Mike Conner

Mike Conner has lived in Florida since 1963, and just recently relocated to Young Harris, Georgia, with his wife, Michelle. He has held a U.S. Coast Guard 6-pack Captain’s License for more than 30 years and guided fly and light-tackle anglers on Biscayne Bay, Florida Bay, and most recently on the Indian River Lagoon as a resident of Stuart, Florida.

Mike was an editorial staffer at Florida Sportsman magazine from 1998 until 2012, and was executive editor of the magazine’s sister publication, Shallow Water Angler. He also served as an on-camera host for the magazines’ television shows. He is a royalty fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants, with four trademarked saltwater patterns.

Mike is presently Florida Sportsman’s conservation editor and staff freelancer. His credits also appear in Saltwater Sportsman’s online edition, and past work appeared in Fly Fishing in Saltwaters, Fly Fusion, Fly Fisherman, and Fly Rod & Reel. He served as executive director of the Indian Riverkeeper, part of the global Waterkeeper’s Alliance from 2020 until June, 2022. Mike was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for editorial work from the Florida Outdoor Writers Association (FOWA).