Learn to Tie Trout Flies for the Farmington River & other streams and with guide Mark Roy Swenson.
Mark has been teaching fly fishing and fly tying for over 40 years. Fooling wary Farmington River trout is more satisfying and rewarding if you learn to tie the flies yourself, plus you can tie your own special weights and variations that are not commercially available. This one day beginner class covers dry flies, emergers, nymphs and streamers, and teaches you to how to construct the go-to flies for use throughout the season, especially on the Farmington. All materials, including vises and tools will be provided, or you can use your own vise and tools.

Tuition is $150.00 paid in advance, by check, to secure your spot. Class hours will be from 9:30am-4pm (1/2 hour to 45 min lunch break, please bring a bag lunch). The class size is limited to 6 people and it fills up quickly, so sign up ASAP by calling Mark directly on his cell/text at 203-586-8007.

If you consider yourself a beginner or intermediate when it comes to Euro nymphing or have never done it before, this clinic is for you. Euro nymphing has exploded in the United States over the last decade. The foundation of Euro nymphing is the difference between some success and a lot of success. The basic fundamentals are critical to master before graduating to more advanced Euro nymphing techniques.

Derrick Kirkpatrick of CT Fish Guides has been guiding on the Farmington for over 12 years. He is proficient in French, Spanish, Czech and other modern styles of Euro nymphing. The class will run for 6 hrs, half of which will be on the water demonstrations weather permitting. Derrick will cover Euro rods and reels, different Euro leaders, flies, rigging, proper bead weight/size selection, casting, drifting, hooking and landing fish using Euro nymphing tactics.

Tuition is paid in full in advance to UpCountry Sportfishing (call 860-379-1952). Class hours will run from 9am - 3pm, (Please bring a lunch or snack). Class size is limited, so contact Upcountry to secure your spot. The price of the clinic is $125, but If you book both the Euro Nymphing 101 and the Winter Fly Fishing clinics, the combined total price will be $200 (a $50 savings). Paid tuition is non refundable.

Fly fishing for trout in the winter is highly underrated. The crowds and pressure are substantially less than all other seasons, and the wall paper is stunning. Not to mention the fishing can be excellent. On the Farmington the quality of your catch will increase due to the fact that the trout are virtually all wild and holdovers.

Derrick Kirkpatrick of CT Fish Guides will be putting on a 6 hr clinic, half of which will be on the water demonstrations, weather permitting. He will cover how to dress properly so that you will be plenty warm on the water. Derrick will go over equipment, various techniques, flies and finding preferred winter water types.

Tuition is paid in full in advance to UpCountry Sportfishing (call 860-379-1952 to sign up). Class hours will run from 9am - 3pm, (Please bring a lunch or snack). Class size is limited, so contact Upcountry to secure your spot. The price of the clinic is $125, but if you book both the Euro Nymphing 101 and the Winter Fly Fishing clinics, the combined total price will be $200 (a $50 savings). Paid tuition is non refundable.

Learn to Tie Trout Flies for the Farmington River & other streams and with guide Mark Roy Swenson.
Mark has been teaching fly fishing and fly tying for over 40 years. Fooling wary Farmington River trout is more satisfying and rewarding if you learn to tie the flies yourself, plus you can tie your own special weights and variations that are not commercially available. This one day beginner class covers dry flies, emergers, nymphs and streamers, and teaches you to how to construct the go-to flies for use throughout the season, especially on the Farmington. All materials, including vises and tools will be provided, or you can use your own vise and tools.

Tuition is $150.00 paid in advance, by check, to secure your spot. Class hours will be from 9:30am-4pm (1/2 hour to 45 min lunch break, please bring a bag lunch). The class size is limited to 6 people and it fills up quickly, so sign up ASAP by calling Mark directly on his cell/text at 203-586-8007.

Antoine Bissieux is bringing World Flyfishing champion Bertrand Jacquemin from France to CT to do 9 days of clinics in mid to late October. These full day clinics will focus on Sight Fishing & Dry/Dropper fishing. Bertrand started competing in 1998, joined the French team in 2004 and competed with them for 11 years, winning 11 medals, with four of them being gold. He also spent four years as the team captain. In case you don’t know, the French team is the best in the world, possibly sharing that distinction with the Spanish team. Basically, once he spots a trout, the fish is caught.

These clinics are unique opportunity to spend time and learn from literally one of the best in the world at flyfishing for trout. To go to France and spend a day with him would likely cost you close to $5,000 once you figured in traveling, lodging, food, and all your other expenses, so these clinics are truly a great value. Classes will be held from October 16 to 27, with most of those being six person classes at a cost of $450. October 24 will be one larger class of 12P at $300 each, and there will be extra guides to help out with the instruction that day. The 6P classes will be Bertrand & Antoine. Call Antoine directly at 860-759-4464 to sign up.

