What do you think?
Rate this book
Trout Bum
Brilliant, witty, perceptive essays about fly-fishing, the natural world, and life in general by the acknowledged master of fishing writers.
While most of us fly-fish to escape from daily life, for John Gierach and his friends fly-fishing IS a way of life. They are trout bums. But John Gierach is also an exceptional writer. The essays in Trout Bum are reflective, bitingly humorous and enormously wise in the ways of fishing and men. In vivid, unforgettable detail they recount the emotional, spiritual and tangible adventures and pleasures of stalking trout in and around the Rockies—day in, day out, from season to season, with friends and alone. John Gierach’s essays join the literary tradition of angling classics like The River Why, and A River Runs Through It.
While most of us fly-fish to escape from daily life, for John Gierach and his friends fly-fishing IS a way of life. They are trout bums. But John Gierach is also an exceptional writer. The essays in Trout Bum are reflective, bitingly humorous and enormously wise in the ways of fishing and men. In vivid, unforgettable detail they recount the emotional, spiritual and tangible adventures and pleasures of stalking trout in and around the Rockies—day in, day out, from season to season, with friends and alone. John Gierach’s essays join the literary tradition of angling classics like The River Why, and A River Runs Through It.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
240 people are currently reading
1424 people want to read
About the author
John Gierach
40 books234 followersJohn Gierach was an American author and freelance writer who lived in Larimer County, Colorado.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
August 16, 2024
They just don’t make John Gierachs anymore
March 24, 2025
This was a good book to read while reading others. It was light but enjoyable to read because of the short chapters. I have so much to learn about Fly Fishing but that is what excites me… John Gierach is gifted in his ability to write about his experiences and stories.
“I look for two things, mostly: trout and solitude, in that order.”
“I look for two things, mostly: trout and solitude, in that order.”
August 25, 2020
Classic. The story of the cursed fly rod was a page turner in particular. Great book for anyone interested in fly fishing.
December 18, 2013
John’s style of writing is like no other. He engages the reader with quotes like “ You know that feeling you get when you get to a spot and you can see the big cut throats gliding back and forth in the water.” This makes the reader think and compare experiences. All of John’s books do this but you never get tired of it because he does it in a different way every time. This is good especially for a 13 year old outdoorsman with ADHD. His books are the only ones that I can read and enjoy.
August 14, 2012
Gierach lives the life I would have if I hadn't listened to people who thought they knew better. Wonderful essays on trout fishing and related subjects.
May 25, 2023
When you read this book, all you want is to be out fishing. When you’re fishing, all you want is to be back home reading this book. Another classic by John Gierach.
November 26, 2024
This was his second fly-fishing book; his first being Fly Fishing the High Country. I read about a week ago that the author passed away from a heart attack on October 4th. I had read all of his books - well over a dozen - except the first two. Since I had the bum book, I decided to start with that. It is an exceptional book. This book explains being a fly fisherman better than any of his other books, which were also very good. This was just better. He goes into casting techniques, fly tying, traveling, night fishing, what to take when camping, and the many characters that will end up in his future books. He taught me much about fly fishing when I began in 1993.
I will miss him and his writing. But I have his books and will read them again and again. RIP Mr. Geirach and may your fly line always be tight.
I will miss him and his writing. But I have his books and will read them again and again. RIP Mr. Geirach and may your fly line always be tight.
August 1, 2018
Ce recueil porte parfaitement bien son nom : ça parle beaucoup (beaucoup) de pêche à la mouche et si ça ne vous dit vraiment rien, alors passez votre chemin ! Je n'y connais rien mais les romans Gallmeister ont nourri chez moi une certaine fascination pour cette activité qui, en effet, paraît très zen.
Dans ce recueil donc, l'auteur nous parle de sa passion pour la pêche, pour les cannes et le montage de mouches. Il nous parle de ses sorties, de ses aventures, de ses compagnons de pêche. C'est écrit avec passion, et avec beaucoup d'humour ! Même si parfois c'est très technique, je trouve cette lecture particulièrement apaisante. Il y a de très jolis passages, et globalement ces nouvelles donnent envie de grand air, de forêt et de bivouac. Parfait pour la saison en l'occurrence !
