Obituary of Well Known Fly Tier and Fisherman;

[Ard]

I don't go on at length about who I've met or known through the years and over the passing of time almost every one of them has died. This fellow died earlier this month. I received a message from my fishing partner of 23 years 2 weeks ago informing me of another who had passed. The fellow and I were not best friends but were well enough acquainted that we knew one another. We met when I was involved in a stream reclamation project on Greys Run in Pennsylvania working with the Susquehanna Chapter of TU. I then learned that we shared a common mentor in C.W. O'Connor who owned the E. J. Hillies Anglers Supply House which was in the 1950's through the 1980's the leading mail order supplier for fly tying, lure making and rod building supplies albeit not as well advertised as Herters.

Don took a different track than I when he began guiding visitors on the freestone and spring creeks in Central Pennsylvania while I chose to keep a very low / unknown profile with my activities. By the time I had relocated here to Alaska in 2004 he had made a name for himself as a fly tier and later focused on tying all the flies from Ray Bergman's TROUT as well as the Carrie Stevens classics. Perhaps you have visited his website at Don Bastion Wet Flies I'll leave the navigation to you on that one.

On February 2nd the fly tying and fishing world lost an energetic member of the brotherhood and I thought I'd honor Don Bastion by posting his obituary here.

 

[flytie09]

Sorry to hear this. Don was a wonderful fly tyer.

 

[Rip Tide]

I met Don eight or nine years ago at a show and corresponded with him a few time via email as we fish some of the same waters.
He shared with me one of his favorite fishing flies that for whatever reason never made it to his web site.
The Grey Ghost Woolly Bugger.
I can't find the recipe right now, but it was more basic than you might think and very productive.

 

[WWKimba]

Never had the pleasure to meet Don but I am very familiar to his site. Always sad when we lose someone that has made contributions to this fine sport and hobby as well as to our environment as well! I always use it as a reminder of the responsibility they we have to set the example and teach/mentor the new generations of this great sport and hobby.

Kim

 

[falcon53]

Don was well known in PA fly fishing and in points beyond. He will be missed.

 

[moucheur2003]

Very sad to lose Don. I didn't know him well, and he wouldn't remember me, but I met him at a few shows and watched him tie. His work was exquisite and seemingly effortless. I'll always be grateful to him for showing me a better way to set quill wings and clueing me in to Cookshill for some hard-to-find feathers. I sure hope it wasn't Covid that took him from us; it already took Armand Courchaine.

 

[jpbfly]

Sad...sorry for you Ard.