Gierach and his trusty bamboo rod on Colorado's Frying Pan River in the spring of 2024. (Mike Dvorak photo)
October 04, 2024
By Josh Bergan
Beloved fly-fishing author and original "trout bum" John Gierach died Thursday morning, October 3, of a massive heart attack.
“Some people seem timeless... until they're not,” said long-time friend and fishing artist Bob White. “I imagine John is sitting in a wonderful coffee shop, perched over a river, surrounded by all the friendly dogs in the neighborhood. That'd be heaven for him.”
Gierach was one of the most beloved fly-fishing authors of all time, authoring such books as Trout Bum; All Fishermen are Liars; Death, Taxes, and Leaky Waders; Sex, Death, and Fly Fishing; No Shortage of Good Days; Even Brook Trout Get the Blues; The View from Rat Lake; Still Life with Brook Trout; and Fool’s Paradise . His down-to-earth prose, easy-reading style, and serious-fishing-but-light-hearted approach endeared him to generations of anglers, and made him feel like everyone’s fishing buddy.
He was born in Illinois and raised in a Twin Cities (Minnesota) suburb. As an adult, he established himself in Lyons, Colorado where he frequented St. Vrain Creek and the Big Thompson River. According to his Wikipedia entry : “Gierach began writing professionally because he needed money. Starting out, he wrote contributory notes and features for Fly Fisherman to pay his monthly rent.”
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Gierach was the prototype of today's ubiquitous "trout bum" made famous in his book of the same name: a bit dirty, sometimes cranky, and staunchly protective of his spots. He was true to the character he portrayed in his books, warts and all.
"I knew John Gierach way before he ever knew me," said friend Mike Dvorak. "I met him on a free-book table during a tour of the Middle East, I was there in support of Desert Storm. The book was titled Trout Bum , and since I was looking for something that would remind me of my home in Montana, I picked it up and devoured it. That book sits on my bookshelf to this day. Many years later I would meet John for real at Bob White's 'Musky Madness' in northern Wisconsin.
"Long story short we hit it off, and I took a photo of him holding a coffee cup on the bank of the river which he then used as his author photo in his book, A Fly Rod of Your Own . Since then I have traveled with, fished with and photographed John in many different locations... Sadly John passed away yesterday morning, October 3rd, 2024... I won't go into details, but no he wasn't wearing waders... One of the most endearing things to me about John was his ability to find humor in seemingly serious situations. He'd deliver a zinger matter of factly and then he'd watch your face waiting for you to get it, and laugh with you when you did. He was witty, humble, a true friend, a great fly fisherman and a fantastic writer. I am gutted and sad that I will never sit on the bank of a river with him again. We all are."
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By all accounts, Gierach was true to the character he portrayed in his books. (Mike Dvorak photo) Gierach was a frequent contributor to Fly Fisherman and many other magazines, writing such gems as “You Can’t Eat the Scenery" in the August-September 2017 issue, "Blue-winged Olives" from the December 1989 issue, and many others that are not available online currently.
He was inducted into the Catskills Fly Fishing Hall of Fame (CFFHF) in 2015. According to his entry on the CFFHF’s website , “John Gierach is the most popular fly fishing author of his era. A gifted writer and keen observer, his essays are beloved for their wry humor, irreverent wisdom and unapologetic devotion to fly fishing as a way of life.”
One of his titles, All the Time in the World, has sadly proven false. Rest in peace, John. We’re better off for having your words.
Josh Bergan is digital editor.