Dans ce recueil donc, l'auteur nous parle de sa passion pour la pêche, pour les cannes et le montage de mouches. Il nous parle de ses sorties, de ses aventures, de ses compagnons de pêche. C'est écrit avec passion, et avec beaucoup d'humour ! Même si parfois c'est très technique, je trouve cette lecture particulièrement apaisante. Il y a de très jolis passages, et globalement ces nouvelles donnent envie de grand air, de forêt et de bivouac. Parfait pour la saison en l'occurrence !
August 26, 2025
I'm not sure if I'm outgrowing John Gierach, or becoming more jaded, but for the first time reading some of his writing I found myself rolling my eyes to Trout Bum. Perhaps it is because its some of his early work, and his later writing changes to fit my beliefs more, not to say you have to fit my beliefs, only this felt more like fishing writing and fishing stories and less like John Gierach. RIP.
December 13, 2025
Good book, especially if you're a fly fisherman. I am not a fly fisherman, so didn't interest me as much as I'd hoped. I did like the way John Gierach wrote. Easy to read and flowed nicely. Flyfishing is written about and discussed without any sense of elitism, which I didn't really expect. Just a book of short essays about one's experiences as a fly fisherman.
June 5, 2024
“Trout are among those creatures of the wild that we call 'game,' partly because they present a challenge and partly because their lives, unlike ours, are well defined. They exist to find food, stay alive, and reproduce. I think it’s that simplicity, which is the hallmark of all game, that draws people to fishing."
“Anyone who says he doesn’t like to fish but likes to be out in nature is already a fisherman. He just doesn’t know it yet."
“The solution to any problem — work, love, money, whatever — is to go fishing, and the worse the problem, the longer the trip should be."
“You don't go trout fishing only to catch trout; you do it to sometimes become part of that environment."
October 15, 2025
I think this is Gierach’s best known book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I have his other books. Every evening I lay down to read a few pages and it feels like going on a fishing trip with an old friend. Something that no man can do too much of.
January 28, 2025
There’s not a passage out of place. Wades ever closer to that commonly rare familiarity the angler finds with friends, fish, and most importantly flies.
November 21, 2025
A really fun read. Technical in parts, but light and funny throughout. Inspires to adventure more
December 7, 2011
Als Anthologie von Erzählungen und Artikeln die Gierach bis in die Mitte der 1980 in Flyfishing Magazin veröffentlichte ist ‘Trout Bum’ eine Verneigung vor dem gegenkulturellem Bewußtsein der 1960er Jahre – ‘turn on tune in drop out’.
Gierach, liebt, isst, trinkt und atmet Fliegenfischen. Diese Haltung bestimmt seinen Zugang zum Schreiben und bereits früh entschloß er sich, sein Leben fischend und schreibend verbringen zu wollen.
Hierin liegt auch der grosse Unterschied zwischen Gierach und anderen schreibenden Fliegenfischern, wie Gary LaFontaine ganz neidlos im Vorwort zu ‘Trout Bum’ bekennt. Gierach und ihn auf seinen Abenteuern in den Rocky Mountains begleitende Kollegen (A.K. Best – Production Fly Tying, Fly Fishing with AK, Dyeing and Bleaching: Natural Fly-Tying Materials/ Ed Engle – Fishing Small Flies, Splitting Cane: Conversation with Bamboo Rodmakers), fliegenfischen und fliegenbinden non-stop.
Während die meisten unter uns, Fliegenfischen zum Ausgleich von Schweren und Nöten des Alltags praktizieren, konnte Gierach sein Steckenpferd erfolgreich zum Alltag machen. Gierachs Besonderheit als Schreiber, mit wenigen, dafür tiefsinnigen und scharfzüngigen Worten die Essenz der Jagd auf Forellen in vermittelbare Grundsätze zu verpacken, zeigen sich für die ungebrochene Beliebheit seiner Literatur unter Fliegenfischern jedes Stands verantwortlich.
