The Heydays of Fly Fishing in Nor Cal......1970s

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

In the 1970s Hat Creek and Fall River where the big deal for anyone in Nor Cal who fly fished.


Rick's Lodge was the iconic hangout for those in the know. You would meet some cool folks there.

90% of all fly fishing was 'matching the hatch' in the surface, mostly with small stuff.

This was pre-indicator fishing time so the only under water deal was swinging a Zug Bug on a sink-tip.


Ray Nicholls had Shasta Anglers fly shop in Fall River Mills which was the iconic shop in the area.

Ray sold Valco prams to everyone for the Fall River and local lakes.


Bob Quigley was 'the man' who help many of us learn how to fish these magical smooth water fisheries.


Hal Janssen was always up there fishing super long leader with small nymphs for big trout.


Dave Inks and Andy Puyans had the famous Creative Sports fly shop in Walnut Creek.

This was the best fly shop in California and remains a big part of the fly fishing history.

You could drive there and see some of the top fly fishing legends of the time.


Bob Nauheim and Frank Bertaina had Fishing International travel service in Santa Rosa.

These guys pioneered the fly fishing world wide.


The San Jose Fly Casters was the top, cutting edge Bay area fly fishing club.

Their member list in the 1970s was some of the best fly fishers of modern times.

Dan Blanton and Ed Givens come to mind but they had many other "commando" fly fishers.


The Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco produced many legends as well.

Fly fishing greats Steve and Tim Rajeff grew up near the club where old timers helped them become world class casters.


I hope someone would start to write the history of fly fishing in California to save all this great information.


Many of these old fly fishers of the Greatest Generation are gone now but had wonderful lives because of fly fishing.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I did not mention the steelhead and salmon fly fishing in Nor Cal in the old days but you can watch the great movie.

"Rivers of a Lost Coast" is a special documentary film that every Steelhead angler should own.


Entire movie - free

https://tubitv.com/movies/189479/rivers_of_a_lost_coast

[Gnat]

Regarding: I hope someone would start to write the history of fly fishing in California to save all this great information.

Bill, I think you should write this history. It could be done as a series of articles, or even a book.

[rtb215]

Bill:

I, second what Gnat said. Most of your posts and comments, all have a historical value.

Bob Bettati

[ricards]

Yep. Those were the good old days. There were fewer gas-powered boats on Fall River back then. Now, the guides have access to private launches and are legally entitled to use gas-powered boats on the river. The Fall River experience has been somewhat diminished as a result. Then too, the Pale Morning Dun hatches aren't what they used to be. Especially below Zug Bug Alley.

As for that poor, tired, trampled piece of water below the Hat 2 Powerhouse, the so-called Powerhouse Riffle, it still continues to produce fish, though it will never be what it once was. And I am afraid the Old Carbon Bridge stretch that was silted over a number of years ago will never return to its former glory, despite ongoing restoration work.

The Hat Creek watershed does have one conceivable bright spot, however. And that is Baum Lake, or as I like to call it, "Hat Creek Lake." There is a viable population of Pit River strain wild trout in this lake, though it is disappearing fast due to angler harvesting. I have advocated for years that Baum Lake should be protected as a wild trout fishery and included in the Fish and Wildlife Wild Trout Program. Anyone who feels as I do that hatchery stubby tails have no place in a spring creek ecosystem should contact Michael Dege with the Wild Trout Program.

Michael.Dege@wildlife.ca.gov

Sorry. I got a little off-topic didn't I?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

The History of Fly Fishing in California.



I probably need to get with some other Baby Boomer fly fishers and start taking notes.

It would just be gathering data specifically from the old bunch.

As we work on a list of groups we can put it up on a web page for each category so people can read it and ad to it.

There is bits of info all over the Internet......Google

_________________________________________

A list of all the fly shops in California? Stroud's, Creative Sports, The Fly Hutch (2), Ted Fay, Trinity Fly Shop, Spring Creek Anglers.
Fox's Flies(Sparks), Shasta Angler, Hat Creek Angler's, (we could do fly shops/sporting good stores.fly sellers by areas/cities?)

