We received news this morning of the passing of Poul Jorgensen, who passed away in his sleep overnight. He was 79. We will post more information as it becomes available.
Very sad, we’ve lost too many this year.
Our sincere sympathy to friends and family.
LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
Wow…this has been a wacky year for the fly fishing community.
“Fear No Fish”
Sorry to hear that. It is as you have said a bad year for sure. I do wish his family well and I will say a prayer also. Ron
Sad news indeed. One of the most influential tiers of the previous generation and a grand old man of contemporary tying. Two Great Danes, one on each side of the Atlantic, departed from us not far apart in time.
Preben Torp Jacobsen in Denmark, and now Poul in Roscoe, New York.
I will miss running into Poul at shows, or visiting in his house in the Catskills.
May you rest in peace.
Hans W
=== You have a friend in Low Places ===
http://www.danica.com/flytier
As LF said we’ve lost way too many this year. Condolences to his family.
Fatman
LF,
I just read your post and I’m sitting here, almost in shock. Briefly, there’ll be more to come, let me say that his writings and videos were an inspiration and guide to me. When I watched him at demonstrations he always managed to pull some unique technique, feather, color or fur scheme out of his ‘hat’. Regardless of the style of fly, for trout, bass, steelhead, salt or full dress Atlantic Salmon, his tying prowess was amazing. In the last several years I got to know Poul on a slightly personal basis and I always enjoyed our conversations. His passing leaves a legacy of personality and unequalled mentoring behind.
My sincere condolences to his family, his friends and all the fly tyers he has influenced throughout his life.
Allan (tyeflies)
Hi Deann, RW here
Man, that is a real bummer. I am so glad I got to meet him several times and watch him tie. He autographed his Salmon fly book for me at the first Roscoe fish-in and I have several photos taken with him that will be treasured mementos. Icon is certainly the proper word for a man of his stature in the fly fishing community. He will be greatly missed.
My condolences to his family.
RW
“We fish for pleasure; I for mine, you for yours.” -James Leisenring on fishing the wet fly-
Poul was always willing to sit down and share his talents and tricks especially at events like the Brotherhood of the Junglecock Campfire Weekends. He was the first fly-tyer that many of these children ever saw. What a great way to start. I will miss his sly smile and the twinkle in his eye. Rusty Rat
This is very sad indeed. My thoughts go with him and his family. His influences will be felt for generations
“The more widely one observes nature, the more it appeals to one’s soul. Why? Because there is a music there; and the wider one’s outlook on life becomes, the deeper one’s understanding of life, the more music one can listen to, the music that
answers the whole universe.” --Inayat Khan
I will sure miss him, as he was my safe place when I was away from home, you folks who are also friends of “Bill” will understand. He was a great friend.
John
May your leaders sink, your felts hold, and your flies float high.
John Dwyer “A Flyfisherman and a Flytyer”
Victor NY “Western gateway to the FingerLakes”
Very sad indeed–I had the good fortune to have a table next to Poul at a fly tying event for a day. He wanted to spend more time going thru my dads early 30’s flies than with the tv camera’s.
Bill
…and just when I thought this Monday was over,I read the BB…Poul was one of those gentlemen in this fraternity that was …just…always there. We could scan through any number of publications, notifications of FF gatherings, tying expos or anything related to FF’ing, and one of the top names would always be Poul’s. There is always something gratifing & comforting in these names that we have come to respect…those that have done such a service to our sport, that to not see or hear them again…is…disquieting! Their legacy will, hopefully, be carried on!!!
“…so many fish, so many flies…do I have enough time?”
Ten minutes after meeting him, I felt I’d known him all my life. A great tyer with a great Danish sense of humor. An
irreplaceable gem among the world fly fishing community! He is already missed.
My Condolences to his family and all who knew and loved him!
W.C. Lavris
(snipe)
Very sad to hear about the passing of yet another major figure in our sport. I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting Mr. Jorgensen personally but he has advised me through his books for many years.
My sincere condolences to all of Poul’s friends and family. He will be missed! 8T
What a terrible shock!! I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but, I do have one of his books and a video and I will cherish them forever. He was my idol and I always learned something new each and everytime I viewed his video. Such a soft spoken man that you could listen to all day. I will miss him very much. My prayers go out to his family and those who had the pleasure to have met him. I am so sorry for your loss.
Warren
Our prayers go out to the family and all that knew Poul;
God Bless
Harold
I too will miss him.
A wonderful, warm human being who will be greatly missed.
The first time I met him, I had no idea who he was. He dropped in on the Catskills bamboo rodmaking class, where the shop was all a-buzz with planing. I asked him if he wanted to learn about cane rods, and he laughed in that “make you comfortable” way, and then said, no, he’d learned enough from Garrison. He just wanted to learn to make furled leaders. Then he taught me to make weighted leaders for salmon. Friends ever since.
Sad news,
Kat
Poul Jorgensen 1926-2004
On November 29, 2004, Poul Jorgensen passed away in his sleep at his home on the bank of the Willowemoc Creek in Roscoe, NY. Born and raised in Odense, Denmark, Jorgensen made his home in the United States for over 45 years.
