John Ross, raised in East Tennessee on the flank of the Great Smokies, was given his first rod and reel by his granddad. Ever since, Ross has chased trout and salmon from the waters of the high Arctic tundra to the river of the grassy steppe of Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands. He is actively involved with Trout Unlimited, and as this is written, serves as the chair of the Virginia Council of Trout Unlimited. He is the author of several sporting travel books including The Sports Afield Guide to America's Greatest Fishing Lodges.