Anglers, especially those who fly-fish, hold common bonds that tie them together like a blood knot: a love of the outdoors, a passion for the pursuit and pull of a fish, the desire to share stories. These bonds bring us together, whether it’s through the pages of a book, or sitting around a table tying flies. The fishing world last fall lost two men who embodied this spirit, author John Gierach and fly-tyer Bob Popovics.

Author and fly-fisherman John Gierach passed away on Oct. 3, 2024. He was 77. 

Gierach, who penned more than 20 books and thousands of essays and articles, passed away Oct. 3 from cardiac arrest. He was 77. The renowned fly fisherman could capture the spirit of a trout stream with insightful introspection and a knack for moving past the frustrations or snobbishness often linked to fly-fishing.

Gierach moved from the Midwest to Colorado in the late 1960s, where he hatched his writing career. Known for his sharp wit and deep reverence for nature, Gierach became a beloved figure in fly-fishing circles through his words. His work was marked by a mix of humor, philosophy and practical fishing advice, blending technical knowledge with a profound sense of wonder for all species of trout and the rivers in which they live.

One of Gierach’s most popular books, Trout Bum, inspired thousands of anglers to move West and take up fly-fishing.

His books Trout Bum (1986), Sex, Death and Fly-Fishing (1990) and other works inspired thousands of anglers to take to the water, enjoy the journey and drink strong coffee, because life is too short to not go fishing. “There are people in my life who sometimes worry about me when I go off into the fields and streams, not realizing that the country is a calm, gracious, forgiving place and that the real dangers are found in the civilization you have to pass through to get there,” Gierach wrote in Trout Bum.

On Nov. 1, the fishing community mourned the passing of fly-tyer Bob Popovics, who succumbed to injuries sustained from a hit-and-run automobile accident in late September. He was 75. Popovics treated everyone with a kindness and eagerness to help that seems to be vanishing from fishing. Whether hosting a seminar or bumping into a fan on his New Jersey home waters, Popovics answered every question patiently, enthusiastically and with a smile.

“Bob [was] the single kindest, most approachable and most encouraging celebrity in any field I’ve ever met,” says fly-fishing writer and longtime friend Jonny King in a Popovics profile published in the Spring 2019 issue of Anglers Journal. “Bob has often told me that the key to demonstrating anything about tying or fishing publicly is not to show what you can do, but to make sure others realize they can do it, too.”

Bob Popovics converted the attic of his home into a fly-tying workshop. He was always welcoming to other anglers and tiers. 

Known for his innovative flies, including the Beast, Surf Candy and many more, Popovics often welcomed fellow fly anglers into his tying lair in the attic of his home in Seaside Park, New Jersey. He and his wife, Alexis, moved into the house in 1984, and for many years Popovics hosted Tuesday evening get-togethers that drew tyers from hundreds of miles away. “The idea was to share knowledge and have a good time,” he says in the profile. “The internet didn’t exist back then, so guys didn’t have any other way of finding out about new fly patterns or techniques. Guys getting into saltwater fly-fishing were having a hard time because the information just wasn’t out there.”

Popovics took to fly-fishing after returning home from Vietnam, where he served as a Marine. “I wanted to do something about the fly patterns available to saltwater fly anglers, so I started experimenting with tying a big bunker fly for catching big striped bass,” he told Anglers Journal.

Popovics authored two books, Pop Fleyes and Fleye Design. He was often found at the Shady Rest restaurant in Bayville, New Jersey, which his family owned for several decades. Popovics was universally admired by famous fly-fishermen and the average Joe who bumped into him while casting for stripers in the surf. “There was no cooler cat on the beach,” says his longtime friend, photographer Tom Lynch.