Len Codella has passed

[flyfishingpastor]

Over the years, I have bought a number of reels and a couple of fly rods from Len. Though I have never met the man and all my dealings with him were business ones they were all educational, pleasant and fair. I always enjoyed my phone conversations with him. My favorite memory of Len wasn't even with me. It was with my wife. Some years back I was looking for a reel I had been looking for, for some time. If memory serves, it was a Peerless. Anyway, my wife called him to see if he had one. I don't even know where she came up with his phone number, but she called him. He said he didn't but he would let her know if one came in. Several months later, right before my 50th birthday, Len called her and said he had one in great shape and he bought it for a good price and would pass it along to her since she had looked for so long for a special birthday present. She was very impressed and she told me about his kindness when she gave me the present, saying, this 50th Birthday present if from me and Len Codella.

Rest in peace, Len, the witness to fairness and good will from your many dealings over the years makes a statement of outstanding character that most will envy. The Fly Fishing Community has lost a friend, but you will be with us in our hearts every time we take out that special rod or reel. Thanks for your service for these many years. You will be missed, but not forgotten.

Pat

[Bethabara]

I will sincerely miss that old friend and he has certainly been kind and honest with me.
We have exchanged many phone calls and emails with Len.
I have steered many cane buyers in his direction with confidence.
My condolences to Lens wife Carol in her loss.

Mike Simcik.

[OldCane]

Len Codella was one of the first rod resellers that I dealt with some 30+ years ago along with Phil Snyder. Always knowledgeable and nice to deal with, even when I didn't know which way was up. Perhaps both he and Phil will be forever fishing the trout streams in heaven and discussing Phil's favorite St. George reels. He leaves a large hole in the community. RIP Len.

[Fred Kretchman]

Yes, he will be missed by many. I only met him once in person at a big rod auction in Boxborough in 2004, and he sat in front of me with Bob Corsetti. We were introduced and kept in touch over the following years. He sent me many repair jobs and helped in other ways too. I truly enjoyed our conversations and seeing his catalogs. My best wishes to Carol and family. Fish on, Len...
Fred

[midge 7X]

I first saw Len on the Muskie by the Orange Pit dairy bar 52 years ago.He was catching trout one after the other.I said to myself I have to get into this.That was how I got into fly fishing.He gave me a lot of enjoyment over the years.
Thanks Len.

Ray

[Tommasini]

Hi Ray,
Where was the Orange Pit Dairy bar? Hacketstown NJ ?

Marty

[Tommasini]

Sorry for the last post, I thought I was sending a PM to midge 7X. I'm still getting use to this new set-up.

[midge 7X]

Marty, yes,it was on rt.57 by the Schooleys Mt. bridge.

Ray

[bluesjay]

Hi Guys, I'm sorry to hear this. I spoke with him a few times, and he was helpful to a wannabe rod maker. He was a pillar in the bamboo rod community. I hope his family can do well.

Jay Edwards

[CouleeCountryCane]

Coming belatedly to this sad news; I had several exchanges with Len over the past twenty years and more, always pleasant, every one. But an exceptional day was our first meeting in person just over twenty years ago, when he and Carol shared stories of their business in Florida, reaching from Len's first days in tackle collecting and sales, when he noted the rack empty of Payne rods at A & F soon after Jim Payne's passing in 1968, and onward, through the Angler's Den, and the T & T days. And then he started pulling out the rods . . . My condolences to Carol. Tom

[tapermaker]

i never met Len , but talked a lot over the last 5 yrs .due to him sending me rods for repair and new sections. The last time was about a yr ago . i scarfed a tip on a Dickerson 801510 as well as restoring the signature and then the rod. A fine gentleman with a wealth of knowledge .

[oldtrout]

I purchased some ferruled blanks from Len many years ago.

About 20 years ago I was fishing with Bernard Remanauskus in Canada and he drove me and Sisyphus (from this board) to a beautiful small creek where we fished for cutthroat. Bernard took us up to a pool which he called Len Codella's pool. We took turns catching trout after trout in that pool. This is one of my fondest memories. Len touched many of us in ways he couldn't know.

[NedZeppelin]

I am way behind the curve and just learned this, so sad he is a legend, bought several rods from him, never worried that they were not as represented and respected his opinion on them. I did correspond with Carol in early spring and just dropped a short note to her expressing my sympathies. Losing their outlet for great bamboo and reels is a great loss.

[Finn Maccumhail]

I know it's odd to bump a thread after 4 years but I had a great-uncle in Colorado who was an avid fly fisherman who passed and as I'm the only fly fisherman in the extended family and he and my great-aunt had no living children I inherited some things that my great-aunt kept. She sold a great deal of it but that's beside the point.

Anyway, I just received some of his stuff, specifically a box of fly-tying materials and in the box are letters from 1987 where my uncle and Len Codella (who was running Thomas & Thomas at the time) have a bit of a running correspondence regarding bamboo fly rods.

The fly fishing world, especially when it comes to classic gear is a small one for sure.

[creakycane]

Great stuff to find; hard to beat a box filled with good materials and interesting correspondence! Alas, today’s norms involve less paper catalogs and real letters. Love to look through old letters and hand written rod and reel catalogs and notes on a cold winter evening, and tie a fly or two….. Happy holidays to All…..

[oldtrout]

I never met Len, but I went to Canada with "Sisyphus" from this board to fish for a week. One day Bernard Ramanauskis (Edencane) took us to a little stream and where we encountered a beautiful spot that Bernard said was called Len Codella's pool. Apparently, Len caught and released an insane number of brook trout there. We each took a turn and caught two or three fish. Honestly, it felt like hallowed water. Whenever Len's name came up after that, or when I'd peruse Len's offerings on his website, and right now, I remember that glorious water and those beautiful fish. Rest in peace Len.

[TFHough]

A pillar from a time just recently gone. But without his influence, today's world would be all the poorer.