Author: Brandy Hastings

“It’s up to us as anglers to speak up and have a voice in protecting our waterways. We know so much about the environmental problems we’re facing because we see it firsthand when we’re out fishing.” At just 19 years old, Emily Hanzlik shows that she is wise beyond her years as she shares her passionate words of advice with other anglers. 

Sure, there’s no doubt she enjoys the recreation that comes along with tight lines and bent rods. But as an angler, she also feels compelled to be a part of the education and conservation to help protect Florida’s natural resources for years to come.

You’re never too young to know your calling and start setting goals for yourself, and Max Plemmons is proof of that. His dad and grandpa started teaching him about hunting and fishing at a very young age and he shot his first deer at six years old. Max continues to enjoy hunting recreationally, but Jeremy and Amanda Plemmons learned quickly that fishing was their son’s biggest passion – and they knew it was going to have a major impact on his life. 

Who would have thought that one gift could help set the course for the rest of your life – especially if you aren’t even the recipient of that gift? That is what happened to JT Lamberth when he, his mom, and sister gifted his dad a Pelican 103 Jon boat for Father’s Day when he was only five years old. It started as some leisurely father-and-son quality time, then quickly progressed into something more. His uncle and grandfather saw that fire in JT at a young age, and then upgraded them to a boat that was a little more suitable for a budding angler.