Our fellow fly fisherman Pearow, Gene Bethea, passed away yesterday after fighting prostate cancer for several years. Gene was one of the finest fly fishermen and a wonderful guy that I had the honor and pleasure of calling my friend. RIP, Gene.

If any of you know of other forums that Gene was on, please let them know.

Thank you for letting us know sir. Gene was a fine fellow. Witty, friendly, a gentle man. He will be missed.

RIP.

I believe this photo was taken at Purtis Creek. This is the last time I remember seeing Pearow. He will be missed.

JR

Caught many bluegill on flies he gave me when I was first starting out.
RIP

How that was a long time ago. That was the first time I met him in person.

Fished with him quite a few times, they were enjoyable.

A number of years ago, he made a mistake. He had built an eight foot four weight rod, only to realize he had threaded one too many guides on the blank. Always a perfectionist, he listed it on the old Texas Fly Report for $100. I scooped it up, of course. It resides at our old family farm, where it is the permanent go-to rod for tank fishing. We corresponded a few times via the message function on the old board. He eventually discovered that I had started fly fishing in 1963, at eight years of age, with a cheap Chinese made bamboo rod I had bought at the local hardware store for eight bucks, reel and line included. A few days later, to my surprise, a seven foot reimagined Chinese cane rod arrived at my door, courtesy of one Gene Bethea. He had found it at a garage sale for nothing, sanded, refinished, and rewrapped the old girl. It pleased him to gift that to another seasoned angler. I took it up to Broken Bow one January Sunday. (Listened to the Cowboys beat the Giants to clinch the division on the drive home, in the snow). I caught a few fish, then retired the rod. He invited me up to his home waters, of course. I never made it. He's the best friend I never actually met.