John Field’s journey into writing began with a deep love for outdoor literature, nurtured by reading Winchester bulletins and books gifted by his father’s clients. As a teenager, he admired Hemingway so much that he even adopted his signature in school assignments. With decades of experience in fly fishing, casting instruction, and outdoor media, John has authored three books, including his favorite, Fly Fishing for Trophy Striped Bass.
His writing blends technical expertise with conservation messages, shaping the angling community through articles, books, and instruction. A dedicated educator, he’s also served as president of the American Casting Association. Today, he balances writing with his passion for teaching, fishing, and family adventures.
How long have you been writing and what inspired you to begin?
From age six to eleven, I read the Winchester bulletins, which included hunting and fishing, that my father printed for them. His other clients knew this and gave me outdoor books as gifts. I read them and wanted to do what they were doing in them and write like them too. I was a Hemingway fan as a teen and my father was a friend of one of his editors, Arnold Gingrich. In high school my English teacher Alan Kirshner let me sign my papers “Ernesto,” copying Hemingway’s handwriting. I decided to wait till I had decades of life experience before tackling meaningful story telling.
How many books have you written and which one is your favorite?
I’ve written three books and my last titled, Fly Fishing for Trophy Striped Bass, is my favorite. Captain Jeff Northup called it my magnum opus. It combines biology, fly tying, equipment, rigging, casting, and detailed location recommendations with collaboration from local guides.
Have all of your books been about fishing?
Yes, so far my books have been fly casting and fly fishing “how to” books. I wrote 26 non-fiction fishing essays published by Sexyloops.com in 2019 which I intend to rewrite in a stronger style and publish in a book illustrated by a renowned artist and friend.
Have all of your books been about fishing?
Yes, so far my books have been fly casting and fly fishing “how to” books. I wrote 26 non-fiction fishing essays published by Sexyloops.com in 2019 which I intend to rewrite in a stronger style and publish in a book illustrated by a renowned artist and friend.
Why did you choose to write in the outdoor / fishing genre specifically?
Probably because of the earlier influence of reading about it and having inspirational fly casting experiences at the Sportmen’s Show in the New York Coliseum in the 1960s with expert Ellis Newman.
What is one thing you wish you knew before beginning outdoor/fish writing?
I wish I knew the culture would change and some values I learned as a teen would be nearly gone among sportsmen in my lifetime. I feel the angling media, competitive fishing, and certain fish-management policies are letting many of us down.
Is your being an author a full-time job, or do you have a daily gig too?
I’m now a full-time casting instructor and author but I was a TU chapter president for five years, vice president and then president of the American Casting Association for a total of eight years. Other than a three-year stint in a NYC advertising photo studio, I’ve been working in the outdoor media since 1989.
How do you manage a work-life balance as an author?
Since teaching casting, writing, and fishing is my sole career, I spend the rest of my time with my family. When our kids were small, I took my wife and kids on FFI, fishing and casting-tournament trips around the US, Canada, and Europe. If my current hosting aspirations are realized as our kids go off to college, I’ll let you know how I’m balancing!
What is your writing process like?
Everything is based on total length. For writing a book, I start with an outline and assign a target word count for each chapter. I organize material in file folders on my computer by subject and location. For magazine articles, I create a tentative main title and a bullet list of subtitles for sections. I also allocate word count to each so I’m right on when I’m ready for submission. Just like this profile. If it’s a book project, I can only do it if there are no other distractions or interference like a pandemic. If I’m not on a deadline, I write intensely from about eight till noon and write 1- 2,000 words. Just like Hemingway. I like to get it out and then go back for proofreading.
What draws you to fly fishing, both personally and professionally?
I like the seasonal cycles of birth, migration or dormancy based on the sun and the earth’s axis. I like understanding the predator-prey relationship between fish and their forage, and I’m instinctively a hunter pursuing my desired fish on the fly. I like angling traditions, its art, and the beauty of nature and fly fishing. I like being a fly-fishing author because I feel I have a small environmental footprint and I interject all my writing with conservation messages.
Have you ever gotten “writer’s block”? If so, how did you cure it? / What has helped or hindered you most when writing a book?
I don’t get writer’s block and know exactly what I’m about to write, but if external distractions are present, I’ll delay until I can concentrate. Like many writers and artists, I’m self conscious and never satisfied with my work. I don’t look at my published books too hard. I’m afraid of finding a mistake.
Who is your biggest inspiration or mentor?
