One for Lefty

[BilletHead]

         So most sites I read daily are now paying a tribute to Lefty Kreh. Like most of us fly fishers we have heard and read about him. I watched his fly casting videos to learn. I did not realize until the last couple of days how intertwined he, Flip Pallot and Jose Wejebe were.  This morning I started looking at videos and step by steps for his Deceiver pattern. Many of these are based on his fly but I wanted to do "his fly" . I finally found the fly he came up with in the 60s and here is what I tied up,

  Did it while it was raining here in BilletHeadVille. My intentions were to fish it today. As the sky cleared the wind came up. Up enough I almost did not go.. Grabbed the 7wt. this fly and pulled on rubber boots and off I went to some ponds.  The wind blew hard, did not know how hard until I got back to the house. First place has three different ponds. Hit the first one that is pretty small and narrow. Had one hit and that was it there. Looked at the second and it was murky and the largest of the three. Passed it and hit the kidney or L shaped pond. Wind gusting pretty well now whitecaps now lapping the downwind end. I knew with  the wind blowing this would be the end to warm the quickest so this is where I went. At the bend it gets narrow and I could with the wind to my back I could get the fly out there "kind of". If I could get the back cast half way and get the line going forward with the wind it would sail out there. Today the graceful and pretty part of fly casting went out the door . A dozen or more of this mess and I finally missed two hits in one spot. Next cast and the first bass was landed. Not big but a fish on the new tied fly and the first Deceiver I have ever made,

  Then another bass from the same spot,   

      More casts without a hit and then a move to another spot. This time I had to cross sideways to the wind direction. Oh my gosh I am a glutton for punishment. To get where I wanted the fly to land I had to quarter into the wind. By the time it hit the water I had a unbelievable bow in the line on the water, add the waves and you can only imagine. Missed three and finally hooked up with another,

   Had enough with this place and headed back to the truck. Took rod apart and headed back home BUT on the way I looked across the field towards the pond where on the last two trips back there had caught on the fly 42 bass and 10 bluegill. Turned into the field and parked. The farm field the pond is in the middle of had been disked yesterday. What rain we had was already dried on the field surface and I could see dust being kicked up. What the heck I thought as I rebuilt the rod and then trekked across the dusty field. Wind even worse I thought stupid is as stupid does as I got to the ponds edge. Wind to my back I stepped into the edge of the water in my knee boots until I felt the leak I have in them and took a step back.. Four more bass and some really bad casting I was done. A line of foam on the downward side of the pond bank where the waves hit the shore. I thought not too bad for the conditions and said a thank you to Lefty and his Deceiver. Then thanks for what he showed all of us in this sport. Todays mission accomplished Back to BilletHeadVille I went. Checked the weather page. Wind 26 mph with gusts reported 41 mph,

       BilletHead

[Terrierman]

Nice - no- great tribute to a legend of the sport.

[tjm]

Saw him perform at a show in Springdale, Ar. about 30 years ago. Quite a guy to talk to and made casting look easy, but even after his demo and lecture my casting is still  mediocre.

Nice fly and story, Billethead. I hate wind, you are tougher than I to keep fishing in it.

[BilletHead]

13 minutes ago, tjm said:

Saw him perform at a show in Springdale, Ar. about 30 years ago. Quite a guy to talk to and made casting look easy, but even after his demo and lecture my casting is still  mediocre.

Nice fly and story, Billethead. I hate wind, you are tougher than I to keep fishing in it.

         Mediocre for me too and yesterdays wind proved just that. As far as fishing in the wind my good friend Brad says " you have to be tough when your stupid" . This day proved he was right .

   BilletHead

[Johnsfolly]

Nothing wrong about being persistent under poor conditions and being successful. Congrats my friend on your green bass caught on your Lefty Deceiver. As Rick mentioned that may be the best tribute one could make on one's passing!