A list of sporting goods stores who also had fly fishing supplies plus hardware stores? Anchor Drug, Vauhn's, Mountain Hardware,


A list of all the CA fly rod makers? Powell, Scott, Winston, Fenwick, J.Kennedy Fisher,


A list of CA custom rod makers? Russ Peak, Raptor,


A list of all the CA fly clubs? that is on the Internet under NCCFFC?


A list of all the CA casting clubs? Golden Gate, Oakland, Long Beach


A list of CA reel makers? Ross, Teton, Abel, Langley, Galvan, Fenwick,


CA Feather Merchants? Buz's/Visalia, Hackle House, Hash's Herl & Hackle, Don Frazer in Rough-n-Ready,


CA commercial fly tiers? Bob Quigley, Jay Murakoshi, Galen Geller, Ted Towendolly, Ed Haas, Lincoln/Lance Gray, Cary Blackledge,
Bob Scheidt,


________________________________

We can all work on it?

[jaysflies]

Bill,
I could give a long list of fly shops that were in California back in the early 70's and 80's... I tied flies for most of the shops in CA even the old Kiene's Fly Shop. Also for the Fly Hutch in Sac ( Mike Monroe) and Los Gatos. Here's one to think about. What was the name of the fly shop before Bob Marriott's bought it. I tied many dozens and dozens of flies for Hat Creek Angler's ( Bob Quigley), Spring Creek Anglers in Burney ( Bob Brink ). The list goes on and on.... I can tell you the hardware stores that sell or use to sell fly fishing equipment. One rod company you forgot about.... J. Kennedy Fisher, who use to roll blanks for a lot of major rod companies in the industry, but they won't admit to it. I saw the mandrels at the factory in Moundhouse, Nv. Right next door to a brothel.
I'll bet a lot of people have no idea there is one of the major or use to be one of the major supplier for fly tying materials right here in Fresno, 5 miles from my house... Do you know the name? I do, just checking to see if anyone else out there knows.
Bill you need to write a book.
Jay

PS.. do any of you remember stopping at the Orleans Market on the way to fishing the Klamath River around the Johnson's area, especially a riffle named the Metah Riffle. Well if you bought any steel head flies from the store, most likely they were tied by me.

PSSS... you ask? How many dozen flies have you tied in your career...In my early days (when I had good eyes) I usually tied any where from 2,400 to 2,800 dozen flies a year

[jaysflies]

I fished a few of these old timers.

[jaysflies]

Ed Givens was and still a life member of the Salinas Valley Fly Fishers. I remember when some clubs had a waiting list to become a member. At that time, I joined many clubs but only made a few meetings to some of the clubs. Now I do a lot of club presentations and still see a few of the old timers. Not too many young people interested in the sport like the years past

[jaysflies]

Dang, I love being a Junior Member

[jaysflies]

Bill,
I have one for you.. I know you remember.
How many of you remember Angler Mag... Do you remember who was the editor... Don't answer Bill

[Rich Morrison]

I’m doing my part to keep the Powell company history alive and well...
www.classicpowellrod.com

[jaysflies]

I had an old EC Powell bamboo fly rod that I bought in a garage sale. Sold it to a collector back East

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Bill,
I have one for you.. I know you remember.
How many of you remember Angler Mag... Do you remember who was the editor... Don't answer Bill

Yes, I have a bunch of them. It would be good to mention Angler Magazine.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Dang, I love being a Junior Member

I got to fix that......

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Bill,
I could give a long list of fly shops that were in California back in the early 70's and 80's... I tied flies for most of the shops in CA even the old Kiene's Fly Shop. Also for the Fly Hutch in Sac ( Mike Monroe) and Los Gatos. Here's one to think about. What was the name of the fly shop before Bob Marriott's bought it. I tied many dozens and dozens of flies for Hat Creek Angler's ( Bob Quigley), Spring Creek Anglers in Burney ( Bob Brink ). The list goes on and on.... I can tell you the hardware stores that sell or use to sell fly fishing equipment. One rod company you forgot about.... J. Kennedy Fisher, who use to roll blanks for a lot of major rod companies in the industry, but they won't admit to it. I saw the mandrels at the factory in Moundhouse, Nv. Right next door to a brothel.
I'll bet a lot of people have no idea there is one of the major or use to be one of the major supplier for fly tying materials right here in Fresno, 5 miles from my house... Do you know the name? I do, just checking to see if anyone else out there knows.
Bill you need to write a book.
Jay

