Hello Jean-Michel, can you introduce yourself to Fishing.news readers?
Jean-Michel Marcon -Hello everyone, I'd like to quickly introduce myself. I'm no spring chicken, and I've logged a lot of hours fishing at the water's edge in my 54 years. I fish all over France and sometimes abroad. I was lucky enough to be able to travel to Morocco to fish for black bass and take part in two team competitions from the shore. I've also been lucky enough to take part in two World Lure Fishing Championships from the shore to represent France, which were great moments. My fishing trips have taken me to Ireland, Sweden, Lapland, Spain and Holland.
On these trips, I fish by boat, but in France I fish either from the shore or by float tube. I'm more of a freshwater angler than a sea angler, because I'm not near saltwater. I'm not at all obsessed by the size of the fish, I like the touch, that moment when you make contact with the fish, that moment when the transmission of the touch takes place thanks to increasingly tactile rods. That's why I fish with G.Loomis. I've been fishing exclusively for predators with lures for over 30 years, and I love luring them.
The years go by quickly and I've been wearing Shimano and G.Loomis colors for almost 20 years now.
Can you tell us about your early days in fishing?
Jean-Michel Marcon -I started fishing with my father and grandfather on school vacations when I was just 6 years old. I started out fishing with a small rod for minnows, and gradually mastered the reel to spoon perch in the Loire, or barbel in the current. I must have been about twelve at the time.
As I became more independent over the years, I started to go out on my own, getting up early and staying up late, in search of predators on spoons or swimming fish. Gradually, I moved away from jigging and static fishing and concentrated solely on stalking predators with artificial lures. Over time, I perfected the different techniques as lures evolved.
I got involved in the first lure fishing competitions and organized the first official competitions in my department. I've been competing for many years, which has had the effect of forcing me to perfect my fine fishing skills.
When, how and why did you agree to become a Pro-Staff?
Jean-Michel Marcon -It was during the first competitions that I was contacted by Shimano, who were looking for two anglers to represent them in competition. I hesitated for a long time, because at the time, Shimano France rods weren't particularly suited to the kind of fishing I was doing. The reels, on the other hand, were top-notch. The person in charge at the time finally convinced me that I could also fish with the G.Loomis range, which I was already using and which they were distributing on a fairly confidential basis.
What does being an ambassador mean to you?
Jean-Michel Marcon -To be an ambassador is above all to be upright in your shoes. You represent a brand, so when an ambassador is at fault, it's the brand that's tarnished. Ambassadors represent the brand, so they need to know what they're talking about, but they can't know everything, so it's important to get the right information.
What's your fondest memory or anecdote from your time as a Pro-Staff?
Jean-Michel Marcon -A difficult question, because for me, any time spent on the water is a good time. I love lure fishing for all the soothing moments it brings, the intense emotions with every touch and the need to rack my brains to get the predators to bite. It's not always easy to seduce them with an artificial lure, but what a pleasure it is to succeed. On the thrill side, surface fishing is certainly my dream, but I also love fishing for black bass in the woods with a Texan. I love the little toc on the tip of the G.Loomis with a contact and a powerful strike to get the fish out of its lair!
To talk about the events that have marked me, there are three:
- Parade under the French colors at the world championship and sing the Marseillaise. At the time, I was using the G.Loomis DSR 820GLX for trout lure fishing.
- Victory in the AFCPL Competition in Lyon, a fishing of exceptional quality with the G.Loomis JWR 852S NRX, a victory with 22 meshed fish caught from the shore, perch, pike-perch and pike.
- A victory in Duo fishing with Petit Laurent, in a black-bass fishing competition from the shore in Morocco. Invited by our Moroccan friends, we took part in this unpretentious competition. There were a number of international teams present, and to our great surprise we ended up on the top step of the podium. For the convenience of air travel, I had chosen a Shimano Poison Adrena 276M two-strand combo and Shimano Vanquish reel.
What do you think of fishing in France?
Jean-Michel Marcon -Fishing in France is a complicated business at the moment, with first-category rivers sorely lacking in water and not spared from pollution. Rivers are poorly managed, not to say unmanaged in some areas. There are not enough controls at the water's edge.
The requirement for free movement of sediment has led to the opening of dams that used to keep water levels up on certain rivers. These rivers have now seen their water levels drop dramatically, the banks are no longer held in place by the pressure of the water and are gradually collapsing, and former spawning grounds have dried up.
France's hydrographic network is far superior to that of any other European country. We have the potential, it's just a question of putting in the resources. At present, in most places, it's difficult to get young people into fishing. Fortunately, there are a few federations that are committed to our hobby, and I'd like to thank them for that.
Any advice for anglers who want to join a Pro-Staff team one day?
Jean-Michel Marcon -Be yourself, have an ethic worthy of the brand and do it if you believe in it. Joining a Pro-Staff team is hard work, you have to know how to fish, but it's not all about fishing. A Pro-Staff needs to know his field, his products, remain objective, and be able to reach out to people to share his passion. Produce content on the brand's products and be present at trade shows, open houses or brand events.
