Joseph White Brooks (1901 – September 20, 1972) was an American fly fisherman and popular writer about the sport of fly fishing during the mid-20th century.[1] He was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1901 and died in Rochester, Minnesota in 1972. He wrote for the leading fishing and outdoor magazines of the day and was the outdoor editor for The Baltimore Sun.[2] He also wrote ten books about fly fishing, several of which are still considered leading authorities on the subject. He is listed by a leading online fly fishing publication, Fly Fishing Frenzy,[3] as one of the 10 most influential fishermen ever. And the IGFA and others said he did more to popularize and expand fly fishing than any other individual.[4][5]
Brooks was born into a family that owned a successful insurance business. Joe worked in the business during his early life but soon realized he did not enjoy the business world and decided to become a professional fly fisherman and writer, the two passions he enjoyed most. He first began to write for small local Maryland sporting and community publications. But as his popularity gained he started writing for national publications like Field and Stream, The Fisherman, True Fishing Annual, Fishing Waters of the World, Ashaway Sportsman, and Saltwater Sportsman. It was not long after this that he was hired by The Baltimore Sun as their outdoor editor. In 1953 he began writing for Outdoor Life, one of the most prestigious sporting magazines then and continuing today, and in 1968 he became the publication's fishing editor.[6]
Joe Brooks was a mentor to and friend of one of the top fly fishermen ever to cast a line, Lefty Kreh. Kreh credits Brooks for introducing him to fly fishing, encouraging him to start writing about the sport and getting him one of his first jobs in the fishing industry.[7] The job was with the Miami Herald running their Metropolitan Miami South Florida Fishing Tournament.[8]
Joe Brooks pioneered fly fishing for species that previously were thought impossible to catch with a fly.[9] He is also one of the first to pioneer “adventure fly fishing” by traveling to remote places around the world that had never been fly fished before.
In 1964, Curt Gowdy of ABC Sports produced a segment about fly fishing on ABC's Wide World of Sports featuring Joe Brooks. The two fly fished in the Argentinean Patagonia and the segment was so popular that a spinoff show was created to focus on outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing. The show was called The American_Sportsman and the first show aired on January 31, 1965. The show ran for over 20 years and was one of the most popular shows on Sunday afternoon television often beating out other major sports programming carried in the same time slot.[10] Joe Brooks was a regular on the show over the following years.
Joe Brooks died of a heart attack on September 20, 1972 in Rochester, Minnesota.[13] He is buried in Paradise Valley near Livingston, Montana, one of his favorite places to fish.[14]
Bibliographyedit
Bass Bug Fishing (1947) A.S. Barnes & Company, New York
Salt Water Fly Fishing (1950) Putnam, New York
Greatest Fishing (1957) Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA
Bermuda Fishing (1957) Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA
Complete Book of Fly Fishing (1958) A.S. Barnes & Company, New York
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Casting (1963) Doubleday, New York
A World of Fishing (1964) D. Van Nostrand, New York
Complete Guide to Fishing Across North America (1966) Joanna Cotler Books, New York
Salt Water Game Fishing (1968) Harper & Row, New York
Trout Fishing (1972) Harper & Row, New York
Joe Brooks on Fly Fishing, Edited by Don Sedgewick with a foreword by Lefty Kreh, 2004, Lyons Press, Guilford, CT (Compilation of selected writings of Joe Brooks published posthumously by his wife Mary Brooks)
^Joe Brooks on Fly Fishing Edited by Dan Sedgewick, 2004, The Lyons Press, Guilford, CT, pg. xxxiii
^Salt Water Fly Fishing, Joe Brooks, republished, 2000, Derrydale Press, Lanham, Maryland, p. x
May 14, 2024
brooks, fisherman, joseph, white, brooks, 1901, september, 1972, american, fisherman, popular, writer, about, sport, fishing, during, 20th, century, born, baltimore, maryland, 1901, died, rochester, minnesota, 1972, wrote, leading, fishing, outdoor, magazines,. Joseph White Brooks 1901 September 20 1972 was an American fly fisherman and popular writer about the sport of fly fishing during the mid 20th century 1 He was born in Baltimore Maryland in 1901 and died in Rochester Minnesota in 1972 He wrote for the leading fishing and outdoor magazines of the day and was the outdoor editor for The Baltimore Sun 2 He also wrote ten books about fly fishing several of which are still considered leading authorities on the subject He is listed by a leading online fly fishing publication Fly Fishing Frenzy 3 as one of the 10 most influential fishermen ever And the IGFA and others said he did more to popularize and expand fly fishing than any other