Collection 2528 - Bud Lilly Papers, 1926-2008 :: Montana State University Library

Collection 2528 - Bud Lilly Papers, 1926-2008

Creator: Lilly, Bud

Provenance Note: Personal and business papers created by Bud Lilly were donated to Montana State University Library by Robert Dotson of Bellevue, Washington, on April 15, 2010.

Historical Note: Walen F. "Bud" Lilly was born on August 13, 1925 in Manhattan, Montana. His mother, Violet Collins Lilly, was a descendant of Mary Wells "Granny" Yates, a pioneer Montana settler who first arrived in the territory in 1863. Bud attended public schools in Manhattan and early developed a lifelong interest in fishing. In 1943 he enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve and attended officer training schools in Butte, Montana and Fort Schuyler, New York. Bud was assigned to the USS General R. M. Blatchford during the latter part of World War II and during his service visited Hiroshima, Japan after its bombing by American forces. After the war Lilly attended Montana State University in Bozeman, earning a bachelor's degree in science and beginning a career as a public school teacher in Roundup, Deer Lodge, and Bozeman, Montana and at Scottsdale, Arizona. He married Patricia Bennett on March 15, 1947 and the couple had three children: Gregory, Michael and Annette. In 1961 he purchased a trout fishing tackle store in West Yellowstone, Montana that had been started by Don Martinez and operated by Charles Borberg. Known simply as "The Trout Shop," Lilly's business became a great success, coordinating information regarding local fishing conditions, providing a space for fishing enthusiasts to gather, and offering a wide variety of custom made flies and related tackle. His entire family worked at the shop at one time or another, and all three of his children provided guiding services. Publications associated with the Trout Shop included various editions of a merchandise catalog and a fishing map, both of which were created by collaboration with David Bascomb, a California advertising executive and fly fishing enthusiast. As Lilly's fame as a guide and store owner grew, he also became an advocate for catch and release fly fishing along with streambed and habitat conservation. Among the people he personally guided on fishing trips were British ambassador Sir Peter Ramsbotham and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Among the organizations Lilly has been active in are Trout Unlimited, the Federation of Fly Fishers, and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. In collaboration with Paull Schullery, Lilly has written three books on fly fishing: Bud Lilly's Guide to Western Fly Fishing (1987), A Trout's Best Friend : the Angling Autobiography of Bud Lilly (1988), and Bud Lilly's Guide to Fly Fishing the New West (2000). Although Lilly sold the Trout Shop in 1982, his business interests continued with the formation of the Western Rivers Club, an organization he founded to keep his former customers in touch, and the Angler's Rest, a guest hotel for fishing visitors in Three Forks, Montana. In addition to his work with the Montana Ambassadors, a state sponsored program to entice visitation and investment in Montana, Lilly has also worked as the river keeper for Baker Springs, a land development company near Manhattan, Montana. After the death of his wife Patricia in 1984, Lilly remarried in 1985 to Esther Simon, then the executive director of the Federation of Fly Fishers, and the couple have two children, Christopher and Alisa.

Content Description Note: The Bud Lilly papers consist of biographical and genealogical materials, correspondence, organization papers, literary productions, business records, photographs and motion picture film all created or collected by Lilly in the course of his life and business career. Among the personal biographical and genealogical materials are documents that represent Lilly's military service and family life, including a letter he describing a visit to Hiroshima, Japan shortly after the detonation of the atomic bomb in World War II. The correspondence series includes letters generated in the conduct of Lilly's business interests as a store owner and fishing guide. Among the authors represented are Roderick Haig-Brown, Tom McGuane, Curt Gowdy, Lee Wulff, and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. The series of organizational papers includes communications and documents from a wide variety of sportsman's and environmental groups. The newspaper clipping series contains in chronological order a selection of articles dealing with Lilly or his family. A series of documents representing literary productions contains materials that directly relate to Lilly's three published monographs and numerous journal articles, again presented chronologically. Business records document the financial, legal, and social activities of Lilly's store, outfitting activities, and consulting work. The photographs have been arranged under broad subject headings assigned by Lilly and sequentially numbered.

RESTRICTIONS: The corporate income tax records and payroll information found in Box 8, files 15-18 are restricted from public access until 2082.

