The NSNGFFA, or Not So Near-Great Fly Fishing Association was formed in response to the announcement of an Eastern Conclave of the Federation of Fly Fishers held at the Campbell Inn in Roscoe, NY in June, 1978.
Featured speakers were to be Art Flick, Lefty Kreh, and Doug Swisher. Others who were attending and putting on fly tying demonstrations were Dick Talleur, and Eric Leiser. The announcement suggested that we attend and "rub shoulders with "the greats and near-greats of flyfishing". A few of us, up in Manchester, Vermont got the announcement, and saw some humor in it. In some discussions, Angus Black, Bill Cass, John Harder, and Paul Schullery, decided, tongue-in-cheek, that there needed to be another category to cover those of us non-greats who would be attending. (Paul was Executive Director of the Museum of American Fly Fishing, and most of the rest of us worked for Orvis at that time) The Not So Near-Great Fly Fishing Association was born. The late Tony Skilton was also recruited even though he was a "great", because he had a wonderful sense of humor, and these became the founding members.
There have been a few notable additions over the years, Tom Rosenbauer for example, was added, before he became a "great" by becoming a published author. Eric Leiser, a "great" was nominated because he is a fine gentleman and fishing companion, (we gave him a freshly road-killed squirrel as a membership inducement, because we couldn't find an old woodchuck that day on the drive down to Roscoe, for his Llama Streamers) but anyone can belong. The main requisite for membership is a sufficient degree of incompetence and a mind-set that keeps one from becoming too serious about our efforts and and therefore, potentially a "great."
Like all really worthwhile organizations, the NSNGFFA has no rules, no office, no dues, no membership list, and the only requirement for membership is to recognize you haven't achieved the status of a great or near great flyfisher yet, and aren't all upset about it. The logo of the Abigail Adams, with broken hook, and multiple wind knots in the tippet, badly tied clinch knot, etc. was felt to be representative of the founding membership, and there were plans for an embroidered vest patch and hat pin, but they never materialized.
The organization, while born over twenty years ago, as a response to a specific categorization of fly fishers by someone nameless who composed the copy for the FFF announcement, is timeless. All who wish to subscribe to the belief that those of us of essential mediocrity as fly fishers, who enjoy our pursuit of the wily trout, and do not need the status of "great" or "near-great" to do so, are welcome.
Bill Cass