LIVINGSTON MANOR -- Four new 2023 inductees and one 2022 inductee were honored at the 2023 Catskill Fly Fishing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Dinner on Saturday, October 7. The induction ceremony was held in the Wulff Gallery of the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum from 4 to 6 p.m., with a dinner and banquet following at the Roscoe Mountain Club. This year’s inductees were John Atherton, Arnold Gingrich, Will Godfrey and Frank Mele, while Samuel Phillippe and Son was also honored after being inducted in 2022. 

Ted Patlen, the head of the Hall of Fame committee, spoke a few words about Phillippe, who was described as a highly-skilled gunsmith, violin maker and an avid fisherman. As he believed the imported fishing rods from Great Britain were “overly cumbersome”, Phillippe launched his quest to perfect the split bamboo rod. Patlen said that none of the original Samuel Phillippe rods still exist. Samuel’s son, Solon, took over the company after his father’s death. 

Atherton was a nationally renowned artist, presented by prominent museums such as the Human Natural Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Atherton combined his two obsessions, fly fishing and painting and his unique fly tying palate consisted of various natural materials, such as speckled feathers and seal fur. 

“His flies enhance the illusion of life,” said Patlen. “He was remarkable.”

Patlen also shared a short video of Atherton’s granddaughter, Catherine Varchaver, talking about her late grandfather, as she couldn’t be in attendance for the ceremony. 

“What I have known for years about hearing about my grandfather, Jack Atherton, was that he was a passionate perfectionist in everything he undertook,” she said. “From playing the banjo… to drawing and illustrating - which was his bread and butter - to painting with oils. Not to mention, fly-fishing and tying flies.”

“Jack would be humbled and touched to know that you all remember him in his amazing gifts,” she concluded. 

The Hall of Fame committee was unable to get in touch with anyone from the Gingrich family, so Todd Spire was tasked with writing the biography on Gingrich. Spire shared the words he wrote about the late Arnold Gingrich, who he said, “Does actually encapsulate an interesting part of the history of fly fishing, especially here and the Catskills.” 

Gingrich was a writer who reported on his experiences and went on to co-found Esquire Magazine in 1933. He was also the author of four books on fishing, which were all published within nine years. 

“His works stand as a reflective account of part of the golden age of the Catskills,” said Spire. “Paired with the region’s excitement regarding the blossoming of the mid-century tail waters.”

To speak about and accept the induction on their father’s, Will Godfrey, behalf were his two sons - Ben and Sean. Will couldn’t attend in person, but was tuning into the induction ceremony via zoom as his sons spoke about his life. 

Fly-fishing on western streams since he was a kid, the elder Godfrey guided for Bud Lilly’s Trout Shop in West Yellowstone, Montana during college. He concentrated on guiding on Henry’s Fork of the Snake River in Idaho. From there, his career took off as he owned three fly shops and a fishermen outfitting business. 

Godfrey was also appointed by Idaho Governor Cecil Andrus to the Idaho Fish and Game commission in the 1970s. Godfrey is also still active today in efforts to restore salmon and steelhead in the Snake River basin. 

Ben said that his father knows 20-plus members of the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame and that he guided about a third to half of those 20. He told many stories of his father and reminisced on all the memories of his journeys with fly fishing. 

“He’s very humble to be listed here,” Ben said. “He just can’t believe that he was selected and he didn’t know he was being nominated. 

Mele was the final new member to be inducted, with Dr. James Bendellius introducing him. Bendellius said that Mele was his fly fishing mentor. Mele was a professional cellist and author who also had a passion for fly fishing. Passing away in 1996, he published a book, Small in the Eye of River, and led up the efforts for regulated coldwater released from the NYC Catskill Reservoirs in the early 1970s. 

“It has been a longtime coming,” Bendellius said. “But many good handling outcomes require waiting with much whitewater and turbulence.”

After describing his efforts in the world of fly fishing and sharing who Mele was as a person, Bendellius then offered a toast to him. Everyone raised a glass of Jameson, Mele’s drink of choice, and toasted to the late fly fishing legend. 

Following the Hall of Fame Induction, the Lee Wulff Conservation Award was presented to former President Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States. 

Carter traveled to Sullivan County with his wife, Rosalynn, in response to an invitation from the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum to become a major fundraiser for the fledgling non-profit grass-roots organization, and enjoy five days fishing on the Beaverkill and Delaware rivers. In 1978, he established more than 73 miles of river between Hancock and Sparrow Bush as the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, which is a national park. 

The Museum’s Executive Director, Ali Abate, presented the award and described what Carter gave to the fly fishing community. She said that his commitment to conservation and the establishment of irrevocable public spaces make him an ideal recipient of the Wulff’s namesake award. 

“It’s really a fitting honor,” Abate said. “Carter’s legacy has been honored an uncountable number of times. One of our favorites is the naming of a fish after Carter in 2012, called the Bluegrass Darter.”

For more information on the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum, please check out their webside: https://www.loc8nearme.com/new-york/livingston-manor/catskill-fly-fishing-center-and-museum/8030000/.