Hello Goulven, can you introduce yourself to the readers of Fishing.news ?
Goulven Crehan -Hello, I am Goulven Crehan, I am 24 years old and I live in the most beautiful region of France, Brittany!
I am ambassador for the Shimano brand since 2021. I started by the search of trout and pike in central Brittany as a child. From now on, I dedicate myself to fishing sea bass and pollock with lures in the sea. It will also make two seasons that I discover the fishing of the bluefin tuna on hunting.
Can you tell us about your early days in fishing?
Goulven Crehan -Like many of us I started fishing by going roach fishing with my little rod. My grandparents had a private pond in which there were some carp and rainbow trout. It is thus with my father and my grandparents that I discovered fishing "with the throw" as we said. Then came adolescence, and the freedom to travel by bike to survey our countryside to discover all our rivers. I thus made my weapons on the many trout farios which inhabit these rivers.
The famous lake of Guerlédan being only a few minutes away from my parents and my dad having bought a boat, I was able to catch my first pikes in his company as well as my first pike-perch and perch ! What good memories when I think about it...
What's next? The driving license !!! The first car and the first weekends of fishing with friends in the 4 corners of France. Whether it was the pikes of Lake Geneva, the trouts of torrents or the lakes of the south-west, I was able to meet a large number of enthusiasts and discover a multitude of fishing techniques.
My studies then brought me to the Lorient area. I discovered sea fishing there and I haven't left since...
When, how and why did you agree to be a Pro-Staff?
Goulven Crehan -I started in 2016 by representing a fellow brand with whom the adventure had gone perfectly. Having greatly enjoyed this freshwater experience, but their products were no longer compatible with my sea fishing, I made the decision to stop the adventure.
One day of dreary winter weather, I was hanging out on Facebook when I came across this call for applications from Shimano France.
The advantage of wandering from left to right across France is that you have to put your equipment to the test. It is then easy to refine its tastes in the material in which we trust or not. The performance of the rods and reels of the brand having seduced me, it is thus quite naturally that I let myself be tempted by this experience.
I sent the form as well as my presentation video to the people in charge of recruitment in which I talked about my first Shimano spinning kit offered by my parents. It is necessary to believe that my passion for this brand was felt, because I am still in the adventure today with always this strength of conviction in the range of products. This one being very innovative and evolving day after day, I remain fully fulfilled in the selection of lures, reels or rods offered in the catalog!
What does being an ambassador mean to you?
Goulven Crehan -For me, being an ambassador is above all acting as a spokesperson between the brand and the users of the products. Whether it's a professional or an ordinary fisherman, the feeling is not the same and I find it very interesting to exchange with all these people.
On social networks or at shows, it's a pleasure to listen to each other's point of view on the use of a particular equipment for a specific type of fishing. We have different thoughts and ways of doing things from one region to another because of the differences between our spots. This is also what makes the charm of fishing in France.
What is your best memory, or anecdote, as a Pro-Staff to share with our readers?
Goulven Crehan -My best memory is the test of the lures at the time when they were not yet commercialized. I had spent a week of vacation prospecting a particular area. I had not had very good results during this period. A bit disappointed to have done so much navigation for so few results, I had said to my teammate "screwed for screwed, I'm going to test the swimming of the new ones". As if by chance, we found a huge detection of sea bass. The fish went up like crazy on our fish swimmers in the first layer of water for our greatest satisfaction!
How do you see the fishing industry in France?
Goulven Crehan -In my opinion, we don't know each other well enough (pros, boaters, decision makers).
Indeed, the studies and the figures given by hand have been degrading the fishery as a whole for too long. The professional fishermen consider the pleasure boaters as formidable predators, the pleasure boaters see the pros as factories of the seas at the sight of some monstrous vessels... You add to that a little bit of punitive ecology from people totally ignorant of the reality of the field and you get a nice bag of knots...
Fortunately, things are beginning to evolve in the right direction. The establishment of quotas on particular species allows us to see the stocks increase from year to year (e.g. bluefin tuna). This significant increase in the populations and consequently the increase in the number of fishermen allows to give an economic weight to the fishing world. I hope with all my heart that this will allow us to serve our interests in the best possible way with the decision-making and scientific authorities.
The world of Pro-Staff/Ambassadors is on the rise! Sports sponsorship is a means of communication increasingly used by brands to promote their products. This approach allows to quickly increase the notoriety of a company through competitors or influencers.
From an outside perspective, we don't necessarily realize the constraints that this creates. Because yes, there are! It's a lot of personal time to devote to the brand in question. On average, one week off per year is dedicated to shooting the various videos.
Of course, it is also the opportunity to participate in some major fishing events in France! It is also the privilege to test the products in preview and to participate in the creation/improvement of prototypes.
Finally! The most important thing for me is to meet many passionate people. Many of the people I met at the partner brands' facilities have become friends.
Any advice for anglers who want to join a Pro-Staff team one day?
Goulven Crehan -My only advice is to dare! Nothing is written and everything is possible! Start by having fun at the water's edge and share it with your community on the networks as well as with your entourage. If the content is interesting, your "notoriety" on these media will grow and you will be spotted by brands.
