Al Campbell

[pafisherman]

I have been visiting this site for a couple of months now and have found alot of great information. I have also found this group to be a great group of people that have provided lots of wonderful information to me. I am a life long fisherman and flyfished off and on over the years but have started taking it more seriously over the last 6 months. In reading many of the articles I have especially enjoyed reading the many articles by Al Campbell. I going to follow his fly tying lessons to get back up to par tying flys. I did not realize at first he had passed away...I was quite saddened to learn of his fight with cancer. Reading the archives brought tears to my eyes.
What a wonderful guy he seems to have been. I am saddened that I found this site to late to possible have meet the man. What great wit and a sense of humor he had.
Anyway I just wanted to that FAOL for keeping his articles available to read. I also say I am sorry I did not get a chance to meet or converse with Al and am saddened for all of you out there who lost a great friend. I hope he is spending his time happily casting to trout in that great trout stream in Heaven.

Bill from PA

[WarrenP]

Bill,

Al Campbell was a wonderful person. I have been using his fly tying pages for years to assist with the fly tying classes I have been teaching. I, also, regret that I never had the opportunity to meet Al, but, feel after reading all his posts and articles, that I knew him. When I think of him to this day I am deeply saddened and I miss him very much. There is no doubt in my mind, my opinion only, that he is in God's trout stream and is no longer in any pain. Only God knows how much I miss him and probably always will. You are now part of a great family of fly fisherpersons and fly tiers. This is a great web site and one of the best in my opinion thanks to LF and JC. Just remember to wipe your feet before entering or they will punish you if you bring dirt into their home.

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Warren

[white43]

Whatever happened with the bench idea? A bunch of us tied flies and sent them for a memorial. Perhaps I missed the results, or pictures posted of the bench that was to come of it. JGW

[Jeremy]

Bill,
Nice post!

Jeremy.

[P.Dieter]

Whatever happened with the bench idea? A bunch of us tied flies and sent them for a memorial. Perhaps I missed the results, or pictures posted of the bench that was to come of it. JGW

The Bench project is still in the works. I have a huge pile of flies here in my temporary office space waiting for me to repackage them and sell them off. We are working on arranging for a suitable location for the bench but that process seems kinda stalled on the Black Hills end. If anyone is interested in getting involved with the Rapid City end of things let me know...I think we could use some more help there.

Look for the flies to go up for sale/auction/raffle in the spring (late).

Have fun
Paul

[ADAMHRY]

I learned pretty much all I know about tying from following Al's tying tutorial. Considering that I have been using this site for a few years and only participated recently can be explained by my story about Al Campbell.

I never met Al. I never spoke to Al. I never e-mailed Al. One day, after tying another fly from Al's series, I decided to e-mail him. I wanted to thank him for being the single most helpful and inspirational person to my fly tying. I have searched countless sights, spoke with many people, and even tried being in the local fly shop as long as I was tolerated in order to pick up information.

NONE OF THESE WERE AS HELPFUL AS AL CAMPBELL!!!

When I finally did e-mail him to try and express this to him, my e-mail was never answered. Needless to say, I was too late. It was only then that I started looking at the rest of the site and learned about what happenned. Mr Campbell was an inspiration and a friend I never met, and everytime I'm tying he is there with me, be it through something I only know how to do because of him, a pattern I learned from him, or in spirit, he is there and I'm not only lucky to have known him(even though he didn't know me), I couldn't have done it without him.

That's what led me to pay more attention to the rest of the site. I'm glad that I see more of the big picture now (FAOL or LIFE?).

MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE, THANK YOU AL...

Yea,
He really was.
Wish you could have talked to him.

[WarrenP]

ADAMHRY

Your words brought a tear to my eye. No finer words could have been written. You have written my feelings so well. Al was such a fine person and has touched many through his writings on FAOL. I miss him, you miss him and many others here miss him, but, as you said, he is still with us and probably always will be. Thank you very much.

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Warren

[Plain Old Jim]

White43,

I think P.Dieter just didn't bother to explain how busy he has been. I think, after voluntairly starting the project he actually had to re-locate and had to move during this process. I wouldn't blame him for the time it is taking. I bet it is a huge task as well. Having to move, it's a wonder he can even find the flies, let alone keep track of who - what - where.

Thanks P.Dieter for all your work.

Gem

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

There are a lot of people on this site that deserve our profound thanks for all they do behind the scenes . Like Paul I moved this year also and know what a huge undertaking it is . Good on ya Paul for all your work to date . When that bench for Al is finished I have made it one of my life goals to go see it , sit on it and fish the stream that was dear to Him . We all have regrets of things not done in this life, one of my biggest is not getting to met Al personally . When this life is done It is my prayer to stand on the shore of a trout stream alongside Al Campbell .How cool would that be ?