“Fool’s Paradise,” his first new book of essays in three years, has been published. With two Seattle appearances scheduled to tout his 16th fishing book, the Lyons, Colo., resident took a moment from planning his next fishing trip to talk about his writing and career.

Gierach landed his first writing job when he began a fishing column for the Longmont (Colo.) Daily Times-Call in 1983. He still writes it. A year later his first book, “Flyfishing the High Country,” was published.

How did you get started writing books on fly-fishing?

About 30 years ago, I was trying to be a serious writer back when I liked the sound of “serious writer.” I was doing poetry and short stories. I wasn’t getting paid even when I did get published.

I was fishing and reading the fishing magazines. So I started writing for the fishing magazines just to get paid. It really just ballooned from there. It took on a life of its own.

A great moment was when I started reading (noted outdoor writers) Tom McGuane, Jim Harrison, Russ Chatham, who were really writing intelligent literate pieces about fly-fishing and other sports. The subject doesn’t limit the quality of the work. You don’t have to write down to the audience. Then I realized how much fun it was. Part of my job description is that I have to go fishing.

Do your essays come from your newspaper columns or do you write them specifically for each book?

They sort of evolve. A lot of them, the idea comes from the newspaper column. Those tend to be short and sweet. A lot of times I will have trouble keeping to my word count because I have so much more to say than 800 words. People ask why I still do that (write his newspaper column). To me it’s like calisthenics, which is sort of what it takes to stay fresh.

Why three years between books?

I had a series of two-book contracts with Simon & Schuster. They wanted me to write a book a year. I told them I couldn’t do that. I write a book over the winter, so they come out every two years.

I asked for three years because I want to keep the quality up. The readers will stay with you as long as the quality is there.

I also don’t want to work myself to death. I think I can write better if I have three seasons of fishing instead of two. I enjoyed having a little more time to think about where is this book going to go.

With 16 books, has your writing style changed over the years?

I think so. I don’t think the basic approach has changed. All writers are avid readers, it helps you think carefully about how you write a sentence, write an essay.

The first couple of books were written by a kid. I’m in my 60s now, I hope I’ve learned something. Hopefully the style has matured. I have people still come up to me and tell me their favorite is “Trout Bum” (published in 1988). That was written more than 20 years ago by a kid I hardly remember. As I get older I take a longer view.

Do you try to deliver a message to anglers and readers, or do you let them apply their own interpretation?

I don’t think I have a real message, in terms of a moral or anything. I’m interested in the few things people do that they value without question.

If you ask a fly angler why they like fishing, you might as well ask a banker what’s the interest in money?

Fishing is something that generates huge amounts of excitement, frustration and satisfaction. In one view, fishing is just catching fish you’re just going to release. From a hard-nosed capitalist view, it’s kind of pointless

That interests me, why are we doing what we’re doing? There are a lot of philosophical questions you can ask: Who are these people? Why do they do it?

Have you given any thought to trying fiction, like another well-known outdoors writer Pat McManus?

Not seriously. I have written a few short stories, and I have found that if they had anything to do with fishing, I could sell them. Otherwise I couldn’t get a call back. My agent, bless his heart, read them and said, “These aren’t good enough.”

At this point, I think I’m a dyed-in-the-wool nonfiction writer. I’ve been described as writing literary nonfiction or creative nonfiction.

How much time do you spend doing field research?

I’ve never really kept track of it. I say I fish as much as I want. Through the season I take a number of trips. I’ve already been steelheading on the West Coast, and in June I’m going to fish for Atlantic salmon in New Brunswick.

During the season, I’m fishing at least a couple of times a week. And during the high-country season I’m fishing every day but the weekend. I leave my waders in the car and my wading boots never dry out.

Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640

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Meet the author

John Gierach will make appearances at two Puget Sound locations to promote his new book, “Fool’s Paradise.”

May 14: 7 p.m., Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way N.E., Lake Forest Park

May 15: 6 p.m., Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S. Main St., Seattle