Erkenntnisse über Fisch und Natur, die Gierach mit verschmitztem Humor mit seinen Lesern teilt, entstammen dabei aber nicht selten einer selbstbewußten Blue-collar Moral und deren berechtigter Chuzpe gegenüber unwürdigen Autoritäten.
Gierachs Schreiben glänzt durch lebendige und dabei doch nachdenkliche Prosa, die nach Wahrheiten im Trieb und Handeln unseres Sports sucht. Detailreich schildert Gierach emotionale und spirituelle Freuden, ob allein oder mit Kollegen, auf der Suche nach Forellen in den gebirgigen Bächen und Flüssen Colorados. In einfachen Worten vermittelt Gierach Weisheiten die beständig sind und sich für die ungebrochene Popularität von ‘Trout Bum’ als Aussteigerbibel verantwortliche zeigen.
Ein moderner Klassiker!
Gierach, liebt, isst, trinkt und atmet Fliegenfischen. Diese Haltung bestimmt seinen Zugang zum Schreiben und bereits früh entschloß er sich, sein Leben fischend und schreibend verbringen zu wollen.
Hierin liegt auch der grosse Unterschied zwischen Gierach und anderen schreibenden Fliegenfischern, wie Gary LaFontaine ganz neidlos im Vorwort zu ‘Trout Bum’ bekennt. Gierach und ihn auf seinen Abenteuern in den Rocky Mountains begleitende Kollegen (A.K. Best – Production Fly Tying, Fly Fishing with AK, Dyeing and Bleaching: Natural Fly-Tying Materials/ Ed Engle – Fishing Small Flies, Splitting Cane: Conversation with Bamboo Rodmakers), fliegenfischen und fliegenbinden non-stop.
Während die meisten unter uns, Fliegenfischen zum Ausgleich von Schweren und Nöten des Alltags praktizieren, konnte Gierach sein Steckenpferd erfolgreich zum Alltag machen. Gierachs Besonderheit als Schreiber, mit wenigen, dafür tiefsinnigen und scharfzüngigen Worten die Essenz der Jagd auf Forellen in vermittelbare Grundsätze zu verpacken, zeigen sich für die ungebrochene Beliebheit seiner Literatur unter Fliegenfischern jedes Stands verantwortlich.
Erkenntnisse über Fisch und Natur, die Gierach mit verschmitztem Humor mit seinen Lesern teilt, entstammen dabei aber nicht selten einer selbstbewußten Blue-collar Moral und deren berechtigter Chuzpe gegenüber unwürdigen Autoritäten.
Gierachs Schreiben glänzt durch lebendige und dabei doch nachdenkliche Prosa, die nach Wahrheiten im Trieb und Handeln unseres Sports sucht. Detailreich schildert Gierach emotionale und spirituelle Freuden, ob allein oder mit Kollegen, auf der Suche nach Forellen in den gebirgigen Bächen und Flüssen Colorados. In einfachen Worten vermittelt Gierach Weisheiten die beständig sind und sich für die ungebrochene Popularität von ‘Trout Bum’ als Aussteigerbibel verantwortliche zeigen.
Ein moderner Klassiker!
November 11, 2019
J'ai ouvert ce livre parce que mon challenge de lecture stipule "un roman avec un titre à rallonge de plus de sept mots" ; et parce qu'il est édité par Gallmeister / collection Totem, ma maison d'édition préferée à cet instant.
Je ne pêche pas à la mouche, je ne pêche pas du tout d'ailleurs.
Mais quel bonheur que ce livre.
Pas un roman, pas vraiment une fiction, pas vraiment un recueil de nouvelles... un ensemble d'anecdotes, racontées avec beaucoup de passion et d'humour ; on ne peut que se laisser prendre à l'enthousiasme de l'auteur pour les truites, les perches, les ombres... et l'art de la mouche sèche, des torrents d'eau vive, des montagnes isolées, du café à l'eau de rivière, du son de la pluie sur les feuillages.
C'est drôle, c'est frais, c'est plein d'auto-dérision, c'est une véritable ode à la nature, à l'eau qui coule, à la faune qui vit autour des ruisseaux et des lacs, ainsi qu'aux hommes qui y reviennent.
