Today the fly-fishing community mourns the loss of Bernard Victor “Lefty” Kreh, who passed away at the age of 93 at his home in Cockeysville, Maryland. It’s unlikely fly fishing is ever going to see an individual who will contribute as much as Lefty. Because of his contributions he earned numerous achievement awards including the American Sportfishing Association “Lifetime Achievement Award” and the Fly Tackle Trade Association “Lifetime Contribution Award”. In addition to his awards he also served as a Senior Advisor to Trout Unlimited and Fly Fishers International. Members of the Fly Fusion staff had the opportunity to cross paths with Lefty and always enjoyed the time spent with him. Fly Fusion’s President, Chris Bird, said, “It is a sad day today as the fly-fishing community deals with this loss. Lefty is an irreplaceable legend and we are grateful for him. We have been given an opportunity to create a life within fly-fishing only because of his tremendous contributions to the sport. He is to fly fishing what Michael Jordan was for basketball,” said Bird. “We lost the best today.” The Bird family sends its thoughts and prayers to Lefty’s family and those close to him.
