My Master Angler Quest, Final Two

As many of you know from posts on Facebook and from talking to me, a huge life goal of mine has been to be the first to catch every species in the Vermont Master Angler Program. Since the program launched in 2010 I have set out on this goal. So far I have been quite successful at it: out of the 33 species, I have caught 31. It is a quest that I have been on now for 7 years and I am almost at the end, and I think I can get there but I need a little help. 

I work as a paraeducator in a middle school. I love my job helping kids become better learners. I am pretty good at it too. Unfortunately, I don't make a lot of money doing it, but I end up with a lot of free time. During the summer this works out well because I can guide, but during the winter it is a different story. I have from February 25 to March 7 off and I unfortunately don't get paid for any of that time off. 

That time off does allow me to pursue the final two species that I need to get through the program: the lake whitefish and the pike/pickerel hybrid. I have become an avid ice fisherman and with that time I would like to complete this goal. Help with paying for gas, bait and food as well as some car repairs would really make a difference for me. 

I would not normally ask for help with this but I am so close to completing this goal and I really can't think of much else right now.  I would like to start considering my next steps in life but I really have to get this done. Why is this that important to me? That is simple: I want a fishing legacy in Vermont. I currently hold a state record fish and have clients with world records. Records can and will be broken. Only one person can be the first to do something and I am so close I can taste it. 

I would appreciate any help that my friends are willing to offer. For anyone that does help me out I will write a personal letter on the back of one of my many Vermont Master Angler species certificates and mail it to you as a thank you. If you are a client and were going to book a trip with me this coming year, I would be happy to take your donation off the trip total as a thank you. 

I really appreciate all of the thoughts, help and encouragement so many of you have had with this process over the past 7 years. This is the final hurdle and your help will let me get there!  

Thank you in advance!

Drew