PS.. do any of you remember stopping at the Orleans Market on the way to fishing the Klamath River around the Johnson's area, especially a riffle named the Metah Riffle. Well if you bought any steel head flies from the store, most likely they were tied by me.

PSSS... you ask? How many dozen flies have you tied in your career...In my early days (when I had good eyes) I usually tied any where from 2,400 to 2,800 dozen flies a year

Jay, you can help me....we also will make a list of true commercial CA fly tiers.

[jaysflies]

What? I can't believe no one has come up with the answer to my question... Before Bob Marriott bought the shop, what was the shop name. Maybe I should give a prize to the person with the right answer :)

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

It was a guys name?

[L Kenney]

Dale's Hackle and Tackle

[Peter S]

What? I can't believe no one has come up with the answer to my question... Before Bob Marriott bought the shop, what was the shop name. Maybe I should give a prize to the person with the right answer :)

I recall that the shop was called Hackle and Tackle or Dale's Hackle and Tackle. My memory is fading!

[Ralph]

Yes, I have a bunch of them. It would be good to mention Angler Magazine.

Then there was Inside Angler Magazine

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

So good.....Larry, you have so much fly fishing info in your RAM......thanks.


Larry Kenney and Harry Wilson were the founders of Scott Rod Company in San Francisco.

http://fiberglass-fly-rods.pbworks.com/w/page/5183004/Scott

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Then there was Inside Angler Magazine

Thanks Ralph......we appreciate all your ( and Lisa's ) contributions to the sport and helping here for years on our little forum.



**Just Google "Ralph and Lisa Cutter" if you want to see some great information about fly fishing.

[Terry Thomas]

Here’s a few more:
Ferd Claudio, S.F. Premier fiberglass rod builder
Harry Wilson, Scott Rods
Ted Fay Fly Shop (Joe Kinsey)
Gary Warren/Chuck Stranahan Spring Creek Anglers, Johnson Park
Vaughn’s Sporting Goods, Burney
Time Flies, Eureka
Eureka Fly Shop, Mike Kosinski
Brad Jackson/Mike Michalak
Hal Burton, Trinity Fly Shop...still carrying the flag!
Terry Hellekson, Fly Fishing Specialties
Wow, I’m getting old.
T.

[jaysflies]

Hey Larry, you're correct. Do you remember the shop... It was a barber shop in front with a fly shop in the back. When I started out, I put an ad in Angler's Magazine for commercially tied flies and he answered. I tied flies for his shop until he retired and that's when Bob Marriotts took over. I continued tying for a couple years after that, then they went to buying overseas flies.
The good ole days

[jaysflies]

Here's another fly shop that was on Clement St... The San Francisco Fly Shop, it was owned by Doug Park. I'm sure some of you recognize that name.
I tied flies for Ted Fay Fly Shop. I think the only pattern I tied was the black bomber and the brown bomber fly. For Herb and Patty Burton, I tied the Golden Stone burlap nymph, heavily weighted.
There were two shops in Monterey, one was the Sportsman's Tackle shop, owned by Ed Ledger and the other one was the Monterey Fly Tyer owned by Gary Nichols, he was one of the only shops that sold Nymo thread. A few years ago, I purchased 10 cones of white and 5 cones of red and still have a few left. I believe the FishHair company is or was the distributor

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Nymo thread was a big deal in the 1960s and '70s.

I think it was flat and in size A on wooden spools.

Most all medium to larger flies were tied with it.

Some even wrapped guides on fishing rods with it.

[jaysflies]

It did come on those wooden spools. Not I see people selling them at antique shows. The most requested color was black for the standard flies and Red (0444) for the steelhead/salmon flies. I still have cones and spools of the 0444.

