Twelve-year-old girl earns top fishing award: "She excels in all aspects"

Despite being just 12 years old, a Maryland girl has earned the title of "Master Angler."

Fishermen in their 60s and beyond are being outshone by Lucy Moore, a 25-year-old from Perryville, Maryland, who has won the prestigious "FishMaryland Master Angler Award."

Since she was two years old, the seventh grader has been proudly fishing, as told by Moore to Planet Chronicle Digital in an interview.

Nick Perez, her dad, was the first to take her out, and her love of fishing has continued to grow, as he stated to Planet Chronicle Digital.

To become a "Master Angler," an angler must meet specific requirements that her father has not yet achieved.

The FishMaryland Milestone Awards have three levels, with Master Angler being the highest honor.

According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website, milestone awards are given to skilled anglers who catch trophy-sized catches of various species after January 1, 2019.

"A certificate and a limited edition FishMaryland Milestone sticker mark each milestone."

The Angler Award, Expert Angler Award, and top Master Angler Award are available for Maryland anglers to win.

Last year, Moore accidentally won the Angler Award by catching three different species that met the minimum length requirement, she stated.

"I became fixated on obtaining citations until I reached the second stage, at which point I inquired, "How many stages are there?""

Realizing she'd accidentally won the Expert Angler Award by catching five different species, Moore decided to continue striving for the top prize - 10 different species.

Moore and her dad went out to catch the 10 different species every weekend, regardless of the weather.

Despite heavy rain or snow, they went out to the water.

Perez joked, "That's the joke I make. People say, 'Fish can't swim in the rain, right?' But they live underwater. What do they know?"

After months of fishing and striving to catch all the required species and lengths to become a Master Angler, Moore finally caught her final fish and instantly knew she had won the prestigious award.

"At first I was so shocked, like, ‘Did I actually do this?’ and then I was just so overcome with joy." — Lucy Moore

"At last, we caught the fish, and initially, I was taken aback, exclaiming, 'Did I really accomplish this?' before being overwhelmed with happiness." - Moore

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
• Pumpkinseed, 10 inches
• American shad, 24 inches

In May, the seventh grader was officially named Master Angler, but her ceremony was postponed until July at Bass Pro Shop.

In winter weather, she caught eight of her 10 species, with Perez observing that the fish are "the largest and most abundant in Maryland during the winter season."

Moore's daughter is the better angler, but Perez is still proud of her accomplishment, he said.

Both Perez and Moore agreed that the 12-year-old is the better fisherman.

Moore even joked about her dad not yet receiving the Master Angler Award.

Perez stated, "I am currently working on mine, but I do not yet possess it. I only have four at the moment."

The dad from Maryland advised other fathers to take their daughters fishing and experience it for themselves, as they might develop a passion for it.

Perez stated, "If you want to get your kid into it, go without a rod. Don't take your own."

"To get them to fall in love with the sport, focus on them instead of yourself. Bring a tackle box and go with them."

For Moore, it's as simple as that.

"I just always loved it," she said.

Her favorite part of the fishing experience is "either the fight or the fish or the places we go for it."

Moore shared with the Maryland DNR, "I am thrilled about this award as it represents a significant achievement for me. I have been fishing for a decade and accomplished something truly remarkable. The excitement of catching various species of fish and sharing my progress with others kept me motivated to reach this goal. This experience has been incredibly enjoyable."

At 12 years old, Moore claims to have caught more than 10,000 different fish, though the total may be higher.

Perez shared with the Maryland DNR that Lucy has been an avid angler since she was able to hold a fishing rod.

He stated that her love for the sport is almost unmatched, and her preferred method of fishing is actually on the fly.

From a young age, she has caught fish that many people only dream of, including exotic clown knifefish and the muskellunge, which took 10,000 casts to catch.

Her passion for exploring the outdoors and underwater life has motivated her to pursue a career as a marine biologist, with the goal of making groundbreaking discoveries.

Moore has already planned exciting fishing activities for the upcoming season.

She aims to break the Maryland state record as her new goal.