Sad news...Georges Odier on life support...

I learned much from this man...

FROM THE FLYTYING FORUM – 8.29.09

First Dave Lewis and then Bill Tapply, this is a sad month for long rodders. Now this.

Georges Odier, an entomologist and author who quietly changed fly fishing in a fundamental and profound manner with the 1984 publication of his book Swimming Flies (Stone Wall Publishing, ISBN 0-91327-648-0), is at the end of his life. Odier was one of the first to understand that adult caddis re-enter the water and swim to the bottom to deposit eggs directly in desirable habitat. He determined that eggs released at the surface would drift for hundreds of yards before reaching the bottom and thus was an unlikely action for a species as successfully established as the caddis. His research into the life cycle of this important insect has had a significant effect on our sport.

I received this communication from Virginia Newton, a friend of Mr. Odier:

I am writing because we just heard the news that Georges is on life support at a hospital in Salt Lake and is not expected to live much longer – the hospital is awaiting to hear formally from his family in France to turn off life support. He had a stroke after returning from one his daily walks in Moab. We Googled his name and read your wonderful piece in Fly Fish Ohio about Georges’ work on mastering the nymph fly fishing method. My husband had many fishing adventures with Georges and they were such good friends, but had seen him less since he moved to Utah. I figure you would appreciate knowing this news, sad as it is. We are in the process of helping contact his family in France to make arrangements. If you knew George I know my husband would like to hear from you.

Joe C.
Sad news…Georges and Chuck Fothergill developed " high stick" nymphing...

PT/TB