The email came a while ago.
Casting great/fly fishing icon Mel Krieger passed away this morning after battling an undiagnosed sickness that was only recently discovered to be a brain lymphoma.
Krieger’s casting videos, books and clinics taught many how to fly cast, and his methods for doing so were admirably simple.
Boiling away a lot of the obfuscation surrounding casting, Krieger was also an entertainer; he made learning to cast a fun gig, and did so in a non-threatening manner. It was a little like having your kindly grandfather teaching you how to do something enjoyable.
Godspeed, Mel.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Guido 10.07.08 at 4:08 pm
So sad to hear about Mel. I had the pleasure and honor of meeting Mel last April a the Golden Gate Angling and Casting club. He even gave my buddy and I some person
al tips. What a great guy! He will be sorely missed.
Eduardo Sanchez 10.07.08 at 5:16 pm
A very very sad news… He did a lot for fly fishing in South America.
REST IN PEACE Mr. Mel Krieger.
Kentucky Jim 10.07.08 at 6:55 pm
I just purchased his DVD “Casting Faults & Fixes”. I’ve read his book, “The Essence of Fly Casting”, and studied his DVD of the same book. I am blessed to have the opportunity to teach casting at the Pasadena Casting Club’s pond, and use every opportunity I can to say the same things he has said.
He was truly a great teacher. Although I never met him, I’ll certainly miss him.
Rest in peace, Mel; ya done good.
Roger Maler 10.08.08 at 4:34 am
It was little know that Mel was an avid golfer in his later years. as a close friend I never fished with Mel but played many rounds of golf with him between his teaching gigs at our conclaves. Always the student and teacher, we spent much of our golfing Time comparing it to casting. the pauses accelleration and the follow through. he had a new book in the works to expound on our conversations about it. most sadly it will not be finished.
Mel certified me for the CCI and in the casting at the last moment I dropped my rod and used his 6 wt to take the test having casted it the day before. the magic of Mels hand was on that rod as I zipped through the drills.
I will never forget his colorfill and loud language floating accross the golf course when some shot went astray.
All will miss him, the fly fishing elf as I affectionately called him.
warmest memories,
Roger Maler
Carola Ferrada 10.08.08 at 10:55 am
A really sad news…
But he let us all, a big and great legend of flyfishing world.
He´s now in a new gorgeous, glorious heaven of he love the most: the flyfishing, in a river of his lovelly Patagonia around the blue sky in the gardens of God.
Sincerelly,
Carola Ferrada.
Maria Roldan Bonadeo 10.08.08 at 6:16 pm
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Krieger during a flight from Rio Gallegos to Buenos Aires, Argentina. What were the chances that me, a resident of Sun Valley, Idaho, would meet Mr. Krieger in Patagonia rather than in Idaho? We exchanged numbers and agree on meeting the next time he came to Idaho but, it was never meant to be.
A few days ago chatting on line with my nephew (who was only about 6 when that flight took place) about fly fishing and he told me that he attended a few of Mr Krieger’s clinics down in Patagonia. Life had gone almost in a full circle.
My prayer are with his son (who was a teacher at my nephew’s school) and the rest of his family
Raúl Navarro Vizcaya 10.09.08 at 1:15 pm
Very sorry about Mel.
I was lucky to be his interpreter in one of his trips to Chile, my country.
I feel very proud of having met such a nice human being.
Have a nice trip dear friend!
We’ll meet again in some unknown river somewhere.
Raúl.
Andrew Stiles 10.10.08 at 1:18 pm
I was tetsed by Mel for my Casting Certification a few years ago and after I passed he asked me to rmember this ..Andrew he said” I want you to do two things for the rest of your days instructing… bring back the adventure to fly fishing and never stop learning… promise me that you will do this” and I did. And I will always remember this, god bless Mel and I pray for comfort to your friends and family. Andrew Stiles, CCI, FFF, Richmond, Virginia
alex iparraguirre 10.13.08 at 12:19 pm
Adios mel , tube el agrado de asistir a una de tus clinicas y me marco profundamente, los grandes hombres se van pero el legado queda por siempre.
Suerte en tu viaje…
Leonardo Fox 10.14.08 at 5:32 pm
Adios Mell, de seguro estas ahora en el rio mas maravilloso donde pudieces pescar con un sol en el atardecer que se refleja en tu cara, gracias por todo lo que dejastes, seras siempre recordado en todo lugar que sepa del Flyfishing.
suerte y buena pesca…….
John Eustice 10.16.08 at 1:31 pm
Compadre - via con Dios.
I met mell fundraising auction for the American Museum of Fly Fishing. Found we shared many friends. A very very entertaining man with a generous soul. Oh yes - a superb caster and instructor - truly a poet in all ways. The Jewish Leprechaun. A mensch. He shared his zest for life and especially fly casting with all. There will be fewer smile on planet earth with his departure. See you on the big spring creek Don Mel.
Betinho 10.20.08 at 11:12 am
Adios Maestro,
Gracias por todos los ensinamientos.
Deseo que en tu ultima viaje de pesca estea bién. Nel Paraíso tendrá muchos peces y siempre será buena temporada. Besos al JC, dueno del Lodge.
Angel González Jiménez 10.21.08 at 5:51 am
Gracias por el conocimiento transmitido, hay tantas historias y vivencias plasmadas en la mente de muchos que tuvieron la posibilidad de escuchar de su propio hablar y otros por varios medios, entrevisats, videos, mensajes, etc, pero lo que es seguro es que lo aprendido con él, se traspasará de generación en generación y cada una de ellas sabrá de quien vino cada una de las teorias y vivencias planteadas y comprobadas día a día en cualquier curso de agua que se practique el Fly Fishing……
pescando en Paz Mel!!
Melissa Bowers/Jay Diment 10.30.08 at 3:35 pm
The world of fly casting has lost a gentle giant of a poet. Pure artistry in motion. Pure gift for gab yet always on point. Our trip to Tierra del Fuego’s Estancia Maria Behety will always be at the top of our ‘done that’ list. If only we had the chance to do another with you, Mel. You were one of The Great Ones and will sadly be missed.
May we meet again on the moving water of Life.
Gerardo Oscar Grau 11.02.08 at 5:43 pm