Charles Gaines

Charles Gaines
Gaines with his dog, Sumo, in August 2014
Born	Charles Latham Gaines, Jr. (1942-01-06) January 6, 1942 (age 75) Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Writer, outdoorsman
Spouse	Patricia Ellison
Children	Shelby Gaines Latham Gaines Greta Gaines

Charles Latham Gaines, Jr. (born January 6, 1942) is an American writer and outdoorsman, notable for numerous works in both the fiction and non-fiction genres. His writing most typically concerns the outdoors sports of fishing in general and fly fishing in particular, as well as upland bird hunting and mountaineering, often with an intellectual and philosophical bent, and an eye towards the various cultures and traditions surrounding different forms of fishing around the world.

In addition to his outdoors writings, Gaines covered the "Golden Age" of professional bodybuilding and is the author of Pumping Iron, considered the definitive journalistic work in that field, and credited in large part for bringing greater public awareness to what was formerly a little-known subculture, as well as helping to launch the career of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Gaines also narrated and contributed to the documentary film of the same name.

Gaines is active in the conservation movement and in particular the stewardship of the North American Atlantic Salmon fisheries. He has served on the board of directors of the Atlantic Salmon Federation.

Gaines was born in Jacksonville, Florida on January 6, 1942, the son of Margaret (née Shook) and Charles Latham Gaines. At the age of ten, he and his family moved to Birmingham, Alabama. As a teenager, Gaines took up bodybuilding. He briefly attended Washington and Lee University but left school to travel around the country. He later received his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in writing from the University of Iowa. In 1970, he moved to New Hampshire, where he taught creative writing at New England College.