Jim Chapralis has passed away

As I have had my attention elsewhere, I missed the notices that Jim Chapralis has passed away. This is very sad, as he was the pioneer of the fishing travel business.


His autobiography Fishing Passion: A Lifelong Love Affair with Fishing details--among many things--his foray into the fiberglass rod market, his time as a tournament caster, his early work as a journalist (he wrote a very early and important work on fly fishing for musky in the 1950s that I'll try to get out as a Voices from the Past article next week), and his career as the first fishing travel agent. The book is well worth reading, and my signed copy is a book I will cherish as I get older.

A nice appreciation of his life and work can be found on the web site of The American Casting Association, and Fly Anglers On-Line has a post on Jim worth reading as well.

May he rest in peace.

-- Dr. Todd