ANOTHER NAME

November 23, 2009

Of course once you write an article about the person you think has influenced fly fishing the most, then you just have to expect someone to either tell you you’re wrong, or drop a name and expect an answer or comment.

The name was, is, Lefty Kreh.

I first met Lefty at one of the big fly fishing shows, either Denver or Salt Lake. Back some years ago those shows where a very big deal. The shows are not open to the public, just for fly shop owners and buyers. Today the shows are but a poor shadow of what they once were. I believe at that time Lefty was on the Sage Pro Staff. He would be on a casting pond and demonstrating various casts (which he could make on any rod, including our broom) but of course they were wonderful because they were made with Sage rods. He always had a joke or ten, with a sense of delivery which made him a very popular entertainer on the banquet/dinner fund raisers as well. I can’t recall specifically which cast he wanted me to learn, perhaps the skip cast, but he was a terrific teacher, and he made it fun.

We continued to run into him at the various shows and FFF Conclaves. He was/is a life member of FFF and did his best to promote their ideals. Every once in a while we’d get a book in the mail, sometimes from Lefty, other times from his publisher. I don’t think we have a complete set of his books, but we do have a bunch - and I’ve read them all. There is Lefty’s Little Library and a bunch more on casting and even knots.

At some point he decided to call my late husband “Castwell Jimmy." He was the only person to every call him that, and Castwell thoroughly enjoyed it. He teased Lefty by saying the same thing every time we met: "You know I could fix that glitch in your back cast for you." Lefty didn’t have one of course.

Lefty is about ten years older than the late Castwell - and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, or at least not much. His professional affiliation these days is with Temple Forks Outfitters. Temple Forks is the perfect match for Lefty. One of the things closest to his heart was to get moderately priced, but good rods, into the hands of the new fly fisherman. Redington and Temple Forks were the companies whose dedication to the entry level angler brought that dream to reality. Temple Forks also produces a selection of spinning rods for those who are still living on the dark side of angling.

We were attending a FFF Conclave in Kalispell Montana, perhaps 1995, and our friend Jim Sisson who also taught classes with us, was there to take his test for certification. The next day we were waiting around for something and Lefty came along and we were just chatting. He asked if we had anything special to do for a while, and when we said we didn’t, he directed us out the back door to one of the casting ponds which had been set up.

He lined the three of us up on one side, and said, "I’m going to teach you how to teach." And for the next 45 minutes explained and showed how to get and keep the students attention - what to do with people who "didn’t get it" and finally why it is important to learn to cast right. Not necessarily long line or fancy casts, but getting the fly to where the fish are. I don’t know if he has ever done that sort of class for the FFF casting instructors (but if he hasn’t he should) but it has stuck in my mind all these years. Must have been something to be remembered fourteen years later?

There aren’t all that many women in fly fishing, but there are a number of gals on the marketing and manufacturing sides, and anywhere Lefty has gone, the gals (including me) know they are with a gentleman.

Lefty is one of the truly nice guys in fly - fishing. How important is his method of casting? Have you ever seen Lefty cast? Ever see anyone else besides Ed Jaworowski who can?

Comment on this article

Archive of Ladyfisher