Upper Sac icon Joe Kimsey passes

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Just got a phone call from Bob Grace, owner of the famous Ted Fay Fly Shop in Dunsmuir, California.

He had sad news that old Joe Kimsey had passed away peacefully in Redding, California.

Many years ago Joe took over the Ted Fay Fly Shop after the passing of famous Ted Fay.

Joe sold the shop to Bob Grace who now runs it with the same integrity and tradition as Ted and Joe.



From "The Trout Underground" web site:

http://troutunderground.com/2011/03/24/bad-news-thursday-fly-fishing-loses-upper-sac-legend-joe-kimsey/comment-page-1/#comment-73425

[David Lee]

Joe was a great guy .

Several years back - I was invited to tye at Sac ISE . Needless to say , I was squirming in horror at the thought of being in the company of so many great tyers . To say I felt very uncomfortable is putting it mildly ....

I took a seat near the end of the table , sitting next to me were Joe and Pete Peterson . Within about 5 minutes , they both were giving me merciless shit .... Joe would roll off a gentle insult , pause , and kind of look sideways at me to see if I'd bite . He had an amazing wit , and a wicked sense of humor !

That's when I KNEW I'd arrived !

The next year , I had graduated from being addressed as 'what's his name' to plain ol' 'David' by Joe - and despite him having tyed a million flies , and talked to even more people than that , he never once lost his gift for BS'ing . Joe made this nobody tyer feel like one of the crew , and for that alone , I will always remember his kindness .

D.~

[Dan L]

Joe was a very special person and a pioneer who has left his mark on flyfishing forever.
Dan Liechty

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I got this nice email from Ron Rabun who was a very close friend of Joe's and a Dunsmurian himself.

__________________________________________________ ________________________

Friends,
Yesterday and our future will be less filled with the loss of our GREAT angling friend, Joe Kimsey. See below.
Ron Rabun


****************************************
On Wednesday, March 23, 2011, Joe XXX Kimsey of Dunsmuir, California passed quietly while sleeping and dreaming of nature's animals and fish that filled the forests and rivers in Northern California. Joe is survived by a very close family, including 6 generations of the Hall and Kimsey clans of Siskiyou County. Joe's father was the Dunsmuir Police Chief for many years.

Joe was born May, 1929 in Historical Town of McCloud, California. He resided in Siskiyou County much of his life aside from his years in the Air Force as part of the Korean and Vietman Campaigns.

Joe's notoriety comes from his contributions to California's fly fishing industry and his jubulant attitude toward his angling clients and friends. Joe Kimsey was key to the development and promotion of the "bomber style" heavy nymph flies used on the coast and trout streams of California and Oregon. Lesser known for his contributions aside of Ted Towendolly and Ted Fay. He was part of the 'short line nymphing" generation and innovators which included Jim Humphreys, Joe Greene, Joe Brookes, Charlie Brooks and Al Kyte. In writing his book, Fly Fishing - Simple to Sophisticated, 1987, Al Kyte integrated the Two-Fly nymphing techniques developed by Joe and fellow angler Ted Fay. Many North American anglers familiar to these angling techniquies, would attest this was the origin of a newer technique known as "Czech Nymphing".


Joe and Ted fished and worked together for many years in part as the Ted Fay Fly Shop. To this day, Joe has assured a the longevity of Ted Fay Fly Shop, namesake through the shop sale and cooperative operational customer service relationships along with current owner, Bob Grace.

As a teenager living in McCloud in the 1940's, Joe would fish every opportunity. Brother in law, Harry Hall says, "Joe would fish every minute after school and be gone dawn to dusk on weekends. Joe's love of fishing also remains alive and true among all his friends and acquantances met through fly fishing. Every fly angler passing through Dunsmuir and/or gathering at the fly tying areaa of the International Sports Expositions will share in our loss of Joe kimsey as a freind, fellow angler and true "pal" appreciating every step one person make on that special stream each day.

Of those who also knew Joe, you would agree Joe coined a day's fishing fishing report as "fair to midland" or "not bad". Everyone felt that Joe was their best friend. I will personally miss giving a snap of Joe's suspenders at morning coffee then watch him eat a favorite breakfast of burnt toast coated from cafe tubs of blackberry jam.

For all of us who fished or walked the beautiful streams in sight of Mt Shasta, Joe's spririt will remain within these most beautiful places despite our immortality.

The family has requested a private memorial. A public memorial may be held the opening day of the regular trout season, Saturday, April 30th, 2011. Check with the Ted Fay Fly Shop; www.tedfay.com; Bob Grace, owner; 530-235-2969. Contact the Ted Fay Fly Shops

Also see www.troutunderground.com for words from Tom Chandler.

************************************************** ******

Ron Rabun
California Guide 1797
PO Box 105
Dunsmuir, CA 96026
800-FLY-FSHN (359-3746)
cell; 916-716-2659

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _

[Darian]

RIP Joe,.... I'll be hoisting a shot in your honor tonight and missing the conversations we had.... :nod:

[JayDubP]

The first time I took my son fly fishing Joe kept my then teenage son spellbound for 10-15mins talking about the stages of aquatic life, hatches and flies........ Joe and others like him are why we should all support brick and mortar fly shops... RIP Joe!

[Freestone]

RIP Joe...If you met him, you'd never forget him...Great guy, one of a kind.

[jcc]

Living in Mt. Shasta, I encountered Joe on several occaisions on the Upper Sac. But, one of my fondest memories of him was when I was helping my father with Kid's Day at the Mt. Shasta hatchery, put on by the Sons In Retirement (the SIRs). Joe was giving a fly casting "clinic" to the kids with a piece of yarn tied on his leader and casting into brood ponds. The kids were enchanted and Joe's manner with the children was sure to have had a long-lasting effect on those youngsters. I'm sure he converted at least a few into our sport. He will be missed...

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

This was on The Trout Underground blog today:

Author: Couching Tiger

Comment:

Sevices were held for Joseph Ellsworth Kimsey-Uncle Joe- today at the Mount Shasta Memorial park. Attending were family, friends, guides and the United States Air Force Honor guard. The sun came out as we rememberd a Guy that needed little and had everything....Yes! Joe was buried with his Red Suspenders , A ball cap he held in his lap and a guide shirt saying.. Joe Kimsey Master Fly Tyer.......I miss my friend

[socallies23]

Joe was truely a great man I can remeber talking to him for hours. Most likely one of the funniest and best story tellers I have ever known. Joe showed me tricks when I was new to tying, gave me his custom patterns to fish. He will be truely missed his knowledge of the area was second to none. I know that when I got the call I was very sad. He had opened up so many secrect place to fish in the shasta area for me. He will always be remembered!