George Ochenski (left) and Bud Lilly (proper) pictured right here in 2007 (Photograph courtesy of George Ochenski).
Bud Lilly’s Trout Store opened in West Yellowstone, Montana, in 1952, and he ran it for greater than three many years. Even after new homeowners took over in 1982, the identify remained till 2020 as a result of Lilly had created such an iconic model. His store was a Mecca for fly fishers from all over the world, and his catalog introduced a style of Montana to these residing elsewhere. It was not too long ago introduced that Lilly might be a part of the 2025 class of inductees—together with Paul Weamer, Adriano Manocchia, Walt Carpenter, and Izaak Walton—into the Fly Fishing Corridor of Fame.
Writing in Every day Montanan, George Ochenski pays tribute:
A paean is “a fervent expression of pleasure or reward.” Relating to the lengthy and ongoing wrestle to protect the unimaginable legacy of Montana’s world-famous trout fishing rivers and streams, Bud Lilly, who was recently inducted into the National Fly Fishing Hall of Fame, deserves each little bit of the reward — and the enjoyment.
For 1000’s of younger anglers the attractive flies pictured in Bud Lilly’s catalog introduced goals of fishing the Holy Waters of Montana’s legendary trout streams. For these fortunate sufficient to truly spend time in Bud’s West Yellowstone Trout Store, the array of these concoctions of fur and feathers tied so artfully on tiny hooks was dizzying — though few of us had sufficient cash to purchase even a fraction of what we so fervently needed to tie to our leaders.
Click here for the full story in Daily Montanan
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