Renowned angler and guide Carter ‘Big Boy’ Andrews is plagued by a single obsession: fishing. He simply cannot remember a time when fishing was not the driving focus of his life.
Growing up in Tennessee farm country, Carter spent countless hours on the local ponds, and fast became a dangerous quantity with a spinning rig and bait-caster. With dreams of becoming a tournament bass angler fixed in his mind, he would likely be on the bass circuit today had a fellow angler not one day put a fly rod in his hand. Carter soon moved West to make his mark on the fly fishing scene. In Wyoming, he started guiding the fabled lakes and rivers of the Rocky Mountains for giant trout and smallmouth bass.
In short order, Carter had a fly-fishing resume that read like a Hall of Famer’s: three wins of the Jackson Hole One Fly, countless video and print references, a keystone spot on the US Fly Fishing Team… but it was a trip to the Bahamas that introduced ‘Big Boy’ to the great big world of destination saltwater angling. For the next decade he would help build fishing lodges, train guides, and lead exploratory fishing expeditions, not only in the Bahamas but across the globe. Carter became the cover shot of nearly every saltwater and fishing magazine in print, and he grew to be a favored guest on fishing shows and videos and is likely best known for his dozen appearances alongside dear friend Jose Wejebe on TV’s Spanish Fly.
After years in the Bahamas, Carter followed his passion to new waters and new species. Now in his 4th year as Director of Fishing for Islas Secas Resort in Panama, Carter now targets the full spectrum of saltwater game fish, and he does so across the disciplines. Whether trolling bait for Marlin, casting plugs for Dorado, or busting fly tackle on epic Yellowfin, Carter continues to go big. By splitting the year between Panama and his ranch in Jackson, Wyoming, Carter manages nearly 300 days of fishing annually, and he has earned the reputation of being the most ‘complete’ angler on the water today.
Beside him every step of the way are wife Heidi and daughters Payton and Haley, who are enjoying quite an adventure on the bow-wave of their Dad’s sporting prowess. Whether catching snakes and snorkeling in Panama, horseback riding in Wyoming, or exploring the world’s great fisheries, the Andrews girls love where this life is taking them.