Leiza Fitzgerald
At Large
Sarasota, Florida
Captain Leiza Fitzgerald grew up in Key West and in the woods of Moss Bluff, Florida, learning her passion for fishing, hunting, and conservation from her parents, cultivating these passions into a 30-year career in the outdoor industry. Leiza is a retired charter fishing captain, prize-winning competitive redfish, kingfish & tarpon tournament angler, television, radio, and podcast show co-host, “Top Gun” fishing instructor, and fishing coach as well as authoring national and local magazine and newspaper fishing articles.
Leiza was named by Salt Strong as one of the top 12 lady anglers in Florida and Wildlife Enthusiast Magazine named her one of North America’s 30 most influential women in fishing (top 5 in Saltwater) in 2019. In 2022, she was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame as the first angler athlete in their history.
As the Director of The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Florida’s STAR competition, Leiza oversees CCA’s highest-profile event and Florida’s largest family fishing competition. Under her leadership, the STAR competition launched in Florida in 2015 focusing on conservation through the use of technology and a catch, photo, and release format. The competition has over 7,500 anglers who fish STAR annually.
Affectionately known as “The Queen of Conservation” Leiza travels the country promoting the conservation of our marine resources, releasing redfish, and educating the general public on how to be good stewards of Florida’s marine resources.