John Manikowski was born in northern Minnesota and began to hunt and fish when he was twelve. He was a parner in two popular restaurants that specialized in game--Konkapot in Mill River, Massachusetts, and Charleston in Hudson, New York. He has a master's degree from the Rhode Island School of Design and his work has been exhibited in several galleries in New York and around the United States. His illustrations have appeared in Fly Rod & Reel and Field & Stream magazines. He also illustrated Catskill Rivers by Mac Francis, and has written for several local newspapers and magazines about fishing, hunting, and the outdoors. Wild Fish & Game Cookbook is his first cookbook; Fish Grilled & Smoked is his second.