Interview with owner Marshall Cutchin
MidCurrent (@midcurrent) was an idea I dreamed up while working in digital marketing for a multinational company in 2003. We had two babies at home and were taking care of my mom at the same time, and I was traveling around the country talking to web developers and marketing folks, and I really wanted to work on a solo project just to help keep my head on straight. So I noted what Google was doing with keyword search and combined that with an idea I had for “attributive journalism” and launched MidCurrent between the hours of 4 and 6 each morning before I began my day job. There really wasn’t an authoritative source for fly fishing information online back then–I hoped we could fill that space. I was lucky enough to have spent 11 years guiding for permit and tarpon and bonefish in the Florida Keys and had spent a part of most summers trout fishing in Montana, so I had a pretty good grasp of the domain.
Rapid Fire Questions
What types of fly fishing experiences do you enjoy?
“What I get from fly fishing has changed a lot since I first caught a bluegill on a popper on my dad’s cane rod when I was seven. Like anyone I think the thrill of catching anything on a light rod was probably what pulled me in. But when I started spending time fishing in the Delaware River valley and in the Keys in my early 20s, it quickly became about experiencing the natural world–being away from civilization and witnessing all the things that happen where human beings aren’t the major actors on the stage. I still like teaching and helping other fly fishers discover the wonders of wilderness, or as close as we can get to it. I’m hardly obsessed any more with catching fish–it’s more about what it gives to me and what I give back, and a lot of that happens when you’re simply paying attention.”
What is one of your greatest fly fishing travel memories?
“I took a group of anglers down to fish on the Ventuari River and tributaries for pavon (butterfly and peacock bass) and payara in the Amazon in the late 1980s. That was memorable because it was a complete walk back in time. I wish I had been more aware of what was happening with all the different species of plants and animals back then, but the experience of being in a primal ecosystem with everything that entails was overwhelming. It definitely changed my perspective. On the same trip I got to cast my fly to a 500-pound blue marlin. I remember hoping he wouldn’t eat the fly, but he did, and watching that fish light up is an image I will never forget.”
If MidCurrent had a post fishing cocktail named after them, what would it be? (
“Honestly, nature is the drug of choice for me, and I hope that MidCurrent reflects that to some degree in the way we talk about habitat and species protection. How about if we go with anything made with “renatured alcohol”?”
What are a few pieces of gear that you never leave home without?
“Nippers. Facemask. And despite the irony probably a laptop or next-generation mobile phone.”
What are your favorite fly fishing destinations and/or regions?
“I probably still know the Lower Florida Keys better than I do the layout of my living room. It’s hard to think of anything that compares, if only because of the memories packed in and my relationship with the permit there. Beyond that, any place that hasn’t become a tourist destination qualifies. To me it’s important to be a traveler, not a tourist.”
What are your favorite fly fishing destinations and/or regions?
“I’d love to fish the delta of the Orinoco and to fish the cloud forests of the Andes.”Â
Why Fly Fishing Destination Travel?
“To expand on what I said above about being a traveler and not a tourist, being a traveler gives you a chance to put aside your personal baggage and be attentive to something foreign. If you’re not doing that, you’re missing out on what makes the effort worthwhile.”
What's New in MidCurrent's World?
“We’re expanding our gear coverage in a BIG way right now. We have two new staff members who are focused on testing and carefully reviewing the latest gear. It’s been a lot of fun. The best way to stay tuned to all the new stuff we have going on is to subscribe to our free newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/midcurrent.com/subscribe“