The North Umpqua’s ambassador and protector, Frank Moore will be at the Caddis Fly from 12-1:30 in the shop tying flies, and then from 1:30-3:00pm at Alton Baker Park demo day for G. Loomis NRX fly rods, spey, and single handed. Meet Frank and go cast some of these great new rods.
I had the great pleasure of fishing with Frank a couple years back and he is one of the greatest anglers I’ve ever met.
If you don’t know Frank, here is a bio in his own words:
I was born 1/20/23 in Carlton, Oregon, and my ancestors came over to Oregon in 1850, settling north of Dallas.
My father was an ardent fly fisherman who made his own lines and rods back in the 20s, and was on some stream at every opportunity. He would have employees run his business for a couple of months every summer so he could search out remote areas in Oregon to catch the elusive trout, always taking his family with him.
I was in the service in WWII, landing in Normandy with the 4th Inf Division, then on June 18th was assigned to the 83rd Inf Division, and finishing the war over the Elbe River in Germany, not to far from Berlin.
Came home and instead of going on to school went into the restaurant business early 1946, in Roseburg, fishing the N. Umpqua every moment possible. I became so adept that Clarence Gordon, owner of the North Umpqua Lodge at Steamboat, and Mildred Young, owner of the Circle H Lodge at Susan Creek, used me for guiding their clients whenever possible until they closed in 1952 and 53.
In 1957 we, Jeanne and I, built Steamboat Inn at Steamboat, running that until 1975.
I tested and gave advise on new rods from different companies starting in the 50s and still have many prototypes in my collection.
I was one of the earliest in the 50s to recognize we had to protect the Wild or Native fish, and not to depend on the Hatcheries. Had a film made in 1969 exposing what happened to the fisheries habitat due to careless logging.
From early on until the present have fished all over with some of the worlds most renowned fly fishermen, learning from them all.
Have received many honors for conservation achievement and fishery related activities, including National Wildlife, Sears Roebuck Foundation Conservationist of the year, Audubon Beaver Award for Conservation Achievement, Anders Award for Wild Trout Management, Wild Steelhead Coalition conservationist of the year, Federation Fly Fishermen Conservationist of the Year, have been Enshrined in the World Fresh Water Fishing Hall of fame, to name a few.
Was twice appointed to the Oregon Game Commission (ODFW), by Gov Tom McCall, helping put in regulations to protect and preserve many of our fisheries, and served one term on the State Water Commission, as well as several other National, State and local commissions or advisory groups.
When Loomis Rods came out I was impressed as to how they cast so much easier than any other rods and started working very closely with them. In my judgment MOST rods today do a good job, but there is only one rod designer like Steve Rajeff and Loomis Rods are a tad above all others. I call them my Geriatric rods, because they cast so much easier, if you let the rod do the work. For a person 1 1/2 year away from 90, that is important. Also, they are MADE IN THE GOOD OLD USA.
I was a first year law student in 1969. Two sisters in the same apartment building, knowing I was alone, invited me to Thanksgiving at their home, east of Roseburg. Thanksgiving night we were up to Steamboat for dinner with Frank and Jeanne and their kids. The lodge was closed then during the winter, so it was just about 8 of us. What great people! The Moores sold the operation to Jim and Sharon Van Loan later, and Jim and Sharon still operate it, now year around. I got married at Steamboat, largely because of my old memories. If you miss meeting Frank, you are missing seeing a national treasure. By the way, two weeks later famed Hall Of Fame baseballer and Rogue fishing legend Bobby Doerr will be appearing at Guaranty Chevy. in Junction City for a free signing. Bobby turns 93 April 7.
Anyone who passes up a chance to see and meet Frank is missing something special.
Frank is a true gentleman.
I’ve only met him a few times but he always showed himself as a class act, on and off the water.
Plus he can cast a mile!
Frank taught me how to roll cast on the pond up by his house years ago. Wasn’t expecting it and I was new to fly-fishing. I didn’t really know who he was at the time. I’ll never forget it. Wish I could be there Saturday to tell him thank you.
I have never had the pleasure of meeting Frank, and was on the fence as to whether or not I could take the time away to drive down from Portland, etc., etc.
But David Jensen’s post above convinced me that I should not miss the chance. I will be there, and here is why.
