Welcome to the Catch: Catching Fish, Changing Lives
Will Dunn knows there’s no better way to connect with a kid than through the shared joy of fishing. That’s why the tire salesman-turned-mentor founded the non-profit Take A Kid Fishing, and why he spends his weekends with Florida’s foster children, casting lines and reeling in life lessons.
4 Min Watch | Fishing

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[00:00:00.00] [MUSIC PLAYING]

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[00:00:01.73] A motorboat slices through the calm lake water.

[00:00:06.54] The sun rises in the early morning, tinging the sky with hues of pale pink and pastel yellow.

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[00:00:12.09] Should be some fish up in this grass.

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[00:00:13.52] Four fisherman cast their lines amid lily pads and reeds.. Text, L.L. Bean presents.

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[00:00:19.02] Nice fish there. Nice quality there, boy.

[00:00:22.23] That's a good one.

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[00:00:23.59] An Origin Production.

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[00:00:25.16] Healthy fish. Nice release on him.

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[00:00:28.28] Drops the fish back into the lake.

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[00:00:30.57] All right, guys, they're down there.

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[00:00:33.14] Text, Catching Fish, Changing Lives.

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[00:00:36.02] While I was raised in Miami, I come from a pretty rough school area, was in a lot of trouble when I was young. I was actually shot in '93, struck by lightning, bit by a rattlesnake. I just decided that it was time for me to change my life around, start helping others, and living right. Good job, man.

[00:00:57.11] Yes, sir.

[00:00:57.86] My dad had a lobster business in the late '70s in the Keys, and I was raised on a boat from nine years old, pretty much all my life.

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[00:01:07.37] Since 2005, Will has given over 1,500 underprivileged kids the opportunity to learn how to fish.

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[00:01:14.71] I have a neighbor that I lived next to for 12 years, and the little boy was fatherless. And I just started taking him fishing, and I just seen what it did for him and I wanted to start doing it for other boys and young ladies. A lot of them never been on the water before, ever hold a fishing rod, never caught a fish. And it blesses me every day that I could wake up every morning at 54 years old and be able to take these kids out, and like I said, show them life experience and showing them that somebody loves them.

[00:01:44.51] You remember that one time I caught that big mackerel?

[00:01:46.69] Yeah, that was a nice fish. Man, it was the biggest one on the boat.

[00:01:49.24] Yeah.

[00:01:50.11] They were biting that day.

[00:01:51.50] Bad.

[00:01:52.24] I think you caught the biggest fish out of the whole trip.

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[00:01:54.04] Camran Delong.

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[00:01:55.60] Will to me is like my father. He's always there for me if I need something. He's a great man.

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[00:02:02.50] Tye Harriell.

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[00:02:04.48] I was living in a children's home and they invited us to go fishing on this boat, teaching us how to use the rod. He got a real good heart. He cared for people a lot.

[00:02:12.46] See how I got this loop right here?

[00:02:14.39] Yeah.

[00:02:15.02] Just go back through it. Well, the kids that we take out, it boosts their morale when you just tell them that you care for them, you're there for them that day if they need anything.

[00:02:25.79] [LAUGHTER]

[00:02:27.03] Oh, my God.

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[00:02:27.84] Tye Harriell reels one in.

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[00:02:29.57] When we go out, we joke a lot on the way to the trips, we joke a lot on the water.

[00:02:33.46] [INAUDIBLE]

[00:02:33.92] Yes, sir.

[00:02:34.69] Want to give him a kiss?

[00:02:35.40] No, I'm straight.

[00:02:36.17] We just go out and have a good time.

[00:02:38.66] You just tapped the side of my rod.

[00:02:40.55] [LAUGHTER]

[00:02:41.81] Man. They've both become really good fishermen in the last two years.

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[00:02:46.79] The guys stand in the boat and cast their rods.

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[00:02:49.45] He taught me patience, because you got to be patient when you're trying to catch a fish. It takes time.

[00:02:55.70] [MUSIC PLAYING]

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[00:02:57.59] Tye holds his line steady.

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[00:02:59.66] Look, ones after mine. Look. Got it. Go. Got it.

[00:03:02.12] It feels good to have a fish on the line. Your adrenaline gets to pumping, and you just trying to get it in.

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[00:03:08.75] Tye hooks another one.

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[00:03:10.52] It just keeps getting bigger and bigger, and my heart just keeps getting bigger and bigger. There's no limit. It's definitely awesome.

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[00:03:17.91] He reels the fish in.

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[00:03:19.43] He showed me that you should give back to the community, and show respect to other people, and bring them out fishing too.

[00:03:26.78] Nice fish, bro.

[00:03:28.28] It could change your life in a lot of ways, like just having somebody there for you, it always feels good.

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[00:03:33.87] Enjoying the campfire.

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[00:03:34.98] [INTERPOSING VOICES]

[00:03:36.72] Oh, that's a nice fish.

[00:03:37.90] Let go. Let go. Let go.

[00:03:39.35] [LAUGHTER]

[00:03:40.81] Woo-hoo.

[00:03:41.78] Hey.

[00:03:42.27] Hey.

[00:03:43.18] Hey.

[00:03:44.34] That's the way to save him, bro.

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[00:03:46.19] Logo, L.L. Bean.

[00:03:49.06] Tagline, Be an Outsider