John van VLIET & catherine smith of trout run press

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~John van Vliet is the Midwest Field Editor for Fly Fisherman magazine and author of more than a dozen popular fly-fishing books, including his Driftless trilogy: Trout Fishing in Southeast Minnesota, Trout Fishing in Southwest Wisconsin, Trout Fishing in Northeast Iowa, and the bestselling The Art of Fly Tying. He started fishing as a child in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York, and honed his skills on the spring creeks of the Driftless Area. His writing has an appeared in Fly Fisherman magazine, Atlantic Salmon Journal, Big River magazine, World Traveler magazine, the New York Times and other publications. He has served on the board of the Twin Cities Trout Unlimited chapter, is an FFI certified fly-casting instructor, an active member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, a popular public speaker and, with his fiancée Catherine Smith, helped organize the first FFI film festival. An avid fly angler, writer and filmmaker, he has fly fished around the world. The trout streams of the Driftless Area are his home waters.

~Catherine Smith is a native of South Dakota, whose father taught her to spin fish at a very young age. Her fly-fishing story begins over 20 years ago after picking up her first fly rod.  Putting spin fishing aside, she began fly fishing with the simple goal of mastering the art of casting a fly. Friends would often hear her say, “I don’t care if I ever catch a fish, I just want to perfect this beautiful art of casting a fly rod.” This statement still holds true for her, but she now adds, "Let’s go get ‘em”! Catherine has fly fished both fresh and salt water and has received casting awards for her accuracy and skill. She is a dedicated advocate for women in the sport, having served on the board of Fly Fishers International Women Connect and volunteers with Casting for Recovery. She remains deeply committed to teaching and encouraging others in the fly fishing community.

Catherine and her fiancé, John van Vliet, have spent nearly two decades traveling, fishing and documenting their journeys together.