Archives West Finding Aid

Bud Lilly's biographical materials document his personal relationships with immediate and extended family, his military service during World War II, his teaching career, and Lilly family history. Family correspondence features letters from Lilly to his parents, including a letter written by Bud in 1945 while serving as a U.S. Navy officer that describes the destruction at Nagasaki, Japan. Other correspondence includes letters and greeting cards to Bud from his children and grandchildren. Lilly's military records include his personnel file and correspondence from the U.S. Navy regarding his service. Several files of genealogical research feature copies of photos and news articles, family trees, and family histories about the Lillys and their ancestors. A small set of correspondence relates to Lilly's teaching appointment in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Bud Lilly's correspondence dates from the 1960s to 2000s and consist of letters related to publications, the Trout Shop, Lilly's tackle catalogs, and fishing tours. The majority of the correspondence is incoming from friends, colleagues, business clients, as well as several from celebrities who Lilly guided on fishing trips.

Records on organizations contain collected correspondence, newsletters, pamphlets from organizations supported by Bud Lilly. Lilly was an active member of many organizations represented, and others he was an award honoree or invited speaker. Records from organizations date from 1969 to the early 2000s and predominantly relate to fly fishing, stream restoration, and trout conservation, which were causes to which Lilly dedicated most of his time. Other organizations address topics related to Montana tourism, local history, and wildland protection.

Bud Lilly's collected newspaper clippings and magazine articles consist of published stories about Bud, the Lilly family, or topics in which Lilly was interested. They include publicity for Lilly's business ventures, the film Three Men, Three Rivers, and trout habitat conservation.

Bud Lilly's literary productions include published articles, manuscript drafts, stories and essays written by Lilly, and works written in partnership with Paul Schullery. Writings relate predominantly to fly fishing in western Montana and Yellowstone. They touch on additional topics such as Lilly's life, conservation, and fishing culture. Documents related to Lilly's books include publication correspondence, publicity materials, reviews, and four incomplete manuscripts. Collected articles feature published copies of his essays from a variety of periodicals.

Bud Lilly's business records relate primarily to his work as an outfitter, fishing guide, and his ownership of the Trout Shop in West Yellowstone, MT. Lilly's outfitter records consist of Montana Fish and Game outfitter report books from 1969-1988 that document names of clients and dates of tours. Outfitting records also include correspondence and client itineraries from the early 1990s. The bulk of Lilly's business records are associated with his business, the Trout Shop, and consist of annual financial statements 1973-1981, income tax and payroll records from the late 1970s and early 1980s, and handwritten sales inventories. They also include legal briefs and correspondence from the lawsuit Lilly vs Bonnett, a dispute over debts related to the sale of the Trout Shop in 1982.

Lilly's photographs and motion pictures document Lilly's personal life and his professional interests as a fishing guide and store owner. They include color and black and white photographs, 35mm slides, 8mm motion picture film, VHS tapes, and audiocassettes created or collected by Bud Lilly. The bulk of the images feature Lilly and his friends and family. There are also several photos of the Trout Shop, including customers displaying their catches. Additional photos feature insects, flies, wildlife, and fishing scenes. Video and audio recordings feature some personal and family events, including a roast of Lilly, while others feature Lilly speaking about fish and water ecology.