The founders of Dette Trout Flies, Walt and Winnie Dette, with their daughter, Mary (middle), who eventually took over ownership of the shop. Joe Fox, Mary’s grandson, became the owner three years ago when she retired.
A history, heritage exists at Dette Trout Flies
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOSEPH ABRAHAM ocated on practically the same Roscoe street for the past 89 years, Dette Trout Flies, the oldest family-run fly shop in the United States, offers years of knowledge and history about fly fishing. Dette Trout Flies also has several products to fulfill anglers’ needs, whether they stop by the shop on 68 Cottage Street or go to the store’s website, www.detteflies.com. The shop offers a wide range of American-tied fishing flies, various rods, reels and tackle items, guide trips, waders and more.
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22 • CATSKILL-DELAWARE, SPRING 2017
History of the shop Dette Trout Flies has been open since 1928. It was started by Walt and Winnie Dette. Walt went to fly-tyer Rube Cross in 1927 to learn how to tie flies, offering Cross $50 to teach him. Cross refused, so Walt purchased $50 worth of flies. He and Winnie untied them, then reconstructed them and then reverse engineered them. They were very influenced by the Cross and Steenrod styles of fly tying. Sometime a year later, Winnie suggested they turn it into a business, because they enjoyed doing it so much, and they were tying so much more than they could use.