individual 4 5 Joe BrooksBornJoseph White Brooks1901Baltimore MarylandDied 1972 09 20 September 20 1972Rochester MinnesotaNationalityAmericanOccupation s Fly fisherman Angling writerKnown forDevelopment of 20th century American fly fishing Brooks was born into a family that owned a successful insurance business Joe worked in the business during his early life but soon realized he did not enjoy the business world and decided to become a professional fly fisherman and writer the two passions he enjoyed most He first began to write for small local Maryland sporting and community publications But as his popularity gained he started writing for national publications like Field and Stream The Fisherman True Fishing Annual Fishing Waters of the World Ashaway Sportsman and Saltwater Sportsman It was not long after this that he was hired by The Baltimore Sun as their outdoor editor In 1953 he began writing for Outdoor Life one of the most prestigious sporting magazines then and continuing today and in 1968 he became the publication s fishing editor 6 Joe Brooks was a mentor to and friend of one of the top fly fishermen ever to cast a line Lefty Kreh Kreh credits Brooks for introducing him to fly fishing encouraging him to start writing about the sport and getting him one of his first jobs in the fishing industry 7 The job was with the Miami Herald running their Metropolitan Miami South Florida Fishing Tournament 8 Joe Brooks pioneered fly fishing for species that previously were thought impossible to catch with a fly 9 He is also one of the first to pioneer adventure fly fishing by traveling to remote places around the world that had never been fly fished before In 1964 Curt Gowdy of ABC Sports produced a segment about fly fishing on ABC s Wide World of Sports featuring Joe Brooks The two fly fished in the Argentinean Patagonia and the segment was so popular that a spinoff show was created to focus on outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing The show was called The American Sportsman and the first show aired on January 31 1965 The show ran for over 20 years and was one of the most popular shows on Sunday afternoon television often beating out other major sports programming carried in the same time slot 10 Joe Brooks was a regular on the show over the following years Joe Brooks taught many celebrities to fly fish and became lasting friends with them including Bing Crosby Ted Williams and Jack Nicklaus 11 12 Joe Brooks died of a heart attack on September 20 1972 in Rochester Minnesota 13 He is buried in Paradise Valley near Livingston Montana one of his favorite places to fish 14 Bibliography editBass Bug Fishing 1947 A S Barnes amp Company New York Salt Water Fly Fishing 1950 Putnam New York Greatest Fishing 1957 Stackpole Books Mechanicsburg PA Bermuda Fishing 1957 Stackpole Books Mechanicsburg PA Complete Book of Fly Fishing 1958 A S Barnes amp Company New York The Complete Illustrated Guide to Casting 1963 Doubleday New York A World of Fishing 1964 D Van Nostrand New York Complete Guide to Fishing Across North America 1966 Joanna Cotler Books New York Salt Water Game Fishing 1968 Harper amp Row New York Trout Fishing 1972 Harper amp Row New York Joe Brooks on Fly Fishing Edited by Don Sedgewick with a foreword by Lefty Kreh 2004 Lyons Press Guilford CT Compilation of selected writings of Joe Brooks published posthumously by his wife Mary Brooks References edit International Game Fishing Association http www igfa org Museum HOF Brooks aspx Joe Brooks on Fly Fishing Edited by Dan Sedgewick 2004 The Lyons Press Guilford CT pg xvii 10 Most Influential Fisherman EVER Fly Fishing Frenzy 2010 02 18 Archived from the original on 2010 02 18 Retrieved 2020 05 11 Salt Water Fly Fishing Joe Brooks republished 2000 Derrydale Press Lanham Maryland p x International Game Fishing Association video http www igfa org Museum HOF Brooks aspx Joe Brooks on Fly Fishing Edited by Dan Sedgewick 2004 The Lyons Press Guilford CT pg xvii Lefty Kreh interviewed About Fly Fishing by Ally Gowans Leftyfish com http www letsflyfish com lefty 1 htm The Baltimore Sun Q amp A With Lefty Kreh Don Markus June 9 2012 http www baltimoresun com sports outdoors bs sp outdoors 0610 20120609 0 1378486 story Joe Brooks on Fly Fishing Edited by Dan Sedgewick 2004 The Lyons Press Guilford CT pg xvii Bringing the Outdoors In William Leggett February 3 1975 Sports Illustrated Magazine http sportsillustrated cnn com vault article magazine MAG1089484 index htm Celebrities 2 01LR baseball egend Ted Williams with outdoor writer Joe Brooks and CCE Celebrities Ebbets Photo Graphics vintage photography prints BingCrosby com http bingcrosby com bing videos february 6th 1966 the american sportsman Joe Brooks on Fly Fishing Edited by Dan Sedgewick 2004 The Lyons Press Guilford CT pg xxxiii Salt Water Fly Fishing Joe Brooks republished 2000 Derrydale Press Lanham Maryland p x Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joe Brooks fly fisherman amp oldid 1212775919, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
