Ed Koch has Pased Away

[JB Martin]

Saturday, July 24, 2010
Ed Koch, who spent much of his life in the Carlisle area, sold bait and pushed conservation. The author of "Fishing the Midge" might have been best known for sharing his angling secrets.

Ed Koch could have carried himself as a high priest of a highbrow sport, fly fishing for trout.

He didn't.

"He was a very humble man. A lot of people have made a lot of money in this industry, going around doing speaking engagements. Ed did a lot for free. He pushed conservation, he pushed catch and release. ... He didn't make a lot of money, but it helped a lot of people," said fly fisherman Bill Skilton of Boiling Springs.

Koch, who spent much of his life in the Carlisle area, died recently at 78.

Beginning in the late 1950s, he sold flies and fly-tying materials out of a store in the basement of his home on Franklin Street in Carlisle.

He later founded the Boiling Springs store now called Yellow Breeches Outfitters.

He wrote an influential book, "Fishing the Midge," that remains in print after more than 30 years.

Koch was known for sharing knowledge.

Nathan Koch, one of his five children, traces it to an event that happened when Koch was 12. Ed Koch and his brother and grandfather were fishing. They had one trout between them, while a stranger fishing nearby caught his limit.

Koch got up the nerve to ask the stranger what he used for bait.

A couple of years back i ordered Art Flicks book New Streamside Guide from Amazon.I asked for a used one in good condition and to my surprise inside on the jacket cover are signatures.Ed Shenk,Ed Koch,Norm Shires,last two are difficult to read but i think they are Tony Skiton and the last name is Ben something.Then a \ Orvis instructors. Oppposite page reads as follows Dick Chapman orvis flyfishing school, Allenberry-Yellow Breeches,Boiling Springs,PA.. April 11-13,1975. Just dumb luck that i got it. J.B. do you think this is something that should go to the fly fishing museum? Or just a cool keepsake.

[JB Martin]

sinkman,

I seem to remember something about seeing other Streamside Guides with these signatures in them.
I believe there is a bunch of them around, trying to remember if these were from an event or something.
I believe forum member "luzerne" (Jack) knew something about these, but it could have been somebody else.

A year or 2 ago we had another post about this here on Classic Trout, but the info was lost when the old database went down.

I am sure someone will chime in here, with more info!

JB

ast two are difficult to read but i think they are Tony Skiton

That would be "Skilton", another noted Cumberland Valley angler & tyer, who worked for Orvis. Related somehow, I assume, to Bill Skilton.

This book was offered for sale to the graduates of the flyfishing school at the Yellow Breeches shop. The men who signed the book were the instructors.
In the start up years Ed Koch ran the shop, the money man behind it was Ted Sutsos a DC attorney and a consumate cane rod collector. Ed went on to own the shop. A good refernce on the area and it's players is:
Limestone Legends: Papers and Recollections of the Fly Fishers' Club of Harrisburg 1947-1997 by Jim Gilford and Norm Shires if you can find it.
I have the book and cannot find it.
Remnants of the original school is still in operation up the road at the Allenberry Inn, hosted by Ed Shenk and Joe Humphreys.
If you are at the Jubilee day at the CFFCM tomorrow look up Tom Smithwick he's younger than me and his menory may be better.

That was me J.B..I had a different username just changed it.I posted a pic of the signatures.I wish i could go Sunday but have other plans.Florida family fun day. Jimmy Sturr polka, polka, polka. I'll bring it up to the museum someday and have them look at it.I'd rather the museum have it .John