Winnie Dette's 1927-28 Dairy

[Jim Slattery]

The latest issue American Fly Fisher magazine from the American Museum of Fly Fishing contains a story written by Mike Valla about Winnie Ferdon Dette and her Diary This wonderful article is a glimpse of a tentative book to be called The Dette Files. The Dette Files will be a peak into the Catskill legend of the Dette's, and in turn the Catskill Legend it's self, a compliment to Eric Leiser's great book on this wonderful family. In my investigation of the Dette archives I found a diary which Winnie Ferdon Dette wrote in 1927 -28. It is an amazing piece of literature of the development of the Dette-Darbee legend and the life of a young woman coming of age in the Roaring Twenties. Also in the files were correspondence and a slew of other material such as a manuscript of the fly Tying book that the Dettes were to write but abandoned to keep their marriage intact in 1946. Aside from the material gleaned from the Diary another key piece of the book will be Hans Weilenmann's fantastic photos of the Dette Fly Sample Card files. These reference cards go back to the late twenties and follow through to current times. All in all there are about 1000 flies that have been photographed, most with their recipes as well, to cull through for the book. It will prove to be a gold mine of information for those interested in the history of fly fishing. A virtual time machine

[Deezel]

Jim,

I feel like Pavlov's dog. Your description is making my mouth salivate . Do you have any idea when a book along those lines will be published?

Thanks.

Deezel

[Bamboozle]

Yea really; I'd DEFINITLEY want that book. I have Leiser's book too; signed by all!

[Jim Slattery]

We're looking at a late 2008 -2009 publication.
Jim

[mantis]

Jim, I spoke with Mary last Saturday at the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies for Lou Tabory and Marty Keene.
She liked the article on her mom very much and since then I have been trying to find someone with a copy but without any luck.Way back in May she had asked me if I knew the fellow who was going to write it but I am afraid I have never had the pleasure of meeting him, nor do I recall hearing the name before. But then my memory is not what it used to be. It is a real shame it wasn't published in a large circulation magazine. Looks like I may have to rejoin the other museum to get a copy, but every time I have stopped at the building on my way to Manchester, usually on my way to Orvis, the door has been locked and no one around. Years ago I went to, and donated flies to their fund raising banquets that were held in a little motel restaurant. Got some good deals in the auction as there were not many people there,..maybe 50 or 60.
When you finish your book be sure and let me know and count on me for a signed copy, a special ltd edition if you are going to have one to go along side Eric's.
When you were down in the Catskills last time did you stop over at the old Homestead and see the room Mary was born in. That is quite the house. The old dance hall on the side of the mountain is amazing too. Must have been
something in its day. By the way, Mary said again that she is retiring and grandson Joe will run the shop next year. I really think she means it. Go Foxie!... K.I.T., Bob

[mikevalla]

Hi Bob,

Nice chatting on the phone

I put a copy of the Winnie Dette Tribute piece (American Fly Fisher this Fall issue) in the mail to you today (Jim, I had one for you, too but I guess Mary is sending one out of the batch I mailed to her).

I quoted several entries from the Diary in the article. This piece, as Jim stated, could be looked at as a prelude to a project he conceived on the Dette files. I know Jim is quite passionate about the files and the Diary.

However, this piece is actually going to be part of a book (started in 198 about the many fly fishers I have come to know, mostly from youth (I'm working on a chapter right now about Doc Dwight Webster, the noted coldwater fisheries biologist from Cornell that was my faculty advisor at Cornell in the early 70's). Webster contributed the fly tying for the color plates of John McDonald's Origins of Angling. He was also very into acid rain (he and his grad student Carl Schofield first identified the source and named it). He was most noted for his Brook Trout studies in tghe Adirondacks and strain development. This story will go into a journal mag first also)

I wrote a piece on Walt (In September 1994 Fly Fisherman Mag) when he died that Spring) and my childhood relationship with him and the family (that goes back to 1969 when I first stayed with them, and then lived with them several summers). I had saved school lunch money (secretly) at age 15 to collect a few dollars needed for a round trip bus ticket to the Catskill waters from my home in Binghamton, 65 miles to the west. I traveled alone, and Winnie sent Walt out to find me that evening fishing, for fear I would miss my bus back home. Walt offered me a room in his home for a week, but I ended up staying there many months over the years.

