Rivers of a Lost Coast

The Rivers of a Lost Coast production team is saddened to learn about the passing of legendary angler, shop owner, and innovator Len Bearden. A south bay resident most of his life, Len helped popularize the use of float tubes and was integral in the rising popularity of striped bass fly fishing in the O’Neil Forebay and San Luis Reservoir in northern California. Friends with Myron Gregory, Dan Blanton, Steve Rajeff, Bill Schaadt, Hal Janssen, Grant King, Andy Puyans, Bob Nauheim, Mike Fong and nearly all other well-established fly anglers of the golden state in the 1970s and 80s, Len was an integral part of California’s fly fishing history. Owner and founder of the Mill Pond, a forward thinking fly shop in the San Jose area, Len sold many south-bay anglers their first fly rod outfits.
During the making of Rivers of a Lost Coast, we spent an afternoon with Len in his upstairs fly tying room. Two giant fly caught stripers hung mounted on the wall above a long book shelf crowded with classic angling literature. He maintained a complete collection of Angler magazine, and held onto hand-written letters from Leon Martuch and Myron Gregory. He shared stories of the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club and the glory days of the San Lorenzo river estuary.

Len will be dearly missed. A thread on Dan Blanton’s message board reflects on Len’s contributions to the sport: Dan Blanton’s message board