Antoine Bissieux, "the French Flyfisherman", is once again bringing back retired French competition angling champion Yannick Riviere to the USA to do multiple one day clinics covering French competition techniques for advanced nymph & dry fly fishing. Some will be on the Farmington River in CT, and some will be on the Battenkill River in VT. Yannick competed in fly fishing for 15 years, with 8 years on the French team (maybe the best in the world), he has medals in 6 European championships, and 2 World Cups. There is a long tradition of trout fishing in France passed down from generation to generation, and the wild brown trout there are highly pressured and difficult to catch. Which leads to creating some of the best trout fishermen in the world. And competition breeds even more innovation in techniques, fly patterns, rigging/leaders & tackle. European Nymphing grew out of competitive fly fishing.

You will need to bring both a dry fly rod, and a Euro rod. There are one day classes with varying amounts of students, different pricing, and different locations. There will be six 1 day/6P classes taught by Yannick & Antoine on the Farmington River  (July 28, 30 & 31, August 2, 3, & 4) at $450 per person, and three additional 1 day/6P classes on the Battenkill River in VT (August 2, 3 & 4) at $500 per person. There is also one class scheduled on July 29 on the Farmington River with 12 students and 3 instructors (Yannick, Antoine, and Derrick Kirkpatrick of CT Fish Guides), priced at $300 per person.

All classes run 9am-5pm, with a break for lunch (bring your lunch, or eat at a local deli). Clinic topics covered will include: equipment, dry fly leaders, nymphing leaders, the Italian Cast (for dry fly fishing), French dry fly fishing, and different nymphing approaches matched to varying conditions. This will be mostly on the water instruction, and everyone will get some time on the water, 1-on-1 time with Yannick. You will be instructed in several different "secret" dry fly & nymphing techniques. There will be a Q&A at the end to wrap things up. Contact Antoine directly at 860-759-4464 to reserve a spot.

Free Fly Casting Clinic with local guide Mark Swenson on Sunday June 16th. Contact Mark directly at 203-586-8007 to sign up or get more details. Class is limited in size, and is for beginners only.

Learn to Tie Trout Flies for the Farmington River & other streams and with guide Mark Roy Swenson.
Mark has been teaching fly fishing and fly tying for over 40 years. Fooling wary Farmington River trout is more satisfying and rewarding if you learn to tie the flies yourself, plus you can tie your own special weights and variations that are not commercially available. This one day beginner class covers dry flies, emergers, nymphs and streamers, and teaches you to how to construct the go-to flies for use throughout the season, especially on the Farmington. All materials, including vises and tools will be provided, or you can use your own vise and tools.

Tuition is $150.00 paid in advance, by check, to secure your spot. Class hours will be from 9:30am-4pm (1/2 hour to 45 min lunch break, please bring a bag lunch). The class size is limited to 6 people and it fills up quickly, so sign up ASAP by calling Mark directly on his cell/text at 203-586-8007.

Antoine Bissieux, "the French Flyfisherman", is bringing back retired French competition angling champion Yannick Riviere to the USA again, this year to do 6 one day clinics covering French competition techniques for advanced nymph & dry fly fishing. Yannick competed in fly fishing for 15 years, with 8 years on the French team (maybe the best in the world), he has medals in 6 European championships, and 2 World Cups. There is a long tradition of trout fishing in France passed down from generation to generation, and the wild brown trout there are highly pressured and difficult to catch. Which leads to creating some of the best trout fishermen in the world. And competition breeds even more innovation in techniques, fly patterns, rigging/leaders & tackle. European Nymphing grew out of competitive fly fishing.

You will need to bring both a dry fly rod, and a Euro rod. There will be 6 consecutive one day classes. There are two different class formats, with 3 one day classess in each category. The first 3 days (July 17, 18 & 19) with be one day 12 person clinics with 3 instructors (Yannick, Antoine, and Derrick Kirkpatrick of CT Fish Guides), priced at $350 per person/day. The Next 3 days (July 20, 21 & 22) will be semi private one day sessions with a max of 4 people per class, instructors will be Yannick & Antoine, priced at $650 per person/day.  All classes run 9am-5pm, with a break for lunch (bring your lunch, or eat at a local deli). Clinic topics covered will include: equipment, dry fly leaders, nymphing leaders, the Italian Cast (for dry fly fishing), French dry fly fishing, and different nymphing approaches matched to varying conditions. This will be mostly on the water instruction, and everyone will get some time on the water, 1-on-1 time with Yannick. You will be instructed in several different "secret" dry fly & nymphing techniques. There will be a Q&A at the end to wrap things up. Contact Antoine directly at 860-759-4464 to reserve a spot.