Series 1	Biographical material
Series 2	Correspondence
Series 3	Organizations
Series 4	Newspaper clippings
Series 5	Literary productions
Series 6	Business records
Series 7	Photographs and motion pictures

Series 1: Biographical material

Lilly family correspondence, World War II military service records, genealogical notes and other documents pertaining to Bud Lilly's immediate and extended family. Included are a selection of letters and greeting cards from Lilly's children and grandchildren, documents pertaining to Lilly's teaching career, and licenses, certificates, and other memorabilia. Of particular interest is a letter written by Bud in 1945 while still serving as a U.S. Navy officer describing the destruction at Hiroshima, Japan.

Box 1: 1. Bud Lilly family correspondence; 2. Military service records; 3. Military service records; 4. Military service records; 5. Teaching career documents; 6. Pat Lilly; 7. Greg Lilly; 8. Greg Lilly newsletters; 9. Michael John Lilly; 10. Annette Lilly; 11. Christopher Lilly; 12. Alisa Lilly; 13. Lilly grandchildren; 14. Family history and genealogy; 15. Family history and genealogy; 16. Family history and genealogy; 17. Family history and genealogy; 18. Licenses, certificates, memorabilia; 19. Sons and Daughters of Gallatin County Pioneers

Contents | Special Collections

Series 2: Correspondence

Letters, postcards, and accompanying materials from friends, colleagues, business clients, and some celebrities such as former United States President Jimmy Carter and Indiana University basketball coach Bobby Knight. The letters have been sorted alphabetically, with separate folders for those writers whose letters were especially numerous. Other prominent writers who are represented by one or two letters have been indicated in the appropriate alphabetical folder listing.

Box 2: 1. A; 2. B (including Max Baucus); 3. C; 4. D; 5. Dunbar, Jan and Calvin; 6. Dunbar, Jan and Calvin; 7. Dunbar, Calvin - World War II reminiscences; 8. E - F; 9. G (including Curt Gowdy); 10. H (including Roderick Haig-Brown); 11. J; 12. Jacklin, Bob; 13. K (including Bobby Knight); 14. L; 15. M (including Tom McGuane); 16. Mintz, Bennett J.
Box 3: 1. N; 2. O; 3. P; 4. R; 5. Reed, Nathaniel P.; 6. S; 7. Schullery, Paul; 8. Schullery, Paul - notes on Donald Martinez; 9. T - V; 10. W - Y (including Lee Wulff); 11. No last name; 12. Catch and release survey responses; 13. Greeting cards; 14. Framed letter from Jimmy Carter

Contents | Special Collections

Series 3: Organizations

Letters, brochures, reports, fund raising solicitations and other documents generated by organizations in which Lilly had an interest. Included are historical, heritage, and environmental conservation groups as well as those devoted to angling interests. Especially prominent are records from the museum collection of the International Fly Fishing Center, the Montana Ambassadors, the Montana Trout Foundation, and Montana Trout Unlimited. The records of the Wesetern Rivers Club, founded by Lilly, have been placed with his business records in Series 6.

Box 4: 1. American Museum of Fly Fishing; 2. American Wildlands; 3. Bozeman Public Library; 4. Casting for Recovery; 5. Cress Spring Creek Restoration; 6. Federation of Fly Fishers; 7. Fishing and Floating Outfitters of Montana; 8. Headwaters Fly Fishers; 9. Headwaters Heritage Museum; 10. International Fly Fishing Center, Accessions 1985-86; 11. International Fly Fishing Center, Accessions 1987; 12. International Fly Fishing Center, Accessions 1988; 13. International Fly Fishing Center, Accessions 1989; 14. International Fly Fishing Center, Accessions 1990; 15. International Fly Fishing Center, Accessions 1991; 16. International Fly Fishing Center, Accessions 1992; 17. International Fly Fishing Center, Accessions 1993; 18. International Fly Fishing Center, Accessions 1994; 19. Montana Ambassadors, 1985-87; 20. Montana Ambassadors, 1988; 21. Montana Ambassadors, 1989
Box 5: 1. Montana Ambassadors, 1990; 2. Montana Ambassadors, 1991; 3. Montana Ambassadors, 1993; 4. Montana Ambassadors, 1994; 5. Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks; 6. Montana Land Reliance; 7. Montana Land Reliance; 8. Montana State University; 9. Montana State University Library; 10. Montana Trout Foundation; 11. Montana Trout Foundation; 12. Montana Trout Foundation - Bylaws and Incorporation; 13. Montana Trout Foundation - Grant applications; 14. Montana Trout Foundation - Grant applications; 15. Montana Trout Foundation - Grant applications
Box 6: 1. Montana Trout Unlimited; 2. Montana Trout Unlimited; 3. Montana Trout Unlimited; 4. Montana Trout Unlimited - Russian visitors; 5. Navy V-12 Reunion; 6. Southwestern Montana Flyfishers; 7. Three Dollar Bridge; 8. Warriors and Quiet Waters; 9. Whirling Disease Task Force; 10. Wild Trout Symposiums; 11. Yellowstone Historic Center; 12. Yellowstone Historic Center; 13. Yellowstone Historic Center; 14. Yellowstone Historic Center

