Hello Jérôme, could you introduce yourself to Fishing.news readers?
My name is Jérôme Taboulet. I was born in Poitiers and I'm 53. I'm a pro-staff for Way Of Fishing and an ambassador for Kuruk. I fish mainly with lures such as soft lures, hard lures, jigs... in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean. If the sea is not practicable, I choose to fish in freshwater. The fish I go for at sea are sea bass, pollack, meagre, and the must with popper fishing, bluefin tuna. Then, in freshwater, it's pike, zander and black-bass.
I also take part in sea bass fishing competitions. Like the Master fishing Suzuki de Noirmoutier which we won with Sébastien Mongruel, the Open Bar d'Oléron with podiums, the Open des Glénan, the Master Suzuki Tuna de St Tropez, the Sailtiga Fishing, and the Grand Pavois Fishing with a third place in 2023 and a great victory in 2024 with my friends Sébastien Mongruel and Sébastien Gaillard under the Suzuki fishing colors.
I also go on fishing trips abroad, to Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Morocco.
Can you tell us about your early days in fishing?
I started fishing with my grandfather Paul for roach and tench in his village pond during my vacations at the age of 10. I took off and started fishing for predators in the river. The bug got stronger and stronger, so I decided to try my hand at sea fishing. Being out in nature, knowing and understanding the biotope and the behavior of the fish, looking for ways to get them to bite, all the while carrying out a no-kill in accordance with the rules, is exceptional.
When, how and why did you agree to become a Pro-Staff?
I've been a Way of Fishing ambassador for 2 years now, thanks to a friend Romain who's been with the company for a long time and who mentioned me. I'd already been fishing for several years with equipment distributed by Way Of Fishing, so I knew them very well. I then had an interview with Charline who validated my entry into the team. It's really an honor to be part of this great team with a philosophy that I share.
For several years now, I've also been an ambassador for Kuruk. Our bond with Eric, Kuruk's manager, is based on a beautiful friendship and solid mutual trust. I'm a real fan of these clothes.
What does being an ambassador mean to you?
To be a team ambassador or Pro-Staff is to be passionate. We spend a lot of hours on the water, promoting products, testing them, giving feedback on various improvements. It also means being proud of your brands, trying to promote them, and showing people how to use them. You also have to be constantly improving to have the best product for the angler, but also respect our fellow players, which is also very important to me.
Your fondest memory, or anecdote, as a Pro-staff to share with our readers?
My fondest memory? Of course our victory this year at the Grand Pavois fishing competition, but also some great moments during a fishing trip to Portugal with friends to fish for black bass, with a 30-meter cast in a 15 cm circle to catch the black bass of a lifetime with a sexy Texan-mounted impact.
What do you think of fishing in France?
The mentality of most fishermen is positive in terms of species preservation, with many preferring to return their catch to the water. After that, it's the legislation that needs to be worked on, because there are some things that don't make sense in my opinion. Take, for example, the legislation on meagre, pollock etc... For closed seasons, quotas and harvest sizes for certain fish that aren't even sexually mature.
Any advice for anglers who want to join a Pro-Staff team one day?
It's crucial to be really passionate about it and to understand how much time it can take, whether it's for articles, or simply time spent at the water's edge. For me, fishing is much more than a passion. Go fishing, release your dreams and make them come true again.
