Rivers of a Lost Coast

North Coast Legends

Art Dedini

In the 1940s, Art Dedini, a butcher from the Eel River’s Victorian village of Fernbridge, opened a small fly shop in the basement of his white-planked house. He decided fly fishing tackle and lines were too expensive, so he opened his shop to provide custom lines and rods at a price that everyday anglers could afford. Art purchased second-rate rod blanks and fly lines from all the major manufacturers and customized the gear into top-quality equipment. Instead of turning a large profit, he kept his rates at, excuse the pun, ‘bargain basement’ prices. Art ran his shop as a social affair. He loved the camaraderie and relationships that flowed through his doors and he kept his inventory at prices that ensured loyal customers for decades.

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