Contents | Special Collections

Series 4: Newspaper Clippings

Newspaper clippings and magazine articles pertaining to Bud Lilly, the Lilly family, or topics in which Lilly was interested. Topics include publicity for Lilly's business ventures, the film Three Men, Three Rivers, and trout habitat conservation. The clippings have been arranged chronologically. Clippings and magazine articles written by Lilly have been placed in Series 5.

Box 6 (cont.): 15. 1946-1958; 16. 1961-1967; 17. 1969-1976; 18. 1982-1987; 19. 1991-1993; 20. 1996-1998; 21. 1999-2001; 22. 2002-2004; 23. 2006-2008; 24. no date

Contents | Special Collections

Series 5: Literary productions

Published articles, manuscript drafts, and related materials of books, stories and essays written by Lilly himself, or in partnership with Paul Schullery. The materials have been sorted into three groups consisting of materials dealing with Lilly's books, a physical bibliography of his published articles, and his manuscript drafts, some of which may have been subsequently published. All have been chronologically arranged.

Box 7: Books; 1. Bud Lilly's Guide to Western Fly Fishing (New York: Nick Lyon Books, 1987) - Outline; 2. Bud Lilly's Guide to Western Fly Fishing - Publishing correspondence; 3. Bud Lilly's Guide to Western Fly Fishing - Publicity and reviews; 4. A Trout's Best Friend. (Boulder, Colo: Pruett Publishing, 1988) - Publishing correspondence; 5. A Trout's Best Friend - Publicity and reviews; 6. A Trout's Best Friend -Publicity and reviews; 7. Bud Lilly's Guide to Fly Fishing the New West (Portland, Ore.: Frank Amato Publications, 2000); Articles; 8. "Montana [Fishing Report]" The Angler's Journal 1, 1 (August 1954): 17-18; 9. "We Measure Them Between the Eyes, and Other Western Myths," Fly Fishing Heritage 1, 4 (Winter 1987):19-21.; 10. "Guidance and Guides," Fly Fisherman 19,3 (May 1988):72-75, 93-95.; 11. "Currents to Action," Fishing '88 2, 2 (1988):14-18, 67-68.; 12. "Why Western Fishing Keeps Getting Better," The Flyfisher 21,2 (Summer 1988):26-27.; 13. "The Value of Trout in Montana," Flyfishing News 3, 1 (June/July 1988): 8-9.; 14. "The Last Trout," Flyfishing News 6, 6 (April/May 1992):16.; 15. "Montana Beginnings," The Yellowstone Gateway Post (May 1992):12, 27.; 16. "Five Dollars & A Clean Shirt," The Yellowstone Gateway Post (June 1992): 12.; 17. "A Fly Fishing Family," The Yellowstone Gateway Post (July 1992):12, 27.; 18. "Guiding Celebrities," The Yellowstone Gateway Post (August 1992):12, 27.; 19. "On Experts and Western Hats," The Yellowstone Gateway Post (September 1992):13, 14.; 20. "Madison River Memories," The Yellowstone Gateway Post (May 1994): 1, 28.; 21. "Madison Memories," Trout Line (Summer 1994); 1, 4.; 22. "Open Letter to All Montana Anglers," Trout Line (Spring 1995): 8.; 23. "Salmonflies," Flyfishing and Tying Journal 23, 3 (Fall 2000):46-49.; 24. "Selling Access Sites Would be a Big Step Backwards," Bozeman Daily Chronicle (December 3, 2002): A 4.; 25. "Fight Efforts to Undermine the Endangered Species Act," Bozeman Daily Chronicle (April 9, 2006): A 4.; Manuscripts; 26. "100 Days on the Madison"; 27. "Where the Guides Fish"; 28. "Where, When, and How to Fish Famed Stonefly Hatches on Western Rivers"; 29. Untitled

