In Memory of Lefty: The Fisher and the Man

Maryland native Bernard Victor "Lefty" Kreh was a big name with a small ego. The world-renowned, self-taught fly-caster, who passed away in March at the age of 93, brought much to the sport of fly-fishing, and to the people who encountered him along the way.

One of those people is Mark Lamos, MD, an internal medicine physician at GBMC and past president of the primary care side of GBMC’s physician enterprise, Greater Baltimore Medical Associates (GBMA).

Dr. Lamos met Lefty more than 20 years ago through a mutual friend. After successfully teaching Dr. Lamos about advanced casting, Lefty called the doctor and asked to be his next patient. Dr. Lamos said yes, but became much more than just his primary care physician.

Dr. Lamos describes their relationship as a "lot like father and son, early." They fished together often and Dr. Lamos traveled with Lefty on some of his fishing trips, especially when Lefty began to lose confidence in his health and wanted someone there to help. Dr. Lamos twice had to fly Lefty home because of exacerbations of his illness. Even though the two were close, these actions weren't outside the normal scope of work for Dr. Lamos as evidenced by patient feedback.

I drive three (3) hours to see Dr. Mark Lamos because of the exceptional care I receive."

"I pray Dr. Mark Lamos doesn't give up practice as long as I'm alive! I trust him with my life!"

"Dr. Lamos is the best. He makes me feel like I am the most important person to whom he provides care and that my health is most important to him."

"I try my best to be straightforward. I have no secondary motive except to try and help the person. I've always believed in taking care of them like they're my family," Dr. Lamos said of his attitude toward his work. "Fairness, that is the guiding principle if you're going to do this properly. But the other reason people always came to me was because I captained the ship."

As he did for Lefty. According to Dr. Lamos, Lefty touched many areas of GBMC's system to varying degrees, and Dr. Lamos managed his diseases: contacting specialists, keeping his appointments, consulting with physicians and more.

"I do this for everyone. I always have. It's the only way," Dr. Lamos said. "This shouldn't be about me. Please, not about me. I'm just a guy trying to help. I don't need somebody to pat me on the back."

It's no wonder the pair were such great friends. Lefty was also notoriously modest. Despite fishing with five presidents and some of the biggest names in television and sports, the Frederick-native's humble beginnings never left him.

Son of a homemaker and bricklayer who lost his father at age 7, Lefty didn't discover his innate skill in fly-fishing until his service in World War II and the Battle of the Bulge ended. Upon returning, he worked for Fort Detrick in the biologic agent lab where he was one of three employees to become infected with anthrax – and the only to survive. This strain of anthrax was militarized and called BVK-1: which stands for Bernard Victor Kreh.

In the 1950s, he started his career as a writer, freelancing for the outdoor section of the Frederick News-Post and eventually became outdoors editor for the Baltimore Sun, where he remained until he retired at age 65. In between, he was also advising fishing companies, designing reels – including the Lefty Deceiver, which made it onto a postage stamp – and writing 30 books.

"There's no one like him in the industry," Dr. Lamos said. "It was his own brutal effort. Fly fishing in the 1930s and 40s was just a bunch of trout fisherman who fished for small fish in little streams and wore tweed jackets and smoked a pipe. But then he ushered it into fishing for saltwater fish, bonefish, tarpon, red fish and then became a part of the conservation movement."

These accolades just skim the surface of the water that is Lefty's career. He made a powerful impact on the industry, and was willing to share his knowledge as well as quiet time on the water with everyone from dignitaries to the everyman.

"Do you know how difficult it is to be consistently straightforward with people? But be nuanced enough to be relatable?" Dr. Lamos said. "I know others who have part of this, but that's the way he was. He was special.

"He was like your favorite pair of boots in the room."

Thank you to All Those Who Made Gifts in Honor of Lefty Kreh

Carol and Richie Bancells

Carolina Mountain Sports

Dr. Robert S. Minch

Fly Fishing Shows

Fly Girl Charters LLC

Gangler's Fly-In Lodges, LLC

G-Outdoors, Inc.