However, when Winnie passed in 1998, we didn't get something out on her. Another good guy was going to write it back then (we discussed the idea), but it never got between covers in any publication.

Mary had mentioned this to me a year or so ago, and I promised her I would write something for her mother. Mary stated to me that a week before she died, she sadly said that she would probably just fade away, and no one would even know she was in the business (I didn't agree really with her sad comment).

So, that's when I pulled out of mothballs the piece I had started in 1998, and added several quotes from the Diary that Jim had so aptly felt had historical significance. It helped greatly with insight into her early years. Joe Fox actually told me about the Diary before I met Jim, but Jim was the one who was excited about its significance, and insisted I read it, which I did. Good Going Jim!

I mailed both pieces to you, Bob, so you can get "the rest of the story"

The American Museum of Fly Fishing has copies, too, and anyone can purchase one for a few dollars from them directly. Just call them (when they are gone, they are gone)

Thanks Jim!
Thanks Bob, too
-Mike Valla

[mantis]

Hey Mike,
Thanks for the call, and the offer of the magazine. My Gawd, we are almost neighbors! Will enjoy meeting you in person at the Danbury show.
I gave Ralph a call last night and, just kidding him, said," I was just talking on the phone with the guy who taught you how to tie." He said, "No you didn't, he's dead." Then I said it's the fellow who got you the buzzard wings." He said "He never sent them.I'm still waiting for them!" LOL.

The funniest part of all this is that we only live, what, maybe 15 or 20 miles apart, and yet have never met. As you can tell, I do a lot of chatting with folks.
Just a month ago or so, a group of us were up on the Ausable and staying at one of the fellow's cabin in the "Acres." Fishing wasn't too good so I did a lot of checking out the river all the way down to the forks. Ran into 7 fisherman along the way and just by chance happen to know them all. None of them had had so much as a look. When I got to the Forks I parked in back of the Grand Union and walked down to the confluence with the East Branch to see if anything was going on. I watched a guy hook, and then lose, a nice fish on a white streamer.
When I got back to the cabin I told the guys of the fellow who had had a bit of luck on long feathers, and that he was the only one who had any action of all the guys I had met all the way down the river. I mentioned the names of the others I had run into, as they knew a couple of them too. Then Brandt asked which one got the hit on the streamer and I said "Don't know. It was hard to talk with him as he was out in the fast water and I was on shore."
Well, the main subject around the dinner table that night was not about the trout or hatches or lack of both, but of the fact that Mead had finally met someone on a river he did not know!
I look forward to reading your article. Winnie would be proud to know that the little boy who used to hang around and watch her and Walt tie,who loved to fish the Catskills and who often stayed at their home, has now honored her memory with, from what I have heard, is a very well written piece of Dette history. I, for one, thank you for doing this. Bob

[Bamboozle]

The American Museum of Fly Fishing has copies, too, and anyone can purchase one for a few dollars from them directly. Just call them (when they are gone, they are gone

I just ordered myself a copy or two; they still have them for those that are interested:

American Fly Fisher Fall 2007
$4.00 plus postage
802-362-3300

And Jim, et al:

If you believe the book will be a reality; please consider a reservation list for any limited editions that may be available. I would definitely be interested in that book!

[mikevalla]

Hi Bob,

Can you get me Thornton's e-mail? I have his address and phone only. I have to touch base with him about the Mary thing and see if its too late. Otherwise, I guess I can call him. Maybe I can e-mail him an attached Word File in time

-Mike Valla

[mantis]

Steve Thornton <stevethornton@ntlworld.com>

Thanks much for the magazine and article. I'll read it this afternoon...B