Callan Wink is a novelist and full-time fly-fishing guide based in Montana. His writing style is acclaimed for its vivid descriptions and themes of rural life in the American West. His work is often compared to that of Jim Harrison, who was a friend and fishing companion.

Wink’s debut collection of short stories, Dog Run Moon (2016), garnered critical acclaim for its lyrical prose and resonant storytelling. In August (2022), Wink’s debut novel, he weaves a coming-of-age story following a young man named August as he navigates the complexities of adulthood and self-discovery. Through August’s journey, the novel explores the struggles of finding one’s own path while being tied to the past.

Wink’s latest novel, Beartooth, which officially comes out this year, is set in Montana’s Beartooth Mountains, where we follow two brothers who go to dangerous lengths to live off the grid in a still-wild land. Wink’s writing comes alive with a keen understanding of the landscape and a vivid portrayal of people living on the margins of society.

Wink has contributed essays to Anglers Journal for years, where the reader gets to see a bit of his lighter side. His latest piece, “Locals Only,” applies lessons he’s learned from seasoned surfers to the crowded trout rivers of Montana. The story is featured in the Winter 2025 issue. In this podcast, Wink talks about balancing fishing, writing and surfing.