Gary LaFontaine (sad, sad day!)

[RAW]

Just read on the VFS board that Gary LaFontaine passed away today around 11:20 A.M. Posted by A.K. Best.

What a sad, sad day. I express my condolences to his family and friends. We have lost one of the great fly tiers and fly fishers. His writings and discoveries changed our thinking. He will be missed!

[Larry S.]

DITTO !

[Mike]

Definitely sad... He'll be missed!

I owe Gary one for inventing the sparkle pupa. I've had a lot of caddis fishing success thanks to that pattern!

[mcgx2]

I think we all learned a lot and owe a lot to Gary. He was one of the masters.

[Bean]

He definitely will be missed. I had the good fortune to meet him after a beautiful day of fishing in April of 1999. We had drifted down the Green and after floating past Coney Island we could see a small group fishing by the upper boat ramp at Little Hole. We kind of griped about people fishing so close to the ramp but upon landing the boat we discovered it to be Gary, Jack Dennis, Mike Lawson, and crew filming. Gary was sitting on a large rock overlooking the river and was enjoying their typical banter that this group would often share. He was very gracious to the few crazy flyfishers who realized what we had stumbled on. He will always be the quintessential flyfisherman in my mind.

[LIV2FSH]

I hope Gary is standing in a long riffle catching the fish of his dreams!
I now a little piece of Gary still lives, in most of our fly boxes!
My condolences, Bruce.

[Jason]

Damn, are you kidding me? That sucks. He'll definitely be remembered as one of the true father's of fly fishing and tying. Bummer. I knew he was sick but the last I heard he was doing ok. He'll be missed.

[Tightloop]

Mr. LaFontaine was deffinetely one of the best in the sport and art of flyfishing/tying. His expertise and contributions to the area will always be remembered and treasured. He was deffinetely one of the finest in the world.

[walksinwater]

Catching so many fish.
Such a simple fly to tye.
The Sparkle Pupa.

[Ouzel]

But losing someone you love or respect is still felt in the heart.

[Lowcountry]

A great Ambassador of our sport has been lost, but his legacy will live on in his children. His last book will most likely be finished by his daughter so look for it soon. There are still people who ties his flys for him too. He will be missed, but he has left much for us.

Steve

[Conehead]

It's always sad when we lose someone that we think will never die. I saw an article a couple of months ago that said that Gary was battling ALS (Lou Gherig's disease). Its too bad that such terrible things take such good people.