Thought some of you would like to know this:
http://mtstandard.com/news/local/obit ... e1-abfc-001a4bcf887a.html
May Al be casting to some great trout in the big river!

His innovation the Elk Hair caddis was designed for the Loyalsock
Creek.He also changed up the pheasant tail to have a peacock thorax and a few other flies too.

He will be missed, My regards to his family. I too have Parkinsons, Thank god it's the begining stages. But you can not dwell on it. I just injoy my fly fishing as long as i can. .

I am sorry to read of this. I believe he loved fly-fishing and figuring things out. It seems like a lot of my "heroes" have been passing on, hopefully to heavenly streams full of rising trout. Again, I am sorry to see this. My condolences are extended to his family.

I would put the Elk Hair Caddis up there with the Adams when it comes to iconic, all purpose dry flies that just flat out catch fish. I'm sure the EHC is a go to dry fly for many fly fishers. He certainly left his mark on fly fishing. May he rest in peace.

Another sad loss. If I remember the story correctly, he not only introduced the EHC, but elk hair itself as a material. The story of how he hit on the choice of elk hair is a funny one. I think I read it in Tom Rosenbauer's American Flys book.
I'll be sure to tie a few Troth patterns this weekend and think about their designer.

My dad knew Al in college and they fished and hunted a lot in SW PA and throughout the state. They went out west fishing a few times around the 60s era and I guess Troth liked it so much he moved his family out there for good. They traded Christmas cards and there would sometimes be a photo of a nice elk either he or Eric got in the card. He seemed like a real good regular kinda guy who lived his dream.

I wouldn't be able to recognize fly fishing for trout without the EHC. My first, poor-man efforts used a trimmed hackle from a feather duster and elk hair. They caught just as well as genetic hackle and now that I think about it, maybe better.

Yep - rest in peace Al, enjoy the Great Trout Stream in the Sky.
Another one of a great generation of fly fishing innovators.

One of the first streamers I tried to tie as a kid was a Troth Bullhead.

Inventing the Elk Hair Caddis is right-up there next to Thomas Edison inventing the light-bulb........Well kind of

Wow. When you read that, you wonder if there was anything he wanted to do that he didn't. Sounds like a very fullfilled life.