American Fly Fisher Journal of the American Museum of Fly Fishing
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The American Fly Fisher Journal of the American Museum of Fly Fishing Close to Home William E. Andersen Bradford Mills Foster Bam David Nichols Peter Bowden Robert A. Oden Jr. Jane Cooke Erik R. Oken Peter Corbin Stephen M. Peet Deborah Pratt Dawson Anne Hollis Perkins E. Bruce DiDonato, MD Leigh H. Perkins Patrick Ford Frederick S. Polhemus Gordon Allen Ronald Gard John Redpath George R. Gibson III Roger Riccardi James Heckman, MD Franklin D. Schurz Jr. Arthur Kaemmer, MD Robert G. Scott my house—a narrow the state’s official fishing fly, and Rhey Karen Kaplan Nicholas F. Selch path flanked with snow banks sever- Plumley had a lot to do with it. Beginning Woods King III Gary J. Sherman, DPM Tal feet high—belies the fact that soon on page , Plumley offers us a history of William P. Leary III Ronald B. Stuckey trout season opens in Vermont and, if I’m the fly, of Governor Aiken himself, and of James Lepage Tyler S. Thompson willing to brave the likely high/cold/fast the legislative process that led to this Anthony J. Magardino Richard G. Tisch water, I could soon be standing (legally! honor. (Since writing this article, Plumley Christopher P. Mahan David H. Walsh with fly rod!) at least thigh high in some has discovered the likely missing painting. Walter T. Matia Andrew Ward local stream, like the Batten Kill.* Look for a follow-up in the next issue.) John R. McMahon James C. Woods The museum’s new communications To keep your gaze on the American coordinator, Peter Nardini, is looking for- northeast just a bit longer, we direct your William McMaster, MD Nancy W. Zakon ward to that opportunity himself and tips attention to this issue’s Keepers of the Peter Millett, MD Martin Zimmerman his hat to home water by titling his column Flame piece (page ). Here John Mundt The Batten Kill Beat. In his first offering, profiles Maine craftsman Stephen Zeh, Nardini discusses the river itself and the whose traditionally woven ash creels are organizations that have worked hard to not only collected as works of art but are James Hardman David B. Ledlie maintain and conserve it. “Saving Lee built to be used. William Herrick Leon L. Martuch Wulff’s Pool” can be found on page . From New England, we head to Paul Schullery Among the Batten Kill’s list of historic England proper to look in on an alterca- characters is Maxine Atherton: angler, tion that took place more than a hundred museum supporter, wife of artist John years ago. If today’s popularity of reality Richard G. Tisch Gary J. Sherman, DPM Atherton, and grandmother of Catherine television is any indication, the entertain- President Vice President Varchaver. During a move, Varchaver dis- ment value of public bickering is as alive covered a book manuscript and old jour- and well now as it was then. Although I Karen Kaplan James C. Woods nals belonging to her late grandmother. tend to think of myself as generally above Vice President Secretary She was plunged immediately into Max’s this form of spectatorship, I admit that George R. Gibson III world: the golden age of fly fishing mid- when Andrew Herd sent me an account Treasurer twentieth century, when Max and Jack of Fishing Gazette editor Robert B. were fixtures in the fishing scene along- Marston (“the most powerful figure in . ’ side some of the greats, and where angling publishing”) and writer George women—especially single women, whose M. Kelson (“angling giant, entrepreneur, Parker Corbin John Neukom ranks a suddenly widowed Max joined— ardent self-publicist”) throwing down in Bailey Hallingby Albert Nichols were an anomaly. Varchaver, determined the pages of Marston’s magazine, I was Woods King IV David E. Nichols Jr. to honor Max’s dream of publishing her immediately sucked in. In “Marston v. Alexander Kinsey Ben Pastor memoirs, spent two years working on and Kelson: The Little Inky Boy Controversy, Robert Longsworth Jason M. Scott editing the manuscript. The resulting Part I” (page ), Herd offers insight into book will be published by Skyhorse next the early relationship of this duo and the year. In “Maxine Atherton: The Fly Fisher events that set the stage for their eventual and the River” (page ), we include an public brawl, the bulk of which appears Catherine E. Comar adaptation of Varchaver’s foreword to the in Part II (coming in Summer ). Executive Director book, in which she shares her own mem- Something else has hit close to home: Yoshi Akiyama ories of Max and gives us an idea of just the museum—and the Manchester, Deputy Director who her grandmother was. Vermont, community—has lost Buzz But wait—we’re not through with Ver - Eichel. Buzz, who joined our board of Sarah Foster mont history yet. In May , the trustees in and became a trustee Development Associate Governor Aiken Bucktail Streamer became emeritus in , volunteered his services Peter Nardini as legal counsel for many years. His Communications Coordinator warmth was always appreciated by