Just hot off the press is the long-awaited book on the legendary Catskill fly tier, Reuben R. Cross, by Richard Lodge. (Richard is a veteran daily newspaper editor at publications in Massachusetts and Maine.) Titled The Rise of the Neversinker, Fly Tier Rube Cross, the book was painstakingly researched, referenced, and cross-referenced for more than 20 years; and Lodge’s work is thoughtfully and sensitively written.

Reuben Cross was one of the originators of the Catskill School of Fly-Tying and is still considered the standard-bearer of the Catskill Style of dry flies. The Sullivan County native was born to John C. Heenan Cross and Minnie M. Gillett at the family farm on Mutton Hill, Neversink, in 1896. At the early age of about five or six, Reuben met Theodore Gordon, the Father of American Dry-Fly Fishing. Gordon died when Rube was just 19, but not long afterwards, the young man decided to make fly-tying his profession.

He studied the insect hatches on local rivers and streams, and raised his own chickens to get the best hackles and feathers for his flies. And despite becoming a huge man with hands described as “the size of a lumberjack’s,” Cross was able to tie the most delicate and beautiful trout flies seen in his day.

Richard Lodge has done a masterful job in compiling decades of research into this work, which is well-documented with historical photos, including many of Cross’s beautiful flies, illustrations and artifacts, interviews with family and friends, all detailed in the many pages of notes at the end of the book. He brings to life the story of the colorful Catskill character, whose charismatic personality made him much-beloved, not only by fly-tiers and fly-fishers, but local residents as well.

From detailing Cross’s associations with such early luminaries in the fly-tying and fly-fishing world as Herm Christian, Roy Steenrod, Edwin Way Teale, Pete Hidy, the Darbees and the Dettes, to his close friendship with Harry Darbee, readers will find the poignant story of Rube Cross a fascinating read, one that is difficult to put down until the very end.

Despite being a popular author of three books, Tying American Trout Lures:A Practical Guide to the Production of Dry Flies, Wet Flies, Nymphs and Bucktails for Pleasure and Profit, in 1936; Fur, Feathers and Steel in 1940; and The Complete Fly-Tyer in 1950; along with a number of magazine articles, Cross struggled to make ends meet, and took on a number of odd jobs in order to stay afloat.

On the night of Friday, May 30, 1941, he was working at the dance hall in Lew Beach when his rented house caught fire and burned to the ground. His wife, Bessie, was hours away, visiting her ailing mother, and although Rube attempted to dash into the house to recover an expensive camera and some of his most prized possessions, he had to run back out, narrowly escaping being overcome by the smoke and flames, and clutching only a pair of snowshoes. All of the couple’s personal belongings and worldly goods were destroyed, including fourteen dozen special-order flies, five manuscripts ready to be sent out, and all of Rube’s fly-tying materials.

Unfortunately the couple had no insurance to cover their losses. Friends and customers came to the Crosses’ aid with donations - ranging from cash to clothing, household goods, hooks and fly-tying materials. The Crosses relocated to another rental home in Beaverkill where Rube tried to regain his fly-tying business, but by the end of the difficult year, with World War II just ahead, and the damming of the Neversink River for the Neversink Reservoir project, he packed his meager belongings and moved to Rhode Island to seek employment in its thriving manufacturing industry. He secured a job at Collyer Insulated Wire Company, and his wife Bessie joined him in 1942; the couple lived in Providence.

Letters were sent back and forth between Rube Cross and Harry Darbee. Upon returning from a visit to the Darbees, it was clear that Rube was not happy to be living in Rhode Island. He missed his Catskill home, he battled with alcoholism, and, despite taking on extra hours at work and extra jobs, he still struggled to make ends meet.

After the war ended and manufacturing jobs were shut down, Cross continued writing, and was able to demonstrate fly-tying at sportsmen’s shows, hosted by his friend A.J. McClane, of Field & Stream. But Cross had contacted Harry Darbee in 1948, asking him to find him a caretaking job anywhere in the Catskills. Sadly, he did not return to caretake in the Catskills, but in 1949 found another job in Providence where he remained.

The Darbees remained close friends, and stayed in touch with Rube until his demise, despite Rube’s financial troubles. Cross was destitute when he died at the age of just 62. Harry Darbee stated, “Rube Cross gave much more to fly tying and fly fishing than he ever got back in return.”

The Rise of the Neversinker is a must-read about an original member of the Catskill School of Fly-Tyers who today still sets the bar for fly-tying in the Catskill Style. It sells for $20.00. To order your copy, send an email to richardklodge@gmail.com.