Sylvester "Syl" Nemes has died

[Hans Weilenmann]

All,

The world of the wingless wets is a poorer place today:

===
Sylvester Nemes, champion of the wet fly and author of the classic The
Soft-Hackled Fly and Tiny Soft Hackles: A Trout Fisherman's Guide (updated
and revised in 2006), died on February 3, the Bozeman Chronicle reported
yesterday. Nemes "helped create a resurgence in what many fly fishers had
dismissed as an arcane method of tying and presenting flies. Prior to this
book, soft-hackles had lost favor to the more 'scientific' imitations of dry
flies and nymphs. Now few trout shops don't offer at least a few 'spiders,'
'wingless wets' or 'soft-hackle emergers.'"

"Nemes, predictably, [was] a purist. (He once responded to someone who asked
'Do you ever tie your flies as beadheads?' with 'Why don't you just get a
spinning rod?') But he demonstrates that all the careful attention to color,
materials, and tying techniques that are so important to dry flies and
nymphs matter just as much in what looks to be the very simple construction
of soft hackles. Soft-hackles, you might say, are only as simple as you want
them to be."
===

Rest easy Syl

Hans W

[Hans Weilenmann]

Hmmm, for some reason I am unable to edit my own post - ah well, adding the following here:


While I cannot claim to have had a close friendship with Syl, we did tie side by side for several days at two FFF Nationals, and exchanged tying lore and the odd jibe. The one I remember most vivid came when I asked him after his ancestral origin.

He slowly looked me over, and explained in slow wording as not to confuse me: My ancestors hailed from Hungary, and their name when arriving in the Unites States was Nemesh (emphasis on second syllable). Once here they changed it to Nemes (emphasis on the first syllable).

Then, after a short pause: That is "semen" spelled backwards, but you likely do not know what that means...

Hans W

[willowhead]

Hi Hans.....you've perfectly demonstrated Syl's sense of humor there. Like you, i met him at the FFF International........first in 2002 and then again in 2005. If you look around the site (Fishing Cabin), you'll see we've instituted a swap in his honor. Good to see you posting, thankx for sharing.
Btw, the new site rules only allow 15 minutes to edit a post.........

FYI.....
Sonny Rollins' famous composition: Airegin..... Nigeria spelled backwards.

[Old Hat]

[DOUGSDEN]

This is a devistating blow to all who appreciated deeply the man and his methods....like me.
What a character! I met him and his lovely wife Hazel at State College, PA back in 1995. The things he taught us was incredible. He will be sadly missed indeed. Thanks Hans for sharing this news with us!
Dougsden

[Soft-hackle]

Hans,
Where have YOU been? We Haven't heard from you in a while.

At any rate we found out a few days ago that Mr. Nemes had passed. We are all grieving this loss of one our brothers.

Mark

[DOUGSDEN]

Everyone,
I have been bothered all day about the loss of our friend Sylvester Nemes. It's always at the edge of my thinking and it's like loosing that happy-go-lucky uncle that everyone loves and adores. At the same time, it's more than that! I know that none of us lives forever (at least on this earth!) and at the core of our human nature, we all want to prolong life as long as we can. For all of us who were fortunate enough to know this fine gentleman sometimes even for a brief moment, a moment is all it took! Just talking to him was a pleasurable experience. Knowledgable without being overbearing and sooo willing to share openly all that he knew and posessed. Was anyone the receipient from his hand a soft-hackle or two while on stream or at a show or demonstration? I was and I still own a partridge and green that is so beautiful and simple. Maybe this is part of Syl's legacy that he has left for us....It doesn't have to be complicated!! That and a whole bunch of other things too!
Remembering a great man and glad that he called me friend,
Dougsden

[willowhead]

Doug.....i just have the one fly that came with a book (Six Months in Scotland), he signed for me in 2002.....there's a pic of it over at the Fishing Cabin page.....scroll thru the Swap thread started by William Anderson and you'll find it. Soon, i'll have another fly of his, as i just ordered the Soft Hackle Fly Addict book, and it's comming signed and with a fly inside. He was a kind soul for sure.........guy could crack a joke too.....lol. ;>)

[William Anderson]

I never met Mr. Nemes or his wife, so those who have, please let me know what you think. I'm sure she has more of his stuff around than she'll know what to do with, and the last thing she needs is more stuff, especially flies, but do you...who know her, think she might appreciate recieving a set of flies from a group of people who trully appreciate his contribution. In a time of mourning, some might be put off by that, but I know there are some who would be very touched to hear from complete strangers like myself that his life had an impact. Lots of people send flowers and cards at a time like this. I just wonder if she were someone who might like to hear from a large group who thought so highly of him and were impacted by his life.

It could be something very simple, like a card with all the flies attached, or something nicer like a shadowbox. I'm just wondering out loud.


Any thoughts on this?

w