GrsdLnr:

I saw you comment about Jim Derren after I posted my reply.

I had the great fortune of living about three blocks from Jim?s store after he moved out of the Chrysler building into the third floor digs he had at 141 E. 44th Street. I went there almost every day I could and often hung out there on Saturdays poking through his stuff and listening to his stories. He was an interesting old curmudgeon who only helped to fill my youthful head with the stuff of fly fishing legends and lore. I still remember him going on a rant when I showed him my then new ?Zoron? vise. He rather angrily proclaimed the Zoron people ?stole? the idea from his ?Angler?s Roost? vise. He was right by the way; the Angler?s Roost vise predated the Zoron Vise by many years.

While not in Jim?s shop; back in those days I had the pleasure of rubbing elbows with the likes of Walt Dette, Harry Darbee, Nick Lyons, Peter Phelps, Hoagy Carmichael, Walt Carpenter and many other of my Catskill heroes. I was like a star struck baseball fan at a Hall of Fame induction. NYC often presented the fly fishing addict ample opportunity to meet the ?big and historic? names of the sport. Ahhh, those were the days!

If you haven?t already read it, you must read the book, ?The Fish?s Eye?, by Ian Frazier. There is an entire chapter called, ?An Angler at Heart? all about Jim and the Angler?s Roost. It brought a tear to my eye when I read it; refreshing so many memories faded by time.


[This message has been edited by Bamboozle (edited 27 February 2005).]