staff. *Readers may wonder about Batten Kill versus Samantha Pitcher Fellow Trustee Emeritus Jim Hardman Membership and Events Coordinator Battenkill. The former is the proper spelling offers us a remembrance on page . Buzz according to U.S. Geological Survey, and that is already greatly missed. Patricia Russell became this journal’s house style about a decade Account Manager ago. Battenkill is a local—and not incorrect— spelling. When we directly quote text that uses K A Sara Wilcox Battenkill, we retain that spelling within the quote. E Director of Visual Communication ’ Roger Altman Bradford and Pamela Mills William E. Andersen David and Margaret Nichols Louis Bacon The Orvis Company E. M. Bakwin Leigh and Anne Perkins Foster Bam and Sallie Baldwin Eric and M. C. Roberts Austin and Meg Buck Robert and Karen Scott Jon and Deborah Pratt Dawson Nicholas and Jean Selch Eric Dobkin Three Forks Ranch Gardner Grant Jr. Richard G. Tisch Journal of the American Museum of Fly Fishing Tim Hixon Paul Volcker Karen Kaplan David and Jade Walsh Peter Kellogg Alan and Nancy Zakon Dan Lufkin Laurie Zimmerman Maxine Atherton: The Fly Fisher and the River ........ Catherine Varchaver Michael Bakwin Christopher Mahan The Governor Aiken Bucktail: Bessemer Trust Co. Robert McGraw The Official Fishing Fly of the State of Vermont ....... Peter Bowden William and Lynn McMaster Rhey Plumley Timothy and Andrea Collins Peter Millet, MD Marston v. Kelson: Jane Cooke Teresa and Robert Oden Jr. The Little Inky Boy Controversy, Part I ............ Tom Davidson Erik and Jennifer Oken Andrew Herd H. Corbin Day Henry M. Paulson Jr. E. Bruce and Denise DiDonato John Redpath Keepers of the Flame: Ezra Field William Rowley Stephen Zeh: Basket Maker ................... George and Beth Gibson Franklin Schurz Jr. John Mundt Intercontinental Exchange Ronald and Joan Stuckey Paul Tudor Jones Tyler and Francis Thompson The Batten Kill Beat: Saving Lee Wulff’s Pool ........ Arthur and Martha Kaemmer Andrew and Elizabeth Ward Peter Nardini Woods and Wendy King III Mark and Dorinda Winkelman Bill and Francesca Leary Daniel Ziff Museum Contributors ...................... In Memoria m: Charles “Buzz” Eichel ............ ’ Jim Hardman Shannon Brightman Kharlovka Company Limited Robert and Debbie Brucker The Lodge at Jackson Fork Ranch Museum News ........................... Tom Colicchio George Matelich Contributors ............................ Mark Comora Walter and Pam Matia Anthony Davino Rebecca Patterson : The Governor Aiken Bucktail. This fly was tied by Rhey Tom Evans Joseph R. Perella Plumley and donated to the American Museum of Fly Fishing’s perma- Timothy Geithner Jack Pittard nent collection. Photo by Sara Wilcox. Jon Gibson Lewis Sachs James and Susan Heckman South Holston River Lodge Harry Hill George Van Hook We welcome contributions to the American Fly Fisher. Before making a sub- mission, please review our Contrib utor’s Guidelines on our website Hollenbeck Club Pat Welsh (www.amff.com), or write to request a copy. The museum cannot accept Fred and Oli Kambeitz James Wolfensohn responsibility for statements and interpretations that are wholly the author’s. Martin E. Zimmerman The American Fly Fisher (ISSN -) is published four times a year by the museum at P.O. Box , Manchester, Vermont . Publication dates are winter, spring, summer, and fall. Membership dues include the cost of the journal () and are tax deductible as provided for by law. Membership rates are listed in the back of each issue. All letters, man- Kathleen Achor uscripts, photographs, and materials intended for publication in the journal should be sent to the museum. The museum and journal are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, drawings, photographic material, or memorabilia. The Editor museum cannot accept responsibility for statements and interpretations that are wholly the author’s. Unsolicited manu- scripts cannot be returned unless postage is provided. Contributions to The American Fly Fisher are to be considered gra- Sara Wilcox tuitous and the property of the museum unless otherwise requested by the contributor. Copyright © , The American Design & Production Museum of Fly Fishing, Manchester, Vermont . Original material appearing may not be reprinted without prior per- mission. Periodical postage paid at Manchester, Vermont ; Manchester, Vermont ; and additional offices (USPS Sarah May Clarkson ). The American Fly Fi sher (ISSN -) : [email protected] : www.amff.com Copy Editor : Send address changes to: The American Fly Fisher P.O. Box Manchester, Vermont space for FSC info Maxine Atherton: The Fly Fisher and the River by Catherine Varchaver Maxine Breese Atherton and her husband, John Atherton, artist and author of The Fly and the Fish, helped shape the golden age of fly fishing in the s, s, s—and beyond. They fished with and befriended many of the greats, including Edward Hewitt, Sparse Grey Hackle, and Lee Wulff, settling on the Batten Kill, where a love of angling intersected with a vibrant professional art scene.