Lefty Kreh: The Greatest of All Time

Lefty Kreh wasn’t just the greatest fisherman of all time, he was a mentor to generations of experts, he influenced the course of the sport of fly fishing, and most importantly he was a friend to tens of thousands. For many decades he traveled the country, dazzling crowds with his casting and stories of faraway adventures, and he always had time to shake hands, share a joke, or dispense personal instruction. There never was, and never will be, anyone like him.

Lefty: The Greatest of All Time is the story of Bernard “Lefty” Kreh’s life, from his humble upbringings during the Great Depression, to his service with the U.S. Army in the Battle of the Bulge, and his role as fly-fishing’s greatest ambassador. He ushered fly fishing into the modern era, from a time of bamboo rods and dry-fly fishing for trout, into a global sport where you can chase tarpon in Florida, black bass in New Guinea, and bonefish in the Bahamas. He took casting away from the metronome and hands of the clock and made it fluid and athletic.

He did it all with a laugh and a smile, and heaps of practical advice on how to tie better knots, cast more efficiently, and use the most effective flies and presentations. Today—years after his passing—dozens and dozens of experts consider Lefty their most important mentor and influencer.

Early Years

One cannot understand Lefty's strength of character and his enduring values without knowing a little about his formative roots.

When 6-year-old Lefty and his three siblings lost their father and his mother had no choice but to accept welfare, there were few rungs lower on the social ladder for the Kreh family. Lefty never forgot the social and psychological ghetto of his youth, nor did he relinquish the values that he acquired while helping his family through bush-bob fishing for catfish on the nearby Monocacy River.

As an artillery spotter in the World War II Battle of the Bulge, Lefty was one of only a few in his unit to survive that extremely hazardous front-line duty. His hair fell out after he wore a tight-knit cap under a steel helmet in below zero weather and his scalp froze. He witnessed firsthand the greatest slaughter on the Western Front, except Anzio. By his mid-twenties, he had learned the survivor's value of life and how to savor it, living each day as a precious opportunity. His character, forged in trial, became reflected in the mirrors of his soul—his eyes, his smile, and his infectious chuckles and laughter.

These were the fundamental values underlying Lefty Kreh's love of life. And from them came his urge to teach, and from his urge to teach sprang the Kreh message for the common man: "Fly fishing is fun! Go forth! You can do it. Here's how!"

The Film

The new film is narrated by Lefty’s longtime friend Flip Pallot—host of the TV series The Walker’s Cay Chronicles. It contains never-before-seen interviews captured by cinematographer Jay Nichols in the months before Lefty passed in March 2018. It includes archival footage from the original BTT-sponsored TV show Buccaneers & Bones, new interviews from peers like Johnny Morris and Ed Jaworowski, and commentary from Lefty’s friends Blane Chocklett, Barry Beck, Heather Templeton, and many others. The 44-minute feature film is directed and created by Jay Nichols of Headwater Media Group and produced by Fly Fisherman with support from Bass Pro Shops, Costa, Yeti, and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.

Originally known as the Tivoli Theatre, the Weinberg Center for the Arts is where Lefty Kreh met his wife Evelyn. While he was working at Fort Detrick in Frederick, he went to the movies, and met his future wife while she was working at the ticket window. Frederick is where Lefty was born and raised, it’s about one hour from Washington D.C. and Baltimore, and it’s also home to the bronze statue “Lefty in the Lake” which was created by sculptor Toby Mendez and unveiled at Culler Lake in October 2023.

The 44-minute film will have television premieres on Outdoor Channel April 19, 2025 at 6 and 10 P.M. and on World Fishing Network April 24 at 7 and 11 P.M. EST. Visit the channel websites for a complete schedule of other air times.

Tickets are $30 for the March 27, 2025 film screening at the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick, Maryland; $50 with a 6 P.M. reception and cocktail party; and $100 for the reception, reserved seating, a membership to Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, and a goodie bag from sponsors. Tickets are available only from the Weinberg Center box office at weinbergcenter.org. All proceeds from the event go to Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, a nonprofit conservation organization Lefty worked with for many years.