A local veteran fly fisher, Walt Bennett, passes.....

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Walt has very recently passed away.

He was one our the top coastal Steelhead anglers.

Walt lived in Stockton after spending time as a bakery cook on a big ship in WWII for the US Navy.

He was a mast baker at Philips Bakery in Sacramento.

Walt was in the movie "Rivers of a Lost Coast".

I think Walt was in his mid-90s and was in an assisted living home.

I will let you know if there will be any services for Walt.

[Andrew Guibord]

I learned a lot from Walt, rest in peace.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Walt spent many summers back near West Yellowstone at the Fenwick fly fishing school physicality teaching many to fly fish.

He also spent lots of time up at Crane Prairie Resort fishing for those giant Rainbows up there.

Walt fished the north coast for Steelhead and also the Trinity river.

He had more days on the water with good friends than most of us.

.

[Don Powell]

Walt has no regrets, he lived the life many of us dream about- God bless you Walt and, thank you for the inspiration you provided to the flyfishers now, and to come...

[Bob G]

I have many great Walt memories, a few follow.

Perhaps the happiest memory is our (Walt, Al Perryman, my charming late wife Peggy, and me) 1976 trip to teach a Fenwick Fly Fishing School at the Hartsook Inn, on the South Fork of the Eel River. As background, Walt was a renowned Wedding Cake baker/decorator in Sacramento. Anyway, all 4 of us were crammed into our Volkswagon Bug on the trip over, and by the time we hit Willits we were all starved. So, as I recall while Peggy stayed with Walt in the VW Bug, Al and I entered a Safeway store buying a pile of Hostess Treats (Twinkies, Ding-Dongs, Ho-Ho's, etc.). Needless to say, Walt the baker had several reactions to the Treats, including a few verbal shots. On the other hand, Walt did try a few Treats and I think commented "Not Bad". This Hostess stop became a common discussion point between Walt and me for the next 30+ years.

I also had the pleasure of traveling with Walt in his Truck/Camper to a few weekend Fenwick Schools where we would try to schedule a day of Friday fishing beforehand. Yes, Walt always prepared breakfast in the Camper that was hot and delicious. Regarding the fishing, you couldn't have a better and more carefree friend.

In 1978, Walt and I taught at the last Smith River Fenwick School, and Frank and Gladys Gray directed this School, on their way back from Fenwick's West Yellowstone Montana School site. Fenwick's Montana Schools ran from June weekly through August and Frank and Gladys had just retired as the Directors of that site. Thanks to Al Perryman and Walt I had the sincere pleasure of following the Gray's as Director of Fenwick's Montana Schools. Around that time, Al was appointed Director of the Orvis Schools and established a nationally regarded Orvis School curriculum. Prior to my arrival to run the summer Montana Fenwick Schools in 1979, Walt had spent the prior few summers in West Yellowstone at the Schools. It was amazing how much credibility I received just through mentioning my friendship with Walt. In those years, Walt was Gold in the Fly Fishing world.

Thank you for this opportunity to share.

Bob

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Walt was part of my beloved " Geezer Patrol" of local fly fishers of the "Greatest Generation".

They were like uncles to me, helping me in any way they could.

I would have never made it in the fly fishing world without their continuous support.

Most of them are gone now but a few are still with us.


I met these guys around 1965 when I started working at Sports Unlimited on Arden Way.

My "adopted fly fishing uncles" were Joe Patterson, Joe Shirshac, Walt Bennett, Chuck Campana, Neil Hansen, George Martin, and Henry Starr.

Every Wednesday they would meet at my shop and then go to lunch together.

Once in a great while I could get somebody to watch my little fly shop and I could go with them.

Over the years it was different places: Walt's Restaurant, Sacramento Joe's, Nagatos Japanese, Brother's Deli........they were all near by the shop.

.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Dang, I was just getting ready to go see him again! Glad I did when I did. Sorry to see such a great person go, but know he filled his life just about as well as could be filled! I am a little jealous! Feel free to post this on the blog, if you like. I could not figure out my login stuff. Do not do those things often.

Forrest Oldham emailed me this.....

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

When I started into the sporting goods business 50 years ago in Sacramento I met the group old timers, who were my folks generation.

I also met the younger bunch of serious local fly fishers who were around my age.

This was Al Perryman, Al Fong, Cal Guin, Jim Potter, Larry Cullen and Forrest Oldham, "straight arrow" was his nick name.

.

[hwchubb]

Bill,

Thanks for the update, and. I'm sorry to hear it. I met Walt late in life (thanks, Buff!), and enjoyed his company on the rare times we talked. He is really an icon to any of us who chase steel - a truly class individual. Our world is a little less for his passing.