Lefty Kreh
Encyclopedia
Bernard "Lefty" Kreh is an American-born fly fisherman, photographer and instructor currently residing in Hunt Valley, Maryland
. Lefty is considered to be one of the pioneers of Saltwater Fly fishing
, and his book, "Fly Fishing in Salt Water" is considered the seminal volume on the subject.
He is married to Evelyn Kreh. They have two children, Victoria and Larry Kreh. Lefty has four grandchildren, Matthew, Hillary, Larry and Sammantha. Plus five great grandchildren, Alexandria, Allyssa, Emily, Ryan, and William.
Not only does he fly fish for work and his books as well, he is also known for his photography.
and began to fish for salt water species in the Florida Keys
. It was during this time that Lefty Kreh, Joe Brooks, Al Pflueger, Tom McNally, George Hommel, Stu Apte and others pioneered the techniques that modern salt water anglers use to pursue fish with fly fishing gear.
and is generally considered one of the top patterns to have in any fly box. Lefty Kreh invented the Deceiver fly in the late 1950s as a streamer that would be easy to cast in wind and would not "foul" (or wrap around the bend of the hook) a common problem for older streamer patterns. The original Lefty's Deceiver was tied in an all white pattern, but fly tiers have recreated the pattern in a variety of colors. A darker colored top with a lighter bottom (mimicking the various forage fishes that larger fishes feed upon) is the most popular design. The Deceiver is arguably the best known saltwater fly pattern in the world and in 1991 the U.S. Postal Service honored Kreh’s creation with a postage stamp.
HomeWaters University opened in June 2010 and offers fly-fishing classes. Its 20 fishing guides take on students of any skill level, beginning to expert, and teach them casting techniques, as well as how to catch a fish. The two-day long courses are held at the confluence of Spruce Creek and the Little Juniata River.
Hall of Fame.
, the Federation of Fly Fishers
.
Hunt Valley, Maryland
Hunt Valley is an affluent unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It lies just north of the city of Baltimore, along Highway 145 off Interstate 83. Loch Raven Reservoir...
. Lefty is considered to be one of the pioneers of Saltwater Fly fishing
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
, and his book, "Fly Fishing in Salt Water" is considered the seminal volume on the subject.
He is married to Evelyn Kreh. They have two children, Victoria and Larry Kreh. Lefty has four grandchildren, Matthew, Hillary, Larry and Sammantha. Plus five great grandchildren, Alexandria, Allyssa, Emily, Ryan, and William.
Not only does he fly fish for work and his books as well, he is also known for his photography.
Early years
Lefty began fly-fishing in 1947 while serving as a guide for the famous fly fisherman Joe Brooks. In 1964 he moved to Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
and began to fish for salt water species in the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
. It was during this time that Lefty Kreh, Joe Brooks, Al Pflueger, Tom McNally, George Hommel, Stu Apte and others pioneered the techniques that modern salt water anglers use to pursue fish with fly fishing gear.
Career
In addition to his fishing accomplishments, Lefty has been an active outdoor writer for more than forty-five years. He has written for most major outdoor magazines. He is the retired outdoor editor of The Baltimore Sunpapers and holds a staff position on several outdoor magazines. He is also an accomplished photographer.Creation of Lefty's Deceiver
The Lefty's Deceiver is an artificial fly commonly categorized as a streamer fly which is fished under the water surface. It is a popular and widely used pattern for both predacious freshwater and saltwater game fishFish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
and is generally considered one of the top patterns to have in any fly box. Lefty Kreh invented the Deceiver fly in the late 1950s as a streamer that would be easy to cast in wind and would not "foul" (or wrap around the bend of the hook) a common problem for older streamer patterns. The original Lefty's Deceiver was tied in an all white pattern, but fly tiers have recreated the pattern in a variety of colors. A darker colored top with a lighter bottom (mimicking the various forage fishes that larger fishes feed upon) is the most popular design. The Deceiver is arguably the best known saltwater fly pattern in the world and in 1991 the U.S. Postal Service honored Kreh’s creation with a postage stamp.
Instruction
In 2010, the first Lefty Kreh Flyfishing Challenge Course was built as the centerpiece of instruction at HomeWaters University, which is located in Spruce Creek, Pennsylvania. Lefty designed the course himself, incorporating dry land, still water and moving water into various casting stations. Lefty calls it a “challenge” course, as opposed to a “casting” course, because he included real-world fly-fishing conditions. Scenarios include the need for long casts, short and precise presentations, casting into the wind, casting with no room for a back cast, and dealing with boulders, rapidly moving water, logs and other floating debris.HomeWaters University opened in June 2010 and offers fly-fishing classes. Its 20 fishing guides take on students of any skill level, beginning to expert, and teach them casting techniques, as well as how to catch a fish. The two-day long courses are held at the confluence of Spruce Creek and the Little Juniata River.
IGFA induction
In 2003 Lefty Kreh was inducted to the International Game Fish AssociationInternational Game Fish Association
The International Game Fish Association is the leading authority on angling pursuits and the keeper of the most current World Record fishing catches by fish categories. Fishermen who are sport fishers are careful to follow their stringent rules for fair play and line requirements in order to...
Hall of Fame.
Other awards
Lefty received the prestigious "Lifetime Achievement Award" by the American Sportfishing Association, has been honored with the "Lifetime Contribution Award" by the North American Fly Tackle Trade Association and is also in the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. In 1997 he was named "Angler of the Year" by Fly Rod and Reel Magazine. Lefty has served a number of years as Senior Advisor to Trout UnlimitedTrout Unlimited
Trout Unlimited is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of freshwater streams, rivers, and associated upland habitats for trout, salmon, other aquatic species, and people. Often contracted as "TU," the organization began in 1959 in Michigan...
, the Federation of Fly Fishers
Federation of Fly Fishers
The Federation of Fly Fishers is an international 501 non-profit organization headquartered in Livingston, Montana dedicated to the betterment of the sport of fly fishing through Conservation, Restoration and Education...
.
Other writings
In addition to "Fly Fishing in Salt Water", other submissions by Lefty include:- "Tying Flies That Catch Fish"
- "Lefty Kreh's Ultimate Guide to Fly Fishing: Everything Anglers Need to Know by the World's Foremost Fly-Fishing Expert"
- "Saltwater Fly Patterns"
- "Lefty Kreh's Longer Fly Casting, New and Revised: The Compact, Practical Handbook That Will Add Ten Feet--Or More--To Your Cast"
- "My Life Was This Big: And Other True Fishing Tales"
- "Lefty Kreh's Presenting the Fly: A Practical Guide to the Most Important Element of Fly Fishing"
- "Lefty Kreh on Fly Casting"
Sources
- http://leftykreh.com/lefty.html Lefty's Home Page and Photography links
- http://www.letsflyfish.com/lefty_1.htm Biography
- http://www.igfa.org/hall.asp IGFA Listing and Bio
- http://leftykreh.com/stamp.html Deceiver stamp
- http://www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/lkdeceiver Instructional video on tying Leftys Deceiver