John Gierach was born in Glenwood, Illinois, on January 21, 1946.[2] He graduated from Findlay College in Ohio with a degree in philosophy and a minor in English.[1] In 1969, he moved to Colorado and began fishing nearly every day while working at a silver mine.[3][4]

He began writing more seriously after his move to Colorado.[4] His books are based on his various fly fishing adventures all over the world, some of which take place with his friend, A.K. Best (Gierach frequently refers to Best as the "dryflyguru" due to Best's affinity for dry flies).[5] A few of his works include The View from Rat Lake, Even Brook Trout Get the Blues, and the cult classic, Trout Bum, which popularized the term "trout bum." Gierach also wrote poetry and authored two books of poems.[1]

Gierach's archival collection can be found at Montana State University, as well as an oral history interview conducted by MSU pertaining to Gierach's life as an angler and an angling writer.[6] The collection includes his manuscripts, poetry, photographs, fishing logs, and general correspondence ranging from 1976 to 2014.[1]

Gierach died from a heart attack on October 3, 2024, at the age of 78.[7]