Don Balke (North Carolina, B. 1933) "Fishing Flies - Lefty's Deceiver" Signed lower right. Original Watercolor painting on Illustration Board.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting was originally featured on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the U.S. 29c Lefty's Deceiver issued May 31, 1991. The tide is in, and in one of the thousands of shallow lagoons in the Bahama out-islands, furtive Bonefish have begun to feed. Their tails are visible above the surface of the shallow water as they nose along picking morsels from the bottom. Suddenly, a flash of bright color attracts the attention of a hefty Bonefish as a small "fish" darts by. Lunging instinctively, the Bonefish finds itself fast to a flyfisher's Deceiver ... and bores away in the typical long run that makes this fish an angler's delight and challenge. Each year, thousands of Bonefish and other saltwater species fall prey to Lefty's Deceiver -- one of the most popular saltwater lures of all time. Developed by "Lefty" Kreh, legendary outdoors editor of the Baltimore Sun and saltwater angling expert, the Deceiver is deceptively simple in design. Comprised of white cock's hackle feathers, white and red hair from a calf's or buck's tail, and several strands of reflective mylar tinsel, it has the general shape of a baitfish. When pulled through the water, it "swims" enticingly with a fish-like motion. Its streamlined shape is also easy for flyfishers to cast. "Lefty" Kreh and a few others are largely responsible for the explosion of interest in saltwater flyfishing. Undoubtedly, his Deceiver and other innovations in design have helped, by giving flyfishers superbly effective flies with which to pursue the powerful and exciting saltwater species.

Image Size: 18.5 x 17 in.
Overall Size: 21 x 19 in.
Unframed. (B13015)

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