Working at his craft, a keeneyed Dave Asproth ties a fly. File photo/Brian Larsen
Cook County lost one of its greatest fishermen and outdoorsmen this past week with the passing of Dave Asproth. Not many people have caught a state record fish—in Dave’s case it was a magnificent brook trout—and have it mounted and placed on their living room wall without having it certified as a state record.
No big deal, said Dave as he pointed out the 7-pound, 2-ounce beauty.
Dave was a world-class fly tier, eager to show people tricks of his trade. He attended more than 20 Annual International Fly Fishing Fairs, and often demonstrated at the convention.
Dave learned to dress flies at age 15 in Mahtawa where he grew up. As a youngster he was always on the go. In track Dave ran a 2:02 half mile, a great run for his day and age.
He taught fly tying at North House Folk School for 16 years. He also gave people fly casting instructions as well as taught people how to fish with flies.
Occasionally Dave would even offer his services as a fishing guide. His most famous client was Chuck Norris, who he fished with for a week. A nice fellow, Chuck was better at karate than fishing, noted Dave with a smile.
Dave made tying flies look easy. But it wasn’t easy. He used natural materials that he mostly collected himself from his trapping exploits, or hunting, including fur from deer, fox, rabbit, mink, muskrat, bear and squirrel. He also used feathers from chickens, ducks, geese, partridge and other birds, as well as threads, yarns, cork and balsa.
Some of the tools Dave used for making flies included a pliers, hackle pliers, bodkins, hackle gauges, toothpicks, dubbing twisters, whip twisters, wing burners, bobbin and threaders.
Starting with a small hook, a No. 8, Asproth would weave his magic and before long a Caddis fly was “born.” The small mothlike insect is a favorite food for fish across the country. As he worked all around him sat displays of the many varieties of flies he had fashioned over the years. Some were so small it’s hard to imagine how anyone could make them. Many were colorful, simply beautiful works of art.
Asproth has been called one of America’s best fly tiers. He made friends across the country and fished streams from Arkansas to the Rocky Mountain states of the west. The best in his field know him and many call him friend.
In an interview I had with him Dave explained, “I’ve been really lucky, really blessed by the people that I have met here, the friends that I have made everywhere. It’ s been a good life, and God willing, I hope I have some more years left,” he said as he smiled, then bent down again and began working on a new creation, patiently and carefully and skillfully weaving thread, feathers and fur together around a small hook, a fly caster’s dream coming to life from the large hands of a virtuous, patient, soft-spoken very kind man. A man gone too soon, but one who will be remembered and treasured as a friend to many.
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