In 1977, I was a still quite new to fly fishing and was convinced by none other than Andy Puyans that I was never going to get it right until I fully committed myself to learning. I jumped in and booked a weeklong Creative Sports Fly Fishing School adventure for that summer. And what an adventure it was. We stayed at the Island Park Lodge (is it even still there?) and it wasn’t until many years later than I fully realized just who the amazing people were that I met that summer so long ago.
My former wife and I actually drove to the lodge by following Andy and his former wife, Sarah. They were in his beloved van and we were in our ugly yellow Honda station wagon. We drove straight through from Walnut Creek, CA to Island Park Reservoir, pausing only for memorable pit stops to do the obvious, then back in the vehicles we would go. When we got to the lodge, we spent most of the first week in the right-hand side of a duplex cabin and Andy and Sarah were on the left side. When Mel and Fannie showed up near the end of week one, it became clear to my wife and I that Andy had let us use Mel & Fannie’s side of the cabin as they had not been able to come up earlier as planned. They had never asked us for a dime to stay in that cabin and it was so much like Andy to do things that way. Mel and Fannie were equally as gracious when they appeared later that week. They were tired and ready to move in, but patiently waited for this young couple to gather their things and move to the proper cabin they were actually assigned to use. I would return the favor to Mel and Fannie years later, by letting them stay in my lodge during a annual Conclave in North Lake Tahoe. Fannie and I fished Martis Creek reservoir together one day in float tubes and it was marvelous.
Perhaps the most amazing part of going with Andy and Sarah to the school that summer? It was being invited by Andy to come up with him a week prior to the start of the school – just to hang out and fish. I gave it my all, but was not really up to the task at the time. I still remember vividly how I somehow managed to fool one of Henry’s Fork’s finest during an afternoon spinner fall, only to have my 4-piece pack rod come apart when I set the hook. You came imagine the rest, and Andy just roared.
Meanwhile, back to the convoy journey. One stop on the way, in Rexburg, Idaho, was at the home of Rene Harrop. At the time, I had no idea who he was! Unbelievable. The next stop was at Mike Lawson’s shop, Henry’s Fork Anglers. In the parking lot, I got my first look at the Henry’s Fork, off in the distance. Wow. And that was just the start of this odyssey.
Mel Krieger was one of the instructors, along with Mike Lawson. Mel taught me how to double haul, and Andy taught me how to drop a size 24 dry near a large sipping trout. Mike taught me everything in between. Good times indeed.
During those two weeks, so many people stopped by the lodge, or met up with Andy, Mel, Mike and the students on the Harriman Ranch section of the Henry’s Fork, or the Box Canyon, or the lower Snake River. GW Howell, Dr. “Ernie” Schwiebert, and many, many others came and went. I will never forget that summer.
Unfortunately, Andy, Mel and many others have since passed on. I would be remiss not to take the opportunity to rub shoulders with yet another living legend of fly fishing, Frank Moore.
Frank, I’m looking forward to picking up my casting education where Andy, Mel and Mike left off. I’ll see you Saturday!
what was his movie called
The film was “Pass Creek”.
I first met Frank Moore in late June, 1961 when my family vacationed at Steamboat Inn with the Jack Hemingway family. I was 15 at the time. Jack got in the doghouse with his wife Puck that week by fishing every day dawn to dark, then going to bed and doing it all over again. One day late in the week Frank loaned Jack a rare early Winston rod to use. When Jack returned that night from fishing, Puck, who had had enough, broke Jack’s rod over her knee, not knowing it was Frank Moore’s rare Winston. The next day came word that Jack’s father had killed himself in Sun Valley and the Hemingways left for Idaho.
I worked at Steamboat Inn the following summer and what an amazing experience that was. Interesting people, including many southern california semi-celebrities, came to fish with Frank all summer long. As for me, I washed pots and pans until midnight,retreated to my closet behind the wash room at the inn for a little sleep, got up at 4 to fish until noon, then reported for work. It’s amazing what you can do when you’re 16.
I didn’t land my first North Umpqua steelhead until my 36th hook-up. The fish were all wild back in those days and they are nothing like the hatchery fish of today. I fished the North Umpqua from 1962 to 1982 and haven’t been able to fish it since as I now live in the midwest with a job and a family. But I’m retiring in the coming year and the North Umpqua is one of the first places I’m heading to. A very special place with very special people. Can’t wait to see Frank and Jeanne again.