C'est aussi une déclaration d'amour au Colorado, au Wyoming, au Montana et au Canada, à ces étendues sauvages où, je cite "des hardes de caribous peuvent effectuer des migrations relativement longues sans avoir conscience de la présence d'humains sur la planète".
On sent le vent dans les feuilles, l'eau contre ses chevilles, l'odeur des pins et de la terre mouillée, le café brûlant et les doigts gelés.
Une belle lecture.
Je ne pêche pas à la mouche, je ne pêche pas du tout d'ailleurs.
Mais quel bonheur que ce livre.
Pas un roman, pas vraiment une fiction, pas vraiment un recueil de nouvelles... un ensemble d'anecdotes, racontées avec beaucoup de passion et d'humour ; on ne peut que se laisser prendre à l'enthousiasme de l'auteur pour les truites, les perches, les ombres... et l'art de la mouche sèche, des torrents d'eau vive, des montagnes isolées, du café à l'eau de rivière, du son de la pluie sur les feuillages.
C'est drôle, c'est frais, c'est plein d'auto-dérision, c'est une véritable ode à la nature, à l'eau qui coule, à la faune qui vit autour des ruisseaux et des lacs, ainsi qu'aux hommes qui y reviennent.
C'est aussi une déclaration d'amour au Colorado, au Wyoming, au Montana et au Canada, à ces étendues sauvages où, je cite "des hardes de caribous peuvent effectuer des migrations relativement longues sans avoir conscience de la présence d'humains sur la planète".
On sent le vent dans les feuilles, l'eau contre ses chevilles, l'odeur des pins et de la terre mouillée, le café brûlant et les doigts gelés.
Une belle lecture.
August 6, 2025
Educational, entertaining, a nice rambling narrative. And a reminder I’m still a terrible flyfisher!
June 18, 2023
I love buying and reading these types of books.
Boats, yachts, historical events and books about the sea are generally excellent. If there are sequels in your series, I would love to read them.
The beauties of owning the books of important authors cannot be discussed. I'm looking forward to your new books.
For friends who want to read this book, I leave the importance of reading a book here. I wish good luck to the sellers and customers...
Top 10 benefits of reading for all ages:
1. Reading Exercises the Brain
As we read, we need to remember the different characters and settings of a particular story. Even if you enjoy reading a book in one sitting, you need to remember the details during the time you devote to reading the book. Therefore, reading is an exercise for your brain that improves memory function.
2. Reading Is a (free) Form of Entertainment
Did you know that most of the popular TV series and movies are based on books? So why not indulge in the original form of entertainment by immersing yourself in reading? Most importantly, it's free with your Markham Public Library card.
3. Reading Improves Concentration and Focus
We all agree that there can be no reading without focus, and we need to concentrate on every page we read to fully understand the story. In a world where gadgets only speed up and shorten our attention span, we must constantly practice concentration and focus. Reading is one of the few activities that requires your undivided attention, so it improves your ability to concentrate.
4. Reading Improves Literacy
Have you ever read a book where you come across a word you don't know? Books have the power to improve your vocabulary by introducing you to new words. The more you read, the more your vocabulary will improve as well as your ability to communicate effectively. Also, reading improves writing skills by helping the reader understand and learn different writing styles.
5. Reading Improves Sleep
By creating a bedtime routine that includes reading, you can signal to your body that it's time to sleep. Now more than ever, we rely on increased screen time to get through the day. That's why you put your phone away and pick up a book and tell your brain it's time to calm down. Also, since reading helps you relieve stress, reading right before bed helps calm your mind and anxiety and improve your sleep quality.
6. Reading Increases General Knowledge
Books are always full of fun and interesting facts. Whether we read fiction or non-fiction, books have the ability to provide us with information we might not otherwise know. Reading various topics can make you a more knowledgeable person and therefore improve your speaking skills.
