Mo Bradley. (YouTube Screengrab via Kamloops Trout)

By Victor Kaisar

Mo Bradley Tribute

Kamloops fly-fishing icon Mo Bradley remembered by City Council, community

Mar 2, 2025 | 2:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops City Councillors took a few moments during their last meeting to pay tribute to fly fishing legend Maurice ‘Mo’ Bradley, who died last month at the age of 86.

During his councillor report on Feb. 25, Councillor Mike O’Reilly said Bradley was a leading advocate of sport fishing since he arrived in Kamloops in 1965.

“He spearheaded free fly fishing day, was a regular in my childhood on Shaw Cable Channel 10, and was a regular on weekends at Surplus Herby’s,” O’Reilly said. “I wanted to take a moment to recognize Mo and the impact that he has had on Kamloops and sport fishing in Kamloops and getting people into the sport young.”

“Tight lines, Mo. Tight lines.”

Born in the East Midlands of England, Bradley was inducted into the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. He was also awarded the Centennial Medal, a Distinguished Service Award from the City of Kamloops, the Governor General’s Award from the Province of B.C., a Canadian Master Fly-Tyer Award, and the National Recreational Fisheries Award.

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A Feb. 20 post on the Surplus Herby’s Facebook page said “Kamloops has lost a true icon.”

“Known for his deep knowledge of fly fishing and his passion for sharing it with others, Mo’s influence stretched far beyond the local lakes he cherished,” the post read. “A master angler and generous mentor, he spent decades teaching others the art of fly tying and the secrets of Kamloops trout fishing.”

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson also spoke during Tuesday’s meeting, and said Bradley was a fixture of the Kamloops business community.

“When I was a kid, Mo Bradley owned a very reputable body shop, and he had that for many many years,” Hamer-Jackson said. “He also ran a very good business in Kamloops aside from being a great fly fisherman.”

Added the post from Surplus Herby’s, “Mo Bradley’s warmth, wisdom, and unwavering love for the sport will be deeply missed.”