Poul passionately studied fly tying from Chicago fly tyer, William Blades who became his self-proclaimed mentor during the 1960s. He left his job as a mechanical engineer in 1969 and made fly tying his passion and full-time profession. Poul was without peers in the art of modern fly tying.
As a fly tying author, Poul wrote more books and created more videos than any other fly tyer. In 1973 his first book, Dressing Flies for Fresh and Saltwater, was critically acclaimed. This book brought life-size and clear color photographs of flies, with detailed tying instructions and patterns to the tyer, setting a benchmark for all fly tying books that followed. All of his books took DIY (do it yourself) instruction to a higher level; they were explicit, detailed, and easy to follow. His benchmark book, Salmon Flies: Their Character, Style and Dressing was first published in 1978 and is now available in five (5) different languages since it’s reprint of 2000. It began the renaissance of tying classic, Victorian era Atlantic Salmon flies that continues to grow today. Each book he authored brought with it a new dimension to the art and craft of fly tying worldwide with several titles reprinted on other languages.
Recognized the world over, he was once commissioned by President Nixon to prepare a presentation selection of flies for Yugoslavian President, Marshall Tito (who admired Poul’s work). When the selection was complete, President Nixon then requested that Poul personally present them to Tito to make the gift even more special. Of course, Poul honored President Nixon’s request. Poul was the World ambassador of flytying.
His innovation never stopped as he remained on the cutting edge of tying throughout his life. He could tie any style or category of fishing fly and explain and demonstrate his techniques for successful construction to others.
Over the years he was responsible for promoting and developing substitute materials for endangered and protected bird and animal species. His professional integrity was recognized by many companies here and abroad, which ultimately landed him endorsements to many products including Partridge Hooks of Redditch, England. In addition to his endorsements, he developed his own signature series of fly tying materials.
Personally, he freely shared his knowledge with everyone who requested it. There was always time to answer a question or share a story. He continued providing fly tying instruction to students of all ages from the children attending annual meetings of The Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock, an organization originated in 1940 to expose children to sound environmental and conservation practices while learning the art of fly fishing, to seasoned and skilled anglers as a regular featured tyer at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum and at Catskill Fly Tyers Guild sessions.
Having been recognized and received many honors over the years worldwide, he considered his induction into the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame, located at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum, that which he called home, personally the most important.
Poul Jorgensen is fly fishing history, a history that will live on.
Poul is survived by children, Paul Naylor. London, England, Peter Naylor, Charleston, SC, Karen Naylor-Riobueno, Newton, MA, and sisters Grethe and Mary, Denmark.
Friends may send donations and cards to The Poul Jorgensen Memorial Education Fund C/O The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum, PO Box 1295, Livingston Manor, NY 12758.
A memorial service will be held at The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum in Livingston Manor, NY on April 2, 2005.
LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
By Ramsey Al-Rikabi
Times Herald-Record
ral-rikabi@th-record.com
Roscoe ? One day earlier this year, Poul Jorgensen burst through the
door of the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum, took off his hat, and
told Jim Krul he was quitting.
“You can’t quit, Poul. You’re not really an employee,” Krul, the
acting director at the time, told him. “And besides, who else will I get
to come and do all this work for free.”
Jorgensen thought for a moment and decided Krul had a point ? as one
of the best fly-tiers in the world, Jorgensen had no choice but to donate
his time and energy to advancing the sport he championed and loved.
Jorgensen died in his sleep Monday night at his home in Roscoe. He was
78.
The author of several acclaimed books on fly-tying, Jorgensen learned
to fly-tie in the late 1960s in Chicago after retiring from a career as a
mechanical engineer.
Jorgensen was probably best known for his artistic mastery of the
Atlantic salmon fly, one of the most intricate and challenging flies of
the tying art. In 2001, he was inducted into the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame
in Livingston Manor.
“I have known fly-tiers all over the word, and I regard Poul as
probably the best technical fly-tier,” said long-time friend Lefty Kreh,
another fly-fishing luminary.
People would come to the Catskills just to meet Jorgensen and get
their picture taken with him.
“But he was very approachable,” said Krul. “He would stop and help the
most novice tier and give them a personal lesson.”
Jorgensen was born and raised in Denmark and his job as a mechanical
engineer led him to South America in the early 1960s. He spoke no
Spanish, but left six years later ? fluent and married (he’s twice
divorced) with two children.
Those who knew him remember his great sense of humor and
dependability. He had a medium build, but walked tall. He had a short,
cropped white beard and spoke with a slight, but distinct Danish accent.
Most of all, he was selfless. He volunteered his time to teach at
workshops and at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum, which is
located in Livingston Manor.
“He was passionate about our sport,” said Joan Wulff, an acclaimed
fly-fisherman and author.
“He gave of himself, that’s the biggest thing.”
Apparently he is being cremated and his ashes are being sent to
Denmark. There will probably be a memorial service in the spring.