Michael Fowlkes
Writer/Producer/Director
Executive Producer, writer and director of the critically acclaimed Fox Sports/Prime Video award-winning television series, Inside Sportfishing, Michael has been in film and television production since graduating Orange Coast College Film School in 1976. Michael went on to produce original programming for National Geographic, Showtime, The Movie Channel, Disney, Discovery, Paramount Pictures and ABC Sports, delivering a number of ACE Award-winning specials featuring Super Bowl winning Coach Pete Carroll, the National Football League’s MVP LaDainian Tomlinson, and comedians Howie Mandel and Leo Gallagher.
In 1989, Michael secured the Ford Motor Company and Shimano America as title sponsors and created the new television series Inside Sportfishing, which became the longest-running, highest-rated fishing shows in the history of Fox Sports. On-air for 27 consecutive years, the series is now streaming on Amazon Prime. https://www.amazon.com/v/insidesportfishing
Michael’s unique story-telling abilities transported audiences to locations around the world and made Inside Sportfishing into one of the most watched and iconic fishing show in history. The series has been recognized with 27 International Telly Awards for broadcast excellence, as well being awarded Best Fishing Show of the Year by the Outdoor Writers Association of America. He earned his Professorship in Communications from the State of California, has fished his entire life, grew-up working the sport boats, is a United States Coast Guard Licensed Captain, and an Amazon #1 Best Selling author for his thrillers Perfect Bait and The Spa
Tami Ebbets Hahn
Archivist/Researcher/Writer
Tami grew up fishing the waters of south Florida. She is the foremost authority on the life and work of her father, famed American photographer Charles C. Ebbets. Mr. Ebbets authored a remarkable collection of images during his 50+ year career as a professional photographer, including the iconic “Men On A Beam” photograph of eleven ironworkers at Rockefeller Center taken during the Great Depression in 1932. Mr. Ebbets spent his entire life as a part of both the freshwater and saltwater fishing communities across the U.S. As a pioneer of Florida’s salt water fly fishing, he counted many of the sport’s founders among his friends, including icons such as Joe Brooks, Ted Williams, Lefty Kreh, and Curt Gowdy.
He founded and led the City of Miami Publicity Department for nearly two decades and also served on the Board of Directors of the famed Miami Metropolitan Fishing Tournament for 16 years. His fishing-related photographs include legends of the sport, television and film celebrities, international dignitaries, and 4 U.S. Presidents. Many of these images have never before been published and offer a rare visual history of the growth of Sportfishing from the 1930s-1970s.
As founder and curator of the Ebbets Estate Photographic Archives, and President of Ebbets Photo-Graphics, LLC, Ms. Hahn has spent the past eighteen years researching, cataloging and licensing more than 20,000 historic images from the collection. She has now brought that vast collection of vintage fishing photography to this project, giving the Company an unprecedented collection of extraordinary professional images to draw from in presenting content. Tami works as a production consultant and researcher for film and print media projects, and her detailed research, extensive library of materials, and having come from a third generation Florida fishing family have combined with her writing skills to bring a depth and continuity to the series few others could achieve.
Bennett Talsky
Executive Producer
Bennett Talsky is a seasoned executive producer with a deep-rooted connection to the world of fishing and a passion for storytelling. Growing up on Catalina Island, Bennett's childhood was immersed in the beauty of the ocean and the thrill of fishing. At the age of 10, he began working for his family's boat rental and fishing tackle business, Joe's Rent-A-Boat, where he gained invaluable hands-on experience and developed a profound appreciation for the sport.
After completing high school, Bennett ventured to Hollywood to pursue a career in the motion picture industry, inspired by his father's success as a renowned costume designer. While navigating the industry, he also pursued his college education. However, destiny led him to explore other avenues, and he embarked on a successful career in the construction industry.
In recent years, Bennett has rekindled his passion for storytelling by delving into the world of television production. As an executive producer of two TV pilots, he has showcased his talent for bringing stories to life on the screen.
With his roots firmly planted in the fishing community and a lifelong appreciation for the art of storytelling, Bennett is dedicated to creating this remarkable series that will engage and inspire audiences around the world. Through his role as an executive producer, he aims to celebrate the beauty of fishing, shed light on its cultural significance, honor the passion of anglers throughout history, and promote sustainability within the sport.
Dr. Terry Battisti
Outdoor Writer - Bass Historian
Dr. Terry Battisti started fishing in 1968 at the age of four and by the time he was 10 years old was completely bitten by the bass bug. In 1978 he started his first job at Bob’s Fishing Tackle in Norwalk making custom rods and learning all he could about the industry. That same year he joined his first bass club starting down the road of tournament bass fishing.
Terry competed in club and local team events until he went to college to study chemical engineering. After graduating from California State University Long Beach, he went to graduate school in northern Idaho. After attaining his graduate degree, he moved to southern Idaho to start his career – but fishing was always his main passion. Within a couple months of moving, he had bought a boat, joined a local club and began fishing local team events. He then began fishing the Idaho BASS Federation where he placed fourth in AOY points in 2001 and was Angler of the Year in 2005.
In 2001 Terry began writing for a number of bass magazines and websites including Bass West, In-Fisherman, Bass Fan, Bassmaster Magazine, The PAA, Inside Line and others. Over the past two decades, Terry has become an acknowledged expert in just about every topic related to bass fishing and has authored over 1000 publications in major fishing magazines and websites. In 2012 he started his own website, The Bass Fishing Archives, where he writes about the history of bass fishing and the preservation of the sport.
Chase Offield
Executive Producer
The Offield Center for Billfish Studies has been conducting groundbreaking research on marlin species since 2000 and has grown into the largest billfish program in the world with over 500 satellite popup tags deployed on marlin around the globe. Founded by Chase's father, conservationist Paxson Offield, the OCBS continues its global efforts to study and aid in efforts to track the migration and populations of billfish worldwide.
The Offield Center for Billfish Studies initial focus was on striped marlin throughout the Pacific, but recent years have seen the program widen its focus to include black marlin and, more recently, blue marlin. Tagging sites include Ghana, Madeira, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, California, Mexico, Panama, Ecuador, Costa Rica, New Zealand and Australia. OCBS collaborates with other organizations such as the The Billfish Foundation and the International Game Fishing Association, as well as noted scientists all over the world.
Chase carries on the work started by his father, and is involved in conservation work in places all around the globe.
Chase delved into sport fishing at a young age on California's Catalina Island-- catching striped marlin, white sea bass, tuna, and other species. The young Offield also developed a lifelong affinity for fisheries conservation and science and ethical angling practices.
The family launched the Offield Center for Billfish Studies where they teamed with fishing friends to deploy satellite tags in pelagic fish in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, the Galapagos Islands, Tahiti and the U.S. Their research was integral in the early testing of satellite pop-up tags, SPOT tags, and studies of post-release mortality using circle hooks versus j-hooks.
The Offields were early supporters of the IGFA Great Marlin Race and continue to help grow the program.
Chase enjoys fishing with friends as well as high-level tournament competition. As a past chairman and two-time winner of the International Masters Angling Tournament, Chase believes the event is the ultimate test in angling that strictly adheres to IGFA rules.
Stuart Christensen
Producer/Co-Director/Editor/Videographer
Stuart is a multimedia specialsit and photo/video/audio/editor/3D/Web graphics pro. He is currently a support specialist for this project and lends a hand for anything that needs to be done. As a sailor, he feels best when on a boat and is intrigued with all things aquatic.