John Gierach of Larimer County, Colorado, who was an American author and freelance writer has died from massive heart attack on October 4. He was born in Illinois in 1946. Gierach received a philosophy degree and an English minor from Findlay College in Ohio. After relocating to Colorado in 1969, he started fishing almost daily while working at a silver mine.

After moving to Colorado, he started writing more consistently. His publications are based on his numerous international fly fishing expeditions, some of which he undertakes with his buddy A.K. Best (Gierach often calls Best the “dryflyguru” because of Best’s fondness for dry flies). His compositions include Even Brook Trout Get the Blues, The View from Rat Lake, and the cult favorite Trout Bum, which gave rise to the term “trout bum.” Gierach is a poet as well, having written two poetry collections.

America and the world at large have lost a brilliant mind, this loss will never go noticed. His funeral arrangements and obituary will be announced by his family at a later date.