The fly-fishing world lost yet another icon this week, when legendary angler and conservationist Flip Pallot died after complications from a surgery on Tuesday. Pallot, the engaging host of "Walker's Cay Chronicles", which had a 14-year, Saturday-morning television run from 1992 to 2006, and introduced millions to saltwater fishing, was 82 at the time of his passing.

In a letter shared by the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, Pallot’s family noted that the iconic angler with the welcoming personality and bold, unapologetic positions on the efforts to restore his beloved Florida — most notably the Everglades and the estuaries of the state’s southern reaches — died unexpectedly in Thomasville, Ga., and was an “unmooring for us all.”

The Pallot family’s note continued, “Flip was a searing light that streaked across the sporting world for more than half a century, illuminating the possibilities of wild places and the pursuit of adventure, and leaving a comet’s tail of stories and insights and life lessons that will never dim. He was an inspiration to 18-year-olds and 80-year-olds. His passing leaves a gaping hole in our hearts, but one we will fill by living forward in the many ways we have been changed through his presence.”

Pallot was a longtime TV host, and worked in the medium before his beloved "Walker's Cay Chronicles" launched in the early 1990s. He made frequent appearances on “The American Sportsman” and “Outdoor Life,” and he helped create and launch “The Saltwater Angler.” A graduate of the University of Miami, Pallot served as a linguist in the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in Panama from 1962 to 1967 — this is where he truly discovered the joys of chasing fish in far-flung places. But, no matter where he traveled to fish, from the salty flats of the Caribbean to the smallmouth rivers of the Great Lakes region, where he fished just a few weeks ago, Pallot’s heart was always in south Florida and tuned into the unique machinations of the Everglades.

In 1998, he helped found Hell’s Bay Boatworks, and, over the years, he consulted and worked as a brand ambassador for many fly fishing companies, including Sage, Costa, G. Loomis, Simms, Temple Fork, and Tibor. He was a fixture on the fly fishing show and expo circuit, where he often presented with the likes of Chico Fernandez and, before his passing, Lefty Kreh. In addition to his influential work on television, Pallot was also a writer and author — published the book Mangroves, Memories, and Magic in 1997.

Pallot’s death follows closely on the heels of another fly-fishing legend’s passing. AK Best, gifted author, fly-tier, and perhaps best known for his frequent appearances in John Gierach’s writing, also died this week at the age of 92.

Both Best and Pallot were pioneers in a post “A River Runs Through It” generation of fly anglers who helped steer the craft through a significant period of both growth and notoriety. Others in this crowd included venerable angler, fly-tier, and author Dave Whitlock, who passed in December of 2022; Jose Wejebe of “The Spanish Fly” fame, who died in a plane crash 2012; legendary caster, angler, and photographer Kreh, who died in 2018; and Gierach, who died of a heart attack earlier this year.

“Flip Pallot’s impact on the sport of fishing is truly immeasurable,” said Jason Schratwieser, president of the International Game Fish Association, in a statement. “Through his guiding, writing, television work, and innovations in boat and tackle design, he inspired countless anglers while elevating the culture of our sport. Beyond his influence in media and industry, Flip was a steadfast voice for conservation, ensuring that the waters he loved would be protected for generations to come. The IGFA proudly honors him as one of the greatest stewards of sportfishing we have ever known.”

Phillip “Flip” Pallot leaves behind his wife, Diane; daughter, Brooke; brother, Scott; and granddaughter Sora. As he was fond of saying at the tail end of every “Walker's Cay Chronicles" episode, “More to come. Bye for now.”