Contents | Special Collections

Series 6: Business records

Financial records, letters, vendor materials, inventories, and other papers pertaining to Lilly's business ventures. Included are: outfitter's registration books listing the names, fishing license numbers, and dates of clients Lilly guided; financial reports prepared by Lilly's accountants for the operation of his West Yellowstone Trout Shop; corporate income tax reports for the Trout Shop; payroll, inventories, and vendors material for the Trout Shop; documents pertaining to the Angler's Retreat guest house; membership records, ledgers, and newsletters for Lilly's Western Rivers Club; legal documents pertaining to the Lilly vs. Bonnett lawsuit; advertising materials for all businesses including original artwork, brochures, fishing reports, and catalogs. To maintain privacy, files 15-18 are resticted until 2082 and have been indicated with (R).

Box 7 (cont.): 30. Outfitter client itineraries and related letters; 31. Outfitter's report book, June 9-September 22, 1969; 32. Outfitter's report book, July 30, 1974-September 22, 1975; 33. Outfitter's report book, June 23-August 8, 1976; 34. Outfitter's report book, June 2-July 19, 1979; 35. Outfitter's report book, June 18-July 7, 1980; October 5-23, 1980; 36. Outfitter's report book, July 14-August 8, 1980; 37. Outfitter's report book, August 8-September 8, 1980
Box 8: 1. Outfitter's report book, September 8-October 3, 1980; 2. Outfitter's report book, October 7-20, 1980; May 16-July 4, 1981; 3. Outfitter's report book, July 3, 1981-July 30, 1981; 4. Outfitter's report book, August 6-August 25, 1981; 5. Outfitter's report book, August 25-September 21, 1981; 6. Outfitter's report book, September 22-October 17, 1981; 7. Outfitter's report book, July 28, 1988-September 20, 1988; 8. Outfitter's report book, no year, May 30-July 14; 9. Trout Shop financial statement, 1973-1974; 10. Trout Shop financial statement, 1975; 11. Trout Shop financial statement, 1978; 12. Trout Shop financial statement, 1979; 13. Trout Shop financial statement, 1980; 14. Trout Shop financial statement, 1981; 15. Trout Shop corporate income tax, 1979 (R); 16. Trout Shop corporate income tax, 1981 (R); 17. Trout Shop corporate income tax, 1982 (R); 18. Trout Shop payroll, 1979 (R); 19. Trout Shop inventories, no date; 20. Trout Shop inventories, no date; 21. Trout Shop inventories, no date; 22. Trout Shop inventories, no date; 23. Trout Shop inventories, 1969; 24. Purchase orders/vendors material
Box 9: 1. Angler's Retreat; 2. Guest register, 1974-1975; 3. Western Rivers Club; 4. Western Rivers Club; 5. Western Rivers Club; 6. Western Rivers Club, membership; 7. Western Rivers Club, membership; 8. Western Rivers Club ledger, 1987; 9. Western Rivers Club ledger, 1988; 10. Western Rivers Club, newsletters; 11. Baker Springs; 12. Baker Springs; 13. Baker Springs, Tie the Knot program; 14. Lilly vs. Bonnett; 15. Lilly vs. Bonnett; 16. Lilly vs. Bonnett; 17. Lilly vs. Bonnett; 18. Lilly vs. Bonnett; 19. Lilly vs. Bonnett; 20. Fishing reports; 21. Backpacking school; 22. Advertising correspondence, David Bascom; 23. Brochures, printed iteneraries, etc.
Box 10 Advertising artwork, catalogs, oversize materials

Contents | Special Collections

Series 7: Photographs and motion pictures

Color and black and white photographs, 35mm slides, and 8mm motion picture film created or collected by Bud Lilly. These images represent Lilly's personal and family life, along with his professional interests as a fishing guide and store owner. Originally sorted into broad subject headings, the images have been retained in topically labeled folders that reflect the categories originally assigned by Lilly, although any individual image could have more than one appropriate placement. All images have been sequentially numbered, with the inclusive numbers assigned indicated on each folder heading. 35mm slides have been included in this sequential numbering system, but their assignment into topically labeled folders necessarily repeats some of the headings assigned to the prints. The motion picture film has been placed in a separate container, with each reel given its own unique identification number. The film on these reels has been described from brief notes on the origingal paper cartons.

