# Lefty Kreh



## Outearly (Nov 17, 2009)

Saw this referred to on Microskiff-

http://www.danblanton.com/viewmessage.php?id=207598


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## caddis (Jan 22, 2012)

Thanks for posting. It's a bummer. He's sure had a lot of years on the water and kept at it to the end with BTT trips etc. What a great man.


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## Worm Drowner (Sep 9, 2010)

Both he and Joan Wulff are well into their nineties. Hate to see two legends pass into the sunset.


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## southpaw (Feb 25, 2009)

His book Flyfishing in Saltwater lit the fire in me to leave the conventional gear at home and dedicate myself to the craft of flyfishing. Although some of the info was a bit dated, a lot of it was the foundation of my learning. Legends never die.


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## tail-chaser (May 5, 2007)

Sad stuff. Never met him but a lot of folks talk highly of him.


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## Permit Rat (May 13, 2014)

I've known Lefty for more than 40 years, although it has been a long time since we've been in touch. He helped me immensely, back in 1975, when I went to his house in Cockeysville (MD) and he gave me tips on becoming an outdoor writer. I brought with me, my copy of his book, _Fly Fishing in Salt Waters,_ and he signed it for me. I remember he had a small permit mounted on the wall in his office. I asked him about it and he said it was the first one he caught on a fly rod and proceeded to recall the story behind the catch (as only Lefty can....he is known for his knack for telling stories) How ironic that my first permit on fly, almost 10 years later, would be caught under the exact same circumstances and be almost exactly the same size.!

It was through Lefty that I got to meet the likes of John Emery, when he was still very young and working for J.Lee Cuddy's in Ft. Lauderdale. Also John Mortimer and Lefty Reagan in Key West. Lefty Reagan was a light tackle guide but who, in his younger years, also had captained Dr. Web Robinson at times, in his quest for billfish on fly.

I never hounded the man. There were some who probably asked his advice before taking a dump every morning (people who shall remain un-named) But if he was doing a seminar in a neaby town, I might drop by and say hello. On one occasion we had dinner together, after the show. Whereas, all who heve been to these seminars, think his fly casting is flawless, the man is human. I've seen him screw up (via a 16 mm home movie) in real fishing situations, just like the rest of us. He just didn't do it nearly as often. But for decades, it seemed you never saw Lefty Kreh in any of the fishing shows. I have my own theory as to why that was. More recently, people have said that he has been on shows in actual fishing situations. I'd like to see some of those.

About 10 years ago, Lefty started to clean out some of his fly gear via the services of Mr. Robert Selb, in Lansdale, PA. I bought Lefty's copy of the Scientific Angler's _Great Equalizer_, without doubt the most iconic big game fly rod ever made. Scientific Anlers didn't have a facility for making rods in those days. They simply shipped the materials out to various rod builders, scattered about the country and they sent back completed rods. I do not remember who built Lefty's _Equalizer_, but he later engraved his name on the reel seat, as he did with all his fishing rods. I also bought his copy of Fenwick's HMG 12 wt. This was sort of a mistake, as I did not see in the description that the blank of the rod contained boron and therefore was a later model. I already have an older HMG 12 wt. I doubt Lefty ever used his rod.It was in original condition and they all needed to be re-wrapped with salt water snake guides (heavy duty #6's) before use. Out of the factory, I think the running guides on these rods were #4's and there's no way a nail knotted leader butt in a 12 wt. line would pass through these guides without hanging up at times. Later, I donated Lefty's rods to the IGFA, hoping that they would be included in a tribute to Lefty in the museum, when the day came.

So now it appears his time has come. When a physician mentions the word. "hospice," well, in my experience at least, it means the end is near. I shall forever remember Lefty Kreh as a mentor and hopefully at least a distant friend. He will be missed by the multitudes who he has helped over the decades.


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## bd24 (Aug 24, 2016)

He lived a full life, that is one thing that cannot be disputed. Without death life wouldn't be so precious.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

The guy is and always will be an icon for fly fishing. 

I met him back in the 70's and talked to him about casting and fly fishing extensively.

I'll never forget how he whipped out a stick probably about three feet or less, tied one end of a fly line to it, and proceeded to put the entire 100 ft or so fly line in the air. 

It was stunning, absolutely stunning.

Tonight I'm giving a fly fishing talk to our local fishing club and have rigged up a stick and a short piece of fly line to demonstrate fly casting. 

Without question, I'll be thinking of Lefty tonight and thankful I met the icon of fly fishing.


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## Fishsurfer (Dec 14, 2014)

The first fly I ever tried to tie was a Lefty's Deceiver, because when I started most all the things written at the time about saltwater fly fishing pointed toward Lefty. I read everything I could that he wrote especially about casting and how he liked a fly rod to be made. He has had a full life and if we can ever do half as much as he has with fly fishing and living this life we will be lucky.


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

The man is truly a legend. As far back as I can remember I've been reading his books and articles in numerous magazines and probably watched every show he was ever filmed on. I hope one day I could be half the fisherman he is. 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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