Ryan Hanks is an angler whose fishing life spans two very different worlds, the freshwater of Georgia's Lake Lanier and the brutal saltwater pursuit of giant trevally in Australia. On this episode of the Tom Rowland Podcast, he tells me how he learned to fish one of the South's most popular lakes, what it is like to chase one of the hardest-fighting fish in the ocean halfway around the world, and how those experiences sharpen each other. It is a conversation about range, adventure, and the obsession that pulls anglers across the planet.
Ryan Hanks is an angler with experience that ranges from fishing Georgia's Lake Lanier to traveling internationally for big-game saltwater species like giant trevally in Australia. He brings a broad perspective shaped by both freshwater and demanding saltwater fishing.
Lake Lanier is a large, popular reservoir in Georgia known for its fishing, particularly its spotted and largemouth bass and striped bass. Hanks talks about learning the lake and what makes it a rewarding and challenging fishery.
Giant trevally, or GT, are among the most powerful and aggressive fish an angler can target. Hanks describes the physical, often punishing experience of chasing them in Australia and why they have such a reputation among serious anglers.
Hanks traveled to Australia to pursue giant trevally, a long way from his home waters on Lake Lanier. He talks about what drew him to that fishery and what the trip was actually like.
Hanks contrasts the finesse and familiarity of fishing a home lake with the raw power and intensity of saltwater giant trevally. He explains how skills and lessons carry between the two very different worlds.
Hanks talks about the obsession that pushes anglers to travel across the world for a single species, the challenge, the adventure, and the pull of testing yourself against the toughest fish out there.
One of my favorite things about fishing is its range, the same passion can have you on a quiet Georgia lake one month and bracing against a giant trevally on the other side of the world the next. Ryan Hanks lives in both of those worlds, and I wanted to hear how he moves between them. The contrast between Lake Lanier and chasing GTs in Australia is exactly the kind of story that reminds me how far this obsession can take you.
Lake Lanier is a big, busy, rewarding fishery, and learning it takes time. Hanks talks about how he came to understand the lake and the species it holds, and what made it a foundation for the rest of his fishing. Listen to how he cracked the home water in the episode.
GTs are among the most punishing fish in the ocean, and Hanks does not sugarcoat what it takes to land one. He describes the power, the intensity, and the gear that gets tested to its limit. Hear him take you into the fight in the conversation.
Going from a Georgia lake to Australia for a single species says a lot about the pull of this sport. Hanks talks about the adventure and obsession that drive anglers to chase fish across the planet. Press play to hear what makes it worth the trip.
Hanks finds that the finesse of lake fishing and the brute force of saltwater GT fishing each make him better at the other. He explains how lessons carry between two very different worlds. Listen to his full take in the episode.
The day after this conversation, what stuck with me was the range of Ryan's fishing life. The same person who knows a Georgia lake intimately also braved one of the hardest saltwater fish on earth, and he sees them as part of the same pursuit.
The deeper lesson is that the more kinds of fishing you expose yourself to, the better an angler you become. Every new water and species teaches something that travels back home with you.
Listen to the whole thing. It is a great reminder of how far this sport can take you.
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.
Ryan Hanks is an angler whose experience spans freshwater fishing on Georgia's Lake Lanier and international big-game saltwater trips, including chasing giant trevally in Australia. That range gives him a broad perspective on the sport, from the finesse of a familiar home lake to the raw intensity of one of the ocean's hardest-fighting species. He represents the kind of angler whose obsession carries them across very different waters and around the world.
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