Izaak Walton (baptized 21 September 1593 – 15 December 1683) was an English writer best known for The Compleat Angler (1653), a book celebrating the art and philosophy of fishing. His work combined practical fishing advice with reflections on nature and friendship, making it one of the most influential works on angling. He also wrote biographies, later collected as Walton's Lives, including accounts of John Donne, Henry Wotton, and Richard Hooker.
Born in Stafford, Walton moved to London as a teenager and worked as a linen draper. He befriended poet and clergyman John Donne and was a strong Royalist during the English Civil War. Following the Royalists’ defeat at Marston Moor in 1644, he retired to Shallowford in Staffordshire, where he wrote much of The Compleat Angler. The book was revised and expanded over five editions, growing into a literary classic.
Walton’s influence extended beyond literature. He was admired by writers like Charles Lamb, and his name is honored in various institutions and fishing organizations. His estate in Shallowford was left to aid the poor, and his home is now a museum. He died in 1683 in Winchester, leaving a lasting legacy in both literature and angling culture.