[loose_shoes]

Here's another fly shop that was on Clement St... The San Francisco Fly Shop, it was owned by Doug Park.

Doug Park? Did you mean Doug Matteo?
The other partner in that shop was Stephen Haggard(?)
I still use the waders and float tube I bought from there 20 years ago.

How about The Selective Angler in Larkspur Landing? I think our own PGW was a part owner in that shop.
EDIT: Uhhh... Just noticed that this thread was about shops in the 70's. Oh, well. Add this to the list of NorCal fly shops whenever that list gets compiled.

Western Sport in San Rafael and Petaluma (or Santa Rosa. Cant remember exactly)

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Good ones LS,

John Christlieb owned the Western Angler in Santa Rosa and was a great rod builder.

The Selective Angler in Larkspur Landing was owned by a chef. Larry?

[yubaman]

Larry Kovi. Larry passed away in about 10 years ago. He was running the fly fishing dept. at Western Sporting Goods in San Rafael.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks YubaMan

He was a nice guy too.

[jaysflies]

Loose-shoe
No, his name was Doug Park. A short Asian dude. Maybe the shop had a different name. I know it was on Clement St. I went there a number of times. He use to carry a lot of unusual materials, like JC...back when it was illegal :rolleyes:
I tied a few flies for Western Sports and another shop that was in the area.
I'm trying to remember the name of the sporting goods shop in the Palo Alto area. This is where I met Brent Dawson' dad and started teaching Brent how to tie.

[Bkane]

Smiths? It was just closing when I started working in PA.

[loose_shoes]

No, his name was Doug Park. A short Asian dude. Maybe the shop had a different name. I know it was on Clement St.

SF Fly Shop was definitely on Clement St. I suppose Doug Park could have been a previous owner. I dunno. Doug Matteo was an owner when I was going there. Doug Matteo was (is) a short, non-Asian dude (but big personality and even bigger attitude!). Glasses and a big mustache.


I'm trying to remember the name of the sporting goods shop in the Palo Alto area.

There used to be a shop in Los Altos called "The Midge Fly Shop". Not exactly Palo Alto but sorta close.

[jaysflies]

The midge was owned by Dave Beronio.

[Dugger]

Actually, the word is "heyday" and has nothing to do with hay, the dried grass that is used as animal feed. Dictionary definition: Heyday = the period of one's greatest popularity, vigor, or prosperity

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks.......I will change it.

[Railking]

Larry Kovi. Larry passed away in about 10 years ago. He was running the fly fishing dept. at Western Sporting Goods in San Rafael.

He also had his own shop with his wife at the time in Larkspur Landing.. I still bump into Julia from time to time..
Larry was a very nice gentleman...

[Railking]

You over looked Lani Waller.. Who might have been the first to have Video produced by 3M if memory serves me correctly.. Hell of a Steelheader and I think one of the first to introduce top water fishing for Steelhead..

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Those Scientific Angler/3M videos were shot by John Fabian on 16mm movie film then converted to VHS.

We had a huge rental department of VHS tapes and later DVDs on fly fishing.

We only charged a dollar a day only so people would bring them back.

We watched those videos all day long at the shop.


I think that 3M made a 2 or 3 video series with Lani Waller on Steelheading and this made him famous.

Lani had a fly shop but his passion was fly fishing travel.

[Ned Morris]

John Fabian was a true gentleman. I fished with him with a group on the McKenzie River back in May 2007 when he had a horrible accident hitting an underground rock. My buddies and John flipped over into the river. My Guide Mike McCoy paddled like hell and I was able to grab John just as his waders were filling up. It was near disaster. We rowed over to shore while I was holding him as couldn't get him in our boat. Got him to shore out of his gear and dry clothes. Everyone was OK thank god. I had no idea who he was until my friend told me "That's the guy who narrated all the 3M Fly Fishing videos from the 80's we used to watch on VHS as kids". John was so kind and grateful. Never got a chance to fish with him again and heard he passed away last year. He had a great life and was an outstanding fishing guide not mention was the voice that introduced me to Steelhead on a Fly.