J Grace Custom Rods, Inc.

Jimbos Delta Excursions LLC

Kendall G. Osborne

Longbeach Village LLC

Mr. Adam Maris

Mr. Allen G. Miller

Mr. and Mrs. Craig Matthews

Mr. and Mrs. David Cargile

Mr. and Mrs. H. Richards Tillman. Sr.

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Nicklaus

Mr. and Mrs. John K. Shaw, III

Mr. and Mrs. John Randolph

Mr. and Mrs. John Shollenberger

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Fedner

Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Apte

Mr. and Mrs. Stuart S. Janney, III

Mr. and Mrs. William Pierce

Mr. and Ms. Richard Krantz

Mr. Andy R. Mill

Mr. Anthony Pazana

Mr. Blake Sorensen

Mr. Bob Cheers

Mr. Bobby Sands

Mr. Brad Burns

Mr. Bruce Wankel

Mr. Buzz Bryson

Mr. Charles Devens, III

Mr. Charles Hammerstad

Mr. Charles M. King, Jr.

Mr. Christopher Millard

Mr. D Scott Dennis

Mr. Daniel Marini

Mr. Daniel Neuland

Mr. Dave Messics

Mr. Dave Zajano

Mr. Dennis Worley

Mr. Dick Sagara

Mr. Don La Piana

Mr. Edward Dentry

Mr. Edward F. Jaworowski

Mr. Eric Leiser

Mr. Frank Moore

Mr. Fred Rehbein

Mr. Gary Soucie

Mr. Jayme Murakoshi

Mr. Jeffrey Holberg

Mr. Jim Cowan

Mr. Jim Rainey

Mr. John DeRouen

Mr. John McCain

Mr. John Schneider

Mr. John Trout

Mr. Kenneth Pavol

Mr. Larry Dahlberg

Mr. Lenny Lichvar

Mr. Luis A. Mispireta

Mr. Mark Lucas

Mr. Michael Maloney

Mr. Milton W. Thomas

Mr. Mitch Howell

Mr. Nathan Thomson

Mr. Nick Lyons

Mr. Norman Bartlett and Mrs. Sandra Bartlett

Mr. Ozzie Ozefovich

Mr. Patrick Mcevoy

Mr. Phil Balisle

Mr. Phil Gay

Mr. Phil Yost

Mr. Philip Bowles

Mr. Ralf Schloss

Mr. Raphael O. Brooks, Jr.

Mr. Richard Andrews

Mr. Richard Corbett

Mr. Richard Formato

Mr. Richard Southgate, Jr.

Mr. Robert Barrett

Mr. Robert Mayo

Mr. Robert R. Selb and Ms. Diane McCabe

Mr. Robert W. Lewis

Mr. Rufus Wakeman

Mr. Russ Marek

Mr. Sam Talarico

Mr. Terry Gunn

Mr. Thomas Hoffmaster

Mr. Walter Tingle

Mr. Walter V. Dudley

Mr. Wayne Grauer

Mrs. Alexandra Thomas

Mrs. Gale Hill

Ms. Adele Fox

Ms. Barbara Lynn Unfried

Ms. Betty Shaw

Ms. Jean Chapin

Ms. Jody C. Kennedy

Ms. Karen Chase

Ms. Karen Rhueban

Ms. Patricia Clements

Ms. Patricia L. Manney

Ms. Ronda Webb

Ms. Sara Cheheyl

Ms. Sarah Brokaw

Ms. Sarah Foster

Ms. Tracey Clarke

Ms. Vicki Kantner

Robin and Mark Swope

Schuylkill County Chapter of Trout Unlimited

South Jersey Coastal Fly Anglers

Sun Plumbing & Heating

Tailwaters Travel

The Baltoro Trust Dated June 14, 1979

Tom and Marie Ference

Trout Unlimited, Maryland Chapter