UT Press publishes “From Out of the Smokies: Stories of Fly Fishing and Life” by Charlie Tombras

The University of Tennessee Press has published From Out of the Smokies: Stories of Fly Fishing and Life by Charlie Tombras. Released on August 12, it is now available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. 

The author, Charles Tombras Jr., passed away on July 2, 2025. UT Press is honored to publish his memoir as a testament to his lifelong passion for fly fishing and the outdoors.

Though Tombras is best known for his longtime leadership of the Tombras Group, Ad Age’s 2025 Agency of the Year, his new memoir, From Out of the Smokies: Stories of Fly Fishing and Life, gives readers a chance to get to know the author on a more personal level. In this book, Tombras recalls many adventures throughout his life, from camping in the Smoky Mountains as a boy to serving in Vietnam as a young man, to fishing for brown trout in Argentina. These moving stories paint a picture of a man who — despite his accolades and accomplishments — knew that business wasn’t everything.

Tombras had an appreciation for nature that spanned his eight decades. He earned several world records in fly fishing, but his passion for the sport outweighed any chartable achievements. In From Out of the Smokies, the author’s fishing experiences impart lessons in character, friendship, and loss that will inspire outdoor enthusiasts and general readers alike.

The book features an epilogue by Warren Dockter, president of the East Tennessee Historical Society and friend to Tombras, as well as an afterword by Dooley Tombras, Charlie’s son and CEO of the Tombras Group.

The Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations in the College of Communication and Information, established in 2022, was the University of Tennessee’s first named school and the first named school of advertising and public relations among all land-grant institutions in the country. The school honors the legacies of Charles Tombras Sr. and Charles Tombras Jr. as well as the indelible imprint the Tombras agency has made on the advertising industry.

From Out of the Smokies: Stories of Fly Fishing and Life is available for preorder at utpress.org and wherever books are sold. 

To connect with the publisher for more information, review copies, or media inquiries, please contact Stephanie Phillips, publicity and promotion coordinator for UT Press (sphill36@utk.edu or 865-974-6106).

The University of Tennessee Press is the Volunteer State’s book publisher, committed to preserving and promoting the rich cultural and intellectual heritage of Tennessee and the region. Through its focused publishing program, UT Press strives to deepen appreciation for the communities, ecosystems, and histories that make the state unique. Its mission is to enlighten readers, foster cultural dialogue, and improve the quality of life for the people of Tennessee and around the world. UT Press is a division of the University of Tennessee Libraries. For more information, visit utpress.org.