Honoring the life and legacy of the Redington cofounder, Hardy executive, and industry mentor whose influence shaped brands, products, and people across the fly‑fishing world.
Jim Murphy, a fly-fishing raconteur and entrepreneur, passed away January 21 in Stuart, Florida at age 73. He started businesses, sold businesses, was a consultant and was an employee of some of the top brands in the fly-fishing industry.
In 1992, Murphy and David Redington (who passed 2024 in Stuart at 61) started the company Redington which sold rods to consumers and did some assembly and production for Orvis. Jay Green, who owned Sage fly rods at the time, bought Redington in 2003 and in 2005 bought RIO Products to create what is now known as Far Bank Enterprises. Murphy stayed on with the new company for a short time as a consultant.
Murphy later went on to help found Albright Rods and Douglas Outdoors. For most of his 37-year career in the fly-fishing industry, he worked for Hardy as President of Hardy North America, and later as director of fly fishing at Pure Fishing. In that role he worked with brands Hardy, Greys, Van Stahl, and others…