DUSTIN CATRETT
Dustin spent his childhood exploring the bass-rich orange grove ponds that once blanketed the central Florida landscape . At 16 , he headed east to hone his skills on redfish and sea trout in the famous Mosquito Lagoon . After high school , he attended college at night while working as an Environmental Specialist with the Florida DEP . He graduated with a B . S . degree in environmental science and is now a Senior Environmental Engineer in the Electric Utility industry . Dustin is a proud member of FOWA with works published in numerous wellknown magazines throughout Florida , Georgia , Alabama , and Texas , recently winning the Wrangler “ Get Inspired for the Great Outdoors ” National Outdoor writing and photography contest .
PHIL THOMPSON
Phil Thompson is a fourth-generation Floridian , the great grandson of homesteaders . Raised on the Alafia River and Tampa Bay , fishing was more requirement than family tradition . A diver at 14 , ocean racer at 22 , Phil combined his two loves sailing throughout the Florida Keys , Caribbean Sea , and Pacific Ocean . Settling in Key West , Phil ran fish and dive boats to the Marquesas and Dry Tortugas . Residing in Key West allowed Phil to cross the Straits of Florida and explore Cuba . He participated in numerous Hemingway Marlin Tournaments and traveled the island extensively . His fishing reports , articles , and short histories appear in Florida Sportsman , Coastal Angler , and GAFF magazines .
JOHN N . FELSHER
John is a professional freelance writer and photographer with more than 2,000 articles in more than 134 magazines to his credit . He contributes regularly to Alabama Living , GAFF , Great Days Outdoors , Texas Fish and Game , among others . He also co-hosts a weekly live outdoors radio show on WNSP Sports Radio 105.5 FM in Mobile , Alabama every Thursday and sends a syndicated recorded show to other stations in Alabama for broadcasting every Saturday . Beginning to write professionally at age 16 , Felsher served as the outdoors editor for four daily newspapers , one weekly newspaper and wrote syndicated columns in Louisiana and Arkansas . He is an active member of the Professional Outdoors Media Association and the Southeastern Outdoors Press Association .
TOM VAN HORN
Capt . Tom is a lifelong Florida native and angler who currently works as a freelance outdoor writer and owner of Mosquito Coast Communications . Tom is an active member of the Southeast Outdoor Press Association and the Florida Outdoor Writers Association and is the 2012 recipient of the Frank Philpott Conservation Award and 2014 Bass Pro Shop Pass It On Award for his work with the Anglers for Conservation and the Hook Kids on Fishing Program in Central Florida . In 2014 , the AFC Orlando Chapter introduced over 700 kids to fishing . As the current president of the AFC Orlando Chapter , Capt . Tom serves as a leader for the central and east Florida recreational angling community . hookedupdesigns . com OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2016 HOOKED UP 5