12-Year-Old Maryland Girl Receives State’s Most Prestigious Fishing Award, ‘Master Angler Milestone’
She may only be 12 years old, but that hasn’t stopped a Maryland girl from becoming the state’s “Master Fisherwoman.”
Lucy Moore of Perryville, Maryland, impresses anglers decades older by winning the highly competitive FishMaryland Master Angler Award.
The seventh-grader has been proudly fishing since he was two years old, Moore told Fox News Digital in an interview.
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His father, Nick Perez, was the first to take him out and his love of fishing continued to grow, he told Fox News Digital.
There are certain requirements a fisherman must meet to earn the title of “Master Fisherman” — requirements that even his father has not yet met, he said.
Lucy Moore, center, became the first woman and youngest angler to receive Maryland’s highest fishing honor. She received it when she was 11 and is now 12. (Nick Perez)
There are three levels of FishMaryland Milestone Awards, with Master Angler being the highest.
“Milestone Awards recognize skillful anglers who make trophy-sized catches of various species caught after January 1, 2019,” according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.
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“Each milestone is marked with a limited edition FishMaryland Milestone certificate and sticker.”
Maryland anglers have the opportunity to win the Angler Award, Expert Angler Award and Top Master Angler Award.
Moore caught 10 different species of fish, each reaching the minimum length required to receive the FishMaryland Master Angler Award. (Nick Perez)
A year ago, Moore unintentionally won the Angler Award after catching three different species, all meeting the minimum length requirement, she said.
“Then I was obsessed with getting quotes until I got to the second step, so I asked (my dad), ‘How many steps are there?’”
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After realizing she had accidentally won the Expert Angler award by catching five different species, Moore decided to keep chasing the top prize – 10 different species.
Moore would go out with his father almost every weekend, no matter the weather, to try to catch 10 different species.
Moore realized she had caught three species of fish by accident and decided to continue to try to reach Master Angler. (Nick Perez)
A rainstorm or even heavy snowfall did not stop them from heading towards the water.
“It’s a funny joke I make. People say, ‘Oh, you can fish in the rain. Doesn’t it affect the fish?’ But they live underwater. What do they know?” Perez jokes.
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After months of fishing and hoping to meet all the additional species and length requirements needed to achieve Master Angler status, Moore caught her last fish – and immediately knew she had won the coveted prize.
“At first I was so shocked, I was like, ‘Did I really do that?’ and then I was so overwhelmed with joy.”
“Eventually we got the fish and at first I was so shocked, like, ‘Did I really do that?’ and then I was just so overwhelmed with joy,” Moore said.
The Maryland DNR reported Moore’s 10 species:
- Chain pickerel, 27 inches
- White perch, 13 inches
- Bluegill, 11 inches
- Yellow perch, 14 inches
- Crappie, 15 inches
- Smallmouth bass, 20 inches
- Hickory Shad, 18 inches
- Carp, 33 inches
- Pumpkin Seeds, 10 inches
- American Shad, 24 inches
The seventh-grader was officially named a Master Angler in May, but her ceremony didn’t take place until July at the Bass Pro Shop.
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She caught eight of her 10 species in winter weather, with Perez noting that the fish are “largest and most abundant (in Maryland) in winter.”
Moore has been fishing since she was two years old, thanks to her father. She immediately fell in love with the sport, her family said. (Nick Perez)
Perez was by Moore’s side the entire time and is proud of his daughter’s accomplishment, he said, even if it means she’s the better fisherman.
When asked who was the best fisherman, Perez and Moore both said: the 12-year-old.
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Moore even joked that his father had yet to receive the Master Angler award.
“I’m working on mine, but I don’t have mine yet… I only have four,” Perez said.
Moore said she was shocked and amazed when she finally caught the last fish needed to win the top prize. (Nick Perez)
The Maryland dad said he encourages other dads to take their daughters fishing and give it a try because they might fall in love with it.
“I’ve told people before that if you really want your kid to get into it, don’t bring your own fishing pole,” Perez said.
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“So go out there with them with a tackle box…and focus on them. You can make them fall in love with the sport by not focusing on yourself.”
For Moore, it’s that simple.
“I always loved it,” she said.
No matter the conditions — rain, snow or sun — Moore took to the water to claim her prize in Maryland. (Nick Perez)
Her favorite part of the fishing experience is “either the fight, the fish, or (even) the places we go to catch them.”
Moore told the Maryland DNR: “I think this award is an incredible accomplishment for me. I’ve been fishing for 10 years and I’ve done something incredible… Being able to catch so many interesting fish and having people excited to see me get closer to that goal is what motivated me to try to get this award. It was really fun.”
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At age 12, Moore estimates he has caught more than 10,000 different fish, but the number could be even higher.
“Lucy has been an avid fisherman ever since she was able to hold a fishing pole,” Perez told the Maryland DNR.
Moore may have won the Maryland Master Angler Award, but she’s already hoping to set a new state record next fishing season. (Nick Perez)
“His love for the sport is almost unmatched, and his favorite method of fishing is actually fly fishing,” he said.
“At a very young age she has caught fish that many people never dream of, from exotic clownfish to muskie, the ‘fish of 10,000 casts,’ she does it all.”
Her love for all things outdoors and in the water inspired her to one day become a marine biologist in hopes of making all sorts of new discoveries.
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Although it may not be for a long time, Moore already has exciting plans for the upcoming fishing season.
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She sets herself a new goal: to break a record in the state of Maryland.
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