Hello Martial, could you introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello, I'm Martial, a small fisherman who practices his passion at sea, in the Gulf of Morbihan, in southern Brittany. I'm 41 years old and was born in Mayenne.
Can you tell us about your early days in fishing?
I started fishing when I was 3, when we went on vacation with my parents in the Morbihan region. I first learned to fish on the hunt, by observing seagulls which are very good indicators of life and fish activity. Our fishing was simple, a row of submachine guns, a sinker at the end and we lowered our line into the water. Back then, fish were everywhere and in great abundance. My father passed on to me his passion, his love of fishing and the sea. After moving to the Morbihan region, I began to fish more finely and tactically, with lures. Mainly soft lures, to be used as close as possible to the bottom. I quickly improved my skills thanks to a lot of sharing between enthusiasts. You learn a lot of fishing techniques and have a great time on the water. I don't hesitate to go as often as possible, depending on the weather conditions.
I now fish mainly for sea bass, a fish that fascinates me with its beauty. I'm also impressed by the size the big fish can reach. I ended up with a record 83 cm, which is pretty good. A fish caught in the Gulf of Morbihan that gave me quite a thrill in the strong currents. I also like this approach that you can have at sea, because you have to place the boat with millimetre precision on the drift, to be able to pass at the right spot and thus animate our lure in the best possible conditions.
When, how and why did you agree to become a Pro-Staff?
I'm an ambassador for the Way Of Fishing team, a fishing tackle distributor with great products and well-known brands such as Major Craft,... Like any fishing enthusiast, I posted regularly and gave my feedback on my fishing trips, which attracted their attention. I'd like to thank Stéphane for getting me into this great team. I'm now lucky enough to be able to test and give feedback on quality products that also work very well for sea fishing. Way Of Fishing is primarily known for freshwater fishing.
I'm also a representative of Tiger Marine France, which provides me with some very fine boats through Boats Distribution, the brand's importer in France.
What does being an ambassador mean to you?
For me, being an ambassador is above all a great opportunity and an honor. I'd like to thank my sponsors for their trust and support. They enable me to progress outing after outing, as I spend a lot of time on the water, with at least 1 or 2 outings a week. This allows me to try out a wide range of lures. I even have a lure to show you, it's new for 2025, but it's already one of my favorites: the Majorcraft eely-shad. As a complement, I also use the Stabi Shad a lot, which is also part of the Major Craft brand. These two lures are a must-have for 2025.
Your fondest memory, or anecdote, as a Pro-staff to share with our readers?
Fishing anecdotes are a dime a dozen, but there are two that stood out for me this year. The first is about a pout I caught, which I immediately released just in front of a fellow angler's line. The angler took a huge cartridge instantly, and the fish was stronger than the angler.
And the second is a shot that could have been magnificent when fishing for a very big bass, but this time without a rod, just with the landing net. I was waiting with the landing net in hand, ready to catch the fish that had been brought up by my friend, when I saw that the fish was a small pollack. I started to put the net away, and then I saw a very large sea bass following the fish, which, at the sight of the boat, dived again, passing right in front of me under the boat. With a little reflex and the landing net in the water, I could have caught a very big fish...
What do you think of fishing in France?
Fishermen are gradually realizing, as I did, that there are far fewer fish than when we were children. A lot of passionate people are putting the biggest specimens back in the water, with beautiful releases and gestures that also allow the biggest spawners to reproduce during the spawning periods, which is when the best-known spawning grounds should be protected.
Any advice for anglers who want to join a Pro-Staff team one day?
The advice I can give to those who dream of joining a team of enthusiasts is, above all, to enjoy what you do, to be more than just passionate. Because it takes time and energy to share your fishing experiences and the catches you can make, and if all goes well, the brands that are on the lookout for new people will contact you to help you progress.
