Curtis Fleming Among Inductees of Fly Fishing Museum of Southern Appalachians Hall of Fame
By Julie Perine on June 26, 2018 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
The Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians Hall of Fame has released this year’s inductees and Bridgeport’s Curtis Fleming is on the list.
Host of “Fly Rod Chronicles,” currently airing on Pursuit Channel, Fleming has been selected for the recreation category. He is honored for his commitment to fly fishing as both a guide and educator. Fleming has served as FRC host for more than 15 seasons. Formerly broadcast over the Outdoor Channel, the show was and continues to be aired worldwide. Fleming’s excursions feature his home state of Wild, Wonderful West Virginia, other U.S. states and waters across the globe. In 2017, “Fly Rod Chronicles” was recognized by West Virginia Tourism as best West Virginia broadcast. Fleming is a Bridgeport High School alum. He also currently serves as fly fishing ambassador for Cabela's.
Just last year, he was inducted into Southern Trout Magazine's "Legends of the Fly" Hall of Fame.
"I was one of two people who were still alive and the youngest that has ever been inducted," he said. "It is kind of crazy to see your name next to President Herbert Hoover and legends that I used to read about as a kid."
The current honor with the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians is one that is both humbling and surreal, Fleming said.
"It is an incredible honor knowing that I will be following Lefty Kreh's class of last year and he just passed at 93 years old a couple months ago. Lefty was known as the 'Prince of Fly Fishing."
Having grown up in the small town of Bridgeport, Fleming said he would have never guessed that his legacy would be left in a museum for his future grandkids to visit one day.
"I do know that this would not be possible if it was not for my family, producers, writers, sponsors and the list is very long," he said. "My family has put up with me living my dream 24/7 for the last 12-plus years. Everyone sees the end result - blue skies, snowcapped mountains, turquois coastal flats, etc. but they don't see the hours of preparation, missed flights, constantly packing and unpacking, bad weather conditions, snakes and mosquitoes. But these are not complaints. My father dug coal to buy my clothes and send me to school. I get to catch fish for a living and travel the world, meeting some of the most interesting people along the way."
Fleming and his fellow inductees – the Fly Fishing Museum’s third class - will be honored Sept. 8 at the Southwestern Community College Swain Center in Bryson City, N.C.
Other inductees are Communications: Jim Dean, longtime editor of Wildlife in NC, author and outdoor photographer; Crafts: Kevin Howell, a professional fly tier who is widely recognized for the creativity and wisdom in designing the famed Hot Creek Special, Trip Maker, Trip Saver as well as other noted creations; Conservation: Sandy Schenck, outdoor educator and preservation advocate; Humanity: Joyce Shepherd, active in several “give back” organizations, helping others recover from personal challenges, as a fly casting instructor, and for her leadership in NCWF, NCTU, RRTU and Casting Carolinas.
Fly anglers from across the southeast will celebrate the Museum Hall of Fame Inductions.
