For once, we're here with Tony and Rodhouse founder Goulven to take a look at the first images from season 3 of the Zander Pro. While we'll be presenting the various protagonists and the places fished in future articles, let's not forget that this competition takes place over 3 days, the second of which is exclusively on board. At the end of each day, 3 points are awarded for big fish, top five and number.
Hi Goulven, can you tell us what motivated you to take part in the Zander pro adventure with Rodhouse 3 years ago?
Goulven: First of all, this is one of Europe's biggest competitions, with big international teams, and it seemed important to us to line up a team with our friends from Fiiish. We're innovative in terms of rods and they're innovative in terms of lures, so we're a natural fit. We decided to put together a team that was obviously competitive, but also "fresh" and cool!
It's almost a Breton identity in this European competition?
Goulven: Yes and no, because something very important is happening in Brittany in terms of the dynamism around fishing, but we're not just Breton and we're distributed, Fiiish like us, all over Europe.
Rodhouse and Fiiish have their origins in salt water, and now they're showing up in fresh water for this competition. Is this a logical connection, a step forward, a particular desire?
Goulven: I like the idea of a logical connection in the sense that for all anglers in Europe it is possible to fish the vast majority of predators present in our waters, whether fresh or salt, with the same equipment. With the same equipment, you can track bass, pike, zander, etc... Unlike some countries where, as soon as you go saltwater fishing, you'll need special equipment because the species you're targeting are more powerful. If we think in terms of predators rather than environments, the distinction between fresh and salt no longer exists.
Hi Tony, to begin with, tell us what your ambitions are for this year after a somewhat difficult season 2 in terms of weather conditions and results?
Tony : Let's be clear, our objective is victory! Stephane and I really have our teeth into it, and once again we've put in a lot of hard work to make sure we don't just make up the numbers and go for first place. We don't know if we'll achieve our goal, but we've done what's necessary and left nothing to chance!
In any case, we can see right from the start that you haven't lost your good habits and that you'll hook us a fish on the first cast!
Tony : Yes (laughs)! But it's no coincidence. We're in the right place at the right time, we know which fish are present and how to catch them. Once again, there's an enormous amount of work and preparation behind it all. We fished for 7 days, around 13 hours a day, to prepare for the competition and get ready for D-day, and we also covered thousands of kilometers. It's a huge team effort with our local guide, Pedro, and the Rodhouse and Fiiish staff.
I think it shows on camera that there's a chemistry between us and that we're having fun. It's created by sharing time and work!
We see you fishing against the wind at the beginning of the episode. What kind of technical and tactical adaptation does this require?
Tony : Yes indeed, given the topography of the spot and the need to present the lure in a specific direction to trigger attacks, we took the option of fishing into the wind. We asked ourselves quite a few questions about how to go about it, but in fact on this spot, we're fishing submerged structures and the best angle we can find is in front of us! We had to adjust the size and weight of the lures to get the ideal presentation.
It's still fishing, you have to fish on the fish and find technical adaptations to attack them in the right way! This means adapting casting angles, line speed and lure weight as the lure moves downstream towards us. It's not easy in terms of line tension, but it's the best way to proceed. You can't see it on the picture, but it was still a lot of work!
Do you think wind is an essential parameter for pike-perch fishing, as it is for other species?
Tony : No, not in Spain in my opinion, at least not on this lake! For me, it conditions the presentation of the lure, but not the presence of fish or their state of activity.
We're in an area where we know the fish are there because we found them the days before. We caught the catchable fish in the wind, so we changed spots and settled on this one because we know they're there, but not because of the weather conditions.
You're off to a great start! Do you think your results are influencing the strategy of other teams who are starting later in the competition?
Tony : I think so, of course, because they see that we're already ahead of the game in terms of numbers and that this point will be difficult for them. They know, and we make no secret of the fact, that our aim is to take as many as possible, and that we hope to take the number point every day. That's why we chose Spain! So we've set ourselves 3 points and an option for a 4 ème ...
But then, there are some very big teams out there and you never know what might happen!
First at the end of this first episode, it's the best way to start the competition!
Tony : Absolutely! It gives us confidence and helps us find a fishing rhythm that will enable us to achieve our goals. We hope our hard work will pay off in the rest of the competition!
Apart from you, who do you think are the favourites?
Tony : We are! (Laughs)
I don't have any favourites, because we're competing to win this year and I don't want to imagine anyone else with the trophy.
We can see that there are some changes compared to last year in terms of lures and rods? Is this a strategic adaptation?
Tony : So for the rods I've clearly brought a new blank, which is my favorite, an NFC 705 HM that's head and shoulders above the rest on linear fishing. It's very tactile and propels lures for miles!
It's a blank I haven't picked up in previous years, but this year it's in the bunch. It's my favorite and my favorite blank.
We'll come back to our selection of equipment for this season according to the spots fished and the lures used.
Finally, Goulven, I understand you went pike-perch fishing with Tony in Spain this year. Did you learn or discover anything?
Goulven: Yes, as with all fishing, you obviously learn a few things. As for me, being particularly slow, I learned... At the end of the day! (Laughs) I started off with a bang and after a long dry spell, I came to understand things by drawing analogies with my bass fishing. I drew parallels with my fishing in the current, where line angle and tension are decisive parameters for success.
By the way, I found a new sensation when the wind picked up and created a drift very similar to my fishing in the current, where a natural tension is created between you and your lure. But I think I'd have to say that all in all, I took a spanking! (Laughs)
