John Field
Fly Fisher, Fly-Casting Instructor, Author, Photographer
John Field is a fly-casting instructor, writer, and photographer living in Connecticut. He grew up in New York City, and when his family moved to New Jersey when he was about 11 years old, he took up hunting and fishing. He started fly fishing before he was a teenager and also loved all types of fishing. He was mentored by several well-known outdoorsmen. He started writing for high school and college newspapers and, as an adult, has written articles published in Fly Fisherman Magazine, In-Fisherman Magazine, North American Fisherman, Chevy Outdoors, Canadian Sportfishing, and others. John has spent extensive time exploring the waters of the Northwest Territories and Labrador in Canada while on assignment for Canadian Sportfishing, and the Amazonas in Venezuela and other locations, while working for Larry Dahlberg Productions. John has decades of experience flats fishing the Florida Keys and striped bass fishing in the Northeast. He has also fly fished in several European countries and the Rockies.
Listen to John Field's Show...
Fly Fishing for Trophy Striped Bass
Dive into the exhilarating world of fly fishing for trophy striped bass in our next show with John Field! Join us as he shares the behaviors, preferred foods, and best fishing spots for these spectacular sportfish. Learn the flies and techniques that promise success. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned angler, don’t miss this thrilling discussion that could lead you to your next big catch!
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- What do you consider a trophy striped bass?
- Can you explain the four major Atlantic stocks and their migrations?
- Are there similar migrations in California?
- What physical characteristics and sense of stripers do we, as fly fishers, need to know?
- What are the key factors that affect the movement of large fish?
- What are their primary food sources?
- Does the size of the fly help with hooking larger fish?
- Do you need to match your fly pattern the baitfish they are feeding on?
- What are a few of your go-to flies?
- What are your favorite top water patterns?
- What weight rods and types of lines do you recommend?
- What knots do you use in your setup?
- Are you more likely to catch a trophy striped bass from a boat or from shore?
- Where an how do you sight fish for striped bass?
- How do you present and retrieve your flies?
- What type of fight do the larger fish give and how do you fight them?
- What is the best way to handle a fish you've caught to ensure their survival?
To date, John has written three hardcover books, Fly-Casting Finesse- A Complete Guide to Improving All Aspects of Your Casting, Skyhorse Publishing, 2015. In 2018 he wrote his second book authorized by the American Casting Association titled, ACA's Beginner's Guide to Fly Casting- Featuring the Twelve Casts You Need to Know, Skyhorse Publishing, 2018. John's latest book is titled, Fly Fishing for Trophy Striped Bass, Stackpole Books, and will be released on June 18th 2024. John filmed and co-produced episodes of Hunt for Big Fish, which aired on ESPN and other cable networks.
He is a past-president of the New York City Chapter of Trout Unlimited and a past president of the American Casting Association. John is an FFI (Fly Fishers International) Master Casting Instructor and in 2019 received the FFI Jay Gammel Award. This award recognizes individuals who have developed instructional materials that have advanced fly-casting instruction. John gives many presentations, casting demos, and clinics for clubs, as well as The Fly Fishing Show.
To learn more about John and follow his activities, visit Field Fly Fishing.
