Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 594 is my conversation with Capt. Debbie Hanson, an award-winning fishing writer, licensed captain, and marine conservation advocate. Debbie has built a career at the intersection of outdoor adventure and storytelling, writing award-winning books and articles, teaching others to fish, and pushing for sustainable practices on the water. We talk about how she became a professional outdoor writer, what it takes to teach fishing well, and why protecting marine resources matters more now than ever.
Listen now: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · YouTube · press play in the player above to watch.
Capt. Debbie Hanson is an award-winning writer, fishing expert, and licensed captain who has dedicated her career to outdoor storytelling and marine conservation. She writes books and articles about fishing, teaches others sustainable angling practices, and advocates for protecting marine ecosystems through her writing.
Debbie Hanson writes award-winning books and articles about fishing that combine hands-on expertise with storytelling. Her work focuses on education, sustainable practices, and marine conservation, and aims to make fishing approachable for anglers of every skill level.
Debbie advocates for sustainable fishing through both her writing and hands-on instruction. She focuses on practical conservation methods individual anglers can adopt, emphasizing responsible techniques and stewardship that protect marine ecosystems for future generations.
Debbie structures her time to keep both an active writing career and regular days on the water. In the episode she talks about the discipline it takes to balance content creation with actually living the fishing life that fuels her writing.
Marine conservation is central to Debbie's work because she believes in protecting fishing resources for future generations. She uses her platform as a writer and educator to raise awareness of threats facing marine ecosystems and to promote specific, actionable conservation practices.
Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 594 with Capt. Debbie Hanson is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and iHeartRadio. The video version is embedded at the top of this page.
I have known a lot of fishing writers over the years, but Debbie brings something different to the table. She is not just documenting the sport from behind a desk; she is a licensed captain who is actively shaping how people think about fishing, teach it, and protect it. I wanted her on the show because the best outdoor writers are the ones who are genuinely living the life they write about, and Debbie's commitment to conservation and teaching is exactly the kind of thing I want listeners to hear.
Press play in the YouTube player at the top of this page to hear the whole conversation in their own words.
Not every outdoor writer starts with a journalism degree and a clear path. Debbie walks me through how she went from passionate angler to published, award-winning author, and the discipline it took to write the kind of fishing content that actually wins awards. She gets into what separates good fishing writing from work that truly lands with readers. Listen to her explain the early part of that journey in the episode.
For Debbie, fishing is not just about the catch; it is about protecting the resource. She gets specific about the state of our fisheries, the threats facing marine ecosystems, and what individual anglers can actually do. She does not preach in abstractions, she names practices and mindset shifts that lead to real stewardship. Hear that part of the conversation in her own words.
Listen to the full conversation: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · or watch in the YouTube player at the top of this page.
Debbie does not just write about fishing, she teaches it. In this stretch she talks about breaking complex techniques into understandable steps, adapting to different skill levels, and how teaching forced the clarity that made her a better writer. The parallels she draws between instruction and storytelling are worth the listen. Press play in the player above to hear it.
Every outdoor writer faces the same paradox: you have to be on the water to have something to write about, but you have to be at the desk to write it. Debbie shares how she structures her time, protects her creative process, and makes sure she is living the life she is writing about. It is a real conversation about prioritization and staying true to your passion.
What stuck with me after talking to Debbie is that the people who do the best work in any field are the ones actually living it. She is not theorizing about fishing or conservation from a distance, she is out there teaching, writing, and advocating at the same time.
Her commitment to conservation is not performative. It is practical, actionable stewardship that comes from genuinely loving the resource and wanting to see it last. That is rare, and it is the part of this conversation I keep coming back to.
Press play in the player above, or grab the full episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
The Tom Rowland Podcast brings you long-form conversations with the most accomplished anglers, hunters, conservationists, and outdoor professionals in the game. Listen to every full-length Tom Rowland Podcast interview.
Capt. Debbie Hanson · Tom Rowland Podcast · marine conservation · sustainable fishing
Capt. Debbie Hanson is an award-winning writer, fishing expert, and licensed captain who has built her career at the intersection of outdoor adventure and professional storytelling. She combines hands-on fishing expertise with compelling narrative to create books and articles that educate and inspire anglers, with a strong focus on marine conservation and sustainable fishing practices. She is passionate about teaching others both the technical skills of fishing and the importance of protecting marine resources, and she is a respected voice in the fishing community advocating for responsible stewardship.
Subscribe to get the latest episodes, show notes, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.