Those Scientific Angler/3M videos were shot by John Fabian on 16mm movie film then converted to VHS.

We had a huge rental department of VHS tapes and later DVDs on fly fishing.

We only charged a dollar a day only so people would bring them back.

We watched those videos all day long at the shop.


I think that 3M made a 2 or 3 video series with Lani Waller on Steelheading and this made him famous.

Lani had a fly shop but his passion was fly fishing travel.

[Dave E.]

Ah' the never ending videos...How many times have you heard: " I spot 'em, I got 'em " or " If you're going to make a change, make a definite change".

I'll bet some of the guys being mentioned in this thread are still around ( fly shops have a way of making people look much older than they really are. ), they would be the best way to get the real scoup on the who, what and where.

San Francisco Fly Shop / San Francisco Fly Fishers Exchange?

I knew Doug Park through the Ultimate Fly Shop and while we talked often about all manner of things, he never mentioned owning part of Matteo's shop and when Doug M. would stop in, it never came up.

Doug Park is a gifted tier of traditional dries and north coast steelhead patterns, a walking encyclopedia of old patterns and he could cook feathers with the best of them and could source just about any material you could want, that was well known in the material business. He was close with Cal Bird and my friendship with Cal came by way of their relationship.
He went on to start a small material house out of his home ( Late 80's - early 90's ? ) and I lost track of him sometime after that.

I believe he also worked for, or tied for Anglers Emporium in San Mateo ( up by CSM ) in the 80's. If Dale Carney is around, he could probably confirm that.

Anyone else remember Herb & Jim's in Redwood City, a shot's and beer joint with conventional gear up front and a little fly shop in the rear. Don Woodhams ( sp? ) ran the fly shop. He was great source of info about the waters in the northeast corner of the state and just an enjoyable guy to talk with. My wife bought her first fly rod from Don, a Fisher Original. I've yet to get him back for doing that..... ;^)

Dave

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

There were lots of combo businesses back in the day.


Drug store / fishing tackle

Hardware store / fishing tackle

Bike shop / Fly shop


**I wanted to open a used book store, coffee shop and fly shop in a small town near a destination fisheries.

Shop down stairs and apartment up stairs for a 6 month business?

.

[Darian]

My first exposure to fly fishing was thru a Ned Grey fly tying kit given to me by my Dad when I was 13 YO. I recall buying materials after that in SoCal (Inglewood) but don't recall the name of the store.

Herb & Jim's was the first fly shop I hung out in when I moved to the Bay Area. Much of the materials I purchased were from Hash's Herls & Hackle. I bought a Jungle Cock neck in that store for $9.95 (still have most of it unused). The second was Imbert & Smithers in San Carlos. Both small but well stocked.

When I started fishing the coast for Salmon/Steelhead, I found Ernies Casting Pond(??); another bar/cafe fly fishing place in Capitola.

North of the Bay, was King's News (Grant King) in Guerneville. Grant King was the first commercial tyer that I spent time with learning to tie flies in steps and organizing the materials in advance.

I've been trying to remember the tyer I met in Sebastopol who created/produced the Salmon Creek Special. Very nice guy who took time to explain to me how to fish small estuaries like Salmon Creek near Bodega Bay (I'll probably remember at 3:00 AM, tonight ;) ).

On the road to Eureka was (is??) Grundmans' Sporting Goods in Rio Dell; an interesting combination of hunting and fishing store. Small but stuffed with inventory. Always good for info/flies, etc.

There was a fly shop owned by an older couple along the Lower Smith River (Fed Haight Dr., outside Crescent City). Can't recall their names but they were very nice and had everything I needed to fish the Smith from the park downstream.

All of this occurred during the 60's/70's. Fond memories....

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Great stuff Darian........

I listened to stories from all the old time fly fishers from the Greatest Generation who lived in Sacramento, were in World War 2, and lived through the Great Depression.

Before I went to new places I felt like I had been there from listening to all their wonderful old stories.

[OceanSunfish]

There were lots of combo businesses back in the day.


