There was a whole lot more to Joe Butorac than most folks in the Pacific Northwest ever knew about. Joe was a native California boy and remained so in his heart, I'm sure until the day he died. He was one of the orginal gang of 1960s Bay Area anglers who began casting flies at stripers not only in San Francisco Bay but into the daunting Pacific surf at Mussel Rock. Joe's buddies during the time are a Who's Who of California angling notables. He fished with Bob Nauheim, Frank Bertainia, Russell Chatham, Dan Blanton, Larry Green, Lani Waller and many more. They tied flies together, fished together, drank together and usually spent the entire month of November camped at Jedediah Smith State Park on the Smith River where they caught huge king salmon on the fly. As a fly tier, Joe was the innovator of the lot. His early designs for large popping bugs remain an industry standard to this day.

Joe was gracious to a fault and upon moving to Washington told everyone how he tied his unique patterns. And... he did tie his big saltwater patterns commercially for Kaufmann's for several years. However, others picked up on his tying skills and made his techniques their own. So, a whole lot of flies that others now sell and call their own still carry all the original thinking that Joe put into the first ones he tied forty years ago.

Mark Mandell, my co-author of the book Tube Flies and I contacted Joe and asked him to show all the steps of his tube poppers in our book by ensuring him that he would receive the credit he had been denied for so long. He agreed only after we promised that he could read the manuscript for authenticity. We promised and the chapter was written and photographed. It was the very least we could do for an angler who was much greater than he ever let people know.

Les Johnson

Well I'm not a fly fisherman but I knew Joe too. I guided him and his good friend Jay Barnes on a coastal river 15 years ago and that was the first time I have ever seen a "rag" He showed me the secret on how to doctor the rag and I still do it that way.We hooked and released 11 Steelhead that day and Joe had 8 of them. Quite a "rag man" he was. I tried to get him over for another round of Steelhead but he just never had the time. I sent him a picture of a couple of native release Steelhead, with a rag hanging out of their mouths, that I framed for him, I hope he had it hung up for anyone to enjoy.
When ever I needed more rag foam I just had to call him and he would send me a great big box full of it. I always tried to pay him for it but he would never take it. I sent him a check and told him to go out and have a dinner on me but he sent it back. "Just enjoy the rags" he would say. Well Joe, I'm still enjoying them 15 years later and hope to be using them 15 more years from now.
I'm gonna miss Joe and I know he is in a better place now. My thoughts are with you, fp

I was lucky to have met and talked with Joe several times and he always impressed me as a kind, insightful, and respectful sort who was very generous with his time and extensive fishing knowledge.

He was the type of fisherman you'd want to meet on the water, that's for sure.

Bon Voyage, Joe . . . we'll miss you!

I met Joe some years ago in Ted's. I had been using one of his ties for searuns and silvers. One morning at Kayak Pt. a large school of silvers was feeding in the small bay south of the park, short story is 8 to the float tube and released another 5 on and off after a fight and another 3 broke off on the hookset. Joe's flies were simple, beautiful, and worked VERY well! TIGHT LINES Joe

What a great man!! What a great loss !!

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Tight Lines!!