Miami Girl, 12, Reels in Fishing Fame with Multiple Records
Julia Bernstein, a 12-year-old girl from Miami, has made a splash in the fishing world by setting multiple state and world records in just a few months.
This weekend, Bernstein will accept the Fleming Species Award, the highest junior honor from the International Women's Fishing Association, for catching and releasing 37 different species of fish in 2023.
On January 5, the young angler set Florida Fish and Wildlife state records for cobia and mangrove snapper, as well as International Game Fish Association junior length records for red grouper, red snapper, and cobia (pending certification) while fishing off the Florida Keys.
Bernstein's fishing guide and boat captain, Dale Bittner, praised her determination and willpower when hooked up to a fish.
The tween's success is attributed to her strategic approach to each fishing trip. Bernstein's mother, Dr. Heidi Mason, who has four IGFA records herself, believes that fishing offers valuable character-building opportunities and hopes her daughter's achievements will inspire other girls and women to take up the sport.
Bernstein is committed to conservation, practicing catch-and-release to ensure the fish she catches can continue to grow and be enjoyed by others in the future.
As a straight-A student and accomplished sailor, Bernstein is proving that girls can compete on an equal footing with boys in the angling world, and her love for the sport is sure to inspire a new generation of young anglers.
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