Angler aims to make a reel difference To mark World Rivers Day tomorrow (Sunday 27 September), Emily Bright asks ROYCE RAILEY about his US TV show and how angling became his vocation
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S the rippling currents of the Chattahoochee River in the US state of Georgia lapped against his motorboat, angler Royce Railey’s rod bent from the fight of a feisty fish. The fivepound striped bass landed in the boat, with scales that gleamed in the sunshine. That catch of the day contender, filmed last year for Royce’s show Tight Line Fishing TV, could be one for the highlights reel. Filming is under way for the fourth series of the show, which is broadcast in the US on the Christian Television Network. ‘The idea is to teach techniques that people can duplicate wherever they fish,’ explains Royce. ‘Probably about 75 per cent of what I do is bass fishing. But Tight Line Fishing TV has also done some saltwater shows, and we’ve done one trout fishing show from the streams up in the higher reaches of north Georgia.’ But the programmes contain something a bit different from many other fishing programmes. ‘In the middle of every show, I take three minutes to share the gospel,’ says Royce. Tight Line Fishing TV is only one angle of Royce’s vocation. He runs Christian outreach organisation Go Fish Ministries, which emerged out of his lifelong passion for fishing and faith. ‘I’ve loved to fish my whole life,’ he enthuses. ‘I started when I was about four years old and began competing
I’ve loved to fish my whole life
in bass fishing tournaments in high school. ‘I was a youth pastor for about 21 years. Then my wife and I came to a crossroads in student ministry, and we felt like God was telling us to share Christ through the platform of fishing and the outdoors. So in April 2011, we started Go Fish Ministries.’ One line of Go Fish Ministries’ work takes place in prisons in partnership with a Christian organisation based in North Carolina called Forgiven Ministries. ‘Forgiven Ministries run a One Day with God camp, where they teach 25 inmates about how to build integrity, love and leadership as a father,’ says Royce. ‘The reward for doing the course is that the inmates’ children get to come to the prison and spend all day with them. I’ve helped out on those days and I get to teach children about fishing and share the gospel with them.’ Despite coronavirus complications, Royce is keen to continue communicating his faith to prisoners. ‘We can’t get into prisons to do ministry right now, so we’ve sent a USB flash drive of seasons of Tight Line TV to
Royce runs children’s camps during the summer
Royce with his daughters 10 • War Cry • 26 September 2020