17: Joe Carter Talks Racism in Sportfishing

Joe Carter is a professional walleye angler competing at the highest competitive level the sport offers, The National Walleye Tour. The NWT is the NFL, NBA or NHL of fishing, it does not get any bigger. He is also black, which in walleye tournament fishing makes Joe and Joe’s experiences quite unique.

In this podcast you hear Joe’s personal experiences 1st hand-in vivid detail of what he endured to learn how to fish as a black man in a predominantly white sport. Stories of rejection from fellow anglers, fishing clubs and online fishing partners who refused to get in the boat with him once they met him in person. Joe shares very personal human stories of growing up black and the challenges that face young people of color that a person that is not a minority may have trouble comprehending. Examples of police and border patrol harassment, being singled out and assumptions made by complete strangers most likely based on skin color. Other times- verbally accosted because of skin color. A chilling revelation of what he endured to become the family man he is today. Joe also shares how thru fishing he has made new friends, crossed perceived or real social and economic classes to help race understanding. How fishing raises humanity to a new height as despite differences, anglers share a passion and thru that passion there is insight into understanding each other better.

Joe’s day-job is a 6th grade school teacher living in a small Iowa town. He has a bi-racial family that is as driven to succeed in sport, two kids playing D1 athletics, life and human relations as he is.

Listen-up and we all will learn from Joe. His ability to find the positive among negative is one of his many gifts. How he uses his faith in God when stressed and avoids anger to find resolve.