By Judaea Ingram
Staff Writer
On a humid July morning in 2020, the docks of Morehead City hummed with pre-tournament excitement. Among the anglers readying their boats stood a team unlike any before — an all-Black, all-female crew from North Carolina, setting out not only to fish, but to make history.
“People weren’t sure what to make of us,” one angler recalled. “By the end of the weekend, they knew exactly who the Ebony Anglers were.”
The team, Gia Peebles, Lesleigh Mausi, Glenda Turner, and Tiana Davis, didn’t set out to become symbols of representation. What began as a conversation among friends during the pandemic evolved into a mission to challenge perceptions, inspire youth, and claim space in a sport that rarely reflected their faces.
Each member discovered fishing differently. Peebles through her husband, Mausi as a way to stay connected to her late father, Turner through childhood adventures, and Davis seeking a new challenge.
Formed in June 2020, the Ebony Anglers stepped into uncharted waters. “We went in with a sense of pride, a sense of purpose, and maybe a little bit of pressure,” said Peebles.
Their first competition, just 30 days after forming, ended in victory and launched them into the national spotlight. “When we went viral, we realized this was more than just us putting our rods in the water. We were representing something bigger,” said Mausi.
Sportfishing is often seen as a pastime for older white men with deep pockets and boats. The Ebony Anglers’ arrival changed that image. In sleek embroidered uniforms, they stood out not just for their appearance, but for how they carried themselves.
Their professionalism drew attention from The New York Times and Good Morning America, but the team focused on impact. Feedback from parents and youth inspired the Ebony Anglers Foundation, which teaches children, particularly youth of color, about fishing, boating, and leadership.
Through programs such as Black Girls Fish and Black Boys Boat, supported by national grants, the team has introduced hundreds of children to boating, fishing and environmental stewardship, often in areas many had never explored before. In 2024, they went global, competing in Barbados and hosting their first international youth fishing camp.
“Few of the kids had imagined making a career of fishing,” Davis said. “We were there to show them what’s possible.”
The impact they are making extends far beyond what any of them could have imagined five years ago.
Breaking barriers has not been without challenges. Finding charter captains who take them seriously remains difficult. “We don’t look like the typical anglers they’re used to seeing,” said Turner, “so it takes time to build relationships.”
The team’s unity is their greatest strength. They have laughed together, cried together, and weathered tough moments side by side. Through it all, they have built a foundation of trust and accountability. When they are out on the water in rough conditions, they rely on that bond, a connection that has grown into a genuine sisterhood.
Reeling in the fish can be grueling work. Their arms ache, their muscles tremble, and sometimes the urge to give up creeps in. But then they hear their teammates’ voices encouraging them, reminding them that they can do it, and they push through. That is what keeps them going.
Mausi echoed that bond, recalling how the team rallied around her during major surgery in 2023. “Even when I couldn’t be out there, I was cheering them on. That’s a level of sisterhood that goes beyond the boat,” she said.
The Ebony Anglers’ presence in competitive fishing is more than symbolic. They do not show up just to fish; they show up to affirm that they belong in this space. To them, the outdoors are for everyone, and they are determined to claim their place within it.
Their visibility encourages others of color to enter spaces once considered off-limits. Representation matters, but access matters even more. They want the next generation not only to see them, but also to understand how to follow in their footsteps. They look forward to the day when Black men and women are out on the water in greater numbers, chartering, leading, and captaining their own boats.
Now approaching their sixth year, the Ebony Anglers continue competing in regional and international tournaments while expanding community programs. From Morehead City to Barbados, they show that breaking the mold is not just about winning; it is about who gets to cast a line.