In 1975 I was eighteen years old, and Hemingway was my biggest literary inspiration. I loved Old Man and the Sea. I wore an Abercrombie & Fitch safari jacket like his, made his daiquiri popsicles, and studied in Spain to learn the language and sit in the same seat at the same restaurant at La Plaza Mayor, and eat baby-suckling pig like Hemingway did. Many aspiring writers chased the Hemingway legend to Key West like Jim Harrison, Tom McGuane, and others.
IGFA Hall of Fame Inductee Larry Dahlberg taught me an immense amount about tackle, rigging, the industry, media, fly tying, and figuring-out difficult fish. Macauley Lord of the FFI mentored me as a casting instructor and Steve Rajeff, Senior Rod Designer and world champion caster taught me tournament casting.
When did you begin fly fishing?
I was taught how to cast at age seven and there was a stocked trout pond on our farm in NJ when I was eleven. My dad who worked in NYC brought me a glass fly rod from Abercrombie & Fitch when it was on Madison Avenue near his office. I was seventeen when I began tying Catskill dry flies after being taught by a family friend named Hap Heins. He also took me to the Beaverkill River to camp and fish. Art Flick’s New Streamside Guide, 1969 was a big influence on my fly fishing.
Do you remember your first published piece? How long did it take you to get there?
My first piece was for In-Fisherman in 1991 and they took another four afterward, plus photographs for other authors. A couple years later I was on staff with Canadian Sportfishing Magazine and freelanced for a few others. I took some time off when both of my parent’s health declined and did most of my volunteer work for outdoor organizations. In 2011, Fly Fisherman Magazine asked me to write a story on stripers and it was the cover story of that issue. I wasn’t looking to write any books at the time but Nick Lyons asked me to write a casting manual on behalf of the American Casting Association. It turned into a two-book deal, Fly-Casting Finesse, 2015 and The ACA’s Beginner’s Guide to Fly Casting, 2018. I then decided to strike while the iron was hot and wrote my 272 page striper book for Stackpole Books containing 250 illustrations.
With so many publications moving virtual, how does this play a role in your publishing process?
I think there is more work for me on the web than I can handle. I just sold Fly Fisherman a piece solely for the web and the return wasn’t bad. The biggest challenge for virtuous publishers is validating expertise and credibility. Anybody can claim anything. The publication of misinformation and claims of authority by posers is a problem for respected authors and content creators. The Death of Expertise by Tom M. Nichols is a book that explains this trend.
What, to you, are the most important elements of good outdoor and fishing writing?
For how-to articles, I want a well explained, well-illustrated article so I can learn something. For non-fiction prose, I want to be transported to the location, wooed by good description, introduced to interesting characters, and treated to the poignance of important themes.
What’s your favorite writing snack or drink?
I begin writing after a good breakfast including coffee and end at lunch. I don’t consume anything when I write, I produce.
Do you listen to anything while you write? If so, what is your favorite?
On occasion, I have listened to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.
Did you grow up around fishing and writing? Please share any thoughts about your family or upbringing that may have led you to become an author.
I read Field & Stream as a kid and it was even my nickname because of my last name. My favorite book growing up was The Sportsman’s Notebook by H.G. Tapply. It was half hunting and half fishing. My father wasn’t an outdoorsman but took me fishing on party boats when I was in my teens and a couple times trout fishing. He did supply me with fly outfits for the farm pond. My grandfather on my mother’s side was a fly fisherman who lived in San Francisco. Somewhere I have photos of him holding striped bass and trout he caught. I never met him but I fished with my mother. It was in our genes.
Any tips for other aspiring outdoor / fishing authors?
Learn the content and scope of any publication you want to write for before querying ideas. Of course, read their editorial guidelines if available. You don’t make much money as a writer but if your work is good you’ll probably make some money giving presentations for big clubs and shows and maybe doing travel hosting.
Who do you trust for objective and constructive criticism of your work?
I certainly don’t trust myself to be objective because I’m hyper critical but can’t see my own mistakes. I might trust some accomplished writers and editors. I’ve communicated with some of my favorites and one gave me good advice.
How do you use social media as an author?
You can use it to build your brand as you become a writer and build anticipation before pub date by showing the cover, previewing blurbs, and promoting signings and appearances. Then you share reviews, your schedule, and then if it was worth it, start the process again.
Where can people find your work? (Retail store, online store, social media handles, etc)
I can only speak about the two small publishers I’ve had, but they deal with Amazon, Google, B & N, Goodreads, Books a Million, and distributors for small fly-fishing retail.
Doing podcasts is necessary today for authors to connect emotionally with their existing or potential audience and build that brand! I’ve enjoyed working with Rob Giannino, a real professional
