Athletes Who Win in Sport and Storytelling, Volume 1: Fishers

Gone are the days when anglers were known only by tournament wins, your local fishing derby, or magazine covers. Today, fishers are discovered through reels, photos, and social content shared in real time on social platforms. They’re not just catching fish, they’re capturing attention.

And the audience is out there: According to the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, in their 2025 report nearly 57.9 million Americans went fishing, representing about 19 % of the U.S. population and the highest participation surpassing 2023’s previous record of 57.7 million.

That’s not just hobby data, it's a cultural signal.

Performance alone doesn’t drive culture anymore

Being elite is still impressive but it’s no longer enough to earn attention.

The athletes who matter today are the ones who can:

• Do the thing at a high level
• Explain it in a way that resonates
• Show it in a way that stops the scroll
• Build trust through consistency and transparency

And there’s real opportunity here: as freshwater, saltwater, and fly fishing continue to draw record crowds.

Popfly is spotlighting the athletes who can do both

To help brands adapt to this new era, we’re curating a series spotlighting athletes who can both perform at the highest level and create content that actually resonates.

These are the athletes who:

• Have proven expertise in their sport
• Create content that actually connects
• Influence buying decisions through trust, not hype
• Represent the future of creator‑driven sports marketing

These are the fishers who don’t just land fish: they teach, inspire, and influence.

1. Tim Moore

2. Rain Stewart Williams

3. Maggie Carsello

4. Xavier Howard

5. Rachel Pageau

6. Carl

7. Andrew Flair

8. Jonathan Barzacchini

9. Justin Rackley

10. Keith Rose-Innes

11. Elizabeth Evans

12. Brandon Mayes

13. Marina Dombaj

14. Fergus Kelley

15. Benny Schuman

16. Catherine Sayce

17. Loren Johnson

18. Jordan Lee

19. Mark Daniels Jr.

20. Hannah Barron

21. Myishia Renee

22. Westin Smith

23. Ryan Rodriguez

24. Cindy Nguyen

25. Keith Poche

26. Steffen Hambsch

27. Benny Schuman

28. Tramell Vickers

29. Dalton

30. Tripp Piperi

31. Lazaro Guerra

32. Brian Latimer

33. Kevin VanDam

34. Andrew Hayes

35. Dustin Connell

36. Tyler Haven

37. Whitney Rushton

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What winning looks like in the creator‑athlete era

The future of sports marketing belongs to athletes who bring both sides of the equation: performance that earns respect and storytelling that earns attention. Brands that embrace this shift will build deeper loyalty and more durable growth than those still relying on old playbooks.

Fishermen and fisher women are just the start. Every corner of the outdoor world is full of athletes who can do the thing and share the thing: climbers, skiers, runners, surfers, hikers. This series will spotlight them all. And for brands ready to activate creators who actually move people, this is your starting line.

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