Box 11: 1. Bud Lilly ancestors and parents, #1-12; 2. Bud Lillly childhood, #13-21; 3. Bud Lilly young adult and Naval service, #22-36; 4. Bud Lilly formal portraits, #37-42; 5. Bud Lilly informal solo poses, #43-50; 6. Bud Lilly informal fishing poses, #51-58; 7. Bud Lilly informal fishing poses, #59-71; 8. Bud Lilly with family, #72-74; 9. Patricia B. Lilly, #75-91; 10. Michael Lilly, #92-98; 11. Greg Lilly, #99-114; 12. Annette Lilly, #115-125; 13. Esther, Chris, and Alicia Lilly, #126-129; 14. Bonnie Lilly, #130-135; 15. Trout Shop, #136-154; 16. Trout Shop, #155-165; 17. Trout Shop, #166-182; 18. Trout Shop, #183-199; 19. Angler's Rest, #200-224; 20. Bud Lilly poses with others, #225-253; 21. Bud Lilly poses with others fishing, #254-265; 22. Individual fishing scenes, #266-292; 23. Individual fishing scenes, #293-316; 24. Group fishing scenes, #317-329; 25. Scenery and wildlife, #330-348; 26. Bugs, #349-360; 27. Flies, #361-373; 28. Artwork, #374-387; 29. Brochure, #388-399; 30. Events, #400; 31. Products, #401-421; 32. 1959 Earthquake, #422-437
Box 12: 1. Sculpture, #438; 2. Dan Abrams, #439; 3. Dan Bailey, #440-441; 4. Brokaws, #442-453; 5. Charles Brooks, #454-463; 6. Dan Callaghan, #464; 7. Cal Dunbar, #465-466; 8. Rex Gerlach, #467; 9. Arnold Gingrich, #468-469; 10. Will Godfrey, #470; 11. Curt Gowdy, #471; 12. Jim Green, #472-475; 13. Rene Harrop, #476-477; 14. Bob Jacklin, #478-480; 15. Ed Koch, #481-484; 16. Lefty Kreh, #485-486; 17. Don Martinez, #487-488; 18. Sir Peter Ramsbotham, #489-490; 19. Barry Schaplon, #491-493; 20. Ernest Schwrebert, #494; 21. Ed Schenk, #495-497; 22. Doug Swisher and Carl Richards, #498-501; 23. Dave Whitlock, #502-507; 24. Lee and Jan Wulff, #508-509
Box 13 35mm slides: 1. Bud Lilly ancestors and parents, #510-511; 2. Bud Lilly informal solo poses, #512-514; 3. Bud Lilly informal fishing poses, #515-525; 4. Bud Lilly with family, #536-529; 5. Michael Lilly, #530-535; 6. Greg Lilly, #536-543; 7. Annette Lilly, #544-559; 8. Bonnie Lilly, #560-566; 9. Lilly family informal poses, #567-607; 10. Trout Shop, #608-614; 11. Angler's Rest, #615-620; 12. Bud Lilly poses with others, #621; 13. Individual fishing scenes, #622-670; 14. Group fishing scenes, #671-686; 15. Scenery and wildlife, #687-786; 16. Bugs, #787-791; 17. Flies, #792-801; 18. Artwork, #802-821; 19. Brochure, #822-826; 20. Events, #827-846; 21. Products, #847-850; 22. Sculpture, #851-852; 23. Charles Brooks, #853; 24. Barry Schaplon, #854-856; 25. Dave Whitlock, #857
Box 14 8mm motion picture reels: Reel 1. 1956-1957.; Children, Spring 1957; Yellowstone, 1956; Selling worms, Hebgen Lake, August 1956; Picnic, LeRoy and Jean Sager; Trip to Ennis, Pictures of Clippy; Elk hunt, November 1956.; Reel 2. 1957-1960.; Skating, 1957-58; Swimming in Firehold, 1958; Annette's party, 1958; Folk, Whitehall, Canyon Village, 1959; Arizona, 1959; Kik, 1959-1960; Hebgen Quake, 1960; Slide, 1960, Sam and Connie, fishing, 1960.; Reel 3. 1961-1962, undated; Parade Scottsdale, 1961; Winter, 1962.; Reel 4. undated; Scottsdale, Finsihing, Red Reock, Gallatin; Reel 5. undated, unidentified; Reel 6. undated, unidentified; Reel 7. 1985, unidentified

Contents | Special Collections

Updated: 7/13/11