Drug store / fishing tackle

Hardware store / fishing tackle

Bike shop / Fly shop


**I wanted to open a used book store, coffee shop and fly shop in a small town near a destination fisheries.

Shop down stairs and apartment up stairs for a 6 month business?

.


Anyone remember the fishing department in the Longs Drug Store in Redding? Big reseller of Fenwick fiberglass rods back in the day......

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Anyone remember the fishing department in the Longs Drug Store in Redding? Big reseller of Fenwick fiberglass rods back in the day......

Longs in Reno too use to be the place to go ~30 years ago for fishing tackle and some fly stuff.

I think Longs was pretty good about letting their individual stores carry what they wanted.

______________________________________________

A friend went into maybe Thrifty's in South Sacramento where they had some tackle in the 1970s.

The Fenwick HMG Graphite fly rods just came on the market.

He was looking a them there and noticed they were $39.95 so he bought one.

I told him their pricing gun probably only had 4 digits so $99.99 was the highest it would print.

The rods where $139.95 the next day he told me.

_____________________________________

The sporting goods stores were always behind the times and only carried the new Fenwick HMG Graphite fly rods up to 8'6".

At our shop we also ordered the HMG 905 (9'#5 - 2 pc) and the HMG 908 (9'#8 - 2pc) which were the hottest sellers.

We were the only place around Sacramento to buy 9 foot HMGs.......

__________________________________________

When I opened the first real fly shop in Sacramento, The Fly Hutch, with partner Neil Bohannon in 1975 we had terrible competition

from the big discount stores on Fenwick fiberglass fly rods and Pflueger Medalist fly reels so we had to run with their low prices to

make a sale. Fenwick rods were always 50% off.........That is why Don Green sold Fenwick and opened Sage.

I had just come from 10 years of working in real top sporting goods stores so i knew about competitive pricing.

Thank God we were a Cortland Pro Shop and had a very large profit in fly lines and backing because we made almost no profit on the

discounted Fenwick rods and Pflueger reels.

After work I would go around to all the sporting goods stores and discount store to check prices on stuff like Maxima tippet spools, etc.

Now you just look at their prices online........

______________________________________

Being in the fishing tackle business for 50 years in Sacramento I witnessed all the changes in the industry.

It is all way different today.....

[wineslob]

I still remember Broadway Bait and Tackle (I think), and drawer upon drawer of Fenwick blanks............

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Sadly I think Broadway Bait & Tackle has closed.........?

Chris Fulster sr was an icon in the fishing and hunting business in Sacramento.


Growing up in south Sacramento we started going there to the old location across from the Tower of Records when there was a dinner

next door in the 1960s. The dinner was in the same building with entrances into the bait shop. We would eat at the dinner very early

and then go next door to get stuff to go hunting or fishing. There was a big gang of us south Sac boys who all hunted and fished

together.


One memorable early Saturday morning I was at KFBK AM 1530 radio station with two of my favorite icons in the fishing and hunting

business, Chris Fulster and Bob Simms. Between the 3 of us we have seen at lot of change over the past 60 years of history in the

fishing and hunting world in Sacramento. The 3 of us could just talk for days about all that we have witnessed in this great Northern

California outdoors.

[lee s.]

From Darin's post:

"I've been trying to remember the tier I met in Sebastopol who created/produced the Salmon Creek Special. Very nice guy who took time to explain to me how to fish small estuaries like Salmon Creek near Bodega Bay (I'll probably remember at 3:00 AM, tonight )."



Darian,
Would that older gent be Irwin Thompson? We spent many days in his little shop behind his house in Sebastopol. Learned much about FF'ing and tying from him. His FAVORITE rod at the time was a little Jimmie Green 7 1/2' 5 or 6 wt that he fished religiously, whether fishing the Russian or Los Molinos on the Sac. Fishing for shad, his fav, or steelhead.
.....lee s.

[Darian]

Lee,.... Thanks for reminding me. It was Irwin Thompson that I was trying to recall. He watched me from the bluff trying to cast in the narrow part of the Salmon Creek lagoon. Then walked down to provide some friendly advice. Never forgot that kindness....