Thanks to my blog and facebook I had the chance to meet many great anglers around the world.
The passion is the same but the stories, the seas and the fishes change from continent to continent, and it is very interesting to listen and learn about others experiences in the different parts of the globe.
I have decided to do some brief interviews and give space on my blog to some of those special friends.
I think it is very exciting to read about what anglers do around the world. The passion is one but it is what is behind it that makes us curious.
Today I decided to start with a very skilled angler and great guy: Markos Vidalis, a real angler with a great passion and dedication for fishing.
I thank him for this short interview and hope one day I will have the honor to go fishing with him somewhere in the Aegean Sea.
Hello Markos, Can you please briefly introduce yourself?
Hi there! My name is Markos Vidalis and my origin is from an Aegean island in
Greece called Tinos. Now I live in Athens and I’m head editor in the two most
reputed Greek fishing magazines, one involving fishing from shore, and one
from boat! I’m also the main product fishing field tester of many brands.
When did you start fishing?
Well my family’s history was always involved with the sea, and with one
grandfather being a fisherman, and the other being an angler, I made my first
fishing steps at the age of three years old. My father was also an angler and a
seaman so I guess fishing is in my DNA!
What type of fishing do you prefer?
Hard to answer because I use many different techniques, depending the
weather and of course the mood! Yes I use many fishing ways with natural
and live baits, but I think I mostly love fishing with artificial ones! You see with
this way of fishing you have to give life to a piece of plastic or metal, so when
you get the strike, you know that YOU made the predator to attack! Of course
is far more difficult than with a live bait, but the psychical reward is much
higher! On the other hand when you practice fishing techniques like spinning
or shore jigging, preparation is almost eliminated.
Favorite places to cast a lure?
This is a tricky question and depends on what is my target! If a want to get
a big Dentex or AJ (Amberjack), then I will climb down the most hard to approach rocky
deep spots. If there are bluefish or sea bass on the menu, I will wear my
waders and go straight to river ending places, and fish right there where
the freshwater meet the sea. For bonitos and tunnies, I choose deep waters
usually on the outer side of big ports, or I also climb down to deep rocky
spots. You see I believe there is nowhere in the world a place that holds all
the type of fish, and you have to decide what you want to catch, and then
decide the place!
What is your favorite fish to catch with lures?
Every fish has its own beauty, either it is in the way it strikes or in the way it
fights. I love many fish for different reasons! I love sea bass for the difficulty
they show to attack! I love the bluefish for the great fight and the jumps on the
water. Amberjacks are masters of fight and strength, and barracudas are real
ghosts! But if there is one fish that every time I catch it is like my first time,
then this is the snapper! (Dentex Dentex) Hard to find, royal appearance and
clever mind, are characteristics hard to beat!
What is your best catch ever?
I have lots of catches that I’m very proud of, but only one made my heart beat
so fast! Even if it is not my biggest fish, the size of it and the light gear I had
while I encounter it, made it my top trophy! It is a snapper (dentex dentex)
weighting 8.650kg that was caught with a light shore jigging rod (20-60gr
lure weight) with braid 0.18mm and leader 0.43mm in a very hard and rocky
bottom! Many people told me that there is nowhere else in the world report of
such a big snapper with so light tackle. I don’t know but at least for my country
for sure there isn't!
What kind of tackle do you use during your fishing trips? Rod and reel
preferences?
The type of rods and reels are once again chosen depending the type of
fishing I want to practice. Generally if we talk about brands I love Zenaq for
rods and Daiwa and Shimano for reels. For most spinning trips I use rods with
height around 2.70 and with an average lure weight 10 – 35gr. A 2500 – 3000
spinning reel fits well on it in most cases. For shore jigging, I prefer rods with
jig weight 60 – 120gr, height 3.00m combined with a 5000 – 6000 reel.
If you had to choose only three lures to put in your lure box, which ones would
you pick?
You kill me Rehacan! Only three? %&*#@!!! That would be my worst
nightmare but if so, then I would get DUO Tide minnow slim in 120, 140 & 175
sizes!
I know you have a close cooperation with DUO Japan. How did it happen?
I use DUO lures far before they appear in the European market, thanks to
the internet shops. Of course then I could acquire them only from Japan.
The results where great so time passed until a very good friend of mine
(Dinos Panayi) became the Greek and Cyprus Importer! When I learned it, I
was so happy to open champagne! He introduced me to Martin, who is the
“ambassador” of DUO and we started chatting every now and then. DUO was
very new to Greek market and needed help to stand strong so I offer them my
help without expecting anything back! Time passed and one day DUO made
its move and told me that they were interested in me as a Pro Stuff! Of course
I agreed and I’m very proud to be an official pro stuffer in one of the most
important lure brands in the world! In the past before, and after this, I had
rejected other offers mostly from Italian and Chinese brands.
Where do you see lure fishing in 10 years?
With the rapid evolution of fishing gear and the fishing population becoming
less in number and more intelligent, I believe that in future will have to take
too much effort to get a big fish! Fishing is becoming even more popular in all
of its morphs, but especially with lures, gains day by day more and more fans.
It’s not a secret that lures once where “killers” now are going unseen by fish!
So I think we should get prepared!
What do you think of catch and release?
I support C&R as much as I can. Many videos of mine shows it very clear and
I have my own rules in my head about size and number of fish I can keep or
release. Sometimes I argue with foreign anglers because they demand from
me to release all of my catch! I wish I could but as I mentioned before I come
from a fisherman family. All my life I’m eating fish, more than meat or any
other food. So I’m not intending to change this in my 34 years of life! When I
get a big fish I can’t wait the time that I will call my best friends or my family
and eat it together! In contrary to that, I have strong rules and I release no
matter what, most fish less than 1kg.
Again, thank you very much for your time!!
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