TROUT BUM MAILBAG
2/17/24
Tom Littleton
One of the first PA fly anglers I met back in 1985 when I moved down from CT. You, Rod were on the short list there, too
MARK UTTER
2/17/24
Rod, I don't know if you remember me but I spent a lot of time on the Little Lehigh in the 90s and early 2000s. I was talking with Chris Demonico and we were talking about you, and the great time
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I am a scion of the little Lehigh 'school' of fly-fishing. And so I scoff at other mile pupa imitations. My curved hook pupa with a cdc post is named the Rat Fink in tribute to AL Miller and his Rat.
Rod, Just downloaded your book. I'm embarrassed to say, I just discovered it on your blog. I'm enjoying it tremendously. Thanks for writing this. It is a gift. I'm going to recommend it to my fishing buddies here in Oregon. They get tired of me talking about limestone streams back East, where the hatch changes every two weeks. I also have this copy of Gary's book I picked up when he visited your shop long ago. If there is a hard back copy of your book in the future, I will definitely request an autographed copy. I see videos of the LL on YouTube that make me want to cry. We couldn't even step foot in the upper waters, and now hacks are walking over other lines and spawning beds. So glad I got to know it when I did. I remember having a slow day on the river, and you telling me, this the Carnegie Hall of fly fishing and you need to learn how to play your instrument. I'm grateful for those days
8/24/2020
Rod,
I am not sure if you remember me, but you taught me how to fly fish on the Little Lehigh from 1990-1997. Every day was a learning experience. You brought in the best from Gary Borger, Bob Clouser, Lefty Kreh and others. Moreover, I had the best teachers there everyday with guys like yourself, Al Miller, and others like Joe Koehler. I'm not on Facebook so I am messaging you here. My email is xxx@xxx1.com and I'd like to stay in touch. I saw that you were out west for awhile. I'm really sorry I didn't know that. I am in Portland, OR and if you ever get back out here again, I would love to host you on one of our many rivers. The Little Lehigh is still my favorite. We don't have limestone streams here. I still fish size 24 and smaller with 7X tippet on occasion. The LL taught me how to present clean on the first cast. It matters on rivers like the Metolius with native trout. Fly fishing is still a great passion of mine and I want to thank you for introducing and teaching me the sport. I still tie Al's rat and use the Leisenring Lift which everyone call's Euro rigging now. Anyhow, I attached a picture of the painting of the Little Lehigh Fly Shop I have hanging in my living room. I bought the first of 120 copies. Love that painting. I have to say I think of you guys and that place when I'm on the water. Would love to fish with you again sometime. I see videos of the LL now, and it doesn't seem like the same place. Where did the crowds come from? I still want to get back there and fish it again. Love that river. Take care, and thanks again Rod,
Chris
Grapes Brevik
Rod Rohrbach I really miss your shop. We have no fly shops in the Valley anymore .The stream is a shell of what it once was. They’ve completely clear cut the riparian barrier.
Shameful.
Another Douple Honeybug article
The Honeybug (The original mop fly). Back in 2008 I put together a booklet for Don Douple documenting all his variants of the Honeybug. Only Don could match the hatch with cotton chenille. As a thank you he gifted me a life time supply of the chenille and a sample sheet of his patterns. I always thought Don originated the Honeybug but Don Baylor just posted on another page that it was Paul Berger of Trout Run, PA
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Wilson Weidner Tied a lot of Honey Bugs and sold a lot of Honey Bug chennile when I worked at yellow Breeches Outfitters. Still have a lot in my boxes!