Grand Master Angler
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CAPT. BILL MILLER GRAND MASTER ANGLER In 1984, Ande Monofilament presented a program that got Bill Miller’s attention. Dubbed the Ande Grand Master Angler Release Club, the program’s goals were product promotion and encouraging catch-and-release.
Rules were simple — starting January 1, 1985, participating anglers were to fish for 30 saltwater and freshwater species with Ande monofilament. Photographed and witnessed releases of 20 eligible species earned membership in the Ande Master Angler Release Club. Anglers releasing all 30 species caught on Ande line would be inducted into the Ande Grand Master Angler Release Club. The fish Bill pursued were: African Pompano, Amberjack, Barracuda, Blackfin Tuna, Bluefish, Blue Marlin, Bonefish, Brown Trout, Cero Mackerel, Cobia, Coho Salmon, Dolphin, Jack Crevalle, Kingfish, Largemouth Black Bass, Mutton Snapper, Northern Pike, Permit,Redfish, Sailfish, Sea Trout, Smallmouth Black Bass, Snook,Spanish Mackerel, Steelhead, Striped Bass, Tarpon, Wahoo, White Marlin and Yellowfin Tuna. For many, it may have seemed like just another corporate promotional ploy. For Bill Miller, it was a challenge — the fuel that stokes his fire of determination. It wasn’t something he had to do or needed to do. It was something he wanted to do. Why? To prove he could. From square one, it was commitment personified. Bill recalls: “When I decided to do this, I decided to go all the way.” Bill’s quest took him throughout North and South America and the Caribbean. Some of the species Bill presumed difficult came relatively quickly. Some he considered easy targets proved exceptionally challenging. Each though received the same level of relentless dedication. What began on October 10, 1985 with the release of a blackfin tuna in the Florida Keys, concluded on November 17, 1987 when Bill sent a white marlin back to the waters off Venezuela’sLa Guaira Banks. For his accomplishment, he received a gold pin, hat, T-shirt, embroidered jacket and the first of only two Ande Grand Master Angler certificates ever awarded. Bill says the people he met and the experiences he lived were the real rewards. But there’s something even deeper. The satisfying feeling of personal fulfillment no prize, praise or pat on the back can ever match. That’s Bill Miller — committed, dedicated and defined by achievement. |
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