—space is limited.
Events 📆
Got an event you want the community to know about? Send it over, and I'll include it here. You can see all of our upcoming CFS events on Luma.
ALMOST SOLD OUT CFS: May 16, Fly Fishing and Fly Tying, OR
I'm excited to be teaching a workshop with Landdd gallery here in Oregon. We're going to be doing a waterside fly tying and fishing event at Frog Lake. Sign up if you're interested! (landdd.org)
May 20, Portland, OR
"Running Wild" showing (Wild Salmon Center)
CFS: May 22, Portland, OR
Casual casting at Westmoreland Park (CFS Events)
CFS: May 28-31, Maupin, OR
Come out to the Maupin Meetup, fishing is shaping up to be stellar. (CFS Events)
May 30, San Francisco, CA
CalTrout's Fish Water People Film Festival launch event (CalTrout)
June
CFS: June 22, Portland, OR
Casual casting at Westmoreland Park (CFS Events)
June 23, "Running Wild" Tour, San Francisco
(Wild Salmon Center)
CFS: June 23, 25, 27, Portland OR
PCC Intro to Fly Fishing Summer Term (registration opening soon)
June 26-28, La Pine, OR
Tenkara Oregon's Tenkara Bugout (Tenkara Oregon)
June 27, West Yellowstone, MT
Big Sky Anglers 10 Year Anniversary (Big Sky Anglers)
In case you missed it, this week we sat down with author Jesse Lance Robbins to dig into his angling practice through the lens of Five Flies.
Jesse has a great perspective on the sport, and I found myself constantly nodding along to observations and insights in his book. I think you'll like it too.
🎥 Film pick of the week
Loop's Wild Fish, Wild Places series heads to Italy, where Emilie Björkman's world tour touches down to target the elusive marble trout in the Dolomites. She gets a little encouragement—and dynamite guiding—from Mauro Mazzo and Stefano Fedrizzi. This one's worth watching for the Mazzo coaching alone. I would have given my right pinky toe for him by my side on the Passer two summers ago, when I blew up a slab by almost stepping on it. Mama mia.
Leaders
Fishy links to start your week. Got one to share? Hit reply and send it over! 🪝
TU announces its first conservation town 🏘️
Thank god it's not Ennis (tu.org)
First time in a fly shop? 🛒
Shops want you to succeed (midcurrent.com)
Hot for bass 🥵
Give trout a break (flylab.substack.com)
Decode warmwater 🔎
Clues for your bass (or pike, or carp) journey (duewestanglers.com)
Brush strokes, casting strokes 🎨🖌️
Artist Steven Weinberg paints trout (fieldmag.com)
Foraging for fly tying materials 🌿
Pluck some fly stuff from the forest (tenkaraangler.com)
Bone zone 🪇
Hog wild on a family vacay (davidjamesduncanauthor.substack.com)
The 26-second pulse 💕
Feeling the earth's heartbeat (montananaturalist.org)
Small calls for simple 🧵
Charlie Craven talks pattern selection (skwalafishing.com)
Talking (fish) Heads ♺
David Byrne talks with a team transforming cod from a $9 filet to a $5k fish (reasonstobecheerful.world)
That's it that's all! Current Flow State is a weekly newsletter from me, Nick Parish.
What's the weirdest fly tying material you've used? Tell me on Bluesky 🦋, Instagram 📸, YouTube 🎥, or the Fishcord 💬
If you enjoyed this, please share it with a friend. We all need more fishing buddies. 💌
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