Episode 23: Norman Duncan - The Innovator

A few years ago I was making a presentation in a Miami fly shop
when a man came to me and introduced himself. “Hey Andy, I’m Norman
Duncan.” Oh my God, I thought, here he is! I was so excited,
really. Here was one of the disciples. Flip Pallot, Chico
Fernandez, Little John Emery, and Norman Duncan were as important
as anyone in South Florida to initially grow the sport of Saltwater
Fly Fishing. This group of four were something to behold. They had
heart, passion, and creativity to catch fish, but without the
sufficient tools to support their fire. They designed everything
they needed because there was nothing available, and many of their
innovations are still used today. We know the story of Flip and
Chico, they became rock stars in the fly fishing world. “Little
John,” as Emery was known, passed at a young age from melanoma
after putting his stamp on history. But where did Norman go? What
happened to him? He was smart and ingenious, pushed and shoved as
hard as the others, but he stepped aside and the iconic fame the
others attained passed Norman by, even though we all know his name.
Today, Norman brought us out back to his porch and gave us an
inside look into his eventful life.