Hello Philippe, can you introduce yourself to the readers of Fishing.news ?
Philippe Bernard - Hello, my name is Philippe, recently forty years old, I come from and live in Alsace. I am a teacher by profession, and in my free time I am also in charge of the fishery management of a fishing camp in Lapland: "North&Pike Advendure".
Passionate about fishing, I like to escape to the water's edge to track down predators, only with flies and lures: of a hyperactive nature, much to my wife's displeasure, I have trouble staying put, it is essential for me to practice dynamic fishing.
Dinosaur of the Fiiish brand ambassadors, I had the chance to see this brand grow and evolve since I've been part of this great team for more than 10 years now!
Can you tell us about your early days in fishing?
Philippe Bernard - With pleasure. Self-taught, my background is rather atypical since no one in my family is a fisherman. I remember my beginnings, as a kid, waiting at the water's edge with a stick as a rod and a rock as a bait. Expectant or saddened, I still don't know, my parents offered me my first fishing rod for my 5th birthday.
Since then, I have fallen into the cauldron, in constant search of the elaboration of a winning potion. Experience has shown me that luck alone is not enough to succeed in fishing. This success is a combination of several factors such as the analysis which will lead to a tactical plan, and the reflection aiming at proposing the best technique of attack.
In short, finding the winning pattern is not always easy, our knowledge is never fixed, questioning is frequent and that's why I love my passion so much.
When, how and why did you agree to be a Pro-Staff?
- This story calls up distant memories! I remember an advertisement in a magazine where the company Fiiish was looking for Pro-Staff to make its products known and developed. This was in no way a goal for me, nor was it a goal or a need for recognition. My first objective in fishing was and will always be to have fun. In short, intrigued, I answered this questionnaire mixing writing and reflections, by attaching a certain number of photos requested. From memory, only 5 candidates were selected among hundreds of answers, and I was lucky enough to be one of those 5.
It was curiosity that led me to apply for an ambassador position. Then, the fact of contributing my knowledge and participating in the development of a product within a brand that reflects your values are elements that pushed me to continue to invest myself in my role!
What does being an ambassador mean to you?
Philippe Bernard - Above all, an ambassador is a passionate person. It is to like to transmit his passion and to share his knowledge in an objective of evolution of the brand.
It requires investment and time. It is to go to the water's edge with the objective not to catch fish but to test the swim of a lure and to think about possible improvements. Personally, I see it as a chance to have in my hands some prototypes to test them. Another great role of the ambassador is to participate in the promotion of the brand. Through competitions, reports and other photo publications, the idea is to promote the equipment for commercial purposes.
What is your best memory, or anecdote, as a Pro-Staff to share with our readers?
Philippe Bernard - It goes back to 7-8 years ago. It was an improbable fishing action, a once-in-a-lifetime line strike: a double of 115 cm and 117 cm pike in two casts while testing a new size of Black Minnow! I still remember my euphoric call to Romain (Community Manager of the Fiiish brand) to tell him the news!
How do you see the fishing industry in France?
Philippe Bernard - My look and my vision on the future of fishing in France are not necessarily the most optimistic. Our passion is not recognized at its true value. Regularly decried, it is now suffering. Without being reductive, we are still too often seen as insane, drunkards and alcoholics. Many forget or are not aware of our role which is also that of sentinel of the environment and sport fisherman.
This pejorative vision is reinforced by the advent of various ecological associations, whose objective is to restrict our freedoms to arrive, one day surely, at a deprivation. The fishermen shoot themselves in the foot: with more than 1.5 million fishermen, economic stakes not negligible, we are unable to be heard and to represent us.
This is probably due to a policy led by the FNPF that I find questionable, but it may also be due to certain representatives of our activities, such as the Pro-Staff, who are more obsessed with a sick need to take center stage by showing off with beautiful catches than to put their skills at the service of the demystification of our passion and sharingâeuros¦
Any advice for anglers who want to join a Pro-Staff team one day?
Philippe Bernard - Go for a brand that shares your values and philosophy. Always be humble, you are and will remain "just a fisherman", the stakes and commercial pressures that some companies may impose on you should not make you forget the reason why you came to the water!
