Hello Vincent, can you introduce yourself to the readers of Fishing.news ?
Vincent Lopez - My name is Vincent Lopez, 28 years old, passionate fisherman and proud of it! In life, I'm a counter master in sport building, and on weekends, I'm Pro-Staff Rapala, VMC and 13Fishing for 10 years now. I am originally from the South of France, from Montpellier. I practice carnivorous fishing mainly as a hobby, a little in competition in France and I often travel. I have learned a lot by fishing in different environments, but also by rubbing shoulders with many fishermen and I continue to learn every day that I spend on the water.
I am an angler who loves to vary the pleasures and we have this chance in lure fishing! I like to vary my fishing according to the seasons and the conditions. Among the fisheries that I like the most, I can mention: pike perch with soft lures (linear, drop shot, vertical), early and late season pike fishing (Big Bait), trout fishing with ultra light lures (swimming fish) and fall perch fishing (crankbait, jerkbait, topwater, metal Jig).
What I like most of all is to understand an environment and to exchange with other fishermen on the techniques that pay according to the species and the conditions.
Can you tell us about your early days in fishing?
Vincent Lopez - I started fishing more than 20 years ago, I must have been 6 or 7 years old. It was mostly during my vacations at my maternal grandparents' farm. There was a canal and ponds on the farm. I started out self-taught, because my parents didn't fish, and by reading a lot of fishing magazines and books. So I started by filling up the fish boxes with roach, bleak and gudgeon, and then with the purchase of my first rod and reel set, I started to tackle carp, tench and bream.
As I got older, I started to fish for predators and bought my first lure, a Rapala Jointed perch, and it was at this moment that I decided that fishing with lures would be my way of fishing. And from there came the weekends at the water's edge, the desire to go on fishing trips, the purchase of a float-tube, the purchase of a boat... It is a real passion for me. A real moment to recharge my batteries in the middle of nature and to concentrate on a stalk in an environment where you can't see everything that's going on and where all your senses are on the alert.
When, how and why did you agree to be a Pro-Staff?
Vincent Lopez - I have been with the Rapala VMC team for 10 years now. To retrace my steps during these 10 years, I started as a partner.
This partnership started when I had the chance to meet the Rapala salesman in my area. I was 18 years old, in the "Aurelien Pêche" store in Tulles, the town where I was studying. He was the one who suggested the partnership. I accepted, because I was a fan of Rapala (a bit of a collector too), and I was attracted by this environment. And over the years, my work and my personal investment, I climbed the ladder to my current level of Pro-Staff at Rapala.
What does being an ambassador mean to you?
Vincent Lopez - For me, a Pro-Staff or ambassador is a motivated person, involved in a brand and its development. A person who is proud to represent it on the field to convey a beautiful image, messages, share the values that are dear to him and share his passion.
For my part, I have always been a fan of Rapala and I have always bought a lot of Rapala lures. It's the history of this brand that appeals to me too. This Finnish fisherman Lauri Rapala who in 1936 carved the first Rapala in a piece of wood to feed his family and then became a world famous brand and even an icon of fishing.
What is your best memory, or anecdote, as a Pro-Staff to share with our readers?
Vincent Lopez - A good memory, quite recent moreover, which comes to my mind is when I proposed and participated in organizing, after the various confinements related to the Covid, a weekend of fishing with all the Pro-Staff of Team Rapala, VMC and 13Fishing. It was a great weekend of sharing, laughing, technical discussions on new products. This is also the world of "sponsoring", it is a human adventure above all. In the team, we are all scattered all over France, and the fact that we were all on the same water gave us the opportunity to live great moments of sharing.
Another good memory, the chance to have visited the VMC hook factory in France, a great pride to have been able to see how a simple piece of wire becomes this object that allows us to practice our passion. A great moment to see the different manufacturing processes of this "made in France" hook, which also shows that our French fishing industry is recognized worldwide.
How do you see the world of Pro-Staff?
Vincent Lopez - The new generation is really always so attracted to the sponsorship world. Most of the time, it is because they only see the tip of the iceberg (the fish, the recognition, the material etcâeuros¦). They don't see that submerged part which is very important (the experience, the research, the experimentation, the hoods, the articles, the photos, the in-store animations, the shows, etcâeuros¦).
The world of sponsorship is much written and talked about, but let's remember that it is not an end in itself in fishing. If you want to become an ambassador for the "show" or because you're tired of buying your own gear, then it's best to move on.
Any advice for anglers who want to join a Pro-Staff team one day?
Vincent Lopez - If a fisherman wants to go towards sponsoring by taking the time to do it properly, which will go from step to step (a bit like in work), I will encourage him, because it is still a beautiful adventure to be able to contribute to his passion and transmit it.
As with a job, you have to prove yourself over time and not want everything right away. As with fishing, you have to be patient.
