We published this last week and it mysteriously disappeared from our blog so we apologize if you’ve already read it.

We recently lost a long-time customer and friend of the Missouri, Perry Herst, who passed away last month. The following is a tribute to Perry written by his and our dear friend David Cooper. Rest in Peace Perry.

A good friend who was also a Missouri River fishing pal of ours, Perry Herst, died recently at the age of 88. Perry first joined us in Wolf Creek about a decade ago, bringing along his friends, Jim and Jean Crabtree.

Perry and the Crabtrees had fished and shot birds together in many parts of the world, including Africa, Alaska, Texas, Montana, and South America. Their tales of adventure, sometimes hilarious, could be spell-binding.

The Crabtrees usually joined us in Wolf Creek from their summer home in Idaho. Their winter residence was in the Los Angeles area. Sadly, Jim, a prominent physician, died several years ago. Jean continued to fish with us for several years and we had many happy times together.

Perry was a fine sportsman, either on the water with a flyrod, or in the field with a shotgun and one of his beloved birddogs. He delighted us always with tales of his exotic hunting and fishing adventures, most often with the Crabtrees. There were many happy dinners together at the Frenchman, Izaak’s or the 7R Ranch.

A native of Chicago, Perry had a keen mind and a successful career as a builder and developer of commercial office buildings, associated with the Tishman Realty and Construction Co. He guided the Los Angeles-based firm as it became one of the nation’s largest privately-held portfolios, with more than 40 million square feet of office space in the U.S. and Europe. Perry and his wife, Angela, had a home in Southern California.

Perry was a wonderful companion on our annual trips. At first blush, some might take him for a curmudgeon, but beneath his sometimes gruff exterior, there was a warm heart and kindness as big as the Ritz. He also was a quiet but significant philanthropist.

With Jerrell Beougher as his guide, Perry was also competitive on the river. “Well, my trout was 23 inches, how big was yours?” or, when nymphing, which he most often did, “How can you land those big trout with those tiny, little flies?”

He was fond of history and loved to talk about politics. He had a sense of humor and a great loyalty to friends and family. Our time together in June, 2017, with Wolf Creek Angler was to be his last trip to the Missouri and it was a bit of a struggle for him.

However, with Jerrell’s constant presence and watchful help, he was on the river everyday, thrilled by each trout he landed and released. Thanks, in part, to Jerrell’s skills, Perry always had a great fish story to tell at dinner. Funeral services were held March 2 in the Los Angeles area. We miss our pal.

By David Cooper, who has been fishing the Missouri from Wolf Creek almost every year since 1984