BTT is proud to sponsor the new film, Lefty: The Greatest of All Time, which documents the remarkable life of the inimitable Lefty Kreh. A founding member of BTT, Lefty was a vocal and passionate advocate for the conservation of our flats fisheries for more than 50 years, inspiring the naming of BTT’s highest honor, the Lefty Kreh Award for Lifetime Achievement in Conservation. Lefty will premiere on March 27, 2025, in his hometown, Frederick, Maryland, with a special reception benefiting BTT’s conservation mission. Click here for more event info and tickets.
The documentary is the story of Bernard “Lefty” Kreh’s life, from his humble upbringings during the Great Depression, to his service with the U.S. Army in the Battle of the Bulge, and his role as fly-fishing’s greatest ambassador. He ushered fly fishing into the modern era, from a time of bamboo rods and dry-fly fishing for trout, into a global sport where you can chase tarpon in Florida, black bass in New Guinea, and bonefish in the Bahamas. He took casting away from the metronome and hands of the clock and made it fluid and athletic. He did it all with a laugh and a smile, and heaps of practical advice on how to tie better knots, cast more efficiently, and use the most effective flies and presentations. Today—years after his passing—dozens and dozens of experts consider Lefty their most important mentor and influencer.
The new film is narrated by Lefty’s longtime friend Flip Pallot—host of the TV series The Walker’s Cay Chronicles. It contains never-before-seen interviews captured by cinematographer Jay Nichols in the months before Lefty passed in March 2018. It includes archival footage from the original BTT-sponsored TV show Buccaneers & Bones, new interviews from peers like Johnny Morris and Ed Jaworowski, and commentary from Lefty’s friends Blane Chocklett, Barry Beck, Heather Templeton, and many others. The 44-minute feature film is directed and created by Jay Nichols of Headwater Media Group and produced by Fly Fisherman with support from Bass Pro Shops, Costa, Yeti, and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.
The premiere event will be held at the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick, Maryland. Originally known as the Tivoli Theatre, this is where Lefty Kreh met his wife Evelyn while she was working at the ticket window.
BTT will hold a special reception before the film screening, with all event proceeds benefiting the organization’s conservation mission. For tickets and more information, visit: https://weinbergcenter.org/lefty-the-greatest-of-all-time-documentary-film-event/
The 44-minute film will have television premieres on Outdoor Channel April 19, 2025 at 6 and 10 PM EST and on World Fishing Network April 24 at 7 and 11 PM EST. View full schedule of airtimes here.
