Mighty Waters Elevation Outdoors Magazine

On February 1, Simms Fishing Products, in collaboration with co-sponsors Costa and American Museum of Fly Fishing, announced the public launch of the award-winning film, Mighty Waters.

Debuted at the 2021 Fly Fishing Film Tour, the timely public release comes at the start of Black History Month (February 1-February 28), a month dedicated to celebrating and honoring the achievements of African Americans, as Might Waters depicts the life, legacy, and philosophy of Ansil Saunders — a man whose life-long dedication to justice and equality inspired one of the most significant civil rights leaders in history.

Born and raised on the island of Bimini, Ansil ranks as not only one the most revered guides in the Bahamas, he’s a world-record holder, and a bonefish legend in his own right. Unlike the skinny waters that surround his island home, the story of Ansil runs deep.

Ansil’s humble, modest, and unassuming nature kept his story confined for far too long which is why filmmaker, Shannon Vandivier, felt overwhelmingly compelled to tell it. “When I first heard Ansil’s story, I knew it was a story the world should hear. Really, it’s everything about him. From the way he speaks to others and how he guides his clients on the flats, to his passionate pursuit for social justice. Everything about how he lives his day-to-day life is just so authentically good,” says Vandivier. “Ansil chose a path in life where wealth isn’t measured in dollars and cents, but rather how he spends his time. He has chosen to spend his currency of time by helping and inspiring as many people as he can — Martin Luther King Jr. included. I know for me personally, the Mighty Waters project, and specifically Ansil, have completely changed how I define wealth and what it actually means to be wealthy.”

The film was also acknowledged at several film festivals, winning the Social Awareness Award at the Wasatch Mountain Film Festival and the Platinum Award at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival.

Mighty Waters conveys Ansil’s powerful message of hope, peace and humanity in a way that inspires and empowers. It’s a film that takes viewers on an eye-opening journey that proves profoundly positive impacts can come from the smallest, most unassuming places. “As a fishing brand, we don’t always get to tell stories that resonate with anglers and non-anglers alike. Mighty Waters is an inspiring exception,” says Simms CMO, Strick Walker. “Ansil Saunders is a hero. His story is compelling and unifying, whether or not you fish.”