Written by BD STAFF

Marina Gibson – BD Fishing Chick

September 4, 2018
Fishing Chicks

BD would like to welcome Marina Gibson, an expert angler from across the pond who shares her fishing story with us.

BD:Where do you live?

Marina Gibson:North Yorkshire in the UK – God’s own county for fly fishing!

BD:What is you occupation?

Marina Gibson:I am a full-time professional-angler – if that’s even the correct term! After leaving London in February 2017, I am now a freelance writer for fishing and hunting magazines, hosts trips worldwide, guides in the UK (qualified Fly Fishers International CI Instructor and 1st 4sport Level 2 fishing instructor), hosts and guides ‘Family Fishing Courses’, ‘Ladies Trout & Salmon Courses’ and ‘Casting in the Park’ with Orvis UK – initiatives to get more people into the sport and give advice where possible, is an ambassador for the prestigious Orvis fishing company and the Atlantic Salmon Trust and fishes all year round with my Romanian rescue Sedge!

BD:What are your other hobbies?

Marina Gibson:There isn’t much time to fit in anything else other than fishing but I do like hunting, shooting, playing squash and tennis, horse riding, baking cakes and pies.

BD:Who or what got you into fishing?

Marina Gibson:I was lucky enough to spend much of my childhood chasing salmon, trout and sea trout in the Scottish Highlands. My mother was the keenest of the bunch, she moved to Scotland when I was 12 to follow the salmon and I guess I followed her too. My mother is so beautiful and cool and as she was my idol growing up I think naturally fishing ran through my veins, either that or her passion rubbed off on me BIG time!

BD:How long have you been fishing?

Marina Gibson:I started trout fishing (single handed) when I was 5 in Scotland and Gloucestershire and salmon fishing (double handed) when I was 8 in numerous rivers in Scotland. Wherever we went on a family holiday we would make sure to get a spot of fishing into the itinerary.

BD:What types of fishing have you done and where?

Marina Gibson:Pretty much all fly fishing, whether that be saltwater, rivers or lakes. In recent years I’ve hosted groups of anglers to: Belize, Norway, British Columbia, Christmas Island and Sweden and visited France, Cuba, Iceland and Scotland with family and friends. I’ve got some extremely exciting plans coming up including Alaska, Mexico, Slovenia, Iceland and the US. I want to explore as much as I can before I have more responsibilities!

BD:What is your favorite kind of fishing so far?

Marina Gibson:Hmmm… If I had to pick one I would say saltwater flats fishing, but hey who wouldn’t. Stalking shadows in shorts and a tee is what dreams are made of! I do love every type of fishing, even coarse fishing which I’ve only dabbled in. A few of my favourites though: spey casting for Atlantic salmon, pike on the fly, lake and river trout fishing, carp on the fly (a guilty pleasure of mine).

BD:What are some future goals or plans pertaining to fishing?

Marina Gibson:To finish all my Fly Fishers International (FFI) exams, I’ve completed my CI level and I’m doing my THCI next. It was the most nerve-racking experience and biggest accomplishment of my life so far.

BD:What part of fishing do you like the most?

Marina Gibson:I love everything about it, from planning my next day out whether that be with friends or solo, packing up my car with rods, dogs, boxes of flies and the rest. Arriving at my destination, perhaps a new one or maybe one I’ve been to before and know exactly where to go, what to use and how to fish it. Then the best part…the tug, which is known to be the drug, followed by the fight, the play, the land, or maybe the loss and then the pinnacle – the release.