R.I.P. “Uncle” Homer Circle
The outdoors world lost one of its legends on Friday.
Homer Circle, known affectionately as Uncle Homer to many, died at 97.
If you are a fisherman over 30, chances are good Uncle Homer touched you in some way over the years.
He was the longtime fishing editor for Sports Afield, and the author of many books and too many magazine articles on fishing to count.
I remember sitting in class in high school with a Sports Afield held between the cover of whatever text book we were supposed to be reading, devouring every word in his stories.
He wasn’t a fancy writer. His style was simple and spare, and that’s part of what made it so appealing to the masses.
I have never consciously tried to come up with a personal style for my writing, but it tends toward simple and conversational, and I suspect part of the credit should go to Circle, who was among the most powerful influences during my formative years.
Fortunately for sportsmen, even though Uncle Homer is gone, much of his great, influential work is still out there for us to enjoy.
June 25, 2012 - 1:01 PM
He has joined Jack O’Connor, Virgil Ward, Gadabout Gaddis, and many other honorable pioneer journalists who paved the way for the multitude of information we have today. In those days, it was the big 3: Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, and Sports Afield and little else.
I never met him but read many of his articles and felt like I knew him.
Now he knows for sure where the fish are biting.
Bob H — You nailed it! Thanks.
Oh wow, does that name bring back memories. I owe him and a bunch of other writers from Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, and Sports Afield during the 70′s and 80′s a huge debt. During those years I read not just every new issue of each of those magazines, but every back issue that my school library had. Homer Circle, Ed Zern, A.J. McClane, H.G. Tapply of “Tap’s Tips” and later his son William Tapply, Pat McManus and so many more. I felt like I knew those authors; they taught me techniques that I went out and used on local streams and farm ponds, and they painted word pictures of far-away fishing destinations that broadened my horizons and colored my dreams.
Bob H and Mark, all of the authors mentioned are true legends and I would like to add Gene Hill, Ted Trueblood, and one of the all time great humorists, Patrick McManus to this list.They have provided us all with hours of great reading and practical information.