7. Reading Is Motivating
By reading books about heroes overcoming adversity, we are often encouraged to do the same. Whether it's a romance novel or a self-help book, the right book can motivate you to never give up and stay positive.
https://numberoneboats.com/
https://theboatyacht.com/
https://theboatyacht.com/boats-for-sa...
https://numberoneboats.com/boats-for-...
https://theboatyacht.com/boats-for-sa...
https://numberoneboats.com/boats-for-...
Boats, yachts, historical events and books about the sea are generally excellent. If there are sequels in your series, I would love to read them.
The beauties of owning the books of important authors cannot be discussed. I'm looking forward to your new books.
For friends who want to read this book, I leave the importance of reading a book here. I wish good luck to the sellers and customers...
Top 10 benefits of reading for all ages:
1. Reading Exercises the Brain
As we read, we need to remember the different characters and settings of a particular story. Even if you enjoy reading a book in one sitting, you need to remember the details during the time you devote to reading the book. Therefore, reading is an exercise for your brain that improves memory function.
2. Reading Is a (free) Form of Entertainment
Did you know that most of the popular TV series and movies are based on books? So why not indulge in the original form of entertainment by immersing yourself in reading? Most importantly, it's free with your Markham Public Library card.
3. Reading Improves Concentration and Focus
We all agree that there can be no reading without focus, and we need to concentrate on every page we read to fully understand the story. In a world where gadgets only speed up and shorten our attention span, we must constantly practice concentration and focus. Reading is one of the few activities that requires your undivided attention, so it improves your ability to concentrate.
4. Reading Improves Literacy
Have you ever read a book where you come across a word you don't know? Books have the power to improve your vocabulary by introducing you to new words. The more you read, the more your vocabulary will improve as well as your ability to communicate effectively. Also, reading improves writing skills by helping the reader understand and learn different writing styles.
5. Reading Improves Sleep
By creating a bedtime routine that includes reading, you can signal to your body that it's time to sleep. Now more than ever, we rely on increased screen time to get through the day. That's why you put your phone away and pick up a book and tell your brain it's time to calm down. Also, since reading helps you relieve stress, reading right before bed helps calm your mind and anxiety and improve your sleep quality.
6. Reading Increases General Knowledge
Books are always full of fun and interesting facts. Whether we read fiction or non-fiction, books have the ability to provide us with information we might not otherwise know. Reading various topics can make you a more knowledgeable person and therefore improve your speaking skills.
7. Reading Is Motivating
By reading books about heroes overcoming adversity, we are often encouraged to do the same. Whether it's a romance novel or a self-help book, the right book can motivate you to never give up and stay positive.
https://numberoneboats.com/
https://theboatyacht.com/
https://theboatyacht.com/boats-for-sa...
https://numberoneboats.com/boats-for-...
https://theboatyacht.com/boats-for-sa...
https://numberoneboats.com/boats-for-...
December 10, 2019
The best parts were the descriptions of the hand-made flies. An excerpt:
With your hand on the midge box, several things strike you at once: it might be the midge pupae; it might in fact be the Blue-winged Olive nymph, and if it is the midge, it could be one of an inordinate number of patterns.
Changing patterns and sizes is a ritual of midge fishing here. The trout are what we like to call "educated"; that is, they are well trained by heavy fly fishing pressures and years of catch-and-release regulations to be careful what they eat. They are sometimes moved by the finest of distinctions, like a slightly lighter or darker shade of tan, a turn less of tackle, a pinch more of dubbing, a gold rib instead of silver. Actual pattern seems no more important than style and execution. I was once told the quill body of a certain midge pupa should be a "slightly muddy, brownish, medium-dark olive." Thanks, I'll work on it.
Looking into the midge box, you see a friend's pattern that has worked before. The body is a cream moose-mane hair, dyed olive, wrapped as a quill, with a head of lightly dubbed hares mask with a pinch of olive and a pinch of rust blended in. The friend was once asked a stupid question about that fly. "Is that dyed moose mane?"
"No," the friend answered solemnly, "that's natural olive moose. Damned rare."
With your hand on the midge box, several things strike you at once: it might be the midge pupae; it might in fact be the Blue-winged Olive nymph, and if it is the midge, it could be one of an inordinate number of patterns.
Changing patterns and sizes is a ritual of midge fishing here. The trout are what we like to call "educated"; that is, they are well trained by heavy fly fishing pressures and years of catch-and-release regulations to be careful what they eat. They are sometimes moved by the finest of distinctions, like a slightly lighter or darker shade of tan, a turn less of tackle, a pinch more of dubbing, a gold rib instead of silver. Actual pattern seems no more important than style and execution. I was once told the quill body of a certain midge pupa should be a "slightly muddy, brownish, medium-dark olive." Thanks, I'll work on it.
Looking into the midge box, you see a friend's pattern that has worked before. The body is a cream moose-mane hair, dyed olive, wrapped as a quill, with a head of lightly dubbed hares mask with a pinch of olive and a pinch of rust blended in. The friend was once asked a stupid question about that fly. "Is that dyed moose mane?"
"No," the friend answered solemnly, "that's natural olive moose. Damned rare."
September 5, 2023
This book is one of my husband's all-time favorites and was a request from him that I read it. I enjoyed the tidbits on nature and the philosophy of fly fishing. I also enjoyed Gierach's writing style and humor throughout and appreciated reading a book that is so important to my husband.
Ultimately, though, my experience of this book is tinted by the fact that I simply don't fly fish and am not interested in the details of sport. Some of the essays were universal and enjoyable, but quite a number of them had lengthy descriptions of the flies, rods, and techniques that simply weren't any interest to me (the essay on filling his fly box was especially easy for me to skim over).
Some could say it's silly of me to read a book about fly fishing when I don't fly fish. That would be fair. But maybe somebody out there is in a similar position, considering reading this book. To them, I would recommend picking out a few of his more poignant essays and maybe skipping the others (I particularly enjoyed Fishing Commandos, Camp Coffee, and The Fly Rod.)
Ultimately, though, my experience of this book is tinted by the fact that I simply don't fly fish and am not interested in the details of sport. Some of the essays were universal and enjoyable, but quite a number of them had lengthy descriptions of the flies, rods, and techniques that simply weren't any interest to me (the essay on filling his fly box was especially easy for me to skim over).
Some could say it's silly of me to read a book about fly fishing when I don't fly fish. That would be fair. But maybe somebody out there is in a similar position, considering reading this book. To them, I would recommend picking out a few of his more poignant essays and maybe skipping the others (I particularly enjoyed Fishing Commandos, Camp Coffee, and The Fly Rod.)
January 30, 2017
"You know that six miles in this country can be a momentous bushwhack. You know also that a little flat shelf on a map does not necessarily mean a stretch of deep, slow meadow stream with under-cut banks that hide big trout, but you know it could mean that. The farther off the beaten path it is, the better. Only a maniac would hike miles of steep, brushy country to fish that one good hundred-yard run. That's the point." This passage in one of Gierach's chapters sums up the charm of his writing. You may not be a trout fisherman, but he can make you want to be one or at the least bring you to appreciate the sport of fishing in its many aspects. Entertaining and engaging, this is a read for those that hear the call of the wild and look for ways to connect with this passion when housebound like I'm currently suffering from. It would also work as a good read while curled up inside a tent on a wet day.
March 6, 2022
De la pêche à la mouche, y en a; du zen, pas tant que ça.
Je m'attendais à une approche un peu philosophique de la pêche, avec métaphores et douceur de vivre. Mais non, il s'agit ici d'un recueil d'articles façon journal, sur la pêche à la mouche, aux Etats-Unis, par un grand amateur, disons-le: un fana absolu, et le titre du livre fait référence au titre d'un des articles, tout simplement. C'est donc un peu l'arnaque ce titre.
Tout ceci étant dit, une fois qu'on fait abstraction des considérations sans fin sur les subtiles différences entre tel ou tel appât et sur les meilleures soies et cannes à pêche dont s'équiper pour choper une truite fario en lac de montagne (toutes choses dont je me fous assez royalement), cela reste agréable à lire, l'auteur ne manquant pas d'humour et de recul par rapport à sa passion et aux péripéties que celle-ci peut déclencher.
Je m'attendais à une approche un peu philosophique de la pêche, avec métaphores et douceur de vivre. Mais non, il s'agit ici d'un recueil d'articles façon journal, sur la pêche à la mouche, aux Etats-Unis, par un grand amateur, disons-le: un fana absolu, et le titre du livre fait référence au titre d'un des articles, tout simplement. C'est donc un peu l'arnaque ce titre.
Tout ceci étant dit, une fois qu'on fait abstraction des considérations sans fin sur les subtiles différences entre tel ou tel appât et sur les meilleures soies et cannes à pêche dont s'équiper pour choper une truite fario en lac de montagne (toutes choses dont je me fous assez royalement), cela reste agréable à lire, l'auteur ne manquant pas d'humour et de recul par rapport à sa passion et aux péripéties que celle-ci peut déclencher.
February 26, 2025
I was hoping that this would be a similar book to "The Optimist, by David Coggins, but was fairly disappointed in the end. Not that the book was purporting to be that, but I was looking for something more engaging and thought-provoking. Instead this was mostly just a series of "diary" excerpts from the author's old fishing trips, descriptions of his fly rod collections, how to make campfire coffee, etc. The descriptions weren't particularly colorful, it didn't really make me think of "life" or the big picture -- generally it was just a dry meandering of someone who likes to fish a lot. Fly-fishing provides so many opportunities to think about life and the world around us, but the author didn't really evoke any of that for me.
April 5, 2025
I picked up the re-release of this one in a little fly shop in Rockport, Tx. Leave it to me to discover the approachability and entertaining wisdom of John Gierach six months after his passing.
It was an incredible read that in one breath left me contemplating life, laughing at my own obsession with fly fishing, and checking the incoherent biases I’ve developed as I dive further down the rabbit hole.
It’s too rare today to find a writer that convinces me in page one I should not only read all of this book, but consider buying everything else he’s written as soon as possible.
It was an incredible read that in one breath left me contemplating life, laughing at my own obsession with fly fishing, and checking the incoherent biases I’ve developed as I dive further down the rabbit hole.
It’s too rare today to find a writer that convinces me in page one I should not only read all of this book, but consider buying everything else he’s written as soon as possible.
February 19, 2021
This book won't be on my "best of the year" short list, but I liked it a lot, in spite of the fact that it made me think I was waaaaay too responsible in my younger years. Not only does he write well, but there is a warmth about him and his fly fishing obsession that makes him the kind of guy you'd like to hang out with as you get ready to start another season on the stream. Absent an affection for fly fishing, Trout Bum won't be much of a treat.
March 18, 2022
Everyone suggests this book, so I read it.
It was published in the '80s so I'm not surprised, but of course, the language could be more inclusive. Not one mention of any female anglers. The few mentions of females were a bit cringe and Gierach often refers to how distracting young women are for him.
I won't quote it, it's too gross to quote.
This book doesn't age too well, but I've read more recently published fly fishing books that were much worse.
It was published in the '80s so I'm not surprised, but of course, the language could be more inclusive. Not one mention of any female anglers. The few mentions of females were a bit cringe and Gierach often refers to how distracting young women are for him.
I won't quote it, it's too gross to quote.
This book doesn't age too well, but I've read more recently published fly fishing books that were much worse.
October 12, 2022
A good journalist can edify and entertain readers about even the most esoteric subjects. This collection of essays on trout fishing checked all the boxes in explaining an obsession found here in Appalachia, as well as the Rockies, where this book is set. Found this after reading "A River Runs Through It." And, I even went fishing (surf-casting on the Outer Banks, a different beast) while working my way through it. I have the temporary fishing license to prove it!
January 3, 2025
This is a classic series of essays. I was pleased to see that he (at least what he was willing to put to paper) hadn't changed much between the 80s and the 2000s. Still the same humble philosopher of the sport with a good sense of humor to boot. I just learned of his passing—a genuine tragedy. He seemed like one of those men who would live forever; he was one of the best fishing authors to put words to paper.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews