Fathers of the Sport: A Father’s Day Tribute to the Guys Who Made Fly Fishing What It Is

Father’s Day is here, so we figured, what better time to celebrate the dads of fly fishing?

We’re not talking about your actual dad (though shoutout to him for yelling “Rod up!” on every trip). We’re talking about the guys who helped invent, shape, and popularize this sport — the original fly fishing father figures.

So grab your vest, crack a cold one, and let’s cast back in time to meet the men who built fly fishing brick by brick. (Or should we say… rod by rod?) Sorry. Dad joke quota: engaged.

Izaak Walton: The Philosophical Father

Let’s start with the guy who literally wrote the book on it.

Izaak Walton dropped The Compleat Angler in 1653 — part fishing manual, part poetic nature guide, part “two dudes walk into a river” philosophy scroll. It was basically the Ted Lasso of the 1600s: oddly deep, kind of funny, and full of heart.

Walton wasn’t teaching you to double-haul or bomb streamers. He was preaching patience, reverence for nature, and the kind of chill that only comes from sitting by a river with good company. And yes — he may have invented the “it’s not about the fish, it’s about the moment” line long before Instagram did.

Lee Wulff: The Gear Dad

You know that one dad who’s always tweaking the lawnmower, re-rigging his fishing setup, or engineering a better way to hang the garden hose? That was Lee Wulff, but make it fly fishing.

This guy did it all: invented new flies (hello, the Wulff series), pioneered catch and release, designed the modern fly fishing vest, flew planes into remote fisheries, married Joan Wulff (an icon in her own right), and founded the Wulff School of Fly Fishing.

In short: he was the dad who showed up, taught the entire Little League team how to cast, built the field himself, then flew a floatplane to Alaska before dinner.

Joe Brooks: The “Let’s Go Anywhere” Dad

Every friend group has that one dad who’s like, “Let’s just load the car and head north.” That’s Joe Brooks.

Joe helped turn fly fishing into something bigger — and wilder. He was one of the first to bring the sport to saltwater, tossing flies at tarpon when most anglers thought you needed dynamite to land one. He wrote endlessly about new destinations and mentored a young Lefty Kreh (no big deal).

If fly fishing ever became “cool,” it probably started with Joe. He made it accessible, exciting, and full of possibility — kind of like when your dad let you steer the truck down a gravel road.

Lefty Kreh: The People’s Dad

If Lee Wulff was the tinkerer dad and Joe Brooks was the wild uncle, Lefty Kreh was the dad who taught everyone in town how to cast.

Lefty wasn’t just one of the most influential fly anglers in American history — he was approachable. He believed fly fishing shouldn’t be elitist. That it should be fun, accessible, and available to anyone with a $50 rod and a little time.

He fished with presidents and celebrities, sure. But he also gave casting lessons at local parks, answered letters from beginners, and treated a 10-year-old beginner with the same respect as a tournament guide.

He helped invent the Lefty’s Deceiver, one of the most versatile streamer patterns ever tied. He pioneered saltwater fly techniques. And he probably did more to teach fly casting in plain English than anyone who ever lived.

Joe Humphreys: The Eternal Coach

You ever meet a dad who talks like a coach, teaches like a professor, and still runs up a hill faster than you at 70? That’s Joe Humphreys.

Joe is one of the greatest educators in fly fishing history. A former Penn State wrestling coach and professor of angling (yes, that was his job), he turned fly fishing into a language anyone could learn — and he did it with grit, humor, and heart.

He helped develop and teach the tight line nymphing techniques that are now essential to modern trout anglers. His “Night Game” techniques helped anglers catch monster browns in the dark. And his films and books? Timeless.

But maybe most of all, Joe is beloved because he’s still doing it. In his 90s. Still fishing. Still teaching. Still telling stories that make you want to grab your boots and go.

The Fatherly Thread

What ties all these legends together? It’s not just technique or tradition. It’s care.

They cared about fish. About rivers. About passing on what they knew. And if that’s not the most dad thing of all, we don’t know what is.

So this Father’s Day, whether you’re fishing with your dad, remembering him, or just thinking about the guy who handed you your first rod — know that this sport was shaped by father figures who wanted it to last.

And if all else fails, just remember:

“It’s called fly fishing, not fly catching.”– Dad, probably.

Bonus: 3 Things to Do This Father’s Day

• Tie a fly and give it to your dad with a hand-written note.

• Share your favorite fishing memory online and tag @theflyboxllc.

• Read The Compleat Angler — or at